randombirder

On the road again heading to Lower Sabie, hoping for a much quieter day travelwise, in an attempt not to dash around and limit the kms.  Lower Sabie is an excellent area for wildlife and today there was plenty of activity with over forty giraffe and plenty of elephant indulging within the shallows of the river. The views across the river from the Lower Sabie are magnificent. The park authorities really should seek to limit the number of zebra crossings. Another opportunity to jump out the car at Ntandanyathi Game Viewing Hide that was relatively quiet with a few lurking elephant. The river held a three  African jacana and a couple of  black crake while lesser striped swallow zipped past the hide. While staying at Lower Sabie rest camp, we were tipped off about a nearby lion sighting just a short drive up the road. Armed with half-remembered directions and a bit of luck, we somehow found the spot on our first attempt. Tucked away from the midday heat, was a small f...

27th November A long journey south finally arriving into the tiny airport at Hoedspruit a full 26-hours later, into a stifling 40C wall of heat. Tired from the long journey, we left the airport and within five minutes encountered a giraffe along the roadside.  The Hippomoon Lodge was a 45 minute drive with most of the journey spent bouncing over unmade roads in our tiny rental car. The lodge was located north of Kruger within a reserve run by the eccentric and wildly sociable Xavier along with Patricia who couldn't do enough for us. It was an interesting experience and a novel way to spend a landmark birthday for which I was truly grateful.  The lodge is part of a large landholding that supported a number of free-roaming animals. Despite this, it did at times feel like a captive assemblage of regional species some of which were being supplementary fed on-site. These nyala were seen close to the lodge  A short afternoon drive bouncing over the tracks provided a nice intro...