Category Archives: Mpumalanga Province

Our experiences in the reserves of Mpumalanga, South Africa

Heron who catch dragonfly with bill accomplish anything…

This sighting of a Green-backed Heron catching dragonflies in a small stream near Satara in the Kruger National Park reminded me of the “Karate Kid” scene where Mr. Miyagi tries catching flies with his chopsticks…

Aiming for that dragonfly

Got it! Green-backed Heron catching dragonflies

And down the hatch it goes…

My Mom is stronger than you!

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While out driving one rainy afternoon near Satara in the Kruger National Park, we came upon a lonely and obviously terrified lion cub, running in the road and trying to hide in roadside bushes, all the while calling for his pride. We were still feeling sorry for the little one when suddenly his demeanor changed totally – he picked himself up and confidently started running past our car. It is then that we noticed his mother standing, and looking quite intimidating, behind the assembled vehicles, ready to attack anyone or anything that threatens her little one. When he reached her they both gave the human spectators a parting glance, joined the rest of the pride and confidently walked off into the bush. The encounter made a wonderful impression on all of us.

A lonely and scared little Lion cub

He’s seen his mother and hastens towards her

Mom and cub, reunited

Lion cubs and one of the pride females

The whole pride then walked off into the bush

Spying on the neighbours at Satara

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We have a very basic trail camera that we set up for a few days along a quiet portion of the fenceline at Satara Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park, while we were visiting there over Christmas and New Year. It was quite fun flicking through the photos every day and seeing the variety of wildlife that come so close to camp, especially at night!

Blue Wildebeests hastily walking past the camp

All the hyena shots were just of their bums – they never walked slow enough!

Bewildered Blue Wildebeest?

Flock of queleas setting off the camera

Large-spotted Genet outside Satara’s fence

African Wild Cat at dawn

Distant elephant

Baboon

Lion cubs

Lioness

African Civet caught on our trail cam next to Satara’s fence

Impala herd

Warthog

Still dreaming about our Satara Summer

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It’s really hard to believe that we’ve been home from the Kruger National Park for a week already. We’re still trying to adjust back to city life, would you believe!? Were still pining for Satara, our tent, our camping beds and almost daily braais (traditional South African barbeques)… So we’re going over our notes and imagining the 46 kinds of mammals, 195 kinds of birds, and myriad of insects, butterflies, scorpions, spiders, amphibians and reptiles we crossed paths with while camping at Satara for a month.

While we were on holiday many of you enquired after Joubert’s pictures of the trip, so here for your enjoyment and to ease our blues is a selection of his best photographs!

Playful Painted Wolf (photo by Joubert)

At the waterhole (photo by Joubert)

Inquisitive Steenbok (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena cub (photo by Joubert)

Kudu bulls in serious fight (photo by Joubert)

Elephant bull (photo by Joubert)

Lion (photo by Joubert)

Female Purple Tip (photo by Joubert)

Plains Zebra (photo by Joubert)

Thirsty Elephant (photo by Joubert)

Male Red-backed Shrike (photo by Joubert)

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)

Elephant Bull (photo by Joubert)

Epauletted Fruit Bat (photo by Joubert)

Black-headed Heron (photo by Joubert)

Mating lions (photo by Joubert)

Buffalo fight! (photo by Joubert)

Satara sunset (photo by Joubert)

Leopard and kill (photo by Joubert)

Flap-neck Chameleon (photo by Joubert)

Rock Monitor (photo by Joubert)

Tusker N’wendlamuhari (photo by Joubert)

She quickly repositions (photo by Joubert)

Saddle-billed Stork (photo by Joubert)

Muddy Buffalo Cow (photo by Joubert)

Snarling Lion (photo by Joubert)

Satara Summer – Day 31 (2020/01/04)

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Sadly, our month in the Kruger Park has come to an end and we are back home in Pretoria this evening. After breaking up camp and packing up, we had only a two-hour drive to the Orpen Gate left of our Satara Summer. Still, Kruger had one very unusual sighting up her sleeve for us – a spotted hyena walking straight past a cheetah as if it wasn’t even there, less than a kilometer from the Park’s gate!

Glory to God for blessing us with an amazing Christmas holiday and for keeping us safe on our travels.

We’re taking it easy this evening but will soon get to all the unanswered but deeply appreciated comments!

Buffaloes drinking at Nsemani Dam

Knob-billed Duck male

Giraffes on the way to Orpen

Hyena and cheetah interaction at Orpen

Satara Summer – Day 30 (2020/01/03)

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We didn’t think it was even possible, but the Kruger Park definitely left the best for last – our first encounter ever with a truly wild White Lion, of which there are only a handful alive – 3 of them being in Kruger.

Hyena looking menacing as it emerges from the dark

European Bee-eater

Vultures in a tree

White-backed Vultures

Matabele Ants

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

Rufous-naped Lark

Black-backed Jackal

Marabou

Flap-neck Chameleon

Blue Wildebeest

Common Egg-eater found beneath our tent

Buffalo cow

White Lion

Tawny Lion

Burchell’s Starling

Elephant procession

Satara Summer – Day 29 (2020/01/02)

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We know it must sound like a terrible cliche by now, but “Wow! What an amazing day we had AGAIN!” The Kruger National Park just keeps delivering the most amazing and thrilling encounters for us! Our route today took us north, to Olifants, Letaba and a little beyond.

Spotted Hyena

African Wild Cat

Leopardess in a tree

Her interest peaked by a growl from the male, the leopardess moves to a lower branch

Leopard male and kill

Pied Kingfisher

Wire-tailed Swallow

Yellow-billed Kite

Olifants River

Flap-neck Chameleon

Rock Monitor

African Openbill Stork

Elephant youngsters testing their mettle

Tsessebe

Big Elephant Bull

Gorgeous Tusker N’wendlamuhari (2020/01/02)

Vervet Monkey

Leopardess eyeing an injured wildebeest calf

Kudu at sunset

Satara sunest

Saddle-billed Stork

Satara Summer – Day 28 (2020/01/01)

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Happy New Year, everybody!

We spent our 1st of January exploring the western reaches of central Kruger Park, sticking to the back roads around Nhlanguleni Picnic Spot and avoiding the holiday crowds.

Wahlberg’s Eagle

Baboons use precarious beds

Spotted Hyena

Black-backed Jackal

Knob-billed Duck pair

Lioness in the shade

Buffaloes at a waterhole

African Fish Eagle

Elephant youngster

Elephant Bull

Fleeing Blue Wildebeest

Tree Agama female

Satara Summer – Day 27 (2019/12/31)

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It’s New Year’s Eve at Satara in the Kruger National Park, and what a day it was!

Saddle-billed Stork

Plains Zebra

Light-coloured Giraffe

Bushbuck ewe

Wattled Starlings

White-faced Ducks

Which way to the lions?

Big herd of Buffalo at Nsemani Dam

Marabou Stork

Leopard near Nwanedzi

Elephants digging wells in a sandy riverbed

Lioness close-up

Four lionesses owning the road

Waterbuck youngsters

Baboon chasing a Black-backed Jackal

Happy New Year to all our friends and followers. May 2020 bring you and your loved ones lots of happiness and good health.

Satara Summer – Day 26 (2019/12/30)

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We started our day with a bit of bird-watching in camp, and opted to only go out for an afternoon drive much later, following a circuitous route around the S125 and S126 roads south of Satara – a drive Joubert suggested, by the way, again yielding great results in terms of sightings!