Game Drive no 202 & 203 by Neil and Morag Hulett unit 45

Hi there, Everyone, Monday 3 am, A stunning morning, and not to cold, we decide to take the e/e up to wild dog, at the fork that takes you down to the sable crossing, the 2 male cheetah walking down the road, they slip off into the bush but when we switch off they come back onto the road and continue down towards the airstrip, marking the prominent bushes and tree stumps along the way, Eric joins us and we follow them till the turn off to Andy's look out when cars arrive from the other direction, we continue up to wild dog for a cuppa, then across to sable, plenty of impala about, we then take the snake alley road and right at buff plains 3, we first spot 5 magnificent kudu bulls, all looking our way and then the 2 lioness's and 5 cubs walk into view, we enjoy some great viewing, sadly they keep going and soon disappear into thick bush once more, also in the area, plenty of impala more kudu cows, giraffe and zebra all appear, and finally with Louise"s help we find the 3 giant eagle owls, parent birds with a chick, and then down to hide and home, great morning.  This evening find the 2 cheetah on parallel clearing, then meet the Ryans at Geoff's bench for drinks, hear the lions calling off towards sable area. Tuesday 4 am, Once more a great morning, out on my own, Morag catching up with various chores, not a great deal to report, 3 hyena, down at idube, one in particular very curious, as soon I stopped, trots over gives the landy the once over, and even starts to chew the cover on my high lift jack, from here down to the river, impala, baboon, but other wise pretty quiet, not much else, home early. This evening we take a short drive before enjoying a evening drink, sitting at Bev's Bench, good general game around nkhonkoni, impala, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, warthog and 3 rhino, close by on buff plains, then across at hide the wildebeest herd plus a small herd of elephants come into drink, from here we make our way up to Bev's Bench, and just as we get there, Mike, calls in a lioness, on warthog, turns out she is right below us, so we stay where we are, watch about 5 cars come into view her, as it gets dark she wanders off towards the pan, calling every now and then, home. Wednesday 5 am, Another great morning, well a lion morning, just as we pass hide, Sean calls us into 2 lion on the hide, nkhonkoni road, the 2 blonde males, then Brian & Claire call in a lioness, down at the wallows, well we are just in time, as she walks across the road, in front of us, and onto zozo hut ext. plains and eventually into the bush, we decide to have T,C&R at sable, and enjoy the company of 9 giraffe, close by, from here via rhino and then back and down to buff plains, to check on the giant eagle owl and chick, both fine, we then have breakfast at hide and then a cryptic call over the radio, takes us along to warthog and the airstrip, thinking that could well be the 2 cheetah males, but as we turn onto the RWLR, Colbert stops us and says the pride of 7 lions, are lying up, under the large knobthorn, we see only 4, well they have a half hearted attempt at some zebra going by, but then all come back and settle under the tree once more, all are as full as ticks, I might add, thats the drive. This evening, search around for the lions for awhile, then park up at Geoff's table, Brian & Claire join us and then just on dark, 3 lioness come into drink and go back into the palm, we watch them from our vantage point before heading for home. Thursday 6 am, Another great morning, like all the rest this week, not that cold, but very slow to start, but as the morning warms up, more and more general game appears, plenty of impala around, plus a nice herd of 15 zebra and 5 giraffe near hide, small herd of 4 kudu on buff plains 1, meet the Ryan's & Makare's, for T,C&R at sable, we have all taken different routes, all looking for the lion, no luck though, the lion pride are then seen at nkhonkoni, but by the time we get there, just the back of one of the males, the rest have gone into the bush, shortly after Sean calls in a small herd of elephant, at sand, go that way and really have some good viewing, they are standing at the outlet for the water, the flow is very good so by turning the tip of their trunk up, the water flows straight in, just like pouring water into a glass, lovely, from here down to the office, post, fuel, and home.  cold unpleasant wind comes up during the afternoon, we stay home. Friday 7 am, Still cold, windy and overcast, we stay home. Light breeze blowing this evening, except impala, and a very brief glimpse of an elephant, under the single pylons, nothing to report, but later 2 lioness's were seen on the clearing, on your right after crossing the palm for the office, but the evening was spent up at sunset plains, with the Scorer and Ryan family's plus Brian and Claire, and a most pleasant time it was too. Saturday 8 am, Overcast morning, and to start very little to be seen, impala of course, then Brian calls in the lions on the palm loop, just before the steep section, they have killed one of those old dagga bulls, the 4 lioness and 5 cubs, the carcass is just on the brink of the palm, so not the greatest viewing so far, will see later, and hope to get some pic's.  Sunday 9. Thats the lot for the week, the lion kill providing good viewing for the many owners, who are down for the long weekend, will include a shot of the cheetah and lion, you all take care now.

