South Africa - Blog 10

Hello everyone.  I’m wishing you all good thoughts on this Saturday…which is our “go to town for groceries and internet day”.  Last Saturday was crazy because we only had 45 minutes in town to get everything done…and trying to get my blog out using the internet here was challenging because of how slow it is.  Luckily I don’t have that problem today as we’re staying for several hours.  Now I’ll even have time to finally read my emails and send a few replies out.

This week we had great weather and excellent animal sightings…plus I got to see a few new bird species. I still haven’t seen an aardvark, porcupine, or leopard as yet…but maybe this coming week. Pat (my roommate from photography school) and I are having an excellent time here so far.

We were out clearing brush today and I got nailed by a large wasp…it let me know quickly that it didn’t appreciate me cutting down its tree. However, even though it hurt I didn’t get overly upset or excited about it because I was just so pleased that it wasn’t a boomslang or black mamba that was hiding in the tree. Today we also spent a few hours cleaning out and repairing a water hole that’s in front of our house. First we cleaned out all of the mud…which was ankle-deep, then replaced the plastic liner, and finally filled it back up. It was dirty work, but there should be some very happy animals tonight when they come to get a drink…

This is my last week at Kariega…I’m happy that I got to see a black rhino and a caracal…and met some very nice people.  Now I’m hoping that this coming week we get the elephant herd walking by the vehicle again…and maybe a few lion cubs playing.

So how about images?  OK, here’s what I’m sending out today.  Enjoy and I hope you find something that you really like.

 These White Rhinoceros had their horns cut off in an attempt to keep them from getting poached...sometimes it works, but sometimes the poachers will kill them for the remaining horn.

 These are Springbok...another type of antelope here

 White Storks

Black-backed Jackals

 Waterbucks

 Kudus

 I liked the way this cub was looking at his mother

 Having a prickley pear breakfast

Choosing just the right one...

 I caught this butterfly having a grand time with these flowers.

Hanging out by the waterhole...

My friend, Pat, looking like a real African wildlife photographer...

This is a Red-billed Woodhoopoe

A Dabchick sitting on her nest.

This is a Malachite Kingfisher...one of the prettiest birds here.

My favorite image of the week:

This is a Water Monitor lizard

So that's it for this blog...I hope you found a few images that you liked...and until next Saturday I'm wishing you all good thoughts. John