And so the gentle drizzle continued all night. And it looked like it would carry on all day but eventually let up around midday.
I took some time out in the rain and went paddling on Malilangwe dam. It’s the best and the hippo are getting so used to me now, they don’t even duck away. At least that way I can keep an eye on them all the time.
Getting out in the afternoon, everywhere was a muddy mess and my access around the reserve was seriously restricted only being able to travel in the sandy areas.
I was sure the elephant would be doing the same as me keeping to the sand, so I was happy to find some tracks but they weren’t that fresh.
It was only shortly before dusk that I found a herd of about 30 individuals. They were pretty chilled out in my presence but not as relaxed as I was used to. These were different elephants to those I normally work with. I didn’t recognise any individuals in the herd, except the bull with his floppy ear.
It’s only the first day after the rains that the elephants go mad digging up Jatropha tubers. A true delicacy for them. And today was no exception. All over the veld were freshly dug hollows and everywhere adults were chewing on the tubers. The smaller elephant aren’t so adept at digging and have to rely on scraps from mom’s bad table manners.
But why do the elephant only dig up the tubers the day or two after the rains? Is it because it’s easier to move the soil when it’s moist or is it that the tuber undergoes some sort of change with the rain making it so much tastier?
Unfortunately us humans can’t taste them ourselves to do the test.
I had to leave the elephants shortly before sunset as a gentle drizzle set in. No doubt it will be here for the night.
I’ve been away the last few days taking the girls back to school. Sad!
But very happy to be back in the bush. In fact I was missing it so much, on arriving back after an 11hour drive, I just had to get out for a late afternoon drive.
Excitedly I was out for an early morning start with the last few days oppressing heat already pounding down soon after sunrise. Then a gentle breeze blew in from the south, and before 8am the clouds came rolling in for an overcast day ending in a gentle drizzle at dusk.
I was keen to pick on the elephants as I hope to spend time with them for the next few weeks. Well the truth is, in the long grass conditions, they’re about the only animal one can see.
There was evidence of them to the north-east but I didn’t have any joy in locating them.
The other animal that seems to be okay with the tall grass conditions are the buffalo and because they move around in fair size herds, the areas they traverse are instantly trampled flat.
But most of the plains game have left their usual grazing grounds and are now concentrated on areas with sparser cover.
The tall grass, often 6ft tall, is not just unpleasant to walk in, it’s really humid in there and provides a great location for predators to ambush their prey. Good reasons to move out.
This little glade of mopane trees next to the road shows how much rain we have had. Even after a few days of dry hot weather, this section of water 6 or more inches deep remains. Getting stuck in the mud is still a worry, the watercourses are still muddy. It bodes well for the year ahead.
The damp earth is prime real estate for fungi and mushroom are all around. I saw these on Banyini under the Chinese lantern trees.
This Three Banded Courser is primarily a nocturnal bird but I have seen them often during the day on Banyini. They feed on insects, especially crickets and beetles, walking slowly and then stabbing at their prey.
Here is a photo from last week which I took while we were filming for a new series. Barend is filming Kim and the girls birdwatching at the pan.
Today was very windy and I caught sight of this European Roller. The wind was ruffling its feathers as it tried to balance on the stick. Unfortunately it just would not turn to let the sun catch those purple and lilac feathers.
As I approached Hwata Pan, I was greeted by the call of a White Faced Duck- weee weee wooo- or something like that! Those familiar with the species will know its distinctive high pitched call. Sure enough, they were there in the pan, bathing.
The terrapins are having a great time with all this rain we have been having. I have seen them making their way across country, from one water source to another. This particular terrapin inhabits a pool close to the road and has become quite used to vehicles. So while the other terrapins dive for cover, he floats, watching the world go by.
The rainy season is tick season and with the ticks come oxpeckers. These specimens are Red-Billed Oxpeckers and although they do eat parasites, they also dine on the blood and flesh around wounds. They can cause infection and definitely cause irritation.
After downloading my photos to the computer, I was amused by the funny face this giraffe had pulled. I hope it gives you a laugh.
It was an extra early start for me. With technical problems I couldn’t get Wildcast up last night, which I meant I had to work on it before dawn.
All done I headed east looking for the lions that had been heard in the area. But with the bush so thick, finding them was all but impossible. Impossible it was today.
I kept heading east hoping to find at least some elephant on the sandveld. I was just about to give up when Tuchem came wandering out the woodlands.
He moved on to a small area with surface water. It all looked rather innocent but when he’d finished with it, he’d churned it up into the muddiest mess imaginable.
Hearing the splashing other bulls came in from different directions not wanting to miss out on the fun.
When Tuchem was done he walked right up to my door, so close I almost poked him in the eye with my lens. He stood there for ages not doing anything and then slowly sauntered off.
What a dude!
Recent Comments