Last nights frogging expedition turned out to be a successful one, with five different species being spotted. Kim’s daughters, Penny and Lindy, were so excited about wading into Banyini pan that they dragged their other friends in with them. As you wade into the crotch deep mud it gets difficult to balance, it’s like being in a huge bowl of sloppy pancake mix… except its mud.
This morning I was hating the spider webs that get constructed right in the middle of the road, when you drive through those suckers it is like driving through someone’s fishing line! I was almost decapitated by one yesterday – not a word of a lie. So immediately I thought, “these guys are begging to be wildcasted.” I spent a bit of time today seeking out different spiders and ended up back at Banyini pan where I spotted two African Spoonbills sifting through the same waters we had stirred up last night.
They were having a feast of frogs. The pan was packed with Zebras that were a little more playful than usual. With little wildlife activity, I drove through the Mopane forest along the Chiredzi River to identify some bird life.
On two separate sightings I witnessed the Great Spotted Cuckoo trying to take over the nest of a Starling. There is just so much to learn about out here in the bush… brain overload, something new everyday as they say.
A few modifications to “Dozer” my 4 x 4, and we were able to take the legendary “Outlaws” (Bloggers on the website) out on the drive yesterday afternoon. They are in fact the in-laws and it is wonderful to have them out here on Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve. We set out to find the dogs where I had left them in the morning, they were still there and still very sleepy. After yawning and stretching the sleeping sickness out, they came back to life. Playing with each other was not enough to keep these pups occupied, so the male and female took them on a walk about. The dogs went tearing off after a Red Hartebeest even though they are too big for the dogs to take down. They just love messing animals around for the sport of it. One of their favourites is to mess around with the zebras, they are too big for the dogs to kill and the zebras know it, but they just love the conflict.
After the zebras, that still was not enough and across a small ravine was a crash of Rhino! Wonderful to see, there were five or six of them and the dogs just had to rev them up a bit. Anyway, no harm done and all in the name of fun, we left the dogs at sundown.
Manyari was back up in the hills last night and this morning she was in the exact same hill, just no way to get to her. I hope she is still fine, it doesn’t seem she has moved a muscle. Maybe she is finally going to have those cubs we have been hoping for. This mornings drive was not too fruitful with a light drizzle every now and then. I did my regular river drive-by hoping to get a hit, but things were quiet.
We still can’t catch any hyena action, Sosigi is normally the spot for that, but I will keep trying. With the cloudy weather, there’s no sun to beat down and draw the animals to the watering holes. I managed to pick up some footage on some Impalas giving it horns, which looked like a practice run more than anything. Tonight… we go frogging!
The sun was beginning to set and I was itching to see if we would have any Hyaena action at the Buffalo kill. There were Hyaena tracks circling the area yesterday morning, but it seemed they were a bit weary to go into the thick bush with the Lions around.
Well, we got to the Buffalo to find a flock of vultures waiting to have a go at the carcass, I don’t know what they were waiting for because there was no sign of the lions – a little odd, and there were no Hyaena.
This morning I inspected Sosigi Dam for any activity, and then I got a message relayed to me about the position of the Wild Dogs. So, from one side of the reserve to the other, I went in search of the dogs. The whole area around Bandama pan and Chibi is still full of little marshlands and the roads haven’t been used there for a few weeks. Circling in like an Eagle on its prey, I narrowed the gap between the dogs and I. When I had a lock on the dogs I took a chance through some dodgy looking ravine and found them chilling under some small Mopane trees. I followed suite and relaxed with them for a good hour before they got a little inquisitive and playful – that’s the dogs for you, they are pure eat, sleep and play.
I left the dogs to take it easy for all those out there who had work to do. Along the eastern fence line I found an Impala with his leg stuck in the fence, so carefully I had to find the wire holding him and give it the chop. I don’t know how long he was there for, but he limped off with his leg unable to bend – that was my Good Samaritan task for the day.
I’ve been quite fired up by the enthusiasm of the “Bundu Boys”, Jono and Garry from the Big 5 Challenge, who are on the property at the moment. Every little insect must get explored and every bird species identified.
I must also mention that it was Kim’s birthday party last night. This was a very civilized braai, or barbeque if you like, set up in the bush on a hill – what a grand occasion!
I managed to get some footage on a species of thread-waisted wasps, which hunt caterpillars and drag them to their nests in the ground. I don’t want say too much to give it away, so watch the movie clip. Every part of creation is just so meticulously designed, an undeniable masterpiece!
This morning my wife and I were out at 5:30 am after getting home after 2 am – talk about commitment. We headed down to Nyari pan and found two big old bull elephants. It’s great to be seeing the elephants more often. Banyini pan proved to deliver when the impala congregated on the huge anthill to chase off a Black-backed Jackal. Two male Impala then proceeded to spar and test each others strength.
Time to check up on the Buffalo kill, only to find Manyari in the exact same spot more than 24 hours later! The maggots are starting to take over the buffalo carcass and the stench is paralyzing.
It was time to head back, but blocking the road was a Mozambique Spitting Cobra. There was no slowing down for this big guy and before he could rear up fully he had to take cover. It’s the end of another week and its time to recuperate.
After pulling myself out of a “coma” this morning, I’ve realized what a good nights sleep can do for a person.
I headed for Banyini pan and had a chilled morning observing the bird life. There is so much activity from African Jacanas, Blacksmith Lapwing (Plover), and Wood Sandpiper to Pied Kingfishers.
When you park in one place for a while, you kind of become part of the surroundings and life in the bush carries on as normal. Two male impalas were comfortable enough to be having a match up, although it seemed it was more of a practice run than anything.
Back to the Buffalo kill and Manyari was so fat that she could hardly breathe again. Late yesterday afternoon, Magwaza had come down to help rip the carcass apart. It is now minus all the entrails and the entire area has that familiar putrid stench. Manyari has taken cover some hundred meters away under a low hanging acacia tree, I don’t think she could move if she wanted to.
At sunset yesterday we caught up with Kim following the Dogs heading south, it’s impossible to stick with them through the Mopani Trees so we let them carry on.
Hwata pan has been an area of neglect due to its accessibility, but after two days break from heavy rains, I wanted to give it a try. Hwata pan was quiet apart from a Black Rhino on route. I continued letting the birding day unfold and enjoyed much activity.
I set out this morning wanting to cover some distance and get a lock on those dogs; however, I was sidetracked when I picked up Manyari’s signal. She was roaring yesterday at sunset and we could hear her from our house just up from Malilangwe dam. I had seen her tracks coming out of the hills, but only to find her going into some dense vegetation. It is difficult to tell just how thick and accessible the forest actually is. Anyway, if you’re getting to know me, you’ll know what I was thinking, “Oh well, let’s just do it.”
I had not gone 500 meters and found Manyari on a Buffalo kill. She hadn’t even begun feeding on the large buffalo cow and Manyari was panting like she had just finished suffocating it. No sign of the males and Manyari was still looking pretty full – hey, these lions are doing their own thing!
One last swing past Banyini and Nyari Pan was the order of the day, to let the photos tell the story and I’m hoping to catch the wild dogs later in the afternoon.
Kim found the dogs resting in the hills earlier in the day. Kim is enjoying a few days off, but one can’t seem to keep him out of the bush!
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