Blog Tag: Tarangire

Fall 2014 African Photo Safari – Notes from Tarangire

by Dave Burns | Posted in Trip Reports | Tags: , , , ,

Tarangire National Park in October never disappoints and we had some of the best sightings of our safari here. Our weather was very sunny but we had a small rain shower on two of the three days which led to dramatic skies for photography.

With the dry season in full effect, the animals congregated by the Tarangire river – the main source of water in the park. Tarangire is known for elephants and we saw large family groups bathing by the river. We even had a mother and child right outside our rooms at lunch time. One day we drove down past the Silale Swamp with beautiful views to the east. We caught this line of elephants heading towards a pool for a bath:
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Photo of the Day – Elephants in a Row

by Dave Burns | Posted in Photo of the Day | Tags: , , , , ,

One of the best places to see elephant in Tanzania is in Tarangire National Park, especially in the dry season as the large herds congregate around the river. We caught this group on an overcast day with the matriarch and her daughters leading their young ones down to the river for a drink.

Elephants In a Row
Canon 40D Infrared, 1/320 at f/8, ISO 400
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Photo of the Day – Baboon Baby on a Tree

by Dave Burns | Posted in Photo of the Day | Tags: , , ,

During a morning game drive on photo safari in Tarangire National Park, we watched a troop of baboons eating and grooming. Baboons can be interesting animals to watch because of their group interactions. This young one grabbed this insect off the ground and scrambled up this tree so he could eat it without being disturbed. He seems to be winking at me right as I snapped the shutter.

Baboon Baby on a Tree
Canon 5DMk3, 1/200 at f/8, ISO 400

Photo of the Day – Yawning Bush Hyrax

by Dave Burns | Posted in Photo of the Day | Tags: , , , ,

Because I can’t resist a cheesy TGIF photo, here’s a yawning bush hyrax. We were looking for leopards in trees as we drove around the Tarangire River on a recent photo safari. As we looked up into the canopy, there was this little guy staring at us from 6 feet away. He was (obviously) unimpressed by us.

Yawning Bush Hyrax
Canon 5DMk2, 1/60 at f/8, ISO 400

Photo of the Day – Elephant Between Two Trees

by Dave Burns | Posted in Photo of the Day | Tags: , , , , ,

We came across this elephant on my photo safari last October in Tarangire National Park. While the elephants in the northern part of the park are more accustomed to safari vehicles, we took a long drive that day to the southern areas near the Gursi Swamp where the elephants are more skittish. This one turned from browsing this tree and I waited for him to flare his ears at me before I snapped the shutter.

I intentionally left the elephant smaller in the frame so that the photograph shows the surrounding environment and I love the look that my infrared camera gives to the trees and sky.

Elephant Between Two Trees
Canon 5DMk2 Infrared, 1/160 at f/11, ISO 100
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Photo of the Day – Lilac-Breasted Roller

by Dave Burns | Posted in Photo of the Day | Tags: , , ,

Something colorful for a gray day here in New England. I took this photograph of a Lilac-Breasted Roller in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania on my March 2012 safari. He very generously turned his head to the side which gave me the catch-light highlight in his eye which always adds life to a wildlife photograph.

Photo of the Day - Lilac-Breasted Roller
Canon 5DMk2, 1/640 at f/11, ISO 400

Fall 2013 Photo Safari – Trip Report, Day 4

by Dave Burns | Posted in Trip Reports | Tags: , , ,
Wildebeest Running in Dust, Tarangire NP, Tanzania
Wildebeest Running in Dust, Tarangire NP, Tanzania
1/1000 at f/5.6. ISO 100

Today, we rose early to check out of our lodge and head to the Ngorongoro Crater. We took our time getting to the park gate and we weren’t disappointed with the fantastic light on the baobab and flat-topped acacia trees.

From a distance, we saw a herd of zebra and wildebeest at the top of a hill, heading down to the river for a drink. They were kicking up a cloud of dust as they ran downhill which was illuminated from behind with sunlight. We raced down the road to get closer and stayed for half an hour, trying to capture the amazing scene, feeling lucky that the herd was large enough to give us the time to try different compositions.

After leaving the park gate, we drove further across the Maasai Steppe and up the Rift Valley escarpment, feeling the air get much cooler as we climbed higher. In the late afternoon, we arrived at our lodging on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and settled in.

Before going to bed, I heard some noise outside my window. I turned out the lights and went to the window to see what might be there. I looked down and 3 feet from me was a zebra, peacefully munching away on the grass.

— Dave