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| | | "Rhino SIghting In North Luangwa by John Coppinger"
29 August 2010 00:00 | | | read more... |
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 | Game viewing Diary | |
| Date: | 13 August 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Stephen Banda | | Outing: | Morning Walk | | Camp: | Mwaleshi Camp | | Blog: | On 1st of August we drove across the river and after 10 minutes we left the car in the under the tree and walked. Before we left the camp we heard the lions roaring that we thought of tracking them. Few minutes later we saw two hyenas. Having walked for two hours without finding them it was time for a tea break. But as we were looking for a good shady tree a pride of 10 lions appeared from the bush and ran away. After our tea break we walked the car and saw a herd of wildebeests, baboons, buffalos and some vultures flying.
On Sunday the 2sd the guests were leaving but I was expecting new guests to arrive. A family of 7 landed at the airstrip at 1155 hrs. It was already warm so we drove to camp. Driving along we noticed the vultures and looking around there were three lions in the shade. We got back to camp for lunch. Since the Mwaleshi River has very clear water I asked my guests if they would like to play ‘mbale ball’ meaning Frisbee in the river. They were happy so we played for 40 minutes before afternoon tea time, and after that we went for a walk. At night we heard hyenas, lions and leopard all calling from different directions. The following day we headed to the area we heard lions roar and luckily enough we found them at the water hole near the place they killed a buffalo. Hyenas were polishing off the bones while the vultures tried to get near but the hyenas chased them away. It was exciting watching them. That afternoon we walked along the river and saw two spider hunting wasps fling over the water. These guests left on the 5thAugust.
After 3 days new guests arrived in two separate planes because they were 7 of them. It was their first time to do a walking safari so they were very excited. They did not see lions but saw wildebeests, hyenas and birds. We also played Frisbee before tea time. We had two teams, one for staff and the other one for guests. Guests won by 10 t0 7. I would like to thank the Massie family for their victory on Remote Africa Safaris. Their last day in the afternoon I took them to the Luangwa river by car and on the way we had good sighting of a honey badger trying to kill a banded mongoose. The mongoose was screaming a lot and rest of the mongoose came to rescue their friend. It took a while before the honey badger gave up. The guests left the following day and so did I.
| | | | | Date: | 12 August 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Stephen Banda | | Outing: | Morning Walk | | Camp: | Mwaleshi Camp | | Blog: | I flew back to Mwaleshi camp on 26th July with two guests. We landed at the airfield late morning that we did not have time to go walking. Driving to camp we saw a bachelor herd of buffalos, then puku, one water buck, one elephant and some impala. On our afternoon walk we did not see much. The next morning we walked up Mwaleshi river where after one hour, 5 hyenas lying on the sand, impala and puku all looking at them. On the other side was a big herd of buffalos more than 5oo, elephants, zebra, 2 more hyenas and some wildebeests. As we were about to stop for tea break the buffalos saw us and they were like coming to us, so moved to a different place. Having tea while the buffalos were watching us and some males came even closer to a good look on us. Now it was time to walk back to camp that we heard some baboons barking impala running in all directions. So we went to check and it was a leopard walking along the dead river bed. Then later at the lagoon we saw a fish eagle, western banded snake eagle with a snake in its legs. Later in the afternoon 9 elephants in front of camp, a honey badger, four toed elephant shrew, pel’s fishing and a bushy tailed mongoose.
On 28 we saw kudu, crocodiles, hippo elephants, wildebeests, monitor lizard on the termite mound, fish eagle, yellow billed stork, little bee eaters and many more. Then my guests left for Tafika and the camp was empty for one day.
The next guests arrived on the 30th July and landed at 08 35hrs so we had time to do a walk. A good start with them because we saw a herd of buffalos, puku, impala and some birds. That afternoon one hippo, elephant very close to camp. We could not walk passed this elephant so we had to go down the river took off our shoes and walked in the water for about 100 yards to get to camp. The next morning we went to look for the wildebeests but very quiet until towards the end of the walk we saw lots of vultures. As we got near them there was a dead python on the ground.
| | | | | Date: | 11 August 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Cameron Dallas | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Shortly after leaving camp we found two bull elephant feeding in the tall grass. Further on another bull, perhaps with the others was pushing up against an acacia with his forehead, shaking the seed pods to the ground. After feeding on the fallen seeds he moved off to join the other bulls.