 

Hi there, Everyone,  Monday 27 am, Away around 7, pretty cold, only 7 on the deck, but looks like it's going to be a beautiful day, first up, just up the road, a brand new nyala fawn, must have been born in the early hours, still all wet and wobbly , , thats the third one thats been born near the house. idube, just the 4 giraffe legs lying about, then down to the causeway and along the river, not much about, impala, and a troop of baboon, up the pass and then we make our way towards hide, where Eric has called in a pair of mating lions, by the time we get there they are in the bush, so we miss them, so we park at sunset for a cuppa, first Janine and then Sean & Carol join us, end up having our breakfast there as well, one of the lion calls and we watch a couple of giraffe keeping an eye on where the lion are, impala here and there and not much else to report, and as I type this the a cold wind has started from the south and lots of clouds are flying in. Tuesday 28 am, Have moved our wake up forward by a half hour, cold overcast morning, as we are going up kudu, Sean calls in the 2 cheetah, near the top of the airstrip, but by the time we get there they have moved into thick bush, now earlier the Ryans heard lion calling, in the general direction of Ian's pan, so Sean takes the road to the pan and we go via warthog, then along the RWLR and maybe off at zozo hut road, well while we are still on the RWLR Sean calls in he has the lion pride, just up stream from where it crosses the palm, so when we get there they have moved onto the open areas but some way from the road, so no pic's at this stage, but what a really great sighting, lion, the very blonde one, 3 lioness's and 5 beautiful cubs, all in perfect condition, fantastic, our first sighting, they then get up and move further along the palm, roughly in line with the old shepard tree on zozo hut road, but still too far for a pic. have to be patient, from here we make our way home, and once more just before the house the nyala with her baby and the the old bull in close attendance, took some shots, hope I can get some better ones during the week. Birds, 2 of interest this am. one at idube, no pic, too early and heavy overcast, Morag- pale phase Tawny, me- pale phase Walhbergs????  next one crossing the palm, in dead tree, have pic, after long discussion, decide it's a Dickinson"s Kestrel, the pic not great, tailed hidden by dry branch, but heavily barred, will include a shot, await the experts verdict. This evening meet Janine, Sean & Carol up at sunset for sundowners, very pleasant time, spot the herd of 18 wildebeest on jackal plains, on the way home, and a few impala. Wednesday 29 am, Beautiful crisp morning, but very cold, not much to start, but as it warms up, more and more game comes out on to the plains, large herds of impala on buff plains, more near rhino pan, we decide to stop for T,C&R at rhino, let it warm up a bit, about to pour T&C and we hear lion calling up towards sand or along the 4 pylons???? we set off and just before that little road that takes you across to the main road between sand and rhino, the cheetah with 3 cubs are sitting on one of the white termite mounds, pretty nervous, so soon trots across the road into lisbon, but the whole family are looking fine, the cubs have all lost their grey mantels, great to see them still around, from here up the 4 pylons and down to big then double, no sign of any lion, but impala and giraffe, bump into first Janine and then the Ryans at double, they have had equally quiet drives, then office, fuel, the new LRP fuel has arrived, in our pumps, fortunately no adjustment needed for my V8 Birds, a couple of Bateleurs, mature one between the 2 dams, and s/a on the 4 pylons. During the day 2 cheetah are seen on buff plains, we pop along this evening, same 2 males, lying up, lots of impala close by, but they look pretty full, a short while later, the Ryans find the mating pair of lions, near nkhonkoni, not a great sighting, anyway we move onto hide, for a quiet drink, Sean & Carol join us for a short while, before we set for home, then just before the tunnel, a herd of about 8 ellies just below the RWLR, home. Thursday 30 am, Another icy cold, clear morning, the Ryans, find the mating pair of lion, once more, on the road to sand, then we all back track, because all around warthog and the airstrip, plenty of lion tracks, so we check out the ians pan area, no luck, well while we are parked at the top of the airstrip enjoying a cuppa and warming up, Louise and Jill arrive, (85) tell us they heard lion calling up to wards the e/e, anyway they go off to Andy's look out and find some of the lioness's we managed to see one, we then make for home, and on pels pass we find a leopard walking down the road, moves off, think we have lost him and then a little further on, here he is back on the road, off again, back again, and then gone, but while we are with the leopard, the cheetah with her 3 cubs, are seen on buff plains, A Cat morning. Friday 31. Away for the day. Saturday 1 August 2009 am, Beautiful morning, warmer, around 12deg. on our deck, turn up kudu and first up a drag across the road, but had been pulled too far into the bush for us to see what it was, then close to the e/e, plenty of lion tracks, plus we can see where they have been lying on the road, but no sign of any lion, then Sean calls a male lion down on warthog, but soon moves into thick bush, we then go down red duiker drive and then along the river, some impala and a troop of baboon, but the morning it seems we are always in the wrong place, too far from hide, when they pick up a leopard, then a couple of lions lying out on sunset plains, but we do get the lone elephant drinking at hide, well thats the way it goes. Birds, a really special spot this am, as we turn onto the main road, in that large green thorn, a very beautiful, Black Sparrow Hawk, female, just stunning, having flown one of these birds for around 12 years, just brought back great memories, and not that common around here. No drive, great win by the boks. Sunday 2, No drive of course, around 11, 30 last night a storm rolls over us and we get 8mm, very nice. Thats the lot, You all take care now.

 

 

 

 

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