Botswana 2013
The light before sunrise.
Wildebeests in a cloud of dust.
Cozy zebras early one morning at Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.
Seeking sustenance.
A black-backed jackal.
White-crowned lapwing, a wading bird that mostly eats insects.
We got a report that a honey badger had attacked a python. When we arrived the 10-12 foot python lied dead in the road, with a big bite in his side and around his head. We took a photo or two and left, only to hear another report that the python was alive and moving toward the water. We went back and as you can see he very much was alive but in agony.
Almost always in small groups these wattled cranes live in shallow wetlands and nearby grasslands. Only about 8000 exist in the world.
With a fish in its talon, this African fish eagle is true to its name.
We got our first glimpse of a lion hiding in the grass. I thought this photo gave a sense of the elusive nature of this animal.
We were fortunate to see several leopards during our visits to the four game reserves. This fine specimen had the audacity to completely ignore us.
An Egyptian goose in the light of the setting sun.
The setting sun brought a smile to the face of this cape buffalo.
At our lodge in Chobe National Park wild warthogs roamed the grounds. This one was mowing the grass.
Here is a male kudu enjoying a breakfast snack. They are browsers, eating leaves and wild fruits.
A young male kudu casting a big reflection.
The African Jacana is a common bird of the wetlands having the ability to walk on floating vegetation with the very large claw-like feet.
No, you're not looking in the mirror. This is a baboon who had his eye on me.
A baboon mother and her young were hidden under a log with just a small beam of light capturing their face.
I found this troop of baboons by the river's edge nurturing their young. As they heard me approach they gave me a look of interest. Click.
This young baboon was playing on the end of a log overhanging the Chobe River. Baboons typically give birth to one infant after a six month gestation period.
Giraffes fascinate me, especially watching these 16-20 feet tall creatures walk or gallop.
We took a boating excursion in the Moremi Game Reserve, part of the Okavango Delta, to see these hippos slowly rise from beneath the water to give us "the eye."
Oxpeckers, the small birds on these cape buffalo, live symbiotically, each providing a benefit to the other. I found it humorous to see the oxpecker drink at the same time the cape buffalo quenched his thirst.
Cape buffalo and oxpeckers see eye-to-eye so to speak. The oxpecker removes ticks and other bugs from the buffalo, and the buffalo provides protection to the oxpecker.
This female kudu was running for no apparent reason. Kudus typically run only short distances and then hide when they are preyed upon.
An exquisite pair of fish eagles. The female is larger than the male, having a wingspan of nearly 8 feet compared to 6 feet for the male.
It's not moon-over-Miami. Try moon-over-the-Chobe River.
Cormorant drying the feathers on her wings.
Impalas grazing.
African fish eagles were prominent throughout our trip. They look so majestic and imposing perched high on their lofts.
This is a squacco heron common to southeast Africa.
A parade of elephants, portrayed as it may have been photographed 100 years ago.
Perched in the notch of a tree, this baboon looks not to have a care in the world.
A wattled crane foraging on elephant dung by breaking it apart in search of undigested insects.
Young elephants find comfort and safety underneath mom or dad's tummy.
They looked just like leaves until our guide pointed out these three bee eaters. With the early morning sun beaming across their bodies and with my 700 mm lens I was able to get a close-up picture of these attractive birds.
Papa you sit in the back; mama you're in the middle. And baby baboon you're in front. Okay, now look at the camera. The camera please! Just no cooperation.
This African harrier-hawk was coming in for a landing on his perch high in a dead tree. Aren't the feathers on the wings and legs beautiful.
Here's our African harrier-hawk again about to take flight. She is omnivorous, eating fruit from oil palms and catching small vertebrates.
Gotcha! This bee eater swooped down on the water and snatched up this dragon fly. Then it played with it for a while before devouring it.
What a striking colored bird. It's a woodland kingfisher.
This stately looking secretary bird is described as having an eagle-like body on crane-like legs.
These are sable antelopes known for their beautiful coats. These two were on the alert as a pack of wild dogs was nearby.
You can see the fine fur of this beautiful creature. It looks best to me in a picture rather than as a coat.