Crossing the dry river bed on the Mwasauka River we stopped to watch a small troop of Yellow baboon feeding on Mtanda plain. Youngsters playing, others grooming before moving to their nightime roost in an ebony grove.
At the Luangwa River we found a fishing party of White backed pelicans roosting on the bank of a drying pool of water. I counted 250 birds.
Further downstream we watched three lioness lounging on the cool damp sand of the riverbed at an area we call tiptoes. We dashed off for a sundowner and then heading back we watched them into the darkness as they headed off for the hunt.
One lioness moved in to a gulley as the other moved off to the left at Chimbwe lagoon. The third lioness hung back. We followed her slowly and stopped. Waiting in the dark for a half hour or so with puku scattering and running past we switched on the spot to find all three females together to the left of the vehicle. Unsuccessful they then attempted a second hunt.
We drove up to overlook the area. Again the sound of hooves and puku running. Turning on the spotlight we found a lioness in front of us. Scanning around we found a leopard a few metres from the lioness which must have been hunting in the same area and was disturbed by all the activity.
| | | | | Date: | 11 August 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Cameron Dallas | | Outing: | Morning Walk | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | After crossing the Luangwa River in canoes we headed into Mopani woodland. A group of three elephant were browsing in the shade of a Mopani tree. A cow and two young. There was a lot of buffalo dung around and so we walked to a river channel where I thought there may still be some water.
En route we found a monitor lizard which had just been caught by an adult Martial eagle. We had flushed the bird from the kill.
Soon thereafter we found the buffalo. A smallish herd of 150 plus. We stopped for tea.
After starting off we heard and then saw many White Backed Pelicans flying in to the drying channel of water. Accompanied by the odd Marabou stork they started froghopping each other flying and fishing as they moved up the channel.
We stopped and watched as they skidded on the water surface before coming to a halt. Maybe fifty birds in total. They then turned around.
The walk back found a flock of Southern Crowned Cranes drinking at the river edge.
| | | | | Date: | 29 July 2009 17:00 | | Guide: | Cameron Dallas | | Outing: | PM Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Soon after driving into the park we found a small herd of elephants in open woodland. A group of young elephant , three to six year olds were having a great tussle with each other. One in fact mounting another.
Off in the distance two bulls were also having a head to head tussle with trunks intertwined and tusks clashing. The wind blowing our way they were totally unaware of use and slowly moved closer, the two adult cows feeding on small Mopani trees.
The two bulls then moved across and stopped within ten metres of the vehicle. Seeing the movement of cameras they then walked off into the Mopani woodland behind us.
Alex had seen two lioness earlier in the day at an area we call tennis courts. He had left them sleeping and when we got there they had just stood up. The one female walked off towards the large group of puku on the grazing lawn and decide to have a run at them. They scattered amidst much whistling. She continued so for ten minutes or so, the second lioness waking , stretching and slowly following the first but stopping to flop down. Walking a full circle to where she had started out the first lioness then headed over to a fallen tree, climbing it for a better view.
By now a spotted hyena was alerted to all the commotion, even baboons had started barking, and came loping over. It looked like a young male.
We decide to stop for sundowners. The pair then moved to the river bank, the one female running down to the damp, cool sand for a roll. Later she was chased by a hippo leaving the Luangwa for his nightly forage. After our sundowner they started our way, running thru the Kavula riverbed and off for their hunt.
| | | | | Date: | 29 July 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Cameron Dallas | | Outing: | Morning Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Bat hawk catching bat early evening above winterthorn trees at Chikoko camp. Then proceeded to eat it on the wing.
A group of 7 Thornicrofts giraffe at Crocodile lagoon. Six males following a female who was probably in season.
A fishing party at Chikoko with White pelicans, marabou stork, yellowbilled stork and fish eagles.
Young female leopard hunting at Chimbwe lagoon. She briefly chased a small genet.
Returning from a night drive we heard a buffalo bellowing in the capparis/ broken . Mopani woodland we had driven past earlier on the afternoon drive. We found three lioness and a large tawny maned lion killing an adult female buff. One lioness had its jaw firmly over the cows nose while holding the jaw shut with her paw, slowly suffocating the animal. The second lioness was on the buffs stomach , I guess keeping the animal down and the third had started to feed on the tail/ anus area. It took about 20 minutes for the animal to suffocate.
