Daily Log
Tuesday 9th. February
Alliance Air flight London Heathrow to Dar es Salaam.
Wednesday 10th. February
Air Tanzania flight from Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro. Collect Land Rover from Moshi. Contact Michael Braasch. Overnight in Moshi.
Thursday 11th. February
Purchase supplies, make arrangements for aerial filming; drive Moshi to Ngorongoro; pay filming fee.
Friday 12th. February
Visit Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority HQ (NCAA-HQ) and prepare equipment.
Saturday 13th. February
Film day one: two wildebeest births, one not very good and the other one good; then found and filmed mother serval number two during afternoon.
Sunday 14th. February
Another wildebeest birth. The light was beautiful first thing this morning, so I also filmed clouds, and more wildebeest, and before all that the new moon with only a thin crescent shape lit. Didn't find the servals today, but just after sunset, found three very small lion cubs playing with their Mother.
Monday 15th. February
The light early this morning in the Crater was really beautiful. I went to look for the lion cubs but I couldn't find them; but in the hippo pool there were some flamingos. They wandered quite close to me and so I was able to get the close up shots that were missing from the time I filmed them before on film trip two. At about 8 a.m. I went to look for a wildebeest birth -- again, not entirely successful, but I found a female who was trying to give birth but having problems. In fact, after four hours I had to give up because, on the way to find her, we found our pair of young cheetahs. We found them again and spent the afternoon together. No kills, but like the wildebeest mother-to-be, some useful shots to embellish previous sequences.
Tuesday 16th. February
No wildebeest births today. Just missed one, I don't know how, but anyway, I didn't get it. Most of the day we spent with the female cheetah of the pair. They were hunting in different places today, so they may be splitting up.
Wednesday 17th February
More wildebeest births this morning and a cheetah chase this afternoon (no kill).
Thursday 18th February
Filming very good. Two wildebeest births, plus a cheetah kill and lots of other useful shots. The cheetah kill was at midday, so there was a lot of heat haze, but even so, the chase was spectacular. Tragically, the two cheetahs ate the poor little Thomson's Gazelle alive. It was gruelling, and I was praying for it to die quickly.
Friday 19th February
Another good day today. Another wildebeest birth and this afternoon, the cheetahs killed a wildebeest calf. The only problem was they went out of sight behind a slope for the actual hit, but I am going to shoot some other scenes to try to make it work and hopefully there'll be more opportunities to film cheetah kills. They're so good with me now, I can even get out of the car for a pee!
Saturday 20th February
Yet another good day today. Another wildebeest birth this morning and, later on, the cheetahs killed a wildebeest calf. Unfortunately, I was unable to film the kill as there were nine tourist cars in the way, but after changing my angle of view, I was able to film the aftermath. Three hyenas arrived and stole the kill from the cheetahs. It was very interesting behavior. The male cheetah, although very nervous of the hyenas, bravely charged at them twice before being driven away. It's an important sequence for the film, showing hierarchy among the predators.
Sunday 21st February
Today, I completed the shots I needed to complete the wildebeest births.
Monday 22nd February
Today, I found the cheetahs at 7 a.m. and stayed all day with them, but no kills.
Tuesday 23rd February
We found the cheetahs first thing this morning, but the female was in a really bad mood (I suspect she is coming into season). Unfortunately, she seems to have parted company from her brother.
Wednesday 24th February
Time lapses of clouds flowing over Crater rim. Wildebeest arrive to drink at Ngoitokitok. Rain.
Thursday 25th February
This morning I filmed jackals barking at the female cheetah. The light was beautiful. Unfortunately, although we found the cheetah at dawn this morning, we lost her again and could not find her in spite of searching all day. I am hoping for better opportunities tomorrow and that maybe she'll link up with her brother again. She is much calmer when they are together.
Friday 26th February
A good day today, getting a lot of shots to make sequences work and a charming scene late this afternoon with a female Thomson's gazelle and a newborn baby. Rebecca is exhausted, so I have given her a day off tomorrow, and told her to sleep all day if necessary.
Saturday 27th February
I found a lion and a lioness before sunrise, so I will follow them today. At the moment, they are sleeping out in the open -- the sun is not yet very hot -- but I expect they will soon move into some shade, and hopefully a place of ambush, before long. About two hundred meters away, there's a long line of wildebeest with calves slowly making their way down to Ngoitokitok water hole about a mile further south. No sign of the cheetah this morning, but since the lions are here, and also large numbers of hyenas, I suppose it's not really surprising. I am looking forward to looking for the servals again, but I must spend more time around the wildebeest herds while the calves are still small. This is a good time to try to film predation, and we need as many "events" as possible. I know that a lion kill will be the most difficult event to film since most of their hunts happen during the night. Hyenas I am not going to concentrate on too much, unless something
happens by chance right in front of me, like the scene I filmed the other day when they stole a kill from the cheetahs.
