In Touch with Nature – Cape Buffalo or ‘Black Death’

Posted: July 22, 2026 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: #InTouchWithNature, #RobbieCheadle, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Wildlife, Writing to be Read | 40 Comments

I’m kicking off today’s post with my poem called Cape Buffalo or ‘Black Death’. This poem features in Story Chat Digest Where Stories Meet: An Anthology of Short Stories & Poems (Story Chat Series Book 3) compiled and edited by Marsha Ingrao. You can purchase this book from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Chat-Digest-Where-Stories-ebook/dp/B0GRKS8QDD/

Cape Buffalo or ‘Black Death’

Don’t be fooled by my mild expression

or mislead by my delightfully curious look

Know I’ve never been domesticated

due to my unpredictable temperament

I’m not a wild yak or wild water buffalo

my attitude is cantankerous and bad

nicknamed ‘Black Death’ or ‘Widow Maker’

I am dangerous and extremely aggressive

fiercely protective of my young and herd

I will charge you with surprising speed

my ferocity will horrify you. Respect me!

Weighting up to 2,000 pounds

my massive frame is supported by

sturdy and muscular legs. Boy, can I move!

I’ll charge you at 56 kilometers per hour

My horns, a hard shield called a ‘boss’

cover my entire head. I use them for defence

against my natural predators including lions,

African wild dogs, spotted hyenas, and Nile crocodiles

You are nothing – you have no teeth and no fur

I will use my horns to toss you with intention

your fall to the ground knocking the air from your lungs

effectively disabling you. Then, I will gore you

while trampling you with focused determination

If you hunt me, don’t miss.

Don’t leave me wounded.

I will deliberately and consciously

hunt you down. Lying in wait for your return

I am a dangerous adversary, and I will kill you.

My painting of a Cape buffalo inspired the above poem. I wasn’t entirely happy with the yes so I repainted them and this is the updated photograph.

Picture caption: Acrylic painting of a Cape buffalo by Robbie Cheadle

Interesting facts about Cape Buffalo

Calf-feeding hack – mother buffaloes have a unique adaption that allows their young to suckle from between their hind legs. This allows the calf to feed while its mother and the rest of the herd are on the move.

Watch my YouTube video to see a Cape buffalo calf feeding from between its mother’s hind legs.

Helmet of bone – Male and female Cape buffalo have horns but older bulls develop a fused, hardened shield across their foreheads known as a “boss”. This helmet acts as a crash helmet during intense territorial fights between the males.

Watch my YouTube video to see a set of magnificent Cape buffalo horns:

The “Dagga Boys” – older male buffalo leave the main breeding herd to live alone or in small bachelor groups called dagga boys. Dagha is the Zulu and Xhosa word for mud. Older male bulls are well known for their fondness for wallowing in mud to protect themselves from the sun and biting insects.

Picture caption: A lone male Cape buffalo covered in thick mud. The animal is feeding at sunset. I love this picture with the golden sky and green grass.

Picture caption: I got pictures of this ‘old boy’ at the salt lick in Madikwe Game Reserve. In this picture you can clearly see his ‘boss’ and you can also see his is old.

Unmatched defense – Cape buffalo are very protective of their herds and have been known to actively mob and chase off lions to rescue injured calves or herd-mates. They were nicknamed ‘black death’ by big game hunters in Africa due to their aggressive and highly unpredictable natures when threatened or wounded. Cape buffalo have killed more hunters in African than almost any other large animal. Unlike other animals that run away when injured, wounded buffalo are known to circle back and hide in the thick, tall grass. When the hunter tracks the buffalo into the bush, it ambushes him.

I was especially pleased with the following two photographs of a male Cape buffalo taken in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve. The buffalo was very close to the vehicle and the winter sun was shining on his horns and coat.

About Robbie Cheadle

Picture caption: Robbie Cheadle author photograph 2025

Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta is also the author and illustrator of seventeen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of four poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

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In Touch with Nature – Tailor Ants, Fire Ants, and Army Ants

Posted: June 24, 2026 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: #armyants, #InTouchWithNature, #RobbieCheadle, #tailorants, In Touch With Nature, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Wildlife, Writing to be Read | 78 Comments

Blogging friend, Barbara Harris Leonhard and editor of MasticadoresUSA, recently published a few of my micro poems that focused on tailor ants.

