July 7 - Bush Irony

Photo of the Day

Morning Drive

(Herold, Shadrack & Andrea)

Lion (3 females, 3 males) / Motswari - Wedge River Road

Buffalo (Breeding Herd) / Motswari - Wedge River Road

Elephant (Breeding Herd) /Motswari - Giraffe Pan Road

Buffalo (Breeding Herd) / Motswari - Xinatsi Dam Road North

Afternoon Drive

(Herold, Marka, Grant & Andrea)

2 Rhino

Elephant (Breeding Herd) / Peru - Giraffe Kill

Lion (3 female, 3 male) / Wisani - East of Motswari Dam Wall

My last set of guests were dying to see lion and yet were treated to a number of incredible leopard sightings and now my current guests are desperate for leopard and yet the only cats we can find are lions. Such is the bush sometimes. This morning started with fresh lion tracks on the airstrip which were heading north onto the Wedge - Shadrack, Herold and myself all went to follow up, each taking a different road. We found the large buffalo from yesterday which had moved just north of Motswari camp. As I followed Giraffe Pan road, I came across a breeding herd of elephant. One youngster was full of playfulness and put on quite a show for us. The morning sun was finally out and lit up the elephants beautifully as well as warming us all up.

Herold then found the lion pride down at Wisani crossing, they were still following the buffalo herd from yesterday. Following the road towards the crossing, we came across a female giraffe and a small herd of zebra - who unfortunately were in quite thick bush making photos a little tricky. By the time we got to the spot of the lions, they had run off into very thick terminalia bush and I decided it would be more worth while to come back after drinks as there was no doubt that they would continue after the buffalo. After a drinks stop at Xinatsi Dam, where we watched a Steenbok come down to the water to drink as well as Purple-Cheeked Waxbills, Greenwinged Pytilias and Orange Breasted Buntings, we started back towards the area of buffalo and lion. Along the way we passed another small herd of buffalo, sensibly far away from the lion. With some careful maneuvering through Mopane thicket, we found the pride of lion resting up, walking a few meters and lying down again. It would have been great to sit there all day and wait, as the the buffalo were unawarely heading closer and closer. However, by this stage the only thing calling was breakfast and we headed back to camp.

At lunch time my guests requested hippo, rhino and leopard so with this in mind, the first stop was Argyle Dam. The large resident crocodile was sunning itself a sand bank and the raft of hippo was out of the water following suit. It was a beautiful view of the hippo as one usually only sees nostrils and ears peeking out from the water surface. They slowly got up and traipsed back into the water, showing a couple of teeth as well. We sat for a goodly time watching the dam as African Jacanas, Three-Banded Plovers, Pied Wagtails and African Darters made their appearances.

s we crossed Mvubu crossing we stopped briefly for a look at a Green-backed Heron, when Jacky noticed a Water Monitor Lizard resting on the side of the bank while a Black Crake strolled past!

Jacky's eagle eyes found us 2 male rhinos which we were able to watch for a little while - the two were quite skittish and it was getting dark so we did not stay for too long. By this time, it was dark and after a quick drinks stop we hit the long road home. The nocturnal animals seemed to be out tonight as we found 2 Civets, a Small-spotted Genet and the three young hyaenas who were still milling outside the den.