I am sure I speak for most staff at Londolozi but getting back from leave is always an exciting prospect for me. It involves catching up with your Londolozi family, finding out what has been happening in the field and being filled in on all that has happened in the lodge. On the 21st of November this excitement was shared with Londolozi guest Kika Repetto but not because she was coming back to Londolozi, it was because she was arriving here for the first time. With this shared excitement for being at Londolozi we realised that this was not all the shared and the topic of photography came up. With this, we spent hours in the Londolozi Creative hub deleting, choosing, editing and printing all her gorgeous pictures. It is only fair that I share them with you all.
These little guys have been getting a lot of airtime lately on the blog and with good reason, they provide us all with wonderful photographic opportunities. In this case Kika was using her rented camera for the first time and captured some really great moments!
A Giant Kingfisher, the biggest of its family and incredibly striking. Often seen perching on overhanging branches above water in order to drop down to catch its prey easily! Their diets consist mainly of fish, crabs and frogs.
This picture made me laugh out loud as this bushbuck is so humanlike, looking incredibly embarrassed in front of the camera!
An inquisitive old buffalo bull checking us out to make sure we were not getting too close to him. We call these old bulls ‘dagga’ boys because they are often seen wallowing in the mud/”dagga”.
An incredible sighting of one of the Tsalala females in full chase of a young impala. She ended up closing the gap and enjoying a small snack at the end of it.
While her sister was on the hunt, the tailless female was mating with one of the Majingilane males. It has been assumed that she has recently lost a litter of cubs as she was heavily pregnant a few weeks ago yet she began mating about a week ago.
These heron chicks have been a great sighting for many over the last few weeks at Vomba Dam. They definitely have a way to go before they shed their fluff and grow into the beautiful adults that their parents are.
My favourite picture of Kika’s and one that she had printed on canvas in the Londolozi Creative hub to take home.
After seeing a picture of mine that I had taken of a squirrel, Kika was desperate to get a similar one and after I had explained how tough it is due to the fact that they hardly ever stay still for long enough, she came back from drive with this one! I was, needless to say, extremely impressed!
Crocodiles on not the most picturesque animals and most would not choose to have this printed and put up but this was a sighting that is very rare. Crocodiles often spend time out of the water at night but even then it is usually to move between waterholes, so to see one out in the open and in broad daylight is amazing.
Every time I pulled this picture up on my screen to edit Kika would let out a laugh as she thought it was such an animated pose from one of the Majingilane males.
Photographed by Kika Repetto
Written by Kate Neill
Well ladies, you have both excelled! The pictures and write up are, as usual from Londolozi, OUTSTANDING, the pictures of the ellie & the “upsidedown” lion are very special, but the others also fantastic Thank you both for once again keeping me glued to the pc!
Have a wonderful week 🙂
Great photos Kika, thank you for sharing these beauties with us!
Very nice!!
Londolozi is pretty incredible. Loved it there in September and can’t wait to get back…
Thanks to everyone; and love the pix; Makes me “homesick”…
Lovely pic’s !! Agree with Wendy – Ellie & Majingilane male very special ! Have a feeling Kika is going to be one on your many ‘returning’ guests 🙂 !!
Oooops – meant to say “one OF your many ‘returning’ guests !!”