African wildlife adventures live from the bush
I don’t know what that guys doing floating in space.
The women carrying a basket on her head, which is a very common African thing to do, is an unusual painting to find. I really like it. (Even today rural people can often be found balancing things on their heads as a means of carrying them. At times these items are really heavy, like a 20litre container full of water. And they can carry that for a kilometre or more)
31st March 2000
We had tracks of male and female leopard leopards near Rocky crossing heading west. These were presumably Tjololo and the White-cloth Female following a similar route to a couple of weeks ago. The roads to the west of Rocky crossing are very waterlogged with no way of us following up.
Otherwise a non-eventful night. The herd of buffalo, now safely out of Tjololo’s territory, were boasting many new calves.
After spending a great day out yesterday I was again desk bound today with technology problems. (And so the reason why the video clip didn’t go up yesterday. So 2 clips today)
Anyway all seems to be sorted and back on track.
The day started off overcast and the clouds just kept coming in lower and lower. As threatening as they looked they didn’t deposit much rain, but more rain is forecast over the next few days.
Hunter with his bow and arrows?
Tall slender lady or some trance imagination?
30th March 2000
At last we were able to spend some considerable time with Tjololo again. But he was playing hard to get. The White-cloth Female was again throwing herself all over him, which didn’t help his temper as his retaliation was often harsh and all she could do was roll on her back in submission. They slept for most of the night, or rather Tjololo did, but whenever he showed any signs of being awake she took the opportunity to launch another attack of passion, but she was always aggressively re-buffed.
By dawn Tjololo was already halfway south in his territory and the White-cloth Female hot on his heels now way out of her territory. We wonder when Tjololo’s going to call a truce. Looks like we’ll have to start chanting “We want cubs!”
It was great to be out in the bush for most of the day again.
Stuck in an office is such a false experience even if it is in the bush. Being out in the field in that heat and dust and just feeling it is what it’s all about. Golly, but I’m spoilt!!!
The elephant herds seem to be split up right across the property. There was fresh evidence of a fair number of them at Nduna dam.
At Bandama, which has all but dried up now, a couple of bulls were sucking up the last remains while being careful not to get themselves stuck in the mud.
And then I was lucky to find Mandlovu and her family at Chekwa pan. They’re all well. Chipfongwe is such a little dude. It wasn’t hot enough for them to go wild in the pan but they spent quite some time quenching their thirst.
The Quelea were at it again at the little pan in their huge numbers. And several Hammerkops have taken up residence at the pan too as it dries up. They’re taking advantage of the frogs and other little water creatures that become concentrated in the last remaining water.
At Nduna dam I was watching flocks of Quelea coming in to drink. A Fish Eagle came swooping down towards a flock, but they dashed out the way long before the eagle got near them. It wasn’t after the flock. A straggler that had got waterlogged while hovering and trying to drink was scooped up in the eagle’s talons.
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