On the fourth morning of our surprise trip to Mashatu in February this year, we were fortunate enough to see a Secretarybird on two separate occasions. The first was fleeting but the second gave us an opportunity to watch an adult Secretarybird hunting for about 45 minutes and it was fascinating to watch. As good as any mammal sighting.

“You never know what may cross your path and fuel the wildness of your soul.” ~ Robbie George

The Secretarybird is instantly recognisable as a very large terrestrial bird with an eagle-like head and body on crane-like legs. This raptor stands as much as 130 cm high. It is usually seen singly wandering across its hunting ground.

Unlike most aerial hunting raptors which catch their prey in mid-air, Secretarybirds are almost strictly terrestrial hunters and are diurnal (daytime) raptors. They often begin hunting and foraging for food before dawn returning to their resting area in the late afternoon. The high kicking stomp is regularly used to disable its prey.

We first saw this Secretarybird walking below a rocky ridge looking for grasshoppers, lizards and snakes and perhaps even small birds. Having little luck it crested the ridge to get a better view of the surroundings. Secretarybirds prefer savannas, scrub, and grasslands with scattered small thorn trees, and open patches in forests and woodlands, so Mashatu is an ideal habitat.

“If you eyes are opened, you’ll see the things worth seeing.” ~ Rumi

Being mainly terrestrial, Secretarybirds take to flight only to traverse difficult terrain or when threatened. The Secretarybird is a strong flyer. It can soar to great heights and cover long distances using its long wings with slotted primaries. Its preference is for prey that typically follows local cycles which dictates that it is quite nomadic in its habits, especially in drier regions.

This Secretarybird flew to a group of decent sized bushes further and lower down the rocky ridge. Balance becomes an issue for a tall raptor trying to land on flimsy branches. Its long wings helped but this individual struggled to stay balanced.

The plumage of this unique raptor’s crown, upperparts, and lesser and median wing coverts is blue-grey, and the underparts and underwing coverts are lighter grey to grey-white. The crest is made up of 20 long black feathers, resembling quills, growing from the nape. The scapulars, primary and secondary flight feathers, rump and thighs are black, while the uppertail coverts are white. It has grey rectrices which have a trailing black edge and in the centre of the tail two streamer feathers, which project around 50 per cent beyond the longest of the other rectrices.

“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.” ~ Jana Kingsford

After a minute of so of struggling to find a stable footing, this Secretarybird flew further down the ridge to more prominent bushes. Its short toes reduce its ability to grasp objects with its feet, especially thin branches.

It landed on top of a reasonable sized Shepherd tree and again struggled to find purchase and its balance. Although unmistakably raptorial there are several other aspects of its morphology which differ markedly from those of any other living bird of prey. Its long pink stilt-like legs are well protected from snake or lizard bites by a layer of thick scales. The toes are short with the hind toe being particularly reduced, and the talons blunt. Both features adapted to the terrestrial lifestyle of this ‘marching eagle’, and make effective stomping weapons.

There is a degree of sexual dimorphism in Secretarybirds with males being slightly larger than females and having longer wings and longer central streamer tail feathers. The male has a shorter more rounded head and more blue-grey upperparts plumage. Both adults have bare facial skin around the beak and eyes. The facial skin is yellow around the gape and cere, and red-orange around the eye. The eyes have unusually long eyelashes. The male has less extensive bare facial skin behind his eyes. So this wanderer looked to be a male.

“Glittering eyes in the wilderness is the poetry of nature in motion.” ~ Robbie George

When hunting, the Secretarybird strides across the landscape, arching its head back and forward like a metronome, in an immediately recognisable gait. Secretarybirds are estimated to walk at an pace of around 2.5 to 3.0 km per hour so can cover up between 20 and 30 kilometres a day.

This raptor species captures small prey, like insects, by simply bending forward and grabbing them with its beak before swallowing them whole. When the Secretarybird encounters larger prey, it compensates for the loss of grasping toes and sharp talons by stamping powerfully and accurately with its feet to dispatch its quarry.

These raptors are known to stomp on the ground close to shrubs where animals may hide to flush prey out into the open where they are more easily caught. The taxonomic name for the Secretarybird, Sagittarius serpentarius, translates as ‘the archer of snakes’ and reflects this bird’s ability to kill even dangerous venomous species of snake using its characteristic stomping technique.

When hunting, Secretarybirds stride across the ground looking for something edible. Once found, they stomp on it until it is dead or knock it down with a speedy kick. This method of hunting is commonly applied to lizards or snakes. It has a quick, powerful kick equivalent to a force equal to five times its own body weight. This hunter also uses its wings for balance in the attack. Although the Secretarybird has a reputation for killing snakes, including venomous ones, it seldom finds and targets them.

“Nature is the candle of inspiration that ignites the wildness of your soul.” ~ Robbie George

Secretarybirds can chase after their prey at high speeds, using their wings to boost speed and give added balance while running to catch its quarry.

Quite a lot of effort for a medium-sized grasshopper. With very short toes and limited grasping ability, rather than carrying prey away with its feet like other birds of prey, the Secretarybird tends to eat it immediately or carry it away in its beak. Secretarybirds normally eat their prey whole, although if too big they will hold it down with their feet whilst tearing it apart, similar to other birds of prey.

As Secretarybirds stride through the grasslands they do not get it all their own way. They are dive bombed by starlings and lapwings all trying to chase them away from their nests and young.

“It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest.” ~ Sir David Attenborough.

Birdlife’s “Bird of the Year 2019” article highlighted that the Secretarybird was facing a bleak future. The Secretarybird’s global conservation status was last assessed in April 2020 and its status was elevated from vulnerable (in 2016) to Endangered. Unfortunately, the Secretarybird’s range is decreasing rapidly, especially in recent decades, from countries such as South Africa, Botswana and Tanzania. It has even dwindled dramatically in the Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest protected areas due to bush encroachment and an increase in the tall vegetation cover, resulting in loss of open habitat that the species prefers. Secretarybirds are intrinsically reliant on wide expanses of suitable habitat, so increasing human activities such as intensive crop farming, overgrazing, commercial afforestation and sprawling urban and rural human settlement are reducing, fragmenting and degrading the Secretarybird’s supporting landscapes at an accelerating rate.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

Mashatu is a private game reserve in the south eastern part of Botswana and is the largest part of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve (NOTUGRE). The wildlife is free to move in and out of the reserve. To the east is the Shashi river which demarcates the border with Zimbabwe and is an area of intensive poaching. On the northern side of the reserve is the Tuli Circle. The western border is the Tuli Safari reserve. The southern border is along the Motloutse river which flows into the Limpopo river. In the dry season there is minimal water in the rivers so the water does not limit the movement of game. The elephants, lions and cheetahs seem to move wherever they want to.

“…few can sojourn long within the unspoilt wilderness of a game sanctuary, surrounded on all sides by its confiding animals, without absorbing its atmosphere; the Spirit of the Wild is quick to assert supremacy, and no man of any sensibility can resist her.” ~ James Stevenson-Hamilton

We visited Rock Camp in Mashatu in February this year which was mid summer and usually the period of highest rainfall. Mashatu is a reserve of massive seasonal contrasts. November to March is the highest rainfall period and the reserve transforms into what looks like the garden of Eden carpeted with yellow, mauve and pink flowers and the place is a verdant green. In winter, from June to August and early spring, there is no rain and it becomes very dry and barren away from the rivers. In particularly dry seasons it can look somewhat like a moonscape.

“One cannot resist the lure of Africa.” ~ Rudyard Kipling

We stayed at a syndicated camp called Rock Camp, so called because of the large outcrop of highly weathered rocks next to the camp, an unusual feature in Mashatu. The rock outcrop attracts a resident Klipspringer family, a leopard family with the cubs hidden in a cave, and a family of hyaenas which have made their den in other side of the rock outcrop. The klipspringers come into camp regularly and seem to prefer a section of the outcrop where there is a large fig tree growing out of the wall at one section of the outcrop.

The hyaena adults were returning from one of their nightly hunting forays. We usually get going by 6h00 in summer so we were lucky to see them. The clouds show how overcast some of the mornings were.

The returning adults make a low sounding contact call which brought the cubs out of their den. The den was a cave deep in the rocks which was home to two small cubs.

The eternal competition between cubs vying for attention when the adults return.

One of the older cubs found a large bone, possibly an Eland’s tibia. It walked away from all the others to gnaw on the bone in peace.

After a cool rainy evening, this colourful Common flat lizard was lying on top of the rocks trying to warm up and waiting for insects to appear on the rocks.

On a rare sunny early morning we found a family of Black backed jackals lying in the devil thorn flowers. The two pups were playing with each other while their mother rested.

The jackal pups were carefree in their play as the yellow devil thorn flowers had not yet turned into actual devil thorns so the yellow carpet of flowers was still soft underfoot.

