Just to finish off yesterday: After quickly unpacking and showering we were collected and taken to the communal area to enjoy a pre dinner glass of wine. We got chatting to a couple of the other guests who all seem very nice; the 4 who arrived with us are Dad and 2 girls/1 son with ages ranging from 13 to 22. They're American and the politest youths you could wish to meet; interested in everything and engaged with everyone.
As we were sitting around the boma (fire pit) the staff suddenly began to sing, bidding us to the table. Of course my camera and phone were back at the tent so I couldn't record it but it was quite amazing - wonderful singing and African dancing, although to be honest it went on for a little too long!
Dinner was very nice although I can't for the life of me remember what it was.
Wake up call at 0600 with tea/coffee brought to our tent and just time for a quick shower and a quick snap of the view from our little terrace.
Jonah collected us at 0630 and took us the main area where breakfast was on offer, but neither of us were particularly hungry and as it's just us in the truck. Jonah was perfectly happy to set off a little early.
Apparently there are 5 or so elderly buffalo who hang around outside the camps (there are another two quite close by), presumably for safety. There was just one standing around as we drove out this morning.
Not the most handsome specimen I've seen.
We hadn't seen any termite mounds whatsoever in Mashatu but here they are all over the place - the tip always points west so you can confidently navigate by them.
Bearded Woodpecker
Another first -
Green Wood-hoopoe (shame it's a rubbish picture)
Word came over the radio that there were lions hunting so we headed off in search and firstly came across the 3 tiniest giraffe we've ever seen.
It's not until you see the parents though that you realise just how small.
And then out of the bushes came this lioness, her attention fixed firmly on the young giraffe.
Although there was supposedly no off-roading (National Park) we did veer off the track quite a way and follow her, which surprised us rather. Actually there were 4 in total hunting and as usual they split up to cover different directions, she's checking to see where the others are.
Unfortunately as we weren't in a conservancy there are more vehicles around than we are used to (we had been warned of this) and also it seems no limit on the number of trucks around any one sighting. I wasn't very comfortable with this apparent free for all and as the lioness were quite well hidden in the undergrowth I suggested we just move on.
A few random shots as we were driving around.
Fork-tailed Drongo
Little Bee-eater
A marginally less dreadful shot of Red Lechwe
The water is still quite deep in places and we passed a self drive vehicle whose occupants were extremely unsure as to whether they could get through a patch of water. Jonah assured them they could, provided they kept to the left hand side and didn't stop for anything.
We got through very easily thanks to his superb driving and looking back I wonder if they dared try it.
The bird pictures are really suffering on the crop with the lack of MP so I've downloaded a new programme to try and improve the quality - not sure if it works!
Pied Kingfisher - first image is just cropped, 2nd is after running through the new software and cropped again.
Hum, not sure the quality is all that good but perhaps a very black and white subject isn't a good test as it now looks over sharpened.
African Darter and Reed Cormorant
Squacco Heron
Another tract of water I wouldn't have willingly driven through!
More Chacma baboons
This next picture has two ALTs, at the top I'm seeing a rat but Ian sees a deer of some kind and another crocodile below.
Our coffee stop this morning was taken on the gloriously named Dead Tree Island (bet you can't guess why!)
Another massive crop I've upsized - African Spoonbill
White-faced Whistling Ducks
Egyptian Geese (I think)
Showing my ignorance here, but I'd always assumed that Egyptian Geese were so called because they came from Egypt and it wasn't until we were in Kenya in January that I learnt it's because of the markings around the eye which is reminiscent of the pharaohs.
A few more random shots taken as we drove around the island.
Black Shouldered Kite - just look at those amazing eyes
Dreadful shot of a Red Lechwe but I was trying to get it jumping through the marshy water.
African Hoopoe
Jonah saw me photographing this seed head and asked me if I knew what it was and, to his amazement, I did - Leonitis leonurus. Internet image showing the plant in flower. I wish I'd collected some seed heads to smuggle home (only joking, I know the perils of introducing alien species).
An unusually dull looking Hadada Ibis - their coats are normally a beautiful glossy, reflective green.
Just look at its eyelashes.
This beautiful bird is a Burchell's Starling (still with the dark eye but a smaller tail than Meve's)
I don't really know why I took this rear view of a string of Vervet Monkeys, something about the way they were all lined up I think.
As one of them turned away there was a suddenly flash of something electric blue.
We saw Vervets only yesterday afternoon, as well as on numerous other occasions over the 4 safaris we've done, so how come this is the first time I've noticed bright BLUE BALLS?
I told Jonah from now on my quest for our remaining two drives with him is to get the perfect shot of a male Vervet's private parts. But until then a few more of a cute youngsters.
What gorgeous bokeh
You'd think I'd have got over the fact that there's always a branch in the wrong place, wouldn't you? I know I could spend an age cloning it out, but it still makes me so mad as to the frequency it happens!
No idea why I took this, but it's a beautiful tree - maybe if I look at it long enough I'll spot an elusive leopard 😀
Heading back to camp for lunch and having not seen many animals all morning, suddenly they were all around us.
Do you see what I mean about my elephants turning blue?
I make no secret of my love of zebras and I've never yet got the perfect shot, although I'm not sure what my perfect shot is. Maybe I need to be braver with my cropping (and branch removal).
Maybe an AoA contender
Bit of a long post considering we didn't really see much and no anecdotes to recount.
