SANParks.org Forums

so.......

due to the fact that my residential environment was being commandeered by a delegation of academics,

it became necessary or me to source alternative accommodation for a period of at least 10 days at the start of december.....

fortunately for me, i had the foresight to expect this event

and had transferred some money into the sanparks' account in exchange for 9 nights' accommodation in my "time share complex" in lower sabie

i was being accompanied, on this outing by my surrogate daughter jacqui

and her very able and super helpful husband rob, from the big city in gauteng, who were booked into a 2/3 bedder in the same complex.....

thanks to dorcus (she, of friendly smiles and co-operative nature) i found myself comfortably ensconced in the best one bedder in the complex...

and thanks to portia (she too, of friendly disposition) "the children" enjoyed uninterrupted accommodation despite a disjointed 2/3 bedder booking



with no great expectations, save for the desire to capture quality photographs we entered in 2 vehicles through the crocodile bridge gate........

Ready and waiting
Nice to have met you in that time

another Leachy TR....

Seat booked... ready and waiting with loads of

leachy ......and now waiting!!!!! (Joke)

my favorite timeshare

so.......

a few frustrating tourist affected stops along the way..

one of which was at the mativuhlungu rock pool

adjacent to the s28 intersection

where we had glimpses of the resident mativuhlungu leopard.

he would have crossed the road after a group of kudu

if it were not for some dumb-ass in a bee-em who blocked his path forcing him to return into the chasm



it happens.....

we did however come across this bit of interaction while in swaziland on the way to timbuktu.....

the rhino and the kruger livestock were actually rubbing horns at one stage...


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the bovine seemed very cautious and nervous........


maybe he had also seen that video clip of the rhino bullying the buffalo........
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sunset dam was rather empty and disappointingly quiet with regard to bird life.....

not a single egret....

not a single heron

and not a single fish eagle

was seen during the 10 days that we were there

on the first day i was up before the sun............

in fact the sun must have had a hangover 'cause the skies were grey and gloomy



there were a number of waders at sunset dam

i found this (what i think, is a ) common sandpiper.....
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it was behaving in quite a proper manner so i am not sure if it is a common sandpiper..



and it seems to look different to this (what i think, is a ) wood sandpiper...
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and then this (witia ) ruff
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(is that not the name of dennis the menace's dog ?)

a three banded plover
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a very active little white fronted plover who almost ran out of frame before i could snap it up
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and.....

standing to one side was this dejected looking white crowned lapwing

i think he was standing to one side , not because he is so threatened but because he feels like an outcast.......

excluded from the company of plovers



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then, something that i think might be of interest..



a diderick cuckoo.........

the less common green form


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what caught my attention before i left the vicinity of the dam

was this (witia ) sourplum tree.....
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looks quite tasty..........

I am on board here again, Leachy,

and although you may not have had the bird sightings at Sunset dam you may have wished but you saw a diderick

Also your rhino / buffalo greetings ceremony is a fantastic sighting

Stunning pics of the muddy Rhinos and Buff.

Wonderful bird sightings and awesome pics ...Wonderful reflection of the Common Sandpiper.

Awesome to have super pic of the Diderick Cuckoo.

hey pumbaa and kingfisher person......

thanks for popping around......





so..........

had a short idle along the mlondozi loop and in the vicinity of the "marshland" i passed this chap having breakfast
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and this chap..... ambling along pretending to be a mine sweeper



as he swept is trunk from side to side along the surface of the road..
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now i know who is responsible for those zigzag marks on many of the dirt roads..


later..........

i found myself on the h4-1 just north of lower sabie

and peering through the thickets towards the river

i observed these teenage elephants practising

what looked to me at the time to be a faith healing ceremony...



the one youngster was lying on the sand bank pretending to be dead

and the other was "laying his hands" on the "inflicted" one
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and rocking to and fro and nodding his head up and down
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and ushering in the healing breeze with his flapping ears....
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and at the end it seemed to work .............................



as loxodontalazarus.... raised his head in an effort to get up......
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there was a slight hint of sunlight in the evening



as might be seen by the glimmer around this sandpiper at sunset dam.....
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Gorgeous babyfant pictures, leachy

and the big boy looks like a named tusker - Quite impressive Please post the pictures as well under the topic under the mammal thread I am sure Aat can help with a name here

Leachy,

What an impressive Tusker that is, he is really huge...super pics.

Stunning sequence of pics of the Baby Ellie....just loved your story line.

Sliver and gold threads on the water at Sunset are superb.

what beautiful ellie interaction... and what a stunning diderick beautiful.

sigh

thank you

pumbaa and kingfisher person and meandering mouse.......

always great to see you here......

so.....

one morning all three of us woke up early and headed off along the s28 to the ntandanyathi bird hide.......

this was the only thing worthwhile photographing..
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we then witnessed the most astounding interaction on the s 137 between an adult zebra and an impala foal.........



the foal and its mother were busy enjoying the juicy grass all on their own-some

when out of the blue (or should that be green??)



an adult zebra started chasing the impala calf.......



the mother was as surprised as we were

and tried to place herself between the obnoxious equine and her baby, but to no avail..........

the zebra merely increased his resolve and with his quirky alarm yelps

the three of them sped off into the distance at quite a "rate of knots"



we tried to follow but they were exceeding the speed limit on dirt roads



we did, however hear the pursuant noise of the zebra for quite a time after that



so we stopped and soaked up the things around us.....



these two flutterbys on a cornflower vernonia
(fascinating plant)
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this beautiful flower (identity needed)
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and a blister beetle and the same flower.
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this scarab and company of "greenbottles" on this (witia) scat from one of the 3 large cats found in this area.....
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then.................

we stopped at that random pool on the southern side of the s130 close to the h4-2......

often, a spot with loads of activity.....

it seemed quiet at first ...



then i spotted this sandpiper speeding by..
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and what followed....

was a high speed pursuit of the girl that would be the mother of his chicks


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she eventually relented and landed in the water behind some reeds.....

where he proceeded to begin...... what looked to us as an attempt to drown her..



(not too different to when we were young boys and we used to go to the municipal swimming pool and chase the girls around the pool and into the water and attempt to "duck" them under the water)
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yes.....

that does look like a crocodile in the water next to them ????????