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I wake up very early with a crash of broken branches, I get up immediately ... again Elephants, a big ... a long flock, runs just outside the fence, some of them see me and they get scared, trying to return to their steps, the followings, jostle them, and even push them to move forward

I go back along the river (S56) to Shingwedzi, through the causeway (S135). There is still nothing interesting for me to eat in the shop. I think that apart from the weekends and busy days (school holidays etc ...) it is very difficult to find fresh produce.
Well.... I'm not here to make "Gueuleton" ...
Along the way I meet Waterbuck, shortly after a tree of Saddle-billed Stork and Oh! again, a wonder A Gabar Goshaw. First of all I don't know what he did, and then I think it builds a nest ... at this time of year or destroys a nest
I opt for the first version, it carries twigs What a wonderful little raptor

Then Little Bee-Eater, a bit far for photos while they are in full sun, then Red-billed Quela, and a Common Duiker, through de window, and again Indigobird, red billed and white billed

Little Bee-Eater with something to eat

who spittle ... doesn't like it prey

Little Bee-Eater and Red-billed Quela

Common Duiker through the window

Around Kanniedoog a buffalo roams on the dry river's bed, as Impala and Nyalas in search of water, a Green Sandpiper, Three-banded Plover and Elephants digging and find the water. There is too an Oppen-billed Stork, a Woodland Kingfisher, a Woodpecker, an African Hoopoe, Red-billed Firefinch, Saddle-billed Stork. An Elephant appears on the opposite side, crosses the river and is not too happy to find me there.

Green Sandpiper

Woodland Kingfisher

African Hoopoe



Red-billed Firefinch

Saddle-billed Stork

last Sirheni's episode.... then Schingwedzi

And I go back to the north, take the little loop S53, and again go to Boyela where Elephants are drinking and around Babalala trie to intimidate me



I decided to return by the S57 and S56 and at the last minute ... did a little detour to, the small magic water hole. Three Elephants playing in water with a large branch and at the moment to go back ... I'm in their way ... they grumble a bit. The local Crocodile may finally come back, all is again quiet







I get home just in time to see the Hippos in front of the fence before they return to their "apartments".


During the night a huge storm broke and something strike with force the bedroom's window ... no trace in the morning

à suivre ...

Shingwedzi 31.3-1/2.4.2011

Extract of my live report :


Last Sirheni's sunrise



On the road again... again...
Even Elephants tell me goodbye, on every side

I'm off to the small water point, but it's not every day a party
I cut directly on the main road towards Boyela ... some Zebras
I decided to try my luck at Mopani's shop and finally, I find everything I need. These few Impalas are also going to shopping



Then I meet what I believe to be a Red-Crested Korhaan, Giraffe. A Brown Snake Eagle dives from his perch next to me, behind the bushes. A car stops to ask me what I look: a raptor just dive in, and I expect him back. Shrug and leaves for others ... Lions maybe The raptor comes back, all undone, all disheveled, I'll never know what he had seen, but it must have happened something

And the driver asked me later if I saw again the Eagle: Yes Why

Red-crested Korhaan ???

Brown-Snake Eagle

Shortly before Mopani, I believe at Grysbok, a whole herd of elephants, nervous around the water point and the tank. I can see one with funny defenses, and a wise guy climbing up the tank in order to reach the water. Small brain elephants





and laughing

And I come back by the S 144. RAS
Shortly before Shingwedzi, this buffalo greets me in his way, with a wink! A baby zebra watching me with interest, and I can not find the tenant of the nest? I waited a long time







I reach my destination around 15h., I move into the bungalow 35

here is not raining... it's the deluge at this moment

time to continue

The next day, from the pedestrian bridge, Elephants in search of water, one seems to me, have some good pair of defenses. Too far to identify he. Vervets have also invaded the bridge. A vulture and a young Bateleur, monitor everything from the top of their perch and I decide to return to Red Rocks


Still Bee-Eater, a large herd of Giraffe, Kinghfisher,Dragonfly , a couple of Waterbuck and again an elephant, not too cooperative and of course his work









I come home early today ... laundry day!

Two days later, again starting at dawn, but I never count my rank in the queue .... I never do the queue ... it's not a treasure hunt
I take the S50 (Dipen road) and along the Shingwedzi river, Crocodiles after Crododiles ... a group of Helmeted Guineafowl, they are always running around on all sides of the road. A big ... tuskers, more or less let me take pictures, it has only one tooth. A couple of Double-banded Sandgrouse plays dead at the roadside. As soon as they see us ... they blend with the ground, the way they go unnoticed Shall I know one day all these habits do I will have the time

Helmeted Guineafowl

At Dipeni (I think) I borrow the small dam road and I stay there long to observe the avifauna, including these small Black-winget Stilt
I'm going to the point of view SHIBAVANTSENGELE. Magnificent views of the Mopane bushes blushing



Black-winget Stilt



I returned by the S134 (the loop ofTropic of Capricorn) and make a stop at TIHONGONYENI



A zebra, make me grimaces. A Martial Eagle is in the nest. There is some Ostriches and a small herd of Tsessebe mixed with zebras and wildebeests. A Normal vision around this point of water and some beautiful specimens of Elephants. The Zebras was very nervous...



At the return an Elephant hides his faces ... to let me pass

Extract of my live report

Along the Shingwedzi, very early, very near the entrance/exit, a lioness is lying in the riverbed. Very difficult to see because of vegetation, she appears to be alone, and HO! above me, what I dreamed of finding a Giant Eagle Owl ... ... needless to say, there was a crowd under the tree ... after me...






then

Along the S55 (Lamont) I perceive a Burchell's Cougal that for once does not rush into the bushes and a series of Vultures. I am looking for a long time because of their concentration ... it must be something going on behind the big tree, but I can't see nothing

Burchell's Cougal

You won't be surprised if I tell you that I go back to Boyela
and back by the S56 (MPHONLOGO). I notice that something is moving in the middle of the road at my approach ... a snake I see gills so it can't be a snake ... patience, he eventually goes out. Two vehicles passed, it hides again, but nobody stops, except for Lions I wonder what they are interested for
It suits me, fewer people will be better ... ... shh, it appears, and rushes into the grass. It will need more than 30 minutes to leave this poor posture. It seems to me to be a Giant Plated Lizard, it has a yellowish line on the side, along the back and a finger much larger in the rear leg
*EDIT* Yellow-throated Plated Lizard, thank you Elsa

.... at the bottom, left side

"My" little point of water is calm, very quiet. Always full of elephants, but never any problems along this small road that I love so much and Waterbuck. In a small water point some shorebirds (Limicoles !?!)... and something moves across... a Water Monitor ... in search of food
There are also Hamerkop. I do not know if there are crocodiles, I have not seen, but the Antelopes drunk carefully. Once more Emerald-spotted Wood Dove some Tortoises
And a bunch of feathers, the remains of a meal, a Burchell's Cougal

Waterbuck

Hamerkop, Water Monitor