Early Rising

According to Rickson - the early game watcher sees the wildlife - so I was up with the sun - there is a first time for everything. Not too much of a problem as there was nothing to do once the sun was down, and it meant rather than a 2 hour change of body clock I had a 5 hour change - up at 4am, to sleep at 8pm...

First sighting the day was of a troop of baboons - they sleep on the tar overnight since it is warm - so they are easy to see first thing in the morning as they take breakfast from the roadside trees.

My first sighting of a large mammal was a giraffe, proving their camouflage to be effective.

Then the first of the big five - so call because they are the five most dangerous to hunt on foot. Buffalo make the list because they don't show any signs before they charge - and you won't want to be on the wrong end of their horns backed by a ton of angry beast!

My only sighting of a Crocodile during my stay - and not that good - apparently the unusually large volumes of water in all the rivers meant that they weren't gathering at their usual spots. There were rumours of one taking a wilder beast from the bank right in front of the camp restaurant - while I was there, but I wasn't lucky enough to be in right place at the right time....

One of many sightings of Zebra and Wilder Beast, not quite as common as Impala - other wise know as "bush MD" - bush MacDonald's, but almost, especially once things began to warm up and the lions started hiding from the heat!

Highlight of the first day - one of the lions the Zebra, Wilder beast and Impala knew where hiding from the heat of the day. We found two or possibly three in the shade below some bushes, waiting for the cool of the evening. Two of the big five down already - Rhino, Elephant and Leopard left...

Then even more variety - a pair of Warthogs - not the prettiest of beast!

Yet another highlight on day one's daytime drives - the third of the big five. A pair of Rhino, again hiding from the heat.

Then the fourth of the big five in one day of game drives, a couple of sightings of Elephants. These hidden under a small coppice of trees. See my PicasaWeb for even more from day one

Then to top off the daytime drives, a very rare Black Rhino. The "sharp" rather than wide mouth is the easy to spot difference - apparently the White Rhino should be called the "Wide" Rhino - because of their wide mouth, which is better for browsing than the pointed lips of the Black Rhino....

A very successful, if long first day - four of the big five and both white and black Rhino. The night drive awaiting me at dusk...