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CB, Cheetah, Wendy, Sharifa, Hilda, Linda, MM, Dan, Radman, Anri, Val, Barryels and Hotshot
As you all said - wise move by piglet which got us our 2nd Doggie sighting MM - we really felt that day if we were in a Zoo by seeing such a wide variety of Birds and Animals
We very rarely saw the light version of the Wahlberg, but was also sad when we realized what he was eating

And off we go again - Day 5 part 3

I will post photos from Transport Dam to just before Afsaal turn-off in this part and then later tonight the sighting near the Afsaal entrance

3 really bad photos of a Leopard in the big tree at Transport Dam. I will also post them on Twigga’s post for bad leopard photos!!!!! Luckily we already had some nice ones from day 1!




Our friend again, this time on my side of the window (you will remember him from earlier in my TR)


Diederick – there were 2 of them in a tree in front of the car – still at Transport Dam

Zebras, Warthog family, Arrow-marked babbler, an Ellie, more Warties,






African Hawk-Eagle and a feasting Dark Chanting Goshawk



And the 1st photo of my next post. We thought it looks like an Impi from far and there were no vehicles anywhere in sight, especially so near the Afsaal entrance?

Hi Tawny,
I smiled at your comments on the Ellie. He did indeed look a bit depressed. A facelift sounds like a good idea

Hilda I think the Diederick was bothering the birds in the large communal nest in the tree in the water

Day 5 part 4

Let me start with the last photo of the previous post


When we reached the Lion he lied down next to the car.







He decided to tend to an itch behind his ear



He then got up, walk around behind my car to the opposite side of the road and started to roar. Apart from a broken tooth, his right front leg look swollen and he was limping.




Video


After a while he lied down again, before he finally got up and walked on



There was a large herd of Buffalo, also near the Afsaal entrance, but we did not take any photos.

CB, Hilda, Linda, Barry, Anri, Radman, Val, Me S, Hotshot - I think the broken tooth gave mr Lion a bit of character and we also enjoyed the "gentle" roar We were also a bit worried about the limp and swolen foot

Sigh....ja the old Leppie was a bit far and Barry - I also think the Warties are cute

MM - not all our days were so lucky and unfortunately the Whale stayed away But to you and to all the rest of my forumite friends and readers - do you think this will be acceptable in the absence of the whale

Day 5 part 5

We ate something at Afsaal and went on our merry way to look for something we rarely see and which can be the “Cherry on the Cake”.

We decided that this is it

Day 5 part 6

The rest of day 5 ends rather “ordinary” but we love and enjoyed everything that we saw




And who can resist these BJ’s, especially the younger and mischievous ones





Duiker


We always admire Kudus and their beautiful horns, but Yolandri (Youngest Piglet), loves to take pics of their woolly tails


And to end the day another Martial


Next episode will be on Day 6.

30 Nov 2012 – Day 6 part 1

Today was another day full of animals – big and small, some with feathers, some with hair, some with fur, some without fur and feathers, and even a mud “statue”. It happens sometimes that you drive for hours without seeing anything, but it did not happen during this trip. It could be because the Park was fairly empty of visitors? Most animals were also near the road or even in it, or in trees near the road.


We saw nearly all the types of storks during this trip. This is one of them – the Black Stork


Two of the birds I can not resist and will always stop to take photos of



Bushbuck and disabled Giraffe




Another Blue Bulls Supporter

One of the many crèches




Green-backed heron near the car and a Klipspringer (we saw many of them all over the Park)



Monkey with a stolen tomato at Tshokwane – a lady was busy preparing sandwiches and was laughing at the naughty monkeys terrorizing the guests, when this one jumps on her table and grabs the tomato

This little monkey was all over the tables with mum in tow


Kory Bustard, Red-crested Korhaan and a Black-bellied Bustard




Klipspringers again – this time at Nkumbi



Zhambala again




I am sure there are more Kudus every year? This was one of the many large herds we saw


Reedbuck. We saw a beautiful couple on our last day on the S7 (where we found a cheetah high up in a tree).


We even encounter a mud statue and a big Dagga Boy



I already posted many photos of Terrapins, Grey Herons, Yellow-billed storks, Egyptian Goose with chicks and also Tawnies, but I decided to post this cute one’s backside for my Forum friend Tawny


This is for me and everybody who likes Warties

Day 6 Part 2

This is a short “chapter” and comprises of Njala and…..



It was getting dark and we were on our way out (Phabeni Gate) with quite a few cars in front of us when people in an oncoming car stopped us and tell us there is a Leopard in a tree on the S3 – direction Kruger Gate, +- 4km’s from the turnoff. They also said that there are only 1 car at the scene. We decided to take the chance of getting a fine for going out late at the gate and turned into the S3. We could still see the tar road behind us when we found the tree and no spectators.

VIDEO








VIDEO


After a while she (could not see any bells hanging) climb off and walked towards us, looking me in the face – as you will see on the video.. I told Yolandri to close the windows a little bit more. She then stops and walked off into the bushes. We waited a bit and she came back and lied down in a ditch near the road. Another car was coming and we then left her for them to enjoy and made it to the gate at exactly 6.30.


Day 7 to follow

CB, Hilda, Linda, and MM - Thank you for enjoying our Leopard and Njalas. I will now post Day 7 and then the next post will be after the cricket Wish you could all be there
Love
Rina

01 December 2012 – Day 7 in one part

Today was a short day and we went in a bit later and returned just after 14.00. We again saw a lot of animals and birds. Radman asked the question about what we did not see. As I said before, we do not keep wish lists because then we only look for those things and miss al the other beautiful things on our way. There is however one thing at the back of my mind that I am always looking out for and we usually see them nearly every day – Ground Hornbills. We did not see any of them so far on this trip and it is already Day 7. And see them we did – again Afsaal brought us luck. In a tree just outside Afsaal we found 7 of them. I will post a few photos of other sightings and then some of the Hornbills in the tree.













Tawny at De la Porte Dam and the irresistible Impi crèches (there was a Martial in a tree but a bit too far for a nice photo)






For some or other reason we seldom take photos of Hadidas. This time we rectified the situation. They are actually quite lovely birds.




Impis again….with passengers





To say good bye to the day – Zebras and a Jacana





Tomorrow is our last day

02 December 2012 – Part 1

Today was our last day. We will go home through the Park by entering at Phabeni, taking the S3, S7, etc and exit at Malelane Gate. We were in the Park just before 6.00. We were talking and tried to guess what good bye gift the Park will give us. A few minutes later as we turn into the S7, we saw Kudus staring in one direction and look very uncomfortable. I saw spots very high up in a tree and we thought it ws a Leopard. The road was deserted and it was overcast and raining – the light quite bad. This is what we found

VIDEO (Converted video and some quality are lost)


After a few minutes the Kudus started to move on slowly and into the thick bushes. The Cheetah was never still and kept on moving and looking at something (Impis we think) across the road.



















When he reached the ground he started to chase the Impis, but it was into the thick bushes and we could not see anything and moved on.

Last part of our last day will be posted tomorrow.

Day 8 – final post and our final farewell gifts from the Kruger

Immediately after we left the Cheetah, I went around a corner and a Hyena came running towards us, looking to be in a hurry



A big Ellie not far from there. We had to wait for him to move out of the road.


Yellow-billed Kite


Some of the big 5 again



Mongoose that is sitting still for a while


The ever impressive Rhino



And before the exit, our last 2 feathered friends of this more than satisfying trip!!!!
A Wahlberg


White Storks


Until next time. Thank you to everybody who enjoyed this trip with me and the Youngest Piglet.