This is the first poem of three:

angry ants

fiercely protect nest

painful bite

You can read the other two poems here: https://masticadoresusa.wordpress.com/2026/06/08/a-trio-of-haiku-by-robbie-cheadle/

Several of the comments referred to fire ants that are found in the USA and, while tailor ants also inflict a nasty bite and are aggressive, they are not the same creatures. I decided to write this post and set out the differences between tailor ants and fire ants.

I’ve always been interested in army ants so I decided to include them in this post as well.

Primary differences between tailor ants, fire ants, and army ants

Nesting habits

Tailor ants live in trees. They ‘tailor’ or weave living leaves together to create nests. Worker ants form long chains to pull the leaf edges together while others carry ant larvae in their jaws and use the silk the grubs secret as a natural ‘glue’ to bind the leaves together.

Fire ants build nests that appear as irregular mounds of loose soil or flat patches ranging from flat piles to domes up to 45 cm high. The nests have no obvious entry or exit holes. Ants emerge from underground foragers or swarm out of the sides when disturbed. Fire ants nests are usually found in warm, open, and sunny areas such as lawns, garden beds, near water sources, and on newly disturbed ground.

Army ants do not construct permanent nests out of soil, wood, or leaves. Instead, they assemble temporary, living nests called bivouacs. Bivouacs are const-shaped structures that house the queen and larvae and are built from the living bodies of the worker ants by interlocking their legs and mandibles. Bivouacs have internal chambers and tunnels to control temperature and humidity. As army ants colonies are constantly on the move, a new bivouac is assembled nearly every night. The colony stays in a fixed location for several weeks while the queen is laying eggs and the larvae are developing.

Foraging and hunting

Tailor ants are aggressive and defend their canopy territories by biting and spraying formic acid. Tailor ants are omnivores and hunt and eat a wide variety of crop-destroying insects and other small arthropods. They ‘farm’ sap-sucking insects like scale buys and mealybugs, protecting them from predators in exchange for their sweet, carbohydrate-rich liquid excretions. Tailor ants also consume floral and extrafloral nectar, fruit juices and plant wound secretions.

Fire ants are highly aggressive, opportunistic omnivores that hunt and scavenge using complex underground tunnel networks that extend up to 10 metres from the central mound. Individual scouts explore the surface and when a large prey is found, the scout lays a chemical pheromone trail as it returns to the nest. The pheromone acts as a biochemical alarm and recruitment trigger. The resting ants (about two thirds of the nest) awaken and follow the trail forming a dense trail of thousands of ants that overwhelm and subdue the prey. Fire ants consume live and dead insects as well as immobile, sick, or helpless animals including baby birds and reptiles. Like tailor ants, fire ants ‘farm’ sap-sucking insects like aphids to harvest their sugar-rich secretions. Fire ants also collect and eat seeds.

Army ants are ground-dwelling, mass-raiding predators. During their massive daily foraging raids, the colony can overwhelm hundreds of thousands of prey to feed their queen and growing larvae. Army ants eat insects and arachnids including spiders, scorpions, crickets, beetles, caterpillars and termites. Army ants also raid the nests of other ant species and consume their eggs, larvae and pupae. Sometimes, army ants will overwhelm slow-moving or trapped smaller animals such as baby birds, lizards, and frogs. Army ants use their powerful, scissor-like jaws to slice their prey into transportable fragments which they carry back to their bivouacs.

Physical traits and defense

Tailor ants workers are uniformly sized and have excellent eyesight for navigating tree branches. The aggressively defend their canopy with painful bites combined with spraying formic acid directly into the wound.

Fire ants workers range in size from 2 mm to 6 mm. If a fire ants mound is disturbed or vibrated, workers immediately rush out and release alarm pheromones into the air to alert the entire colony to defend the nest. Fire ants immediately swarm vertical surfaces and will rapidly climb up legs, tools or structures in vast numbers. Fire ants sting in a highly synchronized, two-stage maneuver whereby the ant latches onto skin or clothing using its strong mandibles. The ant then tucks its abdomen under its body and inserts its stinger, injecting a toxic venom called solenopsin. The ant pivots its head in a circular pattern repeatedly stinging the victim multiple times from a single anchored bite site.

