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The next day, a Black Mamba crosses in front of me, like lightning, needless to say I didn't have time only to "watch" my camera. I'm going to Satara by small roads, Rabelais and return by MUZANDZENI, to buy, and eat croissants.

I get to see, Three Banded Plover, a tiny Tortoise, a Cuckoo, Great Spotted Cuckoo, White-tailled Swallow, and nests of frogs.



White-tailled Swallow

frog's nest

more than 2 months in Kruger

Two days later, I still and always lucky, I cross Ground Hornbill in hunting, Elephants, at Kumana Lions and of course "normal game", and for click click a spider...
I photographed, downloaded and mailed = 3 fears, I'm arachnophobe, to prove that what she says is true : "small beasts don't eat big" but it also applies to mice and frogs

with a tiny Tortoise

with a snake

4) Letaba 18/20.3.2011


Baggage over, piled into the car, I take again my homelessness, next step LETABA. I decide to go through the S36, to stop at Muzandzeni, the Buffalos's Talamati tell me : see you soon.
Just after a magnificent bird of prey, I believe to be a Little Sparrowhawk, I'm impressed by the beauty of its plumage.
At Modzweni (or Ximangwaneni ... I can not remember ), a Waterbuck family (yes the ones with the drawing on the buttocks) is drinking, and a young, testing his legs. He makes leaps, runs around.
Terrapines take the first rays of the sun and two buffaloes come, in turn, have a drink and wallow in the mud, and even one of them is not shy at all

Little Sparawhawk ???

Shortly before Nsemani, two elephants with one of them pretends to intimidate me, but I must say that I prefer by far the huge elephants to baboons and other monkeys.



I had no desire to go through Rabelais, the roads around Talamati are in terrible condition and especially one that leads to Orpen.
I stop at Nsemani, one of my favourite place to have so many meeting, it's quiet, one or two Marabous, Cattle Egret, a Woolly-necked Stork, few hippo, a family of Egyptian Goose and the local Fish Eagle.

Then at Satara ... ... a desire of croissants...

Around noon the real things begins, at Ngotso (which one ) a herd of Zebras, nervous as usual, the bites and the blows of hooves are legion, I never know if they play or are compet !
and some beautiful specimens of Elephants. I love the way they recognize themselves , greet, they look so peaceful, so "well educated"











Along the H 1-4, a Hippo is late to get into the water, the sun is very hot ... or he was still hungry

... a Gabar Goshawk is nice too (I have never saw a Sparrowhawk )
thanks Elsa

thanks Barcud too to ID

this bird was very interested by me

I cross the bridge ... the "organ" is still there and then I watch a funny episode. On the bank opposite, an Elephant appears to be taken of dementia and down, mom and her young dont' know what to do This young bull trompeted, run to the right and the left, climb on and down the slope...
She will decide, finally, to cross the river with her young on her heels. She has tusks, a little weird, and I think I see her again later ... unless the whole family to be given the same pair of defense

I get to Letaba to 15 h, attributed to me, at my request and advice of the forum and thank you click click, the bungalow D 64. Magnificent view of the river (the Letaba I guess?). Vervets are attentive to my arrival and a magnificent Elephant, MASTHULELE, is also welcome me ... just below, along the River. Beautiful arrival.



MASTHULELE





à suivre…

The next day, my decision is made, I will go to Phalaborwa, check my "internet" credit and do some shopping, fresh fruits, seedless grapes , dairy products, some meat for the braai in the next step. I also bough a lamp, but nothing to do with that of Salamanda, at the time of my last trip. I wonder where she had found it it was such a beautiful atmosphere for the evenings in the park.

Near the entrance or exit ... there is ostrich, which is not really common in Kruger. In both directions I take all the little paths around Sable Dam, also one of my favorite places, and I do not remember being able to go so near the water. It's very quiet, a marabou Stork swallow a few sips of water, Helmeted Guineafowl take a bath ... half sand, half water.
On the way back an European Roller tries to stun its prey ... it puts all it strength

I stop again at NHLANGANINI, take the small loop S69... and arrive late to Letaba.



Sable Dam

And when it was time to range myself in my room ... I see a strange creature (without my glasses) on the wall next to the cabinet of the outside kitchen ... a scorpion
It is too late to "denounce it", I will do it tomorrow, but it disappeared, I have not seen again...

On the next day I go to the point of view of Olifants, by taking the S94, S46 along the Letaba and return by the S93 and S44.
I'm not part at dawn, and then... the journey along the Letaba not asking too many hours... although ...
A pride of lions appeared to me, well camouflaged under the bushes, there were young, but alas, impossible to see exactly, until, other adults joined them, crossing the road and playing. But I still don't see young







baby Crocodile

And then Elephants, everywhere. A Engelhard a road block, a huge elephant walks ... exactly where I intended to go. I follow him, I am the only one
At a good distance, and in the cul-de-sac, he goes to the ritual bath of mud. He is really very impressive, he rolls all over the sens, he rises, let fall him, I am on my guard, but I do not think I disturb him. The show ended he went back through the bushes and I find it on the road a little further. Magnificent.

Then normal game





an interesting nest

on the road again... again...

and I found again MASTHULELE, at the bottom of my home.

à suivre ...

5) Bateleur 21/23.3.2011

En route to Bateleur, I am delighted, it's a first. I take the only road to the north, H 1-6, and the small loop S95. I make a stop at Klein NSHAWU and stretch my legs at MOOIPLASS.

Along the Letaba, I came across several large herds of Elephants. It's bath and drink time. There are some "friction" because flocks are mixed. A few shots of "trumpets" and racing, to reach, theirs groups. There are plenty of young, including a very new, which made me laugh to tears, I really had a fabulous time







Well, must go on, Bateleur is still far away !
The road is quiet, just before Klein Nshawu, I see two of the big five toogether a Buffalo and an Elephant ... but I will see better later

A Nshawu Klein, zebras and buffalo are competing on sharing the small pelvis, but the Buffalo is not too sharer



Warthogs family, she does not feel at all affected by this fuss and even less for my arrival.
By dint of driving too fast on this stretch of road ... they may end flat ... but at return they will always be there
That's about the only ones who let themselves be photographed without fleeing ... the tail in the air (in form of "follow me")!

And still Elephants.
In a puddle a Saddle-billed Stork, beautiful bird. A Brown Snake Eagle, the raptors are rare and this Kori Bustard, which seems to have trouble with a wing.

Saddle-billed Stork

Then I take the three small loops that lead me to Mopani and continues on H 1-6.
At OLIFANTSBAD ... nothing but grass.
I undertake in the S52, en route to Bateleur
I still have the chance to see these magnificent stork, Woolly-necked Stork, which are hunting and continues until SILWERVIS ... I'm just a little too early

Woolly-necked Stork

I reach my destination, around 3PM, they attributed to me No. 6, no view, with a braai so much cramped, just below the tree's birds ... I will make no grill, in order to enjoy these wonderful birds, almost all news to me. There is nice kitchen, on a large terrace



some "frittes" with onion and garlic... for click click

There are many small troughs where even the squirrels come... to be photographed!