Yala Safari 2

Now although a rest day one could nevertheless book another jeep safari. With four or more of us it would be US$70 each. But to my surprise I found I was the only person interested in venturing out. Well, maybe I was just a bit more rested than everyone else, and the baby of the group, but I was game for another go. The tour rep was worried about the cost for me alone, but I was surprised to find it was only US$110. And for that I had the jeep to myself with my own guide and driver. And I could also hire a camera for US$20, so I decided to try out both my tiny pocket job, and this big beast...

Ok, odd combination - peacock up a tree above an elephant's backside

A supposed sighting of a leopard creates much excitement, and a traffic jam worthy of the M25. After this I suggested to my guide that I wasn't so desperate to catch a glimpse of leopard, but rather more interested in getting away from the other jeeps.

Sambar deer 

Some landscape shots with my little camera. Being on my own I felt I could stop the driver to take a photoi without having any rare bit of wildlife in sight.

A really rather lovely herd of spotted deer.

Now the rest of these photos were taken with the monster lens

Painted stork

Little Green Bee-eater

Mongoose

Spotted Deer

Now here is the leopard which all those jeeps above were looking for. Can't see it? Well. look bottom centre - see the tail hanging down? What you expected to see more?

Ok, lets see some skin. Dead middle - you can just make out some spotted fur. Ok, so much effort for so little leopard. After that I thought I would settle on some really good pictures of birds than just the faintest glimpse of a cat in a tree.

There is always a lone elephant

Or a lone stag

Or some Sambar

Or water buffalo

 Jungle fowl

 A hare

A few crocs on the rocks

Parakeets

A yellow-wattled lapwing

A really good herd of Spotted Deer

 Spoonbill

A hoopoe

Red-wattled lapwing

And a very impressive bird - a hornbill up a tree

Particularly neat shot here - with a nut in his beak

The pair just in shot

I like painted storks  - big birds with that rather fetching pink blush on the rear

A pair of bee-eaters on the ground for a change

Bee-eaters having a dust bath on the road

 An Indian Roller

Weaver bird nests

Another pair of hornbills

And finally back to the hotel - the pool in the evening as the sun goes down.