Self Drive Kenya Safari - July 2013

[Safari Cal]

 

She even had a name: "the baya maya" (swedish for porta-potty - since they're exactly the same colour). I was very fond of her and I hate that she's no longer with us. Very capable 4x4 with big square windows for game viewing and spring mounted seats that make you feel like you're floating.

 

Nuts. now I'm getting emotional.

 

Thankfully it wasn't named 'mbaya maya'. however the colour of the Simba Colt safari trucks are definitely in keeping with your baya maya, the colour of porta potties on wheels but better on safari than the white 4x4s for sure, which aren't allowed on Olare Orok for example.

[Safari Cal]

Thanks @@Kitsafari & Richard Trillo, I'll keep on going as time permits, thanks for tuning in and hope there's something that helps for the future.

 

There's just so much experience on this site that whatever you're planning, someone will be able to give you great advice to give any trip you're planning the best chance of being all you could wish for, whether it's Africa, Malaysia or other far flung adventurous places.

[Safari Cal]

 

Hi @@armchair bushman, thanks for the feedback. Work has been manic lately and as we all know it takes a fair bit of time to pull TRs together, was sinking slowly while burning the candle at both ends. About the Pajero, I've got a friend who works for Simba Colt, got it direct with pick up via Avis in the old arrivals hall at JKIA. Not your old car is it???

haha. no my old pajero was the first model from the 80's. very boxy, round lights, vomit beige, 350,000 km on the clock, rattle box. and unfortunately, it is no more. A family friend borrowed it to drive it around for a week in the hopes of buying it, but a big lorry wrote it off on a round-about on langata road cutting into his lane. Sad day.

That car had many good memories and had taken me many beautiful places. She even had a name: "the baya maya" (swedish for porta-potty - since they're exactly the same colour). I was very fond of her and I hate that she's no longer with us. Very capable 4x4 with big square windows for game viewing and spring mounted seats that make you feel like you're floating.

 

Nuts. now I'm getting emotional.

 

When I lived in Nairobi my first car was a TD4 Landrover which was fantastic but unreliable, thankfully it was replaced shortly after my arrival with a Toyota Prado '11 KM 60' for the majority of my time in Nairobi, it was 'Africanised' by Robs Magic for safaris and for all intents indestructible as far as anything I could throw at it!!! That car will always have a soft spot in my heart!

 

I love my Pajeros now though, they've never failed or let me down in a major way, and I'm always happy to head out on safari in one.

[Sverker]

 

"the baya maya"

 

Didn´t know that swedish was a major language in your vocabulary. But ...

 

... it is spellt "Baja Maja"

 

Now, that is important, isn´t it?

[armchair bushman]

I always used to spell it Baja Maja, but was never sure about the spelling.

 

And Baja Maja is pretty much the ONLY Swedish I know! We have some very good family friends who used to live in Kenya, but are originally from Sweden. The car had, some time ago, actually belonged to them so that they could come back to Kenya every year and go on safari with it. We eventually bought it from them but the name stuck and they continued to use it when they would return to Kenya.

 

Don't know if you know Daniel Adams-Ray who used to be part of the hip-hop group "Snook" and now does his own music under his real name (and has a clothing line: Lagom). The Baja Maja belonged to his parents, who are coming back to visit us again this December.

[Safari Cal]

Day 5 - 17 July 2013 Samburu to Lake Nakuru

All too soon it was our last morning at Elephant Bedroom Camp. We were determined to get some better leopard shots and not to repeat our mistake of the previous evening! So after a quick coffee to wake us up we headed out on our final game drive and at last managed to spot a male Somali Ostrich which posed nicely for us, followed by a Jackal and a closer look at the Oryx. The light was lovely this morning and I got a nice shot of an Impala walking towards us just before we headed off in search of our elusive Leopard.

We headed west again to the Koitigor rocks for one last chance of seeing our young female leopard and bumped into the new people we'd seen the night before who were self driving from our lodge. We asked if they'd seen anything and straight away they pointed up to the young leopardess who was sitting in the shade of a rock enjoying the warmth of the morning sun.

