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Know your African Wildlife: Crowned Cranes
Crowned Cranes are elegant, unmistakable birds, standing over a metre tall and topped with a golden crown of plume-like feathers. They carry bright red wattles below the chin which contrast sharply with their grey, white and chestnut plumage. They are long-legged, with large splayed feet allowing them to walk briskly through damp marshland areas where they forage for food. As with all cranes, these birds are shy and rarely confident around people. They maintain a safe [...]
Wildlife: Spotted Hyaena Savagery
Early this morning, I heard the sound of hyaenas vocalising in the distance. Perhaps they were competing over a food source, or perhaps trying to dislodge a leopard from a tree with its kill. We headed there to have a look. We were greeted by a savage scene. 4 hyaenas were trying to kill another hyaena in the middle of a muddy lagoon. As we arrived, 2 of the attackers walked off (perhaps scared of our [...]
June in the South Luangwa
June is the beginning of the peak months of safari season in Luangwa. All camps are open, the roads are graded and smooth and the wildlife sightings start to intensify along the waterways. Unexpectedly - even though this is the southern hemisphere winter - it can be very cold! We recorded 4 degrees Celsius in Mfuwe earlier this month, and there are many mornings when warm fleeces, woolly hats and even gloves are seen on safaris [...]
Photo Safari Report: Extended Prime Luangwa | Kafunta River Lodge | 9 – 17 June 2018
I recently finished a safari at Kafunta River Lodge (hosts of my Prime Luangwa safari) with German photographer Stephan Tuengler and his group from InAfrica travel. We had 9 nights at Kafunta and enjoyed the steady pace that an extended trip allowed us to take each day. We were able to sit quietly on sightings and wait for events to unfold, rather than feeling we needed to move on because time was limited. The best sightings [...]
Wildlife: A visit from a Pel’s Fishing Owl
I was in the Nsefu Sector yesterday and our afternoon safari took us past a large grove of African Ebony trees. High in the branches, but in a perfect view, was a beautiful Pel's Fishing Owl! Perhaps one of Africa's most sought-after species, we have a good population here in Luangwa. This one stared at us with black eyes, and we composed a variety of images. My favourite is this wider shot including the beautiful leaves [...]
Guest Report: Peter Ismert | Track & Trail & Chichele Lodge | 29 Apr – 9 May 2018
Peter Ismert joined me on safari in May for a special early-dry season Luangwa experience. Peter wrote up his trip for my blog and I hope you enjoy reading! South Luangwa In May: A Unique Photographic Experience My friend Steve and I chose to go on 10-day safari with Edward Selfe this past May when the rains have ceased, the roads have dried out, and when the colors were still vivid. We didn’t want the normal [...]
May in the South Luangwa
May is the start of the traditional winter safari season; the park's roads dry up, the grass starts to die back and the light begins to develop its magical golden tones. The clean, crisp quality of the light in the early dry season is a pleasure to work with. I have seen rain in the Luangwa in every month of the year, but any rainfall in May is likely to be short and light, perhaps freshening [...]
Photo Safari Report: Mana Pools Recce Trip | John’s Camp | 10 – 13 May 2018
I first knew about Mana Pools in 2004 when friends told me about a stunning, mature forest on the banks of the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe. Even then, before it had enjoyed the fame that it is enjoying these days, it was revered as a wild and authentic safari area. But it took me until May 2018 to visit it for myself! The Zambezi is an enormously wide river, stretching several hundred meters across in places. [...]
Tour Info: New camera support system for 2018
For years, beanbags were the best method of supporting a camera in a safari vehicle; in fact, they work well and are still widely used today. However, they are only as good as support that they are rested on. Beanbags are great when the vehicle is static but they often fall on the floor (or over the side!) when the vehicle starts to move. Added to this, many safari vehicles don't have a suitable position to [...]
Photo Safari Report: Private Safari | Track & Trail & Chichele Lodge | 29 Apr – 9 May 2018
I had been looking forward to this safari for months. Steve – a many times return guest of mine – was bringing a friend of his, Peter, who he had met on a previous safari. But there was a different perspective this time around; Steve and Peter wanted to see the Luangwa in the green season, both of them having travelled to Africa only in the driest months previously. We discussed February and March and decided [...]
Through the Lens: Zebra Chaos
The light levels were low in the very early morning as we waited for a large male lion to rouse from his sleep. We moved off to photograph elsewhere, planning to return a few minutes later and check on our lion! A line of zebra were moving from their nighttime resting area to daytime feeding grounds, and passed close to our vehicle. With the light levels so low, it barely warranted a photo....except as a chance [...]
Trip Report: An interim report from photo safari – May 4th 2018
I am mid-way through a long safari with Steve and Peter. After 5 nights in the central Mfuwe area, we are now at our second camp, exploring the sights around Chichele Lodge. A full trip report will follow, but here's a summary of what we've been doing over the last week. Baboons jumped onto fallen trees when their colleagues sounded the alarm nearby. We soon caught up with the leopard.... ....which obligingly walked right towards us [...]
EDWARD SELFE
I organise & run photographic safaris in the finest wildlife areas on Earth since.