On another morning we came across a family of Banded mongooses. There is one family that visits the camp each day but this one was was just beyond the rocks foraging next to the gravel road.

There were always some members of the family which were scouting for any danger. Close to where these mongooses were foraging was a grove of large Apple leaf trees which was home to a family of Verreaux’s eagle-owls so vigilance was necessary.

With the rain overnight, there were many puddles in the road which attracted the mongooses. Both the adults and youngsters played in the water.

“The eye never forgets what the heart has seen.” ~ African Proverb

Even though it was overcast most days it was still very warm. The mongooses seemed to really enjoy the shallow puddles of water in the gravel road.

There are many Steenbok in Mashatu. Away from the riverine areas it is more open countryside so these Steenbok were easier to see. This male Steenbok was resting amongst some bushes which the elephants had been feeding on.

A young male Steenbok, judging from the size of his horns, was lying under a young Shepherd tree partly for cover and perhaps some shade when the sun comes out.

There are many warthogs in Mashatu and they are prolific breeders. Warthogs live in small family groups called sounders. These consist of a male and female, along with one or more generations of their offspring. Sometimes sounders group together into larger groups, though each sounder keeps its identity.

Warthogs have litters of two to four piglets but their mortality rate is quite high due to predators such as lions, leopards and cheetahs. Two or three female warthogs form small sounders with their young as they look after the piglets.

A family herd of Plains zebra grazing amongst the mustard bushes west of the Majale river. In February, the heavy rain clouds always made a more interesting background. A sign of a health zebra is when its mane stands upright on its neck.

The Plains or Burchell’s zebra has black and white stripes which fade away under its belly and they have a shadow brown stripe on the sides and legs between its black stripes. This male zebra was full of the joys of summer and was playing around galloping and bucking all on his own.

A small herd of Wildebeest watching us drive by on our morning game drive. This herd was grazing on a low ridge close to the vlei area.

The Wildebeest and zebra were followed by flocks of Cattle egrets which were attracted by all the insects disturbed by the movement of grazing animals.

A Wildebeest calf’s attention was drawn to the Cattle egret next to it, but the egret seemed unconcerned.

“Animals try to live with nature. Man tries to change nature.” ~ Anthony Douglas Williams

Eland are always skittish in Mashatu and as a consequence are usually running away when you try to pass them. This female Eland was part of a larger herd, all running away from us. The female eland has longer wider horns and a small dewlap under her neck compared to the male.

Eland cows are usually shaded between ochre and tan, occasionally with faint white stripes running down the flanks. The bulls are darker in colour, and the dominant males take on deep blue-grey colour. Mature males carry a large dewlap under their necks which is thought to play a role in thermoregulation. While both sexes have a set of twisted horns. The bull’s horns are narrower and substantially more robust.

There are numerous giraffe in Mashatu. They are the Southern African species. This young giraffe was resting in the early morning.

Mashatu is also known for its numerous elephants which can be found all over the reserve. They need water every day so do not venture too far from water. During summer when there are abundant rains the elephants tend to be more spread throughout the reserve. The carpets of yellow devil thorn flowers brightened up the landscape.

“They say an elephant never forgets. What they don’t tell you is, you never forget an elephant.” ~ Bill Murray

Two young elephant bulls in the mobile herd were constantly playing and pushing each other around as they were walking.

We only saw this one young female leopard the whole week. This was partly because we could only go out on four of the 12 possible game drives in the six days because it was raining. The leopards are found along the rivers where the undergrowth is particularly thick in summer due to all the rain.

This female leopard was on morning territorial patrol and frequently sprayed her urine as she walked past croton bushes. When there is a lot of rain the cats have to mark their territory more often because the rains washes away their territorial scent markings.

The view from a ridge near the Majale river in Mashatu looking across a plain toward the red sandstone ridge on the other side of the Limpopo river. The rains transform this landscape into greens and yellows in summer which is in stark contrast to the browns of winter.

“The sky is an infinite movie to me. I never get tired of looking at what’s happening up there.” ~ K. D. Lang

We found this lone male also patrolling his territory in mid morning. He is one of a coalition of two males that have taken over the Mashatu territory in the last two years.

This male was cooling under the shade of a small Shepherd tree. He was not asleep around mid-morning probably because he was patrolling this territory after the rains.

This handsome male who did not look battle scarred so the territory take over must have been relatively easy as they took it from a large single male who was pushed out east onto the Charter reserve. Male lions are known to move between Mashatu, across the border into South Africa and Zimbabwe and back again.

Despite the fact we only got to do a third of the possible 12 game drives because of the rain, the drives we did go on were very productive with good sightings. Just to drive around when it was so green and verdant with carpets of yellow and pink colours made a superb visual spectacle.

“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.” ~ Socrates

Mashatu Game Reserve does not have huge numbers of each species but it has a wide variety of species. Usually the leopard sightings along the Majale river are as good as you will see in any of the Greater Kruger private reserves. Being able to go off road is particularly valuable for photographers because it enables them to get into a better position and more often than not to get a lot closer to their subjects.

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ~ W.B. Yeats

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

By chance we were back in the “big smoke” for a week after our week at Giant’s Castle when my brother Jerry told me that his guest who was going to take the week in Mashatu could not make it. Helen and I jumped at the opportunity to return to Mashatu in February this year which was toward the end of the rainy season. We are members of a syndicate operating Rock Camp in Mashatu which is sited along the Limpopo river close to the Ponte Drift border post.

“Opportunities do not come with their values stamped upon them. Everyone must be challenged. A day dawns, quite like other days; in it, a single hour comes, quite like other hours; but in that day and in that hour the chance of a lifetime faces us.” ~ Maltbie Davenport Babcock

There is prolific bird life in Mashatu when in and around the camp and when on game drives. Part of the beauty is that you often do not see the same species on consecutive game drives.

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” — Sun Tzu

A male Bearded woodpecker in a large tree in the front of Rock Camp’s patio. The top of the male’s crown is red while the female’s crown is black, otherwise they look similar. They use their beaks to search for grubs under the bark and to communicate by tapping on the trunks of trees.

This Blue waxbill waited for the activity around bird bath to quieten down and proceeded to have a proper bath. It was very hot so many of the birds that visited the bird bath also bathed to cool down.

A male Green-winged pytillia was also cooling down in the heat of the afternoon.

A Spotted flycatcher found a perfect perch from which to hawk insects in the heat of the afternoon behind the Rock Camp main lodge near the swimming pool. The Spotted flycatcher is a summer visitor and is identified by the light brown streaks on its buff coloured breast and belly.

“Most people miss great opportunities because of their misperception of time. Don’t wait! The time will never be just right.” ~ Stephen C. Hogan

Although there are many birds in the camp area, it was summer so the birdlife was more spread out and could find water everywhere. There are many Sabota larks in Mashatu. This lark is identified by the strong brown streaks on its chest and its distinctive white eyebrow. This species seems to prefer the Mopani woodland interspersed with rocky areas where the grass is sparse.

Southern African summer is a time when the palearctic and inter-Africa migrants arrive to feast on the profusion of insects that respond to the rains and warmth. Mashatu is well known for being a good area to see most of the species of cuckoo which visit in summer. The most common cuckoo was the Diedrick’s cuckoo. The male has barred flanks, white flecking on the wing, white patches in front of and behind the eye, and a distinctly red eye surrounded by a red eye-ring.

The bronze-green female has a diagnostic white patch in front of the eye, a plain back, and white patches in the wings and her eye ring is brown not red. Both images are of male Diederik’s cuckoo as the female has a more pronounced coppery sheen on her back. The name “diederik” is an approximate rendition of the loud, persistent “deed-deed-deed-er-ick” call of the territorial male.

At Rock Camp we often hear the distinctive call of a Black cuckoo along the Limpopo river but I have yet to see one. During this visit we saw many Jacobin cuckoos but very few Striped cuckoos. Usually it is the other way around.

The Jacobin is differentiated from the Striped or Levaillant’s cuckoo because the former does not have black stripes on its chest. Both the Jacobin and Striped cuckoos have black plumage on their head and a crest on the back of the head. Both species have black and white bars on their tail feathers.

We also regularly see the Great spotted cuckoo. This is the largest of the summer migrant cuckoos. The adult is grey above, it has a grey cap, grey wings, a yellowish face and upper breast, and white underparts. This species of cuckoo prefers warm open woodland savanna. It feeds on insects, spiders, small reptiles and hairy caterpillars, which are avoided by many birds. Like most cuckoo species, this is a brood parasite, but it targets larger species such as crows and starlings

Another summer migrant is the Carmine bee-eater. It has exquisite carmine red, blue and brown plumage with an aquamarine crown. It is an adept aerial hunter and is usually seen hawking flying insects in the afternoon when it is very hot.

