Amber Sky Creations

Singwedzi, April/May 2012

Posted on May 24, 2012April 21, 2020 by wilma

We stayed in Shingwedzi Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park from 27 April to 4 May 2012. Shingwedzi is a beautiful camp in the Northern region of the park, set among large trees on the bank of the Shingwedzi river. It was a trip made memorable by lions that roared all night, most nights, and a once-in-a-lifetime sighting of millions of migrating Red-billed Queleas.

On the third morning, we managed to see, and get some shots of a mating pair of lions whose roars had been filling the previous nights.

Later that day, we discovered a secluded viewpoint over a waterhole on the S52. We waited there for a while, and was finally rewarded by a herd of buffalo. Feeling creative, I took a few shots with slow shutter-speeds, attempting to capture the chaotic movement of the magnificent beasts.

On 2 May, we decided to drive down to Mopani, to scout the camp for a future trip. We took the S50 gravel road instead of the tar road, and stumbled upon a once-in-a-lifetime sighting at the Grootvlei dam: Millions of Red-Billed Queleas, bathing in the dam and swarming around the valley under the dam wall. We sat on the dam wall for over an hour, trying to capture the overwhelming number of birds on both photo and video, and wondering how they manage to not fly into one another.

Punda Maria, July2011 – Pafuri and Shingwedzi

Posted on August 22, 2011April 21, 2020 by wilma

For the next few times, we divided our time between Pafuri picnic spot, Shingwedzi, the Mahoni loop, and our little unnamed dam. Besides the birdlife, for which it is famous, Pafuri seemed to be a prime are for Njala.

The birdlife didn’t disappoint either. One of our first sighting after turning into the dirt road leading to the picnic site and crook’s corner, was a little bee-eater – a new specie for us.

The Pafuri picnic spot is stunningly beautiful, with the tables spread out under huge old trees on the bank of the Levuvhu river. At the picnic spot, we met the caretaker, Frank Mabasa, who is also a legendary bird expert. He showed us several more bird species around his picnic spot, which unfortunately, due to the distance and harsh light, we weren’t able to photograph.

On subsequent trips, however, did get to photograph more species, including a White-Crowned Lapwing and White-Browed Scrub-Robin.

Our little dam never failed us either, always delivering something exciting. Sightings there include a Saddle-billed stork and fish eagles, as well as a herd of elephant that came down to drink, and then two rather nervous buffalo bulls that risked the elephant’s ire by sharing their water hole. Fortunately for them, they were only challenged by a single adolescent bull and then allowed to drink.

On July 27, we drove down to Shingwedzi, and promptly fell in love with the beautiful camp, set among the massive fig trees on the bank of the Shingwedzi river. We vowed that our next Kruger trip would be to Shingwedzi. Unfortunately we didn’t get many photos. We did, however catch a glimpse of some Roan Antelope on our way back, and a Bateleur in a tree new Punda.

All in all, our first trip to the North of the park was fantastic. We will definitely be back!

Punda Maria, July 2011 – Buffalo and more Buffalo

Posted on August 22, 2011April 21, 2020 by wilma

At the beginning of July 2012, we decided that we wanted to go to Kruger National Park for the last week of that same month. It was such short notice, that all the bungalows in the Southern camps were fully booked, with only a few single nights available here and there. We hate travelling from camp to camp, so we decided to go to the other extreme and book in one of the few camps that still had space available – Punda Maria. And so started our first trip to the North of the park.

We arrived at Punda Maria gate just after 3pm on July 23, 2011. We drove the short distance to the camp, checked in, and left to drive the famous Hahonie loop. We promptly ticked off the three species that will forever define this trip, and Punda Maria for me – Elephant, Buffalo and Njala.

That night, while we were busy at the communal braai area, we were visited by a small spotted genet and a group of bush babies. As was fantastic to see the little cat up close, and to get to photograph it at night, but at the same time it was sad, since we know that the only reason why it would be that at ease hanging around the braai area full of humans, was that people were feeding it.

The next morning we drove the Mahonie loop again. Our first sighting was a fork-tailed drogo, followed by more birds, some Giraffe, a few Kudu, and finally, a large herd of Buffalo. I managed to get a shot of a one old bull, giving me that typical buffalo stare, as if I owed it money…

After that, our next photo opportunity was of a Burchell’s Coucal, clearly cold and trying to warm itself up in the feeble winter sun.

A troup of baboons, a tiny little Pearl-Spotter Owlet and more buffalo completed our morning drive, after which we returned to the camp to download our photos and freshen up.

On our evening drive we discovered a small little dam on the tar road towards Shingwedzi that is not marked on the map, but that never failed to deliver herds of either buffalo of elephant, every time we visited it.

Olifants, September 2010

Posted on September 25, 2010April 21, 2020 by wilma

Making use of the Heritage day long weekend, we booked a bungalow in Olifants camp from 24 to 26 September. Since Olifants is far from Pretoria, and we only had 3 days, we decided to leave after work on 23 September, and sleep at Lourie Lodge guest house in Phalaborwa.

We arrived at Lourie Lodge rather late, but the room was great and the next morning we had a delicious breakfast in the Lodge’s beautiful garden before entering the park around 10am.

We stopped at Sable Dam, where our first sighting was of a herd of elephant drinking and spraying themselves, before making our way to Olifants. After checking in and uploading our baggage at our chalet, we left camp again, and spend some time photographing a large baobab against the sunset, eventually coming up with blended exposure that captured most of the beauty of late afternoon light.

The next morning, we drove down to the Balule low-water bridge, where we found a pair of Brown-hooded Kingfishers hanging our in the trees on the river bank. Unfortunately, they were on the shady side of the river, so we ended up leaving, hoping that, like most Kingfishers, they would spend the day operating around the same area, and that we would be able to photograph them in the same place at sunset. We spent the day driving around, seeing (and photographing the game for which the area is famous – impala, giraffe, lots of elephants, ostriches and even a pride of lion far off in the veld. On our way back to the river, we saw a spring hare – a first for both of us!

Arriving back at the bridge, we were delighted to see the Kingfishers were still in the same place, not posing in perfect late-afternoon light.

After taking a few shots, we left to photograph the the sunset from the more famous high bridge over the Olifants river.

The third morning, much too soon, we had to pack up and leave the Kruger Park. On our way out, we passed a troop of baboons, and, as always, couldn’t resist spending some time with them. Baboons, with their comical shenanigans, almost always allow you to get at least one good photo!

Satara, March 2010

Posted on March 30, 2010April 21, 2020 by wilma

We visited Satara Camp in Kruger National Park for four days in March. On the first night, before we had even checked in, there was a herd of Zebra outside the camp gate. Spending a few minutes with them in the fast fading light, Johan took a photo that would end up as a large canvas print, hanging in a prominent place in the lounge.

Later that night, while we were preparing dinner, I could not resist using my macro lens on a very cute visitor to our bungalow.

For the rest of the trip, bad weather swallowed most of the best light, but during short breaks in the clouds, we managed to get a few decent shots of birds, including a Red-backed shrike, and a Magpie Shrike.

On the last day, while making our way out of the Park via Kruger gate, we were passing the turn-off to a dam that had never produced anything interesting before, and decided, on the spur of the moment, to go and have a look anyway – and found two Hyaenas cooling off in the shallow water on the opposite side of the dam!