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Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park - September 2009


Morkel Erasmus

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Morkel Erasmus

@@Marks @@pault cheers, worth a visit for sure!

 

 

DAY 6

 

We were up early and headed north out of Nossob camp to see what the day would bring.

It was a wonderful sunrise, with scattered clouds adding to the ambience.

 

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Our first stop was the Cubitje Quap waterhole. A key feature of this waterhole is to be able to see Lanner Falcons hunting doves and sandgrouse up close and personal - a riveting sighting to be sure!

 

A large flock of Turtle Doves were drinking and scattering every time they sensed movement - they did so as we arrived too...

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They were visibly edgy - even after we switched off the car - and with reason! Just looking towards the other side of the road we saw the culprit - a Lanner Falcon had made a kill moments before we arrived!

 

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We eventually left it to eat in peace (actually it took its prey and flew into the nearest tree).

The rest of the road north was a bit quiet - and apart from some far off Bat-eared Foxes we saw little that excites. Such is the way of any desert - it can be a terribly lonesome place, but it can also transform into a terribly crowded place at certain times.

 

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On the way back to camp we saw some more raptors - a Secretary Bird was strutting along, and a Bateleur juvenile was taking a bath in a waterhole.

 

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We got back to camp and made brunch, and relaxed.

Our afternoon drive was short again - only down to Marie-se-draai and back. It was fairly quiet but very relaxing to sit there and listen to the birds and watch them come and drink.

 

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We spent another blissful night in Nossob, and the next morning we would have to break up our camp again and move to Mata-Mata.

 

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Morkel Erasmus

DAY 7

 

We left for an early drive down to Marie-se-draai. We had seen lion tracks there every afternoon but no sight of the cats. This particular morning we went early and saw fresh tracks and followed them back to the main road - and then we saw a female walking in the distance followed by 2 cubs. It was way too far for decent photos, but we were happy to have tracked down our elusive lions!

 

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We got back to camp to break up our camp and pack everything away. It was close to 11am when we eventually left to head back over the dunes to the Auob river and Mata-Mata, our home for the night.

 

This Bateleur was checking us out.

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Some Namaqua Sandgrouse at a waterhole.

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And Burchell's Sandgrouse too!

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A black-backed Jackal who was thirsty.

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We were driving south from Nossob when we saw two distinct black shapes scuttle across the road!!

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Honey Badgers!

And there was a 3rd one still waiting to cross the road, checking us out...

 

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Eventually he mustered up the courage to cross the road to go after his family.

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A lone Gemsbok/Oryx in the heat...

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A lone Morkel in the heat...

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We came across another Lanner Falcon on the dune road.

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And a small Steenbok sheltering from the sun...

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An odd couple on a salt pan...

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Springboks were battling it out in the Auob...

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A sleepy-looking Verreaux's Eagle Owl...

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This one had a rough night!

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A snake was unlucky to be caught by a Goshawk

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Another Verreaux's Eagle Owl!

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An afternoon for the birds, it seems!

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We checked into Mata-Mata and later went for a short afternoon drive. We found a male lion, feasting on a carcass of some sorts, in the long grass. The whole scene reminded me of the movie "The Ghost and the Darkness"!

 

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End of another day...

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...our last full day was still to come...

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Spectacular pictures @@Morkel Erasmus

 

Love the sunsets/sunrises. Great pics of the honey badger and I was interested by the black markings on the inside of the Steenbok's ears - branch patterns - camouflage?!

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Great raptors and sandgrouses' pictures!!!

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super stuff Morkel

I love the sunrise shots in post #24 and the honey badger.

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The yellow mongoose, the skies, the honey badger. Exceptional shots in a field of great ones.

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Thanks for the timing answer. "Oct-Feb for animal activity." From what you saw, it makes me think Sept is peak time! So much fantastic stuff! But you actually think there would likely be more going on Oct-Feb than on your trip? Isn't it rainier in Oct-Feb?

 

"Since booking for KTP is a bit of an issue if you decide to book anything less than 11 months in advance, we had to make due with what we could." Book early is a good hint. You certainly made due. If you could have had your pick and there was availability, how would you have changed your itinerary?

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Morkel Erasmus

Thanks for the timing answer. "Oct-Feb for animal activity." From what you saw, it makes me think Sept is peak time! So much fantastic stuff! But you actually think there would likely be more going on Oct-Feb than on your trip? Isn't it rainier in Oct-Feb?

