BEHO BEHO BUSHMAIL
AUGUST 2010
The incredibly thrilling and spectacular adventures we have already had this season are enough to fill a lifetime, rather than the three very short months in which we have experienced them.
The landscape this year is drier than August 2009, and yet a very beautiful time in any type of African Bush. We have asked many return visitors, which their favourite time is in Bush and most have said right now. It seems the African Bush is ‘supposed’ to look like this with many shades of golds and browns with a tint of emeralds, crimsons and the occasional flutter of bright yellow as certain flowers burst into life! It is a magnificent month in the Selous and no day has gone by without showing off every inch of its true beauty and every sunset has been just as beautiful but also very different to the last, managing to put it’s own personal fingerprint on each individual day.
Through its leaves, the Kudu Berry tree is sporting a kaleidoscope of colours including oranges, reds, greens and yellows, and when the sun hits it just right in the late evenings, a glimmer of beauty explodes from beneath the leafs surface.
Many trees are blooming with beautiful flowers this month, including the Paper Bark Thorn, the Sausage Trees deep in the Beho Beho forest showing off its majestic maroon velvet flower while the more dainty and brighter red flower of the combretum covers the tops of the tall canopies.
The beautiful, yet somehow harsh looking pink and white flower of the Desert Rose (Sabi Star) spring from the dry white clay showing even beauty can survive in such arid environments and the lush bright yellow Cassia flower are also springing to life contrasting the dry golden landscape with a brighter and more vivid experience.
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Butterflies are alive at the moment in the forests including the Citrus Swallow-tails, Mocker Swallow-tails, Pearl Charaxis, Autumn Leaf Vagrant and many more. Contrary to common belief, the most beautiful of all is not a Butterfly but rather the exquisite Madagascar Sunset Moth clothed in all colours imaginable. These moths flitter daintily around camp and in the Forests below, showing off their true beauty as they glide through the air.
If you look back through all the blogs for this month, you will understand why I mean it when I say there is just too much to write about in just one Bushmail. From the Lion kills to the Hyena kills, from the great herds of Buffalos to the smaller individual herds of Wildebeest, who both in turn wonder down to drink in front of camp every morning. To the many, many beautiful birds that have graced us this month and even from the sad exhilarating beauty of the Forest fires to the surprise Bush Dinners that our team has staged for us… I know you will all agree with me… this has been one of the most spectacular months at Beho Beho!
I think it will be best if I only briefly highlight the most memorable moments and after chatting to our ‘family’ members in camp, I have managed to separate a few of their most entertaining experiences.
At the beginning of the month, fires started around the Selous and started to creep closer and closer to Beho Beho. It was on the 5th August that we decided to take action. The fire had snuck up behind camp about 1.5kms away and even with our sturdy firebreak, we still could not take the risk, so we decided to take action and back burn. I don’t think anyone can quite understand or imagine the sheer intensity of an African bush fire. Even if one is standing right in front of it, it is still difficult to comprehend or fully explain in words the sheer power it demonstrates. The strength behind each flame is unimaginable and watching each flame engulf a section of grass is astounding to ones imagination. It is also, in a strange way, very beautiful but just as devastating in another. After a couple of days of controlling the fire we managed to put it out and all that was left were the black and grey ashes of the forest past.
Moving towards the end of August, we are surrounded by burnt hills. We still have hope soon these burnt cinders will sparkle into life and the new growth will attract all animals from far and wide.
The valley in front of Beho Beho has been covered with a light carpet of haze and smoke from the surroundings fires. The haze sets stage for superb sunsets of pinks, reds and oranges, which creep slowly through the dry smoky curtain and suddenly, without warning, burst into life as the rays manage to break through the smoke walls, casting magnificent amber and crimson colours down on the landscape below.
August has been fantastic for Birds. A few of the rarer ones which have been sighted are the Ruppells Griffen, Red-throated Twinspots (Peters) who were spotted dive bombing a large Puff Adder nestled under a bush, Vanga Flycatcher, Livingston’s Flycatcher, Red-capped Robin Chat, White-browed Robin Chat, White-browed Scrub Robin, Black-bellied Bustard, Golden Breasted Bunting and those birds which you can spend hours trying to photograph – the variety of beautiful Bee-eaters including the Madagascar Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, Boems Bee-eaters, European Bee-eaters and White fronted Bee-eaters.
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The majestic Giant Eagle Owl has been seen on a few occasions down in front of camp while walking through the forest and we have had great fun sneaking up on him to try and get that much appreciated photograph of this large bird.
Camp is filled with all birds of different shapes and sizes. My favourite for the month is our new resident, the gorgeous Grey-Headed Bush Shrike who sits proudly up in the tree above my office, ‘cooing ‘and ‘whistling’ to all those hard at work down below him. My camera is still on standby waiting for that perfect moment in which I will be able to capture a photograph of this endearing bird!
