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I am going to do a quick report of my recent trip , and I am basing it on my favourite pics taken through the trip , not on a note by note or day by day basis .

Satara -
Highlights where the action going down at Vutomi dam , and meeting up with UKbadger and SO for dinner 1 evening .

Plenty of Lion pride sightings , but not a decent photo opp at satara , so no predator photos from here .


The lack of water in the bush was evident when looking at the amount of animals around all the water points .
This was taken at Msemani dam , and I tried a rotational blurr to emphasize the panic of these herds at the slightest sound .
Predators where in attendance at all the water points as the antelope had no choice but to drink there .


I sat at a pair of Lilac breasted rollers who where working an area of burnt veld next to the side of the road , its can be pretty interesting just to sit at something small like this and watch events unfold .
I think I saw about 5 kills during the hour I was there



I seem to have picked up a knack for spotting the green pigeons , after getting shown 1 on our duke trip , What a lot I have missed out on all these years by not paying attention to the smaller birds !


Undoubtedly my most exiting bird sighting of the trip , and since becoming a twitcher of sorts was this painted snipe .


Second part of Satara to follow[/img]

HI there , thanks for all the comments folks .

The birds are mostly with my canon 30d and 400mm f5.6 .

Animals sometimes with my 70-200 F4 on a 350d , or on the 30d I normally use the 30d , so sometimes swap lenses to it if there is a lot of close action , but normally I leave the 400 on the 30 , and the 70-200 on the 350d .

WOW Bucky! Your pics are awesome!

Thanks again for all the kind comments folks .

The next set of pics are mostly from vutomi dam .
This is one of my favourite drives in the Satara area , and I go there at least once for a morning drive , followed by a stop at Tshokwane for late breakfast or lunch .
After doing this I really had to just get back there for more .
The dam had dried up into not more than a mud wallow , which was attracting loads of animals who lived in the area , and where becomming desperate to get the last of the water before moving on if rains did not come soon .
The layout and distance from the mud was very good for photography , so I ended up spending close on most of my Satara trip in this area .

Leaning forward and trying not to get stuck in the mud .


What a feast !


haven't got a clue why the Impala and other Antelope where so keen on getting into this mud , I presume it is rich in nutrients or something .


I was taken completely by surprise one morning when this fish eagle nailed a barbel in the mud , quite unexpectedly .
I was ready and waiting the next day when he perched in the large tree next to the dam , as I did not want to miss out on the opportunity to get 1 of these birds in action .


After catching the barbel , he turned and flew back in my direction !

Hehe , thanks guys .

Heres the rest of the action from Vutomi .

A little close for my big lens , but thats what I had in my hands when this went down .


I had the feeling of being "watched"


The kudu where very skittish , and kept jumping out the mud .


This lead to a bit of a sad tale , and something I was expecting to happen all the time .
A group of kudus spooked themselves in the mud , which caused a frantic evacuation from the mud pit .
This resulted in a young impala ewe getting stuck in a deep section of the mud .


I watched her struggling to get out for 3 hours to no avail ...
What happened I do not know , as I had to make tracks back to Satara to head home and break camp for the move to Balule .

Wow! What absolutely stunning pics!!! I second the Coffee Table Book idea!

[By the way, I found a company who will do this for you, just download the software and once you have created your book, send it off and they will print it for you. I did this with my Kruger visit and it looks stunning ... (and my pics are nowhere near as good as yours!!) I also have names of other websites doing the same thing ... please PM me if you want the addresses etc.]

Je wizz thanks a lot for those comments .
Coffe table book - who knows lol , I can think of worse things to do than that .

Next section of photos is from Balule , what a fab little camp , and so spick n span also , WD to the staff there

The predators where out in full force around balule ,and of course the river bridge is great for sitting on , I only wish there where some pull of points near the water you could go and park on , as you often need to move for vehicles crossing the bridge .

These guys were hilarious , they would catch a fish attached to some grass , or else maybe just grass , and then madly flap and chirp thinking there was something seriously wrong that they could not get any lift after there catch , just look at those wings go !


