07 August 2022 - Leadwood; Day 3
This morning we were all up for a quick coffee before jumping on the Landy for an early morning drive. It wasn't too long before we came across the 3 male brothers - they have certainly grown a bit more since we last saw them. They were lying on the fence line all watching a female in the grass on the adjacent estate. No interaction between the males and female, but for sure there was interest from the males
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgca6SkLI6xMNXEeB3CLcSIekE8-xP7B--_5P0kVw7EXMzVkmbU5FWHtBTPPA_62j7MuHJ5lqUgowNPvkaVrjAkaB0ooMTxCpChnv6m2fVA37LfW41mbYnWKjKfeyuo_nwTin0EkhQ5F5zr32Zl5DaDVkeiJupmQmwi4x9Dv0RJZAFFEBcCUgwCI3TqwA/w640-h426/Lion_m_H2I3567.jpg) |
Magnificent Male Lion (Panthera leo) |
Meanwhile the female hardly seemed to show any interest
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rkcH-NvQZ7fVS2lSDF4TpUDUS9iAwFGzKFOdaFYlxElPk8sKFo9pKcX_mo_m6JQaIXyUQep1MfwTRmGKgiN_bNDcgEECawT5EIDnJRL6M1hwN0TFH3r2eOwkxqugxfZlWS1Gzb9wodZaaw6MiBV4jbWCnS_jNqOj1nucG8XV252OLF8aW4OqKoeQHA/w640-h426/Lion_f_H2I3622.jpg) |
Nonchalant Lioness (Panthera leo) |
We spent quite some time with these magnificent cats, before continuing the drive along the fence line where we found a collared Cheetah patrolling its territory
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivK-yFbzg6WKX38qQLCEfPsRnIJOg3Ran_Gt0sO2-AFsPJVOpcJ7s_X1h2cUx7SCEi0b8S5X3d35tGbpwFhLwBRncTiD_nNcovuYTBHZwnjoXViCdFjRRmHahPoZ3Vm2MdLQrE96VSsqghCgnkCBm8DFYjvmMeYjNJjcKUATK8HzoadMjmPiNSeyHvow/w640-h426/Cheetah_H2I3628.jpg) |
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) |
Whilst driving, I heard Stierling's Wren Warbler calling, so we stopped and with a bit of coaxing it showed itself in the warm early morning sun a little too far away - but good enough for my first images of this species
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_8k2WufZlhRk7E_C_5tt4YbAG6Pa-UIv8Hlxn1mlkpnH5jq3voB5jkL_SGMXFUfUqHeuvz1oMFKTUPCL6y0ccLRTwwSPELaBfxf9qpgFDMRV9gRy9CXlV9-_2JZKWZhkQz-dyGuD-j6fHXLYyAby-6xSv48-x296midnVsZyNtaoGKYjdkEQMSRORQ/w640-h426/SWWarbler_H2I3643.jpg) |
Stierling's Wren-Warbler (Calamonastes stierlingi) |
We made a stop for coffee and rusks with an Ashy Flycatcher flitting about in the trees next to us
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAeFY73RsiLIV5o7BdBgub3u3McLokIh1zNF79YIl_7cUs32KPYGDLmtUJXaGCByJ3asoYMaXahBuewo8VM5uJTKohnFXVFs1aFHv7xuBw0c8LzTz3Aqc7-3CFAffEdcV4q5xIFuMyEG_MgsOQmeRihEavyT5auQr_xScWfdqY7idLSp6Qel_cXwfXDw/w640-h426/AFlycatcher_H2I3703.jpg) |
Ashy Flycatcher (Muscicapa caerulescens) |