Many species of army ants are completely blind and they rely heavily on complex pheromone trails. The have highly developed mandibles for tearing prey apart. There is an extreme size difference between the workers and the much larger, scissor-jawed soldier ants used for defense.

The gallery below features my photographs of tailor ants taken at Cape Vidal in Kwa-Zulu Natal in January this year.

This is my YouTube video fo angry tailor ants. They shake when they are disturbed.

About Robbie Cheadle

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

In Touch with Nature – The Animal Performance (Cabaret)

Posted: May 27, 2026 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: #InTouchWithNature, #RobbieCheadle, In Touch With Nature, Leopards, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Writing to be Read | 80 Comments

This month’s In Touch With Nature post is a little different. It is a re-write of Willkommen to Cabaret and is also an entry into Dan Antion’s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge 2026. To this end, some of the photographs set out below are from Dan’s challenge. I’ve attributed those photographs in the picture captions.

You can join in Dan’s challenge here: https://nofacilities.com/thursday-doors-writing-challenge-2026/

The song incorporates a few phrases in Afrikaans and Zulu. The order in these instances, is Afrikaans, Zulu and then English.

Welcome to the Kit Kat Klub!

Picture caption: Animal Performance at the KitKat Club. Photograph contributed to Dan’s TDWC26 by Robbie Cheadle.

Welkom, wamukelekile, welcome

Oppasser, Umlondolozi wezilwane, animal carer

Bly om jou te sien, ngijabule ukukubona, happy to see you

Bly hier, hlala lapha, stay

***

Welkom, wamukelekile, welcome

Aan die diere-opvoering, ekusebenzeni kweSilwane, to the animal performance

***

Dames en here, manene namanenekazi, ladies and gentlemen

Goeie aand, sawubona, good evening

Voel jy goed? uzwa kahle? do you feel good?

I’m sure you’re excited

Ek is jou gasheer, mina ngingowakho, I am your host

Picture caption: **I AM YOUR HOST!** Photograph of a squirrel peeping through a doorway. Contributed to Dan’s TDWC26 by Maureen.

Just saying

Welkom, wamukelekile, welcome

Aan die diere-opvoering, ekusebenzeni kweSilwane, to the animal performance

***

Leave your preconceptions outside

You’re in for the time of your life

Everything is interesting here

Here nature is at its best

The animals are beautiful

Even the predators are beautiful

Picture caption: Lion eating an impala. Photograph by Robbie Cheadle.

You see? I told you the predators were beautiful

***

And now presenting the Performing Herbivores

Speedy (Speedy’s name is due to her speed coming down a tree)

Picture caption: Speedy the tree squirrel. Picture by Robbie Cheadle at the Pilanesberg National Game Reserve in April 2025.

Paws (Paws is always ready to shake you by the hand. He’s such a friendly tree squirrel)

Picture caption: Paws the tree squirrel. Picture by Robbie Cheadle at the Pilanesberg National Game Reserve in April 2025.

Shadow! (Shadow likes to hide behind trees

It makes her really difficult to spot in the bush)

Picture caption: Shadow the Cape buffalo. Picture by Robbie Cheadle at the Pilanesberg National Game Reserve in April 2025

Patches! (Patches is a young male tsessebe.

One of the fastest antelope in Africa, he can run at speeds up to 90 km/h)

Picture caption: Patches the young male Tsessebe. Picture by Robbie Cheadle at the Pilanesberg National Game Reserve in April 2025.

Alice! (Alice is the most beautiful girl in the show

She has the longest eye lashes you’ve ever seen

She’s great to look at but she isn’t much of a conversationalist)

Picture caption: Alice the giraffe. Picture by Robbie Cheadle at the Pilanesberg National Game Reserve in April 2025.

And Jemimah! (Jemimah is the baby of the show. She is very shy and doesn’t like being photographed.

She runs away and I only get her backside

It’s a pity as she’s really such an adorable little thing)

***

Speedy, Paws, Shadow, Patches, Alice and Jemimah

Each and every one important to the eco system. You don’t believe me? Hmmm?

Well don’t take my word for it. Do your own research!