We see Carmine bee-eaters – young and adult. The fledged juveniles are browner and have not yet developed that gorgeous carmine breast and throat plumage and its crown has not yet turned to a vivid aquamarine.

Several shrikes are also summer visitors such as the Lesser grey shrike and the Red-backed shrike. The Red-backed shrike is quite skittish and normally will not let you get close so a long focal length lens is needed. This shrike migrates from its breeding grounds in eastern Europe and Russia down to southern Africa.

The Fiscal, Southern White-crowned shrikes and Grey-headed bushshrike are common residents in Mashatu. Another migrant, the Lesser grey shrike has a full black facial mask with a grey crown and back. Its belly, chest and throat plumage are white. These shrikes hawk insects from a prominent perch. The Lesser grey shrike also migrates to southern Africa from its breeding grounds in southern Europe and western Asia.

The White-browed sparrow-weaver is a common resident. It has a distinctive white eyebrow, black cap and black malar stripe. This species is very talkative and seems to be constantly busy building its untidy nests on the west side of larger trees. Since breeding mainly occurs in the warmer months, it may be because easterly winds prevail during summer, thus the nests are more protected on the western side of the tree.

A male Chestnut-backed sparrow-lark. It has a distinctive chestnut coloured back and covert plumage. Its head is black and it has a white cheek and white stripe on its nape. These diminutive sparrow larks are found in the dry rocky areas of Mashatu. They are normally seen in small flocks.

A male Black-backed puffback shrike. This diminutive shrike is usually heard before it is seen. The male has a black crown and face mask and a bright red eye. The female differs in that it does not have a black face mask. This is a highly active shrike constantly moving around in the upper reaches of the tree canopy. The males puffout the loose white rump and lower back feathers in display.

The ubiquitous Lilac-breasted roller. A stunningly coloured roller which is common in Mashatu. It was usually seen hawking insects from a perch. In Mashatu during summer, we see very few European rollers and the odd Purple roller. By contrast, we saw many more European rollers further south in Zululand and very few Lilac-breasted roller in that region.

“We’ve moved from a small world on a big planet to a big world on a small planet.” ~ Johan Rockstrom

Another summer migrant, a Woodland kingfisher. Its trilling call can be heard in camp and along the Majale river. It is an insect eater with a vibrant turquoise blue back, wing and tail plumage.

A Barn swallow migrates to the southern Africa summer flying from across Eurasia. This annual migration has been recorded covering up to 11,660 km. The Barn swallow is distinguished by its brown forehead and throat and steel blue back and shoulder plumage and white breast with a steel blue collar.

“Taking an image, freezing a moment, reveals how rich reality truly is.” ~ Anonymous

A male Paradise whydah preening himself. Whydahs are distinguished from widow birds as the former has more colour on its body. Widow birds have all black plumage but for a flash of colour on their throat, rump or shoulders. The Paradise whydahs congregate in flocks and the females are parasitic breeders. The male Paradise whydah is all black except for a thick brown band across its chest to its shoulders and a yellow-buff coloured nape and belly.

A male Namaqua dove preening itself.

The bantam-like Crested francolin foraging in the underground. These francolin can be heard all over Mashatu and often gives away the presence of either a predator or snake.

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” Henry David Thoreau

The ever shy Kori bustard. This bird will always walk away from you in Mashatu and will not let you get close. Usually we see a single Kori but at times we are lucky enough to see the whole family which can comprise two adults and three juveniles. This is a ground-dwelling bird and an opportunistic omnivore. Male Kori bustards can be more than twice the weight of a female and will try to breed with as many females as possible and consequently takes little or no part in the raising of the young.

We invariably see a Secretary bird striding around the southern section of Mashatu near the vlei. It strides through the grasslands searching for anything from small birds to rodents, and grasshoppers to chameleons. The Secretary bird is a large bird standing up to 1.3 metres in height and is instantly recognisable because of its eagle-like body on crane-like legs which give this raptor its height.

“The value of biodiversity is that it makes our ecosystems more resilient, which is a prerequisite for stable societies; its wanton destruction is akin to setting fire to our lifeboat.” ~ Johan Rockstrom

The Secretary bird hunts and catches prey on the ground and is very nimble aided by its wings. Having caught its prey it usually stomps on its victim to kill it. Being a bird of prey it is carnivorous. The sexes resemble one another, although the male is larger and tends to have longer tail feathers, more black erectile crest plumes, a shorter head and more blue-grey upperparts and less extensive bare orange facial skin behind the eye.

One of my favourites, a Lanner falcon perched on top of a Shepherd tree scanning the surrounding area for potential prey which can include queleas, doves and sandgrouse. This falcon is larger than a Peregrine and usually hunts in a horizontal pursuit rather than a vertical dive. The Lanner has a brown crown and a buff coloured head with a black eye stripe and a black malar stripe. Its belly is buff coloured with brown blotches across its chest and belly. Watching this bird of prey hunt is a thrilling experience because of its sheer speed.

A beige morph Tawny eagle. This species of eagle has many colours from fawn to tawny, striped and even a dark morph.

Tawny Eagles are opportunistic hunters, meaning they will feed on just about anything they are able to catch or find. They will hunt mammals including hares and dikdiks, birds such as francolins, bustards, and even hornbills, and will also take reptiles, such as lizards,  fish, amphibians, and insects (including termites). They are not adverse to scavenging on a predator kill.

I was confused as to whether this was a dark morph Booted eagle or a juvenile African hawk-eagle. A lifelong birder, Terence Archibald, thankfully corrected me indicating it was a juvenile African hawk-eagle highlighting it strong beak, powerful talons, narrow stovepipe like leg feathers and spots on the wing coverts. This is an aggressive aerial hunter, targeting mainly birds up to the size of francolin and small-sized mammals. It will also prey on rodents and lizards when it can find them. This raptor prefers miombo and especially Mopane woodland in southern Africa.

A Brown snake-eagle with its distinctive brown plumage and vivid yellow eye. Snake-eagles have a distinctive angular shape to their head, with a crest of sorts on the back of its head and a small very hooked beak. We see many Brown Snake-eagles in Mashatu but no Black-chested snake-eagles or Western banded snake-eagles.

The Limpopo river is the southern boundary of Mashatu. There are numerous pairs of Fish-eagles along the Limpopo but every now and then one or a pair venture along the Majale river when it is drying out hoping to find stranded fish. A juvenile fish eagle can take between four and five years to develop its adult plumage.

The bird photography in Mashatu is highly productive. Patience and guidance is always required. The guides know where resident species stay and when unique species are in a particular area, which is particularly helpful.

There is a big difference in the diversity of species seen between summer and winter due to the influx of migrants in summer. Mashatu is known for its diversity of species and not necessary the quantity of a particular species. This is mainly because of the six different ecosystems in Mashatu which attract very different species.

“The diversity of the phenomena of nature is so great, and the treasures hidden in the heavens so rich, precisely in order that the human mind shall never be lacking in fresh nourishment.” ~ Johannes Kepler

This post has shown is just a smattering of the diversity of avian species that you can see in Mashatu. In summer this dry part of Botswana transforms into the garden of Eden with its verdant greenery and carpets of yellow and pink flowers. Inevitably, the garden provides a wonderful background for bird and wild wild photography.

“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” ~ Ansel Adams

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its diversity and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

Mashatu Game Reserve is located in the south-eastern corner of Botswana. There is a great variety of wildlife, both mammals and birds, in the several different ecosystems. In this post, I show a few images of the main mammal predators which I have seen prowling around Mashatu.

“It is in the wild places, where the edge of the earth meets the corners of the sky, the human spirit is fed.” ~ Art Wolfe

The main seasonal river coursing through Mashatu is the Majale river which flows into the Limpopo river. Along the Majale river the vegetation is verdant throughout the year with massive Mashatu (also known as Nyala berry) trees, Leadwoods, Apple leaf trees and groves of crotons. This is an ideal environment for leopards. When it is dry the game must come down to the Majale to drink for the remaining pools of water. There is also plenty of shade and large trees where the leopards are unlikely to be disturbed, unless a troop of baboons find them.

A young Spotted hyaena managed to steal the leg bone of an eland which it was taking back to its den. Hyaenas are able to crunch through these large bones to get at the marrow.

In a previous post, I showed images of a cheetah mother and her five sub-adult cubs and their interaction with a leopard. All the cubs were almost old enough to leave the family group. The cheetah mother and the sub-adult cubs were hunting effectively as a six member cheetah team. The next image shows one of the sub-adult cheetahs in the dried out vlei area where the six cheetah were stalking their way towards a herd of eland.

” Being privy to a hunt is like being let into one of nature’s secrets.” ~ Mike Haworth

With minimal cover, I was surprised to see how close the six cheetahs were able to approach the eland herd. The eland may have been more confident because there was a family herd of elephants foraging close by in the vlei. After watching the cheetahs stalking the eland for about half an hour they eventually gave up as there were no young eland small enough to take on.