The predators decided it was a good time to get closer to the vehicle much to my delight .
I wonder what was wrong with this chap , was he just hungry or something else ?


Not my best pic , but I love the pose .
Zebra tail stew for dinner !


Some more from the bridge .

I must admit that I was really hoping to spot the leopard that I have herd about on the forums , and also from people in the camp who had seen it the day before , that enjoyed prancing about on the rocks in the river , but it refused to come out for a great photo opp , and the chance to get its mug onto the net , what a silly cat !

I did however get hold of this 1 -


And this 1 , its little wonder that people battle to get into club LITS , and in a nice big fig tree noggal !


Surprised ?


Then of course this pair of Black backed jackals where very entertaining fighting over there piece of warthog head that they had managed to take from the hyena up the road who had the other "bits and pieces" .
And to think that after spending there time fighting instead of eating , that they lost out to a tawny eagle and vulture , silly little guys !

Thanks again guys n galls .

I will indeed UKbadger , maybe someday we shall photograph badgers together .

Part 1 of Lower Sabie report , the rest of which can be found in the tale of the tusk , the highlight of highlights !
Was also great meeting up with TXdrifter and SO at Tshokwane for an extremely windswept lunch - It even thieved TX of his castle !

First up , the birdies , doggies and Other non cat items (Cats to follow as the finale )

Plenty of yellow billed storks at sunset dam .



And also Giant kingfishers , catching plenty of fish !


I wanted to spend a morning at Sunset dam , but skipped on that because of bad weather coming in , and also a fraction of homesickness that took me home a day and a bit early

After taking KNPspokesman the duke pics in Skukuza , I had a pretty productive drive back to camp with a nice pride of 8 Lions at the start of the Saletjie as I often do the first few km after the bridge along the river, then turned back to use the tar past Nkuhlu .
Then 3 of these guys running along the road just before the picnic spot .


Then closer to camp a leopard sitting on Lubyelube rock , but to dark for a photo ,Apparently it was there when I went past earlier in the day , I best not think people are looking at the Klipspringers standing at the road and check out the danged rock next time (Should have listened to Matts advice when he said leopard dig to sit up there)

If you like colour , check out the aloes in camp , great bird magnets when in bloom this time of the year .


I had better make like this zebra , and get moving with my KTP packing , or else I won't get away on thursday

Hehe , I am hoping KTP will be as good as everyone says it is , especially from the point of photography .
I am as exited as heck at the moment , seen as I have not been there for 7 years .
It is also looking promising that I will receive my new 40d tommorow (Lets hope its as good as KTP )

Seriously though , thanks for the kind words , It means a heck of a lot to me !

Here goes with the "cats" section of Lower sabie , and my luck with cats seemed to improve throughout the trip with them getting closer and closer to the vehicle .

Courtesy of WTM insisting on going to try see duke the following morning after the tusk story .


The biggest cat story was however the mating lions just up the tar road around lubyelube (I must check the spelling on that ! )

Suitor number 1 -


His busted up eye courtesy of this female , talk about a woman laying down the law


Matt and WTM agreed that he was a very piffling little Lion , and not deserving of this fine specimen of a female , and it was little wonder she was laying down the law in such a violent fashion to him .

The following morning revealed another story altogether , as we approached them in the tar road , we all decided he wasn't so small after all , but when we got closer we realized that it was after all suitor number 2 -
As far as male lions go , this is what we where talking about , what a magnificent specimen .
Seen here busy making sure there was no trace of piffly's scent in the area .


By the looks of things , the previous male was an impostor , and this was the real pride male .(the other male was spotted later on , looking very much worse for wear skulking about in the river bed)

Suitor 2 new how to take charge of a situation also by the look of things


He did not fancy me being to close to the action ,and I did a quick shrink into my seat after taking this shot , as his head turned towards me , and I got a heavy evil eye !


And then on the last morning with some sun before the whether turned sour .
1 of a pair of mating Leopards .


Not cats , but some action from Sunset dam ,with lots of young hippos fooling about .

Hehe deville , I hold the 40D in my grubby paws .

Thanks again for the comments , and I hope you enjoyed the report - See you guys soon , off to the desert