The Early Bird
Early evening in the Linyanti region of Botswana, this Southern Red-Billed Hornbill was the “Early Bird that catches the worm”. It swooped down, grabbed the worm and then flew up and onto a branch where he proceeded to bash it about before finally swallowing it whole.
Southern Red-Billed Hornbill - Tockus rufirostris
A fairly small Hornbill with a rather short red bill. It has white-spotted wing coverts, pale face and white throat.
Nikon D5 with Nikkor VR 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G lens and a 1.4x Teleconverter, effective focal length 550mm1/3200 sec @ f14, Auto ISO 4500
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
Dinner Time
These two oceanic Blacktip Sharks were competing for sardine pieces at the surface. They are resident off the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa and is a regular attendant at the Shark feeding and diving venue, Aliwal Shoal, 5km offshore of Scottborough bathing beach. Divers can interact closely with these Sharks without the need for a cage provided they comply with behaviour styles so as not to incite the Sharks to think they are food. These Sharks have grown large as a by-product of the Tiger Shark baiting programme.
Oceanic Blacktip Shark - Carcharhinus Limbatus
This a common Shark which is distributed throughout the coastal tropical and subtropical waters around the world. The species is known to grow to a length of 2m. The Shark has a strong streamlined body with a fusiform shape and long pointed snout with relatively small eyes. The gill slits are long and they can have black tips or edges to their pectoral, dorsal, pelvic or caudal fins. They are extremely fast, energetic predators sometimes breaching the surface and swimming erratically when hunting fish.
Nikon D300 Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX, 10mm F13 at 1/50th sec, ISO 200, Sea & Sea Housing and Two Sea & Sea YS250 strobes on ¼ power. Taken on scuba at 1m at Aliwal Shoal, Kwa-Zulu Natal , South Africa
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
Meerkat Generations
This clan was rising from the desert night in summer amongst the dew wet grass. Many had damp fur and were drying out in the morning sun as they stood collectively looking for danger. Tentatively at first but with increasing confidence the pups soon emerged to join the generations of their mob on the red sandy mound outside their burrow. They played and rolled around at the feet of their parents before days foraging began
Meerkat Mob –Suricata suricatta
The meerkat is a small carnivoran belonging to the mongoose family (Herpestidae). Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan". A meerkat clan often contains about 20 meerkats, but some super-families have 50 or more members. In captivity, meerkats have an average life span of 12–14 years, and about half this in the wild. The meerkat is small, weighing on average about 0.5 to 2.5 The meerkat uses its tail to balance when standing upright, as well as for signaling. At the end of each of a meerkat's "fingers" is a claw used for digging burrows and digging for prey. The patterns of stripes are unique to each meerkat. The underside of the meerkat has no markings, but the belly has a patch which is only sparsely covered with hair and shows the black skin underneath. The meerkat uses this area to absorb heat while standing on its rear legs, usually early in the morning after cold desert nights.
Nikon D2Xs, DX format, Sigma 150-500mm f5-6.3 APO DG OS lens @ 150mm,
1/320th sec @ f6.3, ISO 560
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
Lechwe Splash
Late afternoon in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, this male Red Lechwe darted across a wet floodplain kicking up a spray of water droplets as it splashed through the water.
Red Lechwe -Kobus leche
A sturdy, long-horned antelope that lives at the water’s edge. It has overdeveloped hindquarters, hooves elongated with wide splay and adjacent naked skin, that are aquatic adaptations.
Nikon D5 with Nikkor VR 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G lens with 1.4x Teleconverter, effective focal length 550mm
1/2500 sec @ f13, Auto ISO 57000
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
Kalahari Red
This Wildebeest had just been sand bathing in a scrape in the red Kalahari sands post the rain. The red dust stuck to it like a woman’s makeup coating his hair and providing a colourful evening sight as well as a useful way of getting rid of parasites and defending its hide from flies. It added even more to the comical appearance of these animals who seem to be made up of a mixture of parts from various antelope species.
Blue Wildebeest –Connochaetes taurinus
The Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), also called the common Wildebeest, White-bearded Wildebeest or Brindled Gnu, is a large antelope. This broad-shouldered antelope has a muscular, front-heavy appearance, with a distinctive robust muzzle. Young Bblue Wildebeest are born tawny brown, and begin to take on their adult colouration at the age of two months. Both sexes possess a pair of large curved horns. The Blue Wildebeest is a herbivore, feeding primarily on the short grasses. It forms herds which move about in loose aggregations, the animals being fast runners and extremely wary. Blue Wildebeest are found in short grass plains bordering bush-covered acacia savannas in southern and eastern Africa, thriving in areas that are neither too wet nor too arid. Three African populations of Blue Wildebeest take part in a long-distance migration.
