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Tales and memories from the Kwando concession Sept 2015


madaboutcheetah

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@@madaboutcheetah

 

It's about time I chimed in simply to tell you how much I have been enjoying your report. Very thorough and helpful, and your photography is just beautiful. More please!

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madaboutcheetah

@@Alexander33 - Thanks so much! I was just reading your report and your recent Aardvark sighting!!! That one still eludes me.

 

@@johnkok - will edit them this weekend. The bee eater colony first - this lot from the morning where I actually had some light to work with. ;)

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madaboutcheetah

Not sure why some of the photos didn't get uploaded ..... Hmmm - shall try again weekend.

 

@@Big_Dog - for this trip, I used mostly a 300 F2.8. Left the 500 F4 at home.... Principally, because i knew there wasn't a dog den this late in the season and that I would mostly be based from Lagoon.

 

Still to come - The Bee eater colony; a large herd of Sable; Another start to finish Cheetah kill ........ and more Lions!!!

 

Oh - just remembered ........ another reason for leaving the 500 F4 back at home. The Landcruisers at Kwando have absolutely no bar or railing or any sort of platform where a bean bag can be placed (except from the front seat next to the guide on the door frame) .......... That would also mean constantly tilting to my left and that did leave me with some back spasms while in East Africa earlier in the year. It took a lot of work rehab and core strengthening ...... Thank You, Shaun T!!!! :)

Edited by madaboutcheetah
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@@madaboutcheetah LOVE the black and white leopard photos, Hari - gorgeous! And the color one that is last in post 191 is also stunning!

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madaboutcheetah

Thanks @@SafariChick - yes, converted to the BW as I wasn't happy with the light - too hazy.

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@@madaboutcheetah ah well that worked out well. And the honey badger - so great to have seen one, I have not yet - on my wish list!!

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@@madaboutcheetah this is a bit off topic but not really since you brought him up .... funny I never heard of Shaun T until recently and now I hear about him everywhere! Several podcasts I listen to have him as an advertiser. I guess his programs are good if you're using them - maybe I will check it out!

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madaboutcheetah

That Carmine Bee Eater colony in stunning morning light - We could hardly see anything during the evening visit, so Spencer suggested we race to Kwena Lagoon for early morning light - here goes........ (maybe I missed my 500 F4 for this one ;) )

 

 

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madaboutcheetah

These images of that Zebra Pan Lion which didn't get uploaded yesterday ..... So, here goes...

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Dear Hari,

 

I would seriously call roan antelope an ordinary sighting. In August I saw plenty of roan when I was staying at Lagoon Camp. I have also seen roan antelope when I was staying at Lebala Camp. Besides the Kwando Camps, I have seen them in Hwange National Park, Chobe and on a walking safari at Kichaka Camp in Ruaha National Park. I have enjoyed all of your photos.

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I love the Bee-Eater photos, Hari. Big colony - where is it?

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Dunno about you and a 500/4 but I would not have known which bird to point at when at the bee-eater colony. Or if I did, I would miss more than I got :rolleyes:

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madaboutcheetah

Thanks - Michael, at Kwena lagoon; north of Kwando Lagoon camp.

 

John - I know - me too....

 

@@optig - Hmmm - yes, I guess that's why they were included under "general" game. That said, I've found it hard to find a few that cooperate for photography.

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madaboutcheetah

@@SafariChick - First the Honey Badger - IMHO, the Kalahari is a hot spot for them. We saw several Honey Badgers in the CKGR when i was on a mobile safari in 2010 (seriously all over the place)

 

Re Shaun T ....... I highly highly recommend his programs. I finished up T25 (all 3 phases) and now on Insanity Max 30. It's hard at first - but, he motivates you and you'll be digging deep (his phrase). If you plan to start - I recommend T25. It's so so easy to work out and keep fit when traveling too - as you just carry your lap top and dvds. Honestly, I came back from Kwando having lost a couple pounds. Ditto recently when I was in Europe for work.

Edited by madaboutcheetah
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madaboutcheetah

Sable ......... In a couple of images, note one of the sable chewing on a bone :)

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madaboutcheetah

3 quickly edited photos of the dogs having woken up from their afternoon siesta.

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@@madaboutcheetah thanks for the encouragement re Shaun T - ok I will try it! Mind you I am a lot less fit starting out than you were I'm sure, but I'll see if I can do it! This may be the first time ever an exercise guru is being discussed in a Safaritalk trip report ha ha! My husband says actually I should first try the free 7-minute high intensity workout and see how I do with that before moving on to Shaun T so maybe I will do that!

 

Beautiful sable - that is interesting about chewing on the bone, any idea why they do it?

 

And great closeups of the dogs - love the second one where it is tossing its head.

Edited by SafariChick
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@@madaboutcheetah, the B&W of the dog shaking itself is stunning!

 

I have often seen Giraffe chewing bones. I assume they are after calcium?

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Lovely pale giraffes on page 10. Love the bee-eaters, too. Always amazing to see them fly in what appears to be total chaos.

The sable with a bone is an excellent sighting and a good record of interesting behavior! Looks a bit like a large cigarette, though...

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madaboutcheetah

Thanks a lot ...... @@Marks @@Peter Connan

 

And @@SafariChick - yes, for the calcium in the bones I suppose. Will send you a link later today where you can try t25 before signing up.

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luangwablondes

Most likely hyenas eat the bone for calcium and bone marrow.

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madaboutcheetah

Now the cheetah Kill Deux ........ I had no hope or idea this was going to happen on that day. Judging them in the morning I was apprehensive at Spencer's suggestion that we keep a watch on them this particular day - so much so, we went back to brunch having seen them walk to that termite mound. He insisted that we take a chance and keep an eye on them (other vehicles came and went and possibly some of the others were on one of the final boat trips for the season) we hung in there (I was literally digging deep) and watched them "boys of lagoon" go from Flat to Fit!!! Later over drinks, Spencer mentioned that he had seen a lot of impala by the water earlier on and that this would be the direction they would head back in the evening and hence didn't want us to leave this particular opportunity. Even though, they didn't look exactly starving or hungry, if the opportunity presented itself they would take it ....... that's what happened here.

 

Note the guy behind is the one who was limping and keeping up with the brother who does all the hard work (funny how things pan out ..... the guy doing all the work now was the lazy one in days gone by - I have checked my old photos where he was just hanging back).

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@@madaboutcheetah

This is close to being the most outstanding sequence of wildlife photography that I have ever seen. I had Spencer for three days as my guide when I stayed last at Lagoon Camp. I found him excellent in every way.

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madaboutcheetah

Continued ....... (there is one interesting picture mid-way through the series - note the impala kicking.... not dead yet) ....... Hmmmm the boys are old! No country for old men........ It's a hard life even in the animal kingdom!

 

I know a lot of same/same images - but, the intent here is to show to the readers how long the impala was actually alive.......

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