Pictures from Predator Biologist
Mar 25th, 2006, 11:57 AM
#21
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PredatorBiologist,
Thanks for showing us all the creatures great and small.
I particularly liked the ele mom looking like an orchid, the rhino-wildebeest encounter, the roaring lions, the hyenas in the grass – can’t see anything ugly in them, the dung beetle, the springhare – one of my favourites, the cheetah close-up, the spiders – I think it’s the first time I’ve seen spiders on Fodor’s and the last sundown.
Thanks for showing us all the creatures great and small.
I particularly liked the ele mom looking like an orchid, the rhino-wildebeest encounter, the roaring lions, the hyenas in the grass – can’t see anything ugly in them, the dung beetle, the springhare – one of my favourites, the cheetah close-up, the spiders – I think it’s the first time I’ve seen spiders on Fodor’s and the last sundown.
Mar 25th, 2006, 11:05 PM
#23
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Thank you for all the comments -- it is great to be able to share pictures with a group that can really appreciate them.
Hari: great to see the Savute brothers and the 2 remaining definitely appear to be doing well. You are correct that the lion kill was at Lebala, the leopard was at Kwara. Harry and Monique were not there, the backup manager was in charge (Lebo).
Sharon: we were very close to the kill. Probably parked about 15 feet away.
James: thanks for the I.D. on the snake -- I have changed the label. The guide after consulting with the tracker called it an olive grass snake. I meant to look it up in the camp library because I do not have a S. African herp book. I almost bought one but was running short of space and still need to acquire one. Which guide do you recommend? I noticed a few birds this trip that the guides identified incorrectly too. Sometimes I think they just call it out thinking no one else is going to know and when two species are close they probably go with what is most familiar to them.
Johan: good luck in May, I'm sure your trip will be fabulous.
Hari: great to see the Savute brothers and the 2 remaining definitely appear to be doing well. You are correct that the lion kill was at Lebala, the leopard was at Kwara. Harry and Monique were not there, the backup manager was in charge (Lebo).
Sharon: we were very close to the kill. Probably parked about 15 feet away.
James: thanks for the I.D. on the snake -- I have changed the label. The guide after consulting with the tracker called it an olive grass snake. I meant to look it up in the camp library because I do not have a S. African herp book. I almost bought one but was running short of space and still need to acquire one. Which guide do you recommend? I noticed a few birds this trip that the guides identified incorrectly too. Sometimes I think they just call it out thinking no one else is going to know and when two species are close they probably go with what is most familiar to them.
Johan: good luck in May, I'm sure your trip will be fabulous.
Mar 25th, 2006, 11:24 PM
#24
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Lily: I used a Nikon D50 with my old Tamron 5.6 200-400 lens. It was my first time going digital and I was concerned giving up my high grade slide film. I think my slides were a little crisper and definitely more brilliantly colored but the ease of the digital has been great!
Lisa: puff adder on foot was definitely an exciting sighting! Kwara Island is being built just across the marsh from the existing Kwara so we could actually hear construction during the day. We went by the original site they hoped to build on during our boat trip which would have been far from the existing camp but unfortuneately for Kwando the site was denied by the government for being too close to the national park. I did not see the standard of the tents or anything which I assume will be nicer than Kwara camp but the fact is there will now be more vehicles starting from near the same location.
Sherry: yes, Madikwe was the only place we saw dogs. They were seen at Lagoon camp the day before we arrived at Kwara but that was all I heard of them. Bad time of year to find them in Botswana, you just have to be super lucky so I was very glad we observed them in Madikwe.
Nyamera: glad I could bring spiders to Fodors. They were actually quite spectacular in my opinion.
As I said before its great to have a place where people are so appreciative and willing to give feedback. Thanks to all.
Lisa: puff adder on foot was definitely an exciting sighting! Kwara Island is being built just across the marsh from the existing Kwara so we could actually hear construction during the day. We went by the original site they hoped to build on during our boat trip which would have been far from the existing camp but unfortuneately for Kwando the site was denied by the government for being too close to the national park. I did not see the standard of the tents or anything which I assume will be nicer than Kwara camp but the fact is there will now be more vehicles starting from near the same location.