***

Outside its autumn and the trees are decked in auburn finery

The veld is a rich orange interspersed with yellow

Inside its lovely too. We are showing off some amazing creatures

Today you are gaining more appreciation

***

Just saying

Welkom, wamukelekile, welcome

Aan die diere-opvoering, ekusebenzeni kweSilwane, to the animal performance

***

We are here to educate you!

And now presenting the Performing Carnivores!

Here they are!

Koning, Mufasa, and Leo

They are a trio

Male pride

Koning or King is the dominant male of the pride

He is the alpha male

Biff (Don’t be fooled by his innocent look!

Biff is the most efficient killer in the Bush with a 90% kill rate)

Picture caption: Biff the African Painted Wild Dog photographed by Robbie Cheadle.

Peter (Peter is extremely dangerous with bone crushing jaws

His bite force exceeds 1,000 PSI

Picture caption: Peter the spotted hyena photographed by Robbie Cheadle.

And, finally, the toast of the Bush, Esmerelda the Cheetah

Fastest animal in the world!

Picture caption: Esmerelda the female cheetah photographed by Robbie Cheadle.

Bly hier, hlala lapha, stay

Welkom, wamukelekile, welcome

That’s Koning

Aan die diere-opvoering, ekusebenzeni kweSilwane, to the animal performance

Welkom, wamukelekile, welcome

Oppasser, Umlondolozi wezilwane, animal carer

Hello Animal Carer!

It’s a great pleasure to see you here

Enchanted Madame

Happy to see …

You!

Bly hier, hlala lapha, stay!

We say

Welkom, wamukelekile, welcome

Oppasser, Umlondolozi wezilwane, animal carer

Bly om jou te sien, ngijabule ukukubona, happy to see you

Bly hier, hlala lapha, stay!

We say

Welkom, wamukelekile, welcome

Aan die diere-opvoering, ekusebenzeni kweSilwane, to the animal performance

***

Thank you!

Koning, Mufasa, Leo, Biff, Peter, Speedy, Paws,

Shadow, Patches, Alice and Jemimah, Esmerelda, and Me!

Welcome to the Kit Kat Klub!

If you would like to watch the original song from the movie featuring Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli.

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

In Touch with Nature – The magnificent male leopard

Posted: April 22, 2026 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: #InTouchWithNature, #RobbieCheadle, In Touch With Nature, Leopards, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Writing to be Read | 47 Comments

Characteristics of male leopards

Leopards are powerful big cats and are closely related to lions, tigers, and jaguars.

The easiest way to tell the difference between a male and a female leopard is its size. Adult males typically weigh between sixty and seventy-five kilograms and are significantly larger and broader than females.

Male leopards establish large territories covering between thirty and one hundred kilometres and have a distinctive dewlap (loose skin under the neck). The heads of male leopards are broader and larger than the heads of females. The footprints of the males are also typically larger with a more rounded outer edge to the rear pad.

Males are solitary, coming together with females for only six or seven days to mate. The territory of a single males may overlap with those of several females.

Young male leopards leave their mothers to become independent at around eighteen to twenty four months of age. Males stay with their mothers longer than females in order to fully master hunting and territorial skills before leaving to live on their own. Male leopards become dominant at between four to six years of age and usually have to fight other males for control of territory.

In South Africa, leopards generally inhabit the same areas as lions and hyenas and compete with them for food.

Male leopards live for between ten and fifteen years, provided they survive their early, vulnerable years.

Slide the bar below to see the male (first picture) and the female (second picture) leopards.

Gallery

The gallery below sets out some of the photographs I took of a male leopard.

Picture captions: The pictures in the gallery above are of a female leopard. Her kill had fallen from the tree and she was picking at the remains. She then went up the tree and was resting on a branch and cleaning herself just like a house cat. The last picture is a dead baby zebra in a tree. It was dragged up there by a leopard which then left it to go and get a drink of water. It was a very tiny zebra so a little sad but leopards have to eat.

Into the Light: Leopard – artwork

Picture caption: Into the Light: Leopard in watercolours. An original artwork by Robbie Cheadle.

Exotic Pets (Double Ennead)

The poem below is extracted from my book ‘Lion Scream‘.

