A long soggy day in the KNP

12 February 2021 - Kruger Park Lodge to Biyamiti; Day 2

We awoke early to overcast weather and drizzle and after a quick breakfast headed to Phabeni Gate to enter the Kruger National Park. Today would be a long day, as my son and his mate were heading to Biyamiti Camp in southern Kruger, where they would be meeting up with his parents. The Kruger and lowveld in general has had unprecedented rain over the past 2-weeks in the wake of the tropical cyclone and as a result many roads in the Park were closed, so this made for a much longer trip to the south.

Just inside the Park, we came across this Black-back Jackal curled up in a pile of dung on the side of the road, probably to keep warm

Black-backed Jackal (Lupulella mesomelas)

Not much further, a mixed herd of Zebra and Wildebeest

Burchell's Zebra (Equus quagga burchelli)

Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) and Burchell's Zebra (Equus quagga burchelli)

There wasn't much time to stop on this long round trip and the weather was also not playing game, with most mammals seeking shelter from the rain. A Brown Snake Eagle with those distinctive yellow eyes looked pretty peeved from the top of this dead tree.

Brown Snake Eagle (Circaetus cinereus)

We managed to find a route on one of the sand roads and came across two Lionesses in the road. They seemed reluctant to walk in the wet grass, but when something grabbed their attention, they did

Lion (Panthera leo)

Black and White works well for this image

A brief stop at the Stevenson-Hamilton Hill and Memorial gave us the expected Klipspringer which have the most amazing coats. The male was quite attentive, licking the wet fur on the females face.

Klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragu)

And a Natal Spurfowl as we drove back out

Natal Spurfowl (Pternistis natalensis)

We finally arrived a the private Biyamiti Camp in southern Kruger where another Natal Spurfowl welcomed us

Natal Spurfowl (Pternistis natalensis)

Once inside the gate, we got the boys sorted into their accommodation and had a brief walk around. I found a pair of Bennet's Woodpeckers, but before long we had to say our goodbyes as we needed to drive all the way back to Phabeni before the gates closed.

Bennett's Woodpecker (Campethera bennettii)

Again, some roads were closed due to rain damage, so it was the longer way back in intermittent rain. We had some game sightings, but couldn't wind down the windows due to the rain. However, I did make an exception for one of the bigger Kudu bull's I have ever seen