The African Hawk Eagles, Palm-nut Vultures, African Fish Eagles and the king of all, the Bateleur Eagles, can be seen daily gliding in the thermals above camp and sometimes diving into the forests below after picking up a sighting of a tasty morsel, and the birdbaths dotted around the main area and office are adorned by our little Jamieson Firefinchs, Blue Waxbills, Bulbuls, Glossy Starlings and the rare Pied Batis.
We have seen our two lion prides many times either close to camp or out past Lake Tagalala or Lake Manze often while enjoying Wildbeest, Buffalo or Giraffe meals – all of which fill them up until they are all lying horizontally on their backs with the legs held out straight.
Probably the most exciting of all kills was the one that happened on the 19th August and this one I was even fortunate to attend with Heribert, Salum and my family, who were visiting for a few days. We were a big group in two vehicles and we had decided Manze was the place to be that particular morning.
It turned out to be, for all of us regular bush-goers, one of the most incredible spectacles we had ever seen in our many years in the bush. While enjoying our picnic on the lakeshore, Pete walked out to have a look around the corner and when he spotted a large herd of Wildebeest rushing down to drink. He called us and we were soon standing all with our binoculars up, admiring the beauty of the herd. Suddenly Salum shouted ‘Lion…Lion’, as a Lioness rushed down on the right hand side of the herd, wrestled an unaware member of the Wildebeest herd and pulled it down into the thick black mud. Salum and his group jumped in the car to rush around to get a better look, leaving our group completely startled and speechless trying to come to terms with what we had just witnessed. After much arguing and pointing, we realised that while some of us were watching the goings-on, on the right hand side of the herd, other members of our group had been watching the goings-on on the left hand side of the herd – and there had been TWO kills at precisely the same time! We eventually all came to an understanding and jumped into the vehicle and drove around to meet up with Salum and get a bit closer to the kills where we sat for another couple of hours in the middle of the two. We watched like spectators at Wimbledon, one Wildebeest and then another while each carcass was mischievously played with and finally consumed by both the adults and sub-adult cubs. An entire book can be written on this experience and the animal behaviour, which took place directly in front of us. The star of the show was obviously the ‘Black Panther’ who was the Lioness which took down the Wildebeest in the thick mud, followed by another beautiful Female who injured her back leg in the take-down and after a short rest in the shade, she helped one of the sub-adults drag the muddy carcass out of the thick mud and hot sun into the shade. Unfortunately by doing this, she damaged her leg even more. Thirdly the beautiful clean female who at first did not eat, but walked backwards and forwards between the two carcasses checking everything was in order and finally showing the youngsters, after they had had an hour of play, how to ‘cut’ the carcass open from the stomach. At first the youngsters just played with their prize, like kittens or puppies, they pawed at it and jumped all over it as if it were a new toy!
What a memorable morning with the Manze Pride and a lifetime experience for us all!!
The Sands Pride have been spending most of their time at Lake Tagalala and have also had a field day with the Buffalo herds and Giraffe. The young female (Runt), who I have become very fond of over the last few years as I have watched her grow from a scrawny little cub, is doing so well and although still a lot smaller than her siblings, she is just as powerful and just as beautiful!
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The Manze Boys have been mainly hanging around Sean’s Cliffs and exciting news is that 2 new cubs have been born to a Lioness in that area. We have been fortunate enough to see them a couple of times, one of which was with their Dad!
On his way back after a day out at Tagalala, Heribert came across the most extraordinary sighting. It was a Honey Badger with a Warthog! The two of them looked like old friends as they stood facing each other, gently leaning in towards one another for a gentle sniff! Our guests, Elaine, Doug, Carl and Harpreet managed to capture some fascinating photos of this rare encounter! We wonder what was going through their heads and what they thought of each other?!
Sightings of the Buffalo herds and Wildebeest herds have become daily rituals in front of camp as both in turn meander down to quench their thirsts in the flowing springs of the Msini River below camp.
Wildebeest herds are always the first and soon followed by the great Buffalo Herds who group together like soldiers heading to battle. We have had fantastic close encounters with both herds as they rush to the waters edge. The noise, the smells and the sight of the dark silhouettes as they rush into the thick dust – these are the most memorable of all.
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Our dear friend who everyone knows by now, Bond, is still very much the Beho Beho Mascot. He spends his time in and around camp and each day seems to do the same circuit. He often seems to hang around in front by the waterhole, either drinking, mud-bathing or playing with his favourite young acacia tree. He is also often seen close to Banda 1 or peering through the office window to check if anyone is home! Bond has surprised guests on a number of occasions by peering over shower walls at the wrong time or leaning against balconies to take a short break before continuing down to the swimming pool for a drink!
Beho Beho seems to be his home with everything he may need – food, drink and company… and the forest floors below seem to be his playground or garden where he can entertain his friends, before retiring again for the night to the comfort of the camp. One thing is for sure – he has kept us entertained on a daily basis!
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August – a time of golden beauty, autumn colours, cool breezes, perfect temperatures and great herds of animals and colourful birds to keep you busy!!!
All in all – a magical month!
