Our morning game drive from the Lala Limpopo hide will be a short one as we are moving to a lodge deeper in the Mashatu Game Reserve for our final four days on this safari. I am having so much fun, I hate for the trip to be over and I wish I could linger on at Mashatu for weeks.
We leave the hide about 7 AM, and ask if we can check on the bar-eared foxes nearby. Once again, the usually skittish-beyond-belief foxes apparently don't care that we approach, as they remain calm.
We see the second fox in the distance. It's slowly approaching the den. It doesn't care that we are parked at a distance on the other side of the den It just wanders along, sniffing at everything.
In this photo, you can see why they are called bat-eared.
I can't emphasize enough how much these close-up photos are once-in-a-lifetime.
And goes right into the underground den. This might be a female returning to suckle her kits.
Some of the scenery along the way.
AH, WHAT A TREAT! My first time seeing Kori bustard chicks. Kori bustards are the largest and heaviest African birds capable of flight. Anecdotal reports say some males in the Serengeti weigh up to 51 lbs., but that is unverified.
Mum and both chicks.
Mum and chick are examining something
A wildebeest stops to pose for us.
Steenbok, one of the so-called dwarf antelope.
Steenbok stand 16"–24) at the shoulder, and weigh(15–35 lb. Only males have horns.
And, at last, a warthog that doesn't run away.
The Daily Dose of Birds
African hawk-eagle. LIFER
Ostrich
Juvenile sacred ibis.
The beautiful red-billed hornbill is on the perfect perch.
Black-winged stilt.
A coucal with a beat-up (or wet) tail.
Lesser gray shrike.
Our own personal bushbuck rests near our tent.
Now, to get our bags packed and ready for the transfer to Mashatu Lodge.
Interpretation: Don’t expect much from the waterhole hides, as there is water elsewhere for wildlife. Botswana had months of rain before we arrived.
Well, rats, I think. But I soon find out that “water in the rivers” doesn’t mean flowing streams. Instead, I find only isolated pools of water and drivable riverbeds. They soon become my favorite parts of Mashatu Game Reserve.
Meanwhile, we are once again at the Lala Limpopo overnight hide, waiting for the talent to show.
A black-backed jackal is the first. We watch as it approaches one of the lights Aubrey set out to illuminate the waterhole. The jackal is snapping at insects in the light. It reminds me of driving through a downpour in Kenya and seeing a jackal jumping and snapping at something as the raindrops bounced off the dirt.
"Termites," said our guide. "They come out of the ground when the rain seeps in." That was when I learned that insects make up a large proportion of a jackal's diet.
Finally, near midnight, a jackal approaches to drink.
Then, a spotted hyena.
I go back to bed, but I'm soon awakened when the big guys show up.
A small herd of wildebeest arrives to slake their thirst.
I go back to bed and am not awakened until it's time for breakfast.
We have things to do today. We are leaving Tuli Lodge and heading deeper into the Mashatu Game Reserve to the main lodge, Mashatu itself.
(Click on one photo to bring up a film strip that will allow full-screen viewing.)
It's late on the afternoon of Nov 9, and we are in the vicinity of the Lala Limpopo overnight guide, where we are scheduled to stay the night and, hopefully, photograph animals and birds at the waterhole. If they come to the waterhole, that is.
A tree that caught my eye.
Rather than head straight to the hide, we ask if we can have a game drive on the way, and our guide is agreeable. The sky is mostly overcast, and so the temperatures are reasonable for Africa. That has the effect of decreasing the wildlife at the waterholes.
Plus, the fact that Botswana had heavy rains for the couple of months preceding our safari, also means there are plenty of water sources available for the wildlife, and they don't have to rely on the man-made waterholes at the various hides.
Hence, our game drive.
Lest you think we are driving along a nice paved road, here's a short video of our vehicle crossing a small wash. This is typical of the remote reserves and parks. Few have paved roads. Kruger Park in South Africa is the only one I know of.
Remember this, as it will be referenced in a future chapter.
The sun is sinking on the horizon this late afternoon, and when the golden rays of what is called "the golden hour" illuminate the animals, they appear to glow with a rich, rewarding light. Photographers love the golden hour. It also occurs in the morning just after dawn.
It can take my breath away, especially when the sky is dark with storm clouds.
Even the elephants have that Midas touch.
We find a cute black-backed jackal resting beside a bush. They are members of the Canidae family, making them related to dogs, wolves, and coyotes. They are omnivores, and often seen at the site of carcasses, barking bravely at lions in the hope the cats will move away and leave some meat for them.
They also eat large numbers of insects and rodents.
Jackals do not make good pets. They are destructive chewers, highly territorial, and will spray and defecate all over your house.
And then! Cries of alarm carry across the bushveld.
Immediately, our driver starts the truck and heads in the direction of the sound at a fast pace. Hang on!
We find the source of the distress.
Yes, it's coming from a black-backed jackal. I have never before heard a jackal "alarming," but I take one look at the surroundings and know there's a leopard in the area.
Volume up for this cell phone video!!!
The search begins. We drive the edge of the riverine vegetation, the leopard's chosen habitat, and eventually spot the cat disappearing in the tall grass.
We follow its course along a grassy ditch and are finally rewarded with one shot in the open.
to
We are past due at the hide, and I'm sure the host is wondering where we are. The guide turns around and heads to the hide.
We are so close, we can almost see the turn that takes us to the building.
And then sharp-eyed Shelly spots something out in the open field about a 75 yards away. Our guide turns off the track and heads in that direction, but stays far away from what they see.
I gasp when I use my long 500 mm telephoto lens to look at the animals. They are Bat-eared fox!!! I cannot emphasize enough how rare an opportunity this is.
The little critters are exceptionally skittish and usually run away when they spot vehicles and humans. I have seen them a couple of times in past years and have never been able to get even a half-decent photo.
Therefore, I can't call them a LIFER, but I think I'll award myself a HALF-LIFER.
Bat-eared foxes at their den. The one on the left is lying across the entrance to the underground den.
These little critters might resemble Yoda from Star Wars when they are at rest, but when they are alert, those large ears are erect and rounded, hence the name bat-eared.
A Yoda toy I found while picking up litter along the highway.
They are small (12-16 inches at the shoulder) with ears up to 5 inches long.
After weaning (14 to 16 weeks), the male takes over raising the pups.
Info from the Internet: The males take over grooming, defending, huddling, chaperoning, and carrying the young between den sites. Additionally, male care and attendance rates have been shown to have a direct correlation with pup survival rates. The female forages for food, which she uses to maintain her milk production.
They appear to be relaxed. So much so that it's hard to tell when their eyes are open and when they're sleeping. Even through the long lenses, it's difficult, so I take a lot of photos in the hope that I will see some open eyes.
Since they seem undisturbed, we move a little closer, but are still many yards away
And then, the golden light of the setting sun bathes the bat-eared foxes in its glow.
These photos are from the memory card that was "hiding" from me for two and a half months. I was particularly sick about losing these forever.
And then, it's time. A short distance down the road is the familiar entrance to the Lala Limpopo hide.
The Five Star ( my award) Lolo Limpopo overnight hide.
It's almost dark. We quickly get our camera gear ready and set up on the shooting counter.
Aubry has already put out the lights that will illuminate the waterhole and a bit of the surroundings.
He sets out our dinner, and then we settle in for the wait.