On another occasion we were driving along the south side of the Majale river when we came across this female leopard lying in the shade under a Shepherd tree. It was around 9h00 so the sun was high enough and hot enough for the wildlife to be already seeking shade.

This leopardess was in a good position to look out for Impala and Steenbok which feed along the fringes of the verdant vegetation lining the banks of the Majale river. She looked like she had a busy previous night and was comfortably lying under the Shepherd tree. She looked unlikely to move unless baboons chased her or she saw prey wandering past. After watching her for a few minutes we left her in peace.

On the same day but in the late afternoon we found another leopard lying in the shade of a steep embankment along the Majale river. In Mashatu, we often found leopards lying on the ground in the early morning or late afternoon. At midday when the sun was at its highest and hottest, the leopard would invariably climb up into the one the large trees lining the Majale river to rest in peace in the shade.

“Predators have a restful peace about them when they are not hunting. In their restful state they are fully alert to all the sounds and smells around them. A form of meditation, restful but present.” ~ Mike Haworth

You can see that this female leopard was very comfortable in her lying position but she was awake and alert to all around her. She needed to be alert because lions and hyaenas would start their nightly patrol after the sun had set and she would need to be more careful when on the ground.

“The mind I love must have wild places.” ~ Katherine Mansfield

The cheetah family of six were lying under a Shepherd tree which was on an elevated ridge so they could see any potential prey if it wandered into their line of sight.

A portrait of the adult female cheetah lying in the shade of the Shepherd tree. The ridge they were lying on enabled us to photograph her at eye level.

On our last afternoon of our six night stay in Mashatu, we found one of the two prides of lion lying in the shade of several large Apple Leaf tees. The pride comprised two females and four cubs of around five months old. The females had killed a female eland so these lions had fed well. With bellies full they were very sleepy in the shade.

“True solitude is found in the wild places, where one is without human obligation. One’s inner voices become audible… In consequence, one responds more clearly to other lives.” ~ Wendell Berry

One of the four cubs lying in the shade after a good meal.

Another leopard lying in the shade on the horizontal bough of a large Apple leaf tree. She had a good vantage point and was able to scan a long section of the Majale river.

A lone male cheetah had brought down a male impala in the late afternoon. The shadows were lengthening so he was lying in the open next to the Shepherd tree with the carcass he had dragged under the tree. He had partially fed on the hind quarters of the impala and was likely to keep feeding for as long as he could, before the vultures spotted the carcass.

A close up of this male cheetah with his prey in the background. We watched him for about fifteen minutes then left him in peace. Hopefully he got the opportunity to eat most of his meal without interruption from hyaenas, jackals or vultures.

On a separate occasion, we found the two lionesses and their four cubs. It was family time with the cubs and females very relaxed in the late morning shade. One cub was very affectionate towards its mother and received a good grooming in response.

The young are always inquisitive. This lion cub was no exception, it walked toward our game vehicle for a closer look and lay down and just watched us. It was a very peaceful scene where the cubs did not pester their mothers for milk. Lion cubs only drink milk for around the first 10 weeks, then the weaning process is usually complete when the lion cubs are 10 months old.

Leopards are found all along the Majale river whereas the lionesses tend to operate in the southern section of Mashatu where there is plenty of game and thick reed beds to hide their cubs when the lionesses go hunting. The male lions patrol their territory so can be found anywhere in Mashatu. The hyaenas den all over Mashatu with their most recent den being in the rock outcrop next to Rock Camp, close to the Limpopo river. The cheetahs are the most nomadic of all the cats.

‘We need wild places. They give us perspective. We realise that there is much going on around us other than ourselves. There is something refreshing about the deep whispers and quiet communication with nature.” ~ Mike Haworth

There is a wonderful variety of wildlife in Mashatu. The leopards are particularly plentiful along the Majale river. I once saw six different leopards in one day along the Majale river.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

Mashatu Game Reserve is located in south eastern Botswana. It is a dry part of Botswana where the rains usually only fall between November and April each year. In September, it is early spring in Mashatu and is very dry.

I am fortunate to be part of a syndicate which operates Rock Camp, a bush camp, located along the Limpopo river in Mashatu close to the Pont Drift border post. The camp has a water hole in front of it which attracts a variety of animals during the winter and spring months. The camp also has several stone bird baths which are filled daily and attract birds during the dry period. The stone bird baths are concave and have been shaped by rural women manually grinding maize in food preparation over many years. Many of the birds shown in this post were photographed at the camp’s bird baths. Others did not seem to require water as regularly.

“In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.” ~ Robert Lynd

A Yellow-bellied bulbul or Greenbul. It can be identified by its olive-green upperparts and yellow underparts. It has a red eyes and clear white eyelids. I have only ever seen Greenbuls in Mashatu.

Another unusual visitor was this Terrestrial Bulbul or Brownbul. This bird has the GISS ( General Shape and Size) of a bulbul. It has dull light brown upperparts and whitish throat and underparts and it has a dark red eye. This insect eater prefers thickly vegetated habitats such as the croton groves along the Limpopo river.

An Ashy flycatcher with grey upperparts and white underparts. Its wing feathers and tail have a brownish tinge to them. This dainty little flycatcher prefers the riverine forests and broad leafed woodlands. It hawks insects from same perch which helps photographers.

A Grey-headed bushshrike taking a few deep drinks of water in the midday heat. You will invariably hear this bushshrike’s long piping call well before you see it. Its colours are vivid with a grey-head and a bright yellow eye. It has an olive green back and tail feathers. Its throat and belly are a bright yellow and its breast is orange.

A Tropical boubou slating its thirst on a warm day in Mashatu. The Tropical boubou distribution overlaps the Southern boubou in the south eastern section of Botswana. The Tropical boubou differs from its Southern cousin as it has a almost white underparts with a slight pinkish tinge where as its Southern cousin has a deeper cinnamon-orange wash on its belly and vent.

A White-crested helmet-shrike. This pied coloured shrike has black upperparts and white underparts. It has a white forecrown and the rest of the crown is grey. It has a black stripe on its cheeks and a striking bright yellow eye wattle. This species is noisy and normally flies in groups of between six and 12 birds.

“Listen to silence. It has much to say.” ~ Rumi

When driving along the dry river beds in the game vehicle we often find White-fronted bee-eaters which are resident in Mashatu. They hawk insects from either a branch jutting of the riverbank or from a protruding rock in the dry river bed. They seem to call to each other continuously. They have to regurgitate the exoskeleton of many of the insects they catch which is what this character is about to do.

A special treat, a yellow-morph Crimson-breasted shrike. We found it in the dry thorn veld along a drainage line in Mashatu. We were privileged to have extensive sightings of this unusual morph on two separate days.

A Crimson-breasted shrike singing away to its mate a few trees away next to the Appleleaf grove alongside the vlei in Mashatu. The crimson plumes on its underparts is one of the most vivid colours in the bush. This shrike is resident in Mashatu. It is unusual to have this shrike perched out in the open as they are usually very active moving in and through thorn bushes.

Similar to the White-fronted bee-eater, this Lilac-breasted roller was agitated by an intruder in its territory. This roller hawks insects from a perch but does not always return to the same perch. It also has to regurgitate the exoskeleton of the insects it feeds on.

A Sabota lark singing away from a dead branch in a prominent position. All larks have the distinctive white eyebrow but this species has a white throat with uneven streaks, and dark brown streaks on its chest. The Sabota lark is resident in Mashatu and its preferred habitat is Mopane woodland with sparse grass cover.

This was the first time I had seen a Great sparrow. It is the one and only individual that I have ever seen. It came down to the bird bath, had a deep drink of water and left never to be seen again. We see many Southern grey-headed sparrows which come down to drink at the birdbath every 45 minutes in the heat of the day.

” As a photographer you focus on your subject, time the interaction, take notice of your background, recognise the direction and quality of the light which is about seeing the whole rather than just the subject.” ~ Mike Haworth

Also regular visitors to the bird bath during the heat of the day are Blue waxbills. It is unusual to find power blue colours in the bush. Being very small they usually have to give way to the larger birds. These waxbills have powder blue plumes on their face, neck, chest, and flanks. Their belly is white and their upperparts are a light brown colour. The shape of the beak indicates that these diminutive birds are seed eaters.

A male Red-billed firefinch. This species is a frequent daily visitor to the camp’s birdbath. This firefinch has red underparts with white spots on its flanks. Its upper parts are a brownish red and it has a red rump. A key factor distinguishing this firefinch from the Jameson’s firefinch is its red beak. The shape of its beak shows it is a seed eater.

A male Jameson’s firefinch drinking from the camp’s birdbath in the middle of the day. Note this firefinch has a black to steel-grey beak. The underparts are more rose pink than red.

