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Some Tawny Eagles that came in for a landing...










Bateleur- Short Tailed Eagle


This Bull is enjoying the Sunset with us...


This morning's Sunrise and Full Day game drive:
















Leopard Tortoise- huge one!!!

AND LAST BUT THE BEST:

Hi Everyone!!!!

Loooooong time you didn't hear from me, but here I am with lots of great stories again:

Tonight I am taking you all back to the 10th of March 2012, where I started with a 6 hour Morning Safari and found some of the Big 5's footprints around Sable Dam and the Spotted Hyeanas at their den on the Mopanie Road. We were also lucky to see a herd of Elephants with young calves on the S131 gravel road at the Mankavi Category D road's turn off. The one cow was a bit overprotective and we decided to leave them in peace. We found the general game too (Zebras, Giraffes, Impalas) and some Buffaloes.

From the 14t till the 16th of March I went and assist with Anti-poaching patrols, and luckily didn't find any Rhino Carcasses, neither poachers... That evening left for my off days and started working again on the Public Holiday 21 March, and started to prepare for a Wilderness Trail Interview which happened on that Thursday the 22nd.

Before I left for Skukuza I still did a Morning Drive and found 1 of our Lionnesses at the Giraffe Carcass which they killed a day before I arrived. At the carcass some Hyeanas joined the Lionness, but she wasn't very charitable. Found Elephant, and Zebras too.

Friday the 23rd of March on the Night Drive, we found Buffaloes all over!! 3 Herds of Buffaloes!! The general game too, Genet, the Spotted Eagle and Pearl Spotted Owls, and when we came back pass the giraffe carcass a Side Striped Jackal and not far down the road a mating couple of Lions!!

My Saturday of the 24th of March was booked for the Olifants River Backpack trail litter patrol, and for some of you, you might have seen it on Facebook already, but sjoe, that day we walked!!!! And with the river that was in flood, and all the thick River sand, it definitely got to all of us, by the end of the day, but definitely the first 16 km's is now clean!!!

Tuesday the 27th of March on the Night Drive we found a herd of Buffaloes 2 km's from the gate, Elephants on the Bush Braai road, and 2 Lionnesses and a Male Lion at Sable Dam and on our way back after sundowners they were gone, so went up to Ngwenyeni waterhole and found my 1st Civet sighting in months!!! On our way back found more Elephants, Zebras, Chameleon, and a unknown snake in a tree. In between got the trailer ready for the start of the Olifants River Backpack Trail season.

See now I didn't keep record of our activity sightings till the 3rd of April.

But still fresh in my memory and still getting goose bumps is the Sunset Walk of the 3rd of April 2012. We walked East from Shikumbu and found a Steenbok, and Zebras, but on this walk it was not a big hairy scary creature that gave me a very close encounter, but a rustle in the grass!!! As we watched the Sunset to our left while walking down a wide animal path, making our way back to the vehicle, I suddenly just heard this noise down left of my feet, and as I looked down I saw this grey tail of a snake, promising not further than 15cm's from my foot and at the same time saw the snake lifting him- herself up, to my waist height and already the neck was blown up, and realised here's big sh.t, and just jumped away into the opposite direction and as far and as quick as possible and at the same time made funny noises, which luckily got the rest of the group to stop. Now that I am once again thinking about that Black Mamba, I definitely know my guardian angel were watching over us!!!!

Over the Easter Weekend I did a Malopeni Overnight Eco Trail for 2 nights, and I already posted the photo's of the Hippo's, us cooling down in the Letaba River, and some of the other sightings we had.

Monday the 9th of April I had a Full Day game drive and started off with this beautiful sunrise:



We went up the Marumbeyni gravel road towards the Mingerhout Dam loop close to Letaba and found lots of Elephants, a herd of Buffaloes, and these Saddle Billed Storks catching fish and the Pied Kingfisher and Hamerkop joined them on stages:







We found lots Waterbuck, Giraffes, Hippo's, Buffalo Bulls, and a Leopard 6 km's from Phalaborwa Gate. On our way back we also saw a big rain storm in the distance and while watching it, a herd of Buffaloes came to drink at a waterhole next to the road. It was actually soooo nice, and couldn't unfortunately get a photo, but while they were in the water the lightning was hitting far on the horizon.



Tuesday morning we left very early to go and fetch 2 guests with bad blisters from the Olifants River Backpack trail and when we got back once again passed my Advance Weapon handling.

Wednesday the 11th of April I did the pick up and drop off for the Olifants River Backpack Trail and was very lucky with the cats. Found Lion and Leopard on the way to Olifants and some Buffaloes, Elephants on the way back.



On Friday the 13th we did a Sunset Walk from Ngwenyeni waterhole and found a big herd of Elephants and another herd and a Bull in musth, but had a nice view of them, and a great sighting!!!

