Cute Chameleon

This little fella had no problem whatsoever with climbing onto the hand of our guide during a night drive.

More to the point our guide had no problem with the Chameleon which is an animal rich in folklore and shunned by many in Africa.

Perhaps because it is predominantly seen at night, perhaps because of its ability to change colour the Chameleon is surrounded by myths and folktales many of which present it as an evil spirit.

Not a great deal of evil in this little one I suggest.

Safari silhouette

Sundowners overlooking the Luangwa River

Lazy evening Leopard

The classic image of Leopard is a cat dangling over a tree branch. Here we were lucky to find a Leopard near Three Rivers Camp who was one of the most photogenic we've ever come across - so placid and relaxed.

Across the river

A quick ferry they said.

Nothing to worry about they said.


And they were right - but only after a protective mother Hippo had been scared off.

From Three Rivers we crossed the Luangwa to take a bush walk.

Pel's Fishing Owl

Not the best photograph I'll be the first to admit, but included in the blog as this was a first sighting for us of Pel's Fishing Owl.

The Pel's Fishing Owl is the second largest owl in Africa. It feeds almost exclusively on fish and lives in dense forests near rivers. They are shy and are therefore seldom seen, so seeing one is always a thrilling event.

The Pel's Fishing Owl for many birders (we are not particularly birders by the way) is like the Holy Grail and it appears on many birding enthusiasts "top 10 to seek before I die lists". 

The birds are uncommon and often evasive, avoiding disturbance. They live in riverine forest and prefer to perch high among the thick foliage. They often hunt at night and are most active and vocal in the hour before dawn. The one we saw was in just this type of habitat - not that we would have seen it without the help of the sharp eyes of our guide at Three Rivers Bush Camp, Jebbez.

It is the second largest owl that occurs in Africa. They are a lovely ginger brown to russet colour and have black spots on both their wings and bellies. They have a rounded head and large black eyes like deep pools of pitch. They lack the soft flight feathers of other owls as stealth is not necessary for snatching their underwater prey.

They also lack the characteristic facial disks of many owls. This disc is believed to help with hearing, and as the owl's prey lives underwater, the owls seem to have evolved without this feature. They have a haunting, chilling call, which has been likened to someone calling up from the bottom of a well. Their cries can be heard over a kilometre away.

Anyone seen where all the bees have gone?

A pair of Bee eaters

Stork study

Yellow Billed Stork

Gone fishing

This trip was certainly the Yellow Billed Stork holiday. 

Here, near the Three rivers Bush Camp, they gathered in their hundreds to fish out the numerous channels.

Every now and again one would catch a cat fish prompting an outburst of flapping as others tried to get the catch of it.

Sunset colour

Ele family

One giant leap ...

A Puku jumps one of the many channels near the Three Rivers Bush Camp

Three Rivers Bush Camp

Our third camp for this holiday was Three rivers Bush Camp, run by Kafunta Safaris.

With rustic rondelles featuring decks overlooking wildlife viewing and "star beds where you can sleep on a platform with nothing above you but a mosquito net this certainly packs in the style.

Another super sunset

Elegance in the bush

The South Luangwa national park is the place to see Leopard. Normally elusive here they are likely to be seen more often than the Lion of the park.

To watch these powerful cats move silently through the bush early in the morning or into the evening is always a privilege.

Sacred Ibis

The African Sacred Ibis is a wading bird that belongs to the family Threskiornithidae which found near shores and marshes throughout Africa, including extensively in the South Luangwa valley.

A distinctive large wading bird it measures 75 centimetres (30 inches) in length and weighs 1.35 kilograms (3 pounds), with a wingspan of 112 – 124 centimetres (44 – 49 inches).

The plumage of the sacred ibis is mainly white in colour with black plumes on its lower back. Its small head and slender, curved neck are also black and practically bald. The sacred ibis has small black eyes and a long, slender, downward curved bill which is used to probe into sand and mud in shallow water or in grass and soil when foraging.

The legs of the sacred ibis are long and black and its feet are partially webbed like most wading birds. When in flight, the wing tips of the primary flight feathers are black which display a black border to the rear of the white wings.

In ancient Egypt he Ibis was sacred to and associated with Thoth the God of wisdom and writing. Thoth was often represented in the form of a man's body with the head of the Ibis and was the patron of the educated scribes who were responsible for the administration of the country. 

As a sacred animal the Ibis on death was embalmed and put inside the hollow body of a carved figure of the bird. Alternatively, the mummified remains were placed in pottery jars and deposited in vast underground galleries. Hundreds of thousands of such burials have been discovered at Sakkara, near Memphis the ancient capital of Egypt.

It's a tough life

The Hyena gets a bad rap in my opinion. Yes they may be scarred, but I love their faces and their clan system is fascinating. What would an african safari night be without the whooping of these dustmen of the bush?

Ebony Grove

Across the South Luangwa park there are a number of Ebony groves where these majestic trees ceat a dappled mosaic of light on the ground under the canopy.

Cool and shady, often with water, these groves are popular with Baboons.

Punk Zebra

Close to the action

Bush walks aren't usually the opportunity to see game - you take a vehicle for that. But here, in South Luangwa with the expert guides camps provide, even a walk can bring you into close contact with game.

Here we encountered a group of Giraffe, who, with our calm and quiet approach stood until we were less than 100m away - and even then they simply sauntered off just a few metres to maintain their comfort distance.

Every day is a learning day

Our guide form  Nkonzi Bush camp, Sam, like all the guides we have encountered in Zambia is an expert in so many aspects of the natural world.

From the habits and lifestyle of large carnivores, to the smallest of beetles these guides really know there stuff.

This is shown nowhere more than on a game walk. Here, immersed in the African bush they reveal the smallest details of plants, soils, geology, animal tracks and spoore. 

In one breath they will use the Latin name for the group a plant belongs to and detail the local medicinal or food uses the plant has. 

These are people with the perfect combination of book knowledge and practical know how. I am always in awe of how much our guides know and their ability to explain it to mere mortals like us.