A Tawny-flanked prinia waiting for the traffic around the bird bath to clear. This is a slender, unstreaked warbler (prinias are sometimes called long-tailed warblers) which has a long graduated tail and has light brown upper parts and pale beige underparts. This prinia has a distinctive light coloured eyebrow. This small bird likes to forage in riverine scrub and thickets which are found along the Limpopo. The prinia’s beak is typical of an insectivore being thin and slightly curved.

A Red-billed buffalo-weaver. This is a large black plumed weaver with a vivid red beak. It has white streaks on its shoulders and flanks.

A family of Natal spurfowls came to drink when the bird bath was clear. These spurfowls will not come to the bird bath to drink if there is chatter and movement on the lodge’s patio near the bird bath. In the foreground are two juvenile Natal spurfowls with their mother at the back. Female spurfowls do grow spurs but they are smaller than those on the male legs. The juveniles had not yet started to develop spurs.

” Be quiet and be patient, you will begin to see subtleties, notice more and start to recognise the interconnectedness.” ~ Mike Haworth

The Brown-hooded kingfisher is a resident around the camp in the winter and autumn months. It seems to get pushed out by the Woodland kingfishers when they arrive in late spring. The Brown-hooded kingfisher is one of the five southern African kingfishers which do not hunt fish, but insects instead. The Striped Kingfisher can be confused with the Brown-hooded Kingfisher but the striped is the smaller of the two and has well defined stripes on its crown, a black eyestripe and its beak is two coloured with the maxilla being dark brown and the lower mandible being red. The Brown-hooded kingfisher has a red maxilla and mandible and no black eye band.

A Burchell’s coucal in an unusual position. It has creamy-white underparts, a black head, a ruby red eye and a black beak. It looks similar to a Senegal coucal but it has finely barred upper tail coverts which can be seen backlit.

“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” ~ Mohandas Gandhi

A female Red-crested korhaan. These korhaans are shy and will immediately start walking away from you as soon as they see you. The female has light brown upperparts with distinctive white V marks. It has a white breast and black belly plumes. The female does not have the red crest which the male uses during mating displays.

The birds I have shown were mostly seen around the bird bath in camp. The migrants had not yet arrived and when they do arrive they significantly multiply the numbers and species of bird that can bee seen. The several different ecosystems in Mashatu facilitate the diversity of birds resident in the south eastern part of Botswana.

“In silence there is eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern improves.” ~ Rumi

A bird bath in a bush camp is likely to attract many different types of birds especially in the drier times where water is hard to find. Many of the birds are skittish and not used any close proximity to human activity. I have found the best time to photograph birds around the camp bird baths is after everyone has had brunch and they retire to their rooms for a siesta. When it is quiet in camp it is remarkable how many birds arrive at the bird bath. Some are regular daily visitors and come down to drink every hour or so, such as the waxbills, sparrows, weavers and starlings. Others visit occasionally.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

September in Mashatu is early spring but the rains have not fallen for the past five months so it is very dry, especially away from the main rivers. At this time of the year we get out of camp at 6h00 every morning because sunrise is a few minutes before 6h00.

“It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.” ~ Aristotle

This particular morning, our guide Justice, decided to drive along the M1 past the airfield. The M1, as it is affectionately known, is the main gravel road from the Pontdrift border post to Mashatu main and tented camps. We had been driving for about half an hour when Justice received a message over the radio that there were five cheetahs about 100 metres off the M1 opposite the airfield.

“Wake up early every day so that while others are still dreaming, you can make your dreams come true.” ~ Hal Elrod

After a short search we found the five cheetahs scattered about thirty metres apart lying down in the shade of various acacia and shepherd trees. The cheetah in the image below was playing with dried out ball of elephant dung. All cheetahs, even when they are a few months old, have black tear markings from under their eyes running either side of the nose down to the mouth. These black tear markings are thought to reduce the sun’s glare and improve focus on the targeted prey when moving at speed.

The five cheetahs comprised a cheetah mother and her four almost fully grown male cubs. The flick of the tail showed that the tail is flat from about 200mm from the body. The tail is flattened on a vertical axis and acts as a rudder when the cheetah is moving at high speed.

The terrain was very dry which helped the photography and also helped the cheetahs see further under the trees. You will notice that cheetahs do not all lie in the same direction. This is so they can see an incoming threat or prey from any direction.

We watched the cheetahs resting in the shade for about fifteen minutes when all of sudden all five cheetahs got up very quickly and rushed off together.

One of the cheetahs saw a leopard walking some distance away. Usually a cheetah would not take on a leopard which is much stronger and more aggressive. The leopard saw the incoming cheetahs in time and bolted.

The leopard decided not to take on the five cheetahs and climbed up a small shepherd’s tree. The cheetah were highly excited chirping constantly and moved to within 20 meters of the leopard in the shepherd tree. Cheetahs are able to climb inclined trees or trees with little vegetation but their climbing ability is restricted by their non-retractable claws. They climb the trees to be able to see further across the plains. These cheetahs could not have climbed the dense shepherd tree to get at the leopard.

The stand-off lasted a few minutes after which two of the cheetahs lost interest and started to move away. That was the cue for the leopard to get out of the shepherd tree and make a dash for it. The movement immediately triggered a reaction of all the cheetahs and they chased after the leopard. Realistically, not even five cheetahs would take on the leopard in a fight but the leopard was taking no chances and when the cheetahs were closing in, it scaled up a heavily thorned acacia tree. I looked at the size of the thorns in that acacia and the leopard must have been severely pricked by all the thorns.

“Resilience is all about being able to overcome the unexpected. Sustainability is about survival. The goal of resilience is to thrive.” ~ Jamais Cascio

Eventually, it became clear to the cheetahs that the leopard was not going to come down from the acacia while they were around so they lost interest and moved off.

All the excitement caught the attention of a lone Spotted hyaena which came over to investigate. When the hyaena arrived on the scene all it found were five cheetahs lying the the shade so it moved off too.

The cheetahs lay in the shade for some time. They had moved quite a distance from the treed leopard and the hyaena disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

After a period one cheetah rose and started to move off with its eyes fixed on something in the distance. The other four watched the lone cheetah walking off with intent.

The other cheetahs quickly picked up on the targeted prey which was an impala. The cheetahs must have run half a kilometre before eventually catching their prey. The take down was too far away for the hyaena to have seen what had happened. The hyaena would have tried to steal the carcass if it had seen what had happened. Immediately after the chase the cheetahs needed to catch their breath and rest due to the buildup of lactic acid in their muscles.

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” ~ Henry Ford

For a long time wildlife guides indicated that cheetahs overheat in a hunt and need to cool down before eating their prey. In an article published by the Royal Society, researchers Robyn Hetem et al, studied cheetah hunts at the Tusk Trust Cheetah Rehabilitation Camp within the Okonjima Nature Reserve which is home to the AfriCat Foundation. The research team found that body temperature averaged 38.4 degrees centigrade when the chase was terminated. Storage of body heat did not compromise hunts. The increase in the body temperature following a successful hunts was double that of an unsuccessful hunt even though the level of activity in the hunts was similar. The research paper proposed that the increase in body temperature following successful hunt was a stress hyperthermia, rather than an exercise-induced hyperthermia (https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2013.0472).

Cheetah’s eat their kill fast as it is often stolen by hyaenas or leopards. While the others were feeding there is always one or two cheetahs standing guard looking out for potential threats.

All the cheetahs got to feed on the kill without interruption. The cheetah mother is clearly a superb mother being able to bring up four male cheetah cubs almost to adulthood in a place where lions, leopards and hyaenas were ever present.

We must have spent around 90 minutes with this cheetah family experiencing the period of calm, the threats from unexpected visitors and eventually managing to get a successful kill which they got to finish themselves without interruption.

The interaction with the leopard is something that none of us had ever seen before especially when the appearance of the hyaena looked like it was going to destroy our chances any further action from the cheetahs. Given that cheetahs use a stalk and chase hunting strategy, if the hyaena had decided to shadow the cheetahs it would have seen the chase. The chase and kill took place more than half a kilometre from where we saw the hyaena so thankfully there was no interruption by the hyaena.

“You have got to be out there to experience unusual sightings. Fortune favours those who go out and look for the unexpected. Sitting in your armchair dreaming of fascinating experiences will never build memories and create stories.” ~ Mike Haworth

Our vehicle and one other game viewing vehicle were privileged to experience a fascinating morning watching this family of five cheetahs go through a gambit of experiences.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

Mashatu offers a variety of raptors many of which are resident but their numbers build as migrants arrive for the summer. I did not see a Martial eagle this trip but there is a pair resident in Mashatu and I am told that Black eagle’s have been seen hunting dassies in the rock outcrop next to Rock Camp near the Limpopo river.

