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On photographic safari with Cindy Wheeler |
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Day 1 - Our birding experience
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Cindy was going nuts with the camera - clicking away - "Old stupid" sensed that something was in the hide and being as curious as he is, he kept on moving closer and closer. I must say I thought Cindy was going to burst with excitement. She did an excellent job of getting some "up close and personal" shots of this magnificent animal.
 Sitting in a blind about 10 yards from a watering hole is quite an experience. Our bird life in South Africa is also quite something. While "old Stupid" was chewing away on the lucerne, a Plover making one "helluva" noise did a "run-landing". That was so funny. This guy was clearly upset. Someone was in his territory. Plovers are extremely protective over their nests and known to do a "wing dragging" decoy pretending to be injured just to lure potential predators away from their nests. Well, I wish there were words to describe this. This guy was ready to attack. At first I could not figure out exactly what the reason for his show was but soon realized that he just did not like the presence of some Glossy Starlings at the watering hole.
 He was ready for a fight and soon the Glossy Starlings decided that it is safer to just take their leave of absence with a very noisy Plover on their tails chasing them off in the distance.
By now it was late afternoon and the tranquility of the Limpopo valley descended upon us. A Sandgrouse stopped for a drink of water….everything was so peaceful and harmonious.
Cindy was still clicking merrily away.
I was paging through a book when Cindy said "What is that bird?" - I looked up and saw the most beautiful Goshawk. Oh, boy, are they pretty. First time I ever saw one and consulted the book for that but Cindy just could not stop……he posed for us, looked over his shoulder, sipped water and we noted that he was ringed - interesting and just a pity that we could not find out a number or something to report seeing him. He was truly magnificent.
At last light, we departed to the lodge quite happy with a good day's work.
Ann got her first Warthog and that evening around the campfire there were quite a number of happy souls.
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Self catering