Sunrise Safari- July 16, 2016

Sunrise Safari- July 16, 2016

 Jamie starts us off this morning. It is a crisp morning.
Jamie has Dave on camera.

Brent is also out on drive with Gerrat assisting him on camera. Gerrat has been given the nickname of carrot.

Jamie starts off telling us what happened early this morning while it was still dark. Jamie and Brent left the camp to go to their vehicles but somehow during the night Elephants had breached the Elephant wire which protects their camp. The Elephants were scared and charged at Brent and Jamie
(see video for complete story)

Brent and Jamie were charged by Elephants

Over to Brent

Brent sees fresh Lion tracks.
(I could see one last night on the Djuma cam and roaring ensued)

 Brent gives us a peak this morning at the precious Lion cubs. They are still very well hidden and mom isn't there so we cannot stay.

Precious Lion Cubs Remain Well Hidden

Brent just saw a Honey Badger but we lost him.

Over to Jamie who is with a Wildebeest.

Brent notices a Giraffe crossing the road. Actually there is 2 males.

The Waterbuk with Jamie are very relaxed

Elephants are very busy while Brent watches. They are munching on a Bush Willow.

 The Elephants are stripping the bark from branches to get at the Cambium layer inside.

We see a gorgeous Female Bearded Woodpecker but she is pecking so quickly I cannot even get a screen shot.  (great video though)

 Female Bearded Woodpecker

We know this is a Female because only the Male has the red crest on it's head.

Over to Jamie with some Guinea Fowl

 Jamie shows us a narrow leaved Calantia and its seeds

Relatively quiet drive so far.
Over to Brent to get an update.
He is in an area that Inkanyeni likes to be so he is keeping his eyes open. He is also looking for Cheetah.

Zebras making their way along the plain

 Over to Jamie who tells us that  she and Dave just had an African Harrier Hawk fly right in front of their vehicle carrying a metre long snake.
We get the visual of the Hawk now eating it's snake.

Harrier Hawk Has Caught A Snake

Over to Brent who has 5 Buffalo moving along to get a drink from the pan.
You can see that they are already losing condition due to the drought. Hip bones are starting to show.

Cape Glossy Starlings enjoying the water.

Cape Glossy Starlings Enjoying Their Bath

Reflection of the Buffalo is magnificent

 OH! Gnormous  Gnorman The Gnu! (Dominant Male Wildebeest on Cheetah Plains)

 Over with Jamie and some Elephants. Little one having a dust bath

Brent is looking and following Female Leopard tracks. Hubert is out tracking as well.
 Brent and Jamie thinks the tracks are of Shadow and her cub.
Jamie is coming in from the opposite side that Brent is looking so hopefully they can pin point where she is.

Brent is now sitting at the border of Djuma and Arathusa at Hubert's request. He is walking and thinking Shadow might pop out here.

 Brent shows us a piece of very old Ivory that he picked up. It will be handed in to the Park officials as is their policy.

 This concludes our sunrise Safari for this morning

Be Safe and Say Something Kind To Someone Today