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I have decided not to write a TR on my 25 Nov – 2 Dec 2011 visit to KNP, and I think I also told that to Meerkitty in one of my comments on her TR. But withdrawal symptoms do not necessary go away by reading fellow Mites’ TR’s. So I decided to share a few sightings of my above visit with you. During September 2011 I visited the Park and took my oldest Sumari (Sekhmet) and my sister with. This time round my youngest (Yolandri) was in the car with mum!

The Park was extremely quiet and we had wonderful sightings, sometimes with no cars in sight. Most of the animals that we encountered were near the roads and we could take nice photos. I am not going to write much and will rather be “lazy” and post mostly photos.

Day 1 25 Nov 2011: At Phabeni Gate Yolandri took a photo of this Shongololo


As soon as we entered the Park on our way to Tshokwane to meet Crested Val, animals started to cross our “path”

Eating Dark Chanting Goshawk

Common Buzzard

European Bee-eater

Kudu

2 colour Ellies

Martial Eagle

2 Lions nearly on the tar road in a loop – photo of 1 of them

Wartie

Rhinos



Circle Asses

Zebra

Baboons and their kiddies making a terrible noise to keep away about 4/5 Lions resting under the nearby trees (2nd Lion sighting)


Bateleurs


A Duiker Couple


Pink “Dung Beetle”


We also saw a leopard on a rock at the Kruger Plates hiding behind dense leaves and tree branches but decided not to try and take a photo

To be continued

Day1 – part 2

We arrived at Tshokwane just after 13.00 for our meeting with Crested Val and her hubby. There were no yellow ribbon cars, so we decided to buy Milk Tart and relax a bit. Then a car with a yellow ribbon stops and out gets this real CUTIE



And what a kuier we had. I cannot believe that we could discuss so many topics and talk about so many things in less than an hour Probably because we must make up for the time from now to the end of 2012 when we will see each other again, or because we are women, or because it is in our genes to talk? Or just because we share a very special friendship!! Yolandri and Richard just sit patiently and smiled at us 2 Too soon we had to say good buy again!!

Day 1 – part 2
The Piglet and I decided to travel the same road out of the Park to see if our Leopard is still on the rock. We encountered a Tawny and a Steenbokkie


When we reached the Kruger Plates area, there were no cars and we realized that our Leopard has left. I drove slowly in case there was something else that we could take phodies of……., and we were rewarded




After we left we saw and enjoy the more usual animals
Ellie destroying a tree


Squirrel

Impi mum

Kudu

A lone Ellie (we thought)

Followed by this little thing with his skin a number too big





Cormorant coming out of the water


Shy hippo at the low water bridge

Bushbuck: Male

Female

Water monitor on his afternoon nap

African Pied Wagtail on the bridge

And a Giraffe next to the road


This is the end of a successful day 1.

Day 2: 26 Nov 2011 – part 1

Day 2 were very short and we drove only a few “blocks” after entering Numbi Gate. We wanted to do some shopping in Hazyview.
After yesterday’s many sightings, we saw very few animals in the small area we traveled. We did however enjoy what we saw.
This Black-bellied Bustard (Korhaan) entertained us with his call for quite a while. He came to stand next to the car for the performance


After this we encounter a young Fish Eagle, a martial Eagle, Hoopoe (Hoep-hoepie), Tortoise, Wahlberg, Kudu and a big Baboon on our way to Transport Dam.










And then an old friend at Transport Dam that many of you will be familiar with. This was our “sighting of the day”
View My Video

Day 2 – part 2
After the RHB flew away, it was very still at Transport Dam apart from a few lesser-marked Weavers and Giraffe drinking water.



We decided to drive back slowly to the tar road and concentrate on finding the Hyena Den. We found the mum at the entrance of the culvert, but no cubs this time.



On our way to Kruger Gate – the last of the Day 2 sightings


Tawny-flanked Prinia

Jacobin Cuckoo (white tipped tail assists my id of him?)

