March 3, 2017
Swallow-Tailed Bee-Eater and Leopard, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa

Jan and I have finished our nine-night visit to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park which encompasses the former Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa. The area had received a lot of rain before we arrived so there were lots of wildflowers and fresh green vegetation. While the wildflowers were great for photography, the fresh green vegetation made it easier for the wildlife to stay away from the waterholes so there weren't as many good photo ops. However, we were able to make some great images including the two in this blog entry. We stopped to photograph some Swallow-Tailed Bee-Eater (Merops hirundineus) one afternoon that were hunting from a nice perch, and we were thrilled when an adult brought back its catch to feed its young.

The absolute best photo op almost didn't happen. Jan sits in the back of the vehicle behind me so that we can both shoot, but it also means that I have a much better view of the surroundings. Well, as I was driving down the road and scanning the area ahead, Jan yelled out, "Stop! There's a leopard near the road." Somehow it had escaped my scan and we had gone by it. Fortunately, the Leopard (Panthera pardus) stayed by the road while we turned around and then he moved off a comfortable distance as he continued heading to the nearest waterhole. After he drank, he continued paralleling the road before eventually coming up to the road and crossing it. My favorite image of the fantastic encounter is this one that highlights his wonderful curved tail. Enjoy!