The sun tries to break through the clouds at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Some "mild weather" off the cape of Good Hope, South Africa. That's one ominous looking sky to me. Imagine if you were sailing these waters in the 1800's and didn't have all our modern weather forecasting, ocean tide and current charts, GPS positioning data, etc.. Makes what was done even that much more impressive.Can you spot the line between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans?
The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus), also known as Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters.Who wouldn't want to be spending their time on a beach in Cape Town, South Africa! I still think it's odd to see penguins in warm climates like South Africa, or the Galapagos Islands - but hey - why not - there are plenty of fish to eat and who doesn't enjoy hanging out on the beach or in warm South Pacific water.
South Africa penguins appear to be racing on the --- BEECH ?? Yah it seemed odd but there were hundreds if not more.
Joe, our ranger while in Thornybush, in a casual moment as we chat
A hippo gets ready for a big yawn. The camera motor drive did it's job! Check out these 9 images to was the worlds largest lawn!
Part 2 of 9 of the sequence of a hippo yawning
Part 3 of 9 of the sequence of a hippo yawning
Part 4 of 9 of the sequence of a hippo yawning
Part 5 of 9 of the sequence of a hippo yawning
Part 6 of 9 of the sequence of a hippo yawning
Part 7 of 9 of the sequence of a hippo yawning
Every watering hole, large or small, has visitors. I liked the reflection of the elephants as they casually paid us no heed.
Part 8 of 9 of the sequence of a hippo yawning
Part 9 of 9 of the sequence of a hippo yawning
Sundown at the Victoria Falls Game Lodge in Zimbabwe didn’t disappoint! There’s something magical about these types of scenes, and capturing the moment is as much about being in the right place at the right time - and - having a camera handy!
Yes - the sky really was that orange. The setting sun along the Zambezi River shoreline seems to set the sky ablaze.
Zambezi River sunset
KIimbabwe: The red tufts on the upper chest indicate this is a male Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima)
There are over 90 species of kingfisher, and they come in various colors and sizes.
Let's all sing along: "home, home on the planes. Where the elephants and white rhinos play,.."
Southern white rhinoceros or square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) - ThornyBush Private Game Preserve, South Africa
An Oxpecker whispers sweet nothings into the ear of a White Rhino in Thornybush Game Preserve, South Africa
The first thing catching my eye was the wonderful golden sunset. Only as I started to compose the shot in my viewfinder did I spot the giraffe seeming to enjoy the same sunset.
Local thatcher hard at work re-roofing the visitor center at Victoria Falls National Park, Zimbabwe.
A night time safari drive as we head for dinner... or perhaps we ARE dinner?!
A leopard relaxes post feast - glad I wasn't the main course,
Sun sets as we enjoy sundowner drinks in Thornybush Game Preserve, South Africa. The color of the skies at sunset are always, at the very least, interesting. Sometimes sunsets are also interesting in black and white; checkout this same image processed that way in this gallery.
A bull Wildebeast (or Gnu) churning up dust while marking his territory to make a resting spot in Thornybush Game Preserve, South Africa.
Our tracker, Simon, in ThornyBush, South Africa, checking out "wildlife" - but it was me :-D LOLOkay - so I called his name as a distraction to create a kinda funny scene. What's life without a little bit of fun :-D
Look closely and you'll see two Oxpeckers (Red-billed oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)). One hitching a ride up top, another doing some grooming lower on the neck.
Typical Giraffe - they're always tough to spot as they tend to hide behind the trees.
A small tower of giraffes enjoying a snack in Thorny Bush Wildlife Preserve.
Zebra with a wink and smile as we tour Thornybush Game Preserve, South Africa
Huberta The Hippopotamus enjoying a mud bath in the evening light on the Chobe River, Botswana, while the Red-Billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorynchus) enjoy their view.
Botswana: Blacksmith Lapwing (Vanellus armatus) Also called blacksmith plover. Its call is a loud ringing “tink-tink-tink” call is uttered in series, like a blacksmith hammering on an anvil.
Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)I'm still not sure if the croc is grinning to try and lure me closer - or - grinning because he's already pleasantly full :-O
Botswana Nat'l Park guide
A herd of elephants enjoys a drink in the Chobe River, Botswana.
Playful SmileTwo young bulls continue to frolic in the Chobe River, Botswana, after the matriarch trumpets to leave.Asian and African elephants can be differentiated most easily by their ears, their head shape, and their tusks. African elephants have much larger ears that look sort of like the continent of Africa, while Asian elephants have smaller, round ears. Both male and female African elephants can have tusks, but only male Asian elephants can grow them.
Nambian fisherman on the Chobe River in a dugout canoe.
