1/640 at f/5.6, ISO 100
Our second day in the park was our first full day and it was full of great sightings. Because it’s the dry season, the only major water source within the park is the Tarangire River so the wildlife tends to concentrate there. We saw elephants bathing, and plenty of animals getting a drink, wary of predators that might be around.
We were hoping to see a leopard in a tree near the river watching for a meal but no luck today so we drove on and found a mating pair of lions. Capturing this photographically is always a fun challenge because, well, the King of the Jungle only gives you about 10 seconds per show.
Later, traveling south, we came upon a lioness watching a warthog from a distance. She started to hunt, approaching it stealthily and hiding behind a rise, but the warthog was downwind and took off before the lioness could get close enough.
We saw plenty of birds as well including herons, ibis, storks, hornbills, eagles, and one of my favorites, the Secretary Bird.
At the end of the day, we returned to our rooms, tired but happy about what we were able to see. After dinner, seeing elephants about 20 meters from my window was a great finish to the day.
–Dave
About Dave Burns
Dave Burns is a wildlife, travel, and landscape photographer whose passions range from the beauty of the African savanna to the streets of Paris. He created Dave Burns Photo Tours to share his favorite places with other photographers, help them capture unique images, and learn more about photography and digital work flow. His next trip is an African photo safari to the Serengeti in February 2021. Dave’s images are in private collections and galleries. To contact him, use the contact page on this site.