Monday, May 7, 2018

Moremi in the Evening

Following a delightful lunch most of the group took naps while I blogged and watched Cape Buffalo crossing the nearby lake a walk along the opposite shore.

Dead Tree Island in Okevango Delta - animals and birds seen
Arnott’s Chat - only found here
Elephants - large herd of about 18 with several babies
Yellow Billed hornbill - aka flying banana
Red billed hornbill - small birds ith large beaks
Franklin bird with one chick - quail like but a bit larger
2 Warthogs - always run in pairs and usually running, go to dens at night because of bad vision
Fish eagle
Bateleur eagle - aka black eagle
White faced ducks - aka whistling ducks because of their whistling call
Hadedo Ibis - its call is “Hi dee ho!”
African Jacama bird - aka Jesus bird because it appears to walk on water
Kudus - a member of antlope family
Reed Buck - of the Antelope family, bigger than an Impala, nocturnal.

Several exciting events this evening!
We had to cross a river that was fairly deep so that the water could come in through the doors. Just as we started I saw a hippo just off to our right. I yelled ‘Hippo’ about the same time that it rose up out of the water and charged right at us! Somehow I got my phone up and started punching buttons, Mr. Fish gunned the engine and someone screamed. We came out of the water and the hippo slowly settled back into his spot with a very angry look (if that is possible). On the return crossing we watched him charge another vehicle, then he left his spot and went up river away from us.



The second event happened when we took a potty break right next to the river crossing. The men on one side the women on another when our guide Stanley quietly told the guys to move back! In mid-stream a huge bull elephant walked past them! They yelled at us ladies but we thought they were teasing and so didn’t react until we returned to the Jeeps.

My Jeep (John was in the other Jeep) spotted a huge long line of elephants crossing the savanna from one tree line to another. It was so impressive. What we didn’t find out until later was that John’s Jeep came upon them crossing the road. A bull and momma were protecting their baby and bellowed and charged them several times, forcing the Jeep to back up until they had crossed!


Lastly, John’s Jeep came across a crocodile near the path. If the Jeep was moving the croc would stand up to walk but when Stanley stopped so John could get a picture the croc ould lay down! I guess they did this several times before John got the shot.


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