Back to processing images I am 
Sticking with my trip to the Maasai Mara in August, this one image keeps popping up when I browse my catalogues and I thought this morning I should finally post it. We arrived at a group of solitary male African Buffalo‘s one a morning drive through the Mara and spent a little bit of time photographing them. This one bull had a Yellow-billed Oxpecker which was really irritating him, as Oxpeckers tend to do, and every now and again the bull would attempt to shake the Oxpecker off of him only to have the bird return within seconds to continue pecking at his skin. I watched this behaviour for a few minutes and then finally the bird was in the right position, the bull was in the right position and the moment the bull twitched I fired and got this image. I love the look on the bull’s face where for a brief moment he looks his irritating companion in the eye.
A photo of an African Buffalo shaking off a yellow-billed Oxpecker bird. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF:MM-X2560)
One often finds solitary groups of old male Buffalo’s in wildlife reserves throughout Africa. There are two schools of thought or theories as to why the older males spend their golden years away from the herds. One group says that the herd kicks them out when they get too old and the other says that older male Buffalo’s choose the solitary life themselves as they get old and grumpy. Personally I like the latter explanation and I guess one day we may have a solid explanation for this behaviour.
A close up crop of the above image of an African Buffalo shaking off a yellow-billed Oxpecker bird. (Print, stock or editorial enquiries may be directed to image@livingcanvas.co.za with REF:MM-X2560)
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Stunning shot … well captured.
Thanks very much Elise