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We stayed at Lower Sabie on Saturday night and although we did not have a lot of great sightings, the few that we had were great.

On Sunday morning (20 March 2011) we left Lower Sabie at 5:30 and decided to take the s128 and salitje road, but thought that we will first try our luck with the mativuhlungu leopard. We knew our chances were 0% but went there anyway. On our way there, several cars rushed pass us. When approaching the bridge (windows open) I heared the guinefowls "going mad" and as I looked down the river, I saw it walking and it disappeared within a few seconds. We couldn't believe our luck, but were disappointed as it was just a quick glimpse. We decided to wait a while to see if it wouldn't appear again...

Another car arrived, who turned out to be Collin W and family / friends. We waited and again we thought our chances of seeing it was zero... Wrong again. It suddenly appeared in the road. We couldn't believe our luck. He walked on the road and headed for the "predikant" at the s28 turn-off. He then jumped up and laid there for about 15-20mins. It was only the 2 cars for quite a while before other cars arrived. After a while, he jumped off, walked on the s28 and layed down in the grass next to the road.

Also found 2 male lions on the s128 close to the salitje (s30) turn-off. We were again just at the right time, right place. It appeared in the road, one laid down for a few seconds and dissapeared again in the long grass. Please excuse photo quality, but here they are.











We also found this weird, strange looking giraffe. Does anybody know what could be possibly wrong with it?? :huh:

anya, most probably drove past you a couple of time over easter weekend 2011, spent almost everyday with the pride of 22 on gomodwane loop, i have some great pics of the male with the damaged leg, he didnt look to great, i heard he was injured by a giraffe during an attempted hunt.

gomodwane was actually great for us over the easter weekend, seeing a cheetah just about 2km on the loop as well from the lower sabie side.

i was actually in the park in march 2011 as well and had a spectacular sighting with just the 10 cubs alone playing in the road on gomodwane loop.

recommendation for great cheetah sightings, stick to the s28. seen the famous 2 males there without fail at least 4 times a year for the past 3 years as well as a mother with her 3 tiny cubs. will try post pics.


injured male on gomodwane loop part of the pride of 22

Hi Peeps :)

I was at lower sabie over the easter weekend. had the most amazing time, saw so much game.
Gabz i was at the same lion sighting at u on the gomodwane loop i had them twice there in 5 days, and in golden light will post some pics.
i was also lucky enought to see a leopard with an impala kill cross the road infront of me (impala was still alive)
I was also at Lower Sabie in march i has saw the 4 males lions right outside the camp on a night drive!!!!!!













Hope you peeps enjoy the pic will be posting some more later

hi peeps

@lindah- The leopard kill was about 3.5km from lower sabie down the tar towards croc bridge
there is a leopard that is well known from just crossing the road it has happened to me 3 times

@Gabz- i have an i dea ill fetch u at 3am tom and we can for the weekend
i am just gonna post a few pics of my last 2 trips all around lower sabie area



Leopard 6km from LS towards skukuza by the bridge




Sun set dam


Taken on the s28




Sun set dam


Croc out the water by sun set dam


I really hope you peeps enjoy the pics
would love some feed back on the pics

Will be posting more soon


Craig

[/size]Hi Guys


really appreciate the kind words from all of you

I am gonna post a few more pics
I would also like to ask Gabz to please post some for her pics as they are also magnificent

Most of the pictures that i have posted have been taken with in the last 6 months around LS area






Taken on the S28 could not get past for 45 min


Taken at the corner of S28 and main road near LS just after the bridge

I cant wait to go back to the bush.......... i dream of it everyday .

Craig

this black rhino was seen close to sunset dam back in 2009


this male cheetah was seen in april 2010, along with another male on the s28. we searched for them for 5 days and eventually found them in the pouring rain. these 2 males have been living on the s28 for years now and are seen frequently.


my favourite bird


this male lion was seen on gomodwane loop along with his pride of 22. his leg seemed to be quite badly injured.

these were all seen around the lower sabie area

great pics!!! let me also share a pic of a leopard i took on gomondwane loop in may 2011.
i had it all to myself for more than 30mins!

cheetah mom seen close to duke waterhole on 18/06/2011


and her cubs!


more to follow..

Hi Guys, new to the forum, I love wildlife photography and want to post some of my recent sightings in the lower sabie area.
sunset dam



The four males often seen by lower sabie



A young male leopard teasing a Rhino by the concrete bridge

I think the same Leopard the next day on a rock near the entrance of the s28


Hope you guys enjoy will post more later

Hi guys
here's a few more pics:)

Big male lion on Marula loop


One of the 6 male lion coalition by crocodile bridge *different from the 4 males by Lower sabie


Traffic jam 3 km outside Crocodile bridge


Giant eagle owl on night drive S28


Rhino investigated a buffalo Carcass killed by 2 male lion sleeping in the distance, on
S36
One of the males who killed the buff


Wild dogs on S65






Taxi driver, tar road to from Skukuza to L.S



Female leopard on tar road few km out of Skukuza


Hope you guys enjoy and I appreciate the kind words on the previous pics.

Saw these 2 leopards this morning 2 kms from Lower Sabie:


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

8km's further down the road were 7 lions walking along:


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

hi all,

was having a bit of trouble with tiny pic, but as promised here are pics from my july trip.
pictures from august trip will follow.



