Andrew 's News:Our first stop in the predawn darkness was for four lions - two lionesses from the Talana pride and two large males from a different pride. We used spotlights and some flash to capture images as they interacted with each other. One of the males was very interested in one of the females but she consistently rebuffed his flirtations. This confused him somewhat but he persisted - and again and again she made her lack of interest very clear! We remained with them until the sun was well above the horizon, enjoying the amazing, almost gentle interactions between the four. And the beautiful light made photography a cinch. We left the lions eventually to enjoy our morning coffee break - and to watch the glorious sunrise, with an ethereal mist over a small dam - and lazy hippos popping up to show their heads in the mist...
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Blog posts tagged in Andrew Schoeman
Andrew 's News:Our first stop in the predawn darkness was for four lions - two lionesses from the Talana pride and two large males from a different pride. We used spotlights and some flash to capture images as they interacted with each other. One of the males was very interested in one of the females but she consistently rebuffed his flirtations. This confused him somewhat but he persisted - and again and again she made her lack of interest very clear! We remained with them until the sun was well above the horizon, enjoying the amazing, almost gentle interactions between the four. And the beautiful light made photography a cinch. We left the lions eventually to enjoy our morning coffee break - and to watch the glorious sunrise, with an ethereal mist over a small dam - and lazy hippos popping up to show their heads in the mist...
Andrew Reports:It was still dark when we found a clan of eight hyenas feeding on the remains of a kill. There was not enough of the kill left to determine what the few remnants were but we were able to get some super feeding and family interaction photos before the sun started to make an appearance.After eating their fill the hyenas started leave the area. Seeing the direction they took we realised that they were heading to a waterhole for a drink. We went ahead to position ourselves well for the arrival of the clan and to get the best angles of them drinking.The hyenas duly arrived, and yes, we were perfectly positioned to watch and photograph them as they drank.As they finished, they started to wander away from the waters edge, but one of the youngsters leaped into the water where he chased bits and pieces of random vegetation, splashing...
AndrewReports:Searching for Salayexe this morning we first bumped into a clan of eight hyenas. They were moving along close to the road, scent marking, examining and sniffing bushes intently as they went, leaving their anal smears to warn any intruders. We followed them, capturing images of individuals, groups and the interactions between the clan members. After stopping for a drink at a small dam they disappeared into thick bush.So on with our Salayexe search - but we were interrupted again,this time by a lone hippo wandering around quite a distance from water. He was very relaxed, munching on the vegetation, totally ignoring us with our clicking cameras. Again our search for Salayexe resumed - and this time we were not...
Andrew's News:We started with a wonderfully restful morning after all that excitement yesterday when Salayexe grabbed her kill in front of us ... Sparring Impala, a shy Steenbuck - - and curious Starlings kept us busy for much of the morning. But the afternoon was quite different. After the new ODP Safari group arrived everyone was anxious to get started and what a packed afternoon we had!First, a large herd of elephant drinking at a small dam was followed by a mud bath. As the mud sprayed everywhere, including on themselves, at times it looked as though it was actually raining mud!Hearing noises nearby we went to investigate and found a bachelor herd of impala,...
Andrew's News:There was a tremendous commotion early this morning as we woke up and prepared to depart. The whole bushveld sounded alive ...We could hear Wild Dogs yipping incessantly, punctuated by lions roaring. At the same time leopard calls echoed across the valley in front of the lodge, and exited hyena were carrying on about something or other while the sounds of jackals mingled with all the above. The cacophony spurred us on and within minutes we were on the vehicles prioritising our first move, and wondering what event had sparked the din.We decided to follow the sounds of the Wild Dogs and headed in the direction of the now diminishing sounds. We followed their tracks and found 13 Wild Dogs. It was a great sighting, and the whole pack was still milling around. We searched but could not determine the cause of their disquiet. ...
Andrew's News:Lions were roaring close to the Lodge as we enjoyed our early morning coffee and when we found their tracks we were convinced that our luck was in. Then, seeing dozens of different vultures (White-backed, Hooded, Lappet faced) in a tree we circled around and around, but saw no lions. The vultures flapped from tree to tree but kept returning to the same area, convincing us even more that there was something there. While taking photos of the vultures against the bright blue morning sky we heard that Shadow, a young female leopard was close by.Shadow was hunting some impala, but when they sensed her presence they disappeared quickly, and Shadow headed off with us following her. A few meters away she met up with her two young cubs and after a joyful greeting the three cats played together for the next hour or more. Photography...
Andrew Reports:It was still a bit cloudy when we started out early, intent on finding Salayexe, the young leopard mother resident in the area.We found her tracks with those of her cub and were following these through a dry river bank when we looked up and saw a young Hippo bull on the river bank at eye level with us. After a stop for for about ten minutes for photographs we followed the leopard tracks again. In an open clearing we encountered four hyenas ... three adults and a young subadult. They were cavorting around, playing and enjoying family interactions in the early morning light. Thirty elephants were drinking at at waterhole when we arrived. The youngsters and babies were enchanting, ...
Andrew Reports:The northern area has yielded great sightings every day, so that is where we again headed before dawn.On the way, and as just the sun rose, we encountered a herd of around fifty buffalo. We stopped for photographs and our attention soon focussed on one of the males that was feeling particularly frisky in the early morning. He was jumping on various other members of his herd, proving to be a nuisance to them but a source of entertainment for us. Another vehicle told us that they were in sight of two male cheetahs and it took moments for us to join them. As we arrived we saw that the cheetahs were hunting, and we had time to quickly position ourselves and settle quietly to watch the action.Cameras ready!The cheetahs spotted some impala and thankfully for us, they ran ahead of the impala and then doubled back. The impalas...
From Andrew:It was drizzling, but just barely, as we left camp this morning. The cloudy sky would make a lovely backdrop for any sightings and with this in mind we headed back to the two cheetahs with the kill from yesterday.They were nowhere to be seen, but we stopped next to the dam wall where we hoped to spot them, to capture some images of the sun beginning to pierce the clouds. The sunrise was truly spectacular. Then a Spurwing Goose arrived and landed on the dam wall to strut around for a for photographs.Suddenly the goose flew away in alarm - and up popped the two heads of the cheetahs we had so hoped to see. They climbed onto the dam wall and we spent almost an hour taking pictures of them sitting, stretching, walking, watching, and generally enjoying the early morning sunrise. The cloudy, impactful background allowed us to...
Phinda: A Successful Cheetah Hunt - From Beginning to End, followed by a Rare Sighting in the Forest
Andrew shares:Remember that yesterday the two dominant male cheetahs in the Marsh had a failed hunt when they were interrupted by a reedbuck as they closed in on the impala.Feeling confident that would hunt again early this morning we caught up with them before daylight. They were awake and active - traveling from termite mound to termite mound as they scoured the area. Our assumptions were spot on - they were hunting. The sky was becoming lighter as they continued their progress, giving us numerous opportunities for excellent images with the early sun piercing the clouds in the background. Then they spotted a herd of impalas and from that moment all concentration centred on the buck. We manoeuvred into a good position and then watched anxiously and expectantly, afraid to breathe as the scene unfolded in front of us.The impala looked up, very jittery and anxious. Then, sensing that something...