Three bull African Elephants on the Chobe River, Botswana. There can be little doubt these three bulls know they're large and in charge! I couldn't help but notice these 3 perfect profiles all exhibiting the forms of these these wonderful animals in all their grandeur. Left: kicking up dust to graze is highlighted by the setting sun. Center: fans his ears to cool himself with his side profile accented by the side light. The right one shows a wonderful silhouette with just a hint of light on it's ear and rump. I like that balance with the 3 distant trees
A bull elephant feeds along the Chobe River, Botswana. I swear he's smiling and giving me a glance in this shot
Mist rises like smoke as the thundering sound of Victoria Falls reverberates through the gorge.
A double rainbow at Victoria Falls as seen from the Zimbabwe side.
Mist and trees frame a view of Victoria Falls
Paula taking the sites on the river in Botswana
10 Nov 2017: somewhere in Africa. Brian Huculak - selfie.
Hanging out at Thornybush Game Perserve lounge
Male Violet-backed Starling (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster) The metalic sheen to the plumage is typical of the show boating males.
Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) The only member of the genus 'Terathopius' and may be the origin of the "Zimbabwe Bird", the national emblem of Zimbabwe.
Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)The acrobatics involved in building the nests are impressive. Here's a few shots of that process.
Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)The acrobatics involved in building the nests are impressive. Here's a few shots of that process.
Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)The acrobatics involved in building the nests are impressive. Here's a few shots of that process.
Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)The acrobatics involved in building the nests are impressive. Here's a few shots of that process.
Checking out the buffet along the Chobe River. They spend most of the day perching on a branch overlooking the river searching for food and resting, but every couple of minutes they will take to the sky and hover in place for a couple of seconds before dive-bombing into the river.
Little Bee-Eater (Merops pusillus) They feed on flying insects especially bees, wasps and hornets. They hawk insects aerially and then return to the perch to beat them to death.
Lilac-Breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) This one is drying off after a bath or possibly a rain shower (albeit we didn't get a lot of rain the dirt road was damp), compare to the other image here of a dry one.
The scene presented itself virtually instantky as we hopped out of the safari jeep to head back into the lodge. Staying observant is one way to not miss little moments like this.
Part of our group taking in the croc's feasting on the elephant so we got a little closer...
Great Egret (Ardea alba) Widely distributed around the globe, the egret has four subspecies found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. As such it has a familiar look to many bird watchers from around the world.
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Zimbabwe - vulture
African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
Botswana: African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
Botswana: African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
Botswana - Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer)
Botswana - Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer)
An elephant died on the banks of the Chobe River (natural causes, not attached by crocodile), and the subsequent cycle of life commences. We watched the crocodiles feed over the next few days as their numbers grew.Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
Size matters and this shows gives a little of perspective as to the relative sizes of these reptiles are to each other. Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
There has been an age old question: "How do you eat an elephant?"Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
The answer from the question posted in Image 4: "One bite at a time." And down the hatch another bite goes.Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
Somehow those tusks don't make me feel like getting much closer as the warthog grazes. Oddly - they wander everywhere, even serve as excellent lawn mowers within the game lodge perimetres and never paid us any mind.
Big daddy hangs out with his pride by the watering home.
South Africa - Burchell's Coucal (Centropus burchellii). A large, robust, ungainly cuckoo with a song that's a deep descending bubbling series, “bu-bu-bu bu bu bu bu”
Botswana: A group of Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer) hang out. Made me think of a 'hanging tree' like the old spagetti western movies. I do wonder if the vulture had a visitors pass to hang out on the same tree :-D
Botswana: African Darter (Anhinga rufa) Also called a Snake Bird. A common pose along the waterside spreading its wings and drying its feathers in the wind because its feathers (unlike most water birds) do not contain any oil and are not waterproof
Botswana: African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) deciding on where it might start lookig for its next meal
It's amazing how alert this female lion is even when grabbing a quick sip at the watering hole.
Truly she's looking into my lens as if I AM DINNER. Not sure even this long lens would have made a difference had she decided she needed a snack :-O
waterford estate south africa
waterford estate south africa
Paula and Warren enjoying samples from a local South African Winery
Hanging out at a smaller marina near Cape Town
Hout Bay seems to have a bit of salt water corrison happening :-D
Warren checking out the sea lions around Robben Island
waiting for airline connections between Cape Town and Zimbabwe
Shoplifting punishment does in fact seem severe! I wonder what the waterbuffalo stoke to warrant getting its head mounted on the wall! :-O
Brian in the standard prison cell Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners where imprisoned in while in South Africa.
A mildly deyhdrated Cape Buffalo :-D
This big bull was part of a group of 3 giving us the hairy eyeball on a drive through Thornybush in South Africa. His charming good looks and mild disposition reminded me of -- me :D LOL
The sun getting ready to set at the Victoria Falls Game Lodge watering hole, Zimbabwe
Helmeted Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) Hoppping along on one leg it made me wonder how this bird managed to get away.
Upclose and personal with some of the locals
yup - I ate the worm - and it was actually fairly tasty.
Paula enjoying another great evening meal in Botswana
landing back at Denver International Airport
