Thursday, January 22, 2009

Kalahari Excitement

My last entry on the Kgalagadi was about Splendour. Well if that was a splendid trip, then this was all about excitement and exciting times. November is the beginning of the rainy season in the Kalahari. Not much rain really falls- or at least the main rain season is in January and February- but there is a lot of barking. Each day is a build up of thunder clouds which reach their peak around15h30- where they either start dissipating or build up to a large crescendo lightning and thunder- and what a show they can produce!

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Pockets of isolated rainfall also occur, leaving swathes of green and flowers in their wake. Experiencing rain in the Kalahari must be one of nature’s most instant turnarounds. A desert like landscape, after a rainfall, will in just one night change into a scene of new life, with flowers and animals appearing everywhere.

c4 images and safaris, nature photographer, photo workshops

So you can imagine my excitement in heading to this wonderland in the heart of November! Arriving in the park everything was drab and brown- the last remnants of the dry season. However, each day the clouds built up and over the last few nights, we witnessed some great storms thundering over us with their life bearing rain. This brought immediate change and we witnessed some amazing sightings- faunal and floral.

c4 images and safaris, nature photographer, photo workshops

Perhaps the sighting that represented the coming of rain the most, was seeing a springbuck giving birth. Not 6m from the road, we watched the whole scene of new life coming into this world- an amazing experience. Other sightings were: watching cheetah hunt, jackal pups playing with a dead bat eared fox pup, 11 lions feeding on a fresh kill with interaction between another pride of 11, springbuck running through water in the Aoub riverbed and then playing in the early morning “spring” freshness (excuse the pun…) and lastly noticing how fast the tribulus flowers appear after the first rain. Some were up at first light the morning after a rainfall- an amazing feat of growth!

c4 images and safaris, nature photographer, photo workshops

With all this activity, the photography was naturally very good. Having photographic clients also make such an experience even better, as good Nature Photographers are willing to sit patiently to see if a potentially great photograph will present itself. In doing so we always get to see small and interesting interactions that many others just don’t see. So as you can see, being a Nature Photographer has some added benefits- you go to great places to photograph and often see excellent behaviour- just due to the attribute of patience! Who thought waiting for something to happen could bring so much reward?!

c4 images and safaris, nature photographer, photo workshops

The Kalahari at this time of year is just a must. I am so convinced of this, that I Have booked a whole camp there for a Photo Workshop next year- during the exact same season. The camp is called Urikaruus- right in the middle of the reserve and far from other vehicles and disturbances.

c4 images and safaris, nature photographer, photo workshops

Have a look on the C4 Images and Safaris website for more details. I definitely know I will be there!

Oh and did I mention the lightshows we witnessed?

c4 images and safaris, nature photographer, photo workshops

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