Six nights in the South Luangwa National Park - A photographic report - July 2022

[Nik63]

July 2022 - I have spent six nights in the South Luangwa National Park. Four nights in the Kafunta River Lodge and two nights in the Three Rivers Camp. The lodges were lovely and the food as well. Outstanding guiding and great sightings. I've taken thousands of pictures and  I will post some without having done any post production editing.

 

 

Pied Kingfisher

 

African Sacred Ibis and African Open-billed Stork

 

Saddle-billed Stork

 

I have spotted more than once a lovely pack of African Wild Dogs

 

The Hyppo and the Great Egret

 

Black-headed Heron

 

The magnificent view from the Kafunta River Lodge

 

Grey Crowned Crane

 

African Sacred Ibis

 

 

 

The pontoon for crossing the Luangwa River close to the Kafunta River Lodge

 

 

Hooded Vulture

 

 

 

I have spotted many lepoards

 

 

 

I will post some more pictures very soon

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Nik63

[Nik63]

 

 

 

 

African Fish Eagle

 

 

Hamerkop

 

 

 

 

African Spoonbill

 

 

White-fronted Bee-eater

 

 

Puku

 

 

Another lovely African Fish Eagle

 

 

Southern Ground Hornbill

 

A male Kudu

 

 

Lions!

 

Breathtaking

 

 

A magnificent leopard hunting at night

 

A Chameleon

 

I will post some more pictures later on

[Nik63]

 

Cookson's Wildebeest

 

 

 

 

 

A young Elephant is "investigating" his mother's dung

 

Red-billed Hornbill

 

 

Lilac-breasted Roller

 

Once again the Wild Dogs

 

 

Vultures! (Hooded Vulture and African White-backed Vulture)

 

 

 

I will post some other pictures later on

[Nik63]

 

 

 

Kafunta River Lodge

 

Kafunta River Lodge

 

Breastfeeding

 

 

A juvenile African Fish Eagle

 

As usual the Yellow-billed Oxpeckers get a free ride

 

A juvenile Hooded Vulture

 

 

 

Another Leopard

 

 

 

A gorgeous sunset

 

A close encounter with the dogs during a night game drive

 

 

Cape porcupine

 

Common Large-spotted Genet

 

I will post some other pictures later on

[Nik63]

Vervet Monkeys

The King!

 

 

Sunbathing!

 

 

Red-necked Francolin

 

Probably an Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

 

African Jacana

 

 

 

 

 

I will post some more pictures later on

[Nik63]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will post some more pictures later on

[Nik63]

 

Grey Heron

 

Crowned Hornbill

 

Any help for identification?

 

 

Any help for identification?

 

Any help for identification?

 

 

 

I will post some more pictures later on

[Nik63]

Common Dwarf Mongoose

 

 

 

Dickinson's Kestrel

 

 

Probably a Black-winged Stilt

 

I will post some more pictures later on

 

[Atravelynn]

Very prolific, both day and night with the porcupine.  Those wild dogs have a lot of white on them, very attractive look.  July is prime time for wildlife and you saw it!

 

[Treepol]

Such a wide variety of mammals and birds. I particularly like the view of the floodplain from Kafunta, thanks for posting.

[ElenaH]

thank you for the trip report! A lot of interestin pictures! I love the birds! 

I think, one of male lions from your pictures we saw there in 2020. But we didn't see any dogs. Are all of them have such colouration or only one? Very interesting. I've never seen so much white in dogs-colouration before.

[offshorebirder]

On 8/2/2022 at 1:03 PM, Nik63 said:

 

Any help for identification?

 

Looks like a Meves's Starling to me.    I am sorry I do not know which species your snake is.

 

Thanks for this trip report @Nik63, I am enjoying following along.

[TravelMore]

On 8/2/2022 at 9:53 AM, Nik63 said:

July 2022 - I have spent six nights in the South Luangwa National Park. Four nights in the Kafunta River Lodge and two nights in the Three Rivers Camp. The lodges were lovely and the food as well. Outstanding guiding and great sightings. I've taken thousands of pictures and  I will post some without having done any post production editing.

 

 

Pied Kingfisher

 

African Sacred Ibis and African Open-billed Stork

 

Saddle-billed Stork

 

I have spotted more than once a lovely pack of African Wild Dogs

 

The Hyppo and the Great Egret

 

Black-headed Heron

 

The magnificent view from the Kafunta River Lodge

 

Grey Crowned Crane

 

African Sacred Ibis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have spotted many lepoards

 

 

 

 

My Favorites!  He is sooooo handsome.

 

 

[TravelMore]

All your photos are FABULOUS.  What lenses did you bring?  I leave in 26 days and I am so excited!

[Nik63]

On 8/4/2022 at 2:11 AM, TravelMore said:

All your photos are FABULOUS.  What lenses did you bring?  I leave in 26 days and I am so excited!

Thanks! I'm glad that you will leave very soon. I've got a bridge camera: a Sony RX10 Mark IV with a zoom 24-600 mm. 35 mm. equivalent.

[Nik63]

On 8/4/2022 at 2:05 AM, TravelMore said:

 

Thank you!

[Nik63]

On 8/4/2022 at 12:21 AM, offshorebirder said:

 

Looks like a Meves's Starling to me.    I am sorry I do not know which species your snake is.

 

Thanks for this trip report @Nik63, I am enjoying following along.

Thank you!

[Nik63]

On 8/3/2022 at 2:20 PM, ElenaH said:

thank you for the trip report! A lot of interestin pictures! I love the birds! 

I think, one of male lions from your pictures we saw there in 2020. But we didn't see any dogs. Are all of them have such colouration or only one? Very interesting. I've never seen so much white in dogs-colouration before.

Thank you. I'm glad that you liked the pictures and that you recognised a lion that you spotted in 2020. Yes some of the dogs had that white colours. According with the Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals: Each individual’s pattern of blotches is unique but there are family and regional resemblances (smaller, darker and more ‘marbled’ in the east, larger, lighter and more piebald in the south).

[Nik63]

On 8/3/2022 at 7:55 AM, Treepol said:

Such a wide variety of mammals and birds. I particularly like the view of the floodplain from Kafunta, thanks for posting.

Thank you!

[Nik63]

On 8/3/2022 at 3:41 AM, Atravelynn said:

Very prolific, both day and night with the porcupine.  Those wild dogs have a lot of white on them, very attractive look.  July is prime time for wildlife and you saw it!

 

Thank you!

[Nik63]

Some more pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visitors in the Three Rivers Camp. Every day Elephants and Hyppos visited the camp. One night, before dinner, two lionesses entered the camp but I was not able to take any picture.

 

 

 

 

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

 

 

 

 

 

African Barred Owlet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martial Eagle

 

 

[TravelMore]

17 hours ago, Nik63 said:

Thanks! I'm glad that you will leave very soon. I've got a bridge camera: a Sony RX10 Mark IV with a zoom 24-600 mm. 35 mm. equivalent.

Really nice photos, ty.

[ForWildlife]

Wonderful photos! I think the snake is a stripe-bellied sand snake, Psammophis subtaeniatus.

[Nik63]

On 8/8/2022 at 11:14 PM, ForWildlife said:

Wonderful photos! I think the snake is a stripe-bellied sand snake, Psammophis subtaeniatus.

Thank you!