Monday started with our wakeup at about 5:30, some coffee at 6, and in the land rover before 6:30.
We started out driving around seeing most of the same species that we saw on Sunday. We have a driver/guide — Matt -- and a tracker — Isaac. They work well as a pair. Both grew up in the area, and really love the bush and the animals. Matt gives us information about animals we spot, their habits, interesting traits, coloring, etc. They are also in communication with other camps in the Klaserie Private Reseve — Africa on Foot (run by the same person) and Gamo Gamo via walker talkie, and use all the rovers to run the routes around the “blocks” to help spot game for each other. First shot is Isaac, the second is Matt.
The animals get exposed enough by experienced guides to get used to vehicles as one object, and the guides caution us not to stand up or make sudden moves, to talk quietly while looking at the animals, and be quiet when we turn off the motor. Some animals keep a safe distance and move away quickly, but many are but feet away from the rover even when on, and do not run.
We immediately saw a kudu, then checked out the hippo, whose nostrils were above water and everything else submerged.
Then Matt learned that a pack of wild african dogs had been seen. So we spent the next hour driving around trying to find it. These dogs are fairly rare and endangered. We eventually found a pack of 6 dogs resting. (We didn’t know at the time that we would come across the dogs twice on our afternoon/evening drive later on).
After watching them we drove around and saw more impala, steenbok, buffalo, and a wide variety of birds. Impala below:
Then back for breakfast of cold cereals, fruit, and a hot breakfast of eggs and sides.
After breakfast, one of the guides took us for a walk in the vicinity of the camp. The focus of the walk was tracking, so we looked at lots of prints and lots of dung. We also saw the remains of a leopard tortoise. In addition, we learned about some of the trees in the area and identified more birds. One of the interesting trees had multiple purposes, as it was usually indicative of water, and the bark of a branch could be stripped away to “make a toothbrush.” The birds around the camp are Burchell’s Starling, Yellow and Red Billed Hornbill, and Blacksmith Lapwing (formerly classified as a plover).
We came back and showered, and had lunch about 2:30 pm.
The afternoon/early evening drive started at 3:30 pm and lasted till about 7 pm. We found the wild dogs for the second time just lazing about in the shade. They didn’t seem to care how close our Land Rover was. We then came upon another elephant herd and watched them for a while. Matt showed up a praying mantis nest (don’t know the right term here) on a branch. Then we passed a flock of guinea fowl (actually saw them a lot as well as smaller similar fowl called Crested and Swainson Francolins).
The best part was when we went back to the water, we once again came upon some elephants, and there was a very young baby, maybe newborn, stumbling along with his mom and other elephants. We watched the antics for long time, watched the baby try to drink and get wet all the way up to the mouth and above. Took some video too — so cute.
Here is a short video of these elephants.
Also got a nice shot of a gray heron and looked from afar at a Redbilled Buffalo Weaver nest on a tree in the water, and got a good shot of a Lilacbreasted roller.
Then more impala. At this point, we were only taking good shots of impala :) as we saw them so often.
Then back on the paved road, unbelievably, the wild dogs showed up again.
Finally at sunset, we finally saw rhino from pretty close up. Not supposed to say where exactly as poaching for horn is epidemic.
We stopped for “sundown” drinks as we did the night before, but this was special. H and Clare from Australia are frequent visitors here, and it was H’s (Hugh) birthday. So there was champagne and cake set up nicely at a table in the bush where we stopped :)
On the way home, Isaac, our tracker, spotted a chameleon in the trees, and we stopped to ogle. Then home for dinner and bed.
We heard lion for a long time around 10-11 pm, and were hopeful we would find them the next day. Matt said the sound was at least 1 km away.
