Tag Archives: lions

by Diane | July 20, 2020 · 10:22 am

The Okavango Delta, Botswana

Okavango Delta – a wealth of wildlife and scenery in waterways and savanna.

Lesser Jacana
© Bob Harvey

Carmine Bee Eater
© Diane Kelsay

Hornbill
©Bob Harvey

Bushbuck
© Bob Harvey

Serval, usually a rare find but promising here.
© Bob Harvey

Wild dog, also good chance to find here.
© Bob Harvey

Lion cub doing “cute Kitty”
© Diane Kelsay

Same lion cub practicing “fierce”
© Diane Kelsay

The cubs at play
© Bob Harvey

Daddy’s paw
© Diane Kelsay

Saddleback stork fishing
© Bob Harvey

Leopard at twilight
© Diane Kelsay

Link to our Botswana Photography Safari

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Tagged as bee eaters, Botswana, Botswana photography, Botswana safari, jacana, jacanas, Lion, lion cubs, lions, Moremi, Moremi Game Reserve, Nature Photography Adventures, Okavango Delta, Okavango wildlife, savanna, savanna wildlife, serval, servals, wild dogs, wildlife photography

by Diane | June 2, 2020 · 3:22 pm

The Chobe River and Chobe National Park, Botswana

The Chobe River is a special place for nature photographers and nature lovers. One side of the river is Botswana, the other side, Namibia. Beautiful birds are nesting along the both shorelines.

Malachite Kingfisher
© Diane Kelsay

Malachite Kingfisher
© Bob Harvey

White Fronted Bee Eater
© Diane Kelsay

Pied Kingfisher
© Diane Kelsay

And the nest robbers go after the eggs.

Water Monitor Lizard
© Diane Kelsay

The Southern Red Bishop searches the reeds for building materials.

Southern Red Bishop
© Bob Harvey

He builds several nests for his home show and invites the female for a look.

Inspection of the nest.
© Diane Kelsay

Elephants love the water, where they drink, eat, cool off and play.

Riverbank mud bath.
© Diane Kelsay

And sometimes their life ends in the river. Dozens of Nile Crocodiles feasted on this elephant for a day – and then for some reason, moved it about a half mile upstream during the night, and then cleaned up what remained.

And of course, the mighty Fish Eagle. Sometimes the call is the first sound of the morning.

Along the riverside, lions like to roam in and out of the trees, along the sandbars…

The roar was the loudest we ever heard.
© Diane Kelsay

Clearly she was busy grooming and didn’t want to respond.
© Diane Kelsay

Looks like he is waiting for her.
© Diane Kelsay

The river is loaded with hippos. Lots of action!

Hippo looking for trouble!
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

It’s a beautiful river.
© Diane Kelsay

Link to our Botswana Photography Safari

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Tagged as bee eaters, bird photography, birds, Botswana, Chobe National Park, Chobe River, crocodiles, elephants, hippos, kingfishers, lions, Malachite Kingfisher, Namibia, nature photography, Nature Photography Adventures, Nile crocodile, photo tours, wildlife photography

by Diane | February 23, 2019 · 2:21 pm

Botswana Adventure 2018

Botswana 2018 – First visitors in March – We arrived just as the lodges opened up for the season. Everything was green and full of life. And the photography from the river was outstanding. We had great angles and access to the action.

Elephants heading for the water and mud along the banks of the Chobe River.
© 2018 Bob Harvey

How great they look after their mud bath.
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Malachite Kingfisher – nest is in the riverbank.
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Fish Eagle
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Crocodile giving “the look”
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Hippo, also giving “the look”, but definitely looking for trouble!
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

The salad bar
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Heron Fishing
© 2018 Bob Harvey

Saddleback Stork fishing
© 2018 Bob Harvey

Lesser Jacana
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Not a sunset! Midday clouds with prisms – zoomed in tight with 500mm. NO saturation added.
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

A short plane ride later, the interior – also green and full of life.