Hyenas are strange characters. I find it difficult to understand them, so it's difficult to predict what they are planning to do. All in all, I am extremely happy with the way the filming has been going. I think we were very fortunate to have done so well with the wildebeest births, as they all happen within a period of about 10 days. I could so easily have arrived here too late. As it was, we got it just right. I am delaying the aerial filming until later. The weather will get wetter as time goes on, which will mean that we may have to wait longer for a decent flying opportunity, but we need some aerials when the Crater looks fresh and green, as I hope it will in late March. Rebecca is having a day off.
Sunday 28th February
Car being fixed.
Monday 1st March
Car trouble again this morning, before sunrise, and we had to wait until 10 a.m. to be towed out of the Crater. It turns out that the mechanic chose to ignore what I told him to do yesterday, so I've lost another day.
Tuesday 2nd March
Car's working OK today. I found the female cheetah early this morning and stayed with her all day. She didn't hunt today, but maybe she will tomorrow. I hope I can find her near where I left her at sunset tonight.
Wednesday 3rd March
Not a very good day filming today. We couldn't find the cheetah, and the weather was overcast for much of the day.
Thursday 4th March
We had a better day today. We found the female cheetah early this morning and stayed all day with her. She didn't catch anything, but there were one or two nice shots to link her with wildebeest, and at sunrise, there were beautiful sun rays, which I did a long take on at five frames per second. Still no sign of the male cheetah. I am worried about him. It is possible that he may have been killed by hyena or lions.
Friday 5th March
We had a good day today. We started off looking for the female cheetah, but came across two lionesses near the water hole. They were obviously hungry, so I decided to stay with them. Over the last few days, there has been a steady procession of wildebeest and their young calves visiting this water hole to drink. Today was no exception. The first herd that arrived was charged by one of the females, who caught and killed a wildebeest calf, dragging it off into the bushes out of view to eat, leaving the arena clear for the second female. Sure enough, the next herd that arrived was charged by the second lioness, and she also killed a wildebeest calf. She also dragged the body into the reeds to eat. I assumed that it was all over then, but I wanted a few shots of the wildebeest for the editing of the sequence, so I waited for another herd, which duly arrived. I was busy filming them when they suddenly stampeded out of the water, leaving it, in a matter of seconds, deserted, except for the second lioness, who had brought down an adult female wildebeest into the water. So, three deaths -- not a good day for the wildebeest, and quite tragic, leaving one orphaned calf and two bereft mothers.
Saturday 6th March
Before light this morning, we found our female cheetah (still no sign of the male), and she hunted a Thomson's gazelle. She started close to the car, but she ran at full speed (about 70 mph) for a good 300 meters and disappeared over a small brow out of sight for the hit. Actually, it turned out to be a double tragedy because the female she killed was heavily pregnant, and I am sure that was the reason she was caught. She could not run as fast as the other gazelles, carrying all that extra weight.
We stayed with the cheetah to make sure her kill was not stolen from her by hyenas, and that she was able to have a good meal in peace. Then two ranger friends turned up to say they had seen our female serval number two, just east of Lerai forest, and offered to take us to the spot. We followed them, found her (no sign of the kitten today), and spent the rest of the day with her. Actually, she did not do very much, but I did manage to film a few useful shots. It rained this afternoon and afterwards, the sky never really cleared again.
Sunday 7th March
The weather was very overcast today, but we did quite well all the same. I did some more filming to establish the water hole where the lion kills took place, then we went to look for the jackals that kill flamingos. We just missed two kills -- the jackals were there, eating them, then carried some remains about 400 meters away to bury them, after which they called their pup. When the pup arrived, the parent regurgitated food for it to eat. I did manage to capture most of this on film, but the light was quite flat and I really need to start afresh. It was by no means wasted, though. The shots should be very useful anyway, and it was good to see exactly what is going on there so there will be no mysteries to unravel tomorrow.
Monday 8th March
The weather was very overcast again today and it rained a lot. I was working with the golden jackals, trying to film them catching Flamingos. It was a frustrating day for them because they did not catch a single one. It was a frustrating day for me, too, with the rain constantly getting the camera wet. Trying to work with the 600 mm lens was pain, too. It's like looking down a microscope, because the magnification is so great, and as a result, it is difficult to even locate the subject, let alone keep it in focus, when there's not much light. I did, hopefully get one chase, in slow motion where the Flamingo took off at the last moment when the Jackal came close, and the Jackal leapt about four feet high in the air, but missed. Tomorrow's another day, and I hope the weather will be brighter. At the moment there's a thunderstorm, and it has been raining hard.