When it was dead the male moved in and after attempting to feed on the neck started on the hindquarters.
The lioness doing the suffocating took a rest and then tried to open up the belly.
| | | | | Date: | 28 July 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Alex Phiri | | Outing: | Morning Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Last night we started our drive after we had our tea and the birds and animals spotted were lots of impalas, puku, a big herd of buffalo and also about ten elephants crossing the river with their babies.
We also saw some few birds like herons, doves, lovebirds, vultures and lots of red billed horn bill all these were spotted before the sun set and before collecting the other 2 guests who came from the airport. After we had finished our sundown, the 2 guests arrived on the spot. After that we started our night drive and the following are the animals spotted. The white tailed mongoose, a porcupine with a baby, hyeana was sniffing around also he had some meat which wanted steal the kill from the leopard but he did not make it. Father more , we saw another big herd of buffalo , genets and a leopard with a cub .
This morning, the guests asked me to find them the crown cranes and I decided to go back to the salt pan area as it was the only place I thought to find them. AS we were heading towards the pan, we saw the warthogs and their last years babies . As we were watching them, I decided to look around the place where we saw the hyeana I looked up in trees I saw the leopard with a kill and the lions started calling we looked around and saw the lions coming for a drink after watching the lions we decided to go and see the leopard but as the leopards are shy during the day he came out from the tree and went into the bushes. There after we went to see cranes and we found about 300 cranes and after that the guests decided to come back to camp.
| | | | | Date: | 25 July 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Stephen Banda | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | On Friday 24th of July in the afternoon we left camp at 1530 hrs for game drive. We saw lots of elephants walking along side the river, giraffe on the other side, baboon drinking, puku, impala and warthogs. A big herd of buffalo was coming to the river to drink so we stopped to watch them drinking. But before they got to river, the puku were alarm calling looking towards the buffalos. We checked around the bushes and saw three lions approaching the buffalos. After few minutes we heard like a screaming from the buffalo, we said Ha! Ha! Ha! they have killed one, but we were wrong. We could see all the buffalos running away and went to drink. After sundowners it was very quiet until near the scout camp where we saw a genet, impala, puku and 9 little bee eaters sitting on the brunch next to each other. Then we returned to camp at 1940 hrs. | | | | | Date: | 24 July 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Stephen Banda | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Yesterday we started our game drive at 1545hrs with four guests who in the morning from another camp. Before we left I asked them if they had any particular animal they wanted to see most. They told me that they wanted to some lions since they did not see any at the camp they stayed, and I said well I will try. So we left and looked every where but nothing. The sun was about to set and decided to stop for sun down. As I was parking the car we saw a female lion walking on the beach, what a relief. She walked for few meters, stopped lay down walked again and lay down for few minutes. By then the sun had already gone down so we thought of serving drinks, she started walking towards us then we stopped and followed her after she turned away from us. After our drinks we thought for her but not found. Then after 30minutes we three more and a couple mated then the other female ran away because we could hear the other one roar in the distance. Few minutes later the fourth lion appeared a nice male. Driving back we saw a honey badger, an elephant shrew and some jennets. | | | | | Date: | 24 July 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Stephen Banda | | Outing: | Morning Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | This morning we left at 0730 hrs since my guests went on a microlight flight which they enjoined very much. At about 0850 hrs we saw 3 lions and later saw some giraffe on the other side of the river. Further down were elephants walking towards the river to drink. Lots of crocodiles, hippo, few buffalo, white pelicans flying, lots of birds and more elephants on the way back. About a kilometer to camp was a troop of baboons with tiny babies playing on the river bed. | | | | | Date: | 22 July 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Alex Phiri | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Last night we started our drive after we had our tea and just after the camp we saw elephants which were going at our water hole to have the mud bath. After that, we saw bush bucks eating the African ebony fruits as they are now ripe and also baboons up in trees. We also saw few birds like red billed horn bills, starlings, fire finches, herons, doves and lovebirds. Before our sundown, we saw two male lions on the other side of the river and we decided to have our sundown while looking at these lions.
