A Doggy Dog Start to the New Year; A trip tracking Dogs, Spots, stripes and more ....... A green season visit to Botswana- January 2023......

[Biko]

sooo beautiful! Very good bycatch when looking for cheetah.

[AKR1]

Excellent Leopard photography, Hari!

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @Biko@AKR1

[janzin]

FAbulous leopard shots, especially with that very photogenic tree "prop"! And the Bee-eater doing his thing is awesome too.

 

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @janzin

 

Back to regular programming - aka the boys ........ On this wet lagoon morning, we tracked them down to John's pan area. (to be continued) 

[madaboutcheetah]

Rounding out the morning with the boys ......

 

At least they were a little bit active today in the rain  

[madaboutcheetah]

This, that and the other ........  

[Atravelynn]

Nice to have cheetahs engaged in interesting behavior, not just sleeping in the weeds!

[madaboutcheetah]

Interlude …. 
 

To my fellow eagle fans …. #flyeaglesfly (Super Bowl bound) 

Edited January 30, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[Hads]

Thank for this wonderful trip report @madaboutcheetah.

Love the photo's of the lions drinking.

The Wild dogs are quite pale brown in color which seems quite unique.

Hari , price wise is it cheaper in January to visit compared to the winter months?

[madaboutcheetah]

@Hads- Thanks.  Yes, green season (Dec-March) is cheaper than winter - 

[Hads]

Thanks Hari - your trip may have planted a seed for me for January 2024, it looks like it was very rewarding for you.

Loving your report and the wonderful photo's.

[janzin]

Fabulous report, just catching up with the end. Now you've got me thinking about a Kwando green season trip next December as well!

 

[madaboutcheetah]

@janzin- not the end ..... still lots of editing left to go.  Thanks!! 

 

I've been swamped with work .... will get back to the editing

[Kitsafari]

what handsome boys those cheetahs are. and a fab series of the little bee-eater. 

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @Kitsafari

 

More from lagoon ......... 

[madaboutcheetah]

This particular afternoon we set out early with the intent to go upto Kwena lagoon (north of lagoon camp) - we were probably 20 minutes out of camp and we found a Leopard on a tree !! 

Change of plans ......  While we were sitting with the Leopard, the clouds that had been building up all day suddenly got darker and then a strong wind blew the storm right into us......  I was sitting next to Spencer up front and we were drenched (ponchos and all) ......

While the leopardess called for her cub.......  I had to pack my gear away for a good 45 minutes until the storm passed.

 

The two cats then fed on the remains of what I recall is a reedbuck carcass.......  The skies threatened again, and this time we just decided we had enough and raced back to camp! 

[madaboutcheetah]

This, that and the other ... 

[AKR1]

Really enjoying  this, Hari😃

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @AKR1

On this clear Lagoon afternoon .... the boys woke up a bit late in the evening just as the sun was going down......

We did realise that tracking them down the next morning was going to be a mission as they would need to cover the ground marking their territory with the bright moon in full force... 

Edited February 5, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

On our way back from the cheetah, we attempted to find the mother and cub again .........  This is what I managed of the cub - he bolted when the second vehicle came into tall grass and I wasn't going to hang around trying to stress him with the lights on!!  We left back to camp.  The mum seemed fine, but, we decided to leave in any case.

[madaboutcheetah]

Our Final morning at lagoon ....... We did everything we could to track the boys again, but, with a flight to Kwara on the horizon we ran out of time.  We spent about two hours chasing tracks - but, had to give up as the boys were really on the move this morning and even if we did catch up it probably was only going to be when they stopped moving (and possibly already hunted).  We gave up and did breakfast at Zebra pan and this was what was in store before we went to the airstrip.

Edited February 6, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[Zubbie15]

Great photos @madaboutcheetah, you can add me to the list of people considering a green season trip to Botswana! 

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks @Zubbie15

 

Onto Kwara camp for the final 5 nights of the safari .......  I hoped to continue with amazing Wild dog luck while at Kwara.  After consultation with the in-concession guides, Spencer and See, our tracker suggested we focus on Bat Ear Fox and 4 rivers areas as the big pack of 29 had last wandered off in that general direction a couple of days prior .....  Here's the highlights from the first afternoon.  

 

It was great to be back at Kwara and with Charles in charge - a great time was a guarantee!!  To my Pleasant surprise - Lizzie is back and we were able to reminisce all of the old memories from Little Kwara back in the day ......... Great camp, great atmosphere and fantastic staff..... Shout out to our tracker See; Amelia the receptionist and Poster one of our waiters ........ Great time for sure!!! 

Edited February 6, 2023 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

The next morning ........  See looks pensive with the hope that the dogs will pop up!!