Day 65 to 69: Olifants River Game Reserve

We were fortunate to have some nice sightings with the Kennedy’s. The ellies again came to the party. I think elephant are my favourite of the Big 5 because they are the most interesting to watch; they are always on the go, eating, drinking, breaking down trees, occasionally charging us and they are easy to spot. We had one that was hanging around the house and one morning as I came out the outside shower – there he was.

We had a great leopard sighting and Gray and Ian saw two black rhino. However, the cherry on the top and definitely for me, the sighting of the holiday was a Pels Fishing Owl. This big light brown owl was perched high in a tree along the banks of the Olifants. Gray spotted it as he was checking a squirrel warning call, while the rest of us were watching a breeding herd of ellie. Unfortunately we were eventually chased off the sighting by the ellie who were heading down to the river to drink. 

We had some good nocturnal sightings. A jackal with the hind leg of a steenbok on the road. Also fairly common at night are nightjars that settle on the road. They freeze in the spotlight and Gray on many occasions has been able to pick the bird up for us to inspect before letting it fly off into the night. 

Tonight he did the same but as he got out the car I saw him stumble slightly, bearing in mind we are on 6200 hectares of land with 100s of km of road, and he barefoot manages to step into the biggest, slushiest ellie patty on the farm. I was laughing so much I couldn’t hold the light steady and the nightjar flew off.

During this time it was full moon, a special time in the bush, recently marred by the fact that it is also the time that rhino poachers like to strike. 

And news from the home front ….

Pic sent from Robs - looks like our ducks have adopted an Egyptian goose