“Growth happens in adversity. When you come out of your comfort zone, you tend to discover new facets to your creativity and talent. Troubles don’t always break you; they make you too.”
―
Being behind the camera has always been a foreign thing for me. Everyone who knows me will know that I don’t usually take photos.
The pressure of being in the right place at the right time and the thought of missing the opportunity of capturing the perfect image makes me feel very uncomfortable. Over this slow period in the bush, I stepped out of my comfort zone and decided to take a camera with me on drive. Only as I began to feel more at ease, did I start to realise that getting the photograph was great but enjoying what you are doing is the most important aspect. I overcame that feeling of missing out and it allowed me to capture some wonderful memories.
So this week in pictures may not be from this week, but is a culmination of what I have been able to capture on my adventures over the last 2 months…
Enjoy this combined Week in Pictures…
This male waterbuck was resting on a cold misty morning. As we got deeper into winter, we started to see more and more waterbuck as they were drawn to the river due to the fact that they are very water dependent.
Leopards love to drape themselves over a branch after a meal. This allowed me the opportunity to capture just the tail of the Mashaba female after she finished off her impala kill.
This Crowned Lapwing chick was in a hurry to catch up to its mother.
There was a tangible stench on this hyena as it had most likely come from a meal. It took the opportunity to have a drink and a bath.
I had never really noticed the yellow underwings of a Brown Headed Parrot until this one kindly sat and displayed all its splendid colours.
Without a doubt, this is my favourite picture. This time I was in the right place at the right time on a fresh winter morning.
As the seasons start to change, one of the first trees to start flowering are the Schotias. The red of the flowers really sticks out as everything else is grey.
Cheetahs do not have the ability to defend their kills from larger predators and so this female was dragging her kill to a sheltered place before the vultures spotted it from above.
One of the Avoca males was on a territorial patrol. This male is starting to shift his territory further and further onto Londolozi which could start causing a shift in the dynamics of the Lion prides.
African Hawk Eagles are prolific hunters. This Juvenile was perched ready to flush out some Guineafowl in the thicket not far away. Unfortunately the Guineafowl were alert to his presence.
A Birmingham Male has a drink at the closest watering hole after feeding on a buffalo kill.
We see so many Impala that sometimes we don’t stop to appreciate their beauty but this alert male caught my eye.
The Makomsava female leaves her cubs at the den and goes hunting.
Nothing is more rewarding than finding lions walking down the road, especially late in the morning after searching for hours.
This collection would not be complete without a Little Bee-eater, one of my favourite birds.
Hi Greg
Many compliments for those superb pictures taken with technique and heart. I don’t know which to choose- big cats are wonderful but also herbivores and birds. The Schotias in bloom are a charm. Did you ever take pictures of butterflies and other insects?
Your photos are lovely Greg. Love the Birmingham male and the lions walking in the road.
Hi Gregg, great pictures, loved the tiny bird trying to catch up. Who says you are not a photographer?! thank you Victoria
Greg, loved all the photos, especially cheetah dragging the impala, leopard trying to go up tree, and also lion drinking from the water🤗
Really beautiful pics Greg, thank you for sharing.
A lovely eclectic collection of the best moments in the bush. Thank you for sharing them.
Beautiful picture, especially the Avoca and the Birmingham male, I suspect one will oust the other.
Wonderful photos Greg. Regardless of your humility, these are really great! Thanks!
lovely images which tell a 1000 tales.nature undoubtedly is the best classroom.
With lions does testosterone influence the desire to explore and expand territory when they stakin claim to new lands or is it purely instinctual
Bravo Greg! This is a nice compilation of images over the past two months, especially the leopard’s tail and the Birmingham male drinking. Photography in the bush is challenging and it’s with time and practice that it begins to sing for you.
Great collection. I love the birds.
Very lovely shots. I particularly enjoyed the crowned lapwing chick, stretching leopard, the Birmingham male lion drinking and a little bit eaters are always so photogenic… Among my favourite birds as well!
Greg: Good on you! We enjoyed your photos and commentary. Miss you and Equaliser and hope to ride with you all next year. Best, Pam and JoAnn from USA
Greg – these are wonderful photos – thanks for sharing them.
Super shots Greg. Have to say I’m inclined to agree with you. .just love the leopard in that golden light 🙏💕
I love your photos, Greg. My favorite are the lapwing chick and the beautiful parrot and bee-eater. However all the others are as beautiful. Every day when I read the Londolozi blog I really feel connected with it.
Beautiful pics!
How far into Londolozi have the two Avoca Males been seen and has there been any indication as to if the Birmingham Males have responded to their inroads?
Hi Michael,
They’ve been seen south-west of the Londolozi camps, but there hasn’t been any direct contact that we’re aware of…
Awesome leopard image. clawing trees to signal ownership of the environs or jes sharpening the arsenal perhaps 😏.
leopard use scenting and tree clawing to advertise presence.Very efficient terrestrial, aquatic and arboreal. Add to this their versatile habitat adaptations + intelligence = Hitmen of the Wilderness 🧐
l have also observed that during winter phase lion and leopard seemingly moult their coats in that the shiny attractive colour gives way to a duller tone as a result of the building up of extra fat reserves to boost the Thermoregulatory needs via reinforcement of the subcutaneous layer.thus excess oil gives the dull colour on their coats.When winter elapses they shed the extra fat reserves and restore their normal factory settings that is regain the shiny beautiful colour.l stand to be corrected
Another Amazing Week In Pictures!!!
Fine,FINE photos. I’ll wager you’re becoming more relaxed and looking at things a bit longer to GET THAT SHOT!
Wonderful photos Greg! I loved them all, but especially the little chick catching up to mom. Thank you!
Greg, so pleased to see that you have finally given in and started taking photos, pity you weren’t when we drove with you as we had the great sighting of 3 new male lions to the area and spent nearly 3 hours with the wild dogs, you could have even taken a photo of the vehicle getting stuck going down into the riverbed. (Good choice of camera as well) Yvonne & Ross x
Lions on the road, that is a framer.
Please keep up the fantastic work! You have a great eye and have captured some wonderful moments! Thank you for sharing… the 2 lions walking down the road… now the doesn’t happen every day!
Hi Greg, We are a little late finding your post and are proud of you for publishing some of your favorite images! We know you are not a huge photo geek, so we are impressed that you put yourself out there! 😉 We hope you are doing well and we hope to see you on our next visit!