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As for the raptor behaviour, I posted an explanation to wanderw a bit further up on the page.

As for the cheetahs, I guess, I'll just start singing: Some guys have all the luck...
But very happy to hear that the family eventually decided that you were supposed to see them.

Hey rjm - glad to see you're back safe and sound! Hope you got so see some exciting stuff during your 4 weeks (indecent! ).

We too enjoyed the evening with you tremendously! Thanks - and hopefully we'll manage to get together again at some point. March is unfortunately out as we already discovered. But maybe the spring trip?!

I kinda took photos and we got out of there as I didn't want to find out
if cobras are able to get up to an open car window fast or not.

poor camera... poor pictures... poor SO... poor road

but nice... Red-necked Falcon
love too Black-faced Waxbill, Black-breasted Snake-Eagle... and the Cobra, wow the Cobra
and of course red dunes

for us too, sun help to synchronise vitamin D

Seeing that I got a new page already...

Day 4
24/10/2012 Grootkolk

Our first highlight was already early in the morning: We had gotten up just in time at 5.30 am to see a brownie coming to the waterhole. Otherwise we took it slow after the long travel the day before and left the camp only around 7.15 am instead of 6.00 am with gate opening. Not far after the turn off from GK in northern direction I saw two batties cuddling up together in the sun. Unfortunately they decided to hide behind the sparse grass and all I could get was some ears.



5 k’s north I noticed a golden dot in the wheat fields and was pleased to see we had found ourselves our first lion. Far off and therefore rubbish for photos:



But on this trip something new had set in: Experience over photos. Kinda weird, I suppose.

Anyway, Madame La Lioness had a blood smeared face and as we watched her for a while it became clear that there she had made a kill not too long ago which she consciously protected against the arriving jackals and vultures. Through the binocs we could see that it was lion mum with her offspring. Alright, I’ll admit it: Not getting a decent photo of a cub does make me grumpy.

We moved on towards Union’s End.



On our way back, we checked out the lioness again and saw that a second one had appeared on the scene. Still far off, so we made our way home where we spent the rest of the day lounging on our patio and overlooking the waterhole in company of some chilled Charles Glass later in the afternoon.



But apart from 3 kudus at 3 pm and the reliable brownie at 9 pm it remained pretty quiet.

Well, quiet as in the big animals – the birds certainly kept me entertained:

Kalahari scrub robin

Mrs violet-eared waxbill

Mr violet-eared waxbill

black-chested prinia

white-browed sparrow-weaver

chestnut-vented tit babbler (tick! )

tbc with my highlight of the day and the other sightings.

Ja, the camera... Still haven't heard back from the shop where we dropped it for repair...

Thanks for your kind comment, a-m!

Thanks for a few new updates Lionspoon Really LOVING your bird photos - stunning

Hi LS, such a shame that we missed you in KTP.
But we were some sort of following you around, talking to people you have met and even reading your Sightings Book entry at KK

It seems you once again had a great time in KTP.
Already great photos so I am here waiting for some more

Thanks for the explanation of the raptor behaviour. Very interesting!

Love the cobra photos - we've only ever seen one and it was a quite a distance. Would love to get some close-up shots but I'm too chicken.

Great shots of the birds too, most we haven't seen, either because we're not in the right season or we don't know what we're looking at, which is probably closer to the truth.

Keep 'em coming.

Time to catch up on TRs

Love the bateleur dance

The cobra doesn't look to pleased about being in the limelight..Lovely bird pics from GK

Hi Lionspoon

What a terrible shame about your camera
You obviously need an experienced camera holder in the backseat next time

Thankfully, with your remaining camera, you got some fabulous photos of the birdies you saw around camp
Those violet eared waxbills are so pretty

So did Spots where his special shirt for you every day?
The lioness in the distance must have been just the warm-up

Camera or no Camera

Great TR and Stunning Photos

Thanks for sharing this lovely KTP trip with us

Superb cobra and gorgeous birds! GK really hums when it comes to birdlife!
I think we saw the same two camera shy batties as you but at least we both saw them! As for your camera - Hope the repairs are not too expensive.