Nikon D7000, DX format, Sigma 150-500mm f5-6.3 APO DG OS lens @ 250mm,
1/400th sec @ f6.3, ISO 6400
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
Improvised Camouflage
Early morning in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, this Back-Backed Jackal was seen running through the long grass when he suddenly crouched down and peeked through the beautiful dry grass seeds using these grass blades as camouflage.
Black-Backed Jackal -Canis mesomelas
Handsome jackal with a distinct saddle of black and silver hair, also known as Silver-Backed Jackal. Weighs around 7 to 14 kg and is reddish brown to tan, redder on flanks and legs; saddle of raised black and white hairs; black tipped tail; underparts and throat are white.
Nikon D5 with Nikkor VR 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G lens with a 1.4x Teleconverter, effective focal length 500mm
1/3200 sec @ f14, Auto ISO 3200
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
Stingray Swim by
This Blotched Fantail Stingray sometimes known as a Bull Ray was found flying effortlessly over the deep reef looking for a sandy patch to settle down on and dissapear beneath the seabed. These Rays rest by day and are more active hunting at night but in this case it was quite curious about the divers wanting its photo. The motion of swimming by moving its round disk makes it seem like a magic carpet waving in the wind and while it seems tame and effortless this is the type of Ray responsible for Steve Irwin’s death by using the sharp barb at the base of its tail.
Blotched fantail ray - Taeniura Meyenie
The common name for the Blotched Fantail Ray comes from its coloration and tail flap. The upper surface is a pattern of black, grey and white spots and blotches which ends abruptly at the edges of the circular-shaped body. The pattern continues along the tail to the one or two spines where the colour changes to black or dark grey. The very edges of the body disc are white like the belly. This Ray lives throughout the coastal waters of the tropics. It is common on coral reefs where it feeds on bottom-dwelling animals. While the Stingray is approachable and at times curious, it should be treated with respect; at least one human fatality has been attributed to this ray.
Nikon D300, AF Sigma 10-20mm D lens, 10mm, 1/20th sec @ f5, ISO 200
Sea & Sea Housing and Two Sea & Sea YS250
strobes on ¼ power.
Taken on scuba at 41m at Deep Pinnacle, southern Mozambique
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
Hopper Happiness
In the desert of the Kalahari where the arid region bakes for much of the year, the rain is scarce and a miracle maker. Flowers and insects all flourish post the rain for a short period when the life cycle of most species needs to complete in short order. The colours and smells are intense and so is the need to feed and reproduce in Tswalu reserve during dusk.
Armoured Ground Cricket – Acanthoplus discoidalis
The Armoured Ground Cricket is a wide-bodied, flightless species that typically grows to a body length of about 5 cm. The pronotum bears several sharp, conical spines. The mandibles, or main biting jaws, are powerful; they can inflict a painful nip and they permit the insect to feed on material such as tough herbage or carrion. Another defense against predators is reflex bleeding (also called "autohaemorrhaging") in which the insects squirt haemolymph from pores in their exoskeleton, achieving a range of a few centimetres. Especially when their diet is deficient in protein and salt, members of the species commonly become cannibalistic, so much so that when their populations peak in autumn and some of them stray across roads and are crushed by traffic, cannibalistic conspecifics congregate around the casualties and feed until they, in turn, are killed.
Nikon D300, DX format, AF-Nikkor 105mm f 2.8 Macro lens, 1/80th sec @ f11, ISO 800
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
Panoramic View
Later afternoon in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, this Leopard climbed a very tall dead tree and chose a comfortable branch on which to lay and survey the panoramic view before him. While he lay there the moon was seen to slowly rise and peer out from behind the some misty clouds.
Leopard -Panthera pardus
Leopards embody feline beauty with stealth, infinite patience and power. A Leopard will get to within 5 m of its quarry before pouncing, taking it completely by surprise. Tremendously strong, these cats can carry a 70 kg Impala to a feeding position up a tree.
Nikon D5, 20 megapixel resolution with Nikkor VR80 – 400mm f4.5 – 5.6G lens with Nikon 1.4 x Teleconverter, effective focal length 135mm, 1/800 sec @ f16, Auto ISO 2800
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
“Back-off, Big Boy!”
With evening rapidly approaching on the Chobe River, this plucky little Africa Jacana was sitting on eggs in its net which had been built on the floating vegetation. An old male Buffalo waded into the water towards the nest and threatened to destroy the nest and its precious eggs. The Jacana reared up with its wings spread out and it bellowed loudly in an effort to chase away the approaching buffalo who then retreated and waded off in a different direction.
