Monday, August 25, 2008

Kruger Park

Last weekend a group of us went to Kruger park. It was an excellent trip - the ultimate imax wildlife 3d experience. Unfortunately it was also the ultimate snacking experience. Basically we sat in a bus for 2 days and everytime we spotted animals we stopped the bus, took photos and then ate some snacks. The more animals the more snacks - crisps, biscuits, sweets and jungle bars. (jungle bars are energy bars made of oats, berries, sugar and Genetically modified nuclear gluons - I think they would be illegal in most european countries). I did the worst snacking while out on the night drive - one hand using a spotlight and the other constantly delving into a huge pack of crisps. Then lastly before retiring to our tents, I would have burger and chips (with actual draught beer!). In the dead of night you could hear the sounds of nearby hippos and roaring lions (sounding slightly constipated) then in the morning you would be woken up by the plantive sound of the dawn chorus of birds and fellow campers coughing and farting.

In case anyone is interested here is the list of animals I seen:

Mammals: (p means I got some sort of photo)

Lion (p) - including the pride feasting on a zebra - yum yum!
Elephant (p) - plenty of sightings - some with young
White Rhino (p) - including one with young
Spotted Hyena (p) - at night and day
Hippo (p) - at night and day
Buffalo (p)
Warthog (p)
Giraffe (p)
Common Duiker
Impala (p)
Steenbok (p)
Klipspringer (p)
Waterbuck (p)
Blue wildebeest (p)
Zebra (p)
Bushbuck
Nyala (p)
Kudo (p)
Genet (on night drive)
Leopard (a glimpse of one on night drive)
Slender mongoose
White tailed Mongoose (on night drive)
Baboon (p)
Vervet monkey
Bat (p) (roosting in the womens toilets!)
Ground squirrel

Reptiles
Crocodile (p)
Olive Grass snake (p)
Small lizard (p)

Birds (photos of birds are mostly crap but I used them in some cases to identify)
Grey Heron (p)
Cattle Egret
Hadada Ibis (p)
Egyptian Goose
Fish Eagle (p)
White Backed Vulture (p)
Bateleur (seen one in the middle of the road surrounded by cars - no pic though)
Wahlbergs Eagle
Blacksmith Lapwing (p)
Yellow Billed hornbill (p)
White Helmut Shrike (p)
Red billed Oxpecker (p)
Crested Barbet (p)
Burchells Coucal (p)
Crested Francolin (p)
Ground Hornbill (p)
Southern puffback (p)
Yellow-billed egret (p)
Cape glossy Starling (p)
Fork-tailed Drongo (p)
Common waxbill (p)
Laughing dove (p)
Emerald Dove
Mourning Dove
European Roller
Brown Headed Kingfisher (p)

5 comments:

PAUL MALLEY said...

You may like to know that on Sunday 24 August, Man City beat West Ham 3 - 0. Sturridge and Elano (2) scored.

Unknown said...

You didn't have to travel all that way to see African wildlife. Just saw the news, people are being warned to avoid some parts of Belfast as there is a lion on the loose. Different reason, same old story. Man C beat S'land 3-0.

Unknown said...

You didn't have to travel all that way to see African wildlife. Just saw the news, people are being warned to avoid some parts of Belfast as there is a lion on the loose. Different reason, same old story. Man C beat S'land 3-0.

Ferg said...

Raymondo,
You're experience with African Savannah wildlife is needed in Belfast

Lion 'on the loose in Belfast'


A hunt has been launched after police received reports of a lion on the loose in a Belfast park.

The animal was said to have been seen in Cavehill Park - only a short distance from the city's zoo.

But police said later that keepers had checked all cages in the zoo and all the animals were accounted for.

A police helicopter is scouring the area from the air and officers were deployed on the ground.

A spokesman said: "We are taking this seriously, there have been a string of calls about sightings."

A statement from police headquarters said: "Police in North Belfast are warning the public to be aware of sightings of what appears to be a lion in the Upper Hightown end of Cavehill Park.

"Police are currently responding to the incident and would urge the public to avoid the area.

"Anyone who thinks they may have seen the animal should not attempt to approach it."


How's things with you, probably much more sedate in South Africa. Everything's fine here, have had a couple of job interviews , so hopefully I won't be idle too much longer ( although I've quite enjoyed dossing for a few months).
Following the recent floods the weather is actually picking up, s'pose it's because the schools are back.

To keep you abreast of happenings on the sporting front - here's Man. City's list of Ins and Outs , with a 12 hours left til the deadline.
MANCHESTER CITY


Ins: Jo (CSKA Moscow, £18m), Tal Ben Haim (Chelsea, undisclosed), Vincent Kompany (Hamburg, undisclosed), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Chelsea, undisclosed), Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol, undisclosed), Gláuber Berti (FC Nuremburg, undisclosed).

Outs: Georgios Samaras (Celtic, undisclosed), Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven, undisclosed), Geovanni (Hull, free), Emile Mpenza and Paul Dickov (both released), Sun Jihai (Sheffield United, free), Matthew Mills (Doncaster, £300,000), Vedran Corluka (Tottenham, undisclosed.)

..Oh and apparently the club has just been bought by some Abu Dhabi Investment company, can't be any dodgier than the last fella I suppose.

On the pitch, City are 3rd in the Prem after 3 games on 6pts, 1 pt. behind Chelski and Liverpool. Meanwhile in league 1, leeds are about 12th after 5 games.

Will keep you updated on the rugby when the season kicks off next week - don't suppose you made it to Jo'Burg for the boks v Oz game?



Talk to you soon,

Ferg

Claire said...

Hey hun, sounds and looks like your having a fab time! Just spent last hour or so reading through all your posts. Sounds amazing!! Keep up the good work! Enjoy your next trip of the shart place - please be careful
xoxo
Claire