Breakfast Club

 We started the morning shrouded in fog. A very different look to the landscape with dew condensation glistening on the spider's webs & plants. 

As we passed the pod of resident hippos, there appeared to be a "lot of activity" going on. Omega, trying to be very circumspect explained it this way, saying: "If you asked me if those hippos are mating, I would tell you yes". Not trying to be too graphic, but the size disparities of this couple were significant. We'll just let you make your own judgments as you view the next photo! 

Next Joel & Omega decided to follow-up on tracks on the Othawa Pride that were seen earlier. We found 2 of the lionesses with the 3rd Thumbela male that we hadn't yet encountered. They were feasting on the end of a waterbuck carcass, with a bit of squabbling over who would actually finish it, with the 2 lionesses firmly holding their own (& the carcass) as the male tried to pull it away from them. Cubs were timidly waiting at the perimeter, trying to get a few mouthfuls of their own. It was a bit gory, but that's the way of nature. 

Wildebeest (Blue gnu) 

So fortunate to see so many rhino, especially babies

Juvenile male saddlebill storks, still occupying their natal nest

Cape Turtle Dove

There's nothing more beautiful than the African sky

Avian friends

 Thought we'd share a few of our feathered friends encountered thus far for my "birder" friends..

Grey Heron

Brown African Snake Eagle   

Francolin

Magpie Shrike

Pied Kingfisher

White chested Bee eater

Brown hooded Kingfisher

Helmeted Guinea fowl

Blacksmith Lapwing

Egyptian Goose

Egyptian Goose

African Hawk Eagle

African Goshawk

Fork-tailed Drango

Juvenile Saddlebill storks- still
continuing to occupy their natal nest

Lappet-faced vulture

African Fish Eagle

Grey Heron

When the exceptional becomes commonplace

There are not enough superlatives to describe today. Each morning we each wonder what the day will hold & what we will see, but today was unimaginably great.. 

We set off to try & track Tlangisa (female leopard whose name means "playful one") & her 2 cubs who had been seen adjacent a perimeter of the property near to the anti-poaching sector office. This is a section of the Sabi Sands that we had not yet frequented this trip. 

We found her and her cubs with her stashed impala kill high up in a Marula tree. This was under the unwavering scrutiny of 2 hyenas who were ready to pounce at any minute should any  part of the carcass fall to the ground.

The cubs, one male & one female are about 5 months old, & are just beginning to eat meat.

                 

Beautiful Tlangisa

                                           Female cub

                                          Male cub

                          Ever vigilant & hopeful hyenas

We then headed to another section of the reserve with open savanna grasslands. We were extremely fortunate to encounter secretary birds, which Omega informed us had not been seen here in 6 years! They were on Jason's bucket list.- Check in the box!

The Secretary bird rarely flies , but uses its wings to help it run at considerable speed.. Next we encountered a young male cheetah resting on a termite mound as a vantage point. 

Morning coffee was at a watering hole where we watched elephants, zebra & wildebeest come to drink.

               Very pregnant mare

As we headed back to camp, we came across yet another group of  rhino. (Their collective  noun is a "crash of rhinos:) Our sightings of this animal species have been exceptional.

 "

With today's incredible sightings & the work of our guide Omega & tracker Joel, Exceptional has truly become commonplace.