Kwando Files (Images from Lebala/Lagoon)

[madaboutcheetah]

Apart from this year (which has been a strange one) the dogs would usually den in early June. That seems about right for the Lagoon pack and the pack which has denned at Kwara the last 2 years. But when the puppies are very small they will be hidden. I think the Kwando sightings report mentioned them seeing the puppies for the first time right near the end of June, but even then it was probably quite a brief glimpse.

 

I was at Lagoon in mid July in 2010 and saw the puppies (about 6 weeks old) but they were still quite close to the den entrance and obscured by bushes. Probably even later would be better.

 

However, there is a big price differential between June and July/Aug because they switch from shoulder to peak pricing.

 

June should still be good for dog sightings- when they are denning they are localised and much easier to find, follow hunting etc. But I wouldn't count on seeing the puppies.

 

But I think one big reason June is busy is because of the switch to peak pricing- I think it makes late June very good value.

 

This is a good assessment. If puppies are a priority I would do August - when the puppies are old enough for meat eating, they are fed by the dogs returning to the den after feeding (twice a day) to regurgitate to them ......... the meet and greet ritual by pack members is an amazing sight too .........

[stokeygirl]

@@madaboutcheetah do you know if Kwando restricts access to den sites? I know WS doesn't allow any visiting for the first month?

 

I'm more interested in seeing the adults and watching them do their aftenoon wake up "meet and greet" than trying to get in close to the den to try and see the puppies.

[madaboutcheetah]

@@stokeygirl - I think they are strict after that Digital group's visit in 2010.

 

I've been both 2011 and 2012 after the 2010 den - 2012 (had two simultaneous dens at Lagoon and Lebala boundary with Selinda when i was there). Cars take turns to visit the den - not all of them can go hog up like days gone by.

 

Not that I'm aware of - restriction during the first month etc etc.,

 

Even if you hang about in the approx surrounding of the den you are likely to see the meet and greet etc etc., and then go off following them ..........

 

Hey, if the Muvumbi pack takes over lagoon ......... It's going to be awesome with such a large pack!!!!

Edited November 4, 2013 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

Sunset from the deck at Lagoon camp (what am i doing in camp at sunset? ........ All day out at Muvumbi and gave up on the cheetah tracking ....... time to chill out and try again tomorrow)

[stokeygirl]

That sounds fair enough in view of what happened that year. When I was there a couple of weeks before, I did feel there were too many vehicles crowding the den (like right up within a few metres of it).

 

But I remember the pack when resting in the afternoon was quite spread out in the area around the den, so hopefully it's possible to still hang out with the dogs until they get up and go, without crowding the den itself.

[Geoff]

Some nice scenics and camp images. Those iPhone shots are fairly good quality.

[madaboutcheetah]

Pied King Fisher

[madaboutcheetah]

Open Billed Stork

[madaboutcheetah]

Ewww!!!! Get the damn fly away from me!!!!!!

 

[madaboutcheetah]

After a million tries to upload this not so great image of the Open billed stork (here's hoping it gets uploaded for the sake of this thread )

[madaboutcheetah]

Rolling around is a way they digest food (or so I was told) - They also do this before they move off after a bit of a siesta - I sometimes carry a book with me and put the book away quickly if they start doing this!

[madaboutcheetah]

Brotherly love.....

[Safaridude]

Those i-Phone photos are amazing. Why am I lugging a big lens?

 

@@madaboutcheetah

 

Love the pied kingfisher

 

As you know, I am a big Kwando fan. Glad things were "happening".

[africapurohit]

I'm enjoying the iPhone and Nikon shots. I think the iPhone 5s has an improved lens for low light photography.

 

I'm sure Lebo was the manager at Lagoon when I was there in 2006.

[madaboutcheetah]

@@africapurohit - Indeed Lebo was at lagoon in 2006 with jonah I think......

This is the iPhone 5. Will try and get a couple of videos in from it too .... Thanks a lot!!!

Edited November 6, 2013 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

Mr.Big paying a visit to the gift shop at Lagoon camp mid-afternoon. Spent an hour watching him when all I wanted was a cold bottle of water from the fridge (iphone again)

[madaboutcheetah]

Portrait of a kudu

[madaboutcheetah]

Lagoon

[madaboutcheetah]

You Snooze you lose; Early bird catches the fattest worm - Was out of camp at 5am to try and find them as early as possible; they aren't active too much in the day time in the heat of October anymore .......... Although it's been tough to find them in recent times, I'm glad I went the extra mile (or extra flight) to catch up with them.......... They are watching their brother who is always the lead guy ... He quickly marked and marched off ....... This is a central marking post in the Lagoon area. Not far from Mabala Matotse -

Edited November 7, 2013 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

Confession - Two days prior to departing for Kwara. We made one final attempt to go upto Muvumbi to try and track the boys down. Yes, we found the tracks in the valley and yes we got onto the tracks through the Woodland ............. This was 9am; We gave up at 4PM when a T'storm rolled through and tracks would have been washed away from the 20 minute T'storm....... We gave up - but, Mr.Moe and Spencer were under the impression that they were headed straight to "Kwena Lagoon" north of Lagoon camp. Little did we know when or how they would pop out there on their way "South" from Muvumbi........ The two days came and went and I went away to Little Kwara.

 

During brunch at Little Kwara - I got word that Dux from Lagoon had radioed LK to say that the boys popped out at "Kwena Lagoon" that very morning. There was no question - I was going back on the next flight!!!! lagoon was fully booked - but, Lebala had vacancy. Packed in 20 minutes; Laundry in a bag to be re-done and off we went......... Wild goose chase. Boys spent the extra two days in the woodland - probably digesting something they ate........ They are getting slow, indeed........... (Also, I was saddened by the whole Tsum Tsum cheetah episode that I mentioned in the other thread - we had no sign of the cheetahs during our morning in Tsum Tsum). Was to have gone to see the Kwara pack of dogs at 4 Rivers that afternoon ...... but, change of plans!!! Back to Lagoon and Lebala - the boys were back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited November 7, 2013 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

October Sky

[madaboutcheetah]

Those 3!!!!

[madaboutcheetah]

There he is!!!!

[madaboutcheetah]

A vertical variation!!!

[madaboutcheetah]

This is our turf!!! (Over the years, while trying to look for them - we do pass through their various routes scouting through some of their central marking posts to see if they've been through the grounds by trying to find fresh scat or urine spray indications in order to find some fresh tracks; here in this image this is as fresh as it can be! )