Worldbirder: The Three Amigo's in Sabie Park & Kruger.

The Three Amigos in Africa!

The Sabie River from the picnic site.

Irrigating in the middle of the day!
Are they insane?

The Three Amigos arrived in South Africa on the evening of 9^th November. We spent a pleasant evening at Sunrock Guesthouse in Kempton Park & then took the local flight to White River. We then met up with Nick & Joyce Dunn, friends of Maarten, who own a lodge in Ethiopia. I picked up my truck & after a little shopping, we were home at Sabie Park. We arrived in a drought, with all the vegetation being stunted & totally unlike anything I had seen in November before, in this portion of South Africa. It was much more akin to a wintry July, than the rain laden November.

On the lookout!

Photo courtesy of Maarten

Maarten doing some work for me!

Evening meal with the boys!

Photo courtesy of Maarten

Bushbuck at the Picnic Site

Warthog

White Rhinos coming down to drink.

Part of the Lion pride.

African Fish Eagle

Pied Kingfisher

The next day was a little fraught, with the people arriving to install my new kitchen. The afternoon was spent BBQing at the picnic site, where we spotted nine Lions across the river. It was a pleasant afternoon.

Taken with my cheap little camera!

On the 13^th Maarten, Joyce & Nick went into the park early. Rob & I stayed home & then ventured into Hazyview for a few errands. We entered the park at Phabeni Gate & came across an adult male Leopard, who kept out of photographic range for a few minutes. As we drove along the S3 opposite the house we sported five female Lions & six cubs on the dirt track. I didn't have my big camera & lens, so only took a few shots with my instamatic.

White Rhino at night.

Scrub Hare

Giant Eagle Owl

We then did a night drive from Paul Kruger Gate.

Rob watching a Waterbuck

Wahlberg's Eagle

Normal phase.

Pale phase.

Me, Nick, Joyce, Rob & Maarten
on the Olifants Bridge.

A fantastic river!

On the 14^th, we struck out north from Skukuza & dove to Oliphant’s Camp. It was a long drive, but had a few interesting sightings despite the oppressive heat.

Saddle-billed Stork

African Fish Eagle

Greenshank

As we dove north, the scenery slowly changed into a more arid one. We had some good sightings, before arriving at Oliphant’s Camp in late afternoon. By this time the weather was dull windy & looking like rain! But nothing much happened! So the drought continued! We had a nice meal & planned our activities for the next morning.

The weather was cold windy.

It looked like rain but never did!

The boys on the Tropic of Capricorn.

The Tropic of Capricorn Loop

Ground Hornbill

Bateleur

Marico Sunbird

White-bellied Sunbird

Dark capped Bulbul

Elephants in the Timbavati River

Nick & Joyce crossing the Olifants River
near Balule.

Lion

Black-backed Jackal

Steenbok

Crowned Lapwing

Chestnut-backed Finch-lark

Desert Cisticola

Maarten getting the camp set up.

Joyce & Nick's camp.
Photo courtesy of Joyce Crane

Please, everyone lean the same way!
Photo courtesy of Maarten.

On 16^th we drove to Tzenze Rustic Camp where we spent the night. We had a nice game drive around the Tropic of Capricorn Loop seeing two male Lion out in the open.

Mopani Camp.

Croc

White faced Whistling Duck

Greater Painted Snipe

Crested Barbet

Paradise Flycatcher

Female

Red winged Starling

Green backed Camaroptera

Red headed Weaver making its nest.

Bush Squirrel

Giant Plated Lizard.

Rainbow Skink

African Wild Dog.

Always a pleasure to see.

Picking up sticks & cleaning their teeth!

Magic moments.

Nick & Joyce then had to leave to continue to Natal. Rob, Maarten & myself spent one more night & then left through the Phalaborwa Gate. The highlight was seeing seven Wild Dogs by the roadside.