The Magic of Mana-October 2013

[Big Andy]

Hope to break my safari duck next year with a Mana trip so really looking forward to this TR.

[kittykat23uk]

There is a pub close to Norwich called the "Dog Inn" we always giggle as we drive past!

[Whyone?]

@@wilddog ......Do you have a close-up of the flag? Can't see it very clearly in the photo...

 

I am pretty sure it is a Royal Standard.

 

The flag flown above a building in the UK to show that the Queen is in residence!

[Whyone?]

Can anybody emlighten a non- native English speaker about this dogging thing?

How can I put this delicately.......nope, I cant...so here goes.

 

It is the term given to a nocturnal activity where strangers gather at well known (dogging) locations - generally car parks in remote locations - and have sex with each other.

 

Classy eh?!

[africapurohit]

Fantastic start @@wilddog but please start posting more photos from your trip before GW locks this topic

[wilddog]

Oh dear I see what you mean @@africapurohit ..................

 

Next chapter in the morning.

[Game Warden]

Back on topic then. Royal Standard? Of course fit for a Lady

[Morkel Erasmus]

Back on topic then. Royal Standard? Of course fit for a Lady

 

"Dogging" wasn't on topic? My oh my...have I missed the point of THIS thread!

Best find a suitable spot to park my car then

 

Just kidding of course - looking forward to more Mana magic!!

[wilddog]

I was awoken a few times in the night by the lions roaring, one of whom was close to camp and the other, possibly across the Zambezi in Zambia. Such a special sound and I am so grateful that I do wake when the lions and hyenas etc. are calling I know it is not the same for everyone.

 

Over night the clear skies had gone, to be replaced by heavy cloud; would we get rain?

 

We met for a quick coffee and toast at 5.00am and agreed that lions were first on the agenda for the day so we set out for the morning drive and sure enough found a large male lion walking behind camp. We followed him for some time, and as he approached the back of the camp he began to call again, presumably looking for the main pride. After all while he settled down to rest within sight of the back of the buildings. The member of staff who was walking at the back of the building did not seem concerned at all.

 

 

The lion was not long settled when 4 elephants appeared, one of whom sauntered over, using that slightly heavy , swinging gait, gave the lion one of those 'I think you should move on now' looks and the lion duly trotted off. Then he started calling again...............

 

http://youtu.be/MUyC_CRs8kI

 

As he moved off, we followed him and watched him for some while he did what lions do; sitting around cleaning himself, then rubbing his head in some nice smelling stuff on the ground, walking around the buildings and marking his territory.

 

Later we lost him in the undergrowth on the river bank despite descending onto the flood plain below the buildings to find him; so we decided to move on.

 

 

 

 

This male is certainly is a very fine specimen and is making sufficient noise to tell everyone he is in now in charge. It seems that he has recently caused havoc locally and has taken the pride over, having killed a cub and has already mated with one of the pride females. Doug was in Chikwenya when the takeover happened a few weeks ago and it seems to have been a particularly tragic and harrowing story some of which was witnessed by Doug and some earlier clients. They found the cub in the river, having been attacked by the male and now struggling to get out, with her mother calling from the bank. The whole story was really tragic.

[wilddog]

After our lion sighting we set off for a bit of a wander through the Chikwenya terraces taking in the wildlife and the birds eventually getting back up the area where the dogs had been sighted two days before. We had some wonderful sightings. The browsers and grazers look in good condition despite the dry weather and apparent lack of grazing and there seem to be more young elephant around than last year. The impala are looking well but bursting at the seams as they wait for the rains and the opportunity to drop their young at the best time.

To finish off our morning we went for a walk along the river bed noting the birds and checking for tracks and enjoying the superb terracotta colours of the dramatically eroded river banks. reminiscent of an ancient city somewhere. No sign of the dogs.

On returning to camp for lunch I found this delightful family of vervet monkeys cavorting on the walkway to my chalet with one of the youngest, overcome with curiosity being the bravest (or most foolhardy). Enchanting.

 

[madaboutcheetah]

So when the river flows, the banks rise upto the tree line? WOW - very pretty!!!

[Soukous]

Very impressive looking eland and kudus.

I hope you're working on the next installment right now

[TonyQ]

@@wilddog

Really enjoying this

Great lion pictures (and video with the elephant)

Baby Vervet is very cute.

[Whyone?]

I am enjoying your Mana adventure @@wilddog - it certainly helps my commute into London pass by a little more quickly - could you string it out to 331 (exciting - we have today made our reservation with Parks for 2014) daily editions please?!

 

A couple of questions - which of the Mana prides has the male you spent time with joined? And you mention how dry everything was during your visit. When I was there in early / mid Oct. Mana was as unusually wet - there was water in places I have never seen it before and huge flocks of Quelia were testament to the quantity of food available. Weree the Quelia still about during your visit?