10 minutes before gate closing time, we found the mother leopard and her rather big son on the low water bridge. What a sighting!!


my Father was photographing a Bourchells Coucal, when in the distance i spotted this beautiful female on the H10. 10km from LS, she walked right up to us and then crossed the road.


found this mom feeding her 3 tiny pups, 1km from skukuza toward kruger gate.


our first picture of a honey badger on the H10




Mom and her baby sitting on the mound by sunset dam, the baby could have kept us entertained for hours.


sunset dam and its beautiful birdlife.


5 hyaena pups at transport dam


lions lazing around


first time experience for me, a honey badger feeding off an impala carcass that was abandoned by a leopard on S1.



5 wild dog, H20-2 10km from Afsaal.


lastly, how could we forget the beautiful african sunset.

Pics from august trip to follow.

Gabi

A two night stay @ L.S. It was all about birds and 1 leopard.

Hi there,

Would like to share an awesome, very unexpected, Lower Sabie moment with you.

We were there this passed weekend. Me and my cousin left the men and her baby at home for a short girls weekend. Friday night after struggling with the braai for quite some time (only because it was rainy ) , we decided to have an amarula coffee at the deck at about 10:30. This was obviously our own made coffee since there was no light, no people no nothing at the deck. The whole camp seemed to be asleep already except for us, with our spotlight. Arriving there, was a few waterbuck, laying basically between the deck and the river and some buffalo, about 100 meter down (bridge side) between the fence and the river. It was very peaceful and we eventually decided to go to bed. As we were about to leave, I shined the spotlight one more time. It was then when we noticed the 3 male lions very close behind the buffalo. We immediately switched off the light, not wanting to give the lions away.

Suddenly all hell broke loose with the waterbuck scattering and the lions jumping onto one of the buffalo. They did not manage to hold on and chased the buffalo passed the deck towards the safari tents' side. We were obviously now running like crazy people trying to follow on that wooden "paadjie'. The lions turned back moving towards the deck. We knew that some waterbuck stayed behind and ran in the opposite direction. We went back to the deck and switched the spotlight off when we saw a waterbuck cow close to the fence, right next to the deck (bungalows' side of deck). We could clearly see the lions in the moonlight now circling the waterbuck. Eventually we could not see any lions and waited. But then the waterbuck suddenly ran through underneath the deck, in the direction of the tents. One lion did try to chase but backed off quickly. Now there were no "food-animals" left, ... except for us.

The lions went and lay down between the deck and the river (close to the river). We eventually could not keep our eyes open any more and the rain started pouring heavily after a while. When the rain broke, we went back to our bungalow. 5:30 the next morning , we were back, but no sign of any lion.

Unfortunately, nothing happened with no kill. But it was certainly an event that would stay with me forever. We drive 100's of kilometers through the park, and then witness something like that from camp.

We saw the same 3 lions on the night drive the next evening (Saturday) at the bridge going over the Sabie (H10) heading in the camp's direction again. After the drive we obviously went to the deck again, but no luck.

Hope that they will be around when we are back at Lower Sabie in two weeks' time

Dear Friends and Family,

The cold winter mornings have sneaked up to us lately and warm jerseys and jackets is the first thing out of the closet in the mornings. With the winter comes the better sightings and less rain, but just before winter we had a quick shower this weekend but let me not run my story…

On Thursday morning just after the walk I went on a journey to Skukuza…when leaving the gate a leopard on the sunset dam side approaching the gate. Some of our staff was working inside the camp at the gate when she got a fright and moved back to sunset dam. Then a sudden 180 degree turn and back she came to the gate. With all the attention she decided to move back to the dam and around the camp. That evening when my sunset drive was about to leave a notice came that there was a leopard in front of the restaurant so my 20 guest evacuated the vehicle to see her. Unfortunately she moved along the fence to Keartland. My whole idea was to come back and go over the bridge, maybe she is playing there at 19h30.

On the Power line I got a very awesome surprise and when that Black rhino crossed the road 2 km in front of us I had no choice of increasing my speed just a little, I just knew this was my lucky day. As bad luck leopards are so much of good luck is black rhino. When we got there he was a bit nervous and he walked zigzag through the bushes away from us. Well at least the people saw it! As I was busy talking he slowly return to the vehicle and then moved away again. This happened more and more, he would listen for some time, come closer and then leave. At one stage I asked the guest on the left to just move in if he comes closer than 5 meters. The last time he came so close that a sudden jump up gave him such a fright that he ran off and never came back. A beautiful black rhino specimen and one I will not forget any time soon.

On our way back as I was about to cross the river at the 50 m sign after the crossing towards camp were 2 porcupine busy doing their thing (mating and all) I approached. These two were so busy they did not know what I spotted about 3 m from them, the leopard from the camp was there on her knees begging them please not to move so that she could get supper. Unfortunately for the leopard they stopped and moved across the road and into the bushes. This was Amazing for us to see both in one picture. The next morning after the walk she was there again, but the most beautiful leopard in the sunlight but then again, leopards are still bad luck, because on Friday evening when I went out to go look for misses bright spots, the clouds opened up above us and the whole vehicle's water on my lap.

Sunday evening was the first of lions for this week and just the sound of them in the background even made my heart stop a bit. You sometimes with the sky so bright and the stars so light miss things that you haven’t missed in a long time because of our busy lives. Small things like seeing the smile of a friend far away, but on the stars we wish for them and see everything on a late night drive except the leopard.

Happy Easter to you all and I have not forgotten about you all!!