Never underestimate the beauty of African bird life. We were astonished by it in South Africa. There is an immense variety of colourful and exotic birds, with unusual calls and strange plumage. They are quite fearless and you can get unusually close to them.
- What surprised me was the incredible amount of birds of prey. Eagles, vultures and Bateleurs are relatively plentiful and stunningly beautiful. To see them swoop to the ground to hunt is amazing – it’s over in a flash. They also spend a lot of time gliding the thermals, which provides great opportunities for you to view their stunning plumage with binoculars and zoom cameras.
- The lilac breasted roller (above) is an incredibly beautiful bird and seems to adorn every other tree and I never tire of its colourful presence.
Overall, what stood out for me is the texture of the animals skin. Being so close to an elephant that you can study the wrinkles on his skin, or being so close to a leopard that you can study her fur coat is an honour, and it provides a level of detail that you’d never see in a zoo or on TV.
Also, the sheer number of animals in a pack / herd is incredible and visually overwhelming. We have seen a herd of 17 elephants, a pack of at least 20 wild dogs, a herd of hundreds of buffalo, thousands of wildebeest in the Great Migration, Ostrich parents with 11 (!) chicks and a pride of lions with 6 or so cubs.
You never know what visual delights Africa will throw at you next…that’s why we’re addicted to it!