After several hot days, two days of thunderstorms and a very overcast, blustery and cool day yesterday (first and only time I’ve needed a jacket so far), I’m looking over the Letaba River valley on a beautiful cool, soft spring day. There really is something of a sea breeze on these spring days, even though we’ve got Mozambique between us and the Indian Ocean. Just lovely.
Shooting continues to be a struggle. I’m beginning to be at peace with that. It’ll be what it’ll be and all I can do is keep showing up and hoping for the opportunity.
Watched baboons this morning. I love watching baboons. There’s always so much going on and the more you observe, the more you kind of get the hang of it. Who’s dominant to who, who the little bastard troublemakers are, who just wants to be left in peace. Baboons seem to find newborn infants irresistible. And who wouldn’t, really. Attention always seems focused on the newest newborn and the mother and baby are constantly approached by other females, making grunts of appeasement, who want to touch or hold the baby. Sometimes these mothers have newborns of their own clutching their chests, but they can’t seem to resist touching or hugging or trying to pull the new baby away. Often the visitors are overbearing and rough, resulting sometimes in a physical tug of war with the baby in the middle. Sometimes – I suspect when the mother sees a higher ranking female approaching – the mother simply grabs the newborn and moves away. Today I watched a mother rebuff all entreaties – and there were many – to hold or hug the baby Then, after watching for a half-hour or more, the mother simply put the baby down and moved off a ways away to concentrate on feeding. Several other baboons picked up the baby who seemed bewildered, upset and very anxious to return to his mother. Then everyone sort of lost interest. Decided it was old news I suppose.
Moving back to Letaba today for two days. Then Mopani and Shingwedzi as this phase winds down. In one week, the girls will be here.
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