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May 2012
4 - 5 Twee Rivieren
6 - 10 Nossob
11 Mata Mata
12 - 13 Urikaruus
14 Kielie Krankie
15 Twee Rivieren


This was our fourth visit to the park during May. In May 2009 we saw 24 different lions, and we were told it was only luck. In 2010 we saw 23 and again been told it was luck. Last year we saw 26 and this year 22. So okay we are lucky.

Let us start with the lions at Leeudril.



Walking towards the water.




And walked further.






We missed the female, but we were very happy with this early morning luck.

Welcome aboard and thanks for your kind words. Debbie it was nice to see you again after a year and to have a glass of wine with you and Gavin in Nossob. Must do more so in 2013.

This will not be a day to day report, but more pics of groups of lions, cheetah, leopards, birds etc.

There wil also be once in a lifetime sightings.

Hope you will enjoy.

For your kind words the next 2 pics of a Scaly - feathered Finch, at Kielie Krankie, that got camera shy.

Also on the Leeuwdril road was these Suricates. They had nothing to do with us, because they were watching a Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk eating something on the ground.




May 2013
3 - 4 Twee Rivieren
5 -9 Nossob
10 Urikaruus
11-12 Mata Mata
13 - 14 Twee Rivieren

Waiting for our passport at Twee Rivieren.

As said, I am not going to do a day to day report, but the same day when we saw the Lions at Leeuwdril we found this male in the riverbed just before Kij Kij.



This Jackal was lying in the early sun a bit further on.


Between Kij Kij and Melkvlei , on a high dune, we spotted these two Cheetahs.


And close to Melkvlei these three, lying in the shade.




On the Cheetah theme, a few days later, we saw this mother and her 4 youngsters close to Kaspersdraai. The smallest cheetah we have ever seen in nature.


Unfortunately she was not that close and walked on just after we arrived.


On another trip down the Nossob river my wife spotted these two.






This early morning sighting of the silhouette, was south of Kaspersdraai.


This mother and her four youngsters walked fast past the waterhole at Cheleka.

[IMG]


On our way to Urikaruus, on the upper dune road, we had this sighting on a high dune .


Yes before I forget, the previous years we saw between 20 and 23 Cheetahs per year , but this year we counted 31 different Cheetahs. More photos of Cheetahs will follow later.

Hi Son godin

We missed the the Cheetahs at Marie se draai, but they were seen while we were there and from pics I saw on the forum, I think they are older and bigger.

We saw our 5 close to Kaspersdraai, about 20 km from the Cheetahs at Maries. I saw the tracks of a vehicle that reversed and that made me drive even slower and then I spotted them under a tree. Always help to keep an eye on the tracks of animals and cars in the road.

The Leopard at Dikbaardskolk we missed last year and this year. Last year we were a few times the first people there in the morning and every time the tracks were fresh in the road.

My Leopards will follow later.

Also in the Nossob river was this Jackal Buzzard. A first for us in Kgalagadi.

We had a few Martial Eagle sightings, but they were all far away.


And I had to crop.

During our first visit in 2009, we drove past Kudu's and I said "O it is only Kudu" not realising it would be the last Kudu sighting for 2009.

Since then we had one or two sightings every year.

This time it was on Marie se draai. He only gave me time for this one photo before he crossed the road behind us and ran away.

The next day at about the same spot we had this sighting.




This was also our last Kudu for 2012.

This year we had these two Honey Badgers in the road south of Nossob. The mirror you see is the one of the car infront of us. They stayed in the road for a few hundred meters, because the small one was infront and did not know better.


Last year we had this sighting south of Jan se draai.

More sightings between Kij Kij and Nossob camp.

Bateleur and his child.


Bateleur


Steppe Buzzard ?


Ups and downs.


Sightings at Dikbaardskolk
Sociable Weaver. For the records, it is not my biscuit.


Marico Flycatcher


Cape Glossy Starling


Yellow Mongoose

On the 7 th of May we were, as usual, first through the gate at Nossob and followed by our friends from Sannieshof we skipped Maries and drove south.

About four km from Kaspersdraai we arrived at these two lions just as the one decided to leave the road and to go to the other side of the Nossob. (Lucky for us. U will see why.)




The one stayed behind, keeping an eye on her.




She gave me the oppertunity to take these photos.








Then she got up.


The one that left us came back with two youngsters.




They stayed a short while and then disappeared on the other side of the road.


My day was made.

Thank you Pumbaa.

This year we had many Bateleur sightings, but they were never close to us.

Last year we had this sighting close to Veertiende boorgat.

More pics taken around Nossob.

Missed this one at Dikbaardskolk. Kalahari Scrub - Robin.


Tawny Eagle at Marie se draai.


Adult Tawny Eagle at the same time at Maries.


Lappetfaced Vulture at Marie se draai.


Groundscraper Thrush at Nossob


Peace at Kaspersdraai.


Also at Kaspersdraai.


Close up.


Late afternoon, just before gates closed. Immature Pale Chanting Goshawk.


Ground Agama at Nossob.