Day 19: Amazing Creatures at Madikwe

I have run out of superlatives to express the range of animals and birds we are seeing on our game drives.  Peggy and I have had 4 game drives so far and each one has been spectacular.  All this, and our lodging is perfect as is the food.

 Our decks back up to a watering hole, so even without the game drives we are seeing lots of game.

 This isn’t the best photo, but we had a whole herd of Cape Buffalo at the waterhole before dinner.

Our afternoon drive was a mix of tons of giraffes, elephants who couldn’t get enough mud, and a White Rhino with Red Billed Oxpecker birds picking out bugs.

This is an African Spoonbill fishing.

At the end of the afternoon drive, we stop in the bush for a "sundowner."

For our morning drive we went back to the downed giraffe and the female lion was active.

Later on the drive we came upon two male cheetahs resting.  This is the first time I have ever seen one in the wild.

There are also beautiful birds for which I’m looking up names in the African bird book.

Blue Waxbill & Violet-Eared Waxbill

Gray Go-Away Bird

The lodge has a gazebo.  I was sitting looking at birds and this guy came up.  He's a Bushbok.  He seemed to be watching me as much as I was watching him.

The day has been way beyond expectations.