Sherry: yes, Madikwe was the only place we saw dogs. They were seen at Lagoon camp the day before we arrived at Kwara but that was all I heard of them. Bad time of year to find them in Botswana, you just have to be super lucky so I was very glad we observed them in Madikwe.
Nyamera: glad I could bring spiders to Fodors. They were actually quite spectacular in my opinion.
As I said before its great to have a place where people are so appreciative and willing to give feedback. Thanks to all.
Mar 26th, 2006, 01:22 AM
#25
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Predetor biologist,
Hi! Now this is concerning.......Little Kwara is virtually next door to Kwara? So, besides a nicer camp........there's no real attraction. I dont think the tents at the old Kwara were anything to write home about, but the view at the sit out in front of camp is spectacular!!!
Hi! Now this is concerning.......Little Kwara is virtually next door to Kwara? So, besides a nicer camp........there's no real attraction. I dont think the tents at the old Kwara were anything to write home about, but the view at the sit out in front of camp is spectacular!!!
Mar 26th, 2006, 05:38 AM
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Hari: I totally agree with you about both the tents at Kwara and the setting. So if you are on your deck at Kwara looking out imagine crossing the wetland on the right until you reach the first true high ground. I hate to be off on my estimate but I think it took about 10 minutes by mekoro to get to this high ground where Kwara Island is being built. I'm thinking as the hornbill flies it may be 1 km away at the most. On a two night stay I didn't really memorize the roads but every drive we would go out and kind of curve to the left back toward the airstrip. Between 5 and 10 minutes we would pass the new site.
Mar 26th, 2006, 06:17 AM
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Pred
Once you are quite confident about your birds, the guides who are a little unsure will consult with you and then you can share your thoughts on an ID and improve your birding as a consequence. Most visitors never give the birds a second look, so some guides get a little lazy.
Once you are quite confident about your birds, the guides who are a little unsure will consult with you and then you can share your thoughts on an ID and improve your birding as a consequence. Most visitors never give the birds a second look, so some guides get a little lazy.
Mar 26th, 2006, 07:10 AM
#29
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Matt: I think you are completely right on that. I think some of the raptors are difficult for the guides. I know even in the U.S. where I am somewhat of a raptor expert I still need to pick up certain field marks and depending on lighting or movement of the bird you don't always get what you need. I think most guides would rather just throw out a best guess as fact rather than say they missed the i.d. -- as you said I think they know most guests don't are not too concerned with birds and it can make them lazy, especially when it's something like a European bee-eater and they don't look closely and just say blue-cheeked bee-eater.
Mar 26th, 2006, 07:56 AM
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Absolutely. I'm a participant in feeder watch and this morning we have a lack of birds, probably due to a Merlin that has taken up residence in our neighborhood. At least thats my best guess after lots of observation, that scope seems to be looming large as a must have!
I invested in the Roberts CD which has calls and video of all the Southern Africa birds, that was a great help when we saw a Pallid Harrier at MM this year. Our guide spotted a bird flying with the characteristic Harrier look. I could ID it because I'd just watched some video a few days prior.
I invested in the Roberts CD which has calls and video of all the Southern Africa birds, that was a great help when we saw a Pallid Harrier at MM this year. Our guide spotted a bird flying with the characteristic Harrier look. I could ID it because I'd just watched some video a few days prior.
Mar 26th, 2006, 09:58 AM
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Matt: what a treat to have a merlin in the neighborhood although you are correct that will affect the traffic at your feeder. I will have to check out that Roberts CD -- I would love to see the video with the calls.
