Landscape
Along the riverine areas the scarlet flowered flame creepers are in full bloom providing a pretty contrast to the sulphur yellow fever trees and lala palms, with the flowering woolly caper bush adding a wonderful fragrance to the air. The vegetation cover is not as dense as we enter the peak dry season, so game viewing has been very good.

Wildlife
Eland have been seen regularly in fairly large herds, with some good sightings on foot. There have been several sightings of honey badger this month too. A sable antelope bull, with his sweeping horns and jet-black coat was seen by guests coming to Pafuri Camp, on the southern bank of the Luvuvhu River.

Big cats been seen quite regularly and even heard from Pafuri Camp, with the coughing sound of the solitary leopard announcing its presence. One however cannot forget the bone-chilling and heart-stopping roaring of the lion, with the Pafuri Pride announcing its presence. The seven pride members have increased their number to ten, for three new fluffy, tanned and flecked cubs were discovered in August, which is excellent news.

We also watched in amazement as the two sub-adult lions began to dig up a warthog from its burrow, and eventually that evening under the blanket of stars and after many hours of work they got their prey. The Mangala female leopard has been using the second lookout point from the Luvuvhu River as her hunting grounds, with several nyala being taken around this area.

Birding
Birding, as always, was highly productive at Pafuri Camp this month with several special sightings. Read about the Three-banded Courser nesting record here.

Racket-tailed Rollers were also seen performing their courtship displays, and will probably move into the mopane nesting sites soon. It was interesting to note that they nested in dead lala palms last year, which was a first.

We also enjoyed some incredible raptor encounters this month. A Martial Eagle was found feeding on a monitor lizard, one of its favourite prey species; a Tawny Eagle feeding on an unfortunate Helmeted Guineafowl and a Crowned Eagle ripping at its helpless vervet monkey victim.

The bird list for the month included: Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Green Twinspot, Pel's Fishing Owl, Racket-tailed Roller, Grey-headed Parrot, Bohm's Spinetail, African Barred Owlet, Common Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Three-banded Courser, African Cuckoo Hawk, Bat Hawk, Dickinson's Kestrel, Arnot's Chat and Bronze Mannikin.

Visit soon and cheerio from the Pafuri Camp team.