On my second visit to Botswana this year, it was much drier and browner than in early May (See Botswana, April-May 2017). In the Mababe depression (ancient mega-lake), we encountered about four hundred buffaloes in migration. Hundreds of zebras had already reached their destination and were enjoying fresh grass on the floodplain along the Chobe River. As always, there were so many unforgettable, special moments!
今年2度目のボツワナ訪問。5月より乾燥が進み、ほとんどの草は枯れ、茶色の大地が目についた（1回目の訪問の写真はこちら。Botswana, April-May 2017）。古代の巨大湖では、季節移動中のバッファロー約400頭に出会った。チョベ川の水位が下がって姿を現した氾濫原（はんらんげん＝河川の氾濫によってできた平坦な低地）では、既に到着した数百頭のシマウマが新鮮な草をむさぼっていた。いつものことながら、忘れがたい素晴らしい出来事に満ちたボツワナの旅。
Red-billed spurfowl, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Southern red-billed hornbill, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Lilac-breasted roller, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Chacma baboons, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Pied kingfisher, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Pied Kingfisher eating fish, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017. He beat the dead fish to absolute death before starting to consume it.
Little bee-eater, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Young elephants playing, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Pied kingfisher mating, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Elephants, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Wattled cranes, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017. A short while later, the male started courting.
Sunset, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Red lechwe, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Daytime, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Waterbuck, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Baby Egyptian geese, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Baby Egyptian geese under the watchful eye of their proud parent, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
White-backed vulture, Khwai, Botswana, June 2017
Kick! White-backed vultures fighting over buffalo carcus, Khwai, June 2017
White-backed vultures guarding buffalo carcass, Khwai, Boswana, June 2017
Baby giraffe, Mababe depression, Botswana, June 2017
Elephants and trees, Mababe depression, Botswana, June 2017
Yellow-billed hornbill, Mababe depression, Botswana, June 2017
Burchell’s sandgrouse spreading wings, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Burchell’s sandgrouse, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Capped wheatear, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Secretary bird landing on nest, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Secretary bird sitting on nest, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Verreaux’s eagle-owl, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Verreaux’s eagle-owl, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Temminck’s courser, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Secretary bird, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Secretary bird, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Blue wildebeest, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Pale formed tawny eagle, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Yellow mongoose, Savuti, Boswana, June 2017
Food got stuck in mouth! Yellow mongoose, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Kori bustard, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017. Kori bustard is the largest flying bird native to Africa.
Black-shouldered kite hovering, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017. He dived to hunt many times without much success.
Sleeping lioness and flowers, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Sunset, Savuti, Boswana, June 2017
Pearl-spotted owlet, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Female leopard taking a break from pulling fur from a scrub hare, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Red-billed quelea, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Crimson-breasted shrike, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Blue waxbill, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Tree squirrel, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Ostrich, Savuti,Botswana, June 2017
Fork-tailed drongo, Savuti, Botswana, June 2017
Geese at sunset, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Buffaloes at sunset, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Sunset, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Crested francolin, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Fish eagle, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Yellow-billed eremomela, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Banded mongoose, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Carmine bee-eater, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
White-faced ducks and sleeping hippos, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
African skimmers, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Water thick-knee, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Malachite kingfisher, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Wire-tailed swallow, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Water thick-knee, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Black-winged pratincolet, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Malachite kingfisher, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Malachite kingfisher, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Giant kingfisher, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Striped skink, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Blacksmith lapwing attacking a water monitor to protect its nest, Chobe, June 2017
Baby elephant, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Giraffe and elephants at sunset, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Warthogs, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Honey badger crossing the road, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Wild dogs tearing meat, which was once a young kudu, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
A brown hyena and white-backed vultures (with a black-backed jackal) eagerly waiting for an opportunity to grab a piece or two while wild dogs are devouring their kill, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
Brown hyena observing wild dogs feasting on their kill, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017
It was worth waiting! Brown hyena getting away with a large chunk of meat, Chobe, Botswana, June 2017.
Masako Osada Visual Arts 