Day 12 - Kruger National Park! S1 - Ep 552

[@truduekunz6570]

Hi that is amazing what you have experienced never a dull moment the Kruger National Park full of surprises

[@DustBugsTravel]

That's the truth for sure! It's quite simply the most amazing place on earth. 😍🚙 It was beyond fantastic, every single second of it.

[@Mankind0112]

The central part of Kruger Park is indeed paradise for birds species, and this channel encourages me to learn more about birds

[@DustBugsTravel]

Good for you! 👌🏻🐦 It's a difficult hobby though, sometimes we don't even know where to start looking in our book, like with our little visitor on our deck. It was super cute though. 😍

[@thewanderer58]

Gorgeous day. The African bush unfolding as only the African bush does, starting with a glorious sunrise and ending with a spectacular sunset. My how we're going to miss the bush when the time comes to leave. What a brilliantly close encounter with the two very-well fed lionesses after their fill on their buffalo kill, as well as the close-ups of the hyenas. Another nice chilled day. Thank you. Let's see what day thirteen has in store for us ........

[@DustBugsTravel]

It wasn't always fun to watch, but still a special experience to see the situation at Nsemani Dam unfold, as it can only do in Mother Nature. I'm glad you're enjoying the play-by-play too. 🦁🦛🐟 We left the Park a while ago already now and we long to be back there every day. We were thrilled to see the young hyena and those two lionesses so up close and personal. That was super cool. We'll see you on Day 13! 😁🚙

[@phillipleboa5251]

BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHY !!!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you! 😊

[@frederikbrits9559]

Nothing beat the sunrise and sunset in my Bosveld...

[@vernabotha9392]

What incredible lion sightings.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We were super chuffed about that! 😁🦁

[@maggiediedericks761]

Very Interesting drive day 12, loved it

[@DustBugsTravel]

It was an interesting day, I'm glad you enjoyed. 👌🏻🚙

[@MarcoK71]

I have loved your amazing stories for such al long time. It allways brings me back to beautiful South Africa where we just have been for one time. Continue telling your stories and love from the Netherlands!

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you. 😊 And we're happy to continue sharing our stories with you for as long as you enjoy them. Hopefully you get to visit our beautiful country again some day. Until then, we'll bring it to your screens. 🚙🇿🇦

[@flodillon991]

The hyenas were splendid and that little elephant didn't like the road. Amazing sightings lions and especially the two females who dined so well a bit scary so close but stunning.Thank you ❤😊

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you for joining us for Day 12! 😁🚙 The close-up sightings of the hyena and the lions were super special, we always enjoy being close to them and being able to have a few moments to check them out thoroughly. It's not often that we manage to spend so much time so close to especially lions, so that was a real treat. 😍🦁

[@deonzar]

Another day in Paradise...and I wanted to say it is hot here in Cape Town you must come back now...when I realised you all long time home already lol.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yes, long time home already and missing the Park like crazy. 😥 Luckily it's not that hot in Strand just yet, but it was a warm day today, which is fantastic. It was too cold for too long this year, so I'm ready for the heat and the sun! 😁☀️

[@deonzar]

@DustBugsTravel Yes I hope the weather holds this weekend we want to try and catch some fish there this weekend 😀

[@kennethdshort]

Hi Curtis , Sonia , Dusty , and Sandy. Thanks once again for a fascinating view of the wildlife That baboon was sure determined to get the remnants of your sosaties off the braai grid. The hyena sure had soulful eyes and loved the camera. I was glad to see the Lion at the dam was a bit more mobile. Bittersweet to see more hippos in that little bit of water. Nice to see the pair of Lionesses at the kill site . Loved the close-up view

[@DustBugsTravel]

We thought the baboon picking off our sosatie bits was just too cool. The way he even knows how to turn the braai grid in the round is just insane to me. 🐵 The two lionesses near the buffalo kill were a big spoil for us, so up close and personal. 😍🦁 They're such magnificent creatures and those scars on their bodies tell the tales of many a hunting expedition. They work hard for their food. The King himself at Nsemani Dam is a beautiful specimen, but sad to see him limping like that. One can only hopes he recovers fully. 🤞🏻🚙

[@thesetter]

Birds at 38:40 - Magpie Shrike? Struggling with the bird at 37:54 ! What fabulous footage of the Go-Away Birds dust bathing. And the Lion / Hyena interaction was superb. Maybe a Yellow-bellied Greenbul at 54:59 ?? 💚

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yes, they were indeed magpie shrikes. If I remember correctly, you may hear us eventually realising that in a future episode! 😁🐦 We thought the brownish one was a tawny eagle, but we couldn't be sure and still aren't. I'm also in agreement about the yellow-bellied greenbul, after having looked it up. Our book still refers to it as a bulbul though, which I believe is the old name. Cute bird that one. 😍

[@thesetter]

@@DustBugsTravel Apologies - I may have missed the Shrike ID later! Smashing video 👍

[@dawnbarnes1361]