After dark, we started our drive and the following are the animals spotted, few genets, bush tailed mongoose, porcupine, three leopards, two sharps greysbock, three civets, hyena and finally we saw the four toed elephant shrew near the camp.
| | | | | Date: | 04 July 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Stephen Banda | | Outing: | Morning Walk | | Camp: | Mwaleshi Camp | | Blog: | The23rd of June we drove for short time and walked along the Mwaleshi river to the confluence. We saw 19 hyenas, lots of crocodiles and one elephant on the other side of the bank. The next day we walked to a lagoon and sat there. After few minutes there came some lilians love birds, grey headed sparrow, white browed sparrow weaver, long tailed glossy starlings, laughing doves, and an elephant shrew came and started scratching the ground looking for insects. Andrea was very happy since this is what he was looking for. We later moved to the next lagoon where we saw yellow billed storks, African jacana, 3 hippos and one went out then came back while we still there.
On 25th in the morning we went to a place called Leopard tree. On the way were lots of impalas, a herd of wildebeest, puku, warthogs, and zebra. Later we saw fish eagle, little bee eaters, three banded courser and buffalos. Back to camp lots of vultures and doves.
The morning of the 26th around 0300hrs, I heard something crossing, so I woke up to check and it was a hyena, then I went back to sleep. I asked my guests whether they heard something, they said no only one did. I told them that the hyena crossed not far from their rooms. Then we started our walk towards the confluence but we did not make it so I decided to stop for tea break. But before we crossed there was a big crocodile on the sand bank that my guests were bit worried. I said it was fine to walk across since the water was only ankle deep, then Special was the first one to cross, and the rest of us followed. No cats this week only saw other stuff. The last morning with one guest we went to Luangwa river, then to a lagoon sat for few minutes but nothing came. Then we returned to camp for he was leaving for another camp in few hours. Since the camp is empty I drove to Tafika.
| | | | | Date: | 02 July 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Isaac Zulu | | Outing: | Chikoko Walking Trail | | Camp: | Chikoko Walking Trails | | Blog: | Game viewing diary written by Heather:
I was fortunate enough to be able to go on a walking safari with one of our guests recently who was doing our Chikoko Trails; staying in both Camps.
I love going out to the walking camps and was very excited at the opportunity of spending one night at each.
Setting off from Tafika the day was warm but overcast; just perfect for a long walk to Crocodile River Camp. Isaac Zulu was at his best pointing out the trees, plants, fruit etc that are seldom seen on a game drive and telling us about their many cultural uses.
Being very interested in birds, our guest was rewarded with sightings of a wide variety throughout out two days of walking including Martial eagle, Bateleur, Snake Eagle, Green pigeons, Lilian’s Love birds and many, many more.
Our walk took us through some wonderfully varied landscape, past ebony groves and tamarind trees laden with fruit ripe and “ready for the picking” by elephant and baboon; round a couple of beautiful lagoons with hippo wallowing and Open-bill stork, African Jacana and Yellow-billed stork wading through the lime green Nile cabbage, a stark contrast to the murky waters.
While crossing the dry bed of Big Lagoon where a number of puku were grazing, we saw a giraffe come out of the bushes on the other side and start walking towards us. Half way across the giraffe stopped; standing there, it watched us as we approached. At about 20 metres we also stood and watched and for some time it was hard to say “who was watching who”! Carrying on our way passing the giraffe, it continued to stand and watch us curiously as we walked by until we disappeared into the bush on the other side.
Soon after, following a sighting of two Hooded vultures in a tree we encountered a group of approximately 80 buffalo a short distance from us; the first of two large groups we saw on this walk. After some time of watching them watching us, we detoured round the herd to continuing on to Crocodile Camp.
On day two, walking from Crocodile to Chikoko Tree Camp, we once again had the luxury of walking in over-cast weather and the pleasure of seeing not only elephants on two or three occasions at close quarters, but also a leopard not 15 metres from us!
The absolute high-light of what was a wonderful couple of days walking.
We were trekking through some fairly thick under-growth when Batwell (our scout) stopped suddenly and pointed to his right. There on a broad branch lay this beautiful male leopard, fast asleep, oblivious to our presence. The pose always seen in books!
Totally unaware of our being there, we were able to stand and watch the leopard for a good 5 mins. or so. Only when turning its head as it stretched, did the leopard see us and dart down out of the tree. Even then it stopped at the bottom and watched us for a few seconds more before it disappeared into the under-growth.
