Kgalagadi January 2023: Clouds and cats and everything in between

[JayRon]

Thank you for a great report so far, it must have been so exciting watchin the male lion trying to hunt ( even if he failed).

I am a bit surprise it wasn´t hotter. I been to Kgalagadi twice in january and each time we had at least 40 degrees from around 12 o´clock.

Looking forward to the next installment, maybe it will include some chetaahs ? 

[Tdgraves]

@JayRonindeed. It was 42 when we arrived and therefore had the most to unpack from the car, but I don’t think it got there again…spoiler alert, there will be cheetah!

[Tdgraves]

Day 9: Kalahari tented camp, evening drive

 

We knew our ultimate destination, but were worried that everyone else from camp and Mata Mata would also be there, so expectations were tempered. It was 37 degrees as we left and some birds were our first sighting...

 

D14I3348 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3367 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3373 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

No sooner had we set off from the spotted eagle owl roost, a cheetah appeared in the river bed...

 

D14I3382 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

and another

 

D14I3392 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

they were on a mission going North, so we carried on. And half an hour later, found another four!!

 

D14I3403 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3410 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3416 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3423 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

we were well positioned and they walked right past us

 

D14I3430 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3437 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3461 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3471 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3483 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3499 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3513 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3519 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3524 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

one even spat at us, when it realised that the metal box contained human beings!

 

D14I3529 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3531 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

and then they were off into the dunes

 

D14I3539 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3541 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3550 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3554 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3558 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

onwards to Craig Lockhart, where the pride were a bit closer

 

D14I3577 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

but not enough for the congestion that I worried about

 

D14I3579 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3596 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3629 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3642 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

It started to rain as we arrived back to camp, where we saw a soggy cuckoo. Later on there was a thunderstorm.

 

7T4A4212 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4221 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

But we managed to braai ok....

[Tdgraves]

Day 10: Kalahari tented morning drive, 22/1/123

 

It was unsurprisingly very cloudy this morning, going from 24 to 37 degrees. I had the 5D and it was a raptor drive, not really seeing much else, all the way to Kamqua and back. We did get a lifer though - Ludwig's bustard

 

7T4A4252 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4260 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4402 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4425 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4431 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4433 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4440 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4449 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4475 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3725 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

and some other birds

 

7T4A4452 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4455 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4469 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4411 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

and finally some mammal action

 

7T4A4285 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4294 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4304 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4316 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4341 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4384 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I3763 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

[Peter Connan]

Wonderful Cheetah and Wildebeest sightings!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @Peter Connan more to come...

[Tdgraves]

Day 10, evening drive

 

It was 37 degrees and really humid as we left camp. We tried to get the bee-eaters going into their nest, but it was not to be and then the road got graded 

 

7T4A4494 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

We then encountered the 4 cheetahs again - WARNING - Cheetah overload!!!

 

7T4A4498 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

and despite the fact there were a couple of cars at the sighting, we got a good position, as they seemed disinclined to move from where they were parked

 

7T4A4503 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4514 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4548 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4553 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4560 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4563 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4569 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4576 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4585 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4591 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4598 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4600 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4615 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4619 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4622 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

They seemed to be heading toward the waterhole at Craig Lockhart, so we set off there to get a good position at the hole, as you can park very close to it. While we were waiting, some lanner falcons were hunting. This juvenile hopped onto a hapless dove that didn't fly off with the rest of the flock

 

7T4A4643 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4647 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

but someone soon noticed it's success

 

7T4A4661 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4663 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4664 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4666 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4668 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4677 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4680 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4688 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

I don't think anyone else noticed this spectacle, as they were all looking towards the oncoming cheetah, rather than the waterhole. But they soon turned up

 

7T4A4702 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4708 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4716 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4728 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4744 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4751 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4763 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4769 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4799 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4806 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4814 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4837 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4868 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

and then they were off

 

7T4A4879 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

but we managed a sunset silhouette  near to camp

 

7T4A4887 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4163 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

and sunset from camp

 

7T4A4901 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4904 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

7T4A4908 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

What a day!!

[janzin]

Fantastic cheetah overload! And the hunting falcons too (poor dove.)

[JimS]

The falcon sequence is superb, and what a sunset!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @janzinand @JimS

[offshorebirder]

Amazing Cheetah photos and incredible LAnner Falcon action sequence @Tdgraves!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @offshorebirder

[Zim Girl]

Superb set of cheetah and falcon pictures.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @Zim Girl

[Miss Biscuit]

Love the cheetah group shots as well as the falcon action.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @Miss Biscuit

[Peter Connan]

Wow!

 

But I guess there is officially something wrong with me. The cheetahs are great, but the shot of the sighting for me is 4664.

[Tdgraves]

21 minutes ago, Peter Connan said:

Wow!

 

But I guess there is officially something wrong with me. The cheetahs are great, but the shot of the sighting for me is 4664.

Not sure why you came to that conclusion (about yourself, not no. 4664)!

[Tdgraves]

Day 11, Kalahari Tented Camp, morning drive, 23/1/23

 

There is such a thing as being too organised. As we were only going from KTP to Mata Mata (you have to take what accommodation you can get), I had asked at the Mata Mata reception the day before if we would be able to check in early. I guess it was the language barrier, as when we got back to KTP, the camp manager asked us why we were leaving early (wondering what he had done wrong) as Mata Mata had radioed him to get our tent ready, as we were going to check out a day early! We reassured him that we were not leaving. We did try our luck at about 10.30 after checking out of KTP, but we were told to go back at 12.30, so we had to have a rather fruitless drive instead. Anyway, I am getting ahead of myself. Yet another cloudy morning, 24 to 34 degrees and as it was a quiet drive, I had the 1D (well that seemed to be the pattern anyway!). A pair of hartebeest was our first sighting

 

D14I4186 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4189 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4192 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A6271 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A6277 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

then a pair of cheetah on top of the dune ridge

 

D14I4211 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4219 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4221 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

although they appeared interested, they didn't do much

 

D14I4239 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4253 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4261 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

next up were some squirrels

 

D14I4269 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4274 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4278 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4282 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4285 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

and some birds

 

D14I4296 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4299 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4308 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4317 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4319 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A6284 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A6290 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Time to check out

Edited November 9, 2023 by Tdgraves
extra photo

[Tdgraves]

"Transfer" KTC to Mata Mata

 

We were packing up in KTC and the OH went to get the motion camera when he called me to where he was urgently...

 

J19A6295 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

this was why! An African wild cat resting in the cool sand under our tent!

 

J19A6308 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A6314 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

It was pretty hot, so not much was happening, but better than hanging around in camp waiting for our room to be ready.

 

D14I4330 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4347 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4348 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Time to check in

[Peter Connan]

What a great cat sighting!

[Tdgraves]

8 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

What a great cat sighting!

It was hilarious the OH trying to whisper shout to get my attention to bring him a camera! Turns out he could have probably got it himself and brought me back with him as the cat was so relaxed.

[offshorebirder]

Those are definitely the best African Wild Cat photos I have ever seen @Tdgraves

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @offshorebirder

[Tdgraves]

Day 11: Evening drive, Mata Mata

 

It was 37 degrees and my book states "4 cheetah" and "3 cheetah" but the photo folder was almost empty. Racking my brains I think that both were fleeting far away sightings of cats on the move.

 

D14I4359 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

I did find a couple of proof shots

 

D14I4362 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4363 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A6331 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A6333 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

J19A6344 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4365 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

D14I4367 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

The water hole at camp as we lit the braai

 

7T4A5037 by tdgraves, on Flickr