Oh what a trip! It looked like that Lion had a sore hip, plus his front right leg seemed painful. Felt sorry for him, but at least he could walk. Beautiful sighting of those Lionesses so close to the road hey! That fruit salad looked so good I had to pause the video and go get an Apple out of the fridge 😂 That Sunset was stunning. A great end to a lovely day 🙌🙏 Bless you both and take care❤ PS Glad the Baboons/Monkeys didn't steal your food 😂🎉 I missed the Giraffe this trip😢

[@DustBugsTravel]

It was sad to see the lion not being in great shape, but I hope that he will make a full recovery. 🤞🏻🦁 Don't worry too much about the giraffe being absent on Day 12, they'll always be back! 😍🦒 We were spoilt with the two beautiful lionesses, that was wild! I'm just as glad that the baboons didn't grab our food that day, we were really expecting the worst as we drove up to our tent. 😁🐵

[@ChristaGodley]

Hi julle ek nou so lekker gelag vir daai oom bob wat die braai so mooi skoon gemaak het. Baie slim. Julle het my dag gemaak met goeie nuus oor leeu . Dit was n goeie dag julla aandete het so lekker gelyk. Dankie vir asl mooi loop ❤en wees veilig.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We were also relieved to see the male lion walk around a little. He looked way better than we imagined, which was good to see. 😍🦁 That baboon cleaning our braai was pretty cool, especially the way he turned that grid in the round to get to all the tasty bits. 😁🐵 Our dinner was indeed delicious and the perfect way to end a long day in the Kruger bushveld. 😊🚙

[@mariusroos]

Wow 12 days in paradise! The hippos were nice to see. Interesting animal. Nice healthy breakfast you had. Saw quite a bit of wild life on this trip. A trip well done even the lions! Thanks for this one I will be onboard the next one

[@DustBugsTravel]

365 days a year in paradise will just be good enough for us Krugerholics! A fantastic fruity breakfast we had. I love fruit salad! 🍊🍎🍌 We were spoilt with lion sightings on Day 12, it was fantastic! We'll see you back here on Day 13! 😁🚙

[@nickjeffrey3417]

A Burchell's coucal is more than just a "Vlei loerie". I once saw one attack, kill and devour a puff adder in the Tsitsikamma.

[@samsonkjoseph6087]

Baie dankie vriende.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Sure. 🚙

[@charlietreston4035]

Hi guys wow what a sunrise baboon eating your leftovers and a lion roaring in the distance only in South Africa. Those hyena were close I'm glad I heard the window go up .the story unfolding with the dead hippo the injured lion and the hyenas was fascinating. Loved how you gave in the English ladies stuff definitely Sonia good deed for the day. Well done 👏 ✔️ 👍. Great you found the large pride of lions and the two who had just fed with the buffalo leg stuck out of the Bush real stuff !!! Glad you got your battery sorted I was feeling nervous about it here in kent. Very brave of you Sonia walking past those baboons I think most people would be nervous.smiled about the cage being unlocked I could imagine the baboons having a great time. Very interesting about the white droppings!!! Being near to a den .amazing way to finish the day with the beautiful African sunset braaing wors rhino beatles and a hyena walking by the fence lovely relaxed vibe thanks for taking me along cheerio till the next one.

[@DustBugsTravel]

The situation at Nsemani was fascinating to us as well and, although we didn't enjoy seeing the animals suffer and struggle, it's still interesting to watch nature takes its course right in front of our eyes. Not to forget the flapping fish, but I'm sure they'll be fine. 🐟🦛🦁 We saw in our mind's eye the baboons having a feast on our potatoes as we drove up to our tent. Sonia would've been a very unhappy camper tht night! 😨🥔 I'm glad you got the relaxed vibe, if we were any more relaxed, we would've been horizontal. 😁🚙

[@nickjeffrey3417]

Distinctive Burchell"s coucal call at the two lioness , buffalo kill. 👍

[@MP-uw1qc]

I wonder if the tame bird on your stoep was a Yellow-bellied greenbul? My Birds of Southern Africa book is also a bit older, it is listed there as an African yellowbellied bulbul. A very friendly fella whatever we call him or her.

[@DustBugsTravel]

I think you're correct! What a cute little bird that was, it almost felt like he became our pet for a few minutes. 😍🐦 Thank you for the insight. 👌🏻🎯

[@teresagillmer9464]

Those hyenas were biding there timd

[@DustBugsTravel]

Indeed. The lion's presence was just too much for them though. It would be for me too. 😨🦁

[@sicko_the_ew]

