Staking out a desert waterhole - a wonderful morning.

This morning I didn't have any guests at Sossusvlei Desert Lodge and knew that it was my chance to have some fun on my own.  I came to the lodge and had a great breakfast (chili cheese omelet.)  Then headed out for a walk.

I had seen earlier that there was a spring in the mountains still holding water.  It's a wonderful place.  On of our astronomers had found tadpoles there before.  It had been a really interesting discovery.  We simply had no idea that we had any amphibians here in the desert.  I had also found a springbok painting (bushman rock art) there.

The spring holds water for a few months after the rain, and this year with great rains there is still a good bit of water now (late August.)  When I saw it we had just passed by before.  I decided today that it may be worth staking out.  I set off from the lodge with just my camera.

As I got near the spring I saw an adult male kudu up in the hills.  He was very relaxed.  I took a couple of picutures and moved on.

At the waterhole I lay down in a hiding spot between the rocks.  I was hoping to see a kudu or mountain zebra, but I knew that it was late in the day.  All that came in to drink was birds, but it was still such fun to just lie there and watch nature switch on again.  I took many pictures of the birds drinking and flying around and had a great time just being there.  To me to get out in nature like that from time to time, all on my own, is just a wonderful experience and one of the reasons I will keep doing my best to keep coming to visit Sossusvlei Desert Lodge and the NamibRand Nature Reserve.

On my way back I crawled slowly up the hill to get a better picture of the kudu.  He was still there and let me take a wonderful picture.  Then I made my way back to the lodge before the desert heat set in to much.  A wondeful way to spend a morning!

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