Two photographers, one week, one combined selection, which means this edition is a little heavier than usual. Bryce and I have pooled what we’ve each been out there capturing, and the result is a broad sweep of everything the bush has been throwing at us lately.
The weather deserves a mention. It feels too early to say it, but things are beginning to warm up. The deep chill of the coldest nights seems to be loosening its grip just slightly, though the mornings are still crisp enough to make that first cup of coffee at the coffee break feel very well earned. What hasn’t changed is the light. The golden hours have been extraordinary, and both of us have been making the most of them.
In camp, the aloes continue to draw their devoted crowd of sunbirds.
Out in the bush, it has been a full week. Some shots from when Nkoveni Female kept us on tenterhooks across two entire drives, hoping she would lead us back to her cubs. She had other ideas. The lion cubs are growing, as photogenic and curious as ever. The Kambula Subadults put in an appearance, draped lazily over boulders in that way only lions can pull off. The Styx Male has been vocal every single night near camp, announcing himself to anyone willing to listen. And the Blonde Gijima Male was up on a termite mound on a misty morning.
Leopards featured well too. The Shingi Male is growing into something formidable. The Xinzele Female was spotted on top of Ximpalapala Koppie, which has got people talking. More on that soon.
The cheetah has been a highlight of the week, turning up around the airstrip of all places, those amber eyes as sharp and unsettling as ever up close. A water monitor with claws that had to be seen to be believed. Young hyenas reducing sticks and bark to nothing. A Pearl-spotted Owlet, as ruthless as it is tiny. A chameleon that stopped everyone in their tracks. And the Nkuhuma Male, looking bigger and more battle-worn than ever.
Let us know your favourites in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
An intense stare from a cheetah up close. The amber eyes are so captivating.
This image just lent itself to a pretty decent Black & White edit.
I could no believe the length of the claws on this already pretty sizeable water monitor lizard.
The every present and beady eyes of vultures means that nothing goes unnoticed or to waste. Any opportunity for a meal and the vultures descend. Here a Hooded Vulture swoops down to land nearby in a tree.
Over the space of a few days the cheetah was seen around the airstrip a few times. A somewhat unusual place to find a cheetah, but we loved every bit of it.
I guess, it is prime hunting grounds for the cheetah with it being so open and often densely populated with impala and wildebeest.
You can’t go wrong with sunset at this time of the year with the deep oranges and reds from all the dust and haze in the air.
It has been a while since I last saw the Nkuhuma Male, and I will gladly admit that I was impressed with how big and menacing he looks with that skin fold hanging over his eye.
You can image the view that these giraffe have from up there, up to 6 metres in the air, they can spot any danger from a fair distance. Once they do, they stand there and stare at it. They certainly don’t want to take their eye off it and then end up not knowing where it has gone.
Just one of the many little birds swarming around the aloes in camp, the Collared Sunbird.
Cheetahs aren’t the only ones using termite mounds as a vantage point, the Blonde Gijima Male was gaining some elevation to see where the Ntsevu Young Male had gone on a misty morning.
Towards the end of two whole drives with the Nkoveni Female, I was eagerly hoping she would finish her carcass and head back to her cubs.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
Finally, down out of the tree only to rest in the shade for another half hour.
After the long wait with the Nkoveni Female, it was at this moment that I couldn’t contain myself, thinking we were going straight back to her cubs. Not the case; a herd of impala, zebra, wildebeest and warthogs threw in a curveball and distracted her.
During a cracking sighting of the Blonde Gijima Male, he walked over elevated ground and with the rising sun in the background, we snapped some great shots with the dust and his steamy breath being lit up.
Sometimes the little details are everything, like the tiny grains of sand falling off the foot of the Nkoveni Female as she walked away from us down the road.
Young hyenas are fascinating to watch, exactly like a puppy at home that just wants to chew everything; these youngsters make short work of any stick, branch or in this case piece of bark that they can reach.
What the Styx Male lacks for in a coalition partner, he makes up for in confidence. For the last week, we have heard him calling every single night close to camp. It still fascinates me how he has been tolerated to some degree around here and not taken out by either one of the three other more dominant coalitions around here.
As I rolled into a different position t view the cubs, they appeared to very playfully try peak over the mother’s belly, trying to watch me but not willing to let go of the mother’s teat.
I love how curious and adorable young lions are. While all its siblings were busy nursing from the mothers, this youngster couldn’t take his eyes off of me.
Eventually, content that I was not up to anything of concern, he settled down and rested his head on his mother’s belly and dozed off.
Late in the afternoon, pastel skies as a backdrop, the cheetah was eagerly scanning around looking for any potential prey to hunt.
