The bush is looking noticeably different after the rain we had a few weeks ago, and with another bit of rainfall recently, it’s incredible to see how quickly everything responds. Patches of green are starting to spread, the air feels cleaner, and the smell of pertichor still lingers. Although most of the week has been overcast and cloudy, that’s not always a bad thing. Cloudy days often mean cooler temperatures and longer bursts of animal activity, and this week certainly delivered on that front.
Leopards have been front and centre once again, from the ever-charismatic Ximungwe Female trying to entice the Maxim’s Male, to the Nhlanguleni Female giving us one of those perfect “boulder-top” poses. The Nkoveni Young Male continues to prove that comfort is subjective, draped awkwardly across a branch for hours on end.
The Gijima Male featured twice this week, full-bellied and content. Lions, waterbuck, and elephants all played their part too, and it feels like everywhere you look, there’s a story unfolding.
With the river flowing, mist hanging over the koppies, and those moody skies creating the perfect light for photography, it’s been a week of variety and texture. From quiet moments with giraffes and klipspringers to the drama of predators and the elegance of a Fish Eagle perched against the stormy sky.
Let me know your favourites in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
One incredibly full-bellied Gijima Male rests in the open. Thanks to a herd of elephants moving through the background, this male lifted his head for us. Eventually, getting up and walking right past Nick’s vehicle.
Arriving at Shingi Dam in central Londolozi, we found this Yellow-billed Stork wading slowly through shallows hunting for food- this tactic is known as tactile foraging. They use one foot to stir up the water, flushing hidden prey, and their sensitive bills detect the movement of fish or other prey like frogs and crustaceans. When a creature touches the inside of the bill, a lightning-fast reflex snaps it shut to capture the meal, which is then swallowed whole.
Late in the morning, on our way back to camp we cam across a few elephants having a drink.
The Ximungwe Female doing her best to entice the Maxim’s Male to mate with her. A lengthy and persistent effort from her eventually led to them being found the following morning mating.
This herd of waterbuck stood to attention, fixated on the Nkuhuma Breakaway Male and Female, walking off into the distance. The lions were about 250m away, but these waterbuck were not taking any chances.
In the late afternoon light, this herd of elephants came down for a drink, such a calm and tranquil setting. Sometimes, its the best to just sit in silence and be.
While the larger elephants were efficiently sucking up water with their trunks and quenching their thirst, this little one hadn’t quite got the hang of it yet. So it almost feels like it went to go and hide behind mum to practice without anyone watching.
I know these days of finding the Three Rivers Duo together are numbered, but each time we find them in each other’s company you can’t help but admire the affection between them. We followed them for ages, constantly bumping heads, brushing up against each other.
One afternoon, sitting on the boundary, waiting patiently for the slim chance of the pack of wild dogs to cross onto Londolozi, I was kept company by this Swainson’s Spurfowl foraging around for anything to eat.
Pausing every now and then to keep an eye ut for any danger.
On this particular afternoon there was a think bank of clouds on the western horizon, with a gap at the bottom allowing the sun to peak through for all of about 2 minutes before sinking behind the Drakensberg mountains.
On an afternoon drive, hoping to find the Nkoveni Female, we found these two incredibly calm and lethargic black-backed jackals.
One would imagine this to not be the most comfortable way to rest in a tree; however, the Nkoveni Young Male seemed to think otherwise. He stayed like this for about 2 hours.
Bee-eaters are such fun to try and photograph, thanks mostly to their bright and beautiful colours, but also to their active predictable nature. Often perching on thin branches like this then hawking off to catch an insect and returning back to the same perch.
After remaining rather elusive for about two weeks, we were elated to find the Nhlanguleni Female, thanks to some monkeys’ alarm-calling at her. We followed her for a while before she then hopped up onto this boulder, giving us an incredible view.
I don’t know what it is about giraffes on the airstrip, but every time I see one crossing, I feel compelled to go and take a photo of it. This one was on a cool cloudy and misty morning.
Almost a bit of a comical look for the Maxim’s Male. He had been found in a marula tree with hyenas feeding on a carcass they had stolen from him. He then spent the next hour or so following the hyenas as they dragged the carcass away, and on multiple occasions, he ran after them to try to steal a bit back. Sadly, to no avail. However, this left him rather fatigued and panting, and his tongue hanging out his mouth.
Fig tree
Warming up on the top of a koppie, this klipspringer probably had the most amazing view. I can’t imagine it to have too many worries at this point.
Having been missing from Londolozi for over a month now, this was one of the last photos I took of the Kambula Cubs. Hopefully, we get to see them again soon.
Driving back into camp, this gorgeous Fish Eagle was perched in a dead tree. The moody skies in the background make this all that much more dramatic.
Rolling about trying to deter the flies from biting the gash on the side of his head, this Gijima Male then began grooming. If you look closely, you can see the barbs on his tongue helping comb through his fur, cleaning him.
It is just such an incredible setting this, with the flowing river, the koppies in the background and then the elephants casually walking through the water.
crossing
An ominous stare, this large buffalo bull didn’t take his eyes off of us the entire time we were watching him. The Red-billed Oxpecker, hopping around from one ear to the other, then onto the top of his head, didn’t cause him to break his stare.
Fig tree
The textures and details of elephants allow for so many different photographic opportunities. The wrinkly skin, the scratches on the toenails, you can basically point your camera anywhere at an elephant and get something interesting.
Finding these two Bateleurs perched in this tree, I was hoping that we would find a carcass or something close by that may have drawn them in. But after being with them for a while and searching around the area, we came to the conclusion that they were rather just resting in the tree together for some company. After all, Bateleurs mate for life and so seeing them together is not that uncommon.
Sean Zeederberg
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