Wild Dog – Looking cute? You should have seen the pack chasing an impala! I couldn’t believe how fast the impala ran and how high he jumped. (he won)
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Little lion cub coming over to us to see if we would play.
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

He sat down and looked adorable.
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Then he showed us he could look ferocious!
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

He managed to wake up dad from his nap (who shoved him away)
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Finally, family play time.
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Carmine Bee-eater.
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Southern Red Bishop
© 2018 Diane Kelsay

Baboons
© 2018 Bob Harvey

Serval
© 2018 Bob Harvey

Fish Eagle
© 2018 Bob Harvey

Zebras
© 2018 Bob Harvey

Me and my mom and the Oxpecker.
© 2018 Bob Harvey

Join the fun on the next trip to Botswana, March 2021. Link to our Itinerary

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Tagged as Africa wildlife, Botswana Photography Safari, Botwana photography, Chobe River, lions, Namibia, Nature Photography Adventures, Zimbabwe

by Diane | June 2, 2017 · 11:30 am

Exploring Tanzania February/March 2017

Post 4 – Weather has such and impact on landscapes. There is just no such thing as “bad weather”. It’s nice to have a variety, and we did.

Baobab trees in sunlight shows off the golden trunk.
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Giant Baobab trees in a storm look small against a threatening sky.
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Acacia trees
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

We explored Arusha National Park for the first time in search of Colobus and Blue Monkeys.

Blue monkey
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Blue monkey
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Colobus monkey
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Colobus monkeys
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

This is our last post on this trip. We hope you will join us on one of our future trips to Tanzania. And if you are just starting the blog, please scroll down through posts 1-3. The first photo in post 1 I have in my head all the time. It’s my “go to” space when I need a boost. Following are some miscellaneous animal photos, some of them quite entertaining.

The elephant spa, babies in there too!
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

The mud treatment does wonders.
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

And the results – just gorgeous, look at the red!
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Take. Me. Seriously.
© 2017 Bob Harvey

On the hunt, creeping along.
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Precious
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Dung beetle – yes, it is rolling dung into a giant ball.
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Crowned cranes
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

OK, I’ve had days like this.
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Cape buffalo looking so innocent. They are very dangerous!
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Tawny eagle looking for prey.
© 2017 Bob Harvey

European roller waiting to catch a bug flying by.
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

The two giants
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

The King
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Don’t forget to look at our Tanzania Photography Safari web page!

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Tagged as Arusha, elephants, hippos, lions, monkeys, Nature Photography Adventures, photo safaris, tanzania, Tanzania photography

by Diane | May 17, 2017 · 11:35 am

Exploring Tanzania February/March 2017

Post 3 – Having a leisurely time to photograph animals was a real treat. Sometimes you can see potential and you just have to wait – like a bird capturing a bug in its beak or a lion sitting on a limb in partial sunlight while you wait for that glow to come around to the eyes. And sometimes you have to be ready and respond fast – like a flamingo taking off, a hippo opening its mouth, or a zebra taking a dust bath (which only lasts seconds). Sometimes it’s fun to study and capture expressions and behavior.

Lovebird
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Lovebirds
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Lovebirds
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Ostrich
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Yellow billed storks
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Yellow billed stork
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

Hornbill
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Bat eared fox
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Vervet monkey
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Warthog
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Adorable cat. Couldn’t end with a warthog face!
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

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Tagged as cheetahs, lions, Nature Photography Adventures, tanzania, Tanzania photgraphy, zebras

by Diane | April 28, 2017 · 2:23 pm

Exploring Tanzania February/March 2017

Post 2 – The Great Migration was in full swing. From our lodge at Lake Masek to the Central Serengeti, great numbers of wildebeest and their newborn babies paraded in lines and sometimes just covered the landscape.

Lion, perched up high watching the parade of food.
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Cheetahs waiting for an opportunity.
© 2017 Bob Harvey

Leopards haul their kill into trees. As we watched the mom and baby high up in the tree, the catch fell to the ground sending them down to collect it and haul it up again.

The little one follows the mom down the tree to rescue the food.
© 2017 Diane Kelsay

This time, the mom wedges the kill into the crotch of the tree – more secure. The little one goes right to it.

