Moving between camps

This morning we had a morning drive in the Rietspruit Game Reserve.

Sunrise

Nyala are one of my favorite antelope here with their combination of stripe and spot markings. They are not as numerous as some of the other antelope and they prefer more sheltered rather than open spaces, so we do not see them regularly.

White backed vultures are large birds with wingspans up to 7.5 ft. They are commonly found and are important to the environment here by eating carrion and preventing accumulation of rotting carcasses.

There are always impala around. They are the most common antelope around here and are often found in relatively large herds. They are up to 3 feet tall and 90-130 lbs.

We found a couple of groups of zebra

Our spotter found a dung beetle. These beetles make a dung ball and use it as as brooding ball. After the ball is made, eggs are laid inside. Once they hatch, the larvae feed on the dung. This all helps control waste material and disease.

Our morning tea/coffee stop and view.

We next found a trio of male lions who were engorged from an overnight/early morning buffalo hunt. They were sleeping off their big meal.

Some big feet.

One of them eventually woke up for us.

Common waterbuck are large antelope that, as suggested by their name, stay nearby water sources to help prevent dehydration. The males have a large white circle on their rumps, which this one nicely displayed for us.

Impressively, grey herons migrate between sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.

We then drove to our next location in the Klaserie Game Reserve. Shortly after we got settled in our room we were notified that there was a leopard near the camp watering hole across from our room. She was stalking some warthogs and we got to watch her unsuccessful hunt.

Elephants at the watering hole.

This is a red billed buffalo weaver nest. They build communal nests that are large and divided into multiple compartments inside with multiple egg chambers.

We spent quite a while with a pride of 7-8 lions who were resting in the grass.