Tony Goldman needs no introduction on the Londolozi Blog. He has been contributing photographs for a couple of years now and we are thrilled to be able to present his latest batch of submissions.
We have four fantastic photographic posts from Tony lined up, that we will be releasing over the next couple of weeks.
Enjoy…
The Mashaba female is currently Londolozi’s oldest territorial leopard. Tony has had the privilege of watching her get older over the past 7 1/2 years. Click here to view his gallery of sightings of her.
The Mashaba female is currently Londolozi’s best-known leopard. Her relaxed nature means she is comfortable around the vehicles.
Spending time at a hyena den is a sure-fire way to reengineer opinions about these maligned and misunderstood creatures. The cubs are a delight to behold, even when they are simply snoozing near the den’s entrance.
Bearded Scrub-Robins are a constant presence around the Londolozi camps, as they favour riparian vegetation. They are heard more than they are seen though, as they generally feed low down in the leaf litter, often obscured by thickets.
Firefinches are some of the most striking small birds we get here. This is a male Jameson’s firefinch, just making the transition from juvenile to adult plumage, as evidenced by the patchiness of the red colouration around his face.
Winter or summer, elephants will still want to soak themselves on hot days, and a herd around a waterhole is a wonderful sight.
One of the calves goes on a rampage, scaring a Blacksmith Lapwing from the water’s edge.
…before coming splashing to a halt in the shallows.
The Tatowa female; one of Londolozi’s least viewed leopards. She inhabits territory right in the south of the reserve.
The Tatowa female was one of a litter of three females born in early 2012 to the Ximpalapala female of the north.
The Tatowa female again and her latest cub. Sadly we believe this cub to have been lost a few months ago, which isn’t surprising given the sudden influx of new males into the area.
The chick of a Double-Banded Sandgrouse nestles amongst the pebbles. Adult sandgrouse have specially adapted feathers that can carry water; they will waddle into a small waterhole to soak themselves, then fly back to their chick(s), who then will drink from the water contained in the parent’s under-plumage.
A dwarf mongoose looks up from where it was excavating, the dirt on its nose a sure sign of its excavations. These small mammals are carnivorous, often digging up grubs and beetles for a meal.
Leopards are fairly reticent to get their feet wet, but sometimes simply can’t avoid it…
Little bee-eaters are resident all year round, and add some striking colour to the bush during the drab winter months.
Pearl-Spotted owlets are regularly encountered during the day, but hunt and call mainly during the hours of darkness. They are not actually Southern Africa’s smallest owl, as many people believe, being outdone in diminutive stature by the African Scops Owl.
The Nkoveni female; once the mainstay of Londolozi leopard viewing but now seldom seen, having shifted her territory further east off the reserve.
One of the most striking resident birds at Londolozi is the Brownhooded Kingfisher, a bird often encountered along dry riverbeds. Their family name is slightly misleading as they are insectivorous, not eating fish at all.
Yellow-billed hornbills are often found on termite mounds like this one in winter. They both take advantage of the heat emitted by the mound to warm up, and sometimes access the outer vents to feed on the termites themselves.
The ubiquitous Helmeted Guineafowl, its face a strange contradiction of ugly and beautiful.
A cub from the Ntsevu pride snarls its displeasure at something.
After a drink, a quick head shake is needed to rid the chin of excess water.
Super extraordinary photos !
Absolutely beautiful photos thanks for sharing
Anthony, I especially liked the birds, and leopards, and the lion, and the elephants🤗
Spectacular photos, especially the birds! Thank you.
Some beautiful photos- especially the birds. Do you handhold or use a gimbal? Manual with AF, auto ISO?
Thanks Denise I hand hold and mostly use auto ISO :0
Lovely photos , thanks for showing hem
Anthony, absolutely magnificent photography. All the pics are fantastic. Thank you for sharing with us.
Whether it’s Londolozi or here in America, Tony Goldman takes superb images of all wildlife. Tony, all these images are superb and interesting. I loved the capture of our aging Mashaba. She’s still queen to me. Whether it’s a snarling cub or the colorful plumage of Londolozi’s birds, you manage to always capture wildlife at it’s best. I look forward to viewing further images in the coming weeks.
Another incredible gallery!! That first shot of the Tatowa Female looks like a painting!!