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Friday 13 April cont …

Back onto the tar road towards Lower Sabie and this big chap was making his way up from the river …



and in the riverbed, loads and loads of black storks … I counted 35!





I returned to Lower Sabie for my last night in the park – what an amazing and spotty trip this had been.

Saturday 14 April

I was up, packed, and at the gate ready to leave 5 minutes before the gate opened! Hyenas were whooping and lions were roaring – it’s so difficult to tell exactly where the noise is coming from though …

I decided I’d leave from Malelane Gate and would get there via the S21.

A quick stop at Sunset Dam and I put hippo, grey heron, and a Giant Kingfisher on to my sightings list for the day. Further on and I added impala, white back vultures and bushbuck.

At the natural pond on the S21 ellies appeared out of the bush for an early morning drink …







Further on and a single buffalo crossed the road in front of me …



Other buffalo should note the new fashion accessory for summer 2012 … a piece of grass placed strategically behind the right horn!



A jacobin’s cuckoo …



and a klipspringer enjoying the morning sun …



At the end of the S21 I turned south on the S114 but when I got to Biyamiti Weir found that it was still closed.

Mr Croc was enjoying the peace and quiet, as was the Goliath Heron and the hippos…





I drove along the S23 which runs along the Biyamiti river - lots of general game was about – impala, kudu, waterbuck, giraffe, zebra, etc. Then, around the corner, not what I wanted to see …



I reversed quite a way and waited patiently till the ellies decided to make their way into the bush …



At the junction with the S113 and the H3, 4 ground hornbill …



I pulled into Afsaal briefly and parked up right next to Dikdikkie and her friend who were also leaving the park. We had a brief chat then sadly continued on our way out of the park.

It had been a brilliant holiday, despite the crowds over Easter. I hadn’t eaten any chocolate Easter Eggs, but what a lot of SPOTS I’d had!

It hadn’t rained ONCE the entire time I was in the park and I couldn’t help think that I could have camped after all (remember, I DON’T DO camping in the rain!). My next trip was booked for June and as I’d been enjoying the accommodation at Lower Sabie so much, I was booked to stay there again. BUT I MISSED CAMPING!!!

Once back in Pretoria, I was on the phone to SanParks to see if I could change my June booking … stay tuned for “Wendy Goes Camping Again”!!!

OK, so here's the funny part ...

Remember the story with the giraffes I came across on my first afternoon on the S82 ...???

Here's a refresher ...

Next were a couple of giraffes in the road …



They started necking … not as in knocking lumps out of each other, but as in soft, caressing, necking …







He kept standing behind her protectively …



Then I noticed that he was ready for something else …



He tried to mount her a couple of times but she wasn’t having any of it

“What are you looking at … please can we have some privacy?”



So I left the young lovers alone to have a bit of privacy.

WELL ... when I came across them I admit to thinking at first that they were both males as the smaller one didn't have very hairy horns. However, when I saw the way they seemed to be "flirting" then watched the bigger giraffe trying to mount the smaller one, I automatically assumed it was a male and female.

WRONG!!!

Thanks Tiny (after double checking with OB!) for correcting me and pointing out that it was in fact 2 male giraffes!

Apparently the mounting thing is to do with dominance but I am still in two minds about the whole thing ... they looked SOOOOOOOOO much in love!