Kafue—RETURN TO MY ROOTS—Musekese & Ntemwa, Oct 4-14

[Atravelynn]

47 minutes ago, marg said:

@Atravelynn...in post 22 puku is maybe bushbuck?  Looking at your roots I had to look back at my photos from last year.  My roots are not the same as yours. There were many roots to choose from.  It is great to see that Tripod is still with us.  Thanks for the report!

That absolutely is a bushbuck and there was a group of 7 that hung around the camp.  Thanks.  I meant to write bushbuck!

[ForWildlife]

White baboons babies are a rarity in most of Luangwa and certainly in Kafue, so much of a rarity that many guides keep mis-identifying them and calling them albinos, happens a few times each year in Luangwa. So I'd say the exclamation marks are still valid!

Loving this trip report!

[Atravelynn]

48 minutes ago, ForWildlife said:

White baboons babies are a rarity in most of Luangwa and certainly in Kafue, so much of a rarity that many guides keep mis-identifying them and calling them albinos, happens a few times each year in Luangwa. So I'd say the exclamation marks are still valid!

Loving this trip report! Thanks!

If you say so!!!!!!!

 

 

[Galago]

Nice skimmer photos and I meant to say yesterday I love your shot of a Twinspot. Plenty of them in the leaf litter around camp but not easy to photograph. One of my favourite birds.

[Atravelynn]

Morning of Oct 8 – Game Drive

 

Two lionesses were stalking a puku in tall grass. Looked like the perfect scenario for a kill and we waited to see if this would be one of the approximately 18% of hunts that ended with a meal for the lions—until one of the lionesses gave up the hunt and stood tall to reveal herself.  Off ran the puku, as the 82% success rate of escaping played out in the puku’s favor.

6:10 am  Lion in sunrise, seen on game drive from Musekese

 

 

 

 

 

 

We figured the lions were just not interested in hunting after giving up on the puku and then relaxing.

 

Our attention turned to locating some bush pigs that a guide on his way to the airstrip reported seeing but the pigs had disappeared.  That’s when we heard a distinct crack coming from the brush beyond the road. We followed the sound to find the lions ripping apart a warthog and crunching the bones. Apparently, the lions had not given up on hunting.

 

We joked it would have been ironic if we had found the bush pig at last, as a dead carcass.

Lions with just-killed warthog, seen on game drive from Musekese

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We watched for about an hour and continued to hear the occasional crack of bones. 

 

Heading back, we stopped just outside of camp for a view across the danbo, similar to the view from Musekese deck, just a different angle.

9:45 am   Seen from the vehicle, the area in front of camp

 

Around camp on Oct 8

 

 

Monitor Lizard at Musekese Camp

 

Young bushbuck at Musekese Camp, one of the 7 that made their home in camp

 

Each day after the morning activity, I wandered around the leaf litter trying to get photos of the Red-throated Twinspots.  All of the following photos were from a particularly lucky 14-minute period (11:00 am - 11:14 am) when a pair was visible and accessible.

Female Red-throated Twinspot at Musekese Camp

 

 

 

 

Male Red-throated Twinspot at Musekese Camp

 

 

 

Pair of Red-throated Twinspots at Musekese Camp

 

Afternoon of Oct 8 – Boat

 

We headed to the right, meaning north under skies that darkened as it appeared rain would approach.

Within 3 minutes of the boat launching, Phil spied a leopard!  The habitat and conditions were very Jaguar-in-the-Pantanal-like.

Leopard along the Kafue, seen from boat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The end of a yawn yields a scary leopard face.

 

Another yawn

 

I asked Phil if he had ever spotted a leopard so quickly into the boat trip.  His response was, “Only when the leopard was sitting next to the boat when we arrived.”

Roots and a Kafue Classic—the African Finfoot

 

 

African Finfoot on the Kafue River shore

 

 

African Finfoot on the Kafue River shore

 

We had planned to visit Skimmer Island but the premature darkness from the overcast skies and the increasing winds meant no skimming would be taking place, so we nixed that plan.  We motored back to the harbor, happy with our leopard and finfoot.