 

 

It was amazing and even better there was hardly anyone around so everything was nice and calm and the young leopard showed no signs of stress. Of course the radios started crackling soon after and the crowd gathered around 30m away from where we had parked. I had hedged my bets and parked nearer to the tip of the hill hoping that I'd get some good shots if she came down on our side of the hill but would be in the best place to head round the other side if she decided to do head in that direction. To our amazement she leopard came down from the rocks and walked straight towards our vehicle. Wow! What an experience, leopard deprivation well and truly over

 

 

 

We left as the vehicle numbers started to rise and decided that we'd best get back to the lodge for breakfast so we could get on the road to Lake Nakuru. We had a wonderful breakfast, all smiles from our encounter with the young leopard, and were heading back to our tent which took us past the table where the other self drivers were eating. I stopped to say hello and thank them for telling us about the leopard and asked if they lived in Nairobi. They said they did and were working for a Cheetah charity. I asked if it was the one run by Mary Wykstra and they said yes, a bit surprised they asked if I knew Mary, and that's when the penny dropped and I knew where I knew the familiar face from! It was Cosmas Wambua who works with Mary and who I knew from almost decade ago when I lived in Nairobi.

 

When he realised that he knew me too, (I think the years were kinder on him than on me!) we hugged and relived some happy memories together and shared quite a few laughs as memories came flooding back of a trip to the Mara with Sarah and Bernie (research students from Manchester Metropolitan University) and their last night in Nairobi which involved some dodgy dancing in K2 nightclub... you had to be there!!! Cosmas was just a young guy then, still doing his Masters and it was great to see he was putting all that hard work to good use for Cheetah Conservation. It was a shame that we had met on our last morning, but it was really great to catch up with him again.

 

We picked up our bags from the tent and said goodbye to another friendly visitor, Obama the Elephant, who had come to feast on the Acacia fruit that was on the tents and then it was time to hit the road to Nakuru and the next part of our adventure.

 

 

 

Our chosen route took us from Samburu back to Nanyuki and then across country past Laikipia Airbase to Rumaruti and on down to Nakuru town. The route follows the northern boundary of Sweetwaters and Ol Pejeta Ranch for some of the way; along which it's worth keeping an eye out as there are opportunities to see all manner of animals that come close to the fence.

 

Six hours later, plus a few bumps along the way and a stop to help a broken down matatu - it was stranded in the middle of nowhere with the passengers pushing the vehicle- we arrived just in time for dinner, drinks and a planned night game drive, which was however cancelled due to the the weather, just our luck to arrive with the heavy rain. The weather was much more European here and there was a quite a big difference in temperature compared to Samburu - it being much cooler and more to my liking.

 

Mbweha Camp is just outside of the National Park near to Elementaita Village, sandwiched between Soysambu Ranch (Lord Delamere's cattle ranch) and the National Park. Access was much easier than when we last visited, as the Elementaita road has been re-laid and although not far, journey times were much better. We had last visited Mbweha Camp two years previously on our first holiday to Africa together and had really enjoyed our stay there, especially as the generator had broken down and the quiet allowed the sounds of the African night to be heard so clearly... it was so nice... as was the ambience, tilley lamps and candles lighting the main lodge areas. The food and service were still fantastic, and the beer was still baridi, so hakuna shida as far as I was concerned.

 

The rooms are all detached and quite secluded, after dark you must be accompanied by a porter to and from the lodge as buffalo can and do wander into the lodge area. The rooms are rustic, built using traditional materials and are just fantastic; the rock and timber constructions with a thatched roof give such a feeling of being in Africa and the solar powered lighting is fairly subdued giving the ambience of tilley lamp lighting. The rooms are secluded by thick bushes and are great spots to look for the diverse range of birds in the area, sometimes even from the comfort of your own porch area.

 

So, as there was no night game drive we did the only thing we could, enjoyed our evening meal with a glass of wine for Laura and a few Tuskers for me whilst sitting at the bar enjoying the heat from the open fire.

