Glossy Ibis

This is the Glossy Ibis, a fairly common bird around water courses. It has a wonderful shine to its feathers, which this picture only hints at.

This is the most widespread ibis species, breeding in scattered sites in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean regions of the Americas.

It is thought to have originated in the Old World and spread naturally from Africa to northern South America in the 19th century, from where it spread to North America.

This species is migratory; most European birds winter in Africa, and in North America birds from north of the Carolinas winter farther south. Birds from other populations may disperse widely outside the breeding season. While generally declining in Europe, it has recently established a breeding colony in southern Spain, and there appears to be a growing trend for the Spanish birds to winter in Britain and Ireland, with at least 22 sightings in 2010.

In 2014, a pair attempted to breed in Lincolnshire, the first such attempt in Britain - so maybe we'll see them closer to home in future.

Lovely Leopard

Ele at dusk

The yawn

Camp life - Mwamba bush camp - heaven on earth

 Dining area

 The bar

 View of the neighbours from our hut's front door

Camp managers Matt and Charlie serve afternoon tea before the evening game drive with an elephant just a few metres away the other side of the dry river bed which forms the camp boundary.

Time for a pre prandial G&T.

Curious Kudu

Elephant fording the Luangwa River

We saw thius family group on the far bank of the River Luangwa and our guide Patrick predicted where they would cross and got our vehicle into the perfect place to watch them cross.

You can see the tiny baby tucked in the middle of the group to keep it safe from the many crocs in the river.

We sat and watched for about half an hour.

Magical.

Hippo pod

Hippo were , like Leopards, a constant theme of the trip.

It looks as though this will be a particularly hard year for them as the rains were poor and water levels are low - two months ahead of what is normally expected.

As water levels drop more and more hippo will have to share the same space - and that is when the fighting will start.

Zebra dust bath

You can't beat a good dust bath.

Night drive

One of the joys of the camps in the South Luangwa is being able to do night drives. Here you can pick up nocturnal species and much of the action of the bush takes place just after dusk. 

The one snag is taking pictures is problematic - bumpy roads and long exposures are not a good mix.

 

However the odd shot works - especially when the subject is a pride of lions silently traversing their territory.

Malachite Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher photographed from the hide overlooking the waterhole at Mwamba bush camp

First Leopard

Sousio found this lovely Leopard as we drove on an evening safari. He had heard the Puku (a type of antelope) making an alarm call off in the bush.

Little did we know that by the end of the trip we would have seen 19 different individual Leopards - more than any other trip we've done anywhere in Southern africa. We had just one day without a Leopard sighting and most we had multiple sightings.

G&T? Don't mind if I do

 After one afternoon walk around the area of Kuyenda bush camp we returned to find the bar set up in the bush outside the camp and Phil Berry waiting to great us with ice cold Gin and tonics and delicious nibbles. This really is my kind of luxury.

Phil is an expert on giraffe and a real old style "Africa hand" - wonderful company and a superb host. It was an honour to meet someone so wrapped in the history of the south Luangwa Park.

Our guide Sousio didn't bat an eyelid when an elephant crossed the dry river bed a couple of hundred metres away. You can see the big bull between Phil and Sousio.

Bush walk

Walking in the African bush is one of the best experiences ever!

With Sousio, our guide from kuyenda bush camp and an armed tracker from the park authorities we were able to see the area as it should be seen - on foot.

On this walk we encountered Elephant , Hippo and Buffalo, all of which we had to quietly walk around, as well as seeing a host of other game and flora.

Dinner at Kuyenda Bush Camp

Sundowner G&Ts

Sundowner G&Ts

Grey Kestrel

 A few views of the interior (and outside bathroom) of our hut at Kuyenda camp. A lovely rustic camp run by the Bush Camp Company.

Our bedroom

The dining and bar area

Another blocked road

Yet another hold up. This time a pride of lions doing what they do best.
Unfortunately this caused quite a tail back of safari vehicles - as whilst they were certainly an attraction, the pride had totally blocked the road meaning it was one way in and one way out for everyone wanting to see them.

Caution - Animals crossing!

 Before we even got into the park on our first morning we had to contend with the rush hour traffic.