We had our 05:30 breakfast with the dozen or so guests seated in a circle around a small log fire in the open courtyard area. Coffee, tea, juices, cereals, muffins and maize porridge were on offer although eating in the semi-darkness caused some interesting complexities.
Our safari group included Ed and Terrie from Vancouver and we had G and James as our guides. A brown hyaena had been sighted by others and so we moved in the truck to where its den was located hoping to catch a glimpse but no joy was had although a wattled lapwing scurried past and was photographed.
Waterbucks
Sunrise was spectacular with crimson reds fading to a pale pink upper sky with clouds in the blue above.
Sunrise
A waterbuck and calf ran across the track in front of us enabling some photos although the baby was so tiny it barely showed above the grass. These attractive animals with their white rear ring don’t tolerate oxpeckers and so become parasite affected particularly by ticks and skin embedded larvae (yuk)!
They have glands exuding a musky smelling oil which apparently taints their meat making them almost inedible for humans but not so for lions, crocodiles and other large predators.
Impalas leaping
We made valiant efforts to get photos of two Meyer’s parrots that were busy hunting for food high up in a nearby tree. These parrots are very attractive in their (Aussie) green and gold colouring.
Meyers's parrots
Purple roller
Woodland kingfisher
Giraffe seem to be frequently sighted in this Kwando (Linyani River) region where it being the end of the wet season their food is presently abundant.
Ground dwelling helmeted guinea fowl are common here too and being quite edible, are affectionately referred to by the locals as ‘Kalahari Fried Chicken’.
Hippos are very much apparent all along the river and in the adjacent ox-bow lakes. Their growls, grunts and associated fighting noises can be heard from big distances away.
Hippo
Helmeted guineafowl
Some birds that we hadn’t seen before included darked cap bulbuls, and a pale chanting goshawk and of course there were the usual bee-eaters, rollers (lilac and broad billed) and kingfishers.
Pale chanting goshawk
Little bee-eater
A brief encounter with a sable antelope was a treat for us but these shy and extraordinarily beautiful animals are quick to disappear into the thick tree areas. Their long recurved horns and their very dark colouring make them easy to identify. The recurved horns serve as a defence against lions that have a preferred mode of attack involving a rear grasping of the prey’s shoulder. In the case of the sable as prey, the lions are placed in imminent danger from these sabre sharp horns.
We encountered a solitary side-striped jackal which posed for us quite nearby but it was partially obscured by the long grass. This sighting was somewhat unexpected as these animals (Canis adustus) are mainly nocturnal.
Sable antelope
Jackal
A herd (twist) of gregarious female kudu seemed unaffected by our close presence and stayed still, chewing the cud or resting on the ground. We took many photos and some video footage of these lovely animals with their large fluffy ears and their nine white body stripes. We’d seen males last night and they are much larger than the females and have magnificently spiralled horns.
Kudu
Kudu
After a coffee/tea break under a shady tree we headed back to camp past a waterhole where baboons had congregated.
Morning coffee
Baboon
We then headed back to the camp for a refreshing drink before brunch which was followed by a four-hour siesta during which time we caught up on labelling photos and continuing the ‘blog’.
In the late afternoon we left the Lagoon Camp and went on a boat trip down the Kwando River in a steel boat powered by an 80 HP Yamaha with the boat having an upstairs section with folding chairs for a maximum of eight guests.
Our safari tent viewed from boat
Jak on river boat cruise
The journey was very relaxing but photography from the moving boat was difficult to say the least. Nonetheless we had fun and gathered photos of limited quality of ubiquitous hippos, bee-eaters and jacanas.
Hippos watching us
Hippo
White-fronted bee-eater at nest on the river bank
Pied kingfisher
The rare lesser jacana that we’d photographed in Chobe was seen here too but its rapid movement together with the moving boat posed exceptional constraints on the attainment of high-quality photos.
Lesser jacana
African jacana
African jacana
Fish eagles, squacco herons and pied kingfishers were fairly common sights along the riverbank.
Reflections on Kwando River
Kwando River
The threatening clouds to the south and occasional lightning flashes meant that for safety’s sake we should head back so at around 19:00 we arrived home. With the accumulating black clouds and the new moon above, all encapsulated in a perfect red sunset, we were rapped.
Malcolm, Rae, Ed, Terri & G
Corinne & Jak
Storm clouds at sunset
Corinne, Jak, Malcolm & Rae
River boat cruise on the Kwando River
Dinner at 20:00 was served and after lots of merriment and chatter we all headed off to our safari tents because we know we’ll be awake and on the go again tomorrow at 05:00.