 

Whilst we were enjoying our after dinner drink, Joseph the Lodge Manager came across to say hello, surprisingly he remembered us front our previous visit as we'd been quite laid back about everything when the generator failed... we remembered some of the other guests from that occasion who had made Joseph's life hell!!! According to Laura, Joseph and I went into major gossip mode as we realised that we both knew quite a few people from the local area, Laura described it as 'like a soap opera in the Bush'... full of affairs, evictions, shootings, prison sentences and lots more gossip besides. Upon reflection she may have had a point! After a super evening we eventually had to head off to bed in preparation for our early morning game drive into the park.

 

it was a fairly limited day in terms of game drives but it had been a great start and end to the day with the promise of good things in the morning.

[pault]

The engine sputters back to life! Good. The ostrich shot (you know which one) is a conversation-stopper.

 

And on the subject of conversation, what about the gossip? You are so disappointingly discreet.

[Safari Cal]

 

And on the subject of conversation, what about the gossip? You are so disappointingly discreet.

 

@@pault Many of the people we discussed I count as friends... but, as many will guess, being so near to Soysambu, we discussed what had happened with Tom Cholmondeley, after the shootings on Soysambu in 2005/6. It was a shock what happened, especially the second shooting. I liked Tom and Dr Sally (Brewerton), the boys were characters, you'd often find young Hugh on the roof of the house playing in his bare feet!

 

We also talked about the sad passing of Simon Combes, such a talented artist and a lovely person to boot with such an interesting life story, we talked about his widow Kat, as well as Guy his son who is also an artist. Simon was killed by a buffalo whilst walking on Soysambu Ranch with his wife and Mary Wykstra. I had returned to England the week before it happened and can still remember the shock of receiving that text message!

 

We threw many names out over the course of the chat, Spencer and Janet Gelsthorpe who run the Project Rhino charity, Janet sadly passed away in 2009 after battling cancer for the best part of a decade and her ashes are scattered in Nakuru NP; Nick and Betsy Cowell, who I last saw at the wedding of Paul and Eleanor (nee Monbiot) Benson at the Giraffe Manor and I believe are now working in the Mara; as I remember, their young daughter was fluent in Swahili, Kikuyu and Maasai and their son, still a young teenager at that time and who attended Gordonstoun School, had the run of the place in a landrover with a rifle by his side. Then was Jock and Enid Dawson, good friends of LNNP, skin cancer got Jock in the end at a ripe old age, but what an interesting life he had with Enid, he knew more old Kikuyu language than many Kikuyus, and rumour has it they still shared baths when they were well into their twilight years

 

Then there was Stewart Wheeler, who lived on Soysambu ranch but worked as a hunter in Tz, he was one of the funniest guys I ever met, and had a hint of Eddie Izzard about him, the stories he could tell over the dinner table, especially about his brother, a girlfriend, handcuffs and an unexpected appearance by his father had everyone double up over supper at Flamingo House one evening.

 

There was more, the Jersey Hall Project and Carol Entwistle, Koros from WWF, Tash Combes... I'm sure some on here will know at least some of the people I've mentioned.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Safari Cal

[TonyQ]

Great to read this latest chapter @@Safari Cal

Superb Ostrich pictures, wonderful light on the antelope, and I am glad you had your leopard to yourself for part of the time!

[Safari Cal]

Thanks @@TonyQ

 

It all came together on that last morning thankfully, this was the first time we'd actually managed to get close to a male Somali Ostrich during our stay in Samburu, so we were really chuffed when the light was on our side

[Safari Cal]

Day Six - 18 July 2013

 

Lake Nakuru

 

After a great night sleep we woke up well before the alarm call... as were excited about the prospect of being back in Lake Nakuru National Park again. Even so, our bed was very comfortable and warm... and it was a struggle to get out of it into the cold of the early morning but the kuni burner hot water system supplied plenty of hot water to wake and warm us up. We didn't take many photos of the room but here's one that shows the entrance leading to the bed.

 

 

 

I first visited the Park in 1988 when I was a young Sapper in the Royal Engineers on a six week engineering support exercise based in Laikipia around the Dol Dol area, and have photos from that time showing a pink lake, covered in Flamingos; how different this visit was to be!

 

Before we left we had a light breakfast of scrambled egg on toast and some strong Kenyan coffee for me, Laura isn’t big on hot drinks, and then it was off to Nderit gate for entry to the National Park, as we had paid for our tickets the day before at the main gate – forward planning for the early start.

