I didn’t expect the dogs back early this morning so joined the lions for breakfast, although I just wasn’t able to match their stomachs. All still hugely bloated, they hadn’t finished off their carcass.
It was pointless hanging around those oversized beasts and as the mist came down on Banyini it was the frantic run around again searching for subjects in the mist. Alas there were none forthcoming. My usual dilemma.
But as the sun beamed it’s early morning golden rays through the acacias I found these zebra feeding calmly and their friendly little yellow-billed oxpeckers awakening to irritate their hosts for the day.
Several times through the morning we’d detour via the lions hoping to find change, but no go here!
The elephant herds were to the east of Banyini. We picked up the tail end of them, which just happened to be Spud. He’s in musth and not that happy to see us. As we approached, he charged, ears out and kicking up dust as he came. But it was all a bluff. We followed on after him when suddenly he turned on a 10in diameter mopanie tree and with a glancing blow snapped it like a match stick. “Okay dude, got the message” and we kept our distance till we found the rest of the herd to team up with.
And there was Mandlovu and her family. Chip is looking great and his usual cocky self. Just a little boy!
Moving on to a pan to drink I noticed the elephant with the floppy trunk was drinking. It wasn’t easy for him as his trunk folded each time he lifted it to his mouth, but somehow he’d perfected the way of drinking and was coping just fine, although it did take him a lot longer than the others to drink.
I took to the skies in the afternoon hoping to find the dogs back on our side of the river, but luck wasn’t on my side. They were still a long ways over to the west. Almost where I had them yesterday and again I wasn’t able to get a visual of them.
And so my anxiety grows not knowing if they’re all still there, and and and………
What a lovely light you got to film in. It made for a very realistic peaceful scene. A real treat. I enjoyed seeing the yellow bills up close, too.
Eve
I love the “Golden Colors” and the beautiful sounds of the bush.
Thank you……………
Cheers
What a lovely African morning, the colors you captured are just beautiful. I reminds me of the beautiful mornings I have spent in Africa. Every morning I check your site out Kim it keeps me going for the day. Thank you for all your hard work in letting the world know about a beautiful part of the world
Do you remember Kim, the video of the poor Giraffe practically eaten alive by these oxpeckers? (It’s ingrained on my mind). Before reading in detail about them, I thought they provided an efficient grooming service. But, this was very misleading as I started observing their behaviour…. it reminded me more of starling or corvidae family pattern rather than being like a pilot fish, as an example.
It is not mutualism, but now proven that ox peckers are actually parasites.
However, the dawn photography was beautiful.
After reading through this article, I feel that I need more information on the topic. Could you share some resources ?