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Vacational Trip Reports
South Africa 2017, On the Path of the Nocturnals.
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<blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 3638194" data-attributes="member: 12449"><p><strong><u>14 June. Letaba-Satara, Kruger.</u></strong></p><p></p><p>To the grasslands of Satara, a pleasant day in this most open area of Kruger National Park, big increases in the numbers of <strong>Zebra</strong>,<strong> Blue Wildebeest</strong>, <strong>Impala</strong> etc, plus a number of <strong>Steenbok</strong>, the first <strong>Ostriches</strong> of the trip and abundant open country birds such as<strong> Kori Bustards</strong>, <strong>Red-crested Korhaans</strong>, and, in the skies,<strong> Black-shouldered Kites</strong>, <strong>Tawny Eagles</strong>,<strong> Martial Eagles</strong> and <strong>Bateleurs</strong>. A stop at a viewpoint added<strong> Grey-rumped Swallows</strong>, <strong>Pearl-breasted Swallows</strong> and <strong>Brown-throated Martins</strong> along a river, plus a selection of butterflies – <strong>Bushveld Purple Tips</strong>, several <strong>African Monarchs</strong> drifting about and, a rather impressive duo, both <strong>Blue Pansy</strong> and <strong>Yellow Pansy</strong>. </p><p></p><p>Equally pleasing were the butterflies at Satara camp - the discovery of a splendid flowering bush held the single best concentration of butterflies that I was to encounter on this trip. Many dozens of individuals, it was a sight to behold: along with numerous <strong>African Monarchs</strong> and <strong>Wandering Donkey Acraeas</strong>, <strong>Garden Acraeas</strong> and <strong>Small Orange Acraeas</strong>, some of the delights included <strong>Black-striped Hairtail</strong>, <strong>Grass Jewel Blue</strong>, <strong>Natal Spotted Blue</strong>, <strong>Sooty Blue</strong>, <strong>Common Zebra Blue</strong>, the exquisite <strong>Black Pie</strong>, the nice-named <strong>Striped Policeman</strong> and another<strong> Blue Pancy</strong>. A <strong>Squinting Bush Brown</strong> also seen on a track nearby. South Africans sure have good imagination when it comes to naming their butterflies!</p><p></p><p>The camp was also excellent for birds – an <strong>African Scops Owl</strong> roosting near the camp reception, numerous<strong> Little Swifts</strong> overhead and <strong>African Mourning Dove</strong>, <strong>Groundscraper Thrush</strong>, <strong>White-breasted Scub-Robin</strong> and <strong>Wattled Starlings</strong> all in the campsite, along with a change in the guard amongst the glossy starlings – gone the <strong>Greater Blue-eared Starlings</strong> of northern Kruger, now abundant <strong>Burchells Starlings</strong> and <strong>Cape Glossy Starlings</strong>!</p><p></p><p>In the Satara area, didn't see a hoped-for Cheetah or White Rhinocerous, though did encounter an anti-poacher operation underway, troops racing in, a helicopter zigzagging low over a specific area. Mammal highlights were limited to<strong> Black-backed Jackal</strong> and <strong>Spotted Hyena</strong>, plus a family of six <strong>Dwarf Mongoose</strong>, while the more notable birds included <strong>Grey-headed Bush-Shrike</strong>, <strong>Grey-headed Kingfisher</strong> and a female <strong>Small Buttonquail </strong>and six accompanying chicks. </p><p></p><p>Back in camp, as night fell added a few active<strong> Schlieffen's Bats</strong>, then an <strong>African Wild Cat</strong> ambling across an open lawn just after dark. Failed to find Honey Badger, Satara camp apparently good for this species, but a productive night drive did add two male Lions at very close quarters, an <strong>African Civet </strong>and a <strong>Large Spotted Genet</strong>, plus <strong>Scrub Hare</strong>, <strong>Springhare</strong> and <strong>Spotted Thick-knee</strong>. Highlight for me though was a <strong>Bronze-winged Courser</strong> standing in the middle of a track, my first ever in South Africa.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jos Stratford, post: 3638194, member: 12449"] [B][U]14 June. Letaba-Satara, Kruger.[/U][/B] To the grasslands of Satara, a pleasant day in this most open area of Kruger National Park, big increases in the numbers of [B]Zebra[/B],[B] Blue Wildebeest[/B], [B]Impala[/B] etc, plus a number of [B]Steenbok[/B], the first [B]Ostriches[/B] of the trip and abundant open country birds such as[B] Kori Bustards[/B], [B]Red-crested Korhaans[/B], and, in the skies,[B] Black-shouldered Kites[/B], [B]Tawny Eagles[/B],[B] Martial Eagles[/B] and [B]Bateleurs[/B]. A stop at a viewpoint added[B] Grey-rumped Swallows[/B], [B]Pearl-breasted Swallows[/B] and [B]Brown-throated Martins[/B] along a river, plus a selection of butterflies – [B]Bushveld Purple Tips[/B], several [B]African Monarchs[/B] drifting about and, a rather impressive duo, both [B]Blue Pansy[/B] and [B]Yellow Pansy[/B]. Equally pleasing were the butterflies at Satara camp - the discovery of a splendid flowering bush held the single best concentration of butterflies that I was to encounter on this trip. Many dozens of individuals, it was a sight to behold: along with numerous [B]African Monarchs[/B] and [B]Wandering Donkey Acraeas[/B], [B]Garden Acraeas[/B] and [B]Small Orange Acraeas[/B], some of the delights included [B]Black-striped Hairtail[/B], [B]Grass Jewel Blue[/B], [B]Natal Spotted Blue[/B], [B]Sooty Blue[/B], [B]Common Zebra Blue[/B], the exquisite [B]Black Pie[/B], the nice-named [B]Striped Policeman[/B] and another[B] Blue Pancy[/B]. A [B]Squinting Bush Brown[/B] also seen on a track nearby. South Africans sure have good imagination when it comes to naming their butterflies! The camp was also excellent for birds – an [B]African Scops Owl[/B] roosting near the camp reception, numerous[B] Little Swifts[/B] overhead and [B]African Mourning Dove[/B], [B]Groundscraper Thrush[/B], [B]White-breasted Scub-Robin[/B] and [B]Wattled Starlings[/B] all in the campsite, along with a change in the guard amongst the glossy starlings – gone the [B]Greater Blue-eared Starlings[/B] of northern Kruger, now abundant [B]Burchells Starlings[/B] and [B]Cape Glossy Starlings[/B]! In the Satara area, didn't see a hoped-for Cheetah or White Rhinocerous, though did encounter an anti-poacher operation underway, troops racing in, a helicopter zigzagging low over a specific area. Mammal highlights were limited to[B] Black-backed Jackal[/B] and [B]Spotted Hyena[/B], plus a family of six [B]Dwarf Mongoose[/B], while the more notable birds included [B]Grey-headed Bush-Shrike[/B], [B]Grey-headed Kingfisher[/B] and a female [B]Small Buttonquail [/B]and six accompanying chicks. Back in camp, as night fell added a few active[B] Schlieffen's Bats[/B], then an [B]African Wild Cat[/B] ambling across an open lawn just after dark. Failed to find Honey Badger, Satara camp apparently good for this species, but a productive night drive did add two male Lions at very close quarters, an [B]African Civet [/B]and a [B]Large Spotted Genet[/B], plus [B]Scrub Hare[/B], [B]Springhare[/B] and [B]Spotted Thick-knee[/B]. Highlight for me though was a [B]Bronze-winged Courser[/B] standing in the middle of a track, my first ever in South Africa. [/QUOTE]
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South Africa 2017, On the Path of the Nocturnals.
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