And the rain continues..

13 February 2021 - Kruger Park Lodge and Kruger Park; Day 3

It rained all through the night and most of the morning, so we slept in. When the rain abated, I had a short walk around the chalet and a few holes on the golf course. A single Egyptian Goose was paddling around the dam closest to our chalet, giving me a low-key image

Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)

A flash of blue across the dam alerted me to a diminutive Malachite Kingfisher on the far side of the dam - so a habitat image

Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristata)

There were numbers of Dragonfly, but I only managed to capture a cool Red-veined Dropwing

Red-veined Dropwing (Trithemis arteriosa)

After lunch, the weather improved, so we had a short drive into the park, entering again at Phabeni Gate, which is about a 20-minute drive from the Lodge. At the first river crossing, one of many Hamerkop's was seen

Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)

And then we met up with this magnificent and relaxed bull Elephant that we spent some time with, as the sun briefly appeared.

African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

We then stopped for a drinks break at one of the picnic sites with a river view on the way to Skukuza. It was still gloomy with intermittent drizzle, but I did pick up a migratory Spotted Flycatcher deep in the canopy

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

As well as a pair of White-crowned Lapwings that did a fly-by over the river - a lucky encounter. Check out those spurs!

White-crowned Lapwing (Vanellus albiceps)

The weather wasn't going to improve, so we headed back to Phabeni Gate picking up Emerald Spotted Dove showing its diagnostic wing spots

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove (Turtur chalcospilos)

Southern Carmine Bee-eater against a grey sky

Southern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicoides)

and one of many Woodland Kingfisher's before we departed the Park

Woodland Kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis)

Once back at the Lodge, the rain continued again after sunset.