MORNING DRIVE TO KINGS POOL
We decided to take the long drive to Kings Pool this morning to look for Roan and Sable antelope in the mopane forest there. We were enjoying the pleasant drive along the river when all of a sudden, Rogers headed off road towards our fifth leopard sighting of the trip! It was another great one as the leopard tried to get away from the Chacma baboons who warn all and sundry of its presence. It walked right beside our vehicle. A fantastic sighting. We could have added a sixth but there were already three vehicles watching it and that is the limit allowed to view one animal at one time.
Back on the river track, we had a good look at Africa's largest snake, the Southern African Python. Glen thought that it was still digesting whatever it had eaten a month ago as he could see that the python's belly had lumps and bumps but Rogers said it was hungry. These snakes can swallow an impala! The Chacma baboons who were nearby were lucky they didn't get eaten as somehow they had missed seeing it.
We passed by a large Southern Carmine Bee-eater colony. They nest communally in sandbanks. They are beautiful birds - pinkish red and turquoise. I took pictures but the colony wasn't close. Rogers suggested that we could walk to it but after seeing the Python and knowing what I know about crocodiles, decided to take a pass on the opportunity.
We managed to add a number of new birds to our lists. We even managed to see a Golden-tailed Woodpecker that had been eluding us. Woodpeckers here have an annoying habit of flying into a tree and immediately disappearing behind the trunk before flying off again. We also had a good look at a female Paradise Flycatcher - a beautiful bird. I won't bore you with a list of all the others we saw this morning.
By the time we headed back, the temperature had risen considerably. We had to take the rutted, dusty roads because the river track would have been blocked off by the many herds of elephants we saw. They all go to the river to drink and bathe at this time of the day.
We arrived back an hour and a half after lunch time but all was ready for us. A selection of three wonderful salads, fresh bread, cheese and fruit.
After a shower to wash off all the dust we acquired during the ride back, I adjourned to my bed with my kikoi for a nap and blog catchup.
The plan is to meet at 5:15 for a boat ride until 7:00 and then take another night drive until 8:00 when it will be time for dinner. Tomorrow will be another three-flight day as we head to a camp in the interior of Zambia. Hard to believe we only have six more sleeps in Africa before heading home.
We decided to take the long drive to Kings Pool this morning to look for Roan and Sable antelope in the mopane forest there. We were enjoying the pleasant drive along the river when all of a sudden, Rogers headed off road towards our fifth leopard sighting of the trip! It was another great one as the leopard tried to get away from the Chacma baboons who warn all and sundry of its presence. It walked right beside our vehicle. A fantastic sighting. We could have added a sixth but there were already three vehicles watching it and that is the limit allowed to view one animal at one time.
Back on the river track, we had a good look at Africa's largest snake, the Southern African Python. Glen thought that it was still digesting whatever it had eaten a month ago as he could see that the python's belly had lumps and bumps but Rogers said it was hungry. These snakes can swallow an impala! The Chacma baboons who were nearby were lucky they didn't get eaten as somehow they had missed seeing it.
We passed by a large Southern Carmine Bee-eater colony. They nest communally in sandbanks. They are beautiful birds - pinkish red and turquoise. I took pictures but the colony wasn't close. Rogers suggested that we could walk to it but after seeing the Python and knowing what I know about crocodiles, decided to take a pass on the opportunity.
We managed to add a number of new birds to our lists. We even managed to see a Golden-tailed Woodpecker that had been eluding us. Woodpeckers here have an annoying habit of flying into a tree and immediately disappearing behind the trunk before flying off again. We also had a good look at a female Paradise Flycatcher - a beautiful bird. I won't bore you with a list of all the others we saw this morning.
By the time we headed back, the temperature had risen considerably. We had to take the rutted, dusty roads because the river track would have been blocked off by the many herds of elephants we saw. They all go to the river to drink and bathe at this time of the day.
We arrived back an hour and a half after lunch time but all was ready for us. A selection of three wonderful salads, fresh bread, cheese and fruit.
After a shower to wash off all the dust we acquired during the ride back, I adjourned to my bed with my kikoi for a nap and blog catchup.
The plan is to meet at 5:15 for a boat ride until 7:00 and then take another night drive until 8:00 when it will be time for dinner. Tomorrow will be another three-flight day as we head to a camp in the interior of Zambia. Hard to believe we only have six more sleeps in Africa before heading home.
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