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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 3642156" data-attributes="member: 12449">Part Two. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park & Augrabies Falls.Another world from Kruger, rolling red dunes of the Kalahari punctuated by the shallow valleys of the Auob and Nossob, slithers of grassland and acacia savannah supporting abundant life, both birds and mammalian. An amazing area, renowned for felines in particular, this slab of land protruding up between Namibia and Botswana is truly one of the gems in South Africa's rich crown of wildlife localities.16 June. Kgalagadi.Sun rising over the dunes, still a considerable chill to the air, so began the slow meander up the Auob Valley towards the destination for the coming night, Mata Mata Camp. With pink eyelids blinking, a pair of Verreaux's Eagle Owls adorned the top of an acacia, then as we crossed a section of dunes at the outset, two Northern Black Korhaans, a party of White-backed Mousebirds, several Southern Anteating Chats and a number of Fawn-coloured Larks. Four-striped Grass Mice super abundant, many dozens feeding aside the track, a few Brant's Whistling Rats too, chunky things that live in colonies, whistling from burrow entrances. Then a shout from my smaller travelling companion 'What that's running through the grass?' What was that indeed? Only a stonking Honey Badger! Zigzagging about in the sunlight, this was a critter on a mission, seemingly trying to catch the Four-striped Grass Mice. Better still, it had attracted a pair of attendant Pale Chanting Goshawks –  as the Honey Badger went from bush to bush, so the Pale Chanting Goshawks kept following to watch for mice disturbed by the Honey Badger. A successful strategy it appeared, in not many minutes the hawks had swooped down on several mice, devouring them pretty quickly. From the dunes, on into the Auob Valley, open parched grassland and dotted acacias, plenty of Gemsbok, Springbok and Blue Wildebeest. Ostriches plodding about in quite some abundance, Kori Bustards too. No shortage of smaller birds too, Marico and Chat Flycatchers commonplace, a few Pale Flycatchers also, Kalahari Scrub Robins strutting across from acacia scrub, quite a number of vivid Crimson-breasted Shrikes. Particularly around waterholes, flocks of sparrows, weavers and finches too, these including Cape Sparrows, Southern Grey-headed Sparrows, White-browed Sparrow-Weavers, Red-billed Queleas, Scaly-feathered Finches and Yellow Canaries. Naturally, also plenty of that classic bird of the Kalahari, the Sociable Weaver, along with their massive nests that were literally forcing trees to collapse. Smaller numbers of Violet-eared Waxbills and Red-headed Finches too.And with this mass of small birds and rodents, so too raptors to prey upon them, several Gabar Goshawks at the waterholes, four Pygmy Falcons, four Red-necked Falcons, both Rock and Greater Kestrels, an absolute minimum of 40 Pale Chanting Goshawks and a range of other raptors, including both Secretary Birds and Black Harrier. In all fifteen species of raptor this day.Venturing further up the valley, the temperature now rising towards a pleasant 20 C, encountered three Lions resting under a stunted acacia, one male and two females, then our first Meerkats of the trip, eight standing alert in classic pose. Also Giraffes nearby and at least 80 Namaqua Sandgrouses dropping in to drink at a waterhole, two Burchell's Sandgrouses tagging along too.All in all a very pleasant day and it was quite late in the day that we finally reached the campsite. Shoved the tents up, immediately attracting the attention of Ground Squirrels, Yellow-billed Hornbills and Cape Glossy Starlings, all trying to scrounge titbits, then had a quick look round for roosting owls to no avail, about the best birds in the camp being Crimson-breasted Shrikes, Long-billed Crombec and Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler.  A couple of Yellow Mongoose also sauntered by. Had hoped to find Brown Hyena at dusk, but neither an evening drive nor scanning from the camp after dark managed this, we did however notch up an impressive 19 Bat-eared Foxes taking in the evening sunshine, plus six Black-backed Jackals. A pleasing first day in the Kalahari</blockquote>

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