LBR


At a quiet Lake Panic there was a Goliath Heron, the usual Terrapins, Black Crake, Crocodile and a beautiful flower






And to end the short morning




Amen to day 2

Day 3: 27 Nov 2011 – part 1

We enter the Park via Numbi Gate very early on Sunday morning

There is usually an abundance of bird and wild life on this road
A Woodie and Black-crowned Tchagra


The usual BWB and Impis and Guineafowl frolicking in Rhino “waste”


Although Black Mambas are poisonous and dangerous animals, it is sad to see them like this in their own environment

More birdlife and a Rhino in-between
European Bee-eater, Brown-headed Parrot, lonely Rhino and the Skopsie at Afsaal






Also at Afsaal – the Youngest Piglet, Male Yellow-billed Hornbill, Crested Francolin and one of the resident female Bush Bucks

Day 3 – part 2

Along the road to Lower-Sabie
Tortoise, Black Crake, Zebra, Croc and a Hamerkop

Day 3 – part 3

We came across another large herd of Buffalo. We took photos of a few individuals and Spottie the Buffalo



A beautiful Black-chested Snake-Eagle

A few weeks ago during September, we did not see any dung beetles. This time we were properly entertained by them making their balls, stealing the neighbour’s, etc


A lonely dagga boy was hiding in the bushes near Mpondo Dam.
One of many tiny Impi’s


And near Lower-Sabie we saw parked cars …more or less where we usually found the Leopard. We saw animals under a tree?

Day 3 – part 4

And then the animals under the tree started to move




There were quite a large number of vehicles crowding the dogs (first real road block during this trip) and we decided to move on. A few meters further on next to the road under another tree and with no cars around, we found another doggie just for ourselves. Most vehicles passed us to stop at the road block!!

Day 3 – part 5
At Sunset Dam and beyond – the usual Grey Heron, Spoonbill in same picture as Yellow-billed Stork (bit small in the photo), monitor stealing eggs, Hippos, Egyptian Geese, and again a Bush Buck.






White fronted Bee-eater



Nkuhlu


Little egret


Brown Snake Eagle and a LBR in the same tree (was a bit far)

Could this be family?


Further on the way



And to end Day 3 – a interesting case of responsible parenting


Video – hope you enjoy this as much as we did!


And so ends Day 3

LindaS, Val, Dan, Hotshot, Panekoek, Radman, CB, C'kie, MM, Anri and Harrys - Good evening, Thank you and I am glad you enjoyed the "bums"
Anri - I send you a PM regarding the cricket.
Danny Boy - you are in my good books again because of the respect you showed with the "Tannie" word

28 Nov 2012 – Day 4 part 1

We start the day at Numbi again. Today the officials in the office were extremely slow and even told us that my piglet’s ID is refused by the system. When we asked him why we could enter with our wild cards for the last 2 days….the system suddenly decided that it will “accept” us. We arrived at the gate at 5.30 (and were 2nd in the row) and entered the Park at just before 7.00…….. and what a day!!!!!!

At Shitlhave dam we took videos and photos of the resident circle assess busy saying a bumpy hallo to each other.

We also met a “sore eye grasshopper” as we used to call them as kids, on the road.

We took the Napi loop to look for the Cheetahs somebody told us are usually there. We only saw this armoured Lizard on of the rocks.

On the way again to Transport Dam we met a few familiar faces and again the Hyena mum and her cubs. The Jacobin Cuckoo was also on his usual place.







At transport Dam a guy in a green tourist bakkie asked us if we saw the Cheetahs on the tar road between the 2 Napi loop entrances. Of course we did not because we were inside the loop! He also told us with a smile that there are lions that they are looking at. One of the tourists told us they can not see anything except a moving tail from time to time. Since we saw lion a few times already, we left. We felt a bit let down over the Cheetahs, but decided that we will see some again.
C/o H1-1 and H3, the Klipspringers moved to the opposite side of the road





Tanning dove at Skukuza Petrol Station

On the way to Tshokwane via the H4-1 and H2-1: A mum and Baby

A Blue Bulls Supporter

An upside down bug and Mammas and babies


My favourites!!


In one of the loops we found a juvenile Bateleur and he and Yolandri (Youngest Piglet) had quite a nice talk





And then…..between the Kruger plates/Tablets and Leeupan………………..

