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Game spotting technique
A nature show mentioned this and I thought I'd pass it on. Those of you who spend lots of time in the field can tell me if it is worthwhile.
<i>Since most westerners read left to right, when searching the savanna for animals, scan <b>right to left</b>. Your eyes will not be on autopilot and will pick up variations better.</i> I'd assume those who normally read right to left would reverse this suggestion. Now I'd like a hint on how to distinguish between all those rock-shaped animals and real ones. |
you need to hire a very sharp-eyed driver/guide. You will never see the many things we all miss without a person who has done this for years.
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Gene, I certainly agree that the best technique is getting a good guide. I'd never think looking right to left would produce better results than the trained eyes of a guide.
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I think I scan both ways anyway, whenever I can. Forward, then back, sometimes more than once over the same ground. How quickly you do it depends on whether and how fast the vehicle is moving. I haven't noticed whether left-right or right-left is better.
John |
The looking is the best part of the ride for me, and everyone benefits if you do spot stuff. While a good guide is a must, he often has to keep his eyes on the road, so I like to help out as much as I can. It's all about powers of observation and not just good eye sight. (Although having 20/20 vision doesn't hurt).
Before my first safari, I read a book that had a section on how to spot better, and I learned a lot from it. Knowing the tricks helps, such as time of day for species, habits, eco systems, listening to other animals for warning calls, and then keeping an eye out for the slightest movement and variation in colour or shape. Of course, everyone will have their share of "rhino stumps" and "hippo bushes", but then so do the guides. Besides, keeping your eyes peeled could be important. I spotted the Duba boys as they were watching us from behind the bushes from about 50-75 metres away while we were on a "bush break"! |
I mainly concentrate on the herbivores, watching their behaviour (where are they looking?), or listen to any unusual sounds (alarm calls) and try to get the direction. Also have a close look at "typical" land marks, for instance shadow spots bordering open plains. Just scanning around makes my eyes tired. If I find something special it's mostly because I already have a closer look at a special spot. Can't say if I move from right or left to that spot, as said it depends on landscape, animal behaviour and sounds. Also often some movement attracts your eyes.
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jjmb,
Have to agree with you about the looking being the best...not much fun having everything served up on a plate. Some people seem to sit back and expect the guide (and the radio network if it is used that way) to do it all. It's a good idea for everybody to scan different quarters. It's far better than having everybody looking in the same general direction, and it doesn't hurt if they overlap a bit. John |
John, it depends whether you and your fellow travellers are looking for the same. For instance, birders have quite different interests, and experienced safari goers don't necessarily look for the next lion pride.
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Nyama,
We might be at cross purposes here but if we're not: it wouldn't make much if any difference to the people I go with...I look for everything, as do my companions. And I think it would make sense for a carload of birders to spread their spotting talents by looking in different directions, too, unless they were aware of the general location of a specific target. In the end, though, the best formula is a good guide and people, whether an individual or a group, who are alert, quietly enthusiastic and intelligently helpful and co-operative-- whatever scanning method they use. John |
John, for my part I have given up to show my fellow travellers some nice squirrels or interesting impala behaviour if I know that they are after the big game. Boring faces can be quite frustrating. You are right if all clients share the same interests and are enthusiastic to learn new things. Unfortunately this isn't always the case.
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Nyama, yes, a couple of bored faces can be a pain...but I ignore them as long as they keep their mouths shut :D
One morning on our last trip to Zibalianja, my wife and I were with a couple whom we'd never met before. It is rare for us to be with strangers, but they were ideal...we heard a tree squirrel going bananas, so drove over to investigate the noise. It took us a little while to discover the reason for the squirrel's annoyance. Perched a short distance away was a pearl-spotted owlet. All four of us had a delightful few minutes photographing both critters. I confess I don't understand people who find such things uninteresting. John |
Thanks Lynn....on the note of scanning, last year at Lebala on one of the drives where we routinely were tracking the female cheetah: we went back for the afternoon drive and the guide and tracker were looking into the horizon via binoculars as they were pretty certain she was in the vicinity......so here we were parked and scanning the horizon...then i go,"Spencer what are you looking for, she's right in front of our truck!"....we all had a laugh!!!
Lesson for the day...look right in front of you!!! Cheers, Hari |
John, I had a great time watching squirrels at Jack's where I was the only client in the vehicle. Also at Mwamba where I shared the vehicle with the head of SLCS and her brother for some days. The guides were so happy to make some game drives without the usual routine, not looking for the next predator, but fully concentrating on the small things.
