Satara Summer – Day 2 (2019/12/06)

23 Replies

Early this morning, to be precise as soon as the gates opened at 04:30, we departed from Tamboti and headed for Satara, the second biggest of the Rest Camps in the Kruger National Park. It took us about 2-and-a-half hours to drive the 50km distance, making frequent stops for such amazing sightings as a lazy leopard, playful painted wolves and a bloodthirsty Burchell’s starling killing a hapless Alpine Swift, and much, much more.

Lazy leopard
Beautiful kudu bull
Painted Wolves, or African Wild Dogs
Painted Wolves, or African Wild Dogs
Spotted Hyena on the run
Elephant Bull
Dwarf Mongooses
Burchell’s Starling killing an Alpine Swift

We took our time setting up camp – this will be “home” for the next month!

When exploring the bush we have a few of our own traditions, and one of those is that whenever we are at Satara the first road we take on our first afternoon drive is always the S100 to Nwanedzi.

Violet-backed Starling (male)
Baby Nile Crocodile going for a stroll!
Immature Bateleur
Water Thick-knees warding off a Nile Monitor
Golden-tailed Woodpecker at Nwanedzi
Black-bellied Bustard (female)
Great Spotted Cuckoo with a hairy caterpillar it caught
Sunset near Satara

This evening, Marilize and Joubert’s special birthday treat for me was a scrumptious dinner at Satara’s restaurant. While there, we spied a couple of Thick-tailed Bushbabies looking for dinner of their own in the branches of a Fever Tree.

Thick-tailed Bushbaby high in a Fever Tree

 

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23 thoughts on “Satara Summer – Day 2 (2019/12/06)”

  3. puppy1952

    Happy Birthday, Dries. Now I know it is you that I have been talking to and not Marilize! What an awesome start to your month. As yours begins, ours is ending. We have just nights left.
    I know you are going to have a wonderful time.

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. Anne

    What an excellent place to celebrate your birthday! The Wild Dog photograph you used for your header as well is my choice of the day – although, it is lovely seeing so many ‘favourites’ again too.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
  10. H.J. for avian101

    When I read the previous post, Satara Summer, I asked for more. Really I didn’t expect it this soon. Wow! Sorry! This post is fantastic! All these animals were seen in one day? Amazing! I’m stunned, I knew it sounded interesting! Thanks, D.! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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