Lower Sabie

14th to 18th April 2024

And so we left Satara on an overcast and slightly dribbly day. We headed for Tshokwane and then directly to Lower Sabie.

We love seeing herds of elephants but are nervous when they appear in the middle of the road while we are towing our Wildcat. As is usually the case they then appear behind as well – coming towards you. Reversing is not an option.

Camp was set up in a convenient spot.

We had a pair of White-browed Robin-Chats (Heuglin’s) chorus us each morning always from the same spot in the bush.

Other camp visitors.

One day we took a drive on the back roads around the Mlondozi Picnic site, all the way to Tshokwane and down to Skukuza. The weather continued to be wet and overcast. Days like that sometimes bring out the unusual – like a family of Shelley’s Francolins.

On another day we headed for Skukuza and the hide at Lake Panic. We took the two detours along the H1-4 Lower Sabie to Skukuza .

A Baboon sat on the road using his guile and jaw strength to rip into a sausage pod from a Sausage tree. Persistence pays off obviously. Watch.

The birdlife was very quiet at the Lake Panic hide.

However, Sunset Dam did not disappoint. Apart from the antics of the hippos and the length of the crocodiles, birdlife was abundant.

A Yellow-billed Stork showed how it uses its wings to move around quickly chasing dinner in the water.

Surprisingly, we saw several pairs of White-crowned Lapwings in Sunset Dam as well as near the main bridge crossing lower Sabie. In the past we had only ever seen them in the north of the Park around Pafuri.

On one of the back roads, we noticed a Secretarybird way ahead of us. As I was about to take a photo, a car came over the hill and it took off towards us fortunately.

We did come across several Lion sightings – a mating pair in one instance and a pride lying across the road with the usual traffic jam. We also saw briefly our only Cheetah and took a video of a Hyena walking by.

Raptors

Several Brown Snake-Eagles, Martial Eagle

And here are some of the other species we managed to capture.

And finally, a Lappet-faced Vulture.

Our last camp was Berg-en-dal for 3 nights.

Berg-en-dal

18th to 21st April 2024

After driving around the camp for ages looking for a spot, we eventually settled on a site we had first seen. And we enjoyed the privacy and outlook.

We ventured around the area but also took a long day out to Pretoriuskop – taking the H2-2 from Afsaal to Pretoriuskop. Then back along the S1-1 and H3, visiting dams and other features along the way.

Typical scenery.

A natural rubbing post for Warthogs and Rhinos usually.

Along the way we had some lovely birds too. A pair of African Hawk-Eagles, a Gabar Goshawk, a Black-winged Kite high above and a Martial Eagle were the raptors which stood out. Of course there was an unidentified raptor photographed as well. An ear-torn Hyena walked up to us and a pair of Vervet Monkeys were nervous of life above in Pretoriuskop. Even a Hooded Vulture made an appearance.

Then there was a sighting of Yellow-billed Oxpeckers on a Giraffe. There range has extended well.

We even found some Rhinos – our first for the trip!

Around the camp we were also treated to some fine species.

And eventually it was time to return home.

And this was the scene as we passed Barberton. The Tebushina were flowering.

Click on the following link to see a list of the birds we identified on our trip. In all different bird species.

Hope you enjoyed the read and photos.

Paul and Sally Bartho