Sunrise Safari- July 05, 2016

Sunrise Safari- July 05, 2016

QUICK NOTE: Sindile is alive and doing very well. Seen on Elephant Plains and has made a kill.


We start off this morning with a very special video which is a MUST SEE!

 Jamie or James

Jamie is out on Bush walk this morning with Herbert as security and either Bryan or Dave on Camera.

James is our guide this morning with Wiam on camera.

I guess James can be called "skinny pom pom" now which is the same name that he calls one of the Birmingham Boys.

 We see a bird and James won't tell us what type of bird he thought it was.  It is a Forked Tailed Drongo

Fork Tailed Drongo

 Wait! Everyone!

Is It James or Jamie Again?

 Is It James Or Jamie Again

Jamie talks to us about how last evening after the Sunset Drive, the fireside chat was delayed because there were Elephants on Quarantine Clearing where the fireside chat takes place.
She shows us what they had done.

The Elephants have made short work of this Silver Cluster Leaf Tree.

 Elephant Destruction Of A Silver Cluster Leaf Tree

Jamie shows us a branch from the remains of the tree that Herbert picked up.

Silver Cluster Leaf Branch

 And look what he made for Jamie out of it.

Herbert Made Jamie A Bracelet From The Branch

 Jamie picks a leaf and she already knows that Bryan who is with her on camera will not taste it. Jamie is not going to taste it either as it sucks all the moisture out of your mouth as they are very high in tannins.

 Herbert also told her something else you can do with these leaves.
You crush them up  and if you are bitten by a snake, you stick the crushed leaves into the bite and it will draw out the venom. (Please seek Medical Aid as soon as possible though)

Over to James

James is looking for Leopard tracks.
Karula was spotted right after the fireside chat last evening on the Djuma Web Cam.

Over to Jamie who brings us a most glorious sunrise

As we watch the Sunrise... Herbert tells Jamie something

Jamie Does The Herbert Dance

Hubert has heard alarm calls.

The thing about going out on a bush walk is that you cannot really layer up with clothing as much. 

Let's go across to James

We saw glimpses of a Shagra is a type of Shrike, Blue Waxbill, Grey Headed Sparrow, some Drongos and we hear Parrots calling. 

(For those who keep Bird Lists- There are some new ones in below videos)

 James identifies lots of birds 

The Bird Sightings Continue

Over to Jamie for an update

As Jamie and Bryan walk, they have gone downhill more into the drainage line and it is much colder the lower you go.

She has a branch from a Red Thorn Acasia

 She uses her hand for scale to show how large these thorns are.
And yet elephants and giraffes and Antelopes have no difficulty eating these.

Over to James with an amazing view of a Brown Headed Parrot who is busily eating Combretam bits

 Brown Headed Parrot

 Over to Jamie who shows us the remains of a community spider's nest which was taller then she is but now the Elephants have ripped it down

 Over to James who says "There is a big grey thing"

Over to Jamie who has found some Wild Asparagus

 Cultural Belief about Wild Asparagus

Over to James who did have some Duiker who were going at it and fighting but they ran away.

Over to Jamie

Jamie finds a spider and picks it up .
It walks all over her hand

 Jamie says to the Spider "Hello Buddy"

Jamie takes a few steps and finds a large web glistening in the sun

Back over to James
He is still hoping to find a Leopard.

 We do see a pair of Kudo. They walk so carefully and are nervous most of the time.

Over to Jamie who has her mic in her hand and is whispering.
There is an Elephant Bull not too far away in the thicket so Jamie must remain quiet and still as to not upset him.

 Back over to James

James has made a decision to stay in this area because the tracks look good.
James out of the vehicle to check a Termite Mound as Shadow likes to sit on top of Termite Mounds whereas Karula likes to bask in trees.

Kudu Dung. Everything has a purpose.

 It has been eaten out by Termites and the Termites have then deposited their dung onto it.

Over to Jamie and she has heard a Kudo alarm calling but it turns out it was alarm calling at Hubert.

Over to James who takes a question from a viewer about if the landowners pump water into the dams.
James says there are a couple of pans that have pumped water but the dams do not

Are The Dams Pumped With Water

Fish Eagle

Fish Eagle

Helmeted Guinea Fowl

 James has a report of some Wild Dogs. James must drive quickly.
James spots the wild dogs and the chase is on!

Wild Dogs And The Chase Is On!

 

Over to Jamie while James continues to muscle his way through the dense block.

Jamie says she has an interesting story to tell us.

   Jamie is being Stalked while on Bush Walk

The Elephant is still following and Jamie and Hubert are walking very quickly moving away.

Back over to James. The Wild Dogs have been located but there are 7 vehicles attempting to get in so James is going to move along. We did get a view.

Back with Jamie. She is breathing quite heavily and her and Hubert are still walking swiftly.
The Elephant Bull who is following them is in Musth.
Now there are Lions roaring but sounds like it is off the property.

Technical Difficulty Screen

Over to James

James is heading back to Arathusa Dam. He has heard that the Wild Dogs have killed a Steenbok.

 Reports of 2 Leopard Tracks. One is most likely Sindile. And the other is much larger and thought to be the Anderson Male.  He is considered a monstrous fellow.

(See pics on my Leopard Page of the Anderson Male Leopard)

A Saddle Billed Stork with his friend the Egyptian Goose

An  Elephant Bull who might be coming into Musth. He has his trunk placed over his tusk which usually is indicative of being in Musth.

 

 Ellie Digging With Foot To Get A Large Root

James tells us that Jamie and Hubert are fine. The camera backpack battery died so they are already back at camp.

James says the ones that were on Bush Walk should not get first dibs on breakfast because all they did was walk about a bit and then came home.

James will be doing a Bush walk later in the afternoon for the Sunset Drive

James thinks his names for George and Charlotte are much better then Quarantine.

And this concludes out Sunrise Safari for this morning