I arrived back in Sabie Park late on 2nd October after an all day drive. I was totally exhausted & went to bed early. The next day I was up & about at dawn & the landscape revealed was very barren. The drought is having a devastating effect on the environment here & Hippos are starting to die of starvation.
Banded Mongoose
I snapped this photo through the lounge window
as I was cleaning the house!
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
(She put the self timer on!
The day was spent cleaning & shopping ready for my visitors. They arrived rather late. I suspect they made a few wrong turnings along the way. We spent the evening chatting about recent news & what the coming days would bring. It would have been my late wife's Carol's birthday yesterday (2nd). My four daughters & I always commemorate this by a bubbles day, where we always drink champagne, in a toast to Carol. However I was on my own & driving all day, so we had the toast the next day (see above)!
Roger, Angie, myself & Rose.
I first met Angie in Abu Dhabi about five years ago, when we worked for the same oil company. We quickly became firm friends. Roger & Rose are Angie's brother & sister.
Angie & Rose.
Sisters!
Roger & Dinelle.
Lake Panic
African Fish Eagle.
White breasted Cormorant.
A couple of Crocodiles were around.
Both these animals were actively hunting.
This superb adult male Nyala was nearby.
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
The 4th dawned late for me. My guests were on the veranda before me looking for wildlife. We decided to go to Lake Panic & the Skukuza Golf Course. In the afternoon we went on a game drive from Skukuza around the Waterhole Road, which is always quite good late afternoon.
Giraffe.
Giraffes drinking always looks awkward.
More thirsty arrivals.
A herd of females with young came to drink.
Smaller animals are forced to drink from the
less than clean water from the trough.
They are not big enough to reach into the main tank!
This is how to do it!
I had broken my camera & lens in Gabon,
so only had my point & shoot camera & missed
a golden photographic opportunity!
We had spotted a small crocodile which had herded
a fish into shallow water & was just about to swallow it
when.......
This Fish Eagle came out of nowhere
& stole its prey!
Proof of the theft!
The guys at Nkule Picnic Site.
The views from Lower Sabie Camp.
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
Grey Heron.
Brown hooded Kingfisher.
Roger & Dinelle.
Angie & Rose.
On the 5th we went back into Kruger & drove along the Sabie River to Lower Sabie Camp where we had lunch. We returned the same way & enjoyed sun-downers on my veranda.
Photo courtesy of Angela Wahl.
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
In the hide at Sabie Park.
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
The next day was spent at Sabie Park. We had a walk to the picnic site which revealed the place to be so dry. Blue Wildebeest are now grazing in the middle of the river as nearly all vegetation has been eaten on the land. Times are hard.
Back at the house this Bushbuck was feeding on seeds with Elephant dung next to the patio!
View from the picnic site.
Where is the river?
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
Photo courtesy of Rosemary Wahl.
Blue Wildebeest in the river.
Elephants have been on my land off & on
or a while now. They have destroyed a lot of trees.
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