BLOG - Landscapes
A Week during the Emerald Season
14th January 2012 - 0 comments
14th January 2012 - 0 comments
I've had my family and godparents staying for the last 6 days, and it's been a great week! When the rains came early in October, I feared that a January visit would be a complete wash-out; impassable roads, thick bush, endless bugs, sticky mud and very little game.
How wrong I was. We've enjoyed cool, cloudy days with sunny spells, and game viewing to rival a week in the dry season.
Here are some of the highlights, all against the backdrop of carpets of green grass and endless wildflowers.
After carrying their unborn lambs throughout the dry season, and losing condition as a result, Impala ewes are rapidly putting on weight.
The partly inundated grasslands are perfect hunting grounds for Black-headed Herons who feed largely on insects and frogs.
The Elephants are stuffing their faces.....
.....and the Puku calves look healthy and fat.
The predators are making the most of the time of plenty, rearing their young while the food-stocks are abundant. This Lionness is lactating heavily and had cubs concealed in a nearby thicket.
As it grew dark, four Lionnesses stirred from their day's slumber and began to look more alert. We watched as they rose, completed evening ablutions and began to hunt.
In the late afternoon, we watched these 10 week old cubs playing on the sand across the river from us.
Leopards make use of the vast number of young antelope on the plains, often showing distended bellies after a good feed.
During the journey down to Bushcamps, we found Sharpe's Grysbok up in the hills above the Valley floor.
And, as always in Africa, there are bright colours whereever you look. This Malachite Kingfisher is just 12cms tall, and hunts tiny fish in the seasonal lagoons.
And of course, there were lovely rainy-season sunsets - there's nothing better.
How wrong I was. We've enjoyed cool, cloudy days with sunny spells, and game viewing to rival a week in the dry season.
Here are some of the highlights, all against the backdrop of carpets of green grass and endless wildflowers.
After carrying their unborn lambs throughout the dry season, and losing condition as a result, Impala ewes are rapidly putting on weight.
The partly inundated grasslands are perfect hunting grounds for Black-headed Herons who feed largely on insects and frogs.
The Elephants are stuffing their faces.....
.....and the Puku calves look healthy and fat.
The predators are making the most of the time of plenty, rearing their young while the food-stocks are abundant. This Lionness is lactating heavily and had cubs concealed in a nearby thicket.
As it grew dark, four Lionnesses stirred from their day's slumber and began to look more alert. We watched as they rose, completed evening ablutions and began to hunt.
In the late afternoon, we watched these 10 week old cubs playing on the sand across the river from us.
Leopards make use of the vast number of young antelope on the plains, often showing distended bellies after a good feed.
During the journey down to Bushcamps, we found Sharpe's Grysbok up in the hills above the Valley floor.
And, as always in Africa, there are bright colours whereever you look. This Malachite Kingfisher is just 12cms tall, and hunts tiny fish in the seasonal lagoons.
And of course, there were lovely rainy-season sunsets - there's nothing better.
Golden Elephants
25th October 2011 - 0 comments
25th October 2011 - 0 comments
In: Landscapes, Mammals
Sitting in a vehicle overlooking the river as the sun goes down is a truly Africa experience. Especially when a small family of elephants comes to complete the scene.
Kasanka & Bangweulu
29th June 2011 - 0 comments
29th June 2011 - 0 comments
A friend and I just enjoyed a fantastic trip up the Great North Road to Kasanka NP and Bangweulu Swamps. While both areas are famous for their birdlife, Kasanka is also home to the world's most visible popuation of the shy Sitatunga antelope, and the plains surrounding the Bangweulu swamps provide grazing for 100,000 Black Lechwe.
The birdlife at Kasanka is astonishing, and we didn't have to try too hard to see lots of new species, as well as large numbers of species that are much rarer down here on the Valley floor. Bohm's bee-eater was a new one, although they seemed to be restricted to a stand of Red Mahoganies along the Kasanka river.
We were also lucky to see the famous Shoebill, although in the distance. Much better sightings were to follow in Bangweulu.
Heading along the bumpy road that leads to the swamps, we came across Lake Waka Waka which is a little gem in an otherwise dry, barren patch of miombo woodland. The name means 'something shiny' in Bemba and it certainly lives up to that name.
Endlessly we followed the dry dirt track, wondering when it would end, until finally, we burst out onto the open plains of Chikuni and were met with an unbelieveable sight. As far as the eye can see, on all sides, Black Lechwe feed on the closely cropped grass. No wide angle lens can do justice to that view.
Out into the swamps on the first morning, we were lucky and got a tip from a fisherman that there was a Shoebill nearby. Approaching slowly over a couple of hours, we managed to get in very close and enjoy this bizzare sight.
Early morning mists on the swamps were particularly beautiful and especially on the day we left, when I just managed to get a shot of some Red Billed Teal landing on the water against the rising sun.
The birdlife at Kasanka is astonishing, and we didn't have to try too hard to see lots of new species, as well as large numbers of species that are much rarer down here on the Valley floor. Bohm's bee-eater was a new one, although they seemed to be restricted to a stand of Red Mahoganies along the Kasanka river.
We were also lucky to see the famous Shoebill, although in the distance. Much better sightings were to follow in Bangweulu.
Heading along the bumpy road that leads to the swamps, we came across Lake Waka Waka which is a little gem in an otherwise dry, barren patch of miombo woodland. The name means 'something shiny' in Bemba and it certainly lives up to that name.
Endlessly we followed the dry dirt track, wondering when it would end, until finally, we burst out onto the open plains of Chikuni and were met with an unbelieveable sight. As far as the eye can see, on all sides, Black Lechwe feed on the closely cropped grass. No wide angle lens can do justice to that view.
Out into the swamps on the first morning, we were lucky and got a tip from a fisherman that there was a Shoebill nearby. Approaching slowly over a couple of hours, we managed to get in very close and enjoy this bizzare sight.
Early morning mists on the swamps were particularly beautiful and especially on the day we left, when I just managed to get a shot of some Red Billed Teal landing on the water against the rising sun.
Still Raining
28th March 2011 - 0 comments
28th March 2011 - 0 comments
Even at the end of March, it's still raining heavily several days a week. I don't mind too much as the showers bring a freshness to the air which has disappeared after a couple of days of hot sunshine.
The leaden black skies look stunning as a backdrop to the fresh greenery all around. Birds are mating, insects are at their peak, and the park is lush and green.
This Grey Lourie was enjoying the morning sun after a wet night.
And this Citrus Swallowtail sat drying its wings long enough for me to compose a photo.
And then it rained again. Big, fat, heavy, wetting droplets which thud on the brim of your hat, and soak everything in a matter of seconds!
The leaden black skies look stunning as a backdrop to the fresh greenery all around. Birds are mating, insects are at their peak, and the park is lush and green.
This Grey Lourie was enjoying the morning sun after a wet night.
And this Citrus Swallowtail sat drying its wings long enough for me to compose a photo.
And then it rained again. Big, fat, heavy, wetting droplets which thud on the brim of your hat, and soak everything in a matter of seconds!
Moonlit night
15th March 2011 - 0 comments
15th March 2011 - 0 comments
In: Landscapes
I came across this photo when I was going through some old images. Not too sure why, but I quite like it!