 

 

Night of Oct 8 – Outside my Tent & Around the Campfire

 

I was so pleased that the staff member who escorted me back to my tent in the dark pointed out a frog near the entrance to Tent #1. 

Frog outside Tent #1, Musekese Camp

 

I was going to show off my frog photo at the campfire before dinner with a “Look what was outside my tent” remark.  But as I joined the others around the fire, one of my safarimates was in the midst of an entertaining diatribe on frogs. 

 

He recounted with horror a hotel pool in Thailand that contained over 50 frogs; a pathway at a remote resort on some island that was a gauntlet of terror due to the many frogs resting along the trail; a relative who shared his ranidaphobia who hid in her hotel room for a week because the grounds were inhabited by many frogs.  

 

Somewhat in jest, he even denounced the French—all of them--because they are known to dine on disgusting frogs.  When asked why he hated frogs so much, his response was, “because they are slimy and their bulgy eyes are always watching me and I know they could jump onto my face at any moment if they wanted.” 

 

My frog photo (above) is debuting here since I decided not to share it around the campfire that night.

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by Atravelynn

[Caracal]

Wow - what a combination of great sightings and photos.

Pleased to see that you saw your skimmers skimming.

I've seen the Finfoot a number of times in Kafue but have never seen their feet in detail as captured in your photo. Fascinating - as is all of this TR.

I guess I'm never too old to learn - ranidaphobia is a new addition to my vocabulary! Whether I get the opportunity to use it in conversation or whether I remember the word when I do get that opportunity is another matter! 

[Atravelynn]

Morning of Oct 9 – Game Drive

 

Puku tussle, seen on Musekese game drive

 

 

Yellow-billed kite

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warthogs, probably the most prolific species on game drives during my visit.

 

When I visited 2 years ago, the dominant lion brothers in the area spent a lot of time near two hippo carcasses, filling their bellies with hippo meat.  The male hippos had died in a territorial battle with each other—one was killed outright in the danbo and the other wandered off to die.  This is the carcass of the hippo that had wandered off.

Hippo carcass from 2 years ago

 

Around camp on Oct 9

 

Vervet baby  on the walkways around Musekese Camp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vervets at Musekese Camp

 

Transfer from Musekese to Ntemwa in Busanga Plains Afternoon of Oct 9 (2:00 pm to 5:00 pm)

 

There were 3 of us making the transfer between Musekese and Ntemwa. The two travel agent/birders that made the journey with me counted 54 bird species during the transfer, mostly spotted while moving, since birding was not the focus of the transfer and we kept moving due to tses tses.  We made an exception and stopped for a Broad-billed Roller photo.

Broad-billed Roller on road transfer between Musekese and Ntemwa

 

I appreciated my bug suit for the transfer.  Quite a few tse tse flies in an open vehicle.

 

Quote of the Trip

One of the travel agent/birders also provided the Quote of the Trip.  Not sure if it is completely true or a bit of a legend.  Anyway, it was the explanation of why William Holden, the famous American actor from the 1950s, abruptly changed from a big game hunter to a conservationist and then founded the Mt. Kenya Safari Club.  William Holden was hunting in Kenya and shot dead a gerenuk.  When he went to retrieve the carcass and gazed upon its slender body, long graceful neck and big eyes, he exclaimed, “Oh my god, I’ve killed Audrey Hepburn.”  And that was his epiphany.

 

To be even remotely familiar with those names of the Big Screen, you would have to be old enough to remember dancing in the clubs to The Gap Band’s Early in the Morning.

Tent #3 at Ntemwa in Busanga Plains  I had Tent  #4 but this photo is #3.

 

Dining area at Ntemwa

 

New addition to Ntemwa since my last visit.  Very comfy.

 

A frog greeted me in my Ntemwa Tent #4 and I thought of the frog-hating guest back at Musekese and how he would have reacted.  Probably not with delight and a photo shoot.

Frog in Ntemwa tent.

