2019-04-14: Around Sunset

It’s quite nice not having a theme this month, as I can select whatever images catch my attention.  Today, it is a selection of images shot at or near sunset.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead.

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A sunset taken in Ongava Game Reserve in Namibia.
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A pair of bull elephants play fighting on the banks of the Boteti River as the afternoon light faded.
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A leopard in a tree at sunset.  The stuff of magic.
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A lone zebra gives us a weary look as the sunset sets behind.
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A leopard in the fading evening light.

2019-04-07: Birds

A random selection of bird images this week!

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Oftentimes, spotting a congregation of vultures like this, and heading to where they are circling yields an interesting discovery… but in this case, they were all just hovering over a bare patch of desert beyond this bush.
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A group of wattled cranes seen in Botswana.
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A little bee-eater ruffling its feathers.
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Try as I might, I am unable to identify these raptors.  They were spotted on a game drive in Botswana from the Leroo La Tau camp.
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A red-billed quelea flock at sunset.
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Red-billed quelea leaving a roosting spot.  That small tree was absolutely vibrating with energy while they were there.
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An African harrier hawk taking some grief from a pigeon.
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My personal favourite, the lilac breasted roller.
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A Meyer’s parrot spotted in Botswana.  This was the first wild parrot I’d ever seen.
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A Meyer’s parrot.

2019-04-01: Monochrome Monday

No jokes, funny business or shenanigans here.  Just a trio of zebra images for the 1st monochrome Monday of April.

Wishing everyone a fantastic week ahead!

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A zebra foal seen in Etosha National Park.
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We all have that one friend that looks a bit awkward when smiling for the camera!
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This zebra was not at all concerned by our vehicle, and walked up right next to where we were parked.  I think it was using the tree stump as a scratching post after I snapped this.

2019-03-11: Monochrome Monday

Some leopards to start the week!  Leopards are definitely my favourite cats to watch (well, at least of the cats I have seen so far… once I have the chance to see tigers and jaguars, I’ll have to revisit this statement!)

The first image was taken in Botswana in the Okavango Delta, in a sighting filled will drama (for the humans involved).  Several vehicles from another camp were following this leopard, who was doing what leopards do best, being elusive and sticking to the cover of the bush.  There had been a lot of flooding in the area, and a vehicle got stuck while following this cat, and then a second got stuck, trying to help the first.  Our awesome ranger saved the day and got the vehicles mobile again, but both stuck vehicles missed out on the few photo opportunities that were available, like this one.

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Seeing this image brings back fun memories of a great (and rather muddy) game drive.  This can be a typical leopard sighting; lots of cover, grasses and bushes, but that’s also why I like it, because it is realistic.

This second image was also from the delta, and I have posted of this sighting many times before so I won’t go on and on.  I think though, this shot is how people dream of seeing leopards, but the one above is a far more realistic scenario.

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A gorgeous leopard who spent a late afternoon, through sunset, perched in tree, with only us there to watch.

This final image was taken in South Africa; our guide took us to a sighting of a mama leopard and her two cubs in ravine, and we had a brilliant time watching the cubs playing on the fallen trees, scampering through the swamp, and wrestling with each other.  The cub pictured here was just about to pounce on its sibling, who was a few feet below on the ground.  This was one of those sightings where, as we drove back to camp, our guide told us “we probably should keep this quiet while there are other guests around”.

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A playful leopard cub descending a fallen tree.

 

Just so you know, you can find lots of images like these over in my gallery page!

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