Birding South Africa Part 3: Kruger NP Oct 9-10 (with Cheetah!) скачать в хорошем качестве

Birding South Africa Part 3: Kruger NP Oct 9-10 (with Cheetah!)

This is the second Kruger NP video, I had to split that material up bcs I had so much (mammals mostly). Oct 9 was the last whole day in the park. That morning we saw a pride of Lions, mostly laying prostrate, full of Buffalo meat after a successful hunt during the night. I got a video of Swainson's Spurfowl, and a very distant photo of the rare White-headed Vulture. Some Greater Kudu bucks appear, as does Nyala. A lovely Lilac-breasted Roller is filmed in very nice light. We went east, almost to the Mocambique border, in a part of the park that is more pure savannah. Plains Zebra is filmed, as is Klippspringer and a Black-bellied Bustard. We had breakfast at Mlondozi Picnic Site, then turned south and west towards Lower Sabie Rest Camp. Sabota Lark and Rufous-naped Lark is photographed. When crossing Lower Sabie River I got two new fish species: Mocambique Tilapia and Tiger-Fish! Impala and Yellow-billed Stork is photographed, as is Buchnell's Coucal. At Lower Sabie Rest Camp we had a delicious lunch in the open restaurant, where Greater Blue-eared Starlings roam freely, looking for scraps. Up on the rafters were a roosting pair of Barn Owl! The trip back to Skukuza took its time and when dusk approached we saw Dwarf Mongoose and African Hawk-Eagle. And, when the sun almost had dipped under the horizon, we saw an adult Verreaux's Eagle-Owl! Oct 10 was when we left the park, but much was to be seen during those hours! At dawn we walked around Skukuza to find what's around there. We got Purple-crested Turaco, well hidden inside a tree, and a very cooperative male Scarlet-chested Sunbird and a few foraging Yellow-fronted Canary that I could film. We checked out and set out south towards Afsaal Picnic Site, were we would get a late breakfast at 9 AM. The road to get there got held up a few times! First a male Elephant, moseying along the road without a care in the world, holding up traffic quite efficiently. Then it was a male Leopard that caused quite the commotion, jeeps everywhere. We saw him, but far away and obscured by shrubs, so I didn't take any video. I was content with the better view from Oct 8 (video Part 2)! Then, close to Afsaal, when we were totally alone, we spotted a Cheetah! She was close and in the open, standing on a mound viewing the landscape, we couldn't believe our luck! A Cheetah is a rare sight here. Anyway, we got to Afsaal eventually, feasted on good food and good birds to watch in the meantime. I remembered to film the Yellow Hornbills this time, and as a bonus we found a male Golden-tailed Woodpecker finding goodies in a trunk very close by. There was also a small flock of Arrow-marked Babblers foraging around the buildings, which was the best we've seen them. No video, though, only photos. At 10 AM we took our leave, aiming for the Malelane Gate at the southern border of the park. Kruger wasn't done with us though. Now it was a pair of Rhinos walking the road, causing a small traffic jam. A last gift from the park was a roaming family unit of Ground Hornbill, this time I focused on getting photos, so there is no footage. Then we were out and continued the long drive to Wakkerstroom, but that's for Part 4! This video got long enough without adding that... 00:00 Oct 9 Lioness obscured by trees 01:02 Lions chilling on dry river bed 04:46 Klippspringer 05:24 Plains Zebra grazing 06:33 Black-bellied Bustard foraging 07:48 Speckled Mousebird 08:46 White Rhino on the road 09:26 Black-backed Jackal 09:45 Lower Sabie area 13:38 Lake Panic Hide 14:39 Nyala 15:50 Oct 10 Itinerary Map 16:00 Birding Skukuza Area before check-out 18:35 Elephant walking the road causing traffic jam 22:05 Cheetah! 22:52 Breakfast at Afsaal Picnic Site 25:28 Rhinos blocking our leaving Kruger