What is BushCam Adventures?

BushCam Adventures attempts to share some of the amazing images, stories and insights that I've collected during my camera-trapping adventures.

Monday 12 August 2013

Kalahari images

There is something magical about the Kalahari. This vast 'green' desert with its red dunes, ephemeral and fossil rivers is a very special place. I don't know if it's the colour of the sand dunes or the soft light of dawn and dusk but, whatever it is, I'm drawn to it.
Its also a great place for camera-trapping. This is because animal life is attracted to the few water sources (artificial or natural) that exist on the sprawling farms and wildlife reserves that cover the region. So, even though its a 10 hour drive from where I live - I do it happily and always with great anticipation.
This time the anticipation was even greater than usual because there was a suggestion that there might be Pangolin (Manis temminckii) and Small Spotted Cat (Felis nigripes) on the property I was visiting. Now you must understand that to an African camera-trapper these are mega-ticks! Trips like this are not frivolous affairs.

But sadly, by the end of our time there, the above two species hadn't graced my cameras with their presence. Nevertheless, it was great fun and we collected some images that I enjoyed:
Aardvark (Orycteropus afer)


Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)

Bat-eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis)
Gemsbok or Oryx (Oryx gazella)
Cape Fox (Vulpes chama)
Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori)        

So if YOU like the idea of getting images of Pangolins and  Small Spotted Cats then give me a shout and I'll organise a camera-trapping safari to the property. It won't take much to persuade me!

6 comments:

  1. Excellent! Very nice job getting a shot of the Cape Fox and Bat-eared Fox!

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  2. Great photos.
    You really got up close. I have never seen a fox while in S.a.
    happy photography.

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  3. Nice shots. Really like the Wildebeest and Gemsbok.

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  4. I think my favorite is the bustard. We certainly do NOT have birds like that in the US!

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    1. Thanks for the comments everyone.
      Alyssa, the Kori is a really impressive bird and males can weigh over 15kg. Supposedly Africa's heaviest flying bird. Do you guys have anything heavier?

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    2. Jeremy, the largest flying bird I can come up with is the California Condor (which I have never seen and lives across the continent from me), which weighs up to 9.9kg. So the largest flying bird that I could hope to see in the NE US is probably a Golden Eagle, which weighs up to 6kg.

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