Tsavo West, Amboseli, Meru & Samburu — January, 2015

[Tom Kellie]

We saw a commotion going on far from us towards Noomotio,

Observation Hill. Looking through the super-telephoto lens, I

saw that it was a large gathering of vultures near a hippo

where three Crocuta crocuta, Spotted Hyena, were eating,

watched by several sepulchral Marabou Storks.

Chasing Vultures

What a Commotion

Hyenas Near Noomotio

Walking Away from the Carcass

Vultures and Hyenas

[Tom Kellie]

Anthony drove for a few minutes so as to reposition the

safari van with a clearer view of the scavengers at the

hippo carcass...Crocuta crocuta, Spotted Hyena, were

eating, driving off vultures and Marabou Storks.

Action Around a Hippo Carcass

Scavengers at Work

Are Marabou Storks Undertakers?

Loping Towards Vultures

Leptoptilos crumeniferus at a Hippo Carcass

Cleaning the Carcass

Edited April 18, 2015 by Tom Kellie

[Tom Kellie]

While the three Crocuta crocuta feasted on the hippo carcass,

I watched the elephant we'd seen in the swamp taking a dust

bath, after which a safari vehicle stopped nearby.

Nothing Relieves Like a Dust Bath

Moving On After a Dust Bath

Direction Sign, Beloved of Elephants

Elephant, Three Cranes, Vehicle

[Tom Kellie]

Crocuta crocuta, Hippo Jawbone and Vultures

~ Away from the hippo carcass the hippo's jawbone was being watched by vultures. One of the hyenas had inspected the jawbone, returned to the main carcass, then stealthily returned to the delectable jawbone.

A Determined Hyena

The hyena snatched the large jawbone and began unsteadily walking. It set the jawbone down, picked it up again in a slightly different, ostensibly more comfortable way, and began trotting off with its prize, headed for parts unknown.

Vultures Watch the Hyena Trotting Away

The vultures on the ground watched the hyena trotting away, headed in a direction which would take it away from the hippo carcass where the other Crocuta crocuta were feasting.

[Tom Kellie]

Crocuta crocuta with a Hippo Jaw

The solitary Crocuta crocuta, Spotted Hyena, carrying a hippo jaw ran

in our direction, passing near our vantage point. It paused once to glance

towards the safari van, before continuing on its way. It stopped a couple of

times to readjust the ungainly burden carried by its own jaws. Another

hyena left the carcass, looking around before trotting past Noomotio,

Observation Hill, following the scent path left behind by the hyena with

the hippo jaw. Resources are precious in a competitive environment,

a hippo jaw being a treasure to be enjoyed in uninterrupted solitude.

Crocuta crocuta Carrying a Hippo Jaw

Jaws Gripping a Jaw

Scavenger

Crocuta crocuta with a Hippo Jaw

Light Shows Through the Opaque Hippo Jaw

In Search of Privacy

Readjusting an Unbalanced Burden

Spotted Hyena with a Hippo Jaw

Once Again Readjusting

A Hyena's Work Is Never Done

Off Into the Hinterland

[Tom Kellie]

Another Hyena Leaves the Hippo Carcass

~ Without wanting to read too much into its actions, a second Crocuta crocuta, Spotted Hyena seemed to be looking around for its fellow. It may have been that it was keenly aware of the lingering scent trail, an olfactory message unseen by human visitors.

Crocuta crocuta Near the Base of Noomotio

It trotted along the identical route used minutes before by the other hyena carrying away the hippo jaw. Was that in some sense a regularly used hyena path? Or, was it a temporary sensory pathway of macromolecules perceptible to its refined olfactory sense?

Spotted Hyena at Observation Hill

The second hyena looked back and forth while continuing on its way. In the background is the lower area of the volcanic plug, Noomotio, Observation Hill, on which we were soon to have a late box lunch.

[Tom Kellie]

Gyps rueppellii

After the hyenas left, we shifted our attention to a group of Gyps rueppellii,

Rüeppell's Griffon Vulture, on the ground near where the hippo jaw had

been before being taken. There were more juveniles than adults. Their

behavior included wing spreading, twisting around to look backwards,

jumping into the air and what resembled dancing. The etched

feather edge of the adult plumage was especially attractive.

