Monthly Archive for April, 2009

Typical African Silhouettes: Video

Published

on April 18, 2009

. 4 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blog, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, clothes, conservation, documentary, education, elephants, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, giraffe, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, river, silhouette, teach, video, washing, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

I’ve never flown so much. In the last few days I’ve spent the same amount of time flying as it takes to fly to the US. Imagine doing that in a microlight? It’s great for a few hours but then the wind blasting becomes really tiring.

Even so, after finding the last herd of sable we needed to find, I still went flying to the south. Had to check on the dogs. They’re still west of the river but oh so close. “Please come east guys!”
As the late afternoon air cooled towards sunset, the flying conditions became optimum and I was back playing along the Runde River. Besides the great sensation of flying around there, it’s also wonderful to see the pleasure it brings those bathing and fishing in the river. They’re always full of excitement waving frantically as I buzz just over their heads.

I saw these clothes lying perfectly laid out in the sand to dry. This person seemed very meticulous in laying them out and didn’t even leave a track near the clothes. And the colour schemes? All very thought provoking.

So we managed to get the 4 collars on the Sable antelope and the research project can now move ahead.
I just wish the water level in the Chiredzi River would drop so I could cross daily to follow the dogs. I’m getting really anxious as they head towards denning time and I still have to get Puzzles totally happy with me walking around. All this time away from them just isn’t helping.

I landed today just as the sun was setting and right then these giraffe walked on to the airstrip. Perfect timing as I rushed to get my camera and nestled myself on the ground as they walked steadily towards me curious to know what this thing was on the ground.

Airstrip Migration: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on April 17, 2009

in videopost

. 1 Comment Tags:adventure, africa, airstrip, animal-kingdom, bird, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, conservation, croc, documentary, ecotraining, education, egret, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, fly, GLTP, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, Impala, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, mashable, micorlight, migration, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, teach, ultralight, video, waterhole, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zebra, zimbabwe

Now that was a marathon day of flying.
I was up early to see the misty dawn from on high. It was stunning out there as the mist lay low over the bushveld. But it didn’t last as the African sun soon toasted it.

I was up in search of Sable to be collared for a research project. The Sable antelope are managing to keep their own on Malilangwe but their numbers just aren’t increasing and there seems to be a relatively high mortality in calves. This is suspected to be caused by a high tick load. The research is aimed to find out what this is all about and to find ways to assist calf survival in those early months.

Heading south to the first area we would be working in, I picked up the wild dogs signal again near the confluence of the Chiredzi and Runde Rivers. Still west of the river!

Having located them I put the receiver on for the leopard’s transmitter just out of pure chance that he might still be around. Instantly I got a signal but was convinced it was still the dog signal. Careful examination of the receiver confirmed it was Tanga, the leopard. But it was a back signal. So all the way back north I went and just as I flew over him his transmitter packed in. Very weird.
Alan was sent in on the ground and found the dude. He also discovered the transmitter had shifted frequency. This sometimes happens when the battery is going flat. Anyway the good news is Tanga is still around and well.

I went on to find the herd of sable in the south. The helicopter was called in and a cow was darted and fitted with a radio collar.
One down, 3 to go. Another herd was located and a second cow fitted with a collar.
Then the long hall of another 3 hours flying and not a sign of the herd around Manyoka.

The sun was now setting and I was desperate to get my feet on the ground having been windswept and in the sky for 6hours today. But I still wanted to get a final bead on the dogs. There was no change there, still west of the river.
I landed long after sunset with just enough light to be safely on the ground.

Impala prepare to rut: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on April 16, 2009

in videopost

. 3 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blog, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, endangered-species, experience, fight, film, filmmaker, flickr, gland, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, Impala, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, rut, scent, teach, video, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

Knowing the wild dogs to still be across the river, I didn’t fly today, but will be up at dawn checking on them and then I have to fly to locate several sable herds. We have to collar 3 or 4 animals for a research project that will commence with this.

I spent most of today watching impala. As the season of the rut is picking up, so the male will be displaying and soon real fights will break out.

I’m needing a fair amount of footage of impala for the films I’m finishing this year, and now’s the best time to be doing it as I can’t get to the dogs.

So it was I ended up spending most of my day on Banyini open area and the airstrip where I was treated to the goings on of impala, zebra, giraffe and wildebeest. Not a hugely exciting day BUT, a day in the bush! Yes I know just how LUCKY I am.

Just Buffalo: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on April 15, 2009

in videopost

. 1 Comment Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blog, blogumentary, buffalo, bush, bush-knowledge, conservation, croc, documentary, dog, ecotraining, education, elephants, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, mashable, monster, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, river, teach, video, washing, waterhole, wild, wild dog, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

After a cloudy cool day, the air was still when I took to the skies in the late afternoon on my winged safari, although it wasn’t supposed to be just that. I was in search of the wild dogs. The bad news there being they’ve moved considerably further west again heading for big snare country. “Come home guys!”
With little else I could do about the dogs I took the pleasure of flying many kilometres down the Runde River. The river is nearly half a kilometre wide with vast stretches of sand with the river embedded in it, meandering from one bank towards the other and only to be sent back to the other again.

It’s a prize place for people to bathe at dusk, do their washing and fishing is a favourite past time, although a dangerous one. This area of the Runde River is known for its monster crocodiles and yet the people still wade knee deep into the river to fish. And every now and then someone is taken, but this doesn’t deter them. They seem to believe the person was bewitched and was going to die anyway.