African Jacana – Actophilornis africanus
This bird has a distinctive rich chestnut body, white neck, yellow upper breast, black and white head with a blue frontal shield. The Female Jacana mates with many different males who then incubate, hatch and raise the chicks.
African or Cape Buffalo - Syncerus caffer
.
Massive build with short, powerful limbs and cow’s tail. Broad head with wide mouth, moist nostrils and drooping, fringed ears. The size and shape of the horns reflect sex and age.
Nikon D5 with Nikkor VR80-400mm f4.5-5.6G lens with Nikon 1.4 x Teleconverter, effective focal length 390mm,
1/3200 sec @ f16, Auto ISO 22800
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
From Heaven to Earth
On the river banks of the Sabie river after a 44o Celsius day the thunder clouds of Cumulo Nibus storms were seen to be windblown towards the north. This vantage point allowed us to see the lightning flashing and reflecting of the rivers surface lighting up the sand and islands.
Lightning
Lightning is a sudden electrostatic discharge that occurs during a thunderstorm. This discharge occurs between electrically charged regions of a cloud (called intra-cloud lightning or IC), between two clouds (CC lightning), or between a cloud and the ground (CG lightning).
The charged regions in the atmosphere temporarily equalize themselves through this discharge referred to as a strike if it hits an object on the ground, and a flash, if it occurs within a cloud. Lightning causes light in the form of plasma, and sound in the form of thunder. Lightning may be seen and not heard when it occurs at a distance too great for the sound to carry as far as the light from the strike or flash.
Nikon D300, DX format, AF-S VR-Nikkor10-200mm f 3.5-5.6 lens, Manual at 32mm, 30 sec @ f9, ISO 100
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
LEARNING TO KICK
Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, a herd of elephants were foraging for food with a number of baby elephants close to their mothers. This young elephant raised his right leg into a pose which looked as if he was about to kick a ball.
African Elephant - Loxodonta
The African Elephant is a genus comprising two living elephant species, the African Bush Elephant and the smaller African Forest Elephant. Loxodonta is one of two existing genera of the family Elephantidae, the other being Asiatic Elephants. The name refers
to the lozenge-shaped enamel of their molar teeth. African Elephants are the world’s largest land animals and can weigh up to
seven tons in weight. Elephants roam across much of sub-Saharan Africa, but face increasing threat from poaching, habitat loss
and conflict with humans.
Nikon D5 with Nikon VR80 – 400mm, f4.5-5.6G lens with Nikon 1.4 x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 250mm, 1/1250 sec @ f8, ISO 5600.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
TRANQUILLITY
Early morning in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, a family of giraffe came down to a dam to drink and then set off gracefully with their bodies reflected in the water, creating a very tranquil scene.
Giraffe - Giraffidae giraffa
The biggest ruminant and the tallest mammal, very long neck with short, upstanding mane, high shoulders sloping steeply to hindquarters, long legs almost equal in length. Weight between one and two tons. A giraffe has just two gaits: walk and gallop, The long legs and short trunk decree an ambling walk with the entire weight supported alternatively on left and right legs, the long neck moves in synchrony to maintain balance.
Nikon D5 with Nikkor VR80 – 400mm, f4.5-5.6 GED lens with Nikon Teleconverter TC14E III 1.4x,
effective focal length 112mm, 1/640 sec @ f8, ISO 280.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
PROUD AND PROTECTIVE MOTHER
Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, this female zebra and her foal were found in an open clearing. The foal stood very close to its mother who looked proudly on while keeping a protective eye on their surroundings.
Plains or Burchell’s Zebra - Equus quagga burchellii
African version of the horse. Portly build, weighing around 250kg. Colour: no gender difference; background white to buff colour; striping varies geographically and individually. Juvenile coat longer with brown stripes. One of the most numerous and successful large herbivores, adapted to a broad range of grassland habitats. First to enter tall or wet pastures, followed by wildebeests after the zebras have trampled and cropped the grass.
Nikon Z9 with Nikkor 100-400/4.5.-5.6 VR S lens with Nikon Teleconverter 2.0x,
effective focal length 380mm, 1/2000 sec @ f10, ISO 5600.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
GROOMING TO “PURR-FECTION”
Late afternoon in the Ngala Private Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, this magnificent Leopard was found carefully grooming itself on the banks of a dry river bed.