Tuesday 9th March
It was very wet again in the Crater today. It makes it very difficult especially working with a very long lens. The golden jackals didn't catch a flamingo today, either. I am hoping for better luck tomorrow. There are three jackals -- an adult female, with an offspring from last year, and one from this year. I call them "Small," "Medium," and "Large." On the way back to the lodge tonight, I saw the female cheetah that I spent the day with on the last day of last trip, in roughly the same area. I believe that she is the mother of the brother and sister I have been working with so extensively.
Wednesday 10th March
A good day today. I filmed one kill of a golden jackal catching a flamingo, and quite a lot more material for the jackal family story of "Small," Medium" and "Large". The weather was much better today too. I'm hoping for another good day tomorrow.
Thursday 11th March
Today, for the first time, the rain was so bad that I decided to use the time to visit NCAA and check the condition of the airstrip. (It's still okay.) This morning the rain was continuous under thick cloud, and I didn't want to waste precious film stock in dull weather. Since the jackals killed yesterday, their tummies should still be full today anyway.
Friday 12th March
Didn't have a very good day today. The weather this morning was beautiful, but we missed one flamingo kill.
Saturday 13th March
It was a good day today. At dawn, we found five lionesses with nine little cubs all together. Three of the adults were mothers. It was rainy and overcast, but I should have some lovely material of them all playing, sleeping, the little cubs suckling, etc., and also some good sound recordings. It is unusual to see so many cubs together, especially in the Crater, where the lion population (a total of 28) is supposed to be dwindling. Tomorrow I'll be with the flamingos and golden jackals again. I need at least one more decent kill, and some wide-angle studies to put it all in context.
Sunday 14th March
We had quite a good day today -- until it rained from midday onwards, that is. I managed to film another golden jackal-lesser flamingo kill in nice light. I'm going to try for more though, just to make sure. Filming at high speed (slow motion) on the 600 mm lens is so difficult, and the focus is so critical. I really must now try for some wider-angle "hits." Didn't use much film today.
Monday 15th March
A good day today. We found a young serval that could pass for the growing up kitten, and we spent all day with her. She is a new animal whom I have not worked with before, but she was fairly tolerant after a few hours of slowly approaching. Shot almost two rolls. It was nice because the grass is very green now, in contrast to how it was before. I'll still need more time with her, so I hope that I can find her again.
Tuesday 16th March
Spent the day with the golden jackals "Small," "Medium" and "Large."
Wednesday 17th March
Today was quite a good day. I was on my own again. I had to give Rebecca yet another day off. I spent the day with "Small," "Medium" and "Large." "Medium" did most of the flamingo hunting, but did not catch one. Before it was light, I witnessed a hyena chasing a young gazelle into the lake, pulling it out and disembowelling the poor thing. It was really unpleasant.
Thursday 18th March
I went to visit NCAA today to make sure everyone is happy for us to proceed with the aerial filming, and I also checked the condition of the airstrip after the heavy rain yesterday. I gave Rebecca another day off today, as she is still tired. I spent the day with the golden jackals. They killed a flamingo this afternoon, but I am not completely happy with the shot and I need to do better. They also killed a Thomson's gazelle fawn that I had been watching for a while now, so it was very sad. I really don't like the way dogs, or hyenas, dispose of their prey. It is very gruesome indeed.
Friday 19th March
Stayed on the Crater rim this morning to film some wide angles in time lapse. The weather was lovely today, but the golden jackals did not hunt. Rebecca day off.
Saturday 20th March
A good day today. The weather was fine and sunny, and although I still did not see a successful flamingo hunt, I did manage to film some nice scenes with the golden jackals and also a black-bellied bustard calling. Rebecca had another day off.
Sunday 21st March
A good day today. I got another jackal-flamingo kill this morning. Leandro landed at 3 p.m., but we won't start filming aerials until Tuesday morning. Rebecca had yet another day off today.
Monday 22nd March
Loaded the Cessna with 69 rolls of exposed film, and flew to Nairobi to send them on a direct flight to London. Had to break the journey at Kilimanjaro to clear customs and immigration, but no problems.
Tuesday 23rd March
We finally got some good light late this afternoon, and we made two flights around the Crater within an hour. We certainly had the best of the light today, and the air was quite smooth.
