Mankwe Dam, a large man-made impoundment that holds water throughout the year and that’s a veritable magnet for wildlife, is located in the heart of the Pilanesberg National Park. On its banks you’ll find the Mankwe Hide, very popular with photographers and recently rebuilt after being destroyed in a veld fire. That is where we are headed next.
Back in the hide’s parking area this southern masked weaver is enjoying a bath in a small puddle- as if he is too scared to go swimming in the big pool on the other side!
Almost immediately after driving out of the parking area at the hide, we come across a pair of lions – our second lion sighting of the day and less than 200 steps from where we were standing outside our vehicle just a few seconds ago! Luckily, being a mating pair, their attentions are focused on satisfying other base instincts than finding food. Our day just keeps getting better!
Leaving the lions to their honeymoon, we head north along Kgabo Drive and take a left into Tlou. Along the way we add further to our list of birds seen, including this rufous-naped lark singing its lungs out from a prominent perch.
Rufous-naped Lark
Just as we get to the junction of Tlou and Thuthlwa drives we find another brown hyena, walking quite purposefully away from an old elephant carcass with a large chunk of bone in its jaws. We follow alongside until it disappears into a thicket, its destination remaining a mystery to us but we like to think that it is headed to a den with hungry youngsters waiting.
If you’d like to follow along as we explore the Pilanesberg, a map may come in handy (for a large format version click here)
Mankwe Hide to Tlou Drive
If you need to catch up on our drive through the Pilanesberg National Park, you can read all the previous posts here.
To be continued tomorrow.
DeWetsWild 
Those lion shots were incredible.
Thank you, Kathy!
Ongelooflike mooi foto’s Dries! Julle was so gelukkig om als waar te neem!
Ons geluk was defnitief in op die dag, Aletta. Baie dankie!
Dis Fantasties!
Dankie vir die mooiste fotos, de Wet, jy maak my dag.
Ons is maar te gelukkig as ons ons land se natuurskoon kan deel met mense wat dit waardeer!
A lovely collection of photos and the way you captured the facial expressions of the lions is priceless. The brown hyena seems to be even more sombre and sober in comparison.
Thank you very much, Carol. The Brown Hyena really does have the air of an undertaker about him.
Such amazing sightings, Dries. I loved seeing the lions on honeymoon. No privacy for them. 😳 Great shots of the birds and the hyenas too. Amazing photo gallery. 👏🏻
Thanks very much, Sylvia! Someone should have warned the lions that public shows of affection is bound to bring out the de Wets’ cameras! 😀
Seeing the lion pair in the act is probably not something you see every day! Were there any guided tours nearby? I love the bright yellow of the weavers. Just had a first time partial yellow visitor in my backyard – a male evening grosbeak.
Thanks, Siobhan – yellow seems to suit birds much better than it does humans! Did you get photos of the grosbeak; I’d love to see it!
No, seeing lions mating isn’t something we see regularly but it is a sight, and sound, to remember!
There’s several companies and privateers offering guided tours of the Pilanesberg. During our visit though they were few and far between, as our borders only re-opened on the 1st of October to a select few countries, and most South Africans prefer to self-drive around our game reserves (like we do).
No photos of the grosbeak.By the time I got the camera, it was gone. Yes, we prefer to do the driving ourselves too but I’ve had some good guides a few times. Glad your borders are open again!
We’re very glad we can host visitors from overseas again too, the lockdown has been a terrible time for our hospitality and tourism sector and many, many people have lost their jobs and businesses.
Wow, what an amazing parade of images! You are truly blessed to have such incredible wildlife ‘at your backdoor,’ so to speak.
We really are grateful for being this lucky, Lori.
Pragtige fotos.
Baie dankie, Annelise, vir die inloer en gawe kommentaar!
Interesting to see the brown hyena.
Gewis, Ineke. They’re not seen often.
Beslis en jy het mooi fotos geneem ook.
Baie dankie, Ineke
The Pilanesberg has provided a feast of offerings on your plate!
And all this before 10am! There’s yet more to come too.
Just keeps getting better and better. 🙂
janet
Just when we started thinking our day couldn’t possible get better, the Pilanesberg topped itself over and over that day.
Some really excellent photos here today.
Thanks a lot, Anne!
I this is your best day so far. Great photos all, the one on the top is simply beautiful. I would frame that one. It’s obvious that the weather improved a bit, one reason that it contributed to better lighting (Less harsh, less shadows, perfect for details). Great post as always, D. 🙂
Thank you very much H.J. While it was still raining, the fact that we’re now 3-4 hours after sunrise made a big difference to the available light.