[Leica] More from Ndutu

[cummer at netvigator.com (H&E Cummer)]

Hi Jayanand,
Good stuff - as usual - think I was in the same jeep for some of them. :-)
I can't decide which I like more; Tanzanian Cheetahs or Indian Tigers.
Certainly the Tigers are more elusive.
Thanks for posting - nice to relive.
Cheers
Howard

Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 10:11:22 +0530
From: Jayanand Govindaraj <jayanand at gmail.com>
Subject: [Leica] More From Ndutu
To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>, PSM

The photos go on...Firstly, the last installment of Cheetahs - as I
mentioned, you see a lot of them in action, as they are active in the
daytime, compared to other predators, so more photographs of them! It does
help that they are so beautiful and photogenic as well! The first one is of
a Cheetah scanning for prey from cover behind a bush:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140308_0962.jpg.html

Two of an expressive Cheetah waking up from a nap:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140308_1001.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140308_1011.jpg.html

The next is of an anxious female looking furtively around while wolfing
down her kill. There were two other females, with two and three cubs
respectively within a kilometer of her position - one of the groups chased
her off the territory shorty after I took this:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140310_2164.jpg.html

Finally, the last seconds before a kill. Our driver had positioned us
rather well, now, if only the wildebeest calf had turned the other way, it
would have been THE perfect position for photography. But like most things
in wildlife photography, it was not to be:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140310_2329.jpg.html

Now, for some herbivores, with plenty of interesting and attractive skies
- a horde of the supremely graceful Grant's Gazelles in the early morning
light:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140311_2694.jpg.html

A general Ndutu landscape:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140315_6071.jpg.html

Zebras and a giraffe near a rivulet, also very typical Ndutu habitat that
breaks up the open grasslands:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140313_4864.jpg.html

A male giraffe periodically kept checking out a receptive female:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140313_4541.jpg.html

He was also extremely possessive when other males came to check out the
scene, and kept herding her away:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140313_4891.jpg.html

Reflection of a duo:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140313_4957.jpg.html

Giraffes, commonly,  also chew and lick exposed bones from carcasses of
other animals lying around, I would guess to ingest some calcium:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/EAfrica/2014/Ndutu_20140307_0417.jpg.html

Pleas see LARGE

Comments and criticism, as ever, welcome

Cheers
Jayanand