Back to Africa 12/11 #3

As I mentioned in my last post, I have decided just to do a blog filled with images. I'm going to start putting in more images other than just big cats, rhinos, and elephants because there is just so much more that I see everyday. I find it somewhat hard to chose which images to choose...mostly because I take so many images of different animals, landscapes, and sunsets..all that I'd like to send...unfortunately, blog space is limit as is the time I have available to download and process images.  But I'm going to try and get a few more blogs out so I can share with you what I'm seeing. However, in this blog I have included images of the herd of elephants and lions that I saw at the watering hole...because not only was the interaction between the lions and elephants fasicnating to watch, but it was just a awesome sight.

Anyway, lets get on with it...

I went to the hippo pool the other day, but this hippo is telling me that he didn't appreciate me being there.

 I was getting ready for an evening drive when I saw this cloud formation...and just had to take the image.

 This is a Giant African Land Snail...a big brute.

I happened to catch these two male nyalas fighting over females. It was so interesting because they didn't lock horns like impala do...but just very slowly walked around each other in a circle...the hair on their back bristling (this is called "lateral presentation")...and then somehow they determined who was the winner and the loser just walked off.   

 I saw this hyena at the waterhole so decided to follow her...

 ...and was rewarded by finding the den and getting images of her pups.

I caught this Hadeda Ibis just as he swooped down on a Brown Snake Eagle who was too close to the ibis nest.  

 This poor old Leopard Tortoise was stuck fast in the mud. When I took his photo he seemed to be asking me for help...so we pulled him out of the mud, washed him off, and sent him on his way.  He was a happy tortoise to be out of the mud.

 Lion tracks near our camp...now we follow the tracks and maybe end up getting a nice image or two.

These are Lilac-breasted Rollers...the female on the left and the male on the right.

I caught this sunset the other day. It's one of the nicer things about this part of Africa...awesome sunsets.  Many times it looks like the sky is on fire.

This young Blacked-backed Jackal was trying to steal food from four lions who had just killed a zebra. This was very foolish on his part, but luckily the lions were so full that they didn't bother with him.  Many times the lions will kill them for getting close to their kill. 

This is a pride of 17 lions...7 new cubs born this year (which I have yet to get up-close images of). Anyway, they are just relaxing when...

...all of a sudden 35 elephants came storming into their area. The elephants came in several directions...all heading for the water.

One of the older females tries to determine if they need to move...or how quickly do they need to move (because the elephants have babies in the herd...and they will not tolerate lions being around)

The elephants take over the waterhole...

I watched this baby trying to keep up with the larger elephants...but he was having a tough time of it because he's just so small. He started getting into water that was just too deep and getting stuck in the mud...when suddenly his mother gently picked him up and lifted him into shallower water. It was beautiful to see how she watched over him.

And this baby was the last of the herd to arrive. He was trying hard to keep up with the herd...but he's just too small to be able to match the adults stride.  But his mother kept tabs on him and he herd saved them a place in the waterhole...so all was good.

So that's it for this blog. Of course I hope you enjoyed it.  I've got some pretty nice images that I'm working on now for my next blog...so stay tuned.  Out...John.