 

"Since booking for KTP is a bit of an issue if you decide to book anything less than 11 months in advance, we had to make due with what we could." Book early is a good hint. You certainly made due. If you could have had your pick and there was availability, how would you have changed your itinerary?

 

@@Atravelynn hard to have ONE answer to these questions.

 

Historically - on my trips (done 7 since this one) - I have had amazing sightings on trips conducted in October, November, December, February/March. My subsequent trips makes this one seem meager in terms of sightings and animal action witnessed. September is a good time, but also BUSY since it coincides with school holidays in SA. Granted, December is also a school holiday but too uncomfortably hot for most folks who visit this Park in other peak times. Traditionally you can even get great short-notice bookings over December at a 40% discount from SANParks as they look to fill their summer bed nights in KTP.

 

There's hardly an ideal itinerary. I like to be able to spend a couple of days in each "area" of the park. Since we usually go with our kids we tend to stick to the main rest camps and try to work in all 3 (Twee Rivieren, Nossob, Mata-Mata). If your stay is short (<7days) then rather focus on 2 and spend more nights in one spot.

 

On our trip starting on Saturday we will be doing only Wilderness Camps (leaving the kids with the grandparents this time around, some R&R for me and the missus):

1 night Kieliekrankie

3 nights Grootkolk

3 nights Urikaruus

1 night Kieliekrankie

 

An ideal trip:

- has 2-3 nights at Twee Rivieren (or Rooiputs if you camp or Ta Shebube if you like luxury) so you can spend time at the peak waterholes of Samevloeiing, Leeuwdril, Rooiputs, Kij Kij and Melkvlei...

- also covers 2-3 nights at Mata-Mata or Kalahari Tented Camp, or Urikaruus which is the most popular wilderness camp in the park so hard to get into, so you can cover waterholes like Craig Lockhart, 13th and 14th Borehole. The upper Auob river also has a distinct beauty that the other areas of the park can't compete with (although each area is special in its own right)...

- also covers 2-3 nights at Nossob (or Polentswa if you camp or Ta Shebube Polentswa if you like luxury) or also further north at Grootkolk and Gharagab, as the northern Nossob is quite different than other areas with high predator activity, open plains and lots of raptors as well.

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I hadn't caught up with this for a while but absolutely stunning photography, thanks Morkel. So sublime. Some of them I remember well from when I first got to know you which is hard to believe that it could be such a long time ago.

 

Really enjoying your reminiscing as well.

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@@Morkel Erasmus

Superb photos throughout. The mongoose does have amazing eyes - and a lucky crossing by the honey badger!

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"meager" ?? You need to add comedian to your category 1 and category 2 designations.

Thanks for your ideals. I must admit at this point I am reading many strange and unfamiliar words. Time for me to consult a map for better context. You've given me much food for thought. Thank you!

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@@Morkel Erasmus:

 

An ideal trip:

- has 2-3 nights at Twee Rivieren (or Rooiputs if you camp or Ta Shebube if you like luxury) so you can spend time at the peak waterholes of Samevloeiing, Leeuwdril, Rooiputs, Kij Kij and Melkvlei...

- also covers 2-3 nights at Mata-Mata or Kalahari Tented Camp, or Urikaruus which is the most popular wilderness camp in the park so hard to get into, so you can cover waterholes like Craig Lockhart, 13th and 14th Borehole. The upper Auob river also has a distinct beauty that the other areas of the park can't compete with (although each area is special in its own right)...

- also covers 2-3 nights at Nossob (or Polentswa if you camp or Ta Shebube Polentswa if you like luxury) or also further north at Grootkolk and Gharagab, as the northern Nossob is quite different than other areas with high predator activity, open plains and lots of raptors as well.

 

Glad to read above advice as it is so close to our upcoming visit to KTP (coming from and leaving to Namibia): 2 nights KTC, 1 night Nossob, 1 night Bitterpan (in process of switching to second night at Nossob), 2 nights Twee Rivieren. If we will have half of your "meager" sightings (end of April) we will be super excited!!

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Great birding throughout the last posts there...also some of the clearest honey badger photos I've seen on here. Really excellent stuff.

About the springbok clash photo - is that just natural blur from their movement or did you do some processing on that shot? Really draws the eye.

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About the springbok clash photo - is that just natural blur from their movement or did you do some processing on that shot? Really draws the eye.

 

This is done by zooming in or out while taking the photo @@Marks

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