The Self-Isolating "I Miss Africa" Thread
Mar 29th, 2020, 08:43 AM
#21
Great photos and memories!
Amy, I saw a pride of 30+ lions but not 19 in one photo!
Crellston, sad that polio is still around. Lovely memories.
Great sightings and photos, Heimdall. And what a lucky break – a safari during a layover AND getting to see a serval!
Gardyloo, what a wonderful legacy. I’m sorry for your loss. You have beautiful images of her hopes and dreams. And I love your SA images.
Great images, Ian. Love the dogs. And I totally agree about that connection thing. There’s nothing like it.
Songdoc, I hope travel can start long before September. Cute kitties!
I'll post two sights that made my jaw drop. One was the first or second day of my first trip to Botswana, an elephant in the water at sunset. And the 2nd photo was lions all lined up drinking (part of that pride of 30+). If there was ever a trip that I wish I could repeat with what I know now, it was that one.
October in Botswana.
Amy, I saw a pride of 30+ lions but not 19 in one photo!
Crellston, sad that polio is still around. Lovely memories.
Great sightings and photos, Heimdall. And what a lucky break – a safari during a layover AND getting to see a serval!
Gardyloo, what a wonderful legacy. I’m sorry for your loss. You have beautiful images of her hopes and dreams. And I love your SA images.
Great images, Ian. Love the dogs. And I totally agree about that connection thing. There’s nothing like it.
Songdoc, I hope travel can start long before September. Cute kitties!
I'll post two sights that made my jaw drop. One was the first or second day of my first trip to Botswana, an elephant in the water at sunset. And the 2nd photo was lions all lined up drinking (part of that pride of 30+). If there was ever a trip that I wish I could repeat with what I know now, it was that one.
October in Botswana.
Mar 29th, 2020, 11:34 AM
#22
Original Poster
So many great images shared here, and goes to show me that no matter how many safaris you do, there is still reason to go back...so many unique sightings!! I love these, keep them coming!
Mar 30th, 2020, 03:35 PM
#23
Our last trip to Kruger in April was our best for cats. Three leopard sightings, several lion prides (but only 4 or 5 together & not at waterholes . . . 
) and this solo female. We were hustling back to Sirheni bushveld camp just before the gate close at 6 PM & this lion walked out of the bush & lay down in the middle of the road 10 feet in front of our Fortuner, blocking the road. After a minute, she seemed to finally notice our big white SUV & she got up & headed right towards us. When she got even with the hood, she turned off into the bush & sauntered away.
) and this solo female. We were hustling back to Sirheni bushveld camp just before the gate close at 6 PM & this lion walked out of the bush & lay down in the middle of the road 10 feet in front of our Fortuner, blocking the road. After a minute, she seemed to finally notice our big white SUV & she got up & headed right towards us. When she got even with the hood, she turned off into the bush & sauntered away.
Mar 31st, 2020, 01:50 PM
#26
A cheetah sighting is always very cool. We had been out of Kruger shopping & just 1 km from the Crocodile Bridge Gate we saw 2 cars pulled over . . .
An adult cheetah. As more cars joined the fray, she approached the traffic jam & stopped to look.
Then she crossed between the cars . . . but she had 2 adolescents with her.
They walked off into the scrub & while the mother lounged around, the young ones decided it was time to play.
And note the alarmed onlooker in the top left . . .
An adult cheetah. As more cars joined the fray, she approached the traffic jam & stopped to look.
Then she crossed between the cars . . . but she had 2 adolescents with her.
They walked off into the scrub & while the mother lounged around, the young ones decided it was time to play.
And note the alarmed onlooker in the top left . . .
Mar 31st, 2020, 04:52 PM
#27
Great cats!!
I'll post some giraffes from that same magical trip to Botswana in 2005.
We came across these two necking or fighting. I looked at my first and last image and we were with these guys 13 minutes. That's a long time and they were already fighting when we got there. It looks like they are moving in slow motion but when they whack each other you can hear it so loud. I have not seen this severe fighting other than that one time.
I'll post some giraffes from that same magical trip to Botswana in 2005.
We came across these two necking or fighting. I looked at my first and last image and we were with these guys 13 minutes. That's a long time and they were already fighting when we got there. It looks like they are moving in slow motion but when they whack each other you can hear it so loud. I have not seen this severe fighting other than that one time.
Apr 1st, 2020, 05:52 AM
#29
Original Poster
Sundowner, I saw giraffes necking when I was with Ping. I remember being shocked by how loud the sound was when they knocked together!! He told me that a week before I got there, two giraffes in northern Kenya were necking and knocked each other flat down. They were flat on the ground and both died due to rush of blood to the head! The heart pumps so forcefully to keep blood going up that long neck that when they are horizontal and can't get up, their heads literally explode! That's today's morbid trivia!
Apr 1st, 2020, 10:36 AM
#30
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A few pics from our time in Selous National Park and Mafia Island, Tanzania in 2006; This lockdown is allowing plenty of time to cull and sort our thousands of photos.
A relaxed mum
Inquisitive child
Bliss!
A Kingfisher maybe?
Elephant playtime on the lake
Lion cubs evening playtime
One of the most stunning lakes I have ever seen
Schools out on Mafia Island
Company on the lake - never seen so many crocs. Quite scary in a small boat!
No idea what these might be
Roughing it. Fly camping after a 15km hike through the bush.
Not so rough after all. Silver service, G&Ts, cold beer - life has rarely been better!
Mafia Island = amazing beaches and great diving.
Mafia Island - reached by six seater plane.
A relaxed mum
Inquisitive child
Bliss!
A Kingfisher maybe?