 

 

The ensuite loo for Ntemwa tents is open air from above and on the sides. I took advantage of that night air to dry some garments that I had washed when I arrived. As I was falling asleep, I heard raindrops on the roof of my tent.  When I went to rescue my drying laundry, I noticed there was no rain, but the plop-plop sound of raindrops on the tent continued. The beam of my headlamp shone on the top of the tent to reveal thousands of beetles.  That was the sound!  It was not drops of water hitting the tent, but little beetles. 

 

 

The hint of oncoming rain was drawing out these insects.  How fascinating!  I thought back to Doug Macdonald’s comments that the start of the rains is his favorite time of the year in the bush because of everything that comes to life. The emergence of millions of beetles in the night from what seemed like nowhere is one of my fondest memories of the trip.

 

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

1 hour ago, Caracal said:

Wow - what a combination of great sightings and photos.

Pleased to see that you saw your skimmers skimming.

I've seen the Finfoot a number of times in Kafue but have never seen their feet in detail as captured in your photo. Fascinating - as is all of this TR.

I guess I'm never too old to learn - ranidaphobia is a new addition to my vocabulary! Whether I get the opportunity to use it in conversation or whether I remember the word when I do get that opportunity is another matter!   Or whether you can remember how to pronounce it.  That's my downfall.  I'll go with frog phobia.

 

Edited December 18, 2019 by Atravelynn

[BRACQUENE]

@Atravelynn

 

Fascinating !

I don't know where to start : the Red-throated Twinspots at Musekese are certainly top of my list as is the Broad-billed Roller on the transfer to Ntemwa ( they are not on my son Willems checklist ) and of course the captured details of the Finfoot .

And that hippo carcass was of course still on the same spot as you can see below !

At Ntemwa you had my sons tent and my wife and I slept in tent 3 ; our sound during two nights was unfortunaly not that of beetles but  a very cold wind from the southeast that was blowing in the second week of september !!

[Zubbie15]

Really enjoying this, probably the best complement I can give is that I've already been convinced to start looking at trips to Kafue. 

 

I never seem to come away with anything useful when I walk around camp at midday, apparently I'm doing something wrong as you had some really great, photogenic sightings. 

[Atravelynn]

We could have done a tandem report, @BRACQUENE, if we had known, kind of like the last Kafue visit I made with 3 other safaritalkers.  I think those hippo bones will be a feature for many decades to come.  Nice job of getting Phil in there too.

 

We had more breeze than I would have liked as well, starting about 8:30-10:00 am each day and lasting until near sundown.

 

Your sons left Ntemwa Tent #4 very neat and tidy for me.  Actually, I should credit the staff.

[Atravelynn]

Just now, Zubbie15 said:

Really enjoying this, probably the best complement I can give is that I've already been convinced to start looking at trips to Kafue.   I asked about busiest times and was told Sept-Oct.  I would have thought July-Aug.  The Musekese folks I talked to seemed to think July was not as busy, maybe because it can be cold.   

 

I never seem to come away with anything useful when I walk around camp at midday, apparently I'm doing something wrong as you had some really great, photogenic sightings.   I think it depends where you are.  Musekese is especially productive.  On the other hand, I had no midday wildlife photos at Ntemwa.  There was a bushbuck around but I never got a photo of it.

 

[BRACQUENE]

@Atravelynn @Zubbie15

 

Thank you very much @Atravelynnfor the offer which  , for sure , next time I  will not be able to refuse ; I became only a member a month ago so was very busy to report on all my past safaris before realising that we have been in the Kafue within two weeks of each other  ; I don't know about your future plans but as you perhaps know I will return to South Luangwa next july and add Mwaleshi in the North to my trip ; I am planning to start a topic about North Luangwa ( very remote and only two camps  so not a lot of info in Safaritalk for the moment ) in the next months to prepare my next safari !

 

@Zubbie15

The weather in Zambia is more and more  under the influence of the climate change ( erratic beginning of the wet season for instance and long periods of drought ) so you should never think it can't be cold in september which we experienced especially in the Busanga Plains this year and five years ago we had a heavy thunderstorm mid september at Crocodile camp in South Luangwa .