 

We headed back up the Elementaita Pipeline Road to Nderit Gate and just had to stop to watch the sun rising to the east over Soysambu Ranch, what an amazing view as the rich golden warmth enveloped the land and put a smile on the faces of at least two excited travellers.

 

We entered the park with minimal hold up and I decided to head round the park in an anti-clockwise direction to see what we could get along the lake shore… blimey, the answer wasn’t long in coming… not a lot as it turned out.

 

Our plans had been scuppered by the high lake water level; it had caused such bad flooding that made a lot of the routes un-drivable unless you had an amphibious vehicle!!! They were well and truly underwater and we ended up having to drive the long route around to the north of the park along the boundary fence instead of along the lakeshore route. We were very disappointed, but as always took a philosophic view on the situation and looked forward to seeing what this alternative route would bring.

 

En route we saw an Auger Buzzard, Tawny Eagle, Long Crested Eagle, Black Rhinos, Crowned Plover, African Spoonbills and Paradise flycatcher, so not a bad start to the game drive after all and to be honest it was all very exciting heading along tracks we normally wouldn’t have used. On the Lake we spotted a couple of Flamingos… only 2! Hmmm!!!!!

 

 

 

 

It was much harder trying to spot things in the dense scrub, but it was a good laugh trying to get shots of birds that only ever gave us fleeting glimpses of their beautiful plumage.

 

We headed up to the view point and spent a while watching the comical young Rock Hyraxes scamper across the rocks, and of course the quite dangerously habituated Baboons, as they tried to steal things from the tourists, and on this occasion even managed to get inside one of the Matatus (the driver really should have warned his guests). We then decided to head around the north of the Park to the Naishi area by the airfield in the hope of having better viewing opportunities out of the forest.

 

The Naishi area wasn’t too badly affected by the flooding, although there were some interesting moments as we come out of the forest which reminds you why it really isn’t a good idea to visit the parks in a car, even in such a benign environment as Lake Nakuru NP a 4x4 is essential at certain times!!

 

We spotted a few Sunbirds, Buffalo and Rothschild Giraffe but were on the look out for new siting’s for this safari, which we hoped this part of the Park would bring.

 

The going improved and we managed to get right up to the lakeshore, there were a few Flamingos, no more than 30-40 in total (so different from previous visits), Saddle Billed and Yellow Billed Stork, Teal, Sacred and Hadada Ibises, Little Grebe, Pied Kingfishers, African Spoonbills, Black Capped Stilts, Great Cormorants and various Egrets and Herons. But apart from the few birds by the edge of the lake, the view was just… water! No huge flocks of Flamingos to be seen, quite a subdued atmosphere, quieter than I’ve ever known it… it was quite disheartening if I’m honest!

 

 

 

 

That was the view to the Lake, but if you turned round you had a magnificent view of a family of White Rhinos, grazing on the lush grass around the flood plain, heading lazily and contentedly in our direction stopping every now and then for a rest.

 

 

We took a few photos of the Rhinos, but knew they weren’t going far and we’d have more opportunities to photograph them later, so...

 

… as it was getting hot and Laura’s camera battery was getting low, we decided to head up to Lake Nakuru Lodge for a drink and a battery recharge, and with the high water level we knew we had plenty of time to explore the rest of the Park.

 

En route to the lodge we were fortunate enough to see Oxpecker’s really showing a buffalo who was boss, and the best of the day so far… the courting ritual of the Pin Tailed Whydah Bird, we spent a while watching a male trying to impress the females, and what a show it was with the male performing his mating dance hovering low above the female, with his long tail following his flight in an undulating motion whilst he sang. He performed circular flights around the meadow returning to rest on a bush right by us every now and again giving us a good display as he landed and took off.

 

 

 

 

 

We decided to let him court his females in peace and headed onwards to the lodge for some refreshment, a tall cold glass of Gin & Tonic, which we enjoyed as Laura’s battery recharged. As well as enjoying a drink, we took a few were taking photos of birds around the lodge we met a young guy who was on a trek around Rwanda (Gorillas), Zanzibar and Kenya. Wow, what an adventure he was on.