Day 4 – part 2

Like I said – between the Kruger Tablets and Leeupan

Cars and Vultures.
The Vultures were coming in from all over – and we got the idée the “killers” have just left the kill? Most of the birdies were White-backed V’s and the Lapped-faced Vultures kept themselves a bit apart from the others.
Enjoy the video




There were a few cars a bit further on. Yolandri do not want us to move on and said we do not always see these birds so near the road and that the “killers” were probably Lions. She especially liked the Lapped-faces. I decided to move a little bit forward. You never know – the cats or whatever it is, could still be near?
And there they were, next to the road and not that many cars.
One?

Two?

Three?

Four?



Or perhaps 5? Mum and four nearly grown-up cubs!!!



Look at the tummies as they sat and started to clean the blood off each other’s faces.
I suddenly got this feeling of Déjà Vu. Those of you who have read my KTP TR will remember Darbyl and her 4 cubs and the video - licking the rain off each other faces.



Video


I wish I could find the JJ who told us with a smile this morning that we missed the Cheetahs crossing the road near Napi loop!!!!

Day 4 – part 3

We stopped at Tshokwane to eat something. We told 2 couples (1 from The Netherlands and 1 from Switzerland) where the Cheetahs are. The one couple went to their car and brought us back some lovely Swiss Chocolates to thank us for being so friendly and helpful!!!!
We left for Orpen Dam on our way and stopped for Woolly-necks high in a tree.


A few meters from the Woollies we came across an Elephant having a ball in a mud pool next to the road. As I said before, the older piglet Sekhmet/Sumari was not here and we could stop to take photos. Yolandri was driving and she told me that if it looks as if the Ellie wants to stand up, we will go quickly. He was really very near to the road and you can hear the noise he made in the water on the video



Just before we reached Orpen dam this Beautiful Water Buck got up and cross the road.

And we found a NEARLY dried-up Orpen Dam

At least the view from Nkumbi were beautiful and very green


On the way to the S29 (not far from Mlondozi) we came across 2 herds of Ellies on each side of the road, and with a Tusker in each herd. A very large Zhambala were a bit behind his herd but Nhlowa was socializing in his group.

Nhlowa


Zhambala


We turned left in the S29 and followed the extremely beautiful S30 (Salitje road) on our way back.
Zebras on the way


Scenic road!!!! This reminds me of the lovely road near Pafuri on the way to Crooks Corner.


And a terrapin keeping the pied wagtail company.


Now for Day nr 5.

29 Nov 2012 – Day 5 part 1

5.30am at Phabeni and 1st in row and quickly through the gate.

5.35 and our first Eurasian Hobby Falcon (Europese Boomvalk)


We passed a Common Buzzard and a few general game and at +-

5.45 we turned right into the S3 dirt road, direction Pretoriuskop and this handsome fellow was walking in the road in our direction and started to mark his territory on both sides of the road. There were a large number of impalas, and although nervous and noisy, they did not run away but followed him at a distance. He turned at some stage and started to walk away from us in the road. We allowed the oncoming bakkie that was there first to turn around in front of us. The Cheetah decided after a while to turn right into the bushes and entertained us by doing nr 2 on a fallen tree branch, and after he climbed off again, he sank down next to our car and started to roll around in the grass. After a while he wandered off into the dense trees and bushes.



VIDEO




VIDEO


Can a day get any better we asked ourselves? This question was answered “yes” quite a few times more during this day.

Thank you for reading and commenting - Sharifa , CB (Nice steak ), Hilda (will remind you in September again), MM this was quite a big Cheetah , LindaS , Barryels - welcome and thank you for liking my warties , Tawny , Anri - we saw another Cheetah on the last day, also quite near. See you next year at the cricket Dan - of course we are exciting about paradise Radman

Day 5 part 2

We left the Cheetah (or he left us) and we continue with our journey to the H1-1 (Numbi Road)


This scene is not for the faint hearted or LBR lovers – a Wahlberg busy with his breakfast


We also stopped for a Common Buzzard, young Fish Eagle and a Baboon (BJ) taking his life in “retrospect”



I started to turn right into the Napi Loop and piglet said please no!!!! This road in jinxed and we never see anything here. So I correct my steering wheel and turned back onto the H1-1







And I hope this is not the 2 Rhinos that was found this morning (28 Feb 2012)



From here we planned to travel to Transport Dam again and then to Afsaal.