I am of course delighted that you are becoming a Kafue addict !

 

 

[TonyQ]

You had excellent sightings in Kafue and beautifully photographed.

Amazing view of the Finfoot.

Great story about the fear of frogs. I suppose that is the thing about irrational fears - they are irrational!

I am very much enjoying your report 

[Zubbie15]

Thanks @Atravelynnand @BRACQUENEfor the info. One thing we learned in India in March was that we don't handle heat well, I think we'd aim for cooler months even if the game watching isn't as good. 

[Atravelynn]

Morning of Oct 10 – Game Drive in Busanga Plains, extended morning with a late lunch

 

The travel agents/birders were going to Busanga Bush Camp after a night spent at Ntemwa, so we headed that direction for our morning drive and focused on birds, none of which were very photo-friendly.

Busanga Plains warthog

 

After dropping off the travel agents/birders we went to the plain where all the red lechwe herds graze.  Typically, a full day is spent there (with a packed lunch) and in 2017 that is what we did.  It’s also a good spot to find lions and a group of 4 ladies who were at Ntemwa during my stay saw lions on 3 different kills in this area during their 4-night stay.

 

I was more interested in sable than either lechwe or lions. Since on the way back it was just me and the Ntemwa hostess we had invited to join us in the vehicle, there was no lingering with the lechwe herds.

 

But here are a few lechwe.  Like the puku, the hollow tubular nature of their hair helps keep them from overheating while grazing in the hot sun.

11:00 am  Red Lechwe, Busanga Plains.  The wavy heat distortion “lines” are a somewhat evident.

 

11:47 am  Zebra

 

The noontime heat did not seem to bother the Rosy-throated Longclaws.  We saw 3 between 12:08 pm and 12:22 pm that perched photogenically along the road.   Other RTLCs appeared during my Busanga Plains days, but not as cooperative as this family.

Young Rosy-throated Longclaw on Busanga drive in noon heat and sun

 

Young Rosy-throated Longclaw on Busanga drive in noon heat and sun

 

Young Rosy-throated Longclaw on Busanga drive in noon heat and sun

 

Young Rosy-throated Longclaw on Busanga drive in noon heat and sun

 

 

 Busanga Plains Sable viewing summed up between the rows of sable:

10:13 am   Often sable were seen in tall grass that obscured them.

 

This trip I saw sable in Busanga Plains only, but it is possible to see them further south around Musekese Camp.  In 2017 we tried in vain to locate the sable herds in Busanga during 4 days and managed to see 4 of these antelope and get nice photos of 3, I believe.  As we were driving back to Lusaka from Musekese on the last day, we found a relaxed herd of a bull, females, and calves in the woodland and spent about 10 minutes with them.  Last minute luck back in 2017!

 

In contrast, this year the sable were more abundant in Busanga Plains than 2017.

9:01 am  Sable tussling, wildebeest behind on Busanga Plains

 

I recall the tse tse flies being quite bad back in 2017.  I think that was because we spent so much time trying to find the sable in the woodlands, where the tse tse flies live.

8:54 am

 

For my time in Ntemwa I ended up belong alone on game drives, with the exception of the first morning drive/transfer to Busanga Bush Camp.  I invited the Ntemwa hostess, who was very enjoyable company but darn if I can remember her name, to join me on the drives.  Even with the hostess in the vehicle, it was like being alone because I got to decide what we did.  I think that helped my sable viewing because I could concentrate on them.  With other guests in the vehicle, I can imagine they might want to look for lions, spend more time with the roan or red lechwe, or not drive through tse tse-infested woodlands as much as I wanted to, all very reasonable preferences.

8:59 am

 

The suggested itinerary for Busanga Plains on the Jeffery & McKeith website is 4 nights, plus 4 in Musekese.  I stayed 3 nights because it was my 3rd visit to Busanga Plains. But that additional 4th night would also give more time to see sable.

8:58 am

 

8:59 am Two sable calves

Oct 9

   ◦ No sable seen on day of arrival

 

Oct 10

   ◦ Very early – half a dozen at woodland edge, about 250 meters away, we approached to about 200 meters but could get no closer due to terrain, no photos.