 

After finishing our refreshments, picking up Laura’s battery and having taken a few photos around the lodge area of Slaty Flycatchers, Robin Chats and various Sunbirds, we were ready to head back into the Park, to the south end of the lake again to see what we could find, looking for the Black and White Colobus Monkeys as we went; but they weren’t in their normal spot and we didn’t find them at all during the day.

 

We spent around a couple of hours at the tip of the lake and enjoyed a superb lunch, which had been prepared for us with no expense spared by the staff at Mbweha Camp! It was an extravagant 3 course affair, which we were very impressed with, although I did wish we had a safari table a chairs with us rather than having to make do with the more cramped interior of the 4x4!!!

 

We ate lunch fairly quickly keeping a weather eye on the lakeshore, in case we missed anything. After lunch we were lucky to be able to watch a Yellow Billed Stork hunting, with a rather disgruntled Heron, who definitely had a need to up his game in comparison to the Stork. The few remaining Flamingos were flying back and forward across the lakeshore area as were Pelicans, whilst overhead flew in Saddle Billed Storks, Ibises and Herons. It was a wonderful afternoon. Here are a few of the photos we took:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turing our attention back to the land, we noticed that the White Rhino family had come closer, giving us an opportunity to get some photos of them eating and resting before heading further away from the lake to spend some time watching the Rothschild Giraffes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After another fruitless search for the Colobus Monkeys we headed back to the Lodge for dinner and, most importantly, for our delayed night game drive.

 

We had given our driver and guide, Saul and Lucas, a challenge. We knew there were Aardvarks in the area, but also that the chances of seeing them were low, so when asked what we’d most like to see we told them it had to be Aardwark. Very tongue in cheek, but always optimistic!

 

We had a good game drive seeing the usual suspects such as Black Backed Jackal and Bat Eared Foxes, got up close and personal with a Night Jar and then in the distance framed in the spotlight, we saw it, the unmistakeable shape of an Aardvark, running at speed in the opposite direction. I managed to fire off a few frames to record our first ever spot of this species, not great but we were so excited to have seen one and to add a new species to our list.

 

 

Saul told us we were very lucky as not many guests had seen them in the past and he had expected us to go back to the lodge disappointed! Instead, we were all smiles.

 

The game drive lasted about an hour and heads away from the Park Boundary initially before swinging round and following the National Park fence back in the direction of the lodge. On the way back, we saw a troop of Baboons resting in the top of the trees just inside the Park and on the track in front of us, a Barn Owl which held us up for a few minutes. I had camera poised to capture the take off, but would you believe it ran away across the ground instead and flew up into a Euphorbia candelabrum Tree! We managed to get a few photos though as the rain started to fall and we had to return to the Lodge.

 

 

What an excellent end to an excellent day. We sat around the camp fire when we got back, enjoying a drink and both of us chuffed about the Aardvark spot by Saul and Lucas.

 

 

It was off to Lake Naivasha tomorrow. A short day in terms of driving, but exciting in terms of the opportunity to see the variety of birds the Naivasha area has to offer. The Fish Eagles and Kingfishers being our favourites from our previous stays there.

Roll on tomorrow

Edited October 31, 2013 by Safari Cal

[johnkok]

Just started on your TR and enjoying it. Have been pretty busy travelling and have not had time for ST but was put right by @@laurab over dinner last night

[Geoff]

Some cracking trip reports lately and this is one of them. Some good images too.

[pault]

Love you Spoonbill composite - beautiful. You got a couple of good flamingo shots too, despite the lack of them. A good day photographically, even if the viewing was a bit disappointing until the Aardvark.

[TonyQ]

@@Safari Cal

Some superb images here again - the punk spoonbill a favourite

But even though there were not many flamingos, the shot of the group in flight is really good.

Also the "pin tailed suitor"

An to finish with an Aardvark

Leaves us waiting for the next day....

[Tdgraves]

@ Safari Cal just found your TR - fabulous! Some great bird shots. Now i am even more conscious of what to write in my own

[Safari Cal]

Hi @@johnkok, thanks, heard last night was a hoot with Laura 

 

Thanks @@Geoff, glad you liked it.

