Monday afternoon and evening, 25th February. After a siesta we went out for another drive, aiming for another waterhole. On the way:
Kori bustard – a very big bird which ‘flies reluctantly’These may resemble our collared doves, but they are African (aka Cape) turtle doves. I rather mind the name, given that our own turtle doves are now such a rarity.
Once at the waterhole we were royally entertained.
Springbok trying to keep cool. It was particular hot this afternoon.Adult and juvenile Bateleurs. ‘Bateleur’ is French for an acrobat, and the bird is so-named for its sideways rocking flight. like the rocking of the high-wire artist’s pole.Black-faced impalaJuvenile baleteurZebra with a springbokA scattering of giraffesI thought I was taking the juvenile Bateleur cooling itself. But, as I take photos on burst setting, I found I had also taken a sequence of a bee-eater coming in, hoping to catch a fish. Sadly the sequence did not include the entry to the pool, but here it is emerging – with no fish.? I’m tempted to suggest a juvenile African fish-eagle, but our records say we did not see one that day.A lioness appeared some way off, and joined another.Springbok
During our return to Halali Camp for our second night there:
A slender mongoosesome striped mongooses,and another black rhino! Most unexpected to see so many and so soon:
After an early dinner we returned to the morning’s waterhole, by now floodlit, in the vehicles this time even though it was only a short walk away.
As we arrived, a hippo was leaving, and there was the twittering of hundreds of sandgrouse (?) arriving and drinking their fill for quite a while until they left.A mother hippo and youngster arrived.Another (the first?) arrived. Mother was very protective, though the youngster seemed curious about the newcomer.
But sadly, having stayed an hour we had to leave before we could see the outcome of the confrontation.
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