SANParks.org Forums

EJ that sounds like a perfect evening.

Wow, that must have been an amazing evening - a magic memory for the guests too.

Exciting evening, EJ, hope you got a nice supper too. Not sure I would be comfortable with lions hanging around my bush braai.

All has been a bit quiet here....but today had a trip to Skukuza with my 'manager' for various admin tasks and to get rifles tested.

It was a real elephant day! Herd on the road as I went to the office first thing, and several ellies during the trip too. One arrogant male in the road near Skukuza was making cars turn/reverse as he strode down the road. We stopped and watched, and I knew this guy was not for messing with. My friend decided he needed to move.....she revved the engine and he stopped immediately. She moved forward and he put his tail between his legs and turned off the road and scuttled away. His swagger and arrogance totally gone! I am not sure I would have been able to challenge him like that, but she has worked here for many years now and has lots of experience.

Tonight I can hear ellies around camp again too!

I wonder if it was the same arrogant male that we met near Skukuza a couple of years ago; we reversed for two km!

Lion Queen, Picnic and Leopard Cub - I was given your note this evening (my friend suddenly remembered it!) - thanks very much!

Raymond had asked me if I was available over the next few days as Rastah would be away.....so I was not at all surprised to get a call to do a night drive!

On the way through to BnD, after gate closing time, we found 3 vehicles with sliding doors open following dugha boys on the road. They were told to close the doors and get to camp!!!! I had to drop off the driver who came to fetch me, and when I got to the parking area the 3 vehicles were there.......rowdy, verbose, and drinking men all over the place. I noted the registration numbers and reported them (felt like recording their comments, but did not get out my phone to do so).

After that I had 10 guests for the drive. Somewhat quiet, but good sightings. Very few impalas for some reason, and only a handful of scrub hares and one spotted eagle owl. Buffalo near BnD at the end, several ellie encounters including one dramatic one when a cow with 2 calves decided to threaten me. I simply revved the engine to show I was not intimidated, but did roll back a few metres to show her I intended no harm. A short stand-off and she retreated to the side of the road and then turned away. She turned to face us as we drove past, but that was all. Excitement for the guests, but no real danger as there was plenty of space around us. Also had 2 large-spotted genets (one retreated into a hole in the tree so I now know where a genet lives!), and 2 sightings of hyenas (special request from one guest so he was thrilled).

Went to look for crocs, but saw none tonight.

I used my new toy last night.....a cheap red laser pointer from the Crazy Store (all of R14!!!). One of the genets was difficult to spot on a rock, and using the pointer I could show the guests exactly where to look. It will be great for things like chameleons too. Being cheap and small it is not terribly strong, but quite adequate for the distances we deal with in night spotting.

Oh my goodness...............we left you the note on 13th of January!!!.....4 months later.......

But I'm glad that you eventually got it!!!....

Another night drive tonight......and WOW! But I am tired, so more tomorrow......

It was a strange drive in that sightings were few - and for a long time we seemed to find nothing. We did find impalas (not so many as usual) and a few scrub hares, ellies, hippos, hyenas and a large-spotted genet that posed very nicely for us (but a twiggy shrub stopped me getting any photos). Also near the bush braai area I found 2 male lions on the road. They allowed us to drive with them for a while, and I alerted Peter who was the only driver still out at that time. (Just seen on the BnD thread that there were lions at Mlambane, but Raymond did not tell me!).

Because we had not seen much we got to the Steilberg turning early, and I decided to take the longer route after consulting with the guests. Good decision! We found a spotted eagle owl, and the complete highlight of the drive...... Mummy leopard with 2 very tiny cubs on the road. We were able to follow them for about 2km!!!! The cubs were very nervous at first, but mum was not bothered at all, and eventually the cubs settled down. I kept them just in sight most of the time, creeping gently closer when they stopped walking. It was absolute magic!

Eventually one cub moved into the grass at the side of the road and did not come back out although we could hear it moving about. Mum and the other cub stopped and waited and they had some wonderful interaction, with the cub mewing a lot. That was when I decided it was enough and slowly edged past them to leave the sighting. They simply glanced at the vehicle and barely moved away......so nice to have let them become so relaxed with us.

Guests were very happy with the drive! There was a bit of joking about only missing the buffalo.....but nobody really cared about that.

Leopard with two cubs... magic like you said

Hi EJ. What a wonderful drive! I often find that when things seem to be "dead quiet", something amazing suddenly appears. I'm sure your guests were thrilled. Keep up the reports - I really enjoy them (though a touch of envy creeps in now and again)

4 of the 7 guests commented that they had been with me before, and it was a quiet trip but they had still enjoyed it. They could have gone with Peter instead as both vehicles went out, but decided to stay with me anyway and were glad they did!

I realise it is a long time since I uploaded photos, so will try to do some now. Will stick to only 2 - 4 per post to make it easier to load and open.

First a carmine bee-eater on the telephone wires outside camp - zoomed a lot so not a good photo, but a special sighting here.


Wild dogs near the tar road

Lioness on a night drive


and a couple of 'flat lines'

Another special sighting - kurrichane buttonquail on the road