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Nyama, I've experienced the same thing. I truly believe many guides are sometimes bored stupid with the routine of seeking out the glamorous targets for most clients. More credit to them that they manage to conceal it and do their job so patiently and so very well.
We've noticed subtle changes in the enthusiasm of guides on more than a few occasions when small but extraordinary opportunities have come up. One time, when my wife and I had a whole camp to ourselves, our guide grinned from ear to ear when it suddenly occurred to him that we wouldn't mind spending the whole day looking at birds (though we're not birders). He asked with great surprise and pleasure: "You'd like to look for more birds?"...as if that day, a big slice of his training wasn't going to be wasted. John |
John, I made the same experience. I also wouldn't call me a birder, but with each safari I'm more interested in birds and make more photos of them. This doesn't really surprise me if you look what diversity the avifauna has to offer. I certainly will never be a real birder - I can't memorize all of these species especially if you only see them a few weeks during the year, and, in my case, they all have names in a foreign language (and I can't memorize scientific names at all). But it's always great to see how even the most introverted guide become enthusiastic if you mention the magic line "I want to see birds", especially if you ask for more than the usual ABR ("another bloody roller").
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And they love it if you ask to stop for a shot of an LBJ :)
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I will never memorize these. :-D
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Nyama, we were pleasantly surprised when our guide at Ruaha NP used the same bird book as did we. When ever he spotted something different he not only named it in English but also pointed to it in the book!
Dick |
Dick, this once happened to me during a Kenya tour. All what my guide needed to say was "Plate 8 No 33" or similar. I loved it.
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Nyama, that would be cool! We have two weeks before departing for East Africa so posts like yours raises the excitement level! Thanks
Dick |
Dick, I used Helm's "Birds of Kenya & Northern Tanzania". I guess in Kenya and Northern Tanzania it's still more in circulation than the new "Birds of East Africa".
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Hi
Interesting theory this "scan right to left", business. Must try this. Often when on a safari having sharp eyes makes a difference. I regularly go out with a specialist tracker in Yala, Sri Lanka looking for leopard, which you will agree is one of the most elusive creatures to spot. It is unbelievable how the tracker spots them. Recently while driving down a jungle road he non chalantly asked me for my binoculars, something he very rarely does. Passing them to him I asked "what, have you seen a leopard?" so he mumbles softly "I think so". Well I just applied the brakes and stopped the jeep to allow him to see with the binos and he says "yes, the goods are there!". I struggled to spot it. It was just a teenie weenie speck on a rocky outcrop very very far away and could not understand how he had spotted this. Even with the binos it was very tiny. Eventually we got closer and saw the leopard better. I think the tracker spotted the leopard by sensing some subtle movement on the distant rock. There is no way anyone could have seen it otherwise. Perhaps he was scanning right to left - must check this out quietly on my next trip. All this experience is based on Sri Lanka but the same would apply in Africa. On another occasion with the same tracker I was driving quite tired and weary after an unsuccessful long morning run. Suddenly he goes - "Leopard! Leopard!" Stopping the vehicle, and looking out, leaning forward I ask him "where? where?". He is litterally climbing onto my lap now and says "there! there!on your side, look outside your window!" I look out my driving side window and still it took a moment to spot the fellow - a huge beautiful male, full of arrogance, he was sitting on the grassy verge at the edge of the rough gravel road and was right beside my window and looking up at me. I could have literally reached out and touched him! In the rush of adrenalin I did not know whether to reach for my camera or to wind up the window. Next moment the leopard got up and all the time looking at me over his back, he just melted away into the scrub. So moral of the story here like Hari says "look right in front of your vehicle". Well at least for us who cannot make it to and African safari today, we can reminisce about the old good times, isn't that one of the best things in life, the lasting good memories. Regards Mohammed Yala photos - http://www.abidally.com/mp/Yala |
Mohammed,
How far of a drive is Yala NP from Colombo? 4 nights a good amount of time there? do they also have nature walks and things besides the drives? Thks Hari |
From Madras, it should be what only an hour's flight more or less?
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Mohammed,
Stop this Yala Park talk. You are going to give me another must see destination. Hari is making reservations as I type. I'll check the photos later. |
You are right, Lynn....from his pictures i can tell that Yala is going to compete with SSGR for leopards!!!
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Hi
Hari, Colombo is 45mns flying from Chennai and Yala is a 5 hour drive from Colombo, reasonably good roads. Need more info pls let me know. Lyn, you gotta come to Sri Lanka one day. |
Nice pictures! The leopards are calling me. Some day I'll get to Sri Lanka. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
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