As we got closer to Chikoko we sighted a brown snake eagle flying overhead, passed a number of water-buck, another herd of buffalo and two or three elephant. The last water hole on approach to the camp, a beautiful little spot, gave us the opportunity to see a Spoonbill, Great White egret, an Egyptian goose.
A very rewarding and exciting days walking; one that I hope I will be able to repeat in the very near future!
| | | | | Date: | 02 July 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Stephen Banda | | Outing: | Morning Walk | | Camp: | Mwaleshi Camp | | Blog: | Mwaleshi camp was opened on 15th June 2009. I was sent up there to take over Ernst who went out for few months. So I drove to the camp on 12th 3 days before opening. On 14th I went to Marula Puku to fetch the fire arm and on the way we saw two different prides of lion, a herd of buffalo, wild beests and warthogs. My first guests arrived on 15th and they landed at Mwaleshi air strip at 1150 hours we had no time to do a walk so we drove to camp. On the way to camp we saw zebras, puku and warthogs. In the afternoon we walked down stream where we saw one water buck, puku and hippo. !6th June we walked up stream. Lots of puku, hippo, zebra, impala and few birds like lilians love birds, fish eagle, bateleur eagle, saddle-billed stork guinea fowl and many more. After two hours we stopped for tea at the lagoon known as Sasu lagoon. As we were drinking my tea bearer his name Special went behind the tree to help himself. He whispered to us ‘leopard’. We all stopped drinking and looked where he was pointing. He was right because we saw him walking towards the lagoon, went behind the bush. Then he came from the other side of the bush and walked in open space, sat down, walked again and lay down. We went back for our tea and watched him while finishing our tea and coffee. He was there for good half an hour and he moved off when we started moving. This was my best leopard sighting on a walk at Mwaleshi since I started coming to this camp. Walking back to camp we saw a tawny eagle eating a lizard up in the tree. On 17th we walked across the river on to the road for a while and went off into the plain where we saw 30 wild beests, warthogs and carmine bee eaters. Later not far from camp there was a sand snake on the tree trying to catch a frog. In the afternoon was a big herd of buffalo, puku, impala and zebra all in one place, cattle egrets, great white egret, white crowned lapwings and pied kingfisher.
On 18th we started watching zebras near the camp and we crossed the Mwaleshi River and saw lots of lion foot prints. We tried to look for them but nothing. Not much in the morning. At lunch time 4 bull buffalo appeared on the opposite bank and few minutes later a hyena came down towards the water, looked at us and lay down in the water. Then we went walking in the afternoon and a family elephant came down to the water to drink. We watched them for 20 minutes then they moved away. 19th Jun was buffalo near camp then puku, impala and zebra. Walking along the river we saw fish eagle, yellow billed storks, saddle billed storks two water dikkops near the water and later on more zebras and puku. After an hour from camp we saw 3 lions lying on the river bank in the shade of a lead wood tree. We decided to cross to have a good view of them but they left. We saw them running leaving the dust behind, antelopes looking at them. Then we stopped in the mahogany tree for tea. Few minutes w heard a strange noise behind the termite mound it was a lion moving away from us. Then after that was quiet.
At Mwaleshi camp you have to walk across because sometimes you see things on the other side, so we crossed again on 20th June right in front of camp and drove towards the air strip. We left the car under the shade and walked towards the lagoon. About 100 impalas ran past us. We got to the lagoon at 0930hrs. There was one hippo, long tailed starlings. Walking back to the car Jean one of my guests saw a chameleon and he was very happy that he said to the scout and me to find a lion for him since he showed us a chameleon. Luckily we saw one before we got to the car. On 21st June we saw 3 more lions. That is all for now until the next two days when I will bring you another one week dairy.
| | | | | Date: | 30 June 2009 06:00 | | Guide: | Bryan Jackson | | Outing: | Morning Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | It’s cold , everyone has stayed at home today. Very quiet on the drive this morning. Although the Baboons must have seen something as they were barking close to camp and on Bandas loop. Couldn't find anything, hopefully the drive tonight will have better luck.