Bought as exotic pets
We are rescue cubs
Our owner didn’t know we could never be tamed
Our play is boisterous
We chew everything
***
Just over three months old
We have all our spots
And our denim-blue eyes have turned bright yellow
Play fighting each other
Teaches hunting skills
***
Everything is brand new
Exciting to us
A spider in its web, an experience
For our sister, who snaps,
And tries to eat it

Picture caption: Cover of Lion Scream available from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Lion-Scream-Syllabic-Southern-Wildlife-ebook/dp/B0BXP5N766

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

In Touch with Nature – Leopards

Posted: March 25, 2026 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: #InTouchWithNature, #RobbieCheadle, In Touch With Nature, Leopards, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Writing to be Read | 78 Comments

Introduction and fun facts

Leopards are my husband’s favourite animal. They are very difficult to see in the wild because they are nocturnal, they are rare, and they are solitary. The best game reserve in South Africa to see leopards is Sabi Sands and this is where we went for our wedding anniversary last year to finally get good sightings of leopards.

We were at the reserve for 48 hours and went on 4 game drives during that time. We had two wonderful sightings of leopards. The first was of a mother and her juvenile youngster. The second was of the father.

Here are a few initial facts about leopards:

Most leopards are light coloured and have dark spots called rosettes on their fur. There are also black leopards which also have spots, but the spots are hard to see against their dark fur. Black leopards are called melanistic leopards;
Leopards are found in Sub-Saharan Africa, Northeast Africa, Central Asia, India, and China;
Unlike lions, leopards are extremely solitary animals and they mark their territory with scratches, urine, and feces to warn other leopards to stay away;
The only time you’ll see two adult leopards together in a single territory is if they are a male and female looking to mate;
Leopards can achieve a running speed to nearly 60 kilometers per hour and can leap up to 6 meters forward;
Leopards make a wide variety of sounds from coughing to growling. Leopards also purr when they are happy;
Leopards carry their prey into trees to eat. Leopards eat a wide variety of animals from monkeys to rodents to birds to antelopes. Leopards also eat cheetah cubs;
Leopards have very long tails to help them balance when climbing, running or changing direction;
Leopards have specially adapted retinas that enable them to hunt in the pitch black of the jungle; and
The English name ‘leopard’ emans ‘spotted lion’ in Latin.

Gallery and You tube videos

The gallery below sets out some of the photographs I took of a female leopard.

This is my You tube video of the leopard nibbling on its kill:

This is my You tube video of the female leopard grooming herself in the tree:

Leopard in a Tree – artwork

Picture caption: Leopard in a Tree – original charcoal artwork by Robbie Cheadle.

The Watcher (freestyle)

Dear Ranger

I am sorry

I didn’t oblige you

And make an appearance

For your paying guests.

You can’t blame me

For being wary

Of people.

After all

The guest farm

Right next door

Allows canned hunting

By wealthy tourists.

The lions are bred

And raised by hand

In captivity

Then,

Their caregivers

Release them

Into a caged enclosure

To be hunted down

As trophies.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Leopards are not spared

This barbaric treatment

Although fewer of us

Are murdered this way

Our dead heads removed

To grace the walls

Mouths gaping open

In a humiliated grimace

Called a fierce pose

By the false hunters.

Run off our traditional land

By grasping humans

Who have the right

To life and liberty,

Freedom from slavery

And torture,

Freedom of opinion

And expression,

The right to work

And to education.

What about me?

Here in the reserve

I’m relatively safe

Provided I don’t follow

My natural instincts

To travel and

Stay within the fences

Built by you

I know you’re a good one

But frankly,

It still grates me.

Then you bring

Truckloads of visitors

Who chatter

Point

And gawk

While rattling chip packets

And taking photographs.

SNAP! RATTLE! SNAP!

Nothing is sacrosanct,

You invade

Every part

Of my life

… Eating

… Sleeping

… Mating

My babies

Fodder

For prattling spectators

Hooing and cooing

Making fools of themselves.

And so, I hide

Deep within

The long grass

Or up high

In a tree,

Dreaming away

The long, quiet days.

Sometimes

I shake a whisker

Or twitch an ear

Sending the viewers

Into a frenzy

Hopefully anticipating

A leopard sighting

I lie

And grin

Thinking

And now

Who’s watching

Who?

