Another week in the bush has come and gone, and as we move into early March there’s a noticeable seasonal shift underway. The days are slowly getting shorter, the early mornings carry a cooler edge, and there’s a sense that winter is beginning its gradual approach.
As is often the case with my picture selections, leopards remain the primary focus. They continue to be the highlight of many of my game drives and naturally, the reason my memory cards get full so quickly. Their ever-photogenic nature make them difficult to ignore. That said, there’s a healthy mix of other subjects woven throughout this week’s collection.
Elephants have been particularly abundant across the reserve lately. We spent some quality time with a few impressive bulls this week, who’ve made for excellent photographic subjects.
We were also fortunate to have a great sighting of a male cheetah that we hadn’t seen for several weeks. Encounters like that serve as a reminder of how dynamic the bush can be. Individuals can disappear for a time and then re-emerge just when you least expect it.
You’ll also notice a handful of black and white images included this week. I’ve been enjoying experimenting more with hi-key black and white, focusing on contrast, detail and texture rather than colour alone.
I hope you enjoy this week in pictures. Let me know which ones you like the most!
A large elephant bull crosses the Maxabene Riverbed behind us during our morning coffee break.
An African Goshawk perched in my garden to have a short midday rest. I managed to quietly open my window without him noticing to get this shot.
The beautiful Xinkhova Female leopard on a territorial patrol to the east of our camps. She paused to listen to a small herd of Kudu in the bush willow thickets some distance away. The early morning sun just catching her face.
A very small White Rhino calf, with the confidence of its mother being nearby came to have a better look at us.
A male cheetah rests atop an elevated point in the open grasslands. His eyes focused on a tiny zebra foal in the distance.
A first for me. This was quite a unique sighting of a mating pair of Spekes Hinged-back tortoises.
A young lioness from the Msuthlu pride keeps an eye on a herd of wandering impala in the distance. Lions never want to miss any opportunity for a potential meal.
Two elephant bulls attempt to assert dominance over one another on an open crest just to the south of our camps. It is incredible to witness how powerful these animals are.
Before descending a tall marula tree after feeding on a hoisted impala carcass, the Tinxiya Female leopard pauses to survey her surrounds.
The Xinkhova Female leopard perches on a fallen Marula tree scanning the valley below for any sign of the Nkoveni Female, her mother, who was rasping in the distance. Both of their territories now border one another, but contrary to popular belief these two females show no animosity between each other due to their family ties.
A classic scene from one of the open crests of the south eastern parts of the reserve. A lone elephant bull peacefully feeding on the lush grass after the rains.
One of my favourite species of migratory birds, the southern Carmine Bee-eater, and also most times the last summer migrant to arrive.
An unexpected encounter with this large buffalo bull who had just finished wallowing in the late afternoon heat of a hot summers day.
One of the Gijima Males keeps an eye on the movements of the Msuthlu pride as they started to show signs of getting active in the early hours of the evening.
After a missed attempt on a small bachelor herd of impala, this male cheetah rests for a brief moment to catch his breath.
The Tinxiya Female leopard ambles along the Maxabene riverbed in search of a comfy, cool place to rest for the day.
A large elephant bull presented us with some great photographic opportunities as he stayed out in the open for quite some time.
The Tinxiya female leopard is slowly starting to become one of my favourite leopards across the reserve. Her relaxed nature provides some of the most incredible leopard viewing found within the region. Here she rests high up in a Marula tree surveying her surroundings on a cool windy day.
A special sighting of the full compliment of the Msuthlu pride and both Gijima males. This was late morning and the heat had already set in. Moments after this picture was taken, they had all joined the rest of the pride who were sleeping in the shade, out of frame here.
After many unsuccessful attempts at calling for the Shingi Male, her son, the Nkoveni Female leopard ascended a tall dead leadwood tree in the hopes that calling from above an elevated perspective above would be more successful, which indeed it was.
A beautiful selection of photographs, Matt. They are all good. Didn’t realise a man from Mtunzini had such skill. (Just kidding. I knew your town in the 1950’s.)