AFRICA SAFARI C This adventure continues from A&B blogs. I enjoyed three wonderful Private Game Reserves: Timbavati, Tanda Tula and San Bona. The first two are located west of the famous Kruger Park. They both have more vegetation; tall grass in March and a variety of big trees. Later blogs you will see that San Bona is open with semi-arid rolling hills and plains with few trees and low bush and grass. All three Reserves offered a great variety of wild animals and birds. Included in this Blog C is a great surprise! One of The Big Five and close-up! These photos are from Timbavati and Tanda Tula

THE CAST Birds. There are many birds. Some, like the Swainson’s spurfowl, cavorting in an exciting mating dance that entertained for many minutes. Exciting to photo: Lilac roller, spurfowl, paradise glider, cape vulture, red-billed ox-pecker, red-billed hornbill, snake eagle. Animals: Big surprise (read down), elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebra, warthog, lion, buffalo, nayla, bushbuck, impala, kudu, South Africa cat, wild dogs, squirrel. Reptiles: leopard turtle, lizard Primates: baboons Insect: scorpion

Figure 1 Thirsty male lion night - photo near the Camp

Figure 2 Mature kudu with great double twist antlers

Figure 3 African leopard turtle

Figure 4 Elephant family grazing on the move with three young

Figure 5 Zebra family munching on the move

Figure 6 Impalas are fast runners and great leapers their main means of defence

Figure 7 Beautiful female nyala

Figure 8 Nyala baby with mum

Figure 9 Impala and big mature male

Figure 10 Impala mum dad and baby

Figure 11 Superb smiling kudu

Figure 12 Lucky to catch the massive, mature, majestic male kudu. They are shy and well camouflaged

Figure 13 Nyala family with male on alert

Figure 14 Great to have the female nyala smile for the camera

Figure 15 Baby Bushbuck with white dots

Figure 16 Baboons dig in holes in river bed made by elephants to get water

Figure 17 Raptor takes flight

Figure 18 Male Spurfowl puts on an amazing acrobatic dance for his sweetheart

Figure 19 Red billed ox-pecker

Figure 20 Swainson's spurfowl

Figure 21 Red billed hornbills

Figure 22 Red billed ox-pecker takes flight

Figure 23 Paradise glider

Figure 24 Brown African snake eagle

Figure 25 Vulture Might be cape vulture. Vultures have had a bad wrap and many now under threat. They are large often reviled, sit in dead trees and easy to shoot. They need protection!

Figure 26 Lilac roller bird on a cool morning facing sunrise

Figure 27 Lilac breasted Roller bird so beautiful

Figure 28 Lilac breasted roller bird chirps in the morning sunrise

Figure 29 Vulture catches the early sunrise

Figure 30 The Swainson’s spurfowl have a great dance

Figure 31 The spurfowl kiss and make up after his crazy, wild dance

Figure 32 Meet the dugga boys. These males have been put out to mud! Yes mud! The locals have so named them as the "Mud" or the Swahili "dugga boys". As they are forced out of the propagation game by younger males, they get to spend their retirement years in glorious mud baths. What a life?

Figure 33 Dugga boy very, very dangerous

Figure 34 Massive dugga buffalo pair

Figure 35 Not easily spotted a large African wild cat

Figure 36 Baby elephant walks un bothered right beside out truck.

Figure 37 The setting sun catches the giant elephant lips and trunk

Figure 38 The elephant is unafraid of our tiny truck. She carefully plucks tasty flowers right beside the truck

Figure 39 Our clever guides almost always position our truck to get a great view of the wild life. Stunning to see the elephants walk slowly by grazing along the way

Figure 40 Large male kicks soil with foot to better reach small juicy plants.

Figure 41 Large male reaches for the best little flowers for supper just beside our truck

Figure 42 Elephant beside the river enjoys a great shower.

Figure 43 Our tracker interpolates the recent elephant movement. The rear footprint overlays the front foot. Later a centipede has crossed the road. There is a pee droplet on the front imprint.

Figure 44 This shows how the elephant wraps the trunk around small juicy grass

Figure 45 Very big fellow enjoys evening dinner

Figure 46 A drama develops here. A young elephant has fallen while attempting a steep grade on the dry river bank. Quite quickly an adult organizes a rescue and little fellow is helped up the steep bank. (see Figure 49)

Figure 47 I got the feeling that this young fellow was showing off to mum by skillfully stripping this small leaf.

Figure 48 This tiny new born baby is well protected while it learns to drink with the big boys and girls

Figure 49 Here mum has organized the rescue of the young fella as he gets a pull up the steep hill. Another gives mum a push from behind. (see Figure 46)

Figure 50 Spectacular scene as part of the large herd leaves the river to continue grazing in the forest.

Figure 51 Great to see so many babies thriving in the Game Reserve. Here the poachers have little chance to destroy the beautiful animals

Figure 52 The beautiful giraffe must spread her front legs to reach the water. Then after a big draught she must throw back her head to swallow the water. It has a long way to go down! They take it in turn as the others watch for predators. With legs akimbo, they are vulnerable to attack

Figure 53 The rest of the herd wait their turn and keep watch. There are nearby zebras also keeping watch with the giraffes.

Figure 54 Beautiful young herd at the water hole

Figure 55 Some ladies would pay a lot for those eyelashes: "She’s got Betty Davis eyes"!

Figure 56 African wild dog pups frolic and dance. When they hear mum and dad are on the way, they come out of their den

Figure 57 This young fella will grow up to be an amazing hunter. For now, he must dream.

Figure 58 News of parents' return as the pups come out to wait dinner

SURPRISE! If you have come this far you have earned a beautiful surprise scroll down to amazing photos

Figure 59 LEOPARD! One more of the Big Five. Our amazing trackers have found the amazing leopard known as: “Marula Queen of Timbavati”. She has had a big meal and is now taking a break from the hunt. Think she is so full she won’t move for a while. What a beauty!

Figure 60 Beautiful big cat Marula. The guides and tracker work hard to find The Big Five for customers. Many are not so lucky as me.

Figure 61 So great to have a full belly and shade in this lovely tree.

Figure 62 Young lion brothers relax in the late afternoon sun.

Figure 63 I tried hard to identify this reptile. Any help out there?

Figure 64 Rhinos enjoy life beside the watering hole. Our driver kept our distance with the truck motor running and escape route planned. Watch for a dramatic moment in the next blog.

Figure 65 Our fearless tracker is out in the bush with lions, leopards, buffalo, rhinos, hippos and snakes; but this giant scorpion had him terrified. Me too!

Figure 66 Giant scorpion; watch out!

Figure 67 Mature male warthog with ox-pecker

Figure 68 Great lighting on the zebras and is not it the best animal for a black and white photo?

Figure 69 After an amazing morning Game Drive, Tanda Tula Private Reserve, offers a gourmet Champagne brunch beside the river, in the shade of the wonderful African trees.

Figure 70 Meanwhile the elephants hydrate …

Figure 71 The giraffes return to munch in the thorn bushes; their favorite brunch

Figure 71 How wonderful to see this idyllic scene. Outside the Private Reserves these wonderful animals are under great threat from poachers feeding the greed of dealers.

Figure 72 Thanks for coming. Hang in there: Safari D coming soon.

The Future? Hope you enjoyed the photos as much I did in taking them. We have a wonderful, amazing, world which we all must work to protect. In Blog B I made an appeal to pressure China to join the world in condemning the trade in ivory and animal parts. Flood the social media with both disgust and positive suggestions! Terry November 20, 2018