Don't Try This at Home

Wings Fully Spread

Juvenile Gyps rueppellii

Resting Vultures

Gyps rueppellii

Vulture Dance

Gyps rueppellii Fan Dance

Juvenile Gyps rueppellii at Amboseli

[Safaridude]

@@Tom Kellie

 

Great to see vultures. These are disappearing at an alarming rate.

[Tom Kellie]

As has been the custom in all three of my visits to

Amboseli National Park, lunch was a box lunch

in the shelter atop Noomotio, Observation Hill.

Anthony napped while XU Ni and I enjoyed the

view. These images were made with the Zeiss

35mm f/2 lens which is an integral part of the

Sony RX1 R camera. They show the views

in several different directions.

Volcanic Plug Islet with Ol Tukai in the Center Right

Enkongo Narok Swamp View

The Track to Noomotio

Lake Leakey

[Tom Kellie]

@@Tom Kellie

 

Great to see vultures. These are disappearing at an alarming rate.

 

~ @Safaridude:

 

Thank you for telling me that, as I haven't yet formed a reliable sense of the relative scarcity of species, aside from the more publicized endangered animals.

Vultures interest me, not only as scavengers, but for their complex interactions with one another.

On this occasion, around the hippo carcass, there were about one dozen or more juvenile Gyps rueppellii, in addition to adults.

From what you've kindly told me above, the presence of a healthy cohort of juveniles suggests that somewhere there's a skilled mother Rüeppell's Griffon Vulture. We owe her a debt for raising her nestlings into adulthood.

Now that I know this, I'll be sure to photograph any vultures which might be seen during the safari two weeks from now.

Tom K.

Edited April 19, 2015 by Tom Kellie

[Tom Kellie]

Atop Noomotio, or Observation Hill, visitors rest in the shade of the

shelter, feeding various birds which are accustomed to humans. A

European photographer was there with her guide and support staff.

It was the first time on safari that I'd ever seen an elaborate lunch

served from covered dishes, with tableware and cloth napkins. The

staff laid out a number of dishes on the waist-high stone wall,

serving her several courses. We took a few portraits to celebrate

the exhilaration of being in such lovely surroundings.

Is This Really a Baboon?

Resting Atop Noomotio

A Guide

A Visitor

At Lake Leakey in Amboseli National Park

XU Ni Relaxes After a Late Lunch

[Tom Kellie]

Lamprotornis superbus on Noomotio

~ Around the shelter atop Noomotio the Guild of Crumb-eaters is well organized, with Lamprotornis superbus, Superb Starling, the primary members. This starling importuned me for my box lunch, receiving a few stray morsels for its daring.

[Tom Kellie]

There have been several Lanius collaris, Common Fiscal, at the

crest of Noomotio, Observation Hill, each time that I've visited.

The active birds fly from place to place in their ongoing search for

food. They seem like an alert, intelligent species,

clad in bold black and white plumage.

Lanius collaris at Noomotio

Lanius collaris Perched on a Rubbish Container

Lanius collaris on a Sign

Amboseli — 100 Years of Conservation

[Tom Kellie]

Earlier during the game drive we'd seen Eremopterix leucopareia,

Fischer's Sparrow-Lark. On Noomotio's summit there were pairs

of sparrow-larks actively seeking discarded lunch scraps. The

activity of this bold little species struck me as being plucky.

A Single Tidbit

Male Eremopterix leucopareia

Fearless Fischer's Sparrow-Lark

Sparrow-Lark Plumage

[Tom Kellie]

After lunch I used both cameras for images of the beauty

seen atop Noomotio. Wildflowers, geometric seed pods,

Haliaeetus vocifer, African Fish Eagle, overhead, and

ever-present Mt. Kilimanjaro wrapped with clouds.

January Wildflowers on Noomotio

Lest We Forget...

Drying in Amboseli Breezes

Haliaeetus vocifer Riding Air Currents

Haliaeetus vocifer at Amboseli

[Tom Kellie]

This large Diptera with eyes which connected landed on the

flat-topped stone wall surrounding the observation pavilion

atop Noomotio. It was Tabanus biguttutus, Hippo Fly, a

relative of horse flies. The first image was made with the

Sony camera and the second was made by the

Canon camera and the super telephoto lens.

