Asking a ranger what time of year is the best time to visit the bush always starts a great debate; it’s like asking newlyweds what part of their partner do they love the most – there is no part, you love them as a whole! Even I am unable to choose just one time of year, torn between Spring with all its electric blooms and babies, and Autumn with its crisp mornings and hews of green, yellow and amber. Having just finished Summer, Spring is still fresh in my mind and two weeks ago if someone had asked, I may have been swayed to “team Spring” but, with the apparent onset of autumn this week, I am beginning to remember why I can’t choose. Just in this last seven days, I’ve found myself arriving at work to a still, crisp, dark morning with the privilege of making myself a cup of tea to stand on the deck and listen to the noises of leaves dropping and birds fluffing their feathers, calling to denounce the start of the day. Guests are getting the first glimpses of sunrise as they head through in the morning and the full Milky Way at night, making it difficult to decide which they prefer more – morning or evening safaris. The refreshing dew hanging off the tips of grass blades is a stark contrast to witnessing the last of the natural water holes dry up, exposing the shrinking underlying clay. It has built a sense of anticipation; anticipating the sunrise, anticipating its warmth, anticipating what more we can see as the bush recedes. With less vegetation, fantastic sightings are becoming easier to find and against the kaleidoscope of autumn colours, certainly more awesome! Indeed has been a Super Seven week this week with sightings coming out of our ears!

The start of this week we saw the Sand River males reunited with the Southern Pride split as they marked their territory and enjoyed one another’s company.

The Toulon and Lower Sabie packs of wild dogs were found in different parts of the property with both packs looking very strong and healthy. Whilst the Toulon pack didn’t stay for long, the Lower Sabie pack made themselves comfortable for the majority of the week, even managing to make a successful impala kill. It was after watching the Lower Sabie pack settle down for the night in the middle of the week, that we not long after found the Southern Pride split and one of the Sand River males waking up to make the most of an evening of hunting too. It didn’t take the pride long to dive into stealth mode and successfully pin down a yet another unexpecting, young impala. The females grabbed their share before the Sand River male pried the carcass away for himself. Later during dinner, we heard them calling as they moved through the property trying to find the other two males.

For four days a large male cheetah also graced us with some spectacular sightings. The regular sightings of cheetah have allowed us a great opportunity to educate our guests about current major threats and the future of cheetah, besides enjoy the presence of an animal so usually seldom seen by other reserves in South Africa.

“In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we have been taught” – Baba Dioum

His presence was later in the week overshadowed by the discovery of a female cheetah with FIVE cheetah cubs, presumed to be only a few months old, on an impala kill! For most of the rangers here this was a first to see such young cubs that bared such a striking resemblance to the fearsome Honey Badger. This brought the total population of cheetahs on the Sabi Sabi property to seven. A true privilege to witness.

Numerous large elephant bulls have been passing through in search of the breeding herds whilst small bachelor herds of buffalo are still awaiting the arrival of the massive buffalo breeding herds consisting of hundreds of individuals that frequent Sabi Sabi in winter.

Mahlathini was spotted acting very elusive in some thick bush and Tortilis has made another couple more visits to Bush Lodge; but both were quickly reminded that there is no property on the market here with Maxabeni heavily scent marking all around the lodge later that evening.

Naive to Maxabeni’s temperament, Tortilis ignored the signals of Maxabeni’s presence and joined his mother on an impala kill. One wonders when it will be that she will stop supporting him.

Lisbon also made a successful kill which she stashed up a tree, proving that with age comes wisdom whilst Nottins actively marked her territory through lows grunts and urine spraying.

As Autumn sets in, we are enjoying the last few weeks of the migratory species but also seen some residents moving back into the area, including a large flock of Marabou Storks.

Anticipating getting back to the lodge to look at the safari’s photos, it is difficult not to get excited. I now wipe my memory card clean of older photos in preparation for each safari, so as not to miss out. The long hours are slowly becoming rewarded with misty daybreaks and skies so filled with stars I bet they contend with the views on top of Everest. I don’t doubt for a second, that the weeks to come will only prove why winter is looking to be by far the most productive season for game viewing this year.