Kruger Park Day Trip

Atmospheric Images in One Kruger Day Trip

Kudu. Enough food to chew the cud over. The Elephants missed this one!

When the Bush Speaks

When the bush speaks, a camera will capture its mood better than words. A Kruger day trip, should be an occasion to let your understanding of nature around you capture your emotions, then let your camera speak through the lens and let the light work in your favor. If I am right, then the following images should do what I said. Which is convey to you the emotion of this bush atmosphere. There were another eleven good contenders which were axed to leave these.
 

Zebra. Not another bend in the road?

 
When is a zebra not a zebra? When it’s a crossing… We get bored without anyone to talk to.
 

Magpie shrike. Are you testing my patience?

Sleeping lion. Fever tree or not… It’s a good pillow.

 
Do you think he cleared all the thorns before he lay down?
 

Secretary bird. They said there was a snake in the grass at the lone Marula. But there’s no grass.

Nature made a drinking hole.

Kori bustard trying to find the shade of a leadwood tree.

Dwarf mongoose. Who goes there?

 
I would imagine this one’s ancestors ate the bugs that left the holes.
 

To any bush African, this image says, I’m home.

 
It always amazes me that in this heat (38°C – 100°F) that the sand stays wet so far from the water.
 

Cape Buffalo making the most of a good thing.

 
I have often wondered how the buffalo handle the crocs in situations like this, because this is a common habit for them, even alone.
 

How do I know a Leopard was here?

 
Leopard stopped for a quick drink. I know, because we were following him to get a photo. Had a quick drink and jumped the stream and disappeared into the bush again. Remember in this Kruger day trip we saw all the big five except black rhino.
 

Purple roller from another angle.

 
Some pictures make useful symbols in an unsolicited manner.
 

Two Cape Buffalo. This is called head to tail watch, while you nap.

 
This is a common stance for Cape buffalo, when one stands guard while the other sleeps.
 

Big lone bull elephant not in musth. This is mid summer and see the grass. “Has anybody seen any trees around?”

 
As the camera and minutes ticked by, this bloke became more and more ticked off, getting closer and closer, so we left, giving him peace of mind. Always check out if the elephant you are near is not in musth, before you try long photo ops. Also switch off your radio or tape, elephants are disturbed by low tone bass sounds that sound like subsonic signals. Elephants use subsonic sound to communicate with one another and you confuse their messaging system. Don’t leave your sound on low volume because that won’t help, ‘turn it off’, they can feel the vibration of the speakers. To save yourself getting a tusk through your speaker, here’s a good reminder to stay sweet.

I am amazed elephants are as patient as they are these days and you never know if anyone pipped them off recently and with that memory they have, I am always on the lookout.

I do paintings of elephant often and therefore I’m always eager to get useful images. As you can see this bull got quite close. We took a 4×4 track away from the crowd and were the only ones in the vicinity. Nice tusks for one so beaten up over time.

You will have noticed, the theme throughout, is staying out of the heat, in the best way possible, except for the elephant, who had just come from a mud bath, with wet mud still on his head and back.

I can tell you that writing takes up a fraction of time compared to editing and posting images. But we thought you all may enjoy some varied images. Hope that is true?

 
This one was done by Moz because it was Cari’s birthday. Anyway, I also have a good memory and my birthday is still coming up, for the next Kruger day trip.