Field guides are a strange breed of people! What do we do when we not guiding safaris? Well, we go out into the bush on our own safari, to enjoy the bush and maybe to see or hear a bird that you have been looking for or in my own case go after that photo that I had in mind for quite some time.

Rather than drive around looking for animals I decided to go to one of the waterholes in the reserve, set up my camera equipment and wait to see who will be coming in for a drink and do some bird photography. While waiting, there is always something to do, bird watching or catching up on some ideas and think of new angles to make that normal photo look interesting. The waiting didn’t last long! After setting everything up and settling down for what I thought was going to be a long wait, the bush delivered! A giraffe pop up over the horizon and started making her way over to the waterhole, stopping every so often and checking the surroundings to make sure no predators were in sight. Predators are not normally a huge problem for them but all the same to stay out of the way of a lion on the prowl, giraffe stand the chance of falling and breaking a leg, not in the good way as so often referred to, when running from a lion.

Eventually getting to the water, starting to drink. While she was drinking a few white rhino, zebra, wildebeest and a herd of elephant also thought it a good idea to come in for a drink. It turned out to be a busy afternoon and the original plan of bird photography took a back seat for the time being.








After the welcome sight of all the visitors to the waterhole I eventually turned my attention back to the main mission of the afternoon, bird photography!

MALE SOUTH AFRICAN SHELDUCK






FEMALE SOUTH AFRICAN SHELDUCK


EGYPTIAN GOOSE


RED-KNOBBED COOT

Tags: reflections, bird, birds, madikwe, elephant, dam, madikwe game reserve, mateya, giraffe, mateya safari lodge