This is the seventh of the ten promised Zimanga photography blogs.
This Pied Kingfisher image was taken with late afternoon light at the Lagoon Hide on Zimanga Private Game Reserve.
More Zimanga images at https://sperka.info/2015/07/22/reflection-plus-zimanga/
We saw the Thanda Cheetah mum today with her two cubs. Both of the cubs have grown a lot and are looking very healthy – they look like real Cheetah now 🙂 – What a sighting!
During the same game drive I got my first picture of a Pygmy Kingfisher and we had sightings of our two male Cheetah, three Lions and two Spotted Hyena feeding on a kill.
One of the Thanda guests was very surprised when this Brown-hooded Kingfisher did not fly off when we approach but kept sitting on its branch almost to “touching-distance”.
These small birds are usually not to tolerant to vehicle approaches, but this specimen did not care. Thanks for the great photo opportunity :-).
While I was in the Lowveld for my training course I spent a few hours at Lake Panic in the Kruger National Park.
Besides many good bird shots I took a series of pictures of mating Hippos. Because of their size/weight they mate in the water. For most of the mating time one sees only the male but in the quite lengthy process the female occasionally surfaces to get some air.
My favorite lake panic bird picture is of a Malachite Kingfisher returning from fishing. I also got images of a Brown-hooded Kingfisher, a Woodland Kingfisher and a Pied Kingfisher. A good Kingfisher day!
On the way to Lake Panic I passed the Sabi River. This Elephant bull almost disappeared in the high grass along the river bank.
I enjoyed the Sabi Sands, Kruger and Lake Panic!
… and I am back home at Thanda 🙂 …
When we were looking for Rhinos in the South of Thanda Private Game Reserve we came across some very rare guests.
A few Woodland Kingfisher were displaying to one another in the Fever Trees along the Mduna River.
A little later found a female White Rhinoceros and her calf and ended the game drive with gin&tonics – enjoying a beautiful summer evening in the bush!
Thanda Private Game Reserve is well known for its excellent game viewing. The Super Seven (Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, African Wild Dog, Black and White Rhino, African Elephant and Cape Buffalo) are spotted regularly. And as you know I publish many pictures of these magnificent creatures.
But especially in the summer season there are also many birds to be seen. Here is a small selection of bird pictures (African Hoopoe, Little Bee-eater, Violet-backed Starling, Fork-tailed Drongo, Village Weaver, Brown-hooded Kingfisher) . I will post more pictures for the birders among you over the summer month 🙂
This morning I spent a few hours at Panic Dam in the Kruger National Park, before the start of second Trails Guiding Course in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve.
My favorite picture of the day is of a Pied Kingfisher taking a bath. I also caught him with a fish in his beak.
It was great to spend a few hours at the hide without rushing around and without assessments 🙂
I will be very busy the next few days preparing for my theoretical trails guiding exam. So there may not be as many blog messages as usual until next week.
I spent my Sunday in one of the many Kwazulu Natal Parks. Mkuze Game Reserve is one of the smaller parks well known for its birds (It’s entrance is only 40 minutes from Thanda).
I had a look at all hides at the waterholes and at the large dam on the reserve. I got pictures of many bird species and also a lot of pictures of general game (e.g. Wildebeest, Zebra, Impala, Nyala and Warthogs).
The bird I chose for this blog message is a Pied Kingfisher. This bird hovers over the water until it sees its prey (fish) and then dives into the water.
The mammal picture I chose for this message is of a yawning (laughing 🙂 Zebra.
Have a good week!
I took this picture of a Brown-hooded Kingfisher while I was sitting at the desk in my new “South African Bush Office”.
The room is quite spacious for all the computer and photography gear I brought with me and all my the stuff that will arrive by sea freight sometime in July.
Below are also pictures of the outside of Thanda House and of my office.
Christian Sperka Photography | Custom Luxury Tours 