Addo Elephant National Park: day visit

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When: March 2024 Weather: Hot 30C

SonyA7II 70-400mmG, Nikon P900

Just when we thought our safari was done, we had a free afternoon and our friends in South Africa very kindly took us out to another well known game reserve, Addo Elephant National Park which as its name implies has a large number of pachyderms. We only finished our lectures at 1030am and by the time we did the hour long drive to Addo from Port Elizabeth it was nearly noon and very hot….not ideal for birds nor beasts!Nevertheless, another chance for a brief safari was not to be sniffed at….

we entered Addo from the south entrance and drove up exiting at the northern end…it was pretty quiet to start with with only the occasional dung beetle to entertain us….
of course elephants were always going to be the easiest sighting…
and it was interesting at the waterhole where the elephants hogged the water, whilst the equally thirsty zebra and warthogs had to watch and wait their turn…
waiting their turn
this was a rather aggressive bull…even though he wasn’t very big
3 little piggies…..
and a scrawny baby warthog
European roller
fiscal shrike with its hooked upper bill
and a gazillion miles away across the plain was the only ostrich we saw….
fiscal flycatcher which doesn’t have the hooked upper bill
jackal buzzard
nicest shot so far of the Neddicky or piping cisticola
eventually the zebra got a drink
hawing zebra
southern boubou
magnificent rock kestrel
black headed heron
sombre green bou
good views of the unique African spoonbill
spoonbill yawning or laughing!
greater kudu
last view of the tuskers

And after a late lunch at the restaurant where we also saw the red winged starling, we were on our way back to Port Elizabeth…..a very short but nice day trip to Addo indeed.

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