Londolozi guest Tony Goldman is back with yet another fantastic collection of images for our enjoyment.
Tony has been very generous in the past with the sharing of his photographs, and this time is no exception with his latest visit providing many highlights, from lion cubs to cheetahs, leopards, ostriches, wild dogs and a whole assortment of other creatures in between.
We will be running a series of Tony’s photo highlights over the next couple of weeks, so for now enjoy this first instalment…
Lionesses are surprisingly indulgent of young cubs, whose growing teeth can inflict painful bites. This Ntsevu cubs was inviting a swift cuff from its mother.
The lioness growls her displeasure at the cub’s biting of her tail.
The bush has many young rhinos trotting around it at the moment. The tiny stub on this one’s nose where a horn will eventually grow puts it at well under a year old.
Green-winged pytlias (formerly Melba Finch) are some of the more striking birds we see at Londolozi, but their habits of staying low down in the undergrowth and seldom perching out in the open means they are hard to spot. This is the male of the species, evident by his bright red facial markings.
This is the female pytilia, identifiable by her lack of red facial markings.
The young cub of the Nkoveni female scampers towards her mother.
And from a nearby termite mound, the Nkoveni female herself watches the cub approach. This leopard is just over 6 years old now, and it has been wonderful for some of the more long-standing rangers and trackers to see her grow from a tiny cub to embracing her role as a mother.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
A young yellow-billed stork stares down from its tree-top perch.
A male giraffe bends right down to snatch a drink from a pan, while the ever-attendant oxpecker entourage continues their cleaning duties.
An elephant herd comes to drink from the Sand River just in front of the Granite Camp deck.
Purple rollers are slightly bigger than their lilac-breasted cousins, although not quite as striking in their colouration. The sharp hook at the end of this one’s beak is evidence of its carnivorous diet. The summer months see these birds preying largely on dung beetles.
Warm light hits a pair of rhinos that came down to drink in the cool of the late evening. The slight bulge at the base of the one on the right’s horn tells us it is a male. Females have a slightly more tapered horn.
The same pair from a slightly different angle.
Two bushbuck in the riparian fringes around camp listen intently towards the river. Leopards are often seen patrolling along the watercourse below camp, and the bark of the resident bushbuck regularly betrays their presence.
This vervet monkey was clearly surprised at something!
Stunning images. Love the rhinos
No matter where Tony travels worldwide, he continuously takes truly exceptional images. Who wouldn’t grin when a cub playfully bites it’s mother tail, but he also captures the mother’s snarly ouch to complete the storyline. Some people match perfectly with a location. Londolozi and Tony fit hand and glove. I look forward to seeing further images he has captured!
Such wonderful sightings
Spectacular pictures! Thanks for sharing and look forward to the next installment.
P.S. I also reside in Florida (Parkland) and find this blog such a magical connection to a part of the world so different than the where I live.
Wow! These are fantastic photos, Tony! Very unique and very beautiful, Thank you for sharing.
Loved the photos, Tony! By the way, we have you and your wife beat in years of marriage! Glad you enjoy Africa as much as we do! Merry Christmas!
Beautiful images Tony, especially the birds. I readily admit to bird envy photographs by others but on my first trip to Londolozi last month, I did manage to capture a gray heron with a catfish. I look forward to seeing more of your images.
We did see the two tiny cubs of the Ximungwe female in their hidden rocky enclosure, but it was a viewing moment only – oftentimes the best!!
Excellent photos!
Awesome photos and great comments.
Always love looking at Tony Goldmans photo galleries!!
Truly stunning pics Anthony, I especially loved the cub playing with Mum’s tail and the two rhinos drinking with the sun reflecting on them – stunning shot. Thank you for sharing with us. I wish you a safe, happy and healthy 2019.
Those were stunning thanks Tony, especially the Rhino’s in the sun’s glow. Very special
Thanks everyone for all the kind comments