Brendon Shares his Day:
(Images from Back of Brendon’s Camera)
It was really exciting to see everyone as they arrived in time for lunch for our first Elephant Plains Safari for 2017. After getting to know one another and then a quick briefing, and with expectation levels running high, we were more than ready to get started on our first game drive.
The bush looks wonderful and green – quite splendid, in fact, after all those rains. The lush, long grass does add some extra challenges for photography, but that is compensated for by the sheer beauty all around.
First of all, and almost immediately, we found a pack of fifteen Wild Dogs. They were lying around in the long grass, so not in a position for phenomenal photography, but as a first sighting – Wow!
Next we saw some very handsome kudu bulls, and plenty of general game like zebras and very aloof giraffes.
Then we spotted some fairly fresh lion tracks and followed these until we received a call to inform us that Tiyane (Salayexe’s cub) had been spotted, so we hastened to that area. The beautiful young leopard was walking around in the open before she went to lie on a termite mound. The light at this stage was warm, and glowing with that late afternoon golden tinge to it.
This ensured that our photos were real treasures. We spent a superb time with the lovely young lady …
Eventually we left and returned to the lion tracks, and soon after we caught up with the tracks again we found a young lioness lying in the grass. Our cameras filled quickly as she lasy there in the gathering darkness. When it was dark enough we used the spotlights to capture some silhouette shots, back-lit shots and portraits of her in the dark. Then the lioness started to move around.
And suddenly, who was this? Tiyane! Tiyane immediately saw the lioness, but the lioness was unaware of Tiyane’s presence. We held our breath, waiting to see what would happen next. But Tiyane took evasive action, and shot up a tree while the lioness walked along without breaking her stride or looking around at all.
We stopped to photograph Tiyane while she lurked up in the tree. She remained there until satisfied that the lioness was no longer anywhere nearby. Only then did she come down from the tree to slink silently and rapidly into the nearby thickets.
So after our action – packed afternoon, we are back at the Lodge, enjoying our pre-dinner drinks and ready for our dinner under the stars while we recap our day and gloat over our hoard of images that we have already collected.
Maybe we will start the morning with a search for Salayexe …
