Olifants to Timbavati Picnic Site

17 July 2022 - Roodewaal Camp, KNP; Day 3

An early start is needed in the hope of catching a few nocturnal species before they disappear for the day - no luck today. This time we took the sand roads to Olifants finding a pair skittish of Black-backed Jackal

Black-backed Jackal (Lupulella mesomelas)

There had been some rain in the night, so this Emerald-spotted Dove was still preening its damp feathers on the side of the road, showing its diagnostic emerald spots

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove (Turtur chalcospilos)

We came across a herd of Waterbuck and they are really photographic antelope that work well in both colour and B+W

Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus)

It was still quite gloomy at Olifants and before getting coffee I was able to photograph Lesser Honeyguide

Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor)

and Orange-breasted Bushshrike in the parking lot

Orange-breasted Bushshrike (Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus)

Heading back to Roodewaal, we checked on the Tawny, but the chick was hidden

Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax)

But then we managed to get onto a Leopard that earlier had been lying in the road and now seemed to be patrolling its territory

Leopard (Panthera pardus)

Another enjoyable brunch followed by a circular drive later in the afternoon to the Timbavati picnic site. On route we had a couple of Purple Rollers

Purple Roller (Coracias naevius)

More White-crowned Shrikes

Southern White-crowned Shrike (Eurocephalus anguitimens)

At the picnic site, a pair of Wire-tailed Swallows were building a nest under one of the thatch awnings in between roosting on a nearby tree

Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii)

Driving out of the picnic site, we were greeted with this classic African scene of a Baobab, one of the more southern in the Park. This one had a Brown Snake-Eagle perched on the very top surveying its territory

Baobab Tree (Adansonia digitata)

Back to camp for the afternoon sundowners and prepping for dinner around the fire after sunset