DOVES AT THE WATERHOLE - KGALAGADI

When the suns rays are at a low angle and the heat of the day is dissipating into the cool of the night, animals and birds IN THE KGALGADI come for a drink. The waterholes are busy and the unwary are in trouble. We sat by a waterhole before sundown and waited. Nothing. Well the waiting game is played best by playing it. So we stuck around, and before long we were greeted by wave upon wave of doves. They were so numerous it seemed like 100s came and went over the period of an hour or so. Lanner falcons and red necked falcons and even jackals bide their time at these waterholes trying to snag a plump dove for dinner but no such luck this time. It was how ever surreal to capture an ever-changing collage or you could call it a live mosaic of these beautiful birds as they came in to drink stayed a while and left. The setting sun gave us a hint to head home and we did albeit sadly to leave such a beautiful sight.

The dessert that I love. KGALAGADI

OK OK.... its not dessert..... its desert, and I love it. The Kgalagadi and its red sand dunes have a way of sneaking into your soul. Let me give you an example. 

It was the dead hours in the Kgalagadi, sun shining high in the sky, animals looking for cover from the blistering heat, and we  were driving along among the dunes. Frankly I had had it,  cuz nothiong moves at that time in that heat. A movement barely visible in the red sand on the left caught my eye and i slowed down. There is something there i said and my guests looked and said seems like a cat but bigger and has long ears.

 CARACAL! I could not believe it. My first sighting of this usually nocturnal cat. I parked by the side of the road and we all just watched this handsome cat walking through the clumps of grass and the bushes across the dunes. 

The red colouring of the fur blending so well with the sand and the background of the dunes, its not really easy to spot as you drive along. Its a medium size cat, about the size of a Dalmatian dog with rough red fur and long tufts on their ears. The ears are the ones that really stick out, tufted ears that are long and black at the back. Makes them look quite striking. They are primarily bird hunters and will take small or young antelope occasionally. But such a handsome creature we were all mesmerised by him.