Birthday
I saw the advert for the Honorary Rangers’ Kruger Birding weekends and saw that some of the dates were close to my birthday. What a convenient excuse to arrange a trip and spend my birthday in my favourite place! The January weekend was from Friday to Sunday, with my birthday on Monday. So, I booked for the birding weekend at Olifants and added Sunday and Monday nights at Letaba as my birthday present from me to me.
Then I received the programme for the weekend and realised that Friday will be very tight if I wanted to make it to Olifants for the afternoon drive, and Saturday had a really early start, so therefore it would just be more practical to go on Thursday, and a night at Satara was added. Four nights became five nights. A week before leaving I was reading a TR on the forum and realised that 2 nights at Letaba was not going to be enough to really explore the area, and I added a third night at Letaba. Suddenly four nights had become six nights! And my birthday in Kruger turned out to be very special. I had some of the best sightings of my trip on My birthday with a very special sighting just outside camp. But more about that later!
I drove to Mopani for a birthday lunch. It was slightly overcast, but still very humid. The view from the Letaba River bridge – 
I had a very pleasant lunch. The view as always is just wonderful.
There were also a small herd of elephants in the Pioneer dam below the restaurant that provided ample entertainment throughout my lunch.
Just before I left it started drizzling softly, the cherry on the (birthday?) cake. It was a perfect day.
Bird of the Year
The Southern Ground Hornbill has been chosen as Birdlife SA’s Bird of the Year. It is one of the birds that I most look forward to seeing when visiting Kruger. I was fortunate to have a few encounters with these cool birds. The first sighting was on the Sweni road.
I also saw 2 birds fly into some trees on the S100. Another visitor told me that it looked as if they had a nest in one of the trees, but we were not able to locate it. On my birthday I found a family of 5 not to far from Letaba. They were nice and close to the road. 
I saw them again the next morning as well.
One morning 2 were sitting in a tree and calling. It was so cool to hear the call – a first for me.
Outside Mopani there were a few more. One was preening himself in a tree.
Buffalo
I found the first buffalos of the trip on the S90 just past the low water bridge turn off.
This one gave me a weird look.
At the Klein Nshawu waterhole there was another large herd with some small calves.
Baboon
I saw quite a few large troops in the Satara area, but they were all far from the road. While driving on the Sweni Road a large troop was foraging around the area. This big male was sitting at the top of a dry tree keeping a look out. He obviously visited his hair dresser that morning, because he had a very fancy hairdo!
I am not overly fond of baboons in general, but this one had such a sweet grin.
I had to re-consider my feelings towards these animals. There were also a few outside the Shipandani hide and this one was really enjoying his snack.
Bushbuck
The Park was very green and dense as a result of good rain, and as a result I saw a lot fewer of the smaller antelopes than usual. I only realised after I got home that I did not see any Nyalas or steenbokkies. The only Bushbuck I saw were the resident herd at Letaba. They are so relaxed with people. 
Bee-eaters
A summer visit to Kruger ensures that you will see the stunning Carmine Bee-eaters. There were also lots of youngsters. I found them all over the Park.
When a flock sits in a tree like this, it reminds me of Christmas.
I also saw one Little Bee-eaters, but to far for a decent photo. I only saw a few European bee-eaters.
There were also a few White-fronted Bee-eaters.
Next up: C is for …..