This afternoon we had some winter rain. Despite the unusual wet weather for this season the Thanda guests enjoyed great game drives with Elephant bulls, a herd of Buffalo and this young Giraffe (in Zebra company).
Center Focus!
We were the center of focus for this young male Lion when we watched him and his family feeding on a Wildebeest kill. The Thanda guests on my vehicle enjoyed the attention!
Across a valley!
This morning we spotted Thanda’s herd of Elephants in a remote area of the reserve. We watched from top of a hill as they faded in and out of the trees. After the herd had gone by Thanda’s two largest Elephant bulls were making their way across the valley.
Not only the closeup sighting can be magnificent!
Close up and personal!
Thanda guests often have fabulous Lion sightings. This morning the North Pride was resting on the savanna before continuing their walk to a near waterhole. They came close up and personal to one of our game drive vehicles. A thrilling moment for any safari guest!
Not always the five!
Sometimes your best sighting of the day is not one of the big five. Today was such a day. As beautiful and exciting as the Rhino, Buffalo and Cheetah sightings were, seeing this African Harrier Hawk flying from tree to tree and looking for nests was very special.
The Thanda guests enjoyed watching this raptor concentrating on his afternoon hunt (and almost giving some Guinea Fowls a heart attack in the process :-)).
One more way to fight …
Fight Rhino Poaching from the Air!
ZAP-Wing is a partnership between the provincial conservation agency Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Project Rhino KZN. 24 game reserves (300,000ha) in northern KwaZulu-Natal currently benefit from daily aerial surveillance and reaction support; over 3,000 rhino are under the ZAP-Wing watch.
Thanda supports the organization and the reserve is covered by the ZAP-Wing.
Watch the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YY883N2d-Og),
check out the website (www.zapwing.org),
and support the fight for Rhinos!
Pakamisa
On Saturday and Sunday I was invited to a game reserve near Pongola named Pakamisa. This very special place specializes in exploring the African bush on horseback (for more information go to www.pakamisa.co.za).
I enjoy taking pictures of these beautiful horses in action. The really good news for me is that they recently got a new horse, which will be able to take my weight. I am looking forward to my first time on a horse 🙂
A very lucky day!
This morning’s game drive on Ithala was excellent.
First I saw a lot of Baboons on a newly burned area …
… the I got some great shots of a Secretary Bird …
… and finally I found a small breeding herd of Elephants near one of the waterholes …
… and as per Ithala rule I kept my distance (over 30 meters from the herd). But one cow did not like me looking at all and chased me down the road. She was quite serious in her attack (ears back, trunk rolled up, so sound and fast takeoff). While driving with my left hand and watching her in the mirror I took a picture with my point and shoot camera out of the window at 40 kph…
An exciting morning at Ithala. I will be back!
A quiet evening drive!
Today’s evening game drive on Ithala was rather quiet. Besides the usual suspects (Zebra, Wildebeest, Kudu and Warthog) I got some funny images of a female Ostrich and when I got back to my room at the camp a Bushbuck was eyeing me for a while before disappearing into the bush.
Now I am off to dinner after a lot of driving 🙂
New, funny, harassed, well light and rocky!
A good morning drive on Ithala. I encountered …
… a new species (for me :-)): An antelope named Tsessebe, which I have never seen before.
… two Secretary birds with their funny walk across a burned area.
… a Tawny Eagle who was harassed by a Black-shouldered Kite.
… a well light scene at sunrise with Zebra and Wildebeest.
… and an exciting drive on a very rocky 4×4 trail.
Let’s see what the afternoon will bring!
Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 