That Will Teach Me
April 1, 2010 by Jean KZN
I take time off for some r and r and what happens?
A serval is sighted from the boat. My colleague Bheki was very excited as it is the first he has seen in all his years of guiding. At first he was not sure what he was looking at and even once he had decided that it was indeed this very elusive cat he was hesitant to tell the guests – but it was and it stood still for photographs.
I can’t top a serval sighting but my welcome back to the dam sighting surly comes close.
I did a double trip (half the group first and half second). The first group got perfect weather and loads of game and birds to watch but I was a bit worried about the second groups chances as the wind and wave suddenly came up mid afternoon. I need not have been - to make up for the weather Jozini decided to give me a sighting to remember.
I was sitting watching buffalo when I heard a splash and looked around for the hippo I had seen earlier only to see all the water birds fly up which changed my focus to looking for a fish eagle. The reedbuck, impala and wildebeest started to whistle and snort alarm calls which change my opinion once again (women’s prerogative). As I edged the boat forward for a look a very wet leopard started a fast belly crawl up the shore towards the long grass. He must have leapt at a water bird and landed rather deeper than he expected.