Growing into a formidable young leopard, the Shingi Male has provided some great viewing of late. Hopefully he hangs around here a little longer before dispersing.
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
While searching for the Ximungwe Female recently, a flash through the combretums caught my attention, it was this Pearl-spotted Owlet chasing a Blue Waxbill. It missed and then landed up here on this branch. They look so gentle and calm, but meanwhile they are voracious little predators.
A rather mesmerising view of a chameleon, the patterning around the eyes is stunning here.
The Kambula Subadults spent a morning lounging about near some boulders and this one youngster thought it would be best to settle down draped over the rock.
This is the kind of pose that you would imagine a leopard to be in while lying on this rock.
Although still very alert to everything going on around them.
Making this look awfully comfortable.
With the mornings still being chilly, any opportunity these little dwarf mongooses get to sun themselves, they snap it up.
Little lion cubs are not only cute and cuddly looking, but also so photogenic.
We got a little excited recently when the Xinzele Female was found on the top of Ximpalapala Koppie again, hoping she might have cubs. More on this soon.
A stunning female found in the north. Successfully raised the Thumbela Female while establishing dominance in NW Marthly.
No matter how many times we see a Lilac-breasted Roller, I still absolutely love taking photos of them.
always thanks for the wonderful photos.
I love all of the photos, but the lion cubs – OMG, I want to hug their cute little faces. Thank you for sharing so many amazing captures!
Great selection of photos, but I never tire of seeing cheetah, the first highlighting those piercing eyes is magnificent. Thank you
So beautiful! What a treat!
Thanks guys, absolutely stunning pics.. The hooded vulture photo for me was outstanding as you rarely get a snap of an individual landing. Kudo’s.
The chameleon is exceptional Bryce!!! Has to be one of my all time favorites now.
Also loved the Kambula subadult alert on the rock…
Great job gentlemen….another wonderful TWIP!
One great photo after another – wow! All the big cats are ceaselessly fascinating but the huge monitor, the mesmerizing chameleon, the pearl spotted owlet are all so special! Thanks!
A lot of great closeups, AND the Blonde Gijima Male, with the rising sun in the background, shot with the dust and his steamy breath – magical!
SO many great shots! The very first close up of the cheetah is amazing and my fave this week. The little owl is the cutest along w/ the lion cubs and young hyena. But the subadult on the rock is the best!
Hi Sean, oh these are awesome images all of the. My favourite would be the lion cubs, so gorgeous and cuddly. Secondly the Shing male and then the Nkoveni female. Hard to choose this week.
So many amazing captures this week by you two that it’s not possible to choose favorites – so I’ll just say thanks for including the newest Kambula cubs, the beautiful cheetah photo, of course Shingi and the stunning sunrise/sunset shots! So wish I was back enjoying your glorious cool weather!!!
Love the variety. I will never tire of a sunbird in the aloes.
A brilliant selection of photo’s making it hard to choose a favourite. Thank you for sharing. You have a dream job!
Fantastic collection of photos, as always.
When I see all my favourite animals I would like to jump onto the next airplane immediately just to be with them again.
If only it was that simple, but we would love to have you back.
My faves this week have to be the chameleon, the mongoose and the lilac breasted roller. But all these pics are so darned good you make it really difficult to choose. One question I have, does anyone know where the Ntomi male ended up?
Thank you so much, Tracey. The Ntomi Male is now settled in the western sector of the Sabi Sand.
Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to reply. He was one of my favourite leopards having watched everything that was reported about him from his birth till he left.
You are most welcome. I know we also grew rather attached and fond of him. Hopefully, he makes a return at some point in the future.
Sean, what an amazing set of images you guys put together. You covered a lot of ground and the variety of wildlife that you’ve photographed is wonderful. Some of the fun images you got of the birds and reptiles are great reminder that there is so much to track while we are with you!
Thank you so much. We did indeed.
Hi Sean and Bryce, a gallery that deserves a merit, and too many fabulous pictures to pick up some…. I was particularly struck by the cheetah and the sunset, cubs , the one resting upon his mother, and the Nkoveni Female is a classic, you can’t help stopping on her beautiful eyes. Lions are spectacular too and so birds….
Thank you so much, Francesca.
Awesome shots! Sean, the photos of the cheetah are the Makhotini Female and is it just me or does she appear possibly pregnant? Did a calculation earlier and of 11 known cubs I’ve been able to find, she’s reared 6 of them (54%)!
Thanks so much, Michael. There is talk of her being pregnant. I saw her yesterday and it was hard to tell, but here is to hoping that she is. She has been an incredible mother.