Again we could not think that it could get any better. The drive started out with the largest heron in the world, the goliath heron. Then another leopard sighting, this time it was a stare down with a kudu. I had made it a point to ask each guide about honey badgers. Each time I was told they were nocturnal and pretty bad ass beasts, but very hard to find. Wouldn't you know it, but on our last game drive we see two of them running away from us in the distance. Isaac said take your pictures now. He was right because they were gone in a blink of the eye. But I got two pictures and the one had decent detail. This drive just got better. Leslie had asked several times about the hyenas. They are nocturnal so that makes them difficult to get a sighting. Not for us, we saw five adults and a baby in at the mouth of the den. So cool but also a bit creepy with their eyes shining in the spotlight. We were so very pleased to have seen so much and learned so much. It was time to head back and we sat right down for dinner. Normally we would freshen up for a while but since it was dark we would need an escort. there and back. It was easier to just start on our dinner. The staff had set up grills and were cooking right at the edge of the deck. The staff noticed that some buffalo had wandered to within a few yards of the dining / cooking area so they got out the spot lights. We had gotten up from our table to see and Leslie spotted lions. The first thing she said is that the lions were going to attack. I did not think they would take on so big an animal. I was wrong. The buffalo had been moving from our right to our left and the three moved off to the right. So everyone, except Leslie, wrote the lions off and we went balk to eating. What actually happened is that the lions went off to the right until they passed the buffalo Then the lions circled back, using our cabin as a shield they snuck up on the buffalo and attacked. The staff heard this and we all scrambled into the safari mobiles at a run. Off we drove, through the staff quarters and the back end of the lodge. it was interesting to see this aspect of the lodge but we were going fast so there was not much chance to see how the other half lives. We emerged into the field that had all the action. Sure enough we see a lioness leap onto the back of a buffalo and it lets our a bellow. The buffalo shakes off the lion and takes off running. He did nor run fast enough because the lion was back on top of the buffalo. Another bellow out of the beast and after another massive shake, the lion was thrown off. This time it runs very fast and goes across the river and gets away. WOW is all we can say for the rest of the evening.
Vervet monkey mom with a kid
Monkeys scouring the elephant poo for goodies
The goliath heron, 1.5 meters tall
The largest heron in the world
Along with all the other superlative animals
A baby lechwe
A leopard in the grass stalking some Kudu
A Kudu keeping his eyes on the leopard
Love this time of day, the sun paints the scenery with a flattering brush
Red billed Oxpeckers on the Kudu
A giraffe poking his head up
One of two Honey badgers we saw. This was the faster of the two, top left
Middle left is the other honey badger
So curious!
Adorned with oxpeckers
The giraffe is getting the star treatment
Isaac maneuvered the vehicle so I could get a better shot
Nice!
Spots are worn off the butt
Three together
Time to sniff some butt
A big baobab with a termite mound using it for support
It is am old mound, possible a black mamba hotel
Time for a leg stretch
Those pesky elephants digging into the tree
the baobab in silhouette
Lets get the sunset picture
Each mound id unique
the whole gang
So happy so happy
To finish it off we get to see hyenas
A baby hyena peeking out of the den
We heard some off in the distance
The mock penis is out for displaying rank within the group
Not a pretty creature
This is the only picture I could get of the battle between the lion and the cape buffalo. Things were moving too fast
It has been 129 Days since we began our Migration
