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WILDLIFE BLOG
Photoshoots: New River House at Flatdogs Camp
My apologies for a long silence - the early part of the season is always very busy with starting up, and this year has been especially so because we've been opening a new camp. Nkhonzi Camp is up and running; a rustic bush camp in a remote area offering real bush immersion and tranquility. We have access to the main game viewing area where safaris have been conducted for many years and there is endless habituated [...]
Photo Safari: Recce Trip | Liuwa Plains NP | 10 – 14 May 2015
I have recently returned from a trip to Liuwa Plains National Park in the Western Province of Zambia. It is an area with rich cultural heritage as well as wonderful wildlife. The Lozi people of that area have a history which goes back as far as any other tribe in Zambia, and still maintain a functioning feudal system with a King, his Queen and a system of couta (or advisory courts). In the 19th century, the [...]
Photo Safari: Alessandro and Co | Jackalberry Safaris | 12 – 19 Apr 2015
Here are my images from the week, showing that even a visit to Luangwa "out of season" often brings some outstanding opportunities:
Tour Information: New Photo Safaris for 2015 and 2016
I've been busy the last couple of weeks putting together the safari programme for 2015 and 2016! There are still more safaris to be loaded on the system, but I am really pleased to announce trips to Liuwa Plain and new trips in the peak game-viewing season of June-October. More on this soon. I have also been in the park, but much less than normal, so there haven't been many updates! I did snap a shot [...]
Photoshoots: Guide Training with Flatdogs Camp
I have just finished a couple of days' photo guiding with the guide team from Flatdogs Camp. Please visit this link to read all about it and see the photos that came out of it - the guides did some brilliant work, both behind the camera and behind the wheel! Facebook Page for more updates! Here is a taster!
Wildlife: A mixed weekend…
We started off with a rather sad sight - this baboon appears to have a skin condition which has caused him to lose all his hair. I suspected that he would be very thin, but his condition was good and he didn't appear to be bullied by the others. I suspect he might struggle in the direct sunlight, especially with that area of pale skin on his back. If we see him again, we will report [...]
Wildlife: Lions in our Garden…
We always take care when walking around outside because we live very close to the National Park. In fact, there is a lot of wildlife living on our side of the river, even thought it's not actually National Park. So it is with a small pride of 5 lions which have been seen (and heard!) on several occasions around our house and in the nearby area. I have often seen lion foot prints outside our house [...]
Wildlife: A long absence
Here's a taste of what's going on now! The sky is blue, the grass is green, and everything is vibrant and healthy. It's also very humid and the birds are noisy in the trees. All the trees have grown new leaves, and there are little 'windows' into the bush everywhere. Fat impalas feed on the new grass. The elephants are probably happiest of all, having suffered heavily through the shortages of last year. They are looking [...]
Photoshoots: Calendar 2016
Hi folks - sorry for the long silence. I've been working hard on finalising the plans for my Moments in Nature 2016 Calendar. Since you are all loyal followers, I'll give you a sneak peek at the cover which gives a clue as to the content. I hope you enjoy. They will be for sale on the Shop section in a couple of weeks. All the best, Ed
Wildlife: Aggressively green….
In the early rains, the grass is the first to grow, shooting up and covering the park in a lush green carpet. But it's almost too green for taking photos as the brightness of the grass detracts from the subject. With this in mind, I took some shots over the weekend to illustrate.....
Equipment Info: Keeping busy in the rains….
Before I became a guide, and even alongside my guide role, I was in charge of maintenance at Flatdogs Camp where I worked for 5 years, so it's nice to put that hat on again! But I've also been doing some practical training to build on my photographic skills. I've worked with flash guns before, but always had limited success. They are fantastic tools but without a base of knowledge, they are scarily complex and unpredictable. [...]
Wildlife: Happy Elephants
In front of our house, a group of bull elephants were messing around in the muddy water. Soon a tussle began between two of the sub-adults and they were shoving and wresting each other on the slippery ground. A small calf with her mother (seen in the background) headed off to a safer place at the sight of the boisterous boys!