We arrived back in South Africa early morning on the 5th after a long flight. Egypt Air are not among the best carriers in the sky. We were staying in the flat at Pebble Rock Golf Club. Rowan had been working in Durban & Pretoria so she got dropped off by her driver & we enjoyed a nice catch up & meal at the Golf Club.
Rowan, Delana & me!
We were up very early the next day as I was admitted to hospital for a minor operation to both remove my stent & to blast by laser any remaining kidney stones. The operation was a success & I was discharged later that day.
Meanwhile Delana had been packing, so we could get an early start on the 7th November to drive to Sabie Park & meet up with Rowan & Jonathan, who had flown to Skukuza direct from Johannesburg.
The next day was all about getting the house ready & groceries in. We did enjoy a late lunch at the Cattle Baron at Skukuza, where we met Rob, Cath & Julia. We hadn't seen them for around eight months, so it was good to catch up.
A family herd of Elephants on the Sabie River.
This pair of Lesser Striped Swallows were collecting
mud to make a nest.
Jonathan, Rowan & myself enjoyed a full day in the park on 9th November. It was a long hard day, but a memorable one. We drove the Salitjie Road to Lower Sabie, then on to the gravel H5 for the long haul back.
Cheetah!
Male Reedbuck
A family of Egyptian Geese
Black-winged Stilt
African Jacana
Lesser Masked Weaver
After birding both Lower Sabie Camp & Sunset Dam it was time to head for the long & winding gravel H5 road.
Hooded Vulture
Awaiting its chance!
However, we spotted three sleeping Lions by the side of the road & a little further on a Lioness sprang out of the bush & latched on to a Cape Buffalo carcass. We spent around twenty minutes at this sighting & another Lioness joined in.
The remote H5 road.
Elephant
Plains Zebra
Young Spotted Hyena.
Squacco Heron
This was the end of a memorable day in Kruger. We all enjoyed some great sightings & covered a less travelled part of the park for us.
Blue Wildebeest around the house.
The 10th November was spent at home. I did some early morning birding around the house & along the fenceline.
Jonathan & Rowan.
Later that evening we had a
Large Spotted Genet visit us.
We then met up with Rob, Cath & Julia & spent the rest of the day at the picnic site. We didn't see a great deal but it was a lovely afternoon.
Kudu
Common Duiker
Steenbok
Dark Chanting Goshawk
On the 11th November we ventured into the park again. We drove slowly down the S3 road looking for the Leopard with two cubs that we had seen around six weeks ago. Alas we drew a blank! We then continued along the S4/Diospane Road, down the Waterhole Road to Transport Dam. We returned via Stevenson Hamilton Memorial to the Golf Club where we had lunch. A male Little Bittern flew across the lake.
Nyala
After lunch we visited the Lake Panic Hide, where an Elephant entertained us!
Warthogs at the house.
Baboons drinking from the garden pond.
Rob, being the braii-master!
The spread!
The next day was spent around the house with me not feeling great. But on 13th we all met up at the Sabie Park Picnic Site for an extended lunch.
This is a part of the park that we don't cover very often as it is a long way from the house & for the most part travels through thick bush. We also called in at Mpondo Dam, which always seems to have something of interest.