I have a penchant for raptors which started in high school at Falcon College in Zimbabwe where falconry was encouraged as an extra mural activity and there was an active ornithological society which was overseen by our english teacher, Peter Steyn, now a recognised authority on raptors.

“If I have ever seen magic, it is in Africa.” ~ Ernest Hemmingway

A favourite of the larger raptors is the African Hawk-eagle. This is one of the most aggressive predators I have come across and it hunts in pairs making it even more dangerous. The female is the larger of the pair. Once the morning air warms up sufficiently for thermals to develop this pair of African hawk-eagles can be regularly seen soaring over Mashatu. This species prefers assorted woodland in drier areas. It is a relatively large diurnal and non-migratory bird of prey.

The African hawk-eagle can be mistaken for a Martial eagle from a distance but the Martial is around 30% larger than the African hawk-eagle and has dark brown plumage on its throat and chest whereas the African hawk-eagle has dark streaking from just below its beak and eyes down to its legs. The African Hawk-eagle has a varied diet preying upon birds, from francolins to hornbills and guineafowl. It also feeds on mammals (such as hares, dik-diks, squirrels, monkeys, and mongoose), reptiles and occasionally on insects.

Even though the main river coursing through Mashatu, the Majale, is seasonal, we often see Fish eagles along this river. Sometimes there are remaining pools of water which have trapped Catfish. More often than not in spring the Fish eagles can be seen along the Limpopo river on the southern and eastern border of Mashatu where large pools of water remain throughout the year.

A closeup of the Fish eagle reveals how big this raptor is, with its large strong beak to rip open its prey. Its feet has rough soles and are equipped with powerful talons to enable it to grasp slippery aquatic prey. When the fish are few and far between the Fish eagle will adapt and catch water birds such as ducks, ibis, storks, herons, Greater and Lesser flamingos, also small turtles and terrapins, baby crocodiles, lizards, frogs, and carrion. African fish eagles are known to steal the catch of other bird species (such as Goliath herons), which is behavior known as kleptoparasitism. Its distinctive cry is one of the more evocative sounds of Africa.

“Hearing a Fish eagle cry you are transported to a cathedral of large trees lining a river in Africa. It is early in the morning, it is fresh, the colours are soft pastels blues, mauves, greens, and apricots, the air is still and the river reflects the sky.” ~ Mike Haworth

A juvenile Gabar goshawk hunting red-billed queleas from a hidden vantage point. This is a small goshawk and the juvenile has quite different coloured plumage to the adult which has grey upper parts, a light grey throat and chest and grey horizontal barring on its belly legs and rump. Gabars tend to hunt in pairs. They perch on the sides of bushes and trees, waiting for hunting opportunities. They are highly agile and can climb through branches to attack their prey. Given their small size they prey on queleas and weavers and juvenile francolin and guineafowl. These goshawks will also prey on small mammals, reptiles and insects.

A melanistic Gabar goshawk perched on a dead tree trunk next to the Apple Leaf grove alongside the vlei. This is a dark morph and is seen occasionally. It seems to be able to hunt just as effectively as its normal coloured cousin. Melanism is known to occur more regularly in the Gabar goshawk than in other species of birds.  It is caused by an excess of the dark pigment in their feathers making the birds look dark all over.  This is one of the few raptors recognised to be polymorphic and the melanistic morph occurs in up to 25% of individuals in some areas.

A Greater kestrel is not often seen in Mashatu. It has a beige plumage with brown streaks on its throat and chest and brown bars on its upper parts and belly. It is a perch hunter. It feeds mainly on invertebrates such as grasshoppers, termites, beetles and sun spiders. It also preys on lizards and sometimes small birds, mammals and snakes.

“The eye never forgets what the heart has seen.” ~ African proverb

This Greater kestrel was perched on top of a Shepherd’s tree. These raptors are often seen perching conspicuously in an isolated tree which gives them a good view of the surrounding area. It is usually found in semi-desert, grassland, and arid savanna which in winter and spring makes Mashatu one of its hunting grounds.

A Verreaux eagle-owl first thing in the morning. These large owls are nocturnal hunters so retreat to the deep shade of a large Apple Leaf of Mashatu tree when the sun rises high in the sky. We usually see a pair of Verreaux’s eagle-owls when we leave camp first thing in the morning. They seem to enjoy the thick foliage of the Apple Leaf trees next to the rock outcrop near Rock Camp. This is the largest owl in Africa. Apart from its large size, an easy identifiable feature is its whitish face and noticeable pink eyelids when it blinks. The ears have distinct ear tufts. This eagle-owl is known to hunt mammals such as genets, hares, small monkeys, squirrels, bats, rats, birds (including other owls) and mice. They will even go for a reptiles, insects and fish if available.

There are numerous Tawny eagles in Mashatu, including the different coloured morphs. The most common is the tawny coloured plumage seen in the image below. The image was taken to give some perspective as to the size of tree that this large eagle was sitting in. Tawny eagles are good hunters in their own right but are happy to feed to carrion if they find it before the vultures.

This is just a small selection of raptors that you can see while travelling around Mashatu. Its varied landscapes facilitates the diversity of birdlife. Mashatu is also home to Martial eagles, Dark chanting goshawks, Lanner falcons and a variety of vultures. Springtime heralds the arrival of the migrants such as Wahlbergs, Lesser spotted and Greater spotted eagles. You will not see Bateleur or Crowned eagles in this environment.

“Africa is mystic; it is wild; it is a sweltering inferno; it is a photographer’s paradise, a hunter’s Valhalla, an escapist’s Utopia. It is what you will, and it withstands all interpretations. It is the last vestige of a dead world or the cradle of a shiny new one. To a lot of people, as to myself, it is just home.” ~ Beryl Markham

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

Mashatu is a private game reserve in the Tuli Block which is in south-eastern Botswana. It has several ecosystems which are unique in Botswana. Along the seasonal rivers the vegetation is relatively thick, and the river is lined with large trees such as Leadwoods, Apple Leafs and Nyala Berries (affectionately called Mashatu trees). In the dry season from May to November much of the wildlife congregates around the remaining pools of water in the seasonal rivers. Away from the rivers there are grasslands, sections of mustard bushes, groves of crotons and large areas of mopanis and of dry acacia thornveld.

It is in the areas of acacia thornveld that we find Mashatu’s crimson jewels, Crimson-breasted shrikes. These shrikes have black upper parts and their tail is black. This shrike’s throat, chest and belly and vent are all a stunning scarlet-crimson red colour. Its beak is black and it has a purplish grey iris. It has a white flash on each wing, which is mainly black. The white flash does not show under the wing only on the upper side of the wing and by the look of it the white flash extends from the primary coverts to one or two primary feathers, similar to the Southern Boubou. Both sexes have the same colouration and are monomorphic.

Similar to the Southern boubou which is found along the rivers in Mashatu, this is a restless insect eater continuously hopping along the ground in search of insects and moving up and down and in and out of acacia thorn trees and semi-arid scrub.

Thankfully, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has rated this shrike as a “least-concern species”. That said, this shrike species is more often heard than seen. While this is not a shy bird but it is constantly moving which makes it relatively difficult to get a decent photograph of it. As is so often the case, persistence will reveal one shrike that will pose beautifully allowing worthwhile images to be captured.

Although it rates as a “least concern” species, it is usually only found in specific dry thornveld areas. In Mashatu, the shrike is non-migratory so we the Crimson-breasted shrikes in similar areas throughout the year.

In my experience, this species of shrike is more often found in pairs. Their breeding season is from October to January and the female lays two to three eggs which are incubated for around 16 days. The eggs vary in colour. All have variable sized brown blotches but the base shell colour varies from cream or light brown to a light blue-green colour. The Black cuckoo is known to be a brood parasite which lays its eggs in the cup-shaped nest of the Crimson-breasted shrike.

I have been visiting Mashatu regularly for 12 years and only in late 2022 did I see a yellow-morph Crimson-breasted shrike. This is only the second time I have seen one, the first occasion was at White River country club in Mpumalanga. The usual scarlet crimson red throat, chest and belly plumage is a vivid yellow in the yellow morph. In all other respects, the yellow morph behaves in the same way as the normal Crimson-breasted shrike. It was interesting to note that the Scarlet-crimson and yellow morph shrikes do not mix. It is well known that plumage colouration is important for birds as it helps them a variety of ways such as camouflage, mate selection, social signalling and many other physiological and behavioural processes.

There are times when you can be misled by the colours of the plumage and often this is just because the bird is moulting. On more rare occasions you come across and bird with a genetic mutation which interferes with its normal pigment. These mutations can be leucism (reduced melanin), melanism (excess of dark pigmentation), xanthochroism (excess of yellow and orange instead of the red pigment) or erythrism (more than normal red pigment). The yellow morph Crimson-breasted shrike probably has xanthochroism which is a relatively rare condition but also occurs in the Black collared barbet where the red coloured plumage on the head and throat is replaced by yellow. I have yet to see this colour morph on a Black-collared barbet.