The clean sands near the running water provide an ideal spot for drying clothes. Once dry, a quick shake and the sand is gone and a neat and tidy pile of washing is carried on their heads back home. Often there isn’t even any to carry home as these might be the only clothes they possess and it’s just a matter of getting dressed again.

Right down in the south on the banks of the Runde this big tusker was keeping to the dense woodlands. Hardly ever being seen and wary of people. Has he been shot at on numerous occasions? Is he possibly carrying lead from an old attempt on his life? Something has made these big old tuskers weary of man that they keep hidden in the dense woodlands.

My winged safari came to an end as I headed home along the Chiredzi River. A very different scene to the Runde. No people here, just wild wildlife.

As I came in to land over Banyini this herd of buffalo made their way to drink at the pan. Having landed I caught up with them just before dusk as they chilled out on the open area.

But wow! What a most magical flight! And nobody to share it with. Sad!
And the other good news is that having spent the whole morning at the workshop, my vehicle now seems to be running soundly again. Yippee!

Zebra race: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on April 14, 2009

in videopost

. 5 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, airstrip, animal-kingdom, birds, blog, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, elephants, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, gallop, giraffe, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, Impala, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, teach, video, waterhole, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zebra, zimbabwe

So now that Easter’s over, it seems things are looking up.
I had a quiet day with nothing going wrong. What a pleasure.

First thing in the morning I was helped by a tractor and pulled back across the river. Now I have my vehicle and all equipment back on the home side I feel a lot better. And my cameras were even lucky to get a dose of Vitamin D today seeing a little sun as they both got to work. Nothing too spectacular but glad to at least be capturing a little part of Africa.

Flying early for the dogs I found them resting up far in the south but very close to the Chiredzi River. Will they keep heading east and cross tomorrow? Got fingers and toes crossed on that one.
It’s 3 days now that I haven’t seen them but I feel a lot more confident they’re all fine as the area they’ve been in is well protected. Lets just hope they play it safe when crossing back across the river. IF they cross.
The flying was great and I notched up many animals today. This elephant bull looked keen to pluck me out the sky, while his mates continued feeding on the river bank.

The very wide Runde River is a favourite place for people to do their washing and some dangerous fishing as monster crocs hang out in this river. I often see flocks of birds frequenting the river like these Cattle Egrets.

Back on the ground I had to get the second vehicle back from the river. Not wanting to waste time I took a jog down there. Rather uneventful.
With the dogs still out of commission I went in search of other activity. As usual the airstrip had its full compliment of animals. A large herd of impala, several herds of zebra, some giraffe and a lone wildebeest. The zebra were beside themselves racing to and fro across the strip. I don’t know what had got into them, but it just looked like pure fun!

When things settled down I continued on east to Bandama pan for sunset. With other bushveld pans still holding water, there wasn’t much activity at Bandama.
I limped home in my still half functional vehicle but at least no tyre problems today. Maybe that’s because I don’t have any more Coopers tyres on the vehicle.

Birds a plenty! Video

Published

Wildcaster

on April 13, 2009

in videopost

. 2 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, bird, birds, blog, blogumentary, bush-knowledge, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, flock, giraffe, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, quelea, teach, video, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

Another day with my cameras not venturing out their boxes! (And so the video and photos come from my archives)
I was in the sky at dawn on this crisp morning, the very best time to fly. The air is dense and stable and my plane just seems to hang there. And of course with my camera being on the other side of the river, the mist lay dense across the bushveld and with the sun rays bouncing off it, just stunning but nothing to show for it.

I was up there in search of Allan’s leopard. For several hours I criss crossed the reserve. But no sign. And just when I had plans to pick up on the dogs the receiver battery died on me. No problem, I’d follow up on them by car.
It was already midday when I ventured down to the river in search of pretty Belinda! Damn she wasn’t there.

Just 10m before parking the vehicle on the river bank my front tyre nicked a tree stump and pop! Another tyre totally ruined.
So, about these new tyres. “Coopers STT”. Google them. Must be the STT as they are designed for 80% off road. Not much design going right here. AND they profess to have a specially designed side-wall for off road. Well the side-walls are like bubble gum. So soft that just about anything pierces them and once they go that’s it.
I still swear by the standard old road tyres. No special trims, just a thick side-wall. I think I’ve blown 4 of them in 20 years. And my Coopers STT, I’ve blown 6 in 2months! AND they’re more than double the price.
So yes how can I complain? I was caught hook, line and sinker and now I’m sunk!

It was no big deal crossing the river to my vehicle and off I went in search for the dogs. This was all new country to me, and big country. So I wasn’t impressed when my engine started developing problems, and they got worse. Eventually it was just a battle to keep the engine running. In the meantime I tried to search for the dogs too but was without luck. They could be anywhere, so I gave up and stumbled along back to the river.

At the rate I’m going any ventures west of the river just aren’t working for me. I really seem to be wasting my time. Tomorrow I’m probably going to have to get a tractor to pull me back across the river so I can take a serious look at my vehicle problems. And then I’ll have to fly again for the dogs. I’m secretly hoping I couldn’t find them cos they’re back east of the river.
And so my Easter weekend came to an end. Not the happiest one I’ve had!

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Monthly Archive for April, 2009

Typical African Silhouettes: Video

Airstrip Migration: Video

Impala prepare to rut: Video

Just Buffalo: Video

Zebra race: Video

Birds a plenty! Video

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