Travels through South Africa/Namibia

[Kitty]

Well It has been obligatory on previous Forums to run a thread about South Africa so here goes, hopefully I can find some pictures of Dacias!

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Love this picture of a barbet, the lighting was just perfect.

[Kitty]

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And one of my favourite Pied Kingfisher photos.

[Kitty]

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Even hyenas are cute when they are babies.

[Kitty]

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Nothing beats getting up early and seeing your very own leopard with no other cars around.

[Dust Buster]

I love barbets. They look like unkept rock stars (with their vocals)...full of character.

I have seen three Dusters at one watering hole in Kruger.

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Bee eaters are quite tame. If you can park near a stream, they will often sit next to you.

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[Dust Buster]

Babies are cute, including this baby giraffe.

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This leopard was waiting for a porcupine to come out a culvert.

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[TheMightyMuggle]

Great photos guys. Us South Africans are very lucky when it comes to nature

[Kitty]

The picture of the secretary bird with his wings outspread was taken at The Birds of Prey Rehabilitation Centre in Dullstroom. His name is Rooney because of his fancy footwork - he loves nothing better than stamping on his toy snake, it's very comical. Still haven't managed to try the whisky tasting place in Dullstroom - Dust Buster???

[Dust Buster]

...Still haven't managed to try the whisky tasting place in Dullstroom - Dust Buster???

I assume that you are referring to "Wild about Whisky" in Dullstroom, which has 45 tasting themes to guide you through their wealth of products. I wonder how far one could progress down that road in one evening and how far one could progress down any road afterwards.

To answer your question, "No" I have not. Dry wine, dry cider and wet beer, in that order, is my limit (for one evening!)

So, in the "spirit" of leaving something for the next visit (or excuse to return), I assume this visit is on your list.

[Dust Buster]

From my recent trip to Kruger National Park between lockdowns:
Oops – time to roll-up the window. This guy looks hungry.

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Oh good! He's just going to pass on by.

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Oh, hello!

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[Dust Buster]

Youngsters are skittish.

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This steam train is permanently parked now with a nice restaurant inside and beside it.

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You see the fancy overnight accommodation with swimming pool (added column second on the right) in the one recently permanently parked on the bridge, but this is as close as I got to it. It would be amazing to spend the night here.

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[Dust Buster]

Blue-tailed Agama

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brightly coloured Pygmy Kingfisher at Lake Panic

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and hippos (camera wanted to focus on the cobweb)

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[Dust Buster]

and turtles

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and Green-backed Heron (this guy dives at fishes, but his feet never leave the perch)

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Elies are all around. One bashed the bonnet off a small truck even though he was busy backing up at the time. So, make sure none are around trying to cross the road.

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[Dust Buster]

Night Owl in the rafters of one the camp's restaurants

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Sad story this...we noticed vultures swirling down to several trees, then we smelled it. Something was rotting in the bush. The carcass just rived during the feast.

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Then two rangers came up and got out of their vehicle. One had a backpack with a metal detector, he said. They were going to investigate if the rotting rhino had been shot. I hate poachers.

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[Dust Buster]

We wondered why some of the women were just wearing scarves. So, they were selling them in the shops – mystery solved. It was rather warm during our visit.

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A recent cyclone did some damage to some of the trees. The possibility of having to cross streams from recent flooding is why I raised my wading depth.

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I always enjoy watching warties.

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[Dust Buster]

fast food

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Euphorbia in foreground

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Pied kingfishers launching from a bridge

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[Dust Buster]

This guy was so funny. This Grey Heron rode on this semi-submerged hippo back and across this pond. That's Buffalo Weaver nests in the snag.

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The ubiquitous Hornbill with what was about a 10 cm centipede

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You must try some roosterkook with scrambled eggs and bacon

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cooked at this picnic site.

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[Dust Buster]

Glossy Starlings are cheeky. Be sure you clean your plate before leaving.

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OSV (Open Safari Vehicle) – they'll take you to places you normally can't go, even on walks, or during hours you are not allowed to travel (late evening and night drives).

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Endangered Wholly-Necked Stork

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[Dust Buster]

I can't believe how close we got to this large Ferrari of the Bushveld

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We always look out for the Lilac-Breasted Roller.

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just saying “Hello”

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[Dust Buster]

Waterbuck (male)

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on our way to a bird hide. Watch out for snakes along the way or in the hide. The annual thinning / burning chases them out of their natural habitats.

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[Dust Buster]

Jacana chicks with their big feet

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We really had a nice chalet at Oliphants.

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Small (1m) Leguaan (monitor) Lizard – although carnivorous, they are too small to eat you. However, like the Komodo Lizard, they have a foul mouth full of bacteria that can cause septicemia if you are bitten by one.

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[Dust Buster]

Pygmy Bee-eater puffing out his chest towards the setting sun and singing like mad.

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Baboons are not my favourite creature, but this mother and infant were cute sitting on one of the route posts.

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“Go Away” bird – well, that's what it says.

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[Dust Buster]

Ornate picnic table in the middle of nowhere. You are allowed to alight from your vehicle in these areas. Are they safe?

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Just some more lazy crocs

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Male Kudu

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[Dust Buster]

Kori Bustard

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Thunder Birds (Ground Hornbills)

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Bats: several thousands
Mosquitoes: 0

Each colony can contain 2,500 bats. At the Mopani Rest Camp, there are two bat houses next to the restaurant. We went for sundowners (no camera) and were amazed at the volume of bats pouring down out of the two houses.