   ◦ 12:30 pm - 50 in grassland at a distance of 40-80 meters, photos taken

   ◦ 1:15 pm – 20 at about 200 meters, no photos

   ◦ 5:00 pm, 3 bulls, photos of one bull

 

Oct 11

   ◦  Moments after setting off, about 6 am, about 15 in the woodland as close as 10 meters, a few dark photos but none included in this report

   ◦  6:45 am – half a dozen in the woodlands, starting to emerge.  Nice light for photos.

   ◦  8:45 am – herd of about 25, many of them running, sable grazed near wildebeest, many photos, 25-50 meters

   ◦ 10:15 am – herd of about 75, many photos, as close as 20 meters

 

Oct 12

   ◦  On the transfer out, 6:30 am, 3 sable, couple of photos from 75-100 meters.

8:47 am

 

 

10:16 am

 

The closer to midday, the greater the challenge of heat distortion in the sable photos, or any photo.

12:35 pm

 

End of sable viewing summary

 

 

 

Let the actual sable sighting begin!  About 12:30 pm, we saw our first photographable sable herd of the day, about 40 meters at the closest.

12:34 pm   Midday sable tend to graze out in the open.

 

12:34 pm   

 

12:34 pm

 

Midday sable tend to graze out in the open.

 

Afternoon & Eve of Oct 10 – Game Drive in Busanga Plains

Crowned cranes, Busanga Plains

 

Puku jump - Busanga Plains

 

Puku jump - Busanga Plains

 

Pukus can organize themselves into attractive small groups

 

Busanga Plains

 

5:11 pm   One of 3 sable bulls on Busanga Plains game drive.

 

5:11 pm   One of 3 sable bulls on Busanga  Plains game drive.

 

5:12 pm   One of 3 sable bulls on Busanga Plains game drive.

 

The only “giraffe” in Kafue can be seen here at a distance.

Some imagination is needed to see this giraffe in the sunset.

 

The next wildlife sighting was not imagined, but there is no photo documentation.  Ason, a very cautious driver who was always careful to keep the vehicle’s occupants informed of upcoming bumps or jostling, suddenly slammed on the brakes and we abruptly stopped.  My first thought was to secure my camera and that is where my eyes focused.  My second thought was to look in front of the vehicle where I saw a black mamba about 2 meters long making big S’s as it slithered at top speed into the brush.  What I had missed but what Ason had seen was the black mamba rearing up in front of the vehicle above the hood.  That is why we stopped short. 

Bug suit was needed because we were looking for sable along the woodlands, but found a black mamba.

 

Square-tailed Nightjar.  Busanga Plains on night drive.  The only night drive photo of the trip.

 

 

Night Drive Summary (no photos except for a nightjar):

 

Musekese:

 

Small spotted genets, several

Barred Owl

Square-tailed Nightjar, several

Leopard

Bushbabies

Hares

Also, a mother leopard and cub in the danbo in front of camp, drinking. At night, but not on a night drive.

 

 

Ntemwa:

 

Hyena

Small spotted genets, several

Bushbabies

Civet

Square-tailed Nightjar, several

Porcupine

Hares

 

 

Edited December 19, 2019 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

11 hours ago, BRACQUENE said:

@Atravelynn @Zubbie15

 

Thank you very much @Atravelynnfor the offer which  , for sure , next time I  will not be able to refuse ; I became only a member a month ago so was very busy to report on all my past safaris before realising that we have been in the Kafue within two weeks of each other  ; I don't know about your future plans but as you perhaps know I will return to South Luangwa next july and add Mwaleshi in the North to my trip ; I am planning to start a topic about North Luangwa ( very remote and only two camps  so not a lot of info in Safaritalk for the moment ) in the next months to prepare my next safari !  I used to stay at Kutendala in N. Luangwa, but that camp is no longer there.  Great place to walk.  Lions on foot, very exciting.  I think the  elephants are more relaxed now than when I was last there in 2008.  My how time flies!