The Crimson-breasted shrike forages on the ground and in shrubs and small acacia trees mainly for insects such as ants, beetles, caterpillars and small fruits.

Once you have heard the call of a Crimson-breasted shrike you will not forget it as it is so distinctive. The voice is a loud, penetrating bell-like, flute-like, zipping or tearing sound ‘kirik-dzui-kirik’ with several other snarling or clicking notes. (Source: https://dibird.com/species/crimson-breasted-shrike/).

Seeing and watching this yellow morph Crimson-breasted shrike on three occasions and having enough time to watch its behaviour was very special. Other than it was alone, this shrike behaved the same way was as the normal Crimson-breasted shrike.

Whether the bird is just moulting or is a colour morph it is still crucial to look at the General Impression of Size and Shape (GISS) of the bird when trying to identify it. The shape posture, wing type, flying style, preferred habitat and habits are all factors in the identification, even if the colour is not the same as in the reference bird book.

The birdlife in Mashatu is prolific and varied. The types of birds you are likely to see is governed by the seasons. For instance, in the southern hemisphere most of the inter-african and Palearctic migrants only arrive around September. Mashatu’s crimson jewel is resident and can be seen all year round.

Explore, seek to understand. marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

Mashatu Game Reserve is fondly known as the land of giants. There are seven giants which are the African elephant, lion, giraffe, the baobab tree, the eland, ostrich and the kori bustard. These giants can be found over the 31 000 hectares of rugged landscape. The animals are free to move in and out of the unfenced Mashatu and Tuli Bloc, and the Mapungubwe National Park in South Africa and the south western corner of Zimbabwe. Mashatu is a sanctuary for wildlife so no hunting or poaching is allowed.

“Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty. It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language.” ~ Aldo Leopold

Elephants are master landscapers. They are bush clearers, they open up channels in the reeds of perennial rivers and dig holes in dry river beds to access the groundwater just below the surface. This young elephant bull was descending a steep bank into the Majale river. If the slope is too steep an elephant will bend his back legs and drag them down the slope controlling his descend with his front legs.

Elephants are highly social animals with a complex range of behaviours. Their herds function as a ordered, matriarchal society. Adult males and females live separately in differently structured societies. In the wild, families live in herds of 10 to 25 individuals where a dominant cow leads her female relatives and their offspring. The activity of the group and their movements are set by the ‘matriarch’. She is usually the largest cow in the herd who walks at the front of the herd, with another large female taking up the rear.

Mashatu is a place for elephants. They tend to spend the nights on higher ground and in the mornings wander down to the rivers often in family herds and in single file to drink and feed on the lush vegetation along the river. On occasions, elephant families gather to form a huge herd of over 300 elephants. I have never found out why they do this but it only happens in times of plenty.

“We face the question whether a still higher “standard of living” is worth its cost in things natural, wild, and free.” ~ Aldo Leopold

One of a coalition of two male lions which have taken over the Mashatu territory. They overthrew a solitary male who had reigned for about five years. The two males are relatively young but have already sired two litters of cubs.

The dominant male lion’s coalition partner looks to have been a few fights judging from the scars on his face.

The male often sleeps away from his pride leaving the lionesses to look after the cubs. The pride comprised three females, two of which had cubs. The four cubs had just finished feeding and were lying next to their mother, some asleep and others intrigued by our game vehicle.

Lion cubs only start walking 10 to 15 days after they were born. The cubs survival rate is around one in eight. The low survival rate is due to injuries, infanticide, predation, illness and starvation. Predation occurs when hyaenas or leopards find them while their mother is away hunting. The very small cubs are also vulnerable to large raptors such as Martial eagles.

I thought this was an appropriate image of a lioness. She has to hunt every few days and the cubs are hugely demanding. She must have been very tired judging from her flattened position and she looked to be very hot so she was lying on her back with her legs open wide to cool down.

“Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges.” ~ Bryant McGill

A leopardess walking along the dry bed of the Majale river. It looked like she was patrolling her territory.

One of two leopard cubs that we found in a dead fallen tree trunk next to an erosion gully a few hundred metres away from the Majale river. They were very cautious but also curious about our game vehicle.

The cubs mother returned from a hunting expedition. She did not return directly to her cubs because there were hyaenas around. She climbed a dead tree to get out of the hyaenas reach and wait from them to get bored and leave her and her family alone.

A Spotted hyaena family had their den in the rock outcrop adjacent to our camp in Mashatu. We came across them when we were returning to camp after each morning game drive. One female was rolling in the dust offering some amusing poses.

While driving through a croton grove we found this small family herd of Kudu. I am not sure whether these kudu were browsing on the croton leaves as they are known to be poisonous.

The dominant kudu bull in the family herd. It always amazes me that these bulls can get through thickly wooded areas with those large horns. The kudu bull just stretches out his neck and flattens his horns against his shoulders while he is walking through the thickets. The horns of a mature bull kudu have two and a half twists. Occasionally a bull has three full twists.

A favourite prey for lions and leopards. This family group of Warthogs were foraging for grasses, roots and bulbs. They are omnivorous and will also scavenge on a carcass when the opportunity presents itself. Warthogs usually have between two and four piglets so these parents had successfully raised their family to this point.

“People are learning to grasp the diversity of nature, to understand its unifying principles and to sweep away the hierarchies and see the real connections.” ~ Frank Schatzing

It was quite unusual to find a giraffe in the river bed browsing on the lower branches of a large Mashatu ( Nyala berry) tree. On occasions, we find Leadwood and Apple leaf trees growing alongside a huge Mashatu tree.

Driving along the dry bed of the Majale river we found a male southern African giraffe feeding on the leaves of the hanging branches of a Mashatu ( Nyala berry) tree. An adult giraffe’s tongue can be as a long as 30 to 40 cm. This tongue is highly prehensile enabling the giraffe to grasp and pull leaves off the branches, in a manner similar to an elephant’s trunk. Giraffe usually stand next to a tree and forage from the top of that tree but on this occasion this large giraffe stood in the riverbed and stretched up to feed on the leaves from an overhanging branch.

This male giraffe was enjoying the Nyala berries on the overhanging branches of a Mashatu tree. The giraffe was at full stretch to get at the berries. This was a male giraffe as evidenced by his worn and bloody ossicones. These are columular bone structures on top of the head of a giraffe. Male giraffe reach sexual maturity around five to six years of age. At this time the ossicones fuse with the underlying skull bone. Growth of the ossicones continues as bone is added to the ossicone surface beneath the skin. Male giraffe also usually have a single shallow ossicone on the forehead bone and two stunted ossicones behind the main ones on top of the head. This male must have been fighting with another male in the preceding day judging from the dried blood on the top of his ossicones. The males fighting normally removes the hair off the top of their ossicones. This male was obviously a fighter judging from all the scars on his face.

A female giraffe with her newly born calf. The calf had a small length of umbilical cord still hanging below its belly. Births occur throughout the year and the gestation period is around 14 months. A newborn giraffe can weigh 100 kilograms and be over 185cm tall. Young giraffes suckle for about eight months and remain with their mother for about a year.

A male Steenbok lying under a Shepherd tree for shade and among some fallen, dead branches for cover and protection.

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” ~ John Muir

On every game drive you are likely to see something that will catch you eye. This was a Tree squirrel stretching but downward facing on a near vertical tree trunk.

On our way to and from the camp we passed a large outcrop of rocks which are home a variety of wildlife from leopards and hyaenas to hyraxes, porcupines and klipspringers. A family of klipspringers ventured down from the rocks into the camp daily. They are not tame so are cautious around the camp but enjoy all the edible vegetation around the camp. Only the males have horns.

Sundowner time. We usually stop our afternoon game drive wanderings just before the sun sets. This is a wonderful time to get off the vehicle, stretch our legs and leisurely sip a sundowner and watch the sky change colour into vivid oranges, reds and mauves. The colour of the sky becomes increasing saturated for about twenty minutes are the sun has fallen below the horizon.

“To those devoid of imagination a blank place on the map is a useless waste; to others, the most valuable part.” ~ Aldo Leopold

The last vestiges of light from a wonderful day exploring in the wild. At times we extend our sundowner period until the last light has gone. For safety reasons, it is wise to get back onto the vehicle once it is dark. On one notable sundowner session next to the vlei we only packed up our sundowner drinks when it was dark. A few minutes later we drove past three young lions watching us from about 100 metres from where we were sipping our sundowners. There is also lots more to see as we drive back to camp because this is the time when all the nocturnal wildlife come out to hunt and feed.