[wilddog]

@@Whyone? Nice to know you hare booked for next year. I am not sure if I will get back there next year............

 

I have been a bit lax about the prides, apologies. There is a pride that hangs around the Chikwenya concession called, oddly enough, the Chikwenya Pride. I saw this pride for the first time in October last year; females and young only, the male(s) were not in evidence at that time. (see my TR from 2012) . It is this pride where there has been a recent, and bloody, takeover.

 

Re this concession it is also worth noting at this point that there is also a large wild dog pack that frequents this area referred to as either the Chikwenya or Nyamutsi pack. It is these we were hoping to find again during this section of the trip.

 

There had been mention of water being available in other pools remote from the river in one of the recent TR's so I asked Doug Macdonald, my guide, about this as it could explain the reason for the recently reduced dog sightings. He advised me that these pools had now just about dried up. (We arrived on 22nd October).

 

I refer to the dryness in the grass etc. as it was almost non existent when I was there (except for on the islands). Apparently the rain patterns this year where better than last enabling healthy sustained growth. My understanding of this is that animals fed well throughout the season and although, possibly struggling now; they had some reserves to get them through to the rains. Interesting the sausage trees were flowering for a second time this year.

 

Yes the Quelia were in evidence in huge flocks and I must have taken 100 odd images of them (all rubbish!) as they flew down to the water to drink or across the Zambezi from Zambia (and vice versa) each morning. Perhaps you go some good shots of them and can put them in your TR!

[Maki]

@@wilddog - I am really enjoying this report.

 

Just finished reading, and have to say I am jealous you wake up when lions roar – I don’t and am reminded by other guests what a shame that is. ‘’you really didn’t hear the lion, really? Oooh it was amazing’’

Great video, lovely sounds too! On mine you hear the wind all the time. Hope you share more videos later on.

[wilddog]

@@wilddog - I am really enjoying this report.

 

Just finished reading, and have to say I am jealous you wake up when lions roar – I don’t and am reminded by other guests what a shame that is. ‘’you really didn’t hear the lion, really? Oooh it was amazing’’

Great video, lovely sounds too! On mine you hear the wind all the time. Hope you share more videos later on.

Thanks @@Maki My videoing is a bit erratic; we have a few real experts on this site but I am not one of them. I think I was just lucky with this one.

[Soukous]

enough chit chat, next installment please

[Big Andy]

enough chit chat, next installment please

Quite agree, enough teasing get on with it woman.

[michael-ibk]

As everyone else already said, what a beautiful place! Love the Kudu and Eland pics. Very much looking forward to all the rest. And I will probably pester you with questions about Mana next march.

[Sangeeta]

Hard to read about the brutal realities of a pride takeover. That does sounds like a very harrowing tale @@wilddog.

 

On a happier note, what strikes me as so incredible about Mana (and this is particularly true of Chikwenya, I think) is the amazing amount of wildlife that one is surrounded by at any given point of time. Look closely at any photo, and what you thought was a lovely zebra pic turns out to be a zebra and a kudu pic... Look at an ele pic, and you see baboons and impalas somewhere in the frame as well. Quite remarkable - and this, along with that dappled light, is one of the many things that sets Mana apart from other safari destinations.

 

That dry river bed looks like a lot of fun.

[Atravelynn]

Page 1: Your night time dining spot is beautiful. Love the red carpet!

"There is something about getting off the plane in Africa..." there certainly is!

[wilddog]

Afternoons at Chikwenya usually include a boat trip followed by a game drive so, despite the overcast skies, we set off downstream to check out the wildlife and enjoy the river ambience.

 

We spent much time at the carmine bee eater colony which was thriving and a hive of activity. In addition there were some white fronted bee eaters in residence. I took loads of images from the boat, many of which were very disappointing but a few are posted below. We then continued our tranquil journey and saw quite a lot of bird life including a single Crowned Crane. Doug has seen one here before but never a pair. This is a very long distance shot so is not of good quality but does prove it's existence.

 

But we were determined to continue searching for the dogs and see if the rest of the lion pride had turned up, so we went back to camp for tea and then, out for a drive in the land cruiser Still no dogs, nor any fresh signs either....... this was not looking good.

But we did catch up again with our friend from earlier in the day, the male lion. He was still on his own; it had been suggested, by one of the camp staff, that he had been sent to Coventry by the pride for killing the female cub, but perhaps that is anthropomorphic !

Photographic opportunities were limited but I did get one reasonable shot in the headlights and a bit of video with him roaring but the second section is roaring only as we lost sight of him but he seemed even nearer. A wonderful sound, I hope you enjoy it too

http://youtu.be/DvRg9ar-9G8

[Soukous]

Looks as though you had some wonderful sightings of bee eaters.

Love the night time sounds on your video - especially the roaring lion.

keep 'em coming @@wilddog

[Atravelynn]

Bee eaters out in force. I don't want to turn up the roar to loud or I'll scare my husband.