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Tagged as cheetahs, leopards, lions, Nature Photography Adventures, Serengeti, tanzania, Tanzania photography safari

by Diane | April 20, 2017 · 4:26 pm

Exploring Tanzania February/March 2017

Post 1 – In February and March of this year, we visited some new places, checked out some new lodges and had some incredible moments. We spent some time at our usual spots too and came back with some great experiences. Every visit to Tanzania presents different opportunities. This year was the most amazing migration ever, as you will see in future posts. And the elephants just posed perfectly under the baobab trees. We had our best ever cat moments – lions, cheetahs and leopards. This post is about the new baby lions and a really good mother (and she had her paws full). We watched in awe.

The mom had her cubs inside a hollow in some brush but they were determined to come out and play. © 2017 Bob Harvey

Her eyes are on the one that always wanders. © 2017 Diane Kelsay

Gotcha - although he did escape again (it must have been a boy). © 2017 Diane Kelsay

This game went on and on © 2017 Bob Harvey

All gathered, time to head back into the bushes for the night. © 2017 Bob Harvey

Keep checking back. Next you will see how sibling cheetahs fight over who gets to carry the kill and a leopard mom also with her paws full.

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Tagged as lion cubs, lions, Nature Photography Adventures, photo safaris, tanzania, Tanzania photography tours

by Diane | March 18, 2015 · 8:11 pm

Tanzania Photography Safari

Post 2 –

It’s so much fun to watch the interaction between moms and babies. Sometimes we like to capture the relationship and sometimes it’s fun to just compose artistically.

The adult female lion left this bundle of cubs to endure a downpour. They changed positions and took turns getting pelted by the rain. They looked so miserable, no cover for miles.

Poor lion in back is getting doused again as the other lion shakes off the water. © 2015 Diane Kelsay

Rain stops, sun comes out, all is better. © 2015 Diane Kelsay

Continue below to Post 1

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Tagged as hippos, lions, Nature Photography Adventures, rhinos, tanzania

by Diane | March 10, 2015 · 7:31 pm

Tanzania Photography Safari

Post 1 – Tanzania is a land of much excitement. Animals move about in search of food and water – some for a few miles, while others are on the great migration. Sometimes we waited for light, sometimes we waited for action. Many times we witnessed how the animals behaved in a variety of situations, which gave us opportunities for some special photography.

Leopards and rhinos, very difficult to find and this year we were lucky to get both at reasonable distances. It did take some patience, waiting for this leopard to get up and walk out of the shade, and only for a few seconds.

Cheetah brothers stalk a lost Wildebeest baby, and then together jump into a charge. © 2015 Diane Kelsay

Only one of the cheetahs will make the kill. The other will return to eat. © 2015 Diane Kelsay

Cheetah smothers to finish the kill. © 2015 Diane Kelsay

A lilac breasted roller is quick to snap up this insect. © 2015 Bob Harvey © 2015 Bob Harvey

Cape buffalo and friend. © 2015 Diane Kelsay

Zebras at the water hole. © 2015 Bob Harvey

Panning a zebra at 1/30 second. © 2015 Diane Kelsay

Wildebeest running hard, panning at 1/30 second. © 2015 Diane Kelsay

Our group had a lot of fun learning this technique. It does take some practice. You must pan with the animal as you shoot at a slow shutter speed.

Lions resting, or as much as they can with flies bothering them. © 2015 Diane Kelsay

Join us in February 2017 for our next safari to Tanzania!

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Tagged as Africa, cheetah, leopards, lions, Nature Photography Adventures, rhino, tanzania, Tanzania photography safari, zebra

by Diane | September 9, 2013 · 8:45 pm

Botswana Photography Safari

In August we traveled to Botswana to explore the vastness of the Okavango Delta. After visiting the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides of Victoria Falls, we entered Botswana – gradually getting deeper and deeper into a largely uninhabited region of Africa.

Elephants

Botswana is the land where we can see elephants close by as they come to visit the water, take mud and dust baths, and interact with each other. It is fascinating to watch and photograph them as they go about their lives, sometimes oblivious to our presence.