Leopard Hills, Sabi Sands, South Africa — October, 2015

[Tom Kellie]

Would a Rembrandt portrait capture your mind,

That shines forth from your intelligent look?

Each wild dog is truly one of a kind,

With wisdom unwritten in any book.

Canine Beauty

[kittykat23uk]

 

"Dare I note that I brought a bathing suit to wear in the plunge pool but in reality it remained dry throughout my stay." - the water was too cold in the plunge pool ;-)) ??

The above description of the Leopard Hills Lodge is both poetic and full of useful informations.

 

~ @@xelas

 

I swam twice a day, but never wore...anything!

Tom K.

Think of the Children!!!!

[Terry]

Hi @@Tom Kellie, Enjoying your trip report greatly. You have truly captured the magic of Sabi Sands with your pictures and your words. Love this last picture of the Wild Dog. And your leopards!

 

Looking forward to more!

 

@Terry

[Marks]

Lovely pictures and verse, Tom...a perfect balm to post-holiday stress.

[Tom Kellie]

Think of the Children!!!!

 

~ @@kittykat23uk

 

~ Ha Ha!

Those poor baby elephants — what they must have thought!

****************************************

BTW: Have been reading about severe flooding in York and elsewhere.

Hope that you're doing well where you live.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Hi @@Tom Kellie, Enjoying your trip report greatly. You have truly captured the magic of Sabi Sands with your pictures and your words. Love this last picture of the Wild Dog. And your leopards!

 

Looking forward to more!

 

@@Terry

 

~ @@Terry

 

It's so encouraging to read your kind comment above.

Happily, there's much more to come.

What slows up posting is that this is the close of the semester with stacks of final examinations and final papers to grade.

Preparing for a return to Leopard Hills nineteen days hence is also overshadowing my daily schedule.

I'll be glad to add more as time allows.

Thank you!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Lovely pictures and verse, Tom...a perfect balm to post-holiday stress.

 

~ @@Marks

 

I'm very glad to know that.

Thinking about wildlife is soothing, their beauty undiminished by human strife.

As time permits, I'll continue adding to this trip report.

Thank you for your kind support.

Tom K.

[kittykat23uk]

 

Think of the Children!!!!

 

~ @@kittykat23uk

 

~ Ha Ha!

Those poor baby elephants — what they must have thought!

****************************************

BTW: Have been reading about severe flooding in York and elsewhere.

Hope that you're doing well where you live.

Tom K.

Fine thanks, no flooding here

[Tom Kellie]

~ This post is written from the computer in the Leopard Hills Library.

The experience has been TERRIFIC!

Big Cat sightings aplenty, with images of less frequently observed behaviour.

Many rather dramatic kill images, plus triplet leopard cubs.

A lovely experience with more days to come.

Leopard Hills hospitality first-rate in all aspects, with excellent cooking, front office staff, and Ranger Jehanne and Tracker Ronald outdoing themselves on every game drive.

This place is named Leopard Hills with very good reason.

Tom K.

[xelas]

@@Tom Kellie

 

So safari happines is at it highest! Looking forward to read and watch ... And mybe there will be an odd chance to see a leopard also for us.

 

Is it hot this time in SA?

[Tom Kellie]

~ @@xelas

 

The temperatures here in Sabi Sands are in the low 30s. Dry heat and thoroughly comfortable.

Numerous Leopard sightings of all sorts. Perhaps the most satisfactory Leopard images ever, taken with both the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II super-telephoto lens and the Zeiss Apo-Sonnar T* 135mm f/2 ZE telephoto lens.

Most special was a close-range sighting of a mother Leopard with three 8-week old cubs, which were very active when not nursing.

Tom K.

[phil_b]

~ @@xelas

 

 

The temperatures here in Sabi Sands are in the low 30s. Dry heat and thoroughly comfortable.

Numerous Leopard sightings of all sorts. Perhaps the most satisfactory Leopard images ever, taken with both the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II super-telephoto lens and the Zeiss Apo-Sonnar T* 135mm f/2 ZE telephoto lens.

Most special was a close-range sighting of a mother Leopard with three 8-week old cubs, which were very active when not nursing.

Tom K.

So envious, sounds like you are having another amazing safari. Looking forward to that trip report too!

[Marks]

Glad the leopards are not disappointing! I'll look forward to seeing your results.