 

Hi @@pault. It was a quiet day but enjoyable nonetheless, we definitely made the best of it.

 

Thanks @@TonyQ, the Aardvark was definitely the highlight. Not a great sighting but we were so chuffed to have seen one!

 

Thanks @@Tdgraves, hard work pulling them together isn't it! Yours is great, you've no need to use a glum face at all.

[Safari Cal]

Day 7 19 July 2013

 

Lake Naivasha Pt 1

 

We didn’t have far to travel today so we permitted ourselves the luxury of a lie in till 7:15.... or as Laura recorded it in the diary '07:15 Woohoo'!

 

We intended to have a leisurely breakfast and then catch up with some diary entries, photo editing and explore the lodge.

 

Laura plugged in her laptop and camera batteries to charge in the bar area, the rooms only have solar powered lighting so you have to charge everything while you have dinner and drinks each night.

 

Laura had a photo-editing catch up in the bar area, so I went for a walk around the lodge gardens with Simon, a multi talented young man, being a guide, bird expert and singer – he has quite a few Kikuyu Gospel music videos on youtube – search for ‘saimo maina’.

 

We saw quite a few species in the short time we had before we hit the road, including Speckled Mouse Bird, Amethyst Sunbird, Streaky Seed-eater, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Olive Thrush, Spectacled Weaver Bird, Cordon Bleu, African Firefinch, Grey-Capped Warbler, Robin Chat and White Browed Robin Chat. A Hartlaub’s Turaco had been spotted in the garden that morning but try as we might we couldn’t find it. There were no calls to be heard, so it may have moved on quite quickly.

 

Here’s a few of the shots from the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

Before too long we had to say goodbye to everyone at Mbweha as it was time to head on to Naivasha. We decided to use the back road to the west of Soysambu Ranch and see what we could spot along the fence of the ranch. It took us out towards the badlands and en route we saw some Scarlet Chested Sunbirds, with the green throat and absence of a small purple spot on the shoulder and rump, and Crimson Rumped Waxbills as well as a pair of hunting Secretary Birds. If we’d had more time I think the back road would have been worth spending a few hours exploring. It had lots to offer but we were conscious of the delights Lake Naivasha has to offer and were quite excited to be heading back there so didn’t spend a great deal of time exploring.

 

 

After stopping to take a few photos, it wasn’t too long before we were back on the main Nakuru - Naivasha road heading south. We pulled off the main road and headed through Naivasha town, stopping off at one of the ATMs before heading on to South Lake Road, half an hour later we arrived at Fisherman’s Camp in time for lunch. We dropped our stuff at Banda 9 (same as last year) and headed to the bar for a snack and to chill for a bit.

 

The bar is located about a hundred yards from the lake, and whilst you do get mosquitos, it isn’t too bad normally. It’s a proper travellers/backpackers place which offers basic accommodation at good prices. We booked a cottage 3 years ago, but they are situated away from the lake further up the hill, and while the view in the morning is amazing, you are further away from things and have to drive back up from the bar at night after dinner (you could walk but why take the risk) unless you want to self cater. What makes this place so popular I think, is that it offers everything you could want if you’re on a budget.

 

The prices are going up, but it should cost around KSh6000/- (£45) for a couple per night per banda (sleeps 4), but considerably less if you use one of their tents. The bandas are basic, with a float finished concrete floor but have power, hot water, clean towels and linen.

 

We ate lunch and were very happy to be back by the lake again. We had stayed here on our previous safaris, it’s always the cheapest night or two we have and is so different from the rest of the trip as there are no park fees to be paid and there is nothing touristy about the place at all, it’s just a great place to explore the Naivasha area from.

 

During lunch we decided to have quite a lazy day by our normal standards and go for a short walk along the lake before heading back up to the banda to sort out our photos and write up our safari diary. We had planned to go out on an afternoon boat trip on Lake Naivasha or Oserian, but I persuaded Laura to postpone it till the morning as I had been driving and to be honest was in need of a recharge.

 

Before we left the bar we had a visit from the camp Peacock who wanted to strut his stuff around the bar area, and very handsome he was too, as well as inquisitive!