The daily routine from camp we were staying in, Rock Camp, in Mashatu Nature Reserve was a 6h00 get together for a cup of coffee and a rusk and onto the vehicle for the start of the game drive at 6h30. It was light but, being winter, the sunrise was only around 6h45, cloud allowing. The game drive would last about three to four hours depending on what we were seeing. We would get back to camp around mid morning to have a brunch. After the meal we would read or sit on the patio with binoculars watching the passing parade at the waterhole which is about 80 metres from the camp buildings. There was a wonderful variety of birds in camp attracted by the water in the bird baths.

“This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor ever rising.” ~ John Muir

We would gather again around 15h30 for a cup of tea and a light snack before climbing back on the game vehicle for next three hours. At sunset we normally stopped to have a sundowner while watching the sun set for the day. The last hour of the evening game drive was usually in the dark but this can also be a productive time as there is a chance of seeing genets, porcupines, antbears and even lion, hyaena and leopards.

Explore, seek to understand,marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

Mashatu Nature Reserve has a wonderful diversity of birds. It is a dry region in south eastern Botswana but has several distinct ecozones due to its geology and rivers, the largest of which is the Limpopo on its southern border. The Majale river is the largest river coursing through Mashatu but it is seasonal. Mashatu is also visited by many migratory birds during summer, some of which are inter-African migrants and others are from Europe and Asia.

“One reason that birds matter – ought to matter – is that they are our last, best connection to a natural world that is otherwise receding. They’re the most vivid and widespread representatives of the Earth as it was before people arrived on it.” ~ Jonathan Franzen

Early in the morning male spurfowl tend to stand on a prominent perch and declare their territorial position. His brown upper and lower parts and red facial and neck skin are diagnostic. The young male Swainson’s spurfowl in the next image was no exception. His youth was evident from the spurs on the back of his legs still being relatively sharp and not having been worn down and blunted through many fights.

An adult Brown-hooded Kingfisher perched on a dead branch on the bank of the Majale river watching for insects. This kingfisher was cold which is why it had its breast and back feathers puffed out. This kingfisher is resident in Mashatu and feeds mainly on insects. We do see Pied and Giant kingfishers along the Limpopo river all through the year but seldom in winter along the Majale because there is so little water in the Majale during that period.

“In order to see birds we need to become part of the silence.” ~ Robert Lynd

The Little bee-eater is a year round resident, together with the White-fronted bee-eater. The Little bee-eater, like most other bee-eaters, hawks flying insects from a perch. This is a diminutive bee-eater with a black eye band and a cobalt blue eye line above its eye, a yellow throat and black gorget under the yellow throat and beautiful emerald green upper parts.

This trip to Mashatu was in June, which is winter in the southern hemisphere. The summer migrants had left for warmer climes. At this time of the year the days are warm and the nights cold and it is usually dry. Unusual for this time of the year, the Limpopo was still flowing strongly.

The Limpopo river is the southern border of Mashatu. A Fish eagle was feeding on the remains of a carcass in the Limpopo river. I could not see what animal had died but a pair of Fish eagles were taking advantage of the free meal. It was difficult to determine whether this was a male or female Fish eagle because I did not see them together and the subject was far away. The female tends to be larger than the male and has a larger back facing talon than the male.

A surprising find. A adult Verreaux eagle-owl resting in a large Apple leaf tree along the Limpopo river with a guineafowl that it had caught. This is a nocturnal hunter but is opportunistic so will hunt in the twilight hours too. The Verreaux’s eagle owl preys on mammals, varying from hedgehogs to mole-rats, and ground squirrels to hares, and bushbabies, vervet monkeys to baby warthogs, dik-diks, mongooses, even genets, small wild felines, and bats. This eagle-owl also preys on a wide variety of birds from herons and egrets to ducks and coots from sandgrouse and doves to guineafowl and small bustards. It is also known to prey on other owls such as Barn Owls, Marsh Owls, and African Grass Owls.

A Crested barbet is also fondly referred to as “marmalade bird” because of its colouring. This barbet is a resident species in Mashatu. It is territorial and is aggressive towards other birds when feeding and breeding. Its diet comprises mainly insects and fruit found in the wild. This is a very vocal barbet communicating with a sustained trill but does not duet like the Black-collared barbet. The Crested barbet does not have a marked tooth-edge beak like other barbets.

A Temminck’s courser is a diurnal terrestrial wader which prefers a hot dry habitat, which is why we regularly find them in Mashatu. There are three diurnal coursers in southern Africa; Temminck’s, Burchell’s and Double-banded. The Temminck’s is identified by its rufous crown and black belly. The colouring of its back is a sand colour which camouflages well with its dry terrestrial surroundings.

A female Namaqua sandgrouse. This female sandgrouse has cryptic colouring which is ideal for its preferred dry habitat. These sandgrouse feed mainly on seeds supplemented with flowers, small insects and molluscs such as snails and slugs. The Double-banded sandgrouse is also common in Mashatu.

“Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird? ~ David Attenborough

A Kori bustard. These birds are largest and heaviest flying birds native to Africa and seem to be always walking and flying away from us. These bustards have three forward facing toes so cannot perch. The female is much smaller than the male. This bustard is an omnivore and opportunistics hunter. This bustard prefers open short grass areas with patch of trees and bushes which it uses for shade. It needs the space provided by the open grassland to take off. Being a large and heavy bird, it avoids flying if possible. When alarmed it will first run and, if pushed, will take to the air by running to get enough airspeed much like a flamingo or albatross.

An African pipit with its characteristic upright stance and slender build. It has a creamy supercilium (eyebrow) which tapers near the ear. Its beak has a dark upper mandible and light pinkish-yellow lower mandible. It has a small malar stripe. Its throat and belly are beige coloured. It has long legs. It has anisodactylic feet with three toes pointing forward and one hind toe. The hind toe has a claw that is longer than is hind toe. This is typical of a pipit. It’s primary and primary covert wing feathers are dark brown with beige edges.

A Lilac-breasted roller. This is a ubiquitous roller in southern Africa. It is a perch hunter. Like most photographers, I find it difficult not to pick up my camera when I see such beautiful birds.

“Every bird, every tree, every flower reminds me what a blessing and privilege it is just to be alive.” — Marty Rubin

A male Green-winged pytilia foraging in the shade. A vividly coloured waxbill with a red beak, rump, and tail, and an olive-green back and wings. The male’s forehead and throat are orange-red. Pairs and small flocks are resident in arid thorn savanna, dry woodland areas like Mashatu. The Orange-winged pytilia differs from this species because of the yellow-golden edges on its wing feathers.

A White-browed scrub-robin. Its white eyebrow and white moustache are diagnostic as is its streaked breast and flanks. This scrub-robin prefers dry savannah and woodlands. This is a restless and shy species which is often heard and usually only seen deep in the bushes.

“Tame birds sing of freedom. Wild birds fly.” — John Lennon

A Temminck’s courser has a black eye band and a rufous crown which cover the top its head from its forehead to the back of its head. By contrast, the Burchell’s courser has a white eye band and a rufous forehead but blue-grey crown reaching to the back of its head. All coursers have a down curved beak.

A White-backed vulture grounded in the early winter morning. It was trying to warm up while waiting for the thermals to develop around mid morning.

A juvenile African Harrier-hawk. Its mottled brown and fawn colouring and its flight indicated that it is a fledged juvenile. Like all hawks, harriers have sharp curved beaks and sharp talons on their feet. Their tails are long and narrow, and their wings are quite long in relation to their body size. This harrier-hawk was cruising along the erosion gully looking for potential prey. It flew quite close to where we found the two leopard cubs which I referred to in my previous post. The African harrier-hawk is omnivorous meaning it will eat everything from fruit to eggs, mice, squirrels and birds from pigeons to sparrows. It has unique ability to climb, using wings as well as feet, together with its long double-jointed legs. It has a reversible intertarsal (“knee”) joint which can bend backward, as well as forward.  It is often seen climbing around on tree trunks and limbs, peering into crevices and holes while hanging at odd angles. This technique enables this raptor to raid the nests of cavity-nesters such as barbets and woodhoopoes for eggs and nestlings.

This was just a small smattering of the birds that can be seen in Mashatu. I am not a birder with a list but 350 different bird species have been recording in Mashatu and a successful day could yield up to 140 different bird sightings. As a photographer a sighting it not enough I need to capture a decent image of the bird.

“Creative expression, whether that means writing, dancing, bird-watching, or cooking, can give a person almost everything that he or she has been searching for: enlivenment, peace, meaning, and the incalculable wealth of time spent quietly in beauty.” ~ Anne Lamott

I often find that while I am at a mammal sighting be it of elephants, lion or leopards if there is not much action I look around and often see a variety of different birds. Some birds follow the animals and some are just active in the area you happen to be in.

Part of the photograph fun of birds is that is that they are much more active than animals and they are usually much more vocal and colourful.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike