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Got back in time to gobble some food and then did sunset drive.....number of guests varied between 4 and 10 - but eventually I had 9! Found the lions still on the buffalo kill - and 3 rhinos interacting with them.....good fun watching and listening to the noises. A little scary being caught between them at one point too (well, for the guests.....I knew we were OK). Had buffalo early on and a big herd at the end of the trip, and a lone lioness almost at the gate too. Otherwise very quiet, saved by 3 sightings of hyenas, a nice duiker, impalas, scrub hares, zebra.

Will have drive again tomorrow after office work (printing manuals and handouts for Parks Heritage course later in the week).

Ej -- sounds as if things have gone a bit quiet at the moment - well animal sightings anyway.
Have you seen or had reports that there has also been a change during the daylight time as well?
Could this change be the prelude to a change in the weather/season with spring so to say on our doorstep?
Your thoughts would be appreciated
Terry

Wish I knew!!!!! Bad enough trying to work out what people might do.....never mind animals!

Tonight I had a sunset drive, a bit earlier than usual. Actually followed Raymond as it was a big group that wanted to be in 2 10-seaters and stick together. Not my favourite way of driving, but it worked OK. He saw a rhino at one spot....we missed it but got a spotted cat instead on the other side of the road while we were searching!!!!!

Got buffs - dugha boys early on and a large herd at the end, ellies several times, duiker, civet, genet, impalas and scrub hares, lilac-breasted roller, grey heron, magpie shrike, hippos.

The group have booked for a morning drive on Wednesday and requested that we drive them again.

Well, the Weds group ended up much reduced so Raymond took the few who were going and told me to rest..... And I had 3 days with no drives! Then up to Skukuza to help with rifle assessment and the start of the Parks Heritage course. Saw a lot more kudu and giraffe than usual on the way there and back, but otherwise 'normal' trip.

Today I got the course started off (set up data projector and showed the lecturer what to do), ran a few admin errands, and then headed back to camp here. On the way I got help with the bull-bar on my car which had broken off on one side - it is being welded together by folk in Skuks for me.

Raymond then asked me to do a night drive, and a little reluctantly I agreed.

It ended up being a good drive. Started with a side-striped jackal, then the usual impalas, and scrub hares, ellies, a herd of buffs, 3 civets that disappeared quickly, and another that posed and kept near us in the bushes for a while, a good sighting of a large-spotted genet, and a couple of duikers. The crocs at the big bridge performed well, and then finally near the new bush braai turning 2 male lions on the road. Total mayhem on the vehicle!!!! Guests so delighted and excited - but they controlled the excitement well until we left the lions and then let their feelings be known. I called Evenet in too as he was doing a second drive......and he was also delighted.

Got back to camp to find a problem, but Stephen Nel came to the rescue and all is sorted out. What a hero!

A very fruitful and interesting day, EJ.

Lovely drive; all those civets in one night! We've only seen civet once in ten years! Hope the car's fixed OK.

Will probably get the bull-bar put back in a couple of weeks when I next go to Skuks.

Tonight had a night drive for BnD again. Cold out, and the animals seemed to be hiding. We did have a good time at the Matjulu waterhole with a big herd of ellies, a lone buff bull bashing bushes about, and a small group of other animals in the background too. Later a large herd of buffs which split as we approached so everyone got good views on both sides of the vehicle. A sleeping giraffe, and zebs near by were seen early on too. The usual impala herd was not seen until near the end of the trip! Several scrub hares, hippo, a duiker, steenbokkie, and the crocs at the big bridge completed the haul for the night.

Campers near me 'kuier-ing' a bit noisily tonight.....new group in and there are 2-3 vehicles so I suspect it is a mini-meet of some sort. At least they seem to have gone to bed now. If they were still noisy by the time I had finished my hot choccie I would have gone and asked them to quieten down.

Probably another night drive tomorrow....

:clap: for assertiveness there, EJ. At least we know you're not shy to let your feelings be known.

Friday night was another BnD night drive - very quiet, and one of the guests said he had found it very quiet during the day too. Pretty much the usual suspects only, nothing 'exciting'.

