Lewa conservancy and safari camp a place of the heart and soul

[offshorebirder]

What gorgeous scenery!

 

White Rhinos with Mount Kenya in the background

 

[offshorebirder]

White Rhinos snoozing

 

 

[offshorebirder]

White Rhino portraits

 

 

Edited June 21, 2018 by offshorebirder

[offshorebirder]

White Rhinos - scenes of daily life

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 21, 2018 by offshorebirder

[COSMIC RHINO]

I was  shown the wild hibiscus  in the fields amongst white  rhinos , to later notice  from my photos  that white rhinos also eat them

 

the detailed  photos came from the pathway  to by tent at the camp 

 

If I had a garden I would see if I could grow them 

 

sometimes  black rhinos look like they are eating grass, this is because  they are plucking bushes growing among the grass

[Kitsafari]

That photo in post #104 of the special three  is just incredible. So amazing to see the different species so comfortable with each other. 

Indeed, all the photos of cross interaction of different species were special. @COSMIC RHINO great suff once again.

[offshorebirder]

8 hours ago, COSMIC RHINO said:

If I had a garden I would see if I could grow them 

 

@COSMIC RHINO - Hibiscus shrubs grow well in large flowerpots.   So if you have a sunny balcony you could certainly grow one.  Hibiscus are not freeze-tolerant so in subfreezing temps the flowerpot would need to be brought inside.

[offshorebirder]

@COSMIC RHINO sent another round of photos to convert + post and there are some real gems in this latest batch.  I will post half the photos today and half tomorrow.

 

Here are some elephants with Mt. Kenya in the background.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some elephants in hilly terrain

 

 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2018 by offshorebirder

[offshorebirder]

Here is a group of elephants at a watering hole

 

 

 

Here are some photos of an elephant herd with calves

 

 

 

 

 

 

[offshorebirder]

Here is a sequence of elephant calves playing

 

 

 

 

[TonyQ]

@COSMIC RHINO

Lovely photos of the elephants playing, beautiful light.

Some really excellent sightings.

@offshorebirder thank you for helping us see these photos.

[COSMIC RHINO]

13 may  OH 'WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING 

 

well  the plan  was to go to Isiolo  valley  , a very good area  for a  number   of different animals

 

then on the  way 2 wonderful elephant encounters happen 

 

2 separate families  against  MT Kenya  including young  playing around 

 

have  breakfast  , the guide knew that  they were probably going to a water hole
 

the vehicle  was positioned well to observe  things 

 

then  it was down  to the water with them , one family ,then another

 

well  a  buffalo decided that it would be better to come back later

 

how lovely

[offshorebirder]

Here is a continuation of photos from @COSMIC RHINO's last day at Lewa (this trip).

 

Seems he found some Giraffes sparring

 

 

 

 

 

and another one browsing

 

 

[offshorebirder]

And also some confiding Grevy's Zebras

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a Grevy's Zebra having a scratch

 

 

 

Hanging out with pumba and a Crowned Crane

 

 

 

[offshorebirder]

Plains Zebras fooling around

 

 

Edited June 26, 2018 by offshorebirder

[COSMIC RHINO]

Thanks  offshorebirder  for posting my PDF scan photos 

 

my last drive  was very good  but posts  140 to 142  come from some other days , not the final drive

 

I really like  the Grevy's zebras  amongst flowers  and very green grass

 

the crowned  crane is the national  bird of Uganda  , perhaps the zebra is suggesting a move to state house  Kampala, he would be a better president than the current one
 

well  zebras were doing things   just a bit of lovin' along with grass in the morning

 

I really like photographing oxpeckers in flight

[COSMIC RHINO]

This  year  had wonderful views  of MT Kenya  along with wildlife  than usual

 

the greater  water level  provided for more elephant  mud wallowing  and  wonderful vegetation 

 

I send  a lot of photos  to offshore birder  and  they normally don't have specific  labels , so I can understand  if he put them down as last drive

 

this year I decided  to keep all last drive photos together  in their display books

 

otherwise  they  are together  by   animal and siting

[COSMIC RHINO]

Lewa  is a place to delight in , one worth returning  to

 

I like  to make the most of my time 

 

I ask  my guides  well of their visitors  not that many other than me and rhino sponsors  are that keen on them  and Grevy's zebras   don't get that much interest 

 

the place  is not a typical  big 5 reserve,  I  delight in a especially dedicated  endangered species  unit

 

at a lovely extended  elephant mud wallowing  session  another  vehicle  stayed only about 5 minutes , then left to I assume go look for cats 

 

at Lewa  you get to  see  behaviour  mentioned in reference books  ,not  just read about  it

 

no need to take  far distant  rhino photos  , rear view , head down etc , here  you  get to see interesting things so close  that you are listening  to plants being  eaten  and can see the rough hairs around  the edge of their ears  

 

the  animals are very approachable here ,even  the wharthogs are not that skitish  

[offshorebirder]

@COSMIC RHINO - sorry for mixing up the "last drive" photos, old bean.

 

I shall post more that you sent me tomorrow!

[COSMIC RHINO]

• the more bossy rhinos at  Lewa   sharpen their horns on rocks and termite mounds

 

to prevent them injuring other males  and  adversely affecting females with young , the conservancy trims  their horns from time to time

 

• over  a number of years   the wetland  area of Lewa   has expanded 

Edited June 28, 2018 by COSMIC RHINO

[offshorebirder]

There are three main themes in the latest batch of photos @COSMIC RHINO sent me to convert and post - elephants browsing, elephants taking a mud bath and elephants playing at a watering hole. 

 

Elephants Browsing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[offshorebirder]

Elephants lounging and taking a mud bath

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[offshorebirder]

Elephants playing at a watering hole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[COSMIC RHINO]

with  the security so good, I have always found Lewa   to be a great  place for small elephant  families

 

sometimes  they come together to make a temporary larger  group

 

in this case  the morning was spent  with  a  group of white  rhinos, then we found a friendly elephant  heard  and stayed with them for a good period of time

 

my guide is used to the matriarch  , we had breakfast  at a place with good views of the dam, then went to see them again when they  were approaching , then went swimming there

 

2 families came  together 

 

everything was calm except when a musth male approached  a 14 yr  old female. 

 

the male was rejected by the female and the whole heard, then went away    

[offshorebirder]

Here is the final batch of photos from @COSMIC RHINO.

 

Sneering Cape Buffalo

 

 

Cape Buffalo and Grevy's Zebras

 

 

Grevy's Zebra having a nice roll

 

 

Ostrich displaying?

 

Ostrich Silhouette

 

This is a medicinal plant used for Malaria symptoms

 

 

I am not sure if these are sunset or sunrise photos

 

 

Edited June 29, 2018 by offshorebirder