I saw more than 20 species of Raptors, Owls and Vultures. It was really unlike any other trip.
Stories about Raptors
The Martial Eagle is one of our most powerful Raptors. I love those piercing yellow eyes.
There were many Bateleurs around. I was excited to see a lot of immature birds – it seems these guys had a very successful breeding season.
The adult Bateleurs are some of the most beautiful birds.
I also saw a few of the brown Eagles. As can be expected in summer, there were numerous Wahlberg’s Eagle and Tawny Eagles.
Most of the Tawny Eagles I saw were the pale form. These pale eagles are absolutely beautiful.
Another one of the brown Eagles that I saw was a very big highlight. I have been looking for a Steppe Eagle during every trip, and finally saw this one on the Sweni River Road.
One of the highlights of the trip happened very early one morning just north of Satara. I spotted a Brown Snake Eagle in a tree. At first I decided to drive on because it was still too dark for photos. But something made me stop for a photo anyway. Then the unexpected happened – he flew off and landed in the grass about 50m away. He then proceeded the eat a snake!
It was an absolutely incredible sighting, even in the low light conditions. I found it incredible that it saw the snake in such long grass d=from so far away. It seems those yellow eyes are just as sharp as they look!
I also saw a Common (Steppe) Buzzard and this Yellow-billed Kite.
Some of the smaller raptors I saw included a Gabar Goshawk on the Sweni River Road as well as a Black-winged Kite near Tamboti and a Dark Chanting Goshawk on the S100.
I saw a grey shape fly very low over the grass a few kilometers north of Satara.
The bird was n0t close, but I could make out that it was a Montagu’s Harrier, only my second sighting of this bird in Kruger.
I was just in time to see an African Harrier Hawk fly off when I arrived at the Sweni hide one morning.
A beautiful young African Fish Eagle was hunting over the Sabie River not far from Lower Sabie.
While travelling to Skukuza, I saw a pair of African Hawk Eagles just south of Satara.
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Stories about Wise ones – the Biggest and the Smallest
While on my scorpion hunt at Satara I heard a bird call. It took a while, but eventually I located the call in a tree near the gate. It turned out it was not one, but two little African Scops Owls. While taking the photos a third flew past as well.
I saw another one on the road while on out way back after the sunset drive.
A visit to the Satara area without seeing a Verreaux’s Eagle Owl will be a let-down. I saw my first one on the Sunday morning.
While driving on the S147 I stopped to look for an African Grey Hornbill that was calling. I then spotted a sleepy Verreaux’s Eagle Owl that was almost hidden in the canopy of the tree.
At the end of our sunset drive we found this beauty just meters from the camp gate.
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Stories about Vultures
I saw five vulture species while in Kruger.
The White-backed vultures are the most common of the vultures in the Park.
I also managed a photo of the reason for its name.
During my last few trips I saw very few Lappet-faced Vultures. This trip was different, and I saw many, especially in the Satara area. 
There were also more White-headed vultures around than normal.
These Hooded Vultures were the firsts to arrive at the lions with the buffalo carcass. I don’t see them very often, so this was a great sighting,
I was driving back from Lake Panic when I saw some White-backed vultures in a tree. While I was watching them I saw more vultures approach. They looked different than the White-backed vultures. Closer inspection confirmed that they were Cape Vultures, a species that I had not seen in Kruger for a long time. I left very happy.