Last night I did a sunset drive for the gate with a full vehicle. We had fun at one point with a herd of ellies around us, and I had to wait for some to move off the road. Just as I was ready to move forward at last 2 rhinos moved into the road behind us and jogged after the vehicle! Maybe they were just waiting for me to clear the road for them too? Also had giraffes and buffalo besides the usual impala and scrub hares.

This morning I did a morning drive - impalas and scrub hares, lovely rhino encounters twice next to the vehicle, ellies, giraffes, wildebeest, duiker, and several birds (nice to do the morning drive and enjoy them!).

Tomorrow I have a morning walk for BnD - with Raymond.

Yesterday the sunset drive was for just 4 guests (from a local hotel). We did well considering the quiet previous drives. Ellies several times, close rhinos, and buffs in the distance....and 2 lionesses hunting! A 10-seater from one of the lodges was on the same route and had gone ahead of me (to my disgust!!!), and he missed the lions completely. They came towards the road, crossed in front of us, and began to take interest in impalas. It was just as darkness was falling. I heard the impalas give alarm calls and knew the lions had been seen. One lioness continued towards the impalas and the other crossed back over the road and began to move in the grass in a flanking movement. I knew our lights would give advantage to lions or impalas so told the guests I thought we should move on, and why.....and they all agreed with me. We had enjoyed the sighting anyway.

Also had civet, large-spotted genet, several duikers, hyena, giraffe, impalas, and scrub hares.

This morning the walk was also fairly quiet but we found several rhinos.....and a few came a bit close accidentally! We had moved around them to get a good look, and were on a rocky area when they suddenly began to run in our direction! I think they were just moving down a small drainage line and picked up speed as they descended and came up again, but it was exciting! They did not see us though, and veered off in the bushes. Also saw giraffe, impalas, and buffalo herd.

This evening I went down to the gate for the sunset drive only to find they had forgotten to tell me there were no bookings! Tomorrow morning I am going back to BnD for the walk.....

Thanks for the new and excitement - besides your adrenaline rush - that you bring into the lives of us living in the sticks.

Yesterday morning we again found rhinos, and got close to a rhino bull that had been asleep. He sleepily looked for the source of the disturbance that had woken him, but did not see us. Later we saw ellies and more rhinos, giraffes, and 2 hyenas.

Last night I had a sunset drive for 4 guests from camp. It was nearly wall-to-wall rhinos!!!! A few ellies, more duikers than usual, and impalas and scub hares broke the pattern at times.

Again tonight I have a sunset drive with guests from camp.

As I finished folding blankets for the trip this evening 2 other campers asked about the trip....and ended up joining us.

The rhinos did come to play, but only a few tonight. Lots of ellies about. No hippos or duikers though. Lots more impalas than usual, and unlike the past few weeks all back in open areas too. The special treat was a lioness in the road, and she let us follow her for a while before veering off into the bush. As we moved off we found a steenbok, and stopped to watch it right next to a rhino midden. I talked about that, and the lioness reappeared - we had heard soft roars from her just before that! Finished my talk quickly, and she had now moved to the road again so we followed. She moved off next to a bush and I drove forward to watch her.....in time to see 2 excited little bodies welcome her!!!! She had been looking for her cubs (I had said it was unusual to see a lone lioness and she might have cubs...). There was no noise....she flopped down immediately and they began to drink. Scene of total bliss!!! Shortly after that a hyena ran out of the grass into the road and led us for a while too.

Unusually the tar road gave us absolutely nothing at all! The crocs at the main bridge were left to provide interest at the end of the trip.

what a chance to see this Lioness with 2 cubs

I have a night off! Patrick is back, but there were no bookings anyway.

Tomorrow I go up to Skukuza so I am there early for marathon duties - I expect I may be on the road near the nursery/Lake Panic as on the last 2 times. Have to take my small tent with me as I am staying out in the bush at the shooting range. There is a small camp set up for ranger training, and some of us are staying out there because of the problem of accommodation and needing to be available early.

Will be back here for Saturday and Sunday and then back to Skukuza for assisting at shooting practice and assessment days. A little bit of luxury for 2 nights as I am staying in a park home!