From

The Leopard in the tree

The artwork and poem above are extracted from my poetry collection, Square Peg in a Round Hole available from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Square-Peg-Round-Hole-Creativity-ebook/dp/B0CW1H3SQV

Picture caption: Cover of Square Peg in a Round Hole by Robbie Cheadle

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

In Touch With Nature – Common Buzzard

Posted: February 24, 2026 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Animals, Bird Watching, Birds, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Photography, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: African Wildlife, Animals, Common Buzzard, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Robbie Cheadle, Writing to be Read | 54 Comments

Nothing common about this buzzard

Picture caption: My photograph of a common buzzard in the Welgevonden Private Game Reserve

What a thrill to see you perched atop a tree

scanning the area; you have exceptional vision

head rotating, your eyes pass lightly over me

irrelevant in the context of your meal decision

I watch you staring at the mound filled earth

seeking signs of movement, either mouse or mole

your wings gracefully spreading once prey is found

the effort rewarded; of rodents there is no dearth

their silhouettes outlined as they emerge from a hole

in stealthy pursuit you soar gracefully to the ground

seizing your unsuspecting prey with grasping talons

tearing it apart with your sharp, hooked beak

one creature must die in order for another to live

one of nature’s most effective mammal assassins

your quarry succumbs without so much as a squeak

you, the victorious combatant, your prey unresistive

***

Tourist bird, I enjoy your annual visits to these shores

in migrating flocks of up to twenty of your comrades

gliding effortlessly over large expanses without pause

with a predetermined flightpath, you aren’t nomads

though your arrival may be met with strong resistance

from smaller birds who view you as a potential threat

mobbing you repeatedly until you relent and fly away

not much of a welcome after covering such distance

your feathery bulk the cause of much upset

an illusion to disguise how little you really weigh

a monogamous creature, you usually mate for life

your partner smaller, and suited to hunting prey

while for three weeks your chicks you brood

working as a team, you experience little strife

knowing he’ll deliver small morsels without delay

until they fledge and you join the search for food

Picture caption: distance shot of a common buzzard

Picture caption: Close up of a common buzzard

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

In Touch With Nature – Marbled Reed Frog

Posted: January 28, 2026 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Wildlife | Tags: #InTouchWithNature, #RobbieCheadle, Nature, South Africa, Wildlife | 55 Comments

Picture caption: Isimangaliso Wetlands in St Lucia, South Africa. Home to the marbled reed frog.

This frog is important!

Tiny little creatures

only 2.5 to 3.5 centimetres long

but so very pretty

their skins marbled

in gorgeous patterns

of green, brown, and white

that change as day

shifts into dark night

slender, with large eyes

on either side of its head

females are bigger than males

but males have a yellow throat patch

used for vocalisation

to advertise their presence

and reproductive readiness

the distinctive evening call

of the marble reed frog

signals approaching rainfall

and seasonal change

they are sensitive

to environmental change

so declines in their numbers

indicate deteriorating habitat conditions

they are also important

in controlling insect population

especially the annoying mosquito

These frogs must be protected

from habitat encroachment

and the global chytrid fungus

a pathogen affecting amphibian populations

This frog is important!

The gallery below shows three different marbled reed frogs we saw in the Isimangaliso Wetlands during our January 2026 trip to St Lucia, South Africa.

You see these frogs in unusual places:

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

In Touch With Nature – Meet Pumbaa the Warthog and a treat #southernafricanwildlife #intouchwithnature

Posted: October 22, 2025 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Africa, Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Nature writing, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: In Touch With Nature, Photography, Poetry, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Warthogs, White Giraffe, Wildlife, Writing to be Read | 40 Comments

Disney was as kind to warthog’s as it was unkind to hyenas in its movie, The Lion King. Pumbaa the Warthog is a well-known Southern African cartoon figure among many people, young and old. This is intriguing to me as warthogs, together with poor unloved hyenas, are both part of the Southern African ‘Ugly Five’ group of animals.

I always laugh when I see warthogs running about in the veld. I immediately think of ‘pigs in blankets’ and they are definitely ‘bush snacks’ for many carnivores. So, let’s learn a bit more about these funny looking creatures.

