Having just passed the Winter Solstice, the Sun has already begun its southward journey from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn. Where it will appear to move across the sky in a spiral circle, widening each day until it reaches its destiny on December 21st.
I find it hard to believe how fast the seasons go by sometimes. However, we are still very much nestled within the heart of Winter, with a while still to go. But it does all become one big beautiful blur to me, with an incredible array of unforgettable moments strewn across it that punctuate the weeks and days.
There were many lovely sightings of the big cats this week. We were particularly more focused on photographing leopards. The Nkoveni Female and the Three Rivers Female, who both have cubs, have taken centre stage from a photographic point of view. They have both been providing some truly special moments and some awesome photographic opportunities. We were incredibly lucky to have spent a lot of time with these leopards this week.
We saw a few large herds of buffalo and plenty of herds of elephants, who are all drawn into the area this time of year. The water and greenery maintain a constant presence along the Sand River throughout the dry season, which is a big attraction for many animals. A first for me this week was seeing the Styx breakaway pride, which consists of two young lionesses and a young male. Sightings of them seem to be becoming more frequent across the southernmost reaches of the reserve.
We were also fortunate to have had a great sighting of the Kambula pride, and ended up following them for a couple hours. This was a particularly chilly morning, which presented some great photographic opportunities.
It also goes without saying that the sunrises and sunsets are always so magical. Photos simply can’t do them any justice. The soft sunlight during the winter is very forgiving, and makes wildlife photography an absolute pleasure.
Let me know which one of the following photos you like most.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
I have seen this female Western Barn Owl here on a couple of occasions. About 8 weeks ago we saw her feeding her chicks from the cavity below where she is perched atop this old dead leadwood tree.
The beautiful young male cub of the Nkoveni Female gets up onto a fallen Marula tree in the late afternoon to have a look at something in the distance.
A very large herd of buffalo, perhaps over 700 of them, made their way to a big pan for an afternoon drink. One of the bulls used the opportunity to almost completely cover himself in mud. This will help to suffocate and encase all the ticks and other little parasites across his body, which he can then later rub off once the mud dries.
Early one morning we were searching for the Nkoveni Female and her cubs. After about an hour we decided to drive alongside one of the ravines that she has been seen keeping the cubs. This is exactly how we found them, huddled up together waiting out the cold. Patiently anticipating their mother’s return.
A lovely sighting of a Black-winged Stilt along the Sand River. Proportionally speaking, these little wading birds have the longest legs of any bird species in the world.
A classic staple of almost every morning game drive in the winter. Beautiful sunrises. A great opportunity to switch the vehicle off and simply enjoy the present moment.
The Nkoveni Female’s male cub rests on a large fallen Marula tree. He went through brief intervals of dosing off after a long afternoon of play with his sister.
Another great sighting of the inquisitive Nottens Male. He arrived on the scene to investigate a few vultures who descended on some of the nearby trees where a few young lions had taken down a big buffalo along the banks of the Sand River.
The Three Rivers Female’s cub gently plays with her mother’s tail.
After spending hours alone in hiding, the Three Rivers Female’s cub plays with her mother. To watch a mother leopard bond with her cub is truly is one of the most special sightings one could wish to see.
One of the younger cubs from the Kambula pride surrounded by some of the older cubs. It is incredible to see how well these cubs are doing and how fast they are growing.
The Styx Young Male returns to the buffalo carcass for his next meal after a long nap on the cool, wet sand along the riverbed.
Once again, playtime resumes after a short nap. The Nkoveni Female’s cubs are very lucky to have one another. As they play together, these youngsters will learn valuable skills and build useful muscle memory which they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Matt Rochford
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