 

 

 

 

[Atravelynn]

11 hours ago, TonyQ said:

Great story about the fear of frogs. I suppose that is the thing about irrational fears - they are irrational!

I am very much enjoying your report   Thanks, my fear is no more safaris.

 

6 hours ago, Zubbie15 said:

Thanks @Atravelynnand @BRACQUENEfor the info. One thing we learned in India in March was that we don't handle heat well, I think we'd aim for cooler months even if the game watching isn't as good.   If I get back to Kafue, I think I'd try late July or early Aug, a different time of year than Oct.

 

[BRACQUENE]

@Atravelynn

 

Nice to have that morning report of Kafue every day !!

I saw , as you can see in my topic  a Rosy-throated Longclaw on the first day we arrived in Busanga driving to Ntemwa with Gareth , but as I mentioned was very unlucky with my favorite antilope , the Sable , and saw only three lonely males in the two weeks safari so these fabulous pictures make up for it ; By the way correct me if I am wrong but most of them were probably taken with the Sony RX 10  - IV ? I am using a older Fuji XS1 from 2012  with an 24- 624 f/2,8 -5,6 lens which is a very good all in one but I am impressed by the quality (coming at a price ) from yours !

[TonyQ]

The Sable really are beautiful animals, and the bulls in particular are magnificent. It is good that your stylish bug suit helped you spend more time with them

[MMMim]

Superb trip report and photographs, as always!!  Your photographs of the roots and monitor lizards really are very artistic!  Kafue is now on my radar.  Thank-you.

Heather  

[Atravelynn]

6 hours ago, MMMim said:

 Your photographs of the roots and monitor lizards really are very artistic!   Your avatar indicates you are a reptile fan!  Kafue is now on my radar.  You'd love it!  Thank-you.

Heather  

 

12 hours ago, TonyQ said:

. It is good that your stylish bug suit helped you spend more time with them.  Thank you for recognizing my sense of fashion.

 

15 hours ago, BRACQUENE said:

@Atravelynn

 

Nice to have that morning report of Kafue every day !!

I saw , as you can see in my topic  a Rosy-throated Longclaw on the first day we arrived in Busanga driving to Ntemwa with Gareth , but as I mentioned was very unlucky with my favorite antilope , the Sable , and saw only three lonely males in the two weeks safari so these fabulous pictures make up for it ;  Your comments reinforce  how fickle sable can be.  In 2017 we spent lots of time looking for sable without finding them. By the way correct me if I am wrong but most of them were probably taken with the Sony RX 10  - IV ? I am using a older Fuji XS1 from 2012  with an 24- 624 f/2,8 -5,6 lens which is a very good all in one but I am impressed by the quality (coming at a price ) from yours !

Shots were split among Sony RX10-IV and Canon 7D Mark ii with a few shots from Nikon Coolpix P900.

Edited December 19, 2019 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

Morning of Oct 11 – Game Drive in Busanga Plains

 

5:54 am  Sunrise, Busanga Plains drive

 

6:03 am  Sunrise, Busanga Plains drive

 

Large sounders of warthogs were all over Busanga Plains.  Abundant but shy.

Busanga Plains drive

 

We drove along the woodlands, braving the tse tse flies, looking for sable, and found some in nice morning light.

6:42 am   Sable in Busanga Plains

 

6:43 am

 

6:46 am

 

Then we found roan.

 

Busanga Plains Roan viewing summed up between the rows of roan

Oct 5 – Prior to Busanga Plains

   ◦ Herd of 17 running  in the woodlands on the transfer to Musekese.  Too many tse tse flies to roll down windows for photos and the roan were running away.

 

Oct 9

   ◦ 1 Roan seen at a waterhole on the transfer between Musekese and Ntemwa, too far and too much heat distortion for photos.

 

Oct 10

   ◦ No roan seen

 

Oct 11

    ◦  7:20 am – Herd of 35, out grazing, nice photos of the closer ones, 30-ish meters

    ◦  9:30 am – Half a dozen sitting near edge of woodland, photos possible, none shown in report

    ◦  10:15 am – Same herd of 35, grazing farther out.  We could have approached closer for photos but did not.

