A great day in the southern KNP

23 August 2021 - Kruger National Park (KNP); Day 4

After a chilled weekend, we were at the Crocodile Gate Bridge by the 6am opening time and even though it was a week-day, there was still quite a queue to get in. Fortunately the Wild Card skips the formalities of having to pay, so you do get the express entrance route.

It was still overcast, so we decided to take the S28 sand road north and head to Lower Sabie. Not long after getting onto the sand road, we came across a male Cheetah surveying his territory or looking for prey from the top of a mound - a typical scene and the first Cheetah I have seen in the South of the Park. He was some distance away, so oblivious to the traffic jam he was causing.

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

On the same road, we stopped for one of the many Magpie Shrike's

Magpie Shrike (Urolestes melanoleucus)

A stunning Martial Eagle, which was intensely focused on something in the opposite direction to where we were - eventually flying off without looking back once.

Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus)

Even though we come to the Park relatively often, we still stop for some of the Lilac-breasted Rollers - and why not when you see their techni-colour plumage.

Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus)

We stopped for coffee and muffins at Lower Sabie, where we were entertained by the 'tame' Greater Blue-eared Starlings

Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus)

Along with a couple of Brown-headed Parrots feeding nearby in a fruiting tree

Brown-headed Parrot (Poicephalus cryptoxanthus)

We continued west on the H4-1 tar road toward Skukuza and got caught up in a traffic jam with a lion kill just off the road. I got a brief glimpse of the female picking up the carcass, but there was too much bush between us to see any of the other action

Lion (Panthera leo)

It took some time to get through the chaos before we hit another traffic jam - this time it was a natural one, as a massive herd of Buffalo crossed the road on their way down to the Sabie River to drink. We were literally surrounded by Buffalo and had to wait until they passed - a fantastic experience

African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer)

I always seem to find one or perhaps two Yellow-billed Oxpecker's amongst the Red-billed's in a herd of Buffalo - they are generally considered uncommon this far south in the Park

Yellow-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus africanus)

After this sighting, we headed back south on the S21 where we found a small dam that had quite a bit of activity. We found a shady spot to park and enjoyed the action in and around the water. A couple of Giraffe came down to drink and were quite relaxed, as there were no Crocs in the water

Cape Giraffe (Giraffa c. giraffa)

A statuesque male (with the dark eye) Saddle-billed Stork worked the whole pan trying to find some fish - none whilst we were watching

Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis)

Whilst a Woolly-necked Stork patrolled the fringes

Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus)

A little further on, we found our 2nd Cheetah of the day at the Mpondo Dam junction. This male was a lot closer and we were only 3 vehicles, so a fantastic sighting. Only when he got up to mark his territory, did we notice that he had an injured left front foot. This may have happened in a chase or during a kill

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

We didn't have many Ele sightings today, but this one was a little more memorable when my car didn't start, as the battery suddenly decided it was near its end of life

African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

Fortunately, I did manage to get going again, as the Ele ambled back into the bush. I wasn't going to risk switching off the car, in case it died completely, so kept the motor running for another Lilac-breasted Roller

Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus)

And a cryptic Sabota Lark

Sabota Lark (Calendulauda sabota)

We exited at Crocodile Bridge, where I 'papped' a Fish Eagle passing by overhead

African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)

We then headed into town to have the battery checked - it was terminal, so out with the old and in with the new and no worries about switching off the car when we returned the next day.