[colin39]

Some amazing pictures db

[DaciaMatt]

Incredible pictures. What a place to be. The closest I have gotten is a safari zoo called Longleat that has a fair few animals from Africa. Truly amazing to see and would love to go one day. God I hope they can protect all the species and wildlife.

[Kitty]

Have thoroughly enjoyed these pictures, DB. Having an amazing time in SA after a 2 year wait.

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[Nessi]

The Rhino's
"King of the Road"

[Kitty]

The Rhino's
"King of the Road"

They kept us waiting almost an hour, they just wouldn’t get off the road, and it was fast approaching the time when they lock the camp gates in Kruger. But they eventually relented and we got through the gate with a minute to spare so we didn’t get fined.

[Kitty]

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Naturally I found a white Duster to admire!!!

[Dust Buster]

Back to Kruger again – I can't get enough. As it's not a zoo, one never knows what one is going to see. Nothing is guaranteed. So, spotting something is exciting in itself.

A rare sighting of four Thunderbirds (aka Southern Ground Hornbills) upon our entrance at Crocodile Bridge. You're actually supposed to call sightings in giving their GPS coordinates.

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We mostly saw Red-billed Hornbills this time and very few yellow-billed.

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The larger Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill looks like they're wearing pyjamas requiring them to hop. Too funny

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[Dust Buster]

These guys were really moving and silently at that.

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This young bull did manage to chase all of the hippos into the water at Sunset Lake. Then he calmly walked across the isthmus amongst the crocs.

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Imagine all the rotting carcasses lying around if it weren't for the scavengers. Lions killed the elephant, but these Hooded Vultures cleaned-up.

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[Dust Buster]

Mating pair

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Some game meet you in the road, like these three black-maned males. What a traffic jam.

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Another road block, a large troop of Chacma Baboons obstructing the roadway.

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[Dust Buster]

Keep your motor running and be ready for flight. African Buffalo can be unpredictable (thus, their inclusion in the Top Five) and they will charge. They often are seen in large herds. Their impressive horns can easily pierce most vehicle panels, especially modern Land Rovers with aluminium panels. See the photos at any of the bush camps.

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Buffalo herd

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Who would have believed a leaf could photo bomb one's pic?

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Most of our leopard sightings were like this. See the dangling feet in the lower right.

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[Dust Buster]

Some animals also like to be in the hide, like this Green-backed Heron.

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Some Bushbuck were seen, but not as many as previously. They are most often seen wandering around the camps inside the perimeter fence. They must feel safer there.

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For some reason, on this trip we saw a lot of these tiny bucks / antelopes (Steenbok). I love the pattern in their ears.

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[Dust Buster]

Big tree – big snake. See the shiny coil on top of the branch. Good camouflage. African Rock Python – he's probably been there for months.

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Ah precious, resting their poor little heads – Burchell's Zebra

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I like seeing African Hoopoe, especially when they flare open their crest (not shown).

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[Dust Buster]

I see you. One of the many eagles seen on this trip.

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Fishing in a muddy pond was a Saddle-billed Stork.

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This Rock Monitor lizard (Leguaan) was sunning himself on a rock by our chalet which overlooked a lake with ellies (elephants) trumpeting in the afternoon and hippos' loud laughing in the mornings.

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[Dust Buster]

...and the lake (just a widening of the river actually) at Mopane with an upside down tree (baobab).

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Here's an even more impressive baobab by the road.

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Here's the ellies that were at Mopane.

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[Dust Buster]

Impala lilies everywhere were in bloom, but this one was nearby our chalet.

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A giraffe among the euphorbia (succulent) bushes. So like Africa

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Fuzzy Waterbuck with circled bum.

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[Dust Buster]

Gnu (Blue Wildebeest)

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Inquisitive Vervet monkey will steal any fruit lying on our table or come through any open window. They can even open window screens.

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We quite enjoyed our stay at Pretoriuskop. All chalets in Kruger have thatched roofs.

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[Dust Buster]

Tiny African Scops Owl at Satara.

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This is a Burchell's Coucal (large cuckoo). We saw a lot of these on an early morning drive on the S100 by the N'wanetsi River. They love to fluff themselves up and turn their dark back feathers towards the early sun to warm themselves. They have been known to eat your koi collection.

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...as will this guy. A Hamerkop does rather resemble a hammer head.

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[OldBear]

I've looked through your photos a few times now, amazing wildlife you have there, you are a good photographer too! Thank you for sharing these wonderful images

[Dust Buster]

African Jacana – a water bird

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Purple Roller – less common than the Lilac-breasted roller, also a seasonal visitor from Europe.

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Lilac-breasted Roller

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[Dust Buster]

Red-crested Koorhan (bustard) in the bush. They have an impressive love flight where they go straight up, then fall and twist before safely landing.

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We saw some impressive anthills (termite mounds), which excite us as we're ever hopeful of seeing an aardvark (on my bucket list).

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Nothing like a sundowner with hippos and crocs photo bombing.

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Other animals were seen, but poor lighting was a common problem, such as the African wildcat that visited us during our supper on the stoop. I did turn the porch light on our rubbish bin marauder, but didn't have my camera at hand. It was a honey badger.

This is the view at the end of the street where we stayed at a BnB in Clarens on the way to and from Kruger.

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[OldBear]

This is the view at the end of the street where we stayed at a BnB in Clarens on the way to and from Kruger.
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What a wonderful view to wake up to, I enjoy views like this very much, perfect Duster environment

[colin39]

Stunning pics as always db