We did see good Zebra with a youngster a small herd of Buffalo and all the usual Puku & Impala.
| | | | | Date: | 29 June 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Cameron Dallas | | Outing: | Viewing from Camp | | Camp: | Chikoko Tree Camp | | Blog: | We had just sat down for our evening meal when a puku started whistling out on the plain. A short, sharp alarm call. Moments later the thud of hooves and then silence. We jumped up to take a look into the darkness. Using the beam of a torch we spotted a large leopard. The animal had missed the stalk and was sitting upright on the edge of the dry Chikoko riverbed. Standing up it walked down the bank, pausing as a large spotted hyena ran past , then jumping over a pool of water made its way back into the night.
We heard it calling later, a rasping coughing sound.
| | | | | Date: | 24 June 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Alex Phiri | | Outing: | Morning Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | This morning we started our drive after the two guests had just landed from their microlight flights at about 07:00hrs. It was an exciting drive; our first sighting was the small bird of prey up in the tree commonly known as the shikra. We also saw other things like elephants, small herd of buffalo, baboons, impalas and few more birds. All these were just an introduction to our interesting drive as we saw them before reaching Chikwinda gate.
Soon after we entered the park , I decided to take John’s road because the guests wanted to see the carmine bee eaters, as I thought we could easily see them along the same way down Chichele stream. Fortunately, our dream shortly became true; we had sightings of the intended carmine bee eaters and the crown cranes as they were landing at the delta of Chichele stream. We as well a Reedbuck and lots of Puku at this same place.
After these nice sightings, we had our Tea break down the steam. Then we decided to down to the river side where we first saw a big herd of Buffalo and a male giraffe. As if this was not enough, while we were busy watching the herd on the other side, one bull came running towards the vehicle from the opposite direction in it’s quest to join the rest of the herd. When we looked where the same bull was coming from, it was so amazing seeing four lionesses striking onto a female impala. We quickly went closer to the sight of scene and witnessed the impala being killed and eaten. There was great eating competition and everybody was interested seeing the whole impala getting finished within five minutes.
Having had such interesting sightings, we then decided to turn and get back to camp. Our adventure continued even on our return way as we also saw hippos and crocodiles in the river. Eventually, we ended our drive with sightings of baboons and vervet monkeys near the camp.
The guests I had on this drive were a honeymoon couple consisting of Paul and Melanie.
| | | | | Date: | 22 June 2009 16:00 | | Guide: | Bryan Jackson | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | We started with a village trip. Andrea had a ball photographing the children. He was swamped every time he showed them the picture on the back of his camera. Eventually extracting all the keen photographers from the village, we headed off down the road toward the park. Before reaching the park we saw 4 or 5 Swallow Tail Bee-eaters, we don’t see them that often so a good sighting.
We got into the park quite late, so stopped along Bee-Eater loop for sundowners. We stood around talking for sometime after dark, everyone still on a high from the village.
Driving around Chimbwe lagoon a Leopard walked in front of us, heading toward a group of Puku. Following at a discrete distance so we would not disturb her hunt, we manoeuvred up onto the top road to watch. She made a quick lunge for a young Puku, missed, and lay there watching the other Puku for 5 mins before moving off. We waited for some time with the lights off, to see if she hunted again. She disappeared, so we crossed the lagoon again to continue the drive. Not far from where we first saw the Leopard we found a Puku up in a Sausage tree. Very little had been eaten, so we had to assume that she was off to fetch a cub, (I had seen an 8 month old cub a couple of evenings before in that area), and could not resist having another go at the Puku.
We searched for a while, but it was getting late and decided to head home. Just before Banda’s loop, Lloyd said 3 Leopards. There in front was the Female Leopard with her 2, 1 year old male cubs. They wandered past, the 2 cubs a little wary but mum completely relaxed.
| | | | | Date: | 21 June 2009 06:00 | | Guide: | Bryan Jackson | | Outing: | Morning Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | We had not seen the new born Giraffe for 2 weeks, so were worried that it had been killed. Alex came back last night and said they had seen a very young Giraffe. So we set out in search of the Giraffe this morning.
Lots of general game everywhere, Impala seem to have multiplied this season, either that, or they are all down on the riverside road in our area.
Driving along the top of the Wafwa I could see a Puku staring toward some trees in front of us. We drive into the Wafwa and there in front of us 3 male Lions and 1 female, fast asleep. They are not the most exciting things in the world to watch when they are sleeping so we moved off down the Wafwa to the Stork colony. 3 more Male Lions appeared, they were nervous and moved away, using the long grass and bushes to hide.