Tabanus biguttutus

Tabanus biguttutus on a Stone Ledge

[Tom Kellie]

Pelecanus onocrotalus and Scattered Bones

Beneath Noomotio is Lake Leakey, which adjoins the extensive marshy

area of Enkongo Narok Swamp. One typically observes small groups

of Pelecanus onocrotalus, Great White Pelican, flying over and swimming

on the lake. In this visit there were one dozen pelicans resting on a small

islet in the midst of scattered animal bones. A taphonomist would

literally have a field day analyzing the bone placement, seeking

to establish which predator was responsible.

Pelecanus onocrotalus with Many Scattered Bones

Pelecanus onocrotalus Pair

Flying Solo

Great White Pelican Over Swamp Grass

[Tom Kellie]

A Fish Eagle Disturbance

The low approach of a single Haliaeetus vocifer, African Fish Eagle,

caused most of a flock of Alopochen aegyptiacus, Egyptian Goose,

to take wing and fly away. Simultaneously a solitary Connochaetus

taurinus, White-bearded Wildebeest, began running and looking

skyward. What was it about the fish eagle's approach which

disturbed the otherwise tranquil marsh-side community?

Running Wildebeest, Flying Geese and a Fish Eagle

Fish Eagle Disturbing Egyptian Geese

Enkongo Narok Swamp Bird Panorama

Edited April 19, 2015 by Tom Kellie

[Tom Kellie]

Standing on the volcanic plug which is Noomotio, Observation Hill,

the observer has a rich choice of subjects to enjoy — Lake Leakey,

flying bird flocks, elephant families, the plains of Amboseli, distant

game herds, lush swamp vegetation, and Mt. Kilimanjaro. A

feast for the eyes and a joy for the spirit!

Platalea alba with an Egret

Darters, Geese and a Pelican

Where Water Ends, Lush Vegetation Also Ends

Enkongo Narok Swamp Has Its Own Beauty

Platalea alba Reflection

As Far As the Eye Can See

Botanical Exuberance

Arrangement in Blue and Green

Quintessential Amboseli

The Elephants Down the Hill

Elephants Near Lake Leakey

Elephants in Deep Swamp Grass

[Tom Kellie]

Napping Baby Elephant

~ We had driven down from Noomotio, turned right onto the track which would lead us out of the park gate to the lodge. A small group of elephants was standing beside the track with an infant napping beside its mother's feet. Although the afternoon was growing late, I asked Anthony for a quick stop for one quick shot. I stop for sleeping baby elephants. Anthony genially obliged — this is the quick shot.

[Tom Kellie]

Pelecanus onocrotalus on Lake Leakey

~ We were speeding past Lake Leakey on our return journey when Anthony abruptly stopped, telling us that we could take another quick shot — this time a group of Pelecanus onocrotalus, Great White Pelican, swimming past the sedges and reeds which mark the edge of Lake Leakey. Like a flotilla, they remained tightly together, the afternoon sunlight illuminating the pouches beneath their long bills.

[Tom Kellie]

Ardea Goliath

As it turned out, these were the final images taken in Amboseli National Park.

The game drive over, we returned to the lodge, from which we left the next

morning, bound for Nairobi and points north. What a farewell subject — Ardea

goliath, Goliath Heron. It was so large that it was visible on the other side of

Lake Leakey from atop Noomotio. It was low to the vegetation level,

intently looking at something, slowly moving its head a bit.

Amboseli Ardea goliath

Ardea goliath at Lake Leakey

[graceland]

I LOVE NAPPING BABIES AS WELL.....

 

 

Edited April 19, 2015 by graceland

[Tom Kellie]

I LOVE NAPPING BABIES AS WELL.....

 

 

post-49296-0-62665500-1429472012.jpg

 

~ @graceland:

 

Thank you!

They're so small and vulnerable.

The baby in the photo was surprisingly close, with several large females standing guard around it.

The funny thing is that napping baby elephants seem to have a smile on their face.

Are they dreaming of flying from one place to another, free from all restraints?

I like your new avatar image!

Tom K.

[Peter Connan]

Ah @@Tom Kellie, what a stunning baby ellie!

 

The swamp is beautiful,thanks for showing it to us.