NEWSLETTER
APRIL 2008
Dear
Friends,
The
rainy season has come to a close and the grass
is turning golden. It has been a pleasure to see
Botswana covered in green. The waters are still
very high and we are expecting the floods in June/July
– it promises to be an interesting and unusual
season.
The
area is nearly impassable due to rains swelling
our channels to overflowing. The country side
is lush, overgrown and truly wild. Buffalo herds
frequently pass near our mobile camp and we wake
at midnight to the sound of bellows and grunts
and munching of grass. The herds are followed
closely by lion and invariably the baboons, hyenas
and side-striped jackal send up warning cries
through the night. The bird life is phenomenal.
We have rescued hundreds of stranded bream in
the muddy shallows but the ones left have attracted
Sacred Ibis and Openbill Stork in the scores.
We are waking up to magnificent sunrises and starting
early in the day to make the best of the cool
mornings. Siestas are warm and hazy and, when
the day is over, we sip sundowners in the glorious
sunset light.
Our
first safari of the season was in Moremi Game
Reserve, which was covered in wild flowers and
long green grass. We had the pleasure of viewing
17 wild dog on our way into the Reserve and as
can be seen from the photograph, they were unconcerned,
playful and curious. Game viewing was a challenge
through the long grass though but we had good
sightings of elephant and lion.
Deception
Valley was exceptional with long stretches of
wild flowers growing on the fertile pan bed. Oryx
were plentiful and in good condition. Springbok
grazed on the short prickly grass below and were
watched by the cheetah sitting tall on the high
rises of old dunes. These dunes no longer move
and are pinned by the encroachment of wind blown
seeds of grass and trees. Pale Chanting goshawks
flew off their perches as we drove down Passarge
Valley to the beautiful Tau (Lion) Pans that lie
south of all the campsites.
We
are very excited about this new season and all
its abundance of water fowl and game concentrations.
The days are flying past and soon we will be into
our winter magic of warm colours on our vast open
flood plains.
Best
wishes and looking forward to seeing you in our
beautiful country soon.
Lloyd,
Storm and Daphne.
Wilmot
Safaris (Pty) Ltd
P.O. Box 37,
MAUN.
BOTSWANA.
Tel & Fax (267) 6862615
Cell Phone : (267) 71697200
Email : lloydlws@botsnet.bw
