It was certainly cold last night and we were grateful for the bush babies (as hot water bottles are known locally) in our bed. We're not used to blankets though and they were very, very heavy so we both struggled with sleep, additionally the trip to the outside loo was a bit of a shock to the system.
Daniel called out to us at 0600 although we were already awake and we braved a quick shower - plenty of hot water but it was bl**dy freezing outside at that time of the morning so I don't think I'll do that again. Whilst I wasn't impressed with Virgin's PJs I was very glad to wear the bottoms as an extra layer under my lightweight trousers along with two pairs of socks, t-shirt, hoodie, fleece, lightweight down jacket and finally my Barbour jacket. Barely able to move we then headed for the main area and although there was fresh fruit and/or porridge on offer we both settled for just tea/coffee and biscuits/muffins.
Fortunately we had more hot water bottles and blankets in the truck as it was jolly cold as we set off. This camp's policy is 6 to a truck but this morning obviously it's just us, although a Chinese gentleman arrives today and will most likely join us mid-drive, which we're more than happy with.
Even this Lilac Breasted Roller looks puffed up against the cold.
One of the downsides of the new camera is its lack of MP which, coupled with being full frame, means I could well struggle to get images large enough to print, especially of small birds.
Crimson-breasted Shrike
Another LBR but how quickly the light has changed, the soft glow of early morning sunshine gone already.
Having been in the game laden Olare Motorogi Conservancy in Kenya only a few months ago, there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of wildlife around but then again this reserve is twice the size. Also it is the middle of winter so maybe a lot of animals have headed somewhere warmer. These 3 birds were the only photos I took in the first hour.
We'd had the usual conversation with Daniel over dinner last night (guides dine with guests at all meals) about what we'd like to see and of course we said anything and everything but especially Pangolin (always raises a laugh) and a Dung Beetle but apparently it's too cold for either - it's also too cold for to find leopards lying up trees - so it quickly became a standing joke that any type of animal and/or its behaviour that we mentioned we couldn't see as it's winter.
But there is a healthy leopard population in the area and Daniel found for us a female with 3/4 month old twins, a boy and a girl. Only the female cub was around and Daniel mentioned that the male hadn't been seen for a couple of days and the guides were fearful something had happened to it. As usual they were half under the bushes so not very clear shots.
The cub was feeding when we first arrived.
But she soon ran off to chase some birds in a nearby tree, leaving Mum to preen herself.
But kept coming back to annoy her.
Who needs toys when you have a tail that can entertain as well as hers can.
Whether she heard a noise or what we don't know, but suddenly she was up and off, dropping her body into stalking mode.
The cub initially scampered after her but she must have told it to go back to the safety of the bushes and wait for her.
We followed her for about 5 minutes along a dry stream and Daniel said he thought she was probably looking for the other cub - who they'd actually named Culvert as he was born in the gulley. There are some brick structures to do with the piping system and one thought is that the cub could have fallen into one. He wouldn't have drowned as there's no water in them but could have got stuck and been unable to get out; apparently a couple of the other guides had looked but couldn't see anything down it. Another possibility was that he had been killed by another (male) leopard who would kill for fun and also so that the female would come back into oestrus if she lost her cubs and therefore be receptive to mate with him.
She clearly had similar thoughts about where he could be.
She picked up a scent.
And disappeared round the other side of the bunker for a short while before re-emerging. It was a sad sight and Daniel said the male leopard was definitely the culprit.
Apparently she was taking the body back to show his twin and thereafter might eat it.
I know it's nature but I felt rather sad at the loss of such beautiful creature, then I remembered just how many deaths of equally handsome animals (zebra, baby elephant/giraffe, wildebeest etc) he would have been responsible for had he lived.
Moving on, a couple of bee eaters - White Fronted and Little respectively.
Daniel found us a beautiful place to stop for our morning coffee/tea, overlooking a dry riverbed with elephants in the distance.
Iphraim doing the honours.
There were quite a few Meve's Starlings bobbing around (as I've already mentioned, the dark eye distinguishes it from most glossy blue starlings).
I wish I hadn't clip her wing - reminds me of a flamboyant flamenco dancer.
The elephants finished their drinking and wandered off.
A few more random sightings as we drove around.
Grey Heron
Male Impala with oxpeckers (don't usually see them on these)
Male Ostrich (I don't think we saw one female).
And finally just near camp an unusually large Journey of Giraffe (Journey when moving, Tower when stationary) - Iphraim counted 23 in total.
They really are such comical creatures.