Warthogs are day animals and spend most of their time foraging for food. Socially, they are found in three groups: solitary boars, bachelor groups, and matriarchal groups which consist of adult sows with their young and yearlings. Outside of mating, the boars seldom associate with the sows and play no role in rearing the piglets. Did I mention that warthogs are a member of the pig family? Warthogs are the only pigs that have adapted to living and grazing in savannah like habitats.

A few interesting features of warthogs are that they kneel on their front knees while feeding and foraging and they shelter in (frequently borrowed) burrows at night which they enter tails first. Although they like more dry surroundings, warthogs enjoy wallowing in muddy water every day. This wallowing process is how they stay cool on hot days in the same manner as elephants and buffalo.

Picture caption: a solitary male warthog

Warthogs tend to breed and give birth at the beginning of the rainy season in regions where the seasons are defined. In other environments, warthogs can breed all year around. Warthogs generally have two to three piglets in a litter.

Although I said these creatures are bush snacks for lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas and painted dogs, they have longer legs than most pigs and can run very quickly. They are difficult to catch and also difficult to photograph.

Interesting warthog facts

Warthogs have two pairs of tusks
Warthogs trot with their tails in the air
Warthogs can run up to 55 kilometres per hour (35 miles per hour)
Warthogs fight in a ritualistic way and use their heads and tusks to try to push their opponent over.
Warthogs have warts on their faces which act as a cushion for blows from their adversaries. Large warts also help protect their eyes during fights.
A group of female warthogs with young is called a sounder
Mama warthogs like orderly behaviour and the piglets always run in a fixed order in a line and not in a disorderly group.
Warthogs are attentive mothers; they leave the sounder when about to give birth and find their own burrow or hole. Mama remains in this hole with her young for the first six to seven weeks after birth, only leaving for short periods to graze.
Warthogs are hunted for their tusks which are carved for the tourist trade in eastern and southern Africa (don’t buy these!)
Warthogs communicate using a variety of different noises including loud grunts, growling and squeals. Clacking noises are used by males to entice females.

Picture caption: warthog foraging and grazing.

Picture caption: Close up of a male warthog

My Youtube video of a sounder having breakfast:

Poem about warthogs

This poem is extracted from my favourite of my own books, Lion Scream.

Home Thief

I am not beautiful
My head is too big
My face is covered in wartlike protrusions
To protect it during fights
I have four large tusks
***
I prefer to trespass
On ready-built homes
It’s easier if aardvark does the digging
Creating a safe hole
And I just move in
***
My babies enter first
I have up to four
Backing in leaves me prepared to protect them
From many predators
Who view us as snacks

Lion Scream is available from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Lion-Scream-Syllabic-Southern-Wildlife-ebook/dp/B0BXP5N766

White headed giraffe – a special sighting

During a trip to Babanango Private Game Reserve we had the good fortune to come across this giraffe with large white patches on its face. Very unusual. The guide was very patient and waited for me to get my shots.

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

In Touch With Nature – Leopard Tortoise, one of the Small Five #Africanwildlife #leopardtortoise

Posted: September 24, 2025 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Africa, Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Poetry, Wildlife | Tags: In Touch With Nature, Leopard Tortoise, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Wildlife, Writing to be Read | 23 Comments

This month, I am featuring the leopard tortoises. One of the small five African animals, along with the elephant shrew, ant lion, rhinoceros beetle, and buffalo weaver.

Leopard Tortoise

One of the ‘small five’

whose names relate to the big five

the leopard tortoise

with its distinctive patterned shell

is a signature animal

of the African savannah.

Lacking a nuchal shield

this tortoise is the only member of its family

that can raise its head

and is thus, the only tortoise

that can swim. It can also stay under water

for up to ten minutes.

It’s sex is determined by

the temperature at which

the egg is incubated. Amazing!

And, this incredible creature

can climb. It uses its strong toenails

to manoeuvre over rocky terrain.

Living up to one hundred years

you can tell its age by counting

the scutes or ridges on its shell

just like counting rings on a tree.

If you find one in South Africa

you may not keep it without a permit

as they are a protected species.

Should you manage to get a permit

do not hibernate it in the refrigerator

as leopard tortoises do not hibernate

but rather enter a state of reduced activity

called brumation which is similar

to deep sleep. They require supplemental

heating during the winter months

as they are not adapted to cold.