    ◦  11:15 am – 4 roan, no photos

 

Oct 12

    ◦  No roan seen on transfer back to Musekese

 

In 2017 with Doug Macdonald, we had such great views of a large herd of roan that I was ok with spending less time on roan this trip.  Again a 4^th night would give more opportunities for roan—or anything else.  I booked only 3 nights instead of 4 because it was my third visit to Busanga Plains and I wanted more time in the Musekese area that has more variety of activities (and roots.)

 

End of roan viewing summary

 

 

Let the actual roan sightings begin!  The first photographable roan were out in the open early, in nice light, on Oct 11.

7:20 am   Roan in nice light on  Busanga drive

 

 

7:21 am

 

7:22 am

 

7:23 am

 

7:23 am

 

We took a break near a pond to stretch our legs and watched a monitor lizard from a distance amble along the shallows and then submerge itself to swim leisurely in a zig zag pattern.  It looked like a miniature Lochness Monster.  Eventually the monitor climbed out and disappeared into thick vegetation.  It never knew we were watching.  Reptilian elegance in motion, a favorite memory of the trip.

Then more sable graced our path.

8:45 am  

 

8:50 am

 

8:58 am   One of the few sable that stood still and posed nicely, and so did the Red-billed Oxpecker.

 

8:58 am   In contrast, this sable was not at all still

 

8:58 am

 

 

8:58 am

 

 

8:58 am

 

8:59 am

It was not yet 9:00 on Oct 11.

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Atravelynn

[Atravelynn]

Still Morning of Oct 11 – Game Drive in Busanga Plains

 

It surprised me how often the sable calves roamed far away from the adults.  It seemed they could become easy prey.

8:59 am   Pair of sable calves

 

9:01 am   Sable tussling and wildebeest behind

 

9:01 am  Sable tussling and wildebeest behind

 

We headed back in the direction toward the camp and the reason I know which way we went is we passed “The Oribi Tree” landmark, so named because 3 oribi were always sitting under it.

Busanga Plains drive, 3 oribi under the “Oribi Tree.”

 

Crowned Crane on Busanga Plains drive

It was nice to see the sable in shorter grass.

10:15 am

 

10:15 am

 

10:16 am

 

10:18 am

 

10:18 am

 

10:19 am

 

10:24 am.  The rear view was a common perspective of the sable.

 

10:25 am

 

That was an antelope-filled morning.

 

Afternoon of Oct 11 – Game Drive in Busanga Plains & Hippo Pool

Starting with flora.

Leaves of the Musekese Tree.  The camp got its name from that tree in the original camp.  The new location still bears the name but not the tree.

 

Used to decorate for Christmas.  Ho ho ho.

 

\

Waterbuck on Busanga drive

 

We parked and approached a secluded hippo pool on foot.  We stayed only about 12 minutes so as not to disturb the hippos.  If they were disrupted too much or too often, they might abandon that spot, which was one of the few places still available in Busanga this late in the season for a pod to submerge.

5:23 pm  Hippo Pool at Busanga Plains.  Viewing on foot.

 

5:23 pm   Hippo Pool Busanga Plains.  Viewing on foot.

 

5:23 pm

 

5:28 pm

 

5:31 pm

 

5:33 pm

 

5:35 pm   Hippo Pool in Busanga Plains.  Viewing on foot.

 

I have heard this story before of how the hippo came to be.  Ason reminded me of it.

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Atravelynn

[Alexander33]

On 12/15/2019 at 3:46 PM, Atravelynn said:

A self-described “travel agent for CEOs and their families” breezed into camp for a few hours and told us he sends his clients only to Zambia now, and is especially fond of Kafue. 

Uh-oh, sounds like I’d better overcome my procrastination and get there fast. 
 

I’m increasingly a fan of returning to the places for which we develop a special affinity. 
 

I love your photos of the Giant Kingfisher spitting out the crayfish. Perhaps it’s an acquired taste?

 

Wow! on the encounter with the twinspot pair. 
 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Alexander33