Leopard - Panthera pardus
Leopards embody feline beauty with stealth, infinite patience and power. A leopard will get to within 5m of its quarry before pouncing, taking it completely by surprise. Tremendously strong, these cats can carry a 70kg impala to a feeding position up a tree. The most secretive and elusive of the large carnivores, the leopard is also the shrewdest. Kilogram for kilogram, it is the strongest climber of the larger cats and is capable of killing prey far larger than itself. The colouring of the leopard varies from white to bright golden brown, spotted with black spots and rosettes. The rosettes consist of groups of five to six spots arranged in a tight ring. This fierce animal has small round ears and long whiskers growing from dark spots on the upper lips. Although leopards are shy and elusive, they are found all over sub-Saharan Africa. They occupy grasslands that have trees in which they can hide and sleep during the heat of the day.
Nikon D5 with Nikon VR80-400mm f4.5-5.6 G lens with Nikon 1.4x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 450mm, 1/640 sec @ f9, ISO 5000.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn
BLUE HEADED AGAMA LIZARD
This male Agama lizard was quite visible with his bright iridescent head sitting on a cairn of rocks in the De Hoop Nature Reserve enjoying the late afternoon sun. He was fearless in his position as I approached, nodding his head up and down but capable of darting into the cracks of the rock pile if threatened by an eagle or other predator. His head colour was extraordinary and very eye catching, just what he needed the females to see.
Southern Rock Agama lizard - Agama atra
The southern rock agama is a species of lizard from the family Agamidae that occurs in Southern Africa. It lives in small colonies on rocky outcrops, and the males are very conspicuous for their bright blue heads. This rather sociable agama is normally found in small groups or colonies. It grows up to about 25cm and has a thin dorsal crest that runs the length of its body. During the breeding season, the heads of the males become bright blue. The males also take to sitting on top of prominent rocks and are therefore a common sight in mountainous areas of South Africa. These active, diurnal lizards normally hunt small insects such as ants and termites. They have some ability to change colour, although not to the same extent as chameleons.
Nikon D7000 Nikkor 105mm F2.8 Macro, F32 @ 1/640th sec, ISO 2500.
Taken by hand on the Whale Trail in De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa.
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
MANTA RAY FLY-BY
The group of remoras hitches a ride underneath this ocean-going Manta Ray as it glides past the group of divers – close enough but not too close. They are gentle creatures and will often approach divers in order to satisfy their curiosity. They are so big that when they swim overhead it’s as if a cloud has blocked the sun, they move like a magic carpet in the water with unparalleled grace and speed. This one was still fairly far off, hence the blue haze in the image, but still majestic in its presence.
Manta Ray - Manta Birostris
Manta rays are large rays. The larger species, M. birostris, reaches 7m (23 ft) in width, both have triangular pectoral fins, horn-shaped cephalic fins and large, forward-facing mouths. Mantas are found in warm temperate, subtropical and tropical waters. Both species are pelagic;
M. birostris migrates across open oceans, singly or in groups, while M. alfredi tends to be resident and coastal. They are filter feeders and eat large quantities of zooplankton, which they gather with their open mouths as they swim. However, research suggests that the majority of their diet (73%) actually comes from mesopelagic sources; that is, they are actually deep sea predators, feeding on fish and other organisms that inhabit areas of the sea between 200–1,000m below the surface. They are listed as vulnerable, threats include pollution, entanglement in fishing nets, and direct harvesting for their gill rakers for use in Chinese medicine. They are protected in international waters.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 10.5mm f2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/160 sec @ f8, ISO 200, Sea & Sea Housing and
Two Sea & Sea YS350 strobes on power. Taken on scuba at 27m at Amazon dive site off Tofo, Mozambique.
Photograph by Andrew Woodburn
“JOE-COOL” – CHILLING OUT AFTER A HECTIC YEAR!
Early morning in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, part of the greater Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, this very young leopard cub was found on a tree branch resting up in a very casual pose while its mother was away hunting.
Leopard - Panthera pardus
The leopard is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera, a member of the Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, and small parts of Western and Eastern Asia. The leopard’s colour varies between individuals from pale yellowish to dark golden with dark spots grouped in rosettes. Its belly is whitish and its ringed tail shorter than its body. The pattern of rosettes is unique in each individual. Cubs have fuzzy coats with indistinct, close-set spots. Offspring become independent at around 22 months, but remain in the natal home range for some time and often get maternal handouts while struggling to become proficient hunters. Leopards are the embodiment of feline beauty, power and stealth, being long and low slung, with short muscular limbs.
Nikon D5 with Nikon VR80-400mm f4.5-5.6 G lens with Nikon 1.4x Teleconverter,
effective focal length 190mm, 1/1000 sec @ f10, ISO 9000.
Photograph by Trevor Woodburn