Some highlights here from a recent March '18 assignment to the Northern & Central Serengeti- TZ.
"In dad's footsteps"
"Look, Simba, everything the light touches is our kingdom. A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here, and will rise with you as the new king,"
Mufasa tells Simba in the famous scene from "The Lion King"
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/5.6
1/1000s
ISO900@ 100mm.
"A leopard's kingdom"
A leopardess surveys her kingdom and ponders what tomorrow will bring.
Nikon D810
Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 G2
f/4
1/250s
ISO450@ 50mm.
"Leopardess carries her cub"
Just a wonderful moment to witness and my patience of waiting 3 full days for her to return to her 2 x 8 week old cubs really paid off!
Mum had killed a baby Wildebeest and stashed it high in an Acacia and closeby to her densite, here she fed on the kill for the next 3 days before deciding to finally come down and bring her cubs out to nurse & feed them.
This was only the second time in 36 yrs travelling/photographing African wildlife have I seen a leopard carry her cubs
Nikon D5
Nikkor 400 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/6.3
1/2000s
ISO1250
"Anticipation"
A young male cheetah arises and sets his sights on a single Thompsons Gazelle in the distance.
Nikon D5
Nikkor 400 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/6.3
1/2000s
ISO1600
"Carnivore cubs"
The 15 strong “Gardenia” pride pulled down a male buffalo by drowning the hapless beast in a waterhole.
Lions don’t like the water at the best of times, and the alpha female eventually dragged this daga boy to the waters edge and with only a small area that could be accessed, it finally came the turn for the cubs to battle it out for their share.
Kogatende region, Northern Serengeti- TZ.
Nikon D5
Nikkor 400 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/8
1/1600s
ISO2800
"Buzz off"
Like a scene from Hitchcock's movie "The Birds",
a leopardess with one of her young 8 wk old cubs tucked in beside her, displays her anger at a trio of Steppe Buzzards who are looking at the possiblity of snatching an easy meal.
I don't think any of the 6/8 buzzards that were hovering overhead would actually attempt such a feat*, but mum wasn't going to take any chances, and soon after when they all landed in a fig tree closeby she raced off and jumped up the tree to send them a message!
*I have witnessed a Martial Eagle snatch a baby warthog, and there's been documentary evidence of them taking young cheetah cubs, but these guys are much smaller.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/6.3
1/2000s
ISO320@ 100mm.
"Buzz off" (closeup)
Nikon D5
Nikkor 400 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/6.3
1/2000s
ISO360
"Leopard scout"
With a full belly and having just nursed and fed her 2 x 8 week old cubs, a leopardess steps out to her rock platform to ponder another beautiful sunset in the Central Serengeti.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/4
1/1000s
ISO640@ 100mm.
"Serengeti leopardess"
A leopardess has stashed a baby wildebeest higher up her Acacia tree fortress as she kept a close eye view on her 2 x 8 week old cubs secured in their kopje den.
Early morning soft filtered light enabled this leopardess to pop from the sky background.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/5.6
1/2000s
ISO2000@ 280mm.
"Yawning glory"
The pride male awakens with a yawn to another splendid Serengeti sunset.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/5.6
1/1000s
ISO800@ 100mm.
"Gardenia pride V's buffalo"
The 15 strong "Gardenia" pride battle a male buffalo, taking just 21 mins from start to finish, that resulted in the girls flipping the young bull over and drowning him in the water hole behind, but not before suffering injuries to 4 of the pride.
A real privilige to document the battle from start to finish.
Kogatende region, Northern Serengeti- TZ.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/4
1/1000s
ISO640@ 100mm.
Cheers
Marc
"In dad's footsteps"
"Look, Simba, everything the light touches is our kingdom. A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here, and will rise with you as the new king,"
Mufasa tells Simba in the famous scene from "The Lion King"
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/5.6
1/1000s
ISO900@ 100mm.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"A leopard's kingdom"
A leopardess surveys her kingdom and ponders what tomorrow will bring.
Nikon D810
Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 G2
f/4
1/250s
ISO450@ 50mm.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"Leopardess carries her cub"
Just a wonderful moment to witness and my patience of waiting 3 full days for her to return to her 2 x 8 week old cubs really paid off!
Mum had killed a baby Wildebeest and stashed it high in an Acacia and closeby to her densite, here she fed on the kill for the next 3 days before deciding to finally come down and bring her cubs out to nurse & feed them.
This was only the second time in 36 yrs travelling/photographing African wildlife have I seen a leopard carry her cubs
Nikon D5
Nikkor 400 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/6.3
1/2000s
ISO1250
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"Anticipation"
A young male cheetah arises and sets his sights on a single Thompsons Gazelle in the distance.
Nikon D5
Nikkor 400 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/6.3
1/2000s
ISO1600
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"Carnivore cubs"
The 15 strong “Gardenia” pride pulled down a male buffalo by drowning the hapless beast in a waterhole.
Lions don’t like the water at the best of times, and the alpha female eventually dragged this daga boy to the waters edge and with only a small area that could be accessed, it finally came the turn for the cubs to battle it out for their share.
Kogatende region, Northern Serengeti- TZ.
Nikon D5
Nikkor 400 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/8
1/1600s
ISO2800
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"Buzz off"
Like a scene from Hitchcock's movie "The Birds",
a leopardess with one of her young 8 wk old cubs tucked in beside her, displays her anger at a trio of Steppe Buzzards who are looking at the possiblity of snatching an easy meal.
I don't think any of the 6/8 buzzards that were hovering overhead would actually attempt such a feat*, but mum wasn't going to take any chances, and soon after when they all landed in a fig tree closeby she raced off and jumped up the tree to send them a message!
*I have witnessed a Martial Eagle snatch a baby warthog, and there's been documentary evidence of them taking young cheetah cubs, but these guys are much smaller.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/6.3
1/2000s
ISO320@ 100mm.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"Buzz off" (closeup)
Nikon D5
Nikkor 400 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/6.3
1/2000s
ISO360
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"Leopard scout"
With a full belly and having just nursed and fed her 2 x 8 week old cubs, a leopardess steps out to her rock platform to ponder another beautiful sunset in the Central Serengeti.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/4
1/1000s
ISO640@ 100mm.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"Serengeti leopardess"
A leopardess has stashed a baby wildebeest higher up her Acacia tree fortress as she kept a close eye view on her 2 x 8 week old cubs secured in their kopje den.
Early morning soft filtered light enabled this leopardess to pop from the sky background.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/5.6
1/2000s
ISO2000@ 280mm.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"Yawning glory"
The pride male awakens with a yawn to another splendid Serengeti sunset.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/5.6
1/1000s
ISO800@ 100mm.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
"Gardenia pride V's buffalo"
The 15 strong "Gardenia" pride battle a male buffalo, taking just 21 mins from start to finish, that resulted in the girls flipping the young bull over and drowning him in the water hole behind, but not before suffering injuries to 4 of the pride.
A real privilige to document the battle from start to finish.
Kogatende region, Northern Serengeti- TZ.
Nikon D850
Nikkor 70-200 f/2.8E FL VR + 1.4tcIII
f/4
1/1000s
ISO640@ 100mm.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Cheers
Marc