We had a quick look at the Storks. They are very disappointing this year as not many have nested in the Ebony trees. The rains came late, hence very little water under the trees, meaning no easy food for them when sitting on eggs.
Trundling along home via the Tennis courts, low and behold one baby Giraffe standing in the middle of the road, mum feeding 30m away. The young guy was looking for someone to play with and raced after a male Impala, the Impala was having none of this and took off. The Giraffe gave up and wandered back to take a good look at us and move closer to Mum.
| | | | | Date: | 21 June 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Alex Phiri | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Last night we started our drive at about 15;45hrs after having our tea and the things we spotted were two male bushbucks browsing on the natal mahogany the martial eagle flew above us and the birds, tree squirrels started calling. We saw a big herd of buffaloes by chimbwi lagoon and we stayed for about ten minutes watching them. There after we had our Sundown.
After we had finished our drinks we continued our drive and these are the animals we saw, three white tailed mongoose two bush tailed mongoose one porcupine and four genets all at different places. On our way back we saw three leopards just after coming out from the park and before the gate, the three leopards crossed the road while we were watching them. These leopards were the female with two old male cubs and we ended with a civet before the camp.
| | | | | Date: | 18 June 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Alex Phiri | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | We started our drive after we had our tea in the afternoon and we went to the river side and these are the animals and birds spotted , lizard buzzard , fish eagle ,love birds and many more. Animals were lots of impalas, puku, bushbuck and also hippos in the river.
After we
had our sundown we went to the saltpan and we saw three serval cats, one big male leopard andone porcupine and also few genets.
| | | | | Date: | 17 June 2009 17:00 | | Guide: | Cameron Dallas | | Outing: | Afternoon Walk | | Camp: | Crocodile River Camp | | Blog: | Pythons and honeybadgers !. Heading back to camp after a walk up to Mwamba lagoon we found an African python stretched out to full length on the side of the path. Two metres long , we took a few photographs and then it shot off up into a small gardenia tree.. We started off back to camp and after taking a few steps found another larger python lying close to the river bank. This one was probably twice the length and 50 centimetres in circumference.
Walking closer the snake did not move a my guest was able to take a few good shots of the whole snake, end to end.
The following afternoon walk we came across two honeybadgers, an adult and a sub adult, digging furiously in the sandy bend of the dry crocodile river. Burrowing deep into the sand they would disappear completely. Probably digging for grubs they would surface every so often to shake off the damp sand.
We walked closer, They looked up, sniffed and then carried on digging .We watched awhile and then had to head back to camp as it was getting dark.
| | | | | Date: | 13 June 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Alex Phiri | | Outing: | Morning Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | This morning, we started our drive after having break fast at about 6;45 hrs and the things we spotted were baboons near the camp, lizard buzzard up in the tree. On our way to the Saltpan, we saw a lion kill and they have finished it all and this was a male puku .While there, we saw few vultures and also bateleur eagles in to the next trees as they were the first spot the kill. Furthermore, we saw zebras, impala, lots of puku and also some birds .
After that we saw giraffe and fresh tracks of lions but we didn’t see the lions.
| | | | | Date: | 09 June 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Stephen Banda | | Outing: | Morning Walk | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Yesterday afternoon I left at 1540 hrs for the game drive. My guests wanted to see lions since they have been in Zambia for at least 10 days not seeing a single lion. I tried my best but nothing. Instead we saw some giraffe, elephants, lots of antelope and birds. After dark two white tailed mongoose, hyena and leopard hunting. We came back without finding the lions.
Today I went on a walk with one guest. Nothing much until when we stopped for tea at the lagoon where we saw a mother hippo with a baby. Few minutes later four buffaloes came to the lagoon for a drink. Walking back we checked on the hippo we saw and it was dead. It was untouched.
| | | | | Date: | 08 June 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Alex Phiri | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Last night, we started our game drive at about 15;30hrs and these are the things spotted ,Shikra, doves, horn bills, love birds, Goliath heron, Kingfisher and a Giant eagle owl.
Animals which were spotted are puku, impala, thorncroft Giraffe and a big herd of buffalo having a drink at a lagoon.
