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Wonderful sightings.....love the Leopard

You are having a fantastic trip

Next episode coming up!!

Go to letaba Heksie an sit in front og the restaurant, there is a resident BH Kingfisher!!!

It's my pleasure Barry.

Thanks Naomi, and welcome on board.

Your turn will come I'm sure!!!

I love them as well........our daughter used to call them potty bottoms, because she said it looked like they had sat in wet paint on a toilet seat!!!

.............and we still have nearly 4 months tp go!!!!

Day 16 (Nov 15th)
Today was a really lovely day.

We had a latish start, being at the gate at 7am, and started a slow drive to Letaba, where we to meet EJ and Chirinda.

I was so pleased to spot "our" Klippie for the first time this year, and also Desmond Dassie was in residence.

Along the road we saw a car that was travelling in the opposite direction to us had stopped, and soon spotted why!!!!

There was a very angry Ellie shaking his head at them, and mock charging. The car reversed and the Ellie proceeded, we drove forward very slowly, but kept well back from the Ellie. This process went on for 40 minutes, until eventually Ellie gave up, and sauntered off into the bush, and we could carry on with our journey!!

We saw plenty more (well behaved) ellies, and a midddle size herd of buffs. Also a few zebras, and some beautiful European Bee Eaters.

We arrived at Letaba a little time before we had arranged to meet, and so we sat down on the bench in front of the restaurant, to see what the riverbed had on offer today!!

There was an Ellie, who had some serious ivory, and two lovely male Bushbucks. We then spotted a smallish croc down by the riverbed, enjoying the warm weather.

By this time Chirinda and EJ had arrived and sat down to join us.
How wonderful are these forums, as I have never met Chirinda, and only very briefly met EJ at the 2011 cricket, but we all chatted as though we were old friends!!

A Brown Hooded Kingfisher came to join us, and a Jacobin Cuckoo, to name just two of the feathered friends that morning.

We moved to the restaurant and ordered toasties, and continued chatting nineteen to the dozen!!!

Eventually it was time to say goodbye, and return to Phala.

On the way home it was now hot and sunny, so we did not see much, though we did see another three Klippies, and a huge warthog with baby piglets (who sadly ran off before I could point my camera at them!!)

That night we had Pork Chops, new minty potatoes, cauliflower with cheese sauce and butternut.............I know it's hot, but that was all that was in the fridge till we shop tomorrow!!

Then it was Amarula time and a coffee, and watching the African sky..............oh dear it's a hard life!!

To be continued.....................

Indeed a lovely day Val! It is so nice to meet other 'mites in the Park! And as you say, it feels like you have known them all your life.

Fortunately you were behind the angry Ellie!

Beautiful pictures once again, with my favourites, the Kingfisher and the Klippies!

Thanks for sharing!

My favourites as well.

Day 17 (Nov 16th)
It promised to be another hot one today (41c)

We were at the gate at 5.30am, and already the sun was rising rapidly and heating things up.

I'm sure there is a very good reason, but I do wish the Park Gates opened earlier like the camps,because we can never get that almost dark getting light factor that you do when staying overnight!!

Ah well, we set off up the H9, and turned down towards Sable. We saw a few Impies............the Moms are very pregnant, but as yet we haven't seen any babies, though I hear that some lucky people have seen some.

We had our coffee and home made rusks that Chirinda had given us yesterday (which were yummy) while watching the Dam.

There were a few giraffe in the distance, but nothing else.

We drove on round the loop, and we were delighted to see "our" Klippie, enjoying some fresh grass, and then on to Erfplaas, to see Desmond Dassie sitting in his crevice, surveying the scene.

By this time we both fancied a bacon sarnie, so decided to go home, and maybe we we would go out later?

To be continued................

Hi Val,
How super to have had the meet.

Wonderful love all .... the Klippies are really such cute little bokkies.

Can just image how you feel, when you can't enter the Park the same time as when the camps gates open.

Looking forward to your Impie pics once the babies arrive.

you really had wonderful day in the park, with two legs friends and four (or more) legs

the little Dassie is waiting for you... each time

Hi Crested Val,
I was looking forward to your TR. Some great sightings already. Enjoy your extended stay.