My Kwando experience : report & stories

[Bush dog]

@@Marks

 

No shots of the chase itself. It's extremely difficult to make good pictures when you try to follow wild dogs when they are chasing, especially when it's on broken ground.

[Bush dog]

October 2011

 

LEBALA

 

As usual, I was transferred from Lagoon to Lebala at Halfway Pan. Kanawe awaited me. I was very happy to see him again after four years. Kanawe had just left Selinda, which was, I suppose, very difficult for him after spending twenty years of his life there. He probably got tired of the new owners. He has since retired. He was accompanied by a neophyte tracker. Camp management counted on him to train him. Indeed, Kanawe with his great experience of Selinda, did not need any tracker at all. At Selinda, the guide was polyvalent. Kanawe is not only a great guide, but also a great tracker.

 

The stay at Lebala was quieter. There were two shy male lions that fed on the carcass of a young elephant they had not killed, and that hastened to clear off when we arrived. We tried in vain to follow them. There was also a female leopard and its offspring, two wild dogs and a lot of elephants.

 

 

This one seems to sketch a dance or perhaps it had eaten too much marula fruits.

 

[Bush dog]

October 2011

 

LEBALA

 

A few other species.

 

 

Kanawe knew where to find a female leopard and its offspring. It was along the floodplains, in the high grass.

 

 

Once there, we began to perceive movements without noticing anything. Then we heard them communicate to each other by small discrete calls. This lasted nearly forty-five minutes. It was a bit like a game of hide and seek that both seemed to strongly appreciate. Finally, the young leopard decided to show first. Immediately and as a result, its mother also appeared. Again, a leopard is visible only when it wants to.

 

 

To conclude this report, the sky lit by the sun that had already disappeared behind the horizon.

 

 

 

THE END

[wilddog]

Thoroughly enjoyed this retrospective; great sightings and great images.

 

There is no doubt that filming a hunt is tricky and to be honest can mean missing and enjoying the real thing. Your after the kill shots are wonderful and, like other St members, the dogs fighting over the head of the impala is particularly striking... and the elephant head-shaking sequence, the leopards........... I could go on................. Thanks @@Bush dog

[michael-ibk]

Very much enjoyed this Kwando retrospective. It´s such a fantastic place I long to return to, and your report has certainly made that craving much worse again. Fantastic photography but then that goes almost without saying by now - nothing less could be expected from a report by you. Many thanks for sharing, Mike!

[Bush dog]

@@wilddog

 

Thanks a lot for your generous comments and for having followed this report!

[Bush dog]

@@michael-ibk

 

Thank you very much for your eulogistic words. It's indeed a fantastic place. I was about to go back last February but as you know, I had to forget it, at least temporarily.

[Marks]

@@Marks

 

No shots of the chase itself. It's extremely difficult to make good pictures when you try to follow wild dogs when they are chasing, especially when it's on broken ground.

 

Oh I can imagine!

Thanks for another great thread. Love the 4th elephant photo above - you captured a strong dynamic sense of motion.

[Bush dog]

@@Marks

 

Thank you so much for following this topic!

[michael-ibk]

@@michael-ibk

 

I was about to go back last February but as you know, I had to forget it, at least temporarily.

 

Really hope that you can do it very soon now, and I think all of us are.

 

Which is in part a very egoistical wish of course - hoping for more Bush Dog Kwando reports here.

[marg]

@@Bush dog....Thank you very much!

[mvecht]

@@Bush dog

fantastic TR. Brings back so many great memories from a fantastic game viewing area.

[Peter Connan]

Wonderful retrospective with magnificent photos thank you @@Bush dog, I really enjoyed following along.

[Atravelynn]

"feasting at great reinforcement of alcohol" great phrase And great advice to bring a spare of the items crucial to your enjoyment of the trip, like a spare pair of glasses!

 

Such a collection of photos. A true study in Kwando.

 

I wonder how many visitors had crossed paths with that snouted cobra, both intent on their respective tasks.

 

That African Wildcat kit is such a lucky find.

 

Your shot really shows that umbrella behavior of the black egret.

 

Did I read you described as disappointing your stay that produced those excellent shots of a honey badger? I look forward to such disappointing stays.

 

I didn't understand the part about paying for some of a 12-day trip with the winnings of first prize in a contest. Did you win?

 

Despite the boorish behavior of that other couple, you win with exceptional wild dog shots. And great shots in general! What a superb scrapbook of memories and images!!

Edited July 8, 2015 by Atravelynn

[Bush dog]

@@Atravelynn

 

Thanks a lot, Lynn, for your ever generous and apposite comments.

 

I won, indeed, the Kwando photo competition with one of the "Leopard vs warthog" pictures.

[Atravelynn]

@@Atravelynn

 

Thanks a lot, Lynn, for your ever generous and apposite comments.

 

I won, indeed, the Kwando photo competition with one of the "Leopard vs warthog" pictures.

Congrats. Do you have some of these shots? Sorry if I missed them. Or maybe there is a rule you can't post winners on the internet.

 

How did you ever find time for Barranco Alto with all your time at Kwando?

[Bush dog]

@@Atravelynn

 

For "Leopard vs warthog" pictures, please go to post #104 of this topic or on

 

http://safaritalk.net/topic/13465-kwando-lebala-october-2009-the-magician-in-action/

[Atravelynn]

@@Atravelynn

 

For "Leopard vs warthog" pictures, please go to post #104 of this topic or on

 

http://safaritalk.net/topic/13465-kwando-lebala-october-2009-the-magician-in-action/

Those are an incredible series of shots. I'm sure there was little competition that year for first prize!

[penolva]

Each time I view your amazing shots I see something I missed last time! The warthogs mohican standing up this time. Pen

[madaboutcheetah]

my perspective - Kwara yes!

Lagoon, NO!!!

[Bush dog]

 

 

I've been a few times in Kwara and it was not really exceptional. But nothing tells me that it would have been better if I had been on game drives instead. Sometimes game drives can also deliver nothing.

And I agree with Hari, at Lagoon, the boat trips are boring.

[mvecht]

 

The boat trips at Kwara are very good for watching the roosting birds and is an excellent Photo opportunity.

Dont expect to much interms of mammals although I did see Serval on one trip.

Ask them to leave a little bit earlier than normal in the afternoon and then you will be back to do a full night drive!

[madaboutcheetah]

Yes, the roosting birds or the heronery is definitely worth a visit, if they are active - I think I may have seen that in August/September one year.

 

At lagoon, the only time I've been on the boat there is to go round the corner from camp to get some photos of the Elephants coming down to drink - that's in the middle of the afternoon though (water levels permitting).

[Ginny]

@Bush dogI ran across this fascinating trip report while searching for information about the Kwando camps and have thoroughly enjoyed

reading it.  Your photos are amazing.   I'm hoping to go to Kwando in 2022.

[Bush dog]

@Ginny

thanks a lot for your kind words !  I wish you a magnificent stay there.