Mar 26th, 2006, 11:34 AM
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Dear Biologist
i was happy to read this remark of yours: "I used a Nikon D50 with my old Tamron 5.6 200-400 lens. It was my first time going digital and I was concerned giving up my high grade slide film. I think my slides were a little crisper and definitely more brilliantly colored but the ease of the digital has been great!"
that's because i felt something about the colours (but was in doubt whether i should write it or not). since u r new to digital & r a slide photographer i feel better to note:
The colours r somewhat under-saturated and seem even slightly over-exposed in a number of pics. I checked my monitor, switched to "warm colors" "vivid" etc' but comparing to Johan's pics i came to the conclusion it would be better to compensate or bracket a little under-exposure (as in slides a minus 1/3 to minus 1/2 would saturate colours...)
i don't know the D50 but check for another type of algorythm for light- reading, try spot metering (maybe multi-spot metering?)
what troubled me is that not only "dark object on light background" but also some close-ups came out too light...
Seems there is a need play & practice a bit & get to know the digital beast.
best of luck
aby
PS I must say that i, myself am still shooting slides (hoping one day to scan some for the forum)...
i was happy to read this remark of yours: "I used a Nikon D50 with my old Tamron 5.6 200-400 lens. It was my first time going digital and I was concerned giving up my high grade slide film. I think my slides were a little crisper and definitely more brilliantly colored but the ease of the digital has been great!"
that's because i felt something about the colours (but was in doubt whether i should write it or not). since u r new to digital & r a slide photographer i feel better to note:
The colours r somewhat under-saturated and seem even slightly over-exposed in a number of pics. I checked my monitor, switched to "warm colors" "vivid" etc' but comparing to Johan's pics i came to the conclusion it would be better to compensate or bracket a little under-exposure (as in slides a minus 1/3 to minus 1/2 would saturate colours...)
i don't know the D50 but check for another type of algorythm for light- reading, try spot metering (maybe multi-spot metering?)
what troubled me is that not only "dark object on light background" but also some close-ups came out too light...
Seems there is a need play & practice a bit & get to know the digital beast.
best of luck
aby
PS I must say that i, myself am still shooting slides (hoping one day to scan some for the forum)...
Jul 21st, 2006, 04:27 PM
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Predatorbiologist,
Thanks so much for the photos. I really appreciate that you labeled them. It was SO helpful when the bird species wasn't known to me.
Thanks again. Looking forward to your report.
Deb
Thanks so much for the photos. I really appreciate that you labeled them. It was SO helpful when the bird species wasn't known to me.
Thanks again. Looking forward to your report.
Deb
Jul 21st, 2006, 04:30 PM
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Predator Biologist
These are absolutely beautiful and far better than watching television! The lions and cheetah are gorgeous. Thanks so much for sharing. In case I missed it in previous threads, what kind of camera do you have?
These are absolutely beautiful and far better than watching television! The lions and cheetah are gorgeous. Thanks so much for sharing. In case I missed it in previous threads, what kind of camera do you have?
Jul 21st, 2006, 06:39 PM
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Dear Predatorbio, really enjoyed these, especially the wild dogs and the rock dassie! Loved the owl and the incredible final sundowner. Just when you think you've seen the most beautiful sunset photos... wow.
Jul 21st, 2006, 10:42 PM
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Wow -- great to come home after a very long day in the field and see that my photos have made an encore showing with lots of very nice comments. Thank you all for your compliments.
Carla: sorry I wasn't around to point you to the link but glad you could find the pics and let a new round of people see them.
Safarilover: I used a Nikon D50 with an old Tamron 200-400 zoom that I used with my old cameras.
Lessthanzero: this was my first venture with the D50 and I definitely have a lot to learn. It would seem that I know much more about wildlife than I do photography.
Deb: trip report was posted a while back. I will top it now but it should be found at http://fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=4
Carla: sorry I wasn't around to point you to the link but glad you could find the pics and let a new round of people see them.
Safarilover: I used a Nikon D50 with an old Tamron 200-400 zoom that I used with my old cameras.
Lessthanzero: this was my first venture with the D50 and I definitely have a lot to learn. It would seem that I know much more about wildlife than I do photography.
Deb: trip report was posted a while back. I will top it now but it should be found at http://fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=4
