Hooded vulture dusk sentinel in a leadwood tree

Hooded vultures have been surveying the veld across Sub-Saharan Africa since long before there were people. Even people in SUV’s with cameras and binoculars are not new to an old-world vulture that is bush-wise.

Resting in the top of a leadwood tree as the last daylight disappears, the bird exudes serenity and contentment; whether he or she is aware of such feelings or not. People forever project human thinking into other living species in nature because in spite of all our learning we’re not yet inside the heads of these co-citizens at all.

This land near the Sabie River has big tracts dedicated to nature conservation. Maybe hooded vultures will be here when the leadwood tree is a hundred years older.