Kwando Lagoon/Lebala June/July 2014

[pault]

Just caught up - oops. I saw some of these on Facebook, but didn't realise you had a report underway over here - and a very wordy one for you, Hari, but what a fantastic trip. A delight for everyone, but it must just hurt to look at these pictures if you have a Kwando trip planned soon. I am short of breath and I am going nowhere near Botswana!

 

I stopped "liking" your posts when i realised I was going to generate 30 notifications for you. . In fact the quality of the pictures improves as we go, if anything. You have some absolutely wonderful shots this time.

[madaboutcheetah]

Hahaha - Thanks @@pault - you are too kind!

[Marks]

Brilliant photos...the constant expression of irritation on the mother leopard's face is amusing, too.

[madaboutcheetah]

Brilliant photos...the constant expression of irritation on the mother leopard's face is amusing, too.

 

Thanks @@Marks - yes, the funny thing about that series is; the angle might easily make the viewer think she's cross with us in the vehicle ...... but, she's irritated by the cub. As lucky as this sighting was, I saw other guests' images of the duo on top of a dead leadwood in the perfect sunset ...... imagine that! ...... We had already left for Lebala and the guests from Lagoon came down south a couple days later.

Edited July 30, 2014 by madaboutcheetah

[Big_Dog]

Kwando knocks it out of the park, and @@madaboutcheetah 's photography is insane. Got back in today from my own travels so I'm very late to thee party, everything has been said about the supern nature of everything in this thread.

But I still must ask for my sake...any good hyaena sightings at all?

[madaboutcheetah]

@@Big_Dog ..... Thanks a lot.

 

RE Hyena - we had quite a few sightings ...... a lot of them were either shy ones; or when they were around we were more fascinated by other predators ..... not sure you've seen the one post with Hyena in good morning light? - We saw them around Lions one morning at Lebala; near the dog den another day ...... both times they were quite skittish.

 

[Big_Dog]

You're defintiley winning next year's photo contest with those!

I liked those photos...very beefy looking individual! Was that the carcass of the buffalo they brought down as mentioned in the sighting report? Must have been a cool hunt to witness.
Odd they're so skittish all of a sudden though?

[madaboutcheetah]

No I don't think same ones .....we just bumped into these trying to find cheetah

 

I think there are lots more lions now in the concession making them very edgy.

[Big_Dog]

Something similar happened in Londolozi...an increase in a male lion coalition meant the hyaena moved out of the reserve almost. Though at Kwando I think it's more lionesses over male lions, which may have even the opposite effect. Also odd it'd make them fear vehicles...but I guess peculiarity is a big reason to love hyaena!

[FlyTraveler]

Fabulous leopardess and cub photos, Hari!

[madaboutcheetah]

Something similar happened in Londolozi...an increase in a male lion coalition meant the hyaena moved out of the reserve almost. Though at Kwando I think it's more lionesses over male lions, which may have even the opposite effect. Also odd it'd make them fear vehicles...but I guess peculiarity is a big reason to love hyaena!

 

There's plenty of random Male Lions around too ...... more pictures to come when i get to editing them

 

It's possible that the particular Hyena/clans we encountered were not used to vehicles? I mean it's such a huge area??? I may not have encountered the general Photogenic clans ....

 

 

Thanks @@FlyTraveler

Edited August 1, 2014 by madaboutcheetah

[Big_Dog]

Looking forward to seeing the nomad males then. Will certainly have to keep a close eye on sighting reports to see what Blondie and Blackie do with them...

Good point on the hyaena clans too! Wonder how many there are in the joint concession? If only they were as well kwown as the other carnivores by the staff.
Looking forward to more pics!

[graceland]

Love those cubs....such great shots, Hari.

 

Envious how so many find leopard cubs..oh me...ONE day!

At least I find them here on ST

 

Hope to see some dogs and lions in Sept. Not sure of leopards/cheetahs though a few reports have come in on sightings. There may be HOPE.

[madaboutcheetah]

One of our mornings at Lagoon ..... Spencer suggested we drive North of camp to see if we can pick up any signs of the 3 cheetah brothers to see if they have returned from their grounds in Muvumbi ..... We were soon well north of Kwena Lagoon on the single track that exists there. We picked up fresh tracks of Male Lions. Once Spencer and Mr.Moe get down to "tracking" ..... they just don't give up! Soon ...... an hour and a bit later - we find the 3 Young Male Lions in thick Kalahari Apple Leaf. We had seen these boys being super active Last October all the way down at Lebala. They hadn't been seen for quite a few months - guess they've been in the woodland following the buffalo.

 

Even though they were not very photogenic this morning - it was nice to catch up with them ........ We knew being this far north, chances are that we weren't going to catch up with them again in the trip, so got a couple of record shots of them. Looking good, indeed!!!!

[Big_Dog]

Very nice looking trio indeed! Give a bit of time for them to bulk up and the mane to fill out fully and they'll be an attractive coalition.
Any thoughts on their lineage? If not related to anyone in the concession there may be a takeover in a few years with so many young bloods about.

[madaboutcheetah]

No idea of lineage - they spend more time in the woodland and only come out when the buffalo are out and about ...... I agree with you that they are going to be a very attractive coalition.

 

One of them weren't comfortable with the vehicle (may not have seen one in several months) -

[madaboutcheetah]

Some varied species in this post ....... (Any clue about that collared Zebra, anyone?) ...

[michael-ibk]

No clue, but I saw a similarly collared wildebeest in the Kalahari. I assume tracking their migration routes?

 

Great shots, always love seeing "ordinary game". Nothing ordinary about these magnificent animals IMO...

 

Really missed seeing buffalo at Kwando, you are making up for that, Hari.

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks, Michael ..... Buffalo herds were just coming out of the woodland - still not the massive herds yet as of my visit.

 

That's what i thought too - tracking their migration ... would love to know where he came from and his route!

[Soukous]

You did see some cheetah right?

[CDL111]

Many thanks for a superb report Hari. Will be out at Lagoon/Lebala early December 2014, and we cannot wait. We can only hope to see cheetah as we have not had any sightings at other camps for some years. We were out here in June 2007 and yes, the lions and leopard sightings were great.

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @@CDL111 - Would love to hear what sightings you come across when you are there in December .......

[FlyTraveler]

Will echo @@michael-ibk that there is nothing ordinary about the "ordinary game". Great zebra, gnu, greater kudu and buffalo shots Hari!

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @@FlyTraveler

 

Sorry been a hectic weekend and the last week too - have been slow editing more images ......

Lots more cheetah and Lions to work on

[madaboutcheetah]

Kudu portrait