This past week carried a quiet intensity, the kind that rewards patience and presence in equal measure. From long track and finds that ended high in the branches of jackalberry and marula trees, to perfectly timed golden-lit scenes unfolding effortlessly across open clearings. The bush seemed to move from moments of stillness to sudden action. Apex predators dominated much of Nic and my week, yet it was often the smaller, more subtle moments (an elusive coucal inching closer to our vehicle or the rare spot of a lunar moth) that reminded us of the layered richness of this land. Light, movement and anticipation wove themselves through each sighting, shaping a week that felt both perfectly timed and exciting!
Let us know in the comments which images are your favourite.
Enjoy the Week in Pictures…
After a lengthy search of the area and numerous rasping calls heard deep in the drainage line of the Tugwaan riverbed, tracker Advice and I were over the moon to find the Ximungwe Female scanning her surroundings from the upper realms of this Jackalberry tree.
Having been viewed by vehicles from an early age, this leopard is supremely relaxed around Land Rovers.
Perfectly timed symmetry between two male giraffes as we watched them necking as a means of determining who is more dominant.
The Shingi Male has been such a highlight of most game drives, being a young and inquisitive leopard he is often doing something that keeps us all entertained for a while.
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
With him elevated off the ground and out of the long grass, we snapped a nice close-up clean shot of him.
The Shingi Male was peacefully resting on a fallen marula when he spotted a small herd of impala in the distance. He quickly tried to change his pose, tucked himself as low down on the branches as he could, trying to remain hidden and out of view. His body language and movements changed considerably in a matter of seconds.
A different perspective of him on the branch. This was such an awesome sighting that we have included a number of photos of him into this week’s TWIP.
Late afternoon light captured the scene beautifully. Over one hundred White-backed Vultures lined the dead leadwood trees of southwest Londolozi, patiently waiting for their turn to feed, as the lions finished off the remains of a buffalo kill.
One of my favourite lions on Londolozi. The Styx Male roared up and down the road for the better part of two hours, looking for the Kambula Breakaway Lioness he has partnered with for some time now. The two shared a buffalo cow kill and may have been split up when more lions and scavenging hyenas showed up at the carcass.
Hazy, golden-lit sunrises light up a crest full of impala. Even though I didn’t quite capture the impala staring at the camera or in perfect form, nothing quite beats heading out on your morning game drive and this being the first scene of the day!
The Shingi Male paused briefly on an ex-branch of this marula tree to assess his height and landing spot. Moments later, he dropped to the ground and continued his morning wandering through the long, green and luscious grass.
A Tawny Eagle perches on the outer branches of a dead Knobthorn tree in the most perfect afternoon light. The characteristic ‘V’ of black in the feathers in the adult Tawny Eagle in visible in this picture.
A curious male giraffe lifts his head amidst feeding to stare us down as we drove past. With giraffe’s leathery and prehensile tongues, thick saliva and lips, it protect their mouths from thorns.
The Talamati Male gave us a spectacular show as he showed why ‘yawning’ in cats is a great sign of their restlessness and intent to start moving. Shortly after, he walked through the clearings and headed down to the Sand River for a late afternoon drink. Cheers!
The elusive Burchells Coucal. One of my favourite summer calls in the bush. We were sitting with sleeping lions when we heard this bird’s incessant call coming closer and closer towards our vehicle. It’s always a privilege to be able to be sitting with lions and still appreciating all the smaller creatures of life around them.
The Nkoveni Female leopard poses perfectly at dusk for us. We’d spent an entire afternoon with her while she rested in long grass. Our patience paid off as we stayed with her until she woke up to start her evening patrol.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
A hyena sub-adult rests on the airstrip in the early hours of the morning. After consistent rains in the night, he found great refuge on the dry tarmac to catch his breathe after what could only have been another interesting night of scavenging activities.
Silhouettes of any animal are exquisite, however, the natural golden morning light at sunrise matches the majesty of this young male Giraffe. He also paused for a moment to appreciate the breaking of a new day.
A beautiful African Moon Moth, also known as a Lunar Moth! These fascinating moths are a rare find at Londolozi due to their large, pale-green wings and short 7–10 day adult lifespan. These moths do not have functional mouths and do not eat as adults, focusing solely on mating. First time photographing one of them for me!
Such an iconic scene, two leopards, the Nkoveni Female and Shingi Male, wandering off into the Maxabene riverbed.
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on The Week In Pictures #742