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 9th 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 13th 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 14th, 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 16th 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.
Squacco Heron
Adult Little Bittern.
Superb bird!
African Jacana
Golden Weaver
We drove for around 70 kilometres & had breakfast by the river. It turned out to be an excellent move as we had some great birds there.
It is summer now!
As we drove west over the mountains it started to hale! The weather was unbelievable!
We then had a long drive to Sandton
where we spent the night before continuing south on 19th.