We then had a slow drive back to the house where we chilled on the deck for lunch with a few glasses of wine. Again, there was quite a bit of activity around the deck, so we enjoyed watching a Brubru
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRBUTm6l9Flg40kvMPJWwzDQMcJQVMd2MypZ7n5hfd8bJ2wS7ZUWhcZ7_jjlL_wIfnfsBEjBSvZPsMCQgumWD4dDI0nkeenxb_vWiIK7VvoHRetDVWDGpYArXw0LBRMni_oP_YE05PxH64H3PvFdfTFqZfqhR-L_vNjkDaLZjoKAneOWOUK-L17e3bw/w640-h426/Brubru_H2I3741.jpg) |
Brubru (Nilaus afer) |
A Blue Waxbill coming in to drink
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLrbYQKF--ziTs2_XrCHaUW_FD8PsyBS0GJO3d87XSw33Oqr6Nr-SOcP7ehI3Sbb3G1G8LwRW8r2-U3-09kbEmZiqLNlvSw9qLeLaXYE5w_D_a6qSO2y6UsZBM8GiH3MpVAMryTuVYaLJvmbE1JMPT9nfwJF-5sUwD8ZXSGlbAgjfbVZd_7l49l6Nfw/w640-h426/BWaxbill_H2I3738.jpg) |
Blue Waxbill (Uraeginthus angolensis) |
Along with Yellow-fronted Canary
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWj5bn9pwDPsNgUaXh9MalCd-Scwf18I-bhUv2qjG3cw4XDcQtTsKiQjsNglC6RftfuyK8qBA4bQiFA0UcOJzAPW3wMuhKq_w0RjQyKzuBMkTHMCU8Co3jvcNkgbdHZUCZOAY2YgD_NBuf2Nr7n6w_QmfMmMSVwTQEL8CxKqeIC6vHt91gPMqcTXLew/w640-h426/YFCanary_H2I3732.jpg) |
Yellow-fronted Canary (Crithagra mozambica) |
and a Yellow-throated Sparrow
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjM-2hrmr0Szgyvtdo7jZMPJO-kEkuytiq4HQJUMHjJsDsLEP_dqQ9Yl7s1T_BU_3n9aDWz-dLnwPgaw8u-C8s2s1FuBJFm7OMRcjWtiMhbUS4Q3knCG5m9jbuV2lqZU_4PlLpnBom1E8PqfiGQqzb6loFOzUZM4gmaFObVeA2VQ45kyF3II03JVnftg/w640-h426/YTBSparrow_H2I3727.jpg) |
Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow (Gymnoris superciliaris) |
A pair of Chinspot Batis gleaning through one of the trees, this is the male
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSAqYWgnyIbFQyThW_qMIGCrsRe_HnNHftiyHSHThOxX3Pg5B6ZcPP43iAznjdVGUgKIxbba4CmWSEgfZJMvEwAYa_x7lBZwlogr4NMXovUAsmYfRp7j7_rxG0t1RCZsNqaYEs2S_0VDd_99Vcw8DNRE8xmnkn3rFnVEy3MaH5_lz2CZK9VN6iQZnbA/w640-h426/CSBatis_m_H2I3757.jpg) |
Chinspot Batis (Batis molitor) |
A female Spectacled Weaver also stopped by
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-zxGVZ70XM3gkUONIIb3Q0k1RBb9XPcK7wjrFdcV-9opaY0EQsWJRjygN9Qh6G-J2ttZbRYT1J8IboFzNm_DL8JY_ELlTr5jyZ6JyDWdO5CQ9WUB6Zks7ErNoLNHOKKyNxbjorJfwcCGcJqcJmvLJ38bfQRU3GjiJZKA5pxv7q9Eqqvyc9ntujyQ-w/w640-h426/SpWeaver-f_H2I3751.jpg) |
Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis) |
In the garden, I found a White Pie
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQlduRd3mX_HSi_c3ieTiT0p3RVtcFERPBpMrFDbr5Xo2lWUoehzCLV51mGRSKgc5S95lHec1neoW1BBW0gfDbuydZJztjT0btTN19EbiKDjUnsq1exrC-MgyiOSEZ51_mDlp9AC7B5cxDtMbK9TrAaYvOfSU8yT_VQ2K1KonWk7XuZQ6tNe60ZzfDg/w640-h426/WhitePie_H2I3723.jpg) |
White Pie (Tuxentius calice) |
Along with an unidentified Lizard
