James continued his battle with hoards of tsetse flies as we hiked along the park’s dirt roads early this morning—even with Richard’s chauffeuring we’ve been walking six miles or more each day. None of the safari vehicles were out yet and we could plainly see baboon prints in the dust. While James played the recorded call of a Pearl-spotted Owlet to attract other birds—they just HATE the owlet— we searched the trees and Seidu calmly watched an elephant walk by not five meters behind us. Later he smiled as he showed us her serving platter-sized footprint. Ha, ha.
We literally—and futilely—beat the bush for much of the morning hoping to rouse a White-backed Night Heron. We couldn’t find anything on Connie’s “hit list” all morning but we did see a mother warthog with her piglet, a gathering of Tiger Butterflies and several elephants. Some of Mole’s guests obviously didn’t get the memo that elephants are not tame and they always have the right of way. I did manage to get good photos of a Black Crake, a Lizard Buzzard and the beautiful Malachite Kingfisher before my camera started acting up.
We had noticed smoke on the horizon as we were heading out after our siesta but Seidu said no problem, it’s a controlled burn and the rangers are watching it. As we were returning after dark, the smell of smoke was strong and an eerie glow enveloped the lodge. The fire may have been under control but it certainly had spread from where it began. We hope Seidu is right and, thankfully, it’s a good distance away.