 

 

We walked along the front of the camp by the lake trying to spot our first few birds and straight away we spotted a Pied Kingfisher perched on a branch. I just love Naivasha for the opportunity to watch so many different species of Kingfishers.

 

 

We then stopped to chat with a few ‘cool dude traveller types’ as Laura recorded in our diary. There was a Chinese family who were self driving, but had been hired a vehicle they weren’t allowed to take into the National Parks! There a young lad on a backpacking holiday and a mother and daughter who were spending the weekend there, the mum had flown over from America while her daughter was on a volunteering holiday in Kenya.

 

We were still chatting to them buy the lakeside when behind us there was a loud splash, turning round quickly we saw Pelican in the water, but Laura straight away noticed that a Fish Eagle was flying down from a tree and as we watched a Fish Eagle swooped down and attacked the Pelican that had made the loud splash that attracted our attention.

 

 

 

It was the first time I’d seen this behaviour, and after discussing it we think the Fish Eagle must have been warning off the Pelican, which beat a hasty retreat afterwards. What a start to the Naivasha section of our trip! As well as this we had a chance to observe Pelicans who weren't quite as stressed preening and fishing without the added danger of a Fish Eagle attack.

 

 

 

We headed back to the banda after this and sat outside on the bench enjoying a few G&Ts while we downloaded and backed up photos and updated the diary. There was a 5-minute power cut… that’s an African 5 minutes! I think in the end it lasted at least 3 hours. By which time it was dark and everyone was using head torches. The bar area has a standby generator, so everyone who was staying automatically drifted towards it.

 

Despite the power cut we enjoyed a very chilled afternoon and evening having re-arranged our boat safari for early the next morning and we’d also been well fed and watered. Time for bed… and hurrah, the power had been restored.

 

Naivasha Pt 2 to follow…

[africapurohit]

@@Safari Cal fantastic series of bird photos! I love the croc pelican and the cordon bleu is superb!

[Safari Cal]

Thanks, @@africapurohit, we did well on birds during this stage of the trip

[Safari Cal]

Here's the sequence from the Fish Eagle attack on the Pelican. The Pelican did the only thing it could to avoid injury... dive dive dive!

 

[pault]

Amazing stuff!

[TonyQ]

Superb bird pictures - love the weaver!

[Safari Cal]

Day 8 20 July 2013

 

Lake Naivasha Pt 2 & Mara to follow...

 

We headed out on our boat trip at 7am, similar to last year but without the hiccups thankfully. We actually had a boat, and the engine worked, and the guide knew what he was doing.

 

The sunset this morning was amazing, Laura nipped across to join a few other photographers capturing the amazing view as I headed across to meet Tobias, the boat guide. The trips cost around KSh3000/- (£22) and for that you’ll get around an hour, or slightly longer if there’s lots happening. You’re almost guaranteed to see the Fish Eagle taking a fish from the water and the Kingfishers have never let us down… so far.

 

 

Laura came across to the jetty not long afterwards having got the lovely photo above and I snapped her and a few of the other early risers as walked over. In the background you can see the tents that are for rent and the bandas in the distance. It had been particularly noisy the previous evening as a bus load of school kids had turned up, you can see the bus in the photo below, but their teachers had them tucked up by just after 9pm.

 

 

 

The boats can take around 8 people and have a sunroof to keep the worst of the suns rays off your head, but believe it or not it gets cold quickly when the clouds roll in, so remember to take a jacket whenever you head out on the lake. You are also supplied with life vests, which you must wear.

 

 

So all set up with our life vests on, we set off along the reeds in search of some Kingfishers and weren’t disappointed, we immediately saw a Pied Kingfisher, closely followed by a Malachite and then the incredibly large Giant Kingfisher… we couldn’t believe this bird hovers, it’s huge.

 

 

 

The reeds also offered up a few Warblers, the Sedge Warbler, Greater Swamp Warbler and my favourite which was the little Marsh Warbler that flitted in and out of view just enough so that I got a photo of it. Then there were the Herons, lots of them and different types from the cute little Squacco to the Purple and Night Herons and the Little Bittern was nice to spot.

 

 

We headed further along the lake but sticking to the reeds and were lucky enough to see quite a few other species: Long Tailed Cormorant, Black Crake, African Darter, Common Moorhen and African Jacana.