The tiles over thatch have two benefits. Firstly, they reduce maintenance a lot (thatch is expensive to maintain). Secondly, if you need to insure the building the premiums fall radically when you cover the thatch. I think there might be an opportunity for some inventor/designer to come up with real-looking "thatch-tiles" with more rounded lines. It seems possible to have the best of both worlds with this. With real thatch, if you have a "pet" Egyptian goose, you'll find she likes to just pull out the thatch for the sake of pulling it out. Monkeys can also mess with it sometimes, if something tasty goes and hides there. No such problems with "tiled thatch", so the only problem is the aesthetic one. (Yes, real thatch does look nicer.) At least from the inside, it's just a thatch roof like any other (and the outside thatch doesn't take long to start looking all grey and sad). Your friendly little visitor at the table reminded me that just the other day I found an odd-looking bird hopping around inside my place. Took a while for me to realize that there's a good chance it was a female Buff-spotted Flufftail (not kidding - there really is a bird by that name). It could've passed for some kind of Robin, but it just has a tuft for a tail. I've heard them around, but never seen one. (It's one of those birds, "you only get to see if the cat brings one home". They're secretive, and they hide very well.) Strangest bird call I ever heard (and this is the only reason I know about them). It's a long, low, soft yet penetrating ... plumbing problem sound. Hard to describe. It's a vague sound yet you hear it everywhere, and it sounds like there's something weird going on with the pipes. I think your visitor might've been an Olive Thrush, but not with a huge likelihood. (I'm not a twitcher, so make lots of mistakes. It's still entertaining, though.)

[@DustBugsTravel]

To us, old thatch never look sad and grey, we'll always prefer it way above the new vibe. I get all the benefits, but character definitely counts for something in our view, especially in the bush. Just too fancy for us ordinary folks who have and will always love thatch, inside and out. 🏠 Sound like you were lucky with your bird sighting. We don't really mind what their names are. As long as we get to see and spend time with them, it's all good with us. We don't see ourselves ever getting into the bird identification thing full-on, it's just not something we enjoy that much. 😁🐦

[@sicko_the_ew]

@@DustBugsTravel I've gotten "half into" the birdwatching thing. To me the real benefit is the way it makes you notice the little things. I don't need to tick off every bird on Earth, either, or know all the names. It's nice going out into the field with a birder, though, because it opens one's eyes to all sorts of things one hadn't realized one was blind to. For example, going out on the Highveld with someone who knows the behaviour of the "LBJs" (the Little Brown Jobs - an actual twitcher expression, so they at least have a sense of humour) can make a piece of veld that's "just brown" into something richer. Each of the little Cisticolas (all visually identical, even according to the scientists) has its own display flight and song, and when you've seen a few, those bits of veld become full of different "personalities". I think it's fair to say that at least species by species, even little birds have personalities. Ja, I was chuffed to have been visited by the Buff-spotted Flufftail. Strange little person. Nervous, but used to moving around confined spaces, so not like the birds that panic when the end up indoors. It actually came toward me at one point, and sounded a bit like it was complaining. (I've forgotten everything I was shown and told about Cisticolas, though. All that remains is that I notice some little bird has flown straight up toward the clouds and then dived, and sang a lovely little song as it did.)

[@Michelle-b2p4c]

Hi I am enjoying your adventures through the Kruger Park. Just wondering what camera are you using to film? Thanks

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying our Kruger experience with us. 😊🚙 I only film with my regular everyday cellphone, a Samsung S22 Ultra, mounted on a selfie-stick. That does the job for us. 📲

[@nickjeffrey3417]

Also, because of their low slow, flight they often become road kill victims. 😭 So let's be environment friendly this festive season and drive with care.❤

[@nickjeffrey3417]

Not sure but I have heard that birds do so...the Go away Grey Lorries were spreading their wings over sand to rid themselves of lice. 🤔

[@DustBugsTravel]

That's very interesting and it sounds like a plausible explanation to me. 🐦🦟 Thanks for sharing that info. 👌🏻🚙

[@brightsideofsaturn]

The potato salad looked so nice, and please share how you made it. I want to add it to my recipes😊

[@DustBugsTravel]

As long as you love garlic, you'll enjoy it. Sonia is quite heavy on the garlic. 😁 There's no real recipe, so all to taste. She boils potatoes in the skin, let them cool, peel and cube them. In an empty 500ml cooldrink bottle, she mixes a few teaspoonsful of crushed garlic, salt and freshly-ground black pepper in just enough water to cover the garlic. She lets it soak for 15 minutes or so to soften and then adds two parts brown vinegar and one part oil. We use normal brown spirit vinegar and sunflower oil for this. I then shake the bottle and we taste, tweak, shake and taste again. We pour it over the cubed potatoes and mix it through, chill and enjoy. I eat myself into a coma on that stuff! 😝🥔 I hope you enjoy it too.

[@brightsideofsaturn]

@ Thanks for sharing can’t wait to try 😍

[@frederikbrits9559]

Nsemani dam, the male probably injured by buffalo?.....he wil recover, the barbel [barbers] will survive, the hippo's?

[@DustBugsTravel]

We heard rumours that the male lion was injured by a buffalo, probably during a hunt. 🦁🐃 I think the barbels will be just fine, they can survive under mud and dried-out soil for extended periods of time. 🐟 As far as the hippo's go, I'm not so sure, unless the last ones left before the dam dried up completely or unless it rained enough before it got that dire point. 😥🦛 I hope all are doing well.

[@sannamagranna6552]

We passed there a week later, the dam was dry. I saw many things I would rather not know the cause or outcome of.