10th May – At Least Now the Lions Will Come Out!

Photo of the Day

Buffalo bull

Morning Drive

(Chad)

1 x breeding herd of buffalo – Argyle, Sohebele River Rd West

1 x elephant bull – Peru, Voel Dam Northern Access

1 x female elephant – Motswari, Airstrip Rd

Daily Synopsis

Well, Tuesday was the last drive for me for this cycle of work, and I still needed to find lions...so hen John, our night watchman, told me that he had heard lions roaring near camp, I thought that maybe, just maybe, this morning would be different!

Impalas at dawn

We gathered that the lions had been roaring on Ingwelala at about 4am, so went to check the Ingwelala-Timbavati boundary, and when we found tracks for a breeding herd of buffalo from the early hours of the morning, I became hopeful that the lions would be following behind them, but we couldn’t find any tracks for lions crossing over onto our property.  We then set about looking for the buffalo, and it didn’t take long to find the large herd as they approached the Sohebele River north of Argyle Dam, and then crossed over towards our airstrip.

Breeding herd of buffalo

Despite wanting some lions to come charging out of the bush towards them, it didn’t happen, but we did get to see a yellow-billed oxpecker which is always a treat!

After that, I headed out towards Voel Dam, hoping that maybe some lions crossed in from the north-west, or that Nhlangula male rhino, whom Giyani had found on Java yesterday afternoon, would be around there, but we only found a lone elephant bull.

Saddle-billed stork

We headed back to camp and saw impala, waterbuck and giraffe, and were informed that someone found the remains of a baby giraffe up a tree!  Sadly he said they were a week or two old, but it amazed me that no one had seen anything until now, or during the feeding, as it is a road that is travelled regularly!

As I drew closer to camp, I conceded defeat and realised that the lions had once again eluded me.  The only consolation was that I was heading back to Johannesburg today, and as soon as the animals are aware of this, they are bound to come out in their droves!!!! 

Grant (as well as Herald and Godfrey) return to drive this afternoon, so there will no doubt be a lot of animals found over the next few days!  Well, at least that is what I am hoping for, and looking forward to reading all about it over the next week!

And Grant, before you try to make me jealous with your sightings of yesterday and this morning, I do feel it pertinent to let you know that it is now 10:18am, and I am still lying in bed typing this!  Hahahaha!

Enjoy guys, and I will catch up with all of you again next week!

Cheers

Chad