 

 

 

 

Our boat safari was rounded off as we watched the Fish Eagle as it swooped down to grab a fish for breakfast. It’s always a privilege to watch this magnificent bird, Kwazi in Swahili, soar over the lake or even perched in a tree as it throws its head back giving that amazing call that really lets you know you’re in Africa.

 

 

 

After we got back on terra firma we headed back to the bar area for breakfast, although I sat there for most of the time on my own as Laura disappeared off to photograph the Black and White Colobus Monkeys that had come along the trees from Elsamere to the edge of Fisherman’s Camp. I don’t know if it was woman’s intuition, but Laura arrived back just in time for the breakfast plates to be put in front of us!

 

After breakfast we packed up and headed to the Mara. We decided to take a detour though and instead of heading back up to the main road we headed further along the Lake Road towards Oserian. We haggled over the price as we didn’t want the full tour, just the Flamingo watching part of it, and before we knew it we were heading across this small soda lake, at the western tip of Lake Naivasha, towards a flock of around 1000-1500 birds. As we neared them they took off and gave us a reminder of what Lake Nakuru should have been like.

 

 

 

 

We took a load of photos of them taking off, running on water and flying around the lake but all too soon we headed back to the jetty and were back in the car heading to the Maasai Mara. It would have been nice to visit Crater Lake which was just another few minutes drive further round the lake, but we didn’t want to arrive late in the Mara as we had last year, cutting it so fine that it was almost pitch black when we arrived at the Lodge!

 

Next stage is the trip from Oserian to the Mara...

[Safari Cal]

Day 8 20 July 2013 Cont...

 

Maasai Mara

 

We headed through Narok, stopping off for a bottle of Gin and a refuel at the garage on the left as you head out of town and then a few minutes later turned off the main road heading to Ewaso Ngiro and on to Sekenani Gate.

 

The road to the gate is terrible as lots of you may know. This year we found that some temporary murram repairs had been done, or were in the process of being done. But in all honesty, and I know @@armchair bushman has a view on this, it’s even more of a death trap than it used to be. The sooner it’s tarmacked the better. It was so dry that the amount of dust thrown up by each vehicle meant you couldn’t see approaching vehicles until they were right on top of you, even with their lights on. And they weren’t driving slowly either! There were a few wrecks by the side of the road and we saw one fresh accident, the guys had rolled their car, but thankfully were uninjured.

 

We passed through Sekenani Gate quickly and were on our way across the Mara Reserve towards Purungat Bridge, eager to be back in the Triangle. We stopped at the Triangle entry gate to pay our park fees, as well as which we had a chat and shared a few laughs with some Rangers and Conservancy staff. They are normally happy to share tips with you and will normally stop and inform self drivers of sightings as they patrol the park in their easily identifiable little green 4x4s.

 

We decided to head up the river road checking out a few sites where we’d seen Leopards previously, but the trees were empty this time around. En route to the lodge we spotted a few animals, the highlight being a hippo in a pool so small that it barely fit in it. We also saw a Black Bellied Bustard strutting by the side of the track and the ubiquitous Wildebeest, they had arrived in massive numbers and had taken over the savannah as far as the eye could see. There were a few Hippos in the river at one of the view points and the tracks were being used by considerable numbers of Wildebeest, making the going quite slow.

 

 

 

The light was fading and we had to head to the lodge stopping briefly at the foot of the Serena hill to take a couple of shots of a wildebeest and some Maasai Giraffe silhouetted against the rich tones of the evening sky.

 

 

We were back in the Mara… smiley faces all round.

 

We met a few old friends after we checked in but it was incredible how things had changed. The old entrance had been blocked up and the new entrance lead into a cavernous room with a glass fronted aspect, giving views across the savannah. Great for tourists arriving on their first safari but for us it had lost the intimacy that we enjoyed on our previous visits. I know it’s a large lodge by Mara standards, but it is the only one in the Triangle, unless you want to pay the extortionate prices for Little Governors and there used to be little nooks and crannies you could escape to for that feeling of solitude.

 

The biggest change was the big increase in the number of Chinese tourists though.

 

More on the lodge tomorrow...