Africa 13: Eagle and Cheetah

We first saw this Martial Eagle flying.  Then we noticed he was carrying something in his claws.

Then he landed on top of a termite mound right in front of us.

See the bird hanging from his claws?  It's the grey blob on the right side of the mound.

We moved the trucks slightly to get a better view.  He is a good 50 feet away from us here.

Another shot of him so that you can see his profile.  He began plucking the feathers of his prey.

But after only plucking a few feathers, he cocked his head at us, clearly not pleased that we were watching.  Seconds later he flew off with his prey and landed in a tree where we could not see him.

It was our last evening in Botswana, and the only thing on our list that we hadn't seen was a cheetah.

We were driving back to camp after watching the sun go down out in the bush when one of the guides spotted this beauty out hunting.

Of course we followed her.  These images were taken in near darkness.

Modern cameras and software give us the opportunity to get shots like these that would have been impossible in earlier days..

Notice her collar.  These tracking devices help scientists determine the animal's hunting range.

Then she headed off into the brush where we could not follow.

Next time, we explore the Kafue and Lufupa Rivers in Zambia.

 Continue on to Post 14: River Safaris in Zambia, by clicking here.