Wednesday, October 29, 2008

DOIN'S AT DJUMA

A lot of things have been happening at Djuma. Karula has been busy with two kills last week - she positioned herself right outside of Room 3 at the Vuyatela Lodge! Don't know if anyone was booked into the unit at the time, but, if there was, they surely got their money's worth as far as the view was concerned!
And it is becoming more and more possible that she is pregnant! Cubs in the future! How great is that!

Two male lions from the Manyeleti Pride showed up last week, and proceeded to make a buffalo kill. They dominated the area (and the Drives) for several days before heading back north. That was worth a whole bunch of stills and videos!

The whole area is starting to stir with Spring just around the corner. Hopefully, this will bring on the rains, which are so badly needed right now. Gowrie Pan, which is spring fed by pump, is the only real viable water source in the immediate area, and all the animals in the Reserve seem to know this. There has been a lot of contention between species at the Pan - quite understandable when it's the only saloon in town!
With Spring comes the babies, and the impala are usually the first to birth. Pieter figures it will be about 2-3 weeks when we see the first of the impala calves. That is always worth waiting for!

More and more green is showing up on the Drives. It won't be long before the entire area will be immersed in lush vegetation - this,of course, brings back all the trappings of the bush - the birds with their loud colors and vocalizations, the ever-present Golden Orb spiders and their immense webs, and the magnificent flowers of every color imaginable. Ah, spring!

Enough talk, already! I have attached some highlights of the Reserve that you might enjoy. And, so as not to spoil the mood, I have added captions! (oh, no....)

Hope you like! ~ DaveKay



Taking time to feed the kids.







A tail tug from a passer-by.


Can't get over those eyelashes!




Karula peering through the leaves. (I love this one)



Beautiful in any light.




These riders got their money's worth!







These stares would get MY attention!




The dark lower lip is from drinking the Pan water, just stirred up by the buffalo Dagga Boys.







Look at that full belly!









Waiting his turn at the "table".




Sharing (reluctantly...



A different angle.



More African artistry.




Images courtesy of www.wildearth.tv (Drive cam) and DaveKay
Sunrises and sets are so vivid there. I could look at them for hours. Nature is the best Artist I've ever seen. Thanks DaveKay for sharing these gems. As always you have a wonderful eye.
HAPPY VIEWING !!

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