[AKR1]

Tom,

 

Just caught up with your beautiful, evocative report. Drum roll..... we have a resident poet on ST

 

Thanks for all the details which will be very useful to others planning a trip to the Sabi Sands. I have pleasant memories of the Sabi Sands- my very first safari!

[Tom Kellie]

~ Very big thanks from Leopard Hills to @@phil_b, @@Marks and @@AKR1!

The outstanding wildlife photography opportunities continue here.

With the Zeiss Apo-Sonnar T* 135mm f/2 ZE telephoto lens on the EOS 1D X, it's been possible to photo graph a variety of subjects during the past 24 hours, mostly at close range.

Wildflowers, dragonflies, butterflies, a wide variety of bird species, bushbuck, nyala, duiker, four adult male lions at night, drinking water together, warthogs, zebra, many kudu.

Special sightings included a mother rhino and calf, and about 8 teenage elephants playing together in a crazy way, knocking down trees, shoving each other, loudly trumpeting.

Also the mother Leopard had moved her three 8-week old cubs to a tree branch above a hungry hyena waiting below.

Perhaps the finest safari image I've taken in eleven safaris was made this morning - an adult male impala leaping across a dusty track, legs outstretched, as if flying. The image is pinsharp.

I'll return to Beijing from South Africa on Wednesday of this coming week.

Tom K.

[xelas]

@@Tom Kellie

 

All great news! I will probably miss the start of your trip report but will try to take a couple of "jumping photos" myself, as a consolation price .

 

Enjoy the rest of your safari happiness !

[Tom Kellie]

~ @@xelas

 

Thank you!

Please do enjoy your safari in South Africa.

This morning an exceptional close range image of a large male Leopard leaping across a stream, water dripping from his paws, shot at a fast shutter speed.

Yours truly spotted a male Leopard Tortoise...also a Bataleur. Clear images of both.

Enjoying every moment here in Leopard Hills, Sabi Sands, South Africa.

Tom K.

[deano]

@@Tom Kellie - thank you for the updates. I am sure that your images will be up to your usual high standards and I am waiting with great anticipation to see them. My wife is looking forward to the leopard cubs in particular.

[Marks]

Your finest image is bound to be a stunner, as you've already shared so many really exceptional ones with us!

Enjoying the up-to-date reports from Leopard Hills.

[pomkiwi]

@@Tom Kellie Enjoying your updates and looking forward to the photos. My travels have me in New York today and I'm 'enjoying' a blizzard dropping over 20 inches (50cm) of snow on the city. Roll on May and the warm Timbavati....

[Tom Kellie]

~ Many thanks to @@deano, @@Marks, and @@pomkiwi !!!

 

There are 4 game drives remaining...this afternoon, two tomorrow, and on Tuesday morning.

Yesterday afternoon and this morning have exceeded all expectations.

Multiple close range rhino sightings on both days...a four male lion coalition on a buffalo 15 minutes after the kill...eagles and hawks galore...wood hoopoes...steenbok, bushbuck and duiker...giraffe...VERY CLOSE elephant sightings (less than 1/4 meter after one walked up)...hippos...kingfishers...bee-eaters...a large flock of yellow-billed storks with a leopard and wildflowers...another leopard tortoise...monitor lizards, agamas and skinks...super-close range dwarf mongoose sighting...an immense male warthog strolled past during the morning tea break, sporting an oxpecker.

Leopards?

There has been more that twenty separate leopard sightings, of nine separate leopards, both male and female.

The photography has been unlike on any previous safari, with the EOS 1D X and both the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II and Zeiss Apo-Sonnar T* 135mm ZE lenses performing very well.

Weather is warm - low 30s - dry and comfortable. The superb meals and fine drink have resulted in deep sleep every night.

How I love standing on the terrace at around 5:10 am, listening to bird songs as the earliest dawn colors appear!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

 

 

The next safari - #12 - may have a very slight possibility of a sighting at night.

 

I haven't given up!

 

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

~ Yet another update from Leopard Hills.

Along with quite a few bird and grazing species, this afternoon we observed and photographed during a single game drive:

A very large monitor lizard, a chameleon, a leopard tortoise (the third I've seen here), a massive crocodile, and a young python.

The quality of the sightings here continues to exceed all expectations.

Tom K.

[Peter Connan]

A chameleon and a python? Wonderful Tom!

[Super LEEDS]

@@Tom Kellie

 

I don't get it. This TR is unfinished yet you're updating it whilst on another safari in the same place?! There must be some rules about this this kind of thing.....