Picture caption: Leopard tortoises at Madikwe Game Reserve

my video of a leopard tortoise that came into the lodge grounds.

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.

In Touch With Nature – Nyala antelope #southernAfricanwildlife

Posted: March 26, 2025 | Author: robertawrites235681907 | Filed under: Africa, Animals, In Touch With Nature, Nature, Wildlife | Tags: In Touch With Nature, Nyala Antelope, Robbie Cheadle, South Africa, Writing to be Read | 88 Comments

The Nyala is a spiral horned antelope native to southern Africa. It is the antelope with the highest sexual dimorphism (differences between male and female of the species). This is easy to see in the photographs and videos I’ve shared in this post so look out for the rusty or rufous brown coats of the females and juveniles and the dark brown or slate grey coat of adult males. Females and juveniles also have ten or more white vertical stripes on their sides which the stripes are greatly reduced or completely absent in the adult males. The males are significantly larger than the females.

Picture caption: Female Nyala with vertical white stripes

Picture caption: Above and below are pictures of a male Nyala

The Nyala is a shy animal and is usually seen in the early morning and the late afternoon when it browses, feeding on foliage, fruits, and grasses. They live in thickets within dense and dry savannah woodlands and are usually found in single-sex or mixed family groups of up to ten animals. These antelope are not fast runners, and their camouflage is their main defense against predators.

The main predators of the Nyala are lions, leopards, African wild dogs, and humans. The males are highly prized as game animals, and they are often victims of poaching. Human settlement is also encroaching on their habitat resulting in a declining population although they are classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Nyalas have a special relationship with the baboons and vervet monkeys with whom they share the woodlands. They eat any fruit dropped by these primates and also react to any alarm calls made by primates from their advantageous viewing points in the trees. The baboons and monkeys also benefit from the relationship as Nyala have exceptional hearing, smell, and sight. When a Nyala spots danger, it gives off a striking alarm call sounding a bit like a barking dog. This warning also serves the primates and other creatures sharing their habitat.

Interestingly, Nyalas are not territorial. They wander about in groups and do not try to protect any areas from other creatures.

Nyala buck have an aggressive way of breeding. Firstly, the males fight for dominance, crashing into each other with their sharp horns acting like swords. The horns often draw blood. The bulls fight until one backs down by walking away as a sign of submission. These battles can be fatal if the wounds become infected or if the bull is concussed. The winning bull then slowly dances within the group of females, using strange, stuttering movements and raising its head to show off its white underfur.

When a female is on heat, the male follows her on foot, pushing his nose between her legs. He gets excited and buts her hindquarters right off the ground. If the female is interested, she stops walking. The male then walks around her and presses her head down before he mounts her. Gestation is 220 days and ewes can conceive from the age of 14 months.

Picture caption: Close up of a young male Nyala

Picture caption: Close up of a female Nyala

YouTube video of Nyala herd comprising of young males and females:

Male Nyala licking his legs YT video:

YT video of a Nyala male feeding:

The Fire Part 1

Flamboyant performer
Sun takes final bow
Pitch black curtains descend; concealing the stage
Campers assemble fire
Restraining darkness
***
Wood ignites, flames crackle
Illuminating
Nocturnal animals materialise
Skulking in deep shadow
Bright eyes glittering
***
Feeding ravenous blaze
An essential task
Stopping potential diners from helping themselves
To a convenient
Snack of arms or legs

The Fire Part 2

Dawn makes her grand entrance
Painting the sky red
Men prepare to depart, water smothers fire
Murky vapour billows
Dark ashes sodden
***
Everything orderly
The campers move on
Single flickering coal smolders unnoticed
Mutely clinging to life
Nurtured by the breeze
***
Dry leaves fall stealthily
Embracing ember
Sustenance provided; leaves burst into flame
Cunningly building strength
Destruction ensured

These poem duo is from my book, Lion Scream, Syllabic Poetry About Southern African Wildlife, available from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Lion-Scream-Syllabic-Southern-Wildlife-ebook/dp/B0BXP5N766

Picture caption: Promotional banner for Lion Scream

About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Roberta is also the author and illustrator of sixteen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of three poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.