Saturday morning we had 3 groups on the Morning walk and between the 6 guides we found Rhino's, a herd of Buffaloes and lots of Elephant Bulls. After the walk I got ready for a Malopeni Overnight Eco Trail and on this trail we were very lucky to find a pride of Lions and lots of Buffaloes, Elephants and stunning nightskies!!









We had a photo shoot drive on Monday the 16th and here's some pics I took, while waiting for the photographer to get her shots and then went on my 4 off days till the 20th of April:

On the 21st on the Night Drive we found the general stuff and the Bateleurs and White Backed Vultures that is breeding on the S131 gravel road.

I did the Olifants River Backpack Trail drop off on Sunday morning the 22nd of April and found lots of Elephants, and the next morning had a Interview for Letaba Rest Camp Head Guide position and still waiting for the outcome...

The 25th of April I went through to Shimuwini to assist with a Morning walk, walk in a beautiful area, but couldn't find much on foot except Impalas and Steenbok- Mammal wise but did have a stunning sighting of 2 White Faced Owls!!! On our way back we found a herd of Buffaloes and close to Shimuwini a male Lion.

During the Night Drive we found lots of Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras, Small Spotted Genet, Leopard that came walking up the road, where we found the Elephants and a Pearl Spotted and Spotted Eagle Owl.

Friday morning on my Morning Drive we had a little herd of Elephants crossing the road, but was so nice to see how they kept the very young calves in the middle and also found Giraffes, Zebras, Steenbok and Impalas.



That evening the 27th of April we had a 43 pax Bush Braai and on my game drive found a African Wild Cat, Elephants and Giraffes. The other vehicles didn't see much either.

Sunday morning the 29th we had a close encounter with 3 Buffalo Bulls on the walk and found some Elephants, Giraffes and Zebras too on the walk. That afternoon I went out on another Malopeni Overnight Eco Trail and were very lucky with the sightings. We got to a spot along the trail where we drove for about 3 kilometres with not seeing a Elephant on either side of the road!!! Where we found the Lions on my previous trail, this trail we found a Leopard!!!! Heard Hyeanas and Lions during the night and the next morning on the way back we found 7 Wild Dogs!!!





Tuesday the 1st of May we found 2 Lionesses with 7 Lion Cubs behind Sable Dam, but they quickly disappeared into the thick bush. We went up the Mopanie road where we found Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras and the Hyeanas.

That evening once again found the general game on the Night Drive with Elephants and Buffaloes included.

On the 4th of May I did another Malopeni Overnight Eco Trail and once again had Lions roaring during the night with some Hyeanas and Hippo's calling in between. The 11 Ladies were quite funny and actually they behaved themselves very well. We found Buffaloes, Elephant, Steenbok, Warthogs, Impalas, Waterbuck and Hippo's on the trail.

8th of May on our Afternoon walk we didn't see one mammal, but the nice sighting was a Tawny Eagle circling above us, with a little Small Spotted Genet in his claws.

On the 9th of May we had a Film Crew with 3 vehicles with the famous BZN and Pussy Cat singers. And ai, were they lucky!!!!!!!!!!!

Over all we had stunning sightings of Elephants, we found Leopard, 3 Cheetahs, Giraffes, Zebras, Blue Wildbeests, Waterbuck, Buffaloes, lots of birds and nice scenary spots!!!













The next morning we went out on walk and found 2 Elephant Bulls and as we started approaching them we spotted the back of a Rhino and went to the Rhino instead. When we got closer we saw she had a very very very very small calve with her, definitely less than a week old!!!



We didn't want to watch them for a long time, to hopefully not disturbing them so we approached the Elephants. We found Impalas as well.

That evening before I went on my 4 off days that is finishing tonight we had with the film crew a Bush Braai and found a herd of Buffaloes, Elephants, Serval, Elephants bathing in Sable Dam, a Leopard, Giraffes, Zebras and the Hyeanas, so once again they were very very very lucky!!!!

And my off days at Shingwedzi:

Good evening!!! Good evening!!!

Just got back from the Night Drive and what an amazing night it was!!!!!!!!!!

We drove in on the tar road and found lots of Vultures (White Backed, White Headed, Lappet Faced and Hooded Vultures), busy feeding on a kill just over a km from the gate. We also saw the 2 young Saddle Billed Storks and when we got to the Sable Dam turn off, the guests told us about a Leopard at Shikumbu.
Believe it is clear of which way our minds told us to go, and as the guests found it 10 minutes before, we found him as well, still lying on one of the big boulders, watching the Giraffes walking pass, feeding from one tree to the next and viewing the magnificent Sunset to the West, and suddenly something pulled his attention to the left, jumped off and disappeared.

