Zululand – a few days in the bush

We recently spent a few days on the beautiful Lake Jozini which borders Swaziland and Zululand to do some Tiger Fishing and then on to Mavela Game Lodge in the Rhino Reserve in Zululand for birdwatching.   Zululand  like the rest of the South Africa, is currently in the grip of a massive drought and the magnificent Lake Jozini has been reduced to 45 percent capacity.  We still however managed to do some fantastic birdwatching with lots of amazing waterbirds, and had great fun Tiger fishing.  

 

 

Because the level of the dam was so low the vegetation around the dam which would normally have been submerged lent itself to some beautiful photography and the light was just perfect.

 

One of my favourite sights is this view looking over the vast bushveld.  Although so bare and brown at this time of the year it is still breathtakingly beautiful. Nothing for miles and miles except wild animals and birds.

 

The lack of thick scrub and grasses allowed me to get some great macro shots with my new Canon 180mm Macro Lens.  It allows you to stay far enough away from your subject so as not to disturb them. As in the case of this female Elegant Grasshopper carrying her mate on her back.

 

And the butterflies were everywhere.  I spent a long afternoon wandering around the camp taking shots of them.

 

 

We were so lucky to track a pack of wild dogs  and experience  some strange behaviour of  them marking their territory by going up on their front legs.   

 

 

I couldn’t resist adding this hilarious picture of my first Tiger Fish which tried to get away.  As you can see I wasn’t going to let it get back into that water until someone had taken a picture.