Wednesday 24th March
I tried to make a high altitude flight this morning, but although it is sunny, it is far too hazy. I could hardly see anything from 6,000 feet over the Crater floor, and we'll have to go much higher than that. It is just like those high-pressure days in summer in UK, when the air is like mud. So I'll just hope it clears up a bit later. Later... the weather was not kind to us today. A thunderstorm swept in, and the clouds did not clear enough before sunset. I flew for a few minutes to check out the light, but it was no good.
Thursday 25th March
Shot one roll from the strut mount over the Serengeti Plain late this afternoon. The light was lovely, even if the air was bumpy. Hoping for good weather tomorrow since the plane is booked elsewhere this weekend, so I may have to get it back later. I flew the plane to Serengeti, with the door off to fly low level aerials. I finished one roll with the camera on the wing strut and started my approach to Ndutu airstrip.
One of the final checks is "seat harness -- secure", so I tightened it (it felt a little loose), and it tightened a lot. In fact, there was loads of spare harness, which surprised me, but as I was concentrating on the approach to land, I just tucked the loose end under my legs so it would not snag on anything. We landed fine and came to a stop. I switched off the engine and then went to unfasten the seat belt -- only to find that it was not attached to anything at all! The bolt attaching it to the floor had disappeared, so I had been sitting in the plane and flying it in extreme manoeuvres, with no door, reaching outside to pull the lens cover off, etc., with nothing holding me in! Old planes...
Friday 26th March
Weather bad all day, and Leandro had a difficult flight back to Moshi, dodging thunderstorms, low level clouds and rain.
Saturday 27th March
Heavy rain again today.
Sunday 28th March
It was very wet again today. I am certainly losing a lot of time now due to the weather, but I do need rainy season material, so I must persevere with it. Actually, it cleared around 5.30 p.m., and I was able to get some useful material again.
Monday 29th March
The weather has been clearer and more stable today, so I am hoping to have a few days of good weather to get the aerials finished.
Tuesday 30th March
I was flying nearly all day. At last there was some good light in the Crater, and I am hopeful of some worthwhile shots. One more good day for aerials, and we will have done most of it.
Wednesday 31st March
The light was good again for a short period, allowing some aerial filming in the Crater.
Thursday 1st April
What a day. Thick mist, multi-layered clouds and drizzle -- just like those November days in England. No flying today, and therefore no filming. The trouble is that the weather can literally change in five minutes, so we cannot afford to do anything but wait by the plane. To go down to the Crater means an hour's drive, and another half an hour to reconfigure the camera each way, so it's a three-hour turn around. The sunset was lovely tonight, however, so I am hoping that it will mean better weather tomorrow. I need one more good day of aerials.
Friday 2nd April
Quite a good day today. If I can fly a little tomorrow, I am hoping we will have enough.
Saturday 3rd April
Aerials finished. The weather was not brilliant today, but I made two flights, filming out of the side door a cloudy, rainy season Crater. The last shot had a rainbow, which might fit with those shots I did of wildebeest and a rainbow on an earlier trip. So, Leandro has gone home, and from tomorrow, I'll be back in the Crater. I have a long list of things to achieve over the next few days.
Sunday 4th April
The weather today was not great, but I did reduce the list of things to finish a little bit.
Monday 5th April
The weather was a little better today, but I doubt if I can finish everything tomorrow.
Tuesday 6th April
The weather today was dreadful, but I had quite a productive day in spite of it, and also the fact that I had to visit NCAA-HQ. I filmed a couple of good things today. Apart from flowers and morning dew; I was lucky to see and to film a large bull elephant, with big tusks, standing on his back legs to reach up for some Acacia leaves. Iit is something that I had heard about, but I have never seen before. And the other thing was a black rhinoceros. I haven't really bothered with them before because they don't do very much, but as the Crater is famous for them, I thought I should include at least one shot in the film, as seen by a serval from the den, perhaps. Anyway, the rhino looked straight at the camera and sniffed the air -- just the sort of reaction that I needed.
Wednesday 7th April
I've been packing for six hours now; another couple should see it finished. Then I've got the rushes to do and the camera field log, but I can probably do that in Moshi.
Thursday 8th April
I am now in Moshi -- seven and a half hours of driving by the time I went to NCAA- HQ.
Friday 9th April
In Moshi, organizing repairs and maintenance to Land Rover.
Saturday 10th April
Air Tanzania flight from Kilimanjaro to Dar es Salaam. Alliance Air flight from Dar es Salaam to London Heathrow.
Sunday 11th April
Arrive London Heathrow, drive to Somerset.
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