After we had our sundown, we saw genets, white tailed mongoose, civet and a hyena.
| | | | | Date: | 06 June 2009 17:00 | | Guide: | Bryan Jackson | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | We started the drive quite late, only arriving in the park just before sunset. One Elephant bull decided he was in the circus standing on his hind legs and reaching up for a small branch in a winter thorn tree, then tied to intimidate us by shaking his head and stepping toward us. It worked for the guests, but we stood our ground, he lost interest and moved away.
Lloyd then heard Baboons barking in the distance, heading in that direction we came across Puku all looking and whistling at a Hyaena eating a young Puku. We drive closer to get a better look and saw a Leopard standing in the grass just behind the Hyaena. The Leopard must have killed the Puku and the Hyaena had come along and taken the kill over. The Leopard was shy and the terrain was very rough, so we decided to go see what the Baboons where barking at, we didn’t see anything so headed home. In the drift, on our driveway Impala raced across the road followed by a Leopard. We had messed up her hunt. We followed her along the road for a short distance until she ducked off into the long grass looking for the Impala again.
Not bad for a late start.
| | | | | Date: | 06 June 2009 00:00 | | Guide: | Stephen Banda | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | Once again the season started a month ago. Sorry that I did not start writing the game drives dairies on time. Any way we have had good drives already since there have been lots of lion, leopard, giraffe, buffalo, elephant and many more other animal sightings. Bird life now is great.
I have come back from the Chikoko Trails. The walk was good, lots of impala, zebras, giraffe, buffalo. We heard few alarm calls from baboons and puku but we did not see what ever they were barking on.
| | | | | Date: | 02 June 2009 06:00 | | Guide: | Bryan Jackson | | Outing: | Morning Walk | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | This morning’s walk consisted of Elephants, more Elephants and long grass. It’s the first walk in the area for me, so was checking things out. Chankanga channel has loads of water this year so cuts down on the walking options for the first month.
We watched a troop of Baboon at tea time feeding in the Wafwa, 2 Elephant appeared just as we were finishing.
We had seen fresh Lion prints in the sand on our way down to the boats first thing in the morning. On our way back, some staff were working on the crossing point and told us they had seen 7 Lion in the long grass just behind camp, off we go searching for Lion, unfortunately we could not find them, but we did hear a soft grunt. They had heard us and moved further into the long grass. Tonight maybe.
| | | | | Date: | 31 May 2009 16:00 | | Guide: | Bryan Jackson | | Outing: | Night Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | My first night drive. Robert and Karen had been here a couple of days and had had a fleeting glimpse of a Leopard; they had seen most other things, so the mission was Leopard.
Started off with a fantastic view of Giraffe, 3 Adults and a year old male calf, very keen to get to a thorn tree just behind us. A small herd of Buffalo was just behind them. We drove into Chimbwe lagoon, Elephants were all over, we decided to get a closer look at 2 young males feeding next to the river, and they were completely unconcerned about us and walked straight toward the car, pulling up grass from over the edge of the bank. If we had not of moved they would have walk right next to the car.
Back on the road toward the Wafwa a mating pair of Lion lay in wait. We waited the regulation 15min for the action and they obliged with a 10 second performance at sunset.
We had quick sundowners and moved off to the Wafwa to look for the elusive Leopard. Miracle of miracles for me at this time of year we found a female walking from the Stork colony to the Wafwa, I normally struggle to find Leopard for the first month, so I was chuffed.
We had the normal Genet, Elephant shrew and nightjars on the way home. Then just before the gate we saw a Serval. A great way to finish my first night drive of the season.
| | | | | Date: | 30 May 2009 06:00 | | Guide: | Bryan Jackson | | Outing: | Morning Drive | | Camp: | Tafika Camp | | Blog: | First drive of the season for me. Morning drive to the Salt Pan. It was fairly quiet through the Mopane forest and into the thicker growth around the first Lagoon. But out on the Salt pan proper there were Crowned Cranes, Wart Hogs, Saddle billed Storks, Kudu, a herd of Buffalo (approx 100), Impala, Puku, Martial Eagle. Frogs had committed suicide swimming up stream toward the hot spring.
There must have been a kill behind the pan which we could not get too. Hundreds of Vultures came up out of the trees, very enticing but frustrating knowing we could not get in there.
The roads are all done and in great shape, so off down M3000 to riverside and back to camp.
Not a bad drive to start with, I didn’t take any photos, but good to see the area and what’s out there.
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