Elephant playtime on the lake
Lion cubs evening playtime
One of the most stunning lakes I have ever seen
Schools out on Mafia Island
Company on the lake - never seen so many crocs. Quite scary in a small boat!
No idea what these might be
Roughing it. Fly camping after a 15km hike through the bush.
Not so rough after all. Silver service, G&Ts, cold beer - life has rarely been better!
Mafia Island = amazing beaches and great diving.
Mafia Island - reached by six seater plane.
Apr 1st, 2020, 04:32 PM
#31
Thanks, Ian. I've heard giraffes get darker as they age. Are there more signs?
Amy, that's so crazy! And horrible! I wonder how common it is to see them necking. I think I've seen it one or two other times.
Great pics, crellston. Lots of lions! Your birds are 1 starling and 6 bee-eaters. There are may types of each but I can't narrow it down any further. Did you have to carry any gear on your little hike? Did you have any tsetse flies? I was only in Tanz one trip and there were way too many tsetse flies for me. I will not return.
Amy, that's so crazy! And horrible! I wonder how common it is to see them necking. I think I've seen it one or two other times.
Great pics, crellston. Lots of lions! Your birds are 1 starling and 6 bee-eaters. There are may types of each but I can't narrow it down any further.
Did you have to carry any gear on your little hike? Did you have any tsetse flies? I was only in Tanz one trip and there were way too many tsetse flies for me. I will not return.
Apr 1st, 2020, 10:57 PM
#32
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Thanks Sundowner. I am not great with identifying birds. I once posted some photos of some penguins in New Zealand on our blog - as someone soon pointed out they were Lesser Shags!!
We didn’t have to carry any gear except our personal overnight stuff we were accompanied by an rifle toting ranger. The camp was already set up and when we arrived there were already some people who had chosen to go by jeep. A little surreal to be dining that way in the middle of the wilderness. All very "Out of Africa", sadly we were not joined by Meryl Streep! The hike we took turned out longer than expected as we had to divert for an hour or so to avoid a herd of elephants between us and the camp.
it was a while ago now, but I don’t recall any issues with TseTse flies. Not like say the Australian desert where we were plagued by flies, so much so that, whilst it was extremely beautiful, I doubt that we will return just for that reason.
We didn’t have to carry any gear except our personal overnight stuff we were accompanied by an rifle toting ranger. The camp was already set up and when we arrived there were already some people who had chosen to go by jeep. A little surreal to be dining that way in the middle of the wilderness. All very "Out of Africa", sadly we were not joined by Meryl Streep! The hike we took turned out longer than expected as we had to divert for an hour or so to avoid a herd of elephants between us and the camp.
it was a while ago now, but I don’t recall any issues with TseTse flies. Not like say the Australian desert where we were plagued by flies, so much so that, whilst it was extremely beautiful, I doubt that we will return just for that reason.
Apr 2nd, 2020, 06:39 AM
#34
And a few more because this is so cathartic . . .
We have seen wild dogs on all three of our Kruger visits but this was the best sighting. We spent 20 minutes with this pack. We had them to ourselves for half of that time until two other cars joined us.
And a few more lions. On our first trip, we stayed on a concession in Kruger for our last two nights. Our guide drove us right to this pair of younger males lounging around.
The next morning, we saw four lions chasing a rogue male. If you look carefully, you can see the bigger lion's breath since it was cold.
We have seen wild dogs on all three of our Kruger visits but this was the best sighting. We spent 20 minutes with this pack. We had them to ourselves for half of that time until two other cars joined us.
And a few more lions. On our first trip, we stayed on a concession in Kruger for our last two nights. Our guide drove us right to this pair of younger males lounging around.
The next morning, we saw four lions chasing a rogue male. If you look carefully, you can see the bigger lion's breath since it was cold.
Apr 2nd, 2020, 07:11 AM
#35
Birds? We got birds.
Another Roller, this one in Botswana. (It was pointed out to us that the underside of the Roller's wings is the Botswana flag.)
And another one...
One more...
Oxpecker hitchhiker
Whispers
Ground Hornbill, Kruger NP
Shy White-faced owl
Hornbills
Ostrich, Addo Elephant National Park
Sunbird, Garden Route
Another Roller, this one in Botswana. (It was pointed out to us that the underside of the Roller's wings is the Botswana flag.)
And another one...
One more...
Oxpecker hitchhiker
Whispers
Ground Hornbill, Kruger NP
Shy White-faced owl
Hornbills
Ostrich, Addo Elephant National Park
Sunbird, Garden Route
Apr 2nd, 2020, 01:52 PM
#36
The oxpecker in the rhino's ear is a great shot. 
Even though we are not birders, it is hard to miss all of the exotic birds.
Egyptian geese.
Cape vultures
Not a great photo but a cool bird: purple crested turaco
Black stork
Fish eagle
Even though we are not birders, it is hard to miss all of the exotic birds.Egyptian geese.
Cape vultures
Not a great photo but a cool bird: purple crested turaco
Black stork
Fish eagle
Apr 2nd, 2020, 06:47 PM
#37
Ian, that does look like a hefty old giraffe. And I love your dogs and cats and birds.
Love all of your birds, Gardyloo. You really captured the colors in the sunbird!
Apr 3rd, 2020, 11:16 AM
#40
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I haven't watched one yet, but this website promises to offer virtual game drives live From Sabi Sands and Maasi Mara in real time. I found it on the Cape Talk (Cape Town radio station) website.
https://wildearth.tv/safarilive/
https://wildearth.tv/safarilive/
Last edited by Heimdall; Apr 3rd, 2020 at 11:21 AM.
