Matt gave us an early morning call at 05:00 and we were escorted along to breakfast half an hour later. On offer was porridge, cereals, fruit, yoghurt and good coffee.We were in the truck and heading on our way before sunrise which occurred at 06:40.The first encounter was of a spur-winged goose sitting in a tree well above us. (Obviously it wasn’t for sale as it was already on higher perches.)
We managed to get some great sunrise shots of the red fireball showing between the limbs of a nearby dead tree. The red lower sky transitioned through to the high blue sky with pink edged clouds.
Sunrise
We then found ourselves amongst a large herd of bachelor impalas and close by was a zebra.
Impala
Zebra
Antelope became our focus for the next half hour or more with sable, tsessebe, water buck and steenbok all sighted although good photos were often difficult with animals being partly obscured as they walked through long grass and low scrubby bushes.
Sable
Sable
We spent a considerable time with a journey (herd) of giraffes. There were three adults and two middle sized calves. These magnificent beasts are mesmerising as they stare quizzically and ponder our presence. They lick their faces and ears with their blue tongues and are a cause for wonderment! Two of the larger females were standing with front legs widely splayed and eating from the ground, an unusual feeding stance for giraffes. Apparently they were chewing bones they had discovered from an animal carcass. The giraffes do this to provide a calcium supplement to their typical diet of leaves.
Southern giraffes eating bones
Southern giraffe with blue tongue
Birds then became very active in the post dawn light and green wood-hoopoes, hornbills and long tailed starlings were frequently seen. These starlings are black but have a beautiful blue/green iridescence on their wings.
Green wood-hoopoes
Long-tailed starling
Elephants and hippos are common in this area and seemed very relaxed when we drove by in our vehicle although the story is likely to be very different if we alighted!
Elephant
A triumph of the morning was to get top quality photos of the lilac breasted roller; one we’d seen last night but only in fading light.
Lilac-breasted roller
Lilac-breasted roller
Further jubilation occurred when we had reasonably close encounters with wattle cranes and sometime later with saddle-billed storks. Both species being relatively rare but exquisite with their delicate plumage and splendid stature.
Wattle cranes
Saddle-billed stork
Morning coffee
After photographing some baboons and namaqua doves we returned to the camp; it now being 11:00.
Thomas welcoming us back with cold towels
Dining area, Pangolin Khwai Camp
Communal area, Pangolin Khwai camp
After brunch at mid-day we had the afternoon to ourselves in preparation for our evening expedition.
Monkey, Pangolin Khwai Camp
Our safari tent, Pangolin Khwai Camp
We are keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll see some big cats sometime!
The afternoon search location was to the south of the camp and starting at 16:00 we covered a significant distance on rough sandy tracks before much in the way of wildlife was seen.
The heat of the day (it now being 35°C) meant that most wildlife was hidden under the cover of bushes, grasses or trees.
A buffalo weaver bird was our first photographic capture but the barred owl that followed was too quick for us. Not so were the cape turtle doves and the Burchall’s starlings.
A lappet-faced vulture, a tawny vulture and a bateleur circled above us for several minutes and photos were taken albeit of distant subjects. We later managed to get comparatively close shots of a female bateleur as she posed from a nearby dead tree.
Bateleur eagle
Red-billed hornbill (Flying chilli)
Namaqua doves (male & female)
Apart from the ubiquitous impalas we also saw reed bucks and had a fleeting glimpse of two steenboks that soon scurried into the tall grass in front of us.
Despite it being a quiet evening for seeing wildlife, we then spent a very quiet and close encounter with sixteen elephants. This parade (herd) of elephants comprised seven cows and five calves of varying size from tiny to half grown.
Elephant
Elephant with calves
We stayed still in the truck and the elephants walked around us, approaching within a few metres. Their composure suggested that they were confident that we were non-aggressors and despite their protective behaviour towards the calves they mingled with us for about 40 minutes.
After ‘sun-downers’ we returned to the camp and enjoyed another wholesome meal before heading off to our tent.
Campfire at Pangolin Khwai camp
It will be an early start again in the morning with Matt saying he’ll check by at 05:00 for a wake-up call!