Just a little hare in our backyard at sunset.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Canon EOS 1dX mark II
Canon EF600mm f/4L IS II USM
ISO 1000, f4.5, 1/320s Exp. comp. +1.33

Tags:   wildlife nature animal mammal wild Lepus europaeus Feldhase haas Lièvre d'Europe sunset golden hour gold honey backlight Tonden the Netherlands hvhe Hennie van Heerden

© All Rights Reserved

6 o'clock in the morning. The sun was rising quickly filling the sky with a deep golden glow. I wasn't the only one enjoying that moment as a beautiful male pheasant stepped into the scene.

I know what a pheasant invariably does on a beautiful may morning; making his presence known to all the ladies in the neighborhood, by calling and flapping his wings.

So I went down on my stomach in the wet grass and just waited.. And they never disappoint, do they :-).

Canon EOS 1dX mark II
Canon EF600mm f/4L IS II USM
ISO 640, f5, 1/3200s Exp. comp. +2/3

Tags:   Wildlife nature wild bird Tonden The Netherlands Fazant Bosfazant Fasan: Common Pheasant Faisan de Colchide Golden behaviour Phasianus Colchicus hvhe1 Hennie van Heerden sunrise silhouette

© All Rights Reserved

Yesterday morning in our wildflower meadow was fantastic!! 4 roe deer males were fighting for the attention of one willing doe.
This is the largest buck chasing a rival at full speed.

For a 'video' of the whole sequence, I've put it in the comment section below.

Canon EOS 1dX mark II
Canon EF600mm f/4L IS II USM
ISO 1250, f4, 1/2500s

Tags:   Hennie van Heerden wildlife wild animal mammal capriolus capriolus Roe Deer ree Reh Tonden The Netherlands jump rut buck

© All Rights Reserved

Is there anything cuter than playing baby elephants?

These two babies were the clowns of the herd and we had a great time watching them.

Canon EOS R6
Canon RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
ISO 800, f9, 1/500, exp. comp +1,33

Tags:   nature wildlife wild animal mammal Elefant olifant elephant Loxodonta Africana baby play Maasai Mara Africa Kenya safari game drive Freeman Camp hvhe1 Hennie van Heerden

© All Rights Reserved

It was just after sunrise when we found 4 youngster male Lions. Confidently they were on their way, looking for food or in search of mischief, who knows with adolescent males..
But it sure was a formidable sight.

They approached a little bushy area when all of a sudden we saw one after the other hyena fleeing from that spot. Apparently a whole clan of hyena had been resting there. There were at least 10 or 12 adults and some younger ones on the run for the approaching lions.

Suddenly the lions leaped forward into the bushes. A young hyena hadn't noticed the lions approaching and they killed it.. just for fun.. the way cats do with pray.. playing cat and mouse. Hard to watch and even harder to hear.

The rest of the hyena clan was screaming and howling hearing the kill in progress. It was a blood curdling sound audible miles around. The adult hyenas tried to attack the lions but with 4 big males it was just too dangerous for them. They attacked and withdrew time after time.

The 4 lions were distracted by those attacks and didn't see or feel the danger coming.
The 3 magnificent fully grown Topi pride males had heard the intruders in their territory and came into the scene with a vengeance. 3 Of the youngsters fled but one was too slow and got caught by 2 of the adults. He got bitten quite badly in his hind leg but surprisingly enough they let him go after a short while and went after the other 3 (didn't get them though).

The youngster limped away and as far as I know now, he's never seen again.

I guess they learned respect the hard way..

Canon EOS R6
Canon RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
ISO 1250, f6.3, 1/6400

Tags:   wildlife wild animal nature safari Kenya Masai Mara Africa lion Panthera Leo: Löwe fight male hvhe1 Hennie van Heerden

© All Rights Reserved