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In the middle of this arid desert, a flower, totally out of place...

Up at the furtherest most point there was a bit of a challenge climbing rocks similar to MZNP
and then there is an abandoned farm house...with lots of out buildings..... (next day this was where some lion were)
but we saw a herd od RHB instead

Some agamas were the only creatures for miles around

The track was nice and smooth with water ridges crossing (speed bumps) I could imagine Paris to Dakar ralley drivers having a good time on these roads...

Then a detour, old road blocked and rerouted into the river bed, following the river for a short way before exiting again. The river was a solid mass of boulders, which required a slow drive from rock to rock.

Then the road became 'normal'again.

A couple of wrong turns and eventually, a couple of hours later, back onto the main road.

Not much seen other than these

25 Feb 2012

Our last full day in the park...a slow day.

Early morning visitors at the chalet....

After breakfast, at the restaurant, we took a walk along the fossil trail.

A very interesting display....the quality unfortunately spoiled by very faded information.....

Then extended the walk up to the pool. Water was refreshingly cool

From the bench, looking into the park a Grey Rhebok(?)



and flying...a Booted Eagle

We took a drive down to Bulkraal picnic spot. Once again the pool looked refreshing and a pleasant break from the Karoo heat.


On the way back a large flock of Ostriches

We then made our way to the bird hide opposite the main camps entrance.

Something we have not done before...spending a long time trying to get some half decent bird pics.....they just don't sit still...a hive of activity....

Many attempts at the Southern Red Bishop, always moved as he came into focus....he then offered a nice reflection pic....but not for long

A Common Waxbill posed for a pic

This Common Moorhen came from the back of the reeds....approach, then move back ...then showed itself again, again and again....always just out of my lens' max reach...

2 more that I managed to capture...female weaver



Cape Wagtail(?)

And finally our chalet....



"The Beast" took us to 6 'Cape parks without a hitch....



Thank you all for reading and commenting. It was a different holiday with new parks experienced...for a change.

Next year KGALAGADI and cricket and lots of 'mites
(none met this trip)

That concludes this trip report.......

Although I have been following the progress here,
I haven't commented as I wanted to help you out on
the birdies, but didn't find the time to sit down with my bird book.

Anyhoo, those red lechwy we saw as well. But it never
occured to me to take a photo of them. How stupid actually
as we haven't seen them before either.

Camdeboo looks stunning! Especially the Valley of Desolation.
We had considered stopping there for a few hours as well,
but decided against it as we rather wanted to spend some more
time in the Karoo which was a one night stop only anyway.

You definitely got the greater variety of critters in the Karoo than us.
And closer to you as well. We did see a grey rhebok as well though.

But absolutely nothing at the hide! And I had so wanted to find myself
a red bishop. Very about your photos!

As for the lions - the sighting board showed them on Potiekkertjie Loop,
although we had heard from melph68 that they had been in the then closed
4x4 area (Nuweveld). So we were delighted to see that they had moved
within the week or so that Mel had stayed there and we arrived. But all
our joy was blown when reception staff told us that they were still in the
Nuweveld area and that it propably had been the kids putting up a wrong
trail on the sighting board.

Will get my bird book out and practise bit of IDing now.

Looking at the size of the bill, I reckon this is rather a female cape weaver
than a female masked weaver. The latter has a shorter bill.

Saw the same bird and it took me ages to come up with an ID
as my bird book doesn't sport this kind of colouring for a mountain wheatear.
The seem to come in different plummage...

But this is one I found on the net and it looks the same: