I packed up and prepared to leave Satara early this morning. This was the first time I tried to maneuver around there in the dark, since it was a little before 6:00 am and I made a wrong turn.
It was very lucky for me that I made the wrong turn though and on my 2nd pass by my bungalow, I saw 2 African Wild Cats race by. It was too dark to take a picture and they were too fast anyway – but it was exciting to see the little guys.
I stopped at Reception on the way out because I just realized that the Satara waterhole with the webcam was right behind Reception and I had to take a look at it. This was the first waterhole I ever watched on Africam, but it is not one that they have now. San Parks looks after it themselves.
While there, I heard Black-backed Jackals and saw the Wildebeest doing their Wildie dance.
This was a great way to start the day!
When on the road, I saw Zebras and Helmeted Guinea Fowl before it was light enough to take pictures.
The lighting still wasn’t great, but I couldn’t resist trying for the Red-billed Queleas who were flying and perching in the hundreds (if not thousands).
Other sightings for the day include Elephants, Impalas, Warthogs, Waterbuck, Fork-tailed Drongo, Squirrel, Yellow-bill Hornbill, Egyptian Geese, Crocodile, Hippo, Steenbok, Cape Glossy Starling, Three-banded Plover, Reed Cormorant, Cape Turtle Dove, Baboons, Lilac-breasted Roller, Giraffe, Bushbuck and a bunch of very large termite mounds.
My tent at Letaba is nice – but the door does not have a key and there is no way to lock it from the inside either. It is also a long way from the ablutions and kitchen. Its a long way compared to the other camps I have been at anyway. When I go out tomorrow, I guess I’ll just take everything with me – except for the stuff in the fridge. The fridge is out on the deck anyway – so I hope it is safe from Baboons or Vervet Monkeys. I haven’t seen any of them in camp anyway – just the adorable little Bushbuck and and can’t see them opening the fridge door. 🙂
I saw a Monitor Lizard when I walked over to the restaurant this afternoon. I’m not sure if its a Water Monitor or a Rock Monitor, but since it was in the rocks, I am going to assume that it is a Rock Monitor. 🙂
Egyptian Geese are pretty much everywhere. At the wide riverbeds they were interesting to watch (mostly because they were quite a distance away so their squawking wasn’t too loud). They all set up their own territories, which seem to overlap or at least touch the next one. In order to get to their spot, they have to fly over other Geese territories and the constant challenges was fun to watch. As soon as one pair would land, another pair would take off and the whole thing would start all over again. 🙂
The one above has a definite critter hole in it. I wonder what is or what was living in that hole.
Continued here.
Click here to start at the beginning of the trip instead of reading backwards. 🙂
What a lovely face that steenbok has. And those ears! Looks like the Flying Nun! Love the shot of the elephants across the valley. And that first termite mound looks like its giving you the finger! How rude!
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The days were just like that Karen. You never knew what you would see around the next corner. Every critter and tree and termite mound seemed to have another personality.
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