In the meanwhile we watched the Giraffes and drove forward to see if we can spot the spotted cat once again, but suddenly the troop of baboons scattered in all directions, screaming as if it were their last moment on earth and the stream line cat chasing after, and suddenly, all for one and one for all, the board game changed, and this time the baboons chased after the Leopard!! Still think that one big male baboon is spitting Leopard tail hair out of his mouth, and the rest of the family having nightmares of their last moments in this life!!!!!!!!! We quickly rushed around to the Shikumbu Category D road, but only found the Baboons standing on their hind legs, Giraffes scattered all over and Impalas peacefully crossing the road in front of us. So eventually turned around, and there we found him in the tar road and he then slowly disappeared into the bush.


We then went up the road, made a quick stop for Star uppers (Not Sundowners), enjoying the Southern Night Skies appearing from above, and drove to the Hyeana Den, where we found nothing... We drove a bit further up the road and as we made a U-turn at one of the Gravel pits, we found a Blackbacked Jackal couple. On the way back to the Hyeana Den, stopped for a beautiful Marula Tree and this time at the Hyeana Den found a Small Spotted Genet.

We decided to go pass Ngwenyeni waterhole to hopefully pick up Buffalo or Elephant, and there we found both!!! One Elephant Bull drinking water from the Reservoir and 3 Buffalo Bulls walking away from the water trough. We took a No entry back to Shikumbu and on the tar road found a beautiful sighting of a Bronze Winged Courser

and 5 Spotted Hyeanas that came running up the road, which heard the news that the Baboons won the battle and wanted to go and congratulate them!!! On the tar road back to the gate we got a very fresh smell of Elephants and after switching the enjin off, we heard them moving around in the bush, and saw them a couple of metres from there. Some more Elephants not too far from there and where we found the Vultures earlier on, we found a Side Striped Jackal and a Spotted Eagle Owl.

No dull moment on tonight's drive!!!!

Last week on my way to Letaba, all the mist even till 09:30...


Believe it or not, but between all this mist, Masorini is situated behind it...


Erfplaas windmill...


On the Malopeni Overnight Eco Trail- all the colours start changing...


On Sunday's Full Day Game Drive...


I forgot to tell you about our amazing sighting Sunday at Shikumbu!!!
A Black Eagle!!!!! Or new name Verraux's Eagle.
A Bit far, but tried to get a picture...


Elephants on Tsendze loop...

After my Malopeni I did with the 4 young Dutch Guys, I also did a game drive on the 26th of May with some of the Game Ranger Association Rangers, and found a nice sighting of a small breeding herd of Buffaloes drinking water from a pan on the Mopanie Road.

We saw most of the small Antelopes on that game drive: Steenbok, Duiker, Klipspringer and found a Genet or two, and Elephants at Phalaborwa Gate, on the way out.

On the 28th of May's Night Drive, we had a close encounter with a small herd of Elephants on the gravel road towards to the Machangani loop, and the 1 cow kept on running after us, as we started driving away. On the Machangani loop we found the Hyeana at the Den in the Termite Mount, and had sundowners down the road.

On our way to Shikumbu Johan radio'd us in, saying he found a Leopard at Sable Dam, and later that night when we found him again, he found a different Leopard again!!! We were not lucky, but did find Elephants bathing in Sable Dam, and had a beautiful sighting of a African Civet Cat, and Spring Hare.

On the 29th of May I had a Morning drive and found Elephant bulls and Zebras just before Sunrise. After Sunrise we watched 2 Giraffe Bulls fighting with each other and was such a stunning sighting, with the sun rays shining and reflecting off their skin...

We also found Kudus, Steenbok and Duiker.

That evening we found another sighting of a Genet, Elephant herd, Impalas, Duiker, Steenbok, Scrub Hare on the Night Drive.

Wednesday the 30th I took the gravel road up to Ngwenyeni waterhole, and left to Nandzana and back, and we were very lucky!! We found all the general game, Hyeanas, Elephants and Buffaloes at Nandzana waterhole, and just after the little bridge, that crosses the Ngwenyeni stream we found a big male Leopard in the road. After assessing the whole sighting, and after he disappeared, we found Impalas, and realised why he ran off the road sooooo quickly, because he was busy stalking the Impalas.

On the way back we found more Elephants, White Faced Owl, Side Striped Jackal, Civet and Steenbok.

More to come...

waiting...........

once more... superb sightings
thank you

Lourens, I have no words to describe all your magnificent sightings and stunning pictures! Absolutely fantastic!

Lourens! You suck .... all the awesome sightings to you! 1 more week! Thanks for sharing!!

Lourens, do you take orders yet? As in W@H's case, we will be there next Friday this time. I will be there before him, cause he is taking the long road.

Could you please tie down a leopard for me and a cheetah for the girls about 2km inside the Park?

I will cut them loose after we took photos of them.

Thanks Lourens.

Lourens, a VERY happy birthday to you today! Hope your parents will spoil you a lot! May it be a great year full of Blessings!

Happy Birthday and a blessed year ahead, Lourens