Yippppppeeeeeeeee!!!
I think that explains it all. Yes my feelings at being back in the bush.
My stay away was extended with my appendix deciding to run wild, but I’m fully recovered now and spent today in the field after arriving back last night.
The bush has dried up considerably since I’ve been away as very little rain has fallen. This is unusual as this time of year is usually our wettest. But having had such a good early season, it looks like we’re in for a long dry season.
The airstrip was living up to its usual style with all its inhabitants, giraffe, zebra, impala and jackal still there.
Banyini had little in the way of mammals but the millions of Quelea made up for that as they descended to drink at the pan. They kept coming and going all day.
Some colonies are still bustling with chicks. But the colony that had just laid their first egg when I left have already fledged their chicks. They don’t hang around and get the chicks out the nest as fast as possible. 21 days from egg to fledgling. The fastest breeding bird on the planet!
Those still feeding chicks collect bills full of seed and then have to mix this with water to take back to feed their chicks, which is why there is constant activity at the waterholes.
With so many thousands of birds descending on the water at the same time these poor White-faced ducks were rather overwhelmed and just not sure how to handle this new pest on their turf.
As stunning as I always find it watching so many hundreds of thousands of birds coming in to drink, I had to move on today. I wanted to see what was happening all over the reserve.
To the east of Chivi I found my first elephant. It was a cow and without hesitation she came straight to the car, bent forward and pushed my bull bar. It was the one and only One-Tusk! And I was beside myself. To be away for 3 weeks and the first elephant I see greets me like that is truly the most awesome awesome feeling. It was a true hello.
And even more exciting, is her oldest calf has just had her first baby. Such a cool little fellow.
Some younger bulls were in the pan having their own fun. This was where I really wanted to be too! (Having just come from the snow in New York, the water was very tempting in today’s heat.)
So the elephant did it again for me. Welcomed me home and made me realise why I do so love what I do.
Wow, just can’t wait to get out there again tomorrow!
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