Sabie Park in July

 Delana & I drove from Zeerust (close to the Botswana border) to Sabie Park on 5th July arriving early evening. 

Nice to be back home!

They have arrived from the Free State!

The main purpose of this visit was to install the new solar panels, solar regulator & inverter. We have been struggling with insufficient power from the old system for many years, coupled with the very poor internet connectivity. If we want to spend more time here, then we need good internet, so that Delana can work remotely on her projects. 

Part of the solar team!

Francois working.

Ten solar panels were installed 

on top of the car port.

Solar regulator & large inverter installed inside.

Luckily for us Delana's nephew Francois is an expert on these systems & we brought his friend Ryno with him to lend a helping hand. Ryno & his wife Tess are both birders & there are a fair few new species for them in this area. Everyone including Delana's brother Eric arrived on 10th July & left a week later. 

Blue Wildebeest

Despite all the disturbance,

 animals kept visiting the garden.

Work was full on for four days. The first thing was to get the internet router as high as possible. They brought their long ladders & the router is now installed very high on the lightning conductor. Internet connection is now excellent, so we can work on the computers & watch TV in the evenings.

Then it was the time consuming wiring! Because of Baboons & Vervet Monkeys wiring had to be laid underground, so the concrete had to be dug up. Otherwise, these two pests, would have been swinging on the wire & maybe even breaking it!

The outside cabinet to hold 

the batteries.

Wiring finished! It all looks very neat & tidy now.

Something which my little house 

has never seen before!

A three point plug!

A metal cabinet was constructed on the outside of the wall to house the batteries & all wiring went into the old gun room. This entailed much of our camping gear going elsewhere, as we had to take a couple of shelves away to get the solar regulator & massive inverter installed. Everything looks very neat & tidy now & importantly it seems to work a treat! We are now in the position of having lots of power generated but not enough battery capacity, so we plan to buys an expensive lithium battery & install it in February when we are next here. Hopefully, then all of our previous struggles with adequate electricity will be over!

Lioness

On the Kruger side of the river.

She had two young male cubs in tow.

Unfortunately she was limping badly & 

finding it difficult to walk.

The two young male cubs.

Crowned Hornbill

Purple crested Turaco

Brown hooded Kingfisher

Red billed Oxpecker

on an unusual structure!

Fork tailed Drongo

Common Scimitarbill

Black collared Barbet

Retz's Helmetshrike

Brubru

Ashy Flycatcher

White bellied Sunbird

On 11th July we visited the picnic site & were rewarded with an excellent Lion sighting. We also did a bit of birding along the way.

Cheers!

It was very nice to have everyone over for the week. We managed to do a little birding in Sabie Park & even two full days in Kruger. On 15th we did quite a long bird walk in Sabie Park & ended up at the picnic site for a champagne breakfast as it was bubbles day. Nine years to the day since my wonderful wife Carol passed away. I can't believe it has been nine years, as the time has flown by. 

Female African Finfoot.

African Fish Eagle, building a nest

 yet again this year.

African Pied Wagtail

The best sighting on the river was Delana spotting an African Finfoot during breakfast. Eventually all that wanted to, saw it, albeit a little distantly.

Red-backed Scrub Robin

This individual sang early

morning close to the house.

On 17th July Delana left to meet here work colleagues for a week on river site visits in Natal.  The next day I did a birding walk but curtailed it on finding very fresh Elephant dung on the path! They must have broken through the fence in the night. It is just too dangerous to be walking around birding with Elephants here. They are too unpredictable. 

Cape Buffalo

This old male has been in the area for a while.

So I walked back to the safety of the picnic site, birding was quiet & an old bull Cape Buffalo was on the sand resting. He eventually waded back across the river to the Kruger side.

Narina Trogon

Photograph courtesy of Organ.

The next day I had stunning views of a male Narina Trogon. Unfortunately it was too close to me & as I reached for my camera it flew. 

Right on the fence.

They spent quite a lot of time here.

The 20th July saw me at home with a large breeding herd of Elephants feeding along the fence. They were around all morning.

Sable Antlelope

A newbaby!

 

We bought four sable a couple of years ago, they have settled in nicely & are breeding. It is a great addition to the Sabie Park mammals.

The Crocodile River

Elephants came down in the afternoon.

Young Elephants playing.

Giant Kingfisher

Spectacled Weaver

On 22nd July I drove through the park to pick Delana up from Malelane. We stayed over & drove back to Sabie Park the next day. Then it was all about packing up & leaving the house yet again. We left on 24th July after too short a stay.