Kgalagadi: September 2009 (Part 5)

We were spending two nights in this camp - the Kalahari Tented Camp. This is the view from our verandah that night:

And this is the view from the braai ("braai" is a South African word for "barbeque"). Over the ridge/dune you see in these photos lies Namibia.

After the really long drive of the previous day and the excitement of the cheetah sighting, we decided to stay in our camp the following morning and enjoy the stillness and vistas of the Kalahari.

Here are some photos taken of the local Yellow Mongooses and birds that morning in the Kalahari Tented Camp.

The Crimson-Breasted Shrike is a beautiful bird - see for yourself!

A Pygmy Falcon was sitting in a tree in the riverbed in front of our tent.

Some more Yellow Mongoose and Ground Squirrel shots:

After a hearty lunch and some siesta-time, we took off for an afternoon drive. We went southwards, as far as the hyena den close to Urikaruus.

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater:

Dead Camelthorn tree:

Black-backed Jackal hunting for rodents (and being quite successful!) - crap photos though:

Kori Bustard (Africa's largest flying bird):

We reached the hyena den, with some of the cubs peeking out, but no movement or action there to speak of:

We turned back. At the 14th Borehole waterhole we saw a Lilac-Breasted Roller (one of Africa's most beautiful birds):

On the loop to Dalkeith waterhole we found some Bat-Eared Foxes out hunting as the day was drawing to a close. It's always a joy to see these chaps.

The sunset was beautiful that evening:

We'd had a relatively quiet day, but enjoyed being in the Kalahari nonetheless. This place helps you enjoy the small things and the sheer variety of life that exists in this harsh landscape. The next day we would be off to the Nossob camp, more to the Botswana side...and it would be an exciting drive there! Watch this space...

Morkel Erasmus

Kgalagadi: September 2009 (Part 4)

I hope you are enjoying my Kalahari trip report from September 2009 thus far. When I last left you, we had left the Spotted Hyena den close to the Urikaruus Wilderness Camp, and moved further up the Auob riverbed.

We soon came across 2 other vehicles parked on the side of the road. What were they looking at? This...

There were 3 cheetahs (we later found out it was a coalition of 3 young males) resting under a large camelthorn tree. The other tourists told us they had been lying there for at least 6 hours already! And at the moment we arrived, they decided that they were getting up. What luck!

They walked along the riverbed briskly and we had to follow along in the road. It seemed like they might be looking for a meal!

They came to a halt under a camelthorn tree by the roadside...staring straight ahead...

They had seen a lone springbok gazelle standing further up the dry riverbed...

They remained still there for about 10 minutes. When they eventually started to attempt a stalking approach, the wind direction changed, and the buck immediately caught their scent and barked a warning. The hunt was over before it began...

They crossed the road behind us, and disappeared into the dunes for the night.

We had to avoid stopping for any other sightings along the way in order to make gate-closing time at the Kalahari Tented Camp (not that there were any more decent sightings). The sunset was magical.

What will the following day hold?

Stay tuned to find out...

Morkel Erasmus

Kgalagadi: September 2009 (Part 3)

Last time I left you as we were crossing the upper dune road to get back to the Auob riverbed.

We came across this young Gemsbok (Oryx) on the dunes...

Once we reached the Auob river, we turned north as we still had a ways to go before we reached our camp for the night. There were some giraffes on a ridge...

This herd of Blue Wildebeest were moving towards the nearest waterhole.

Just past the Urikaruus Wilderness Camp turn-off, I spotted something in a tree. We had to stop and reverse to have another look - often it's just the shape of a branch or a weird play of light - but not this time...African Wild Cat!!

This was my first sighting of this elusive cat in many years of regular safaris to the denser bushveld/lowveld area of South Africa (read: Kruger National Park).

Only a few hundred meters on we found a Spotted Hyena den close to the road - and the cubs were out in force...

The adults also went about with some funny business!

Time was starting to tick over so we had to leave the den site and push on. We didn't have to go far...just past the 13th Borehole we came across 3 cheetahs lazing about...and decided to stick around some...

But this is a tale for the next episode...

(hey, I've got to keep the suspense going)

Morkel Erasmus