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbDKmbPObuKhy30AmXKtRoNAn1grd_3QfpOdj5xu3wQBLwaWZAsXKhWOAGFZC21vnhg1gZpBJ4aIkqSliVa1WE_N4IYUhMAcXZ4mzaqKDc76KeoucDWiJUWXy7taVNTPNZliHQ4zVgyDolfgAnCxtrr15SKI37teU_NJmsQGXvzWov_K2FTyVoms1hQ/w526-h640/Lizard_tbc_H2I3725.jpg) |
Lizard sp. |
And this Bottletail
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeG6D5KzUxeyFcFcc5lEYfO3ESW-eSfjHFc7QAAlifwu2k8RCcHM-PBqDpGR-Qsq6ZijhXQGGKq5n77CkDZ8-9j9oRLvVh8nnNNvsDB4yTRySDUMIiJHCQici02S1dEF_BIYbHXmdEuxY/w640-h426/Bottletail_H2I3781.jpg) |
Bottletail (Olpogastra lugubris) |
Later in the afternoon, we packed the coolers and headed out for another drive stopping for Black-headed Oriole
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0DFt0PTsUKeb9rytWoLCE4dEAIleGfpQrstnkJxiYjIRNgmYvD1gJbmbwha5rxgX58jkgSf_MvmdL5zq0l0YfsnsBvmBV4fnE1EzjS3vfVUuMjsyubAprgvizBg2j0-Na0ihQGWrte9pl65XBbTGyqCwEW_4jAalp4jZonuNK3HKmejy9dW04h0-Lw/w640-h426/BHOriole_H2I3809.jpg) |
Black-headed Oriole (Oriolus larvatus) |
A few Red-billed Buffalo Weaver's
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG150LwpwUusJa0XgZ7WJ6uccGoOoPdnSd2xGVF0XsNSmYL5Ue17iOH9_PbMWp3MyDJez3V8twaxb6dcN0l89ciNMxDe-wyK8OfdSo2SRu2P01qMEbaNooYgOq00c3p2vEuVP7sQospjoe2b3-A0qR2GV2QqHsdHKi7CF3qK8N5bX6efAcquwkfj0dEA/w534-h640/RBBWeaver_H2I3801.jpg) |
Red-billed Buffalo Weaver (Bubalornis niger) |
Crested Barbet on the top of dead tree stump
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXyJkAQdUUDfvxYmlXG95RVtxXrjtNTeWb0JNHg8d7_gxTGxfowlOsevI66Sf3kSc9U4OU5hqeRu0jucpPrPo56zpMZSCkPXIUsUbUy9W-Y35t4baIZD77yKvpzWdHL3Bavq4W7FXUkFb5NQrHuWxHFzvxN71DtsQs3NmIneBvM5vKAhdkVvuPJ3_mAw/w534-h640/CBarbet_H2I3784.jpg) |
Crested Barbet (Trachyphonus vaillantii) |
At one of the small dams, a Hamerkop stood motionless in the algae
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRa8tIkbhMsp3nZ85vg73I5AUiG9XxddwiWgNEv8ToIiKfjc1w0H6lwgojK9K5xbR0nsnqonuggR4mSOJ1KxkMzWDmjrzQZxI_jdH0AG9gaE6zOL4kepwCI7h8YmkrR37dr6af0V_THERdNUgAci_qHkGPuqRVl-NHLwz4eTjJ1xJCQjPlEmakR2z2Q/w640-h426/Hamerkop_H2I3793.jpg) |
Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) |
We had a few Southern White-crowned Shrike
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsIr5JV2GjF-WOHC1hZljh6Yc2AWkx5oZR0tz5Ufu1MG_F2NlB7jFZNUlunwKppO4ql_AgbH52-Ke1lkQTPHKK4ZdLO7xGdYTTpc9ZJNlC7hAZABPmO9s7Nsd0eTBJHDHi6shV7ncVo2f_Vn4EPnLPa-ycJn04sVFjuQuiC-hgxImePe0V3lh2vuJcQ/w640-h426/WCShrike_H2I3796.jpg) |
Southern White-crowned Shrike (Eurocephalus anguitimens) |
But the Tawny Eagle was a little more special
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncPmU4lZUQl_1QHy4b21GUS_0WhF_XYVRFPgp3tzqAb8vw6dD9xNZISUV6LFUqx5rPxSRTZBKGOUzKD-S9CjuH3qHcJ76b0u3mCZYHhWFcLX0EZ3isAFLPGGmZ3MJx0vqDMrzSjWQG47w2xd4IGkws6F2EJHLKcAJhG3lUKCWZKXS4rX2Rm0uBsiTbg/w534-h640/TEagle_H2I3693.jpg) |
Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) |
While the White-backed Vultures waited patiently for the Lions to do their job
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsgNtmEyaeNPAmBcwqcYcSyNLOhAjt0BrYdzEVJtO0_2fMCvYfDN3zuYNE-XcNgFEMZmduRk9-mca3fy6gwcdItSPOuVDny3I0K2Qux-6capKp2xnzEQzmmuCfv-Jo8b7CdjNLADu7dlvFuW83RyFYsAwJvvRif-gQkbwv-MMGtsSrnUbbMvTF9dE-Q/w640-h426/WBVulture_H2I3705.jpg) |
White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) |
As we made our way to the sundown spot, we came across the Lucky 5 on the way to the same spot to have a drink - but I had a little too much glass to capture the scene
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUIIoiTaTMFLhNAVfW82NH2ozs9Xc7Tq8MnzLTf7wCmmuKnx1HnHqfa5ClEQ-rGalPiYP_1-T2Fwo-04-sTAUyv8PWI-7OSqnDES_o7c2acOA4PmKJ9E6S2FSysWgpjsRCTd_hkw36x6Op0ab2gL8I_VnwS3ZhXRPYYjp6SL0GPC7URFuJz5JMi54d2w/w512-h640/WRhino_H2I3811.jpg) |
White Rhinoceros (Chiromantis xerampelina) |
As they were walking to their drinking spot, this Nile Crocodile slid into the water and tracked them all the way. I guess only when they came down to drink did it realise that they were more than it could handle
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemd1Rd2m2yfuj7vgZz5eQWElbyeBA0N_lhrvY42h78meYbipSnYAlJaDoPRZHZ1FSQf8cV63FYV5cs3JqqIFvpixtIwW2vkxsIHiXxf7vS2z_nXSKH9FEM1ijMu5xL32H2j0DIRfy7T6wVo2kX72p3zKcGPmVnPP7VHL5Z7KU6xgaMzmQJCcPOq-EDQ/w640-h426/NCrocodile_H2I3826.jpg) |
Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) |
An added bonus was a big flock of Oxpecker's that suddenly flew in and got a lift down to the water on the top of the Rhino. I love the first image..
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAl57fSZgT8ydziAZuS9YFnFDSF8dXrSOgU6o-zEGa6AGtxOD6E4og_mXmsSaNqQ2-O43U5EBgYGymwUwiDyXGO9F-S84Te-vJpfVI0dndwRc2BaUUYmpCsP_jgxV04Xu_eGu-3DpxWASbnws_Y-LWONfjnIu-snfEClMPRinBC2E21JCGGkVNUP6KQ/w640-h426/RBOxpecker_H2I3834.jpg) |
Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) |
We enjoyed a fiery sunset over drinks and snacks at the dame and on the drive back with the spotlight we found a single Fiery-necked Nightjar in the road.
I wasn't able to get as low as I would have liked - but will try again tomorrow night
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71bmNYB5K4SqcfmTtZDgs1UPPto5XbKSyQ8lkC_jyNPHEwEC7UzloHk4TiDldFRG_bWqomE0isftYZMHk2bukpwHbRiPJSVEMfDgmfn4VqwSJZ5Q3FLbreII513fWFxSTCyzrKPUQgvrtmmL8-JONoWZPB7MaFTZl2G51CgqaW0Gh5tbstCH7XK13Lw/w640-h426/FNNightjar_H2I3847.jpg) |
Fiery-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus pectoralis) |