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

[Tom Kellie]

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

 

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

 

~ @@Peter Connan:

 

I'm truly glad to know that you like it, as I was uncertain whether or not Amboseli swamp photos would be appropriate.

For me, it harbors a vibrant mix of life, hence is as appropriate as a forest, a grassland or rocky cliffs.

Yet being new in Safaritalk, I'm hesitant as to what community tastes might entail.

I'm not at all much for being a pioneer in anything.

That baby pachyderm's breathing — a measured up and down, up and down — was visible.

After all, in whatever species, a baby is a baby is a baby...

You've given me an idea. I'm going back in the archives to seek out and post a photo in the Safaritalk “Show Us Your Babies” forum.

Tom K.

[Marks]

The extended sequence of the hyena carrying the jaw was fascinating. Also enjoyed the elephant partially submerged in the swamp. Great stuff!

 

I, too, find vulture behavior very "watchable." Hopefully you get more on your upcoming trip!

Edited April 21, 2015 by Marks

[Tom Kellie]

The extended sequence of the hyena carrying the jaw was fascinating. Also enjoyed the elephant partially submerged in the swamp. Great stuff!

 

I, too, find vulture behavior very "watchable." Hopefully you get more on your upcoming trip!

 

~ @Marks:

 

Thanks so much!

We were transfixed by the process of scouting out the hippo jaw then dashing away with it. The hyena's path transected with ours, facilitating those images. I'm truly pleased that you liked them.

Since then I've wondered what it's like for a full-grown adult Loxodonta africana to make its way through a swamp. Is it partially buoyant? Do the fairly flat soles of its feet sink into ooze or is there a solid base? The Amboseli elephants have done this in each of my three visits there, suggesting that for their tribe it's business as usual.

One wonders what organisms dwell within the swamp, unseen by visitors. Beyond fish, are there invertebrates, small birds, insects?

Too many questions requiring a return visit.

Vulture gatherings, quite apart from scavenging, are intriguing. There appears to be ritualized intra-species hierarchical behavior.

This evening has involved a flurry of communications from the airline, the guide, and students assisting with the logistics of next week's safari. It's becoming a reality, as the number of days before departure has dwindled to an easily countable few.

Many thanks for visiting and giving such encouraging comments.

Tom K.

[graceland]

 

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.

 

@@Tom Kellie,

 

Probably one of the cutest sleeping elies ever; and yes they do seem to be smiling! Poor things have to run so fast to keep up with the rest of the herd; I always feel sorry for them as I see them running to Momma.

 

Thank you for your comment on my avatar. Wasnt sure it can be seen so small, but I truly loved the day of the leopard cub in Mana so decided to use it instead of my old face!! LOL

 

This has been one super trip report! Thank you for finding Safaritalk

[Tom Kellie]

@@Tom Kellie,

 

 

Probably one of the cutest sleeping elies ever; and yes they do seem to be smiling! Poor things have to run so fast to keep up with the rest of the herd; I always feel sorry for them as I see them running to Momma.

 

Thank you for your comment on my avatar. Wasnt sure it can be seen so small, but I truly loved the day of the leopard cub in Mana so decided to use it instead of my old face!! LOL

 

This has been one super trip report! Thank you for finding Safaritalk

 

 

~ @graceland:

 

It's 4:20 am in Beijing. I've been working through the night to catch everything up in preparation for the safari ten days from now.

Visiting Safaritalk and reading your comment makes me smiling and happy!

Thank you so much! Yes, those little grey pachyderms stumble when trying to be part of the family, but their mamas and aunties never fret, as they too were once sweet baby elephants.

On my computer screen your new avatar is clear and readily viewable. It's a Mana Pools leopard? That's good to know.

Thank you for your kind comments about this maiden trip report.

The next post will be a set of one dozen final Mt. Kilimanjaro images taken on the farewell morning in Amboseli.

Next up will be the drive north and then a new adventure at splendid Meru National Park.

I'd been pushing myself to begin on Meru before returning to Kenya for an unknown destination. Anthony and Maggie contacted me earlier today to confirm that all is well but made no mention of the destination. It will be a complete surprise to me upon arrival. I rather like that, as any safari in Kenya is great fun for me!

With Appreciation,

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Farewell to Mt. Kilimanjaro and Amboseli National Park

It was our final morning at the Amboseli Sopa Lodge and what a dawn!

Cloudless skies revealed Mt. Kilimanjaro's African majesty. The snow-capped

volcano's beauty elated us, as we took final portraits together, before

checking out to make an all-day drive across Kenya to

Meru National Park by way of Nairobi and Nanyuki.

First View of the Morning

Dawn on Kibo

Dawn on Mawenzi

Happy to be Near Mt. Kilimanjaro

Winnipeg, Manitoba Guest Enjoys Kilimanjaro Dawn

Terrace View of Mt. Kilimanjaro

What An Eruption It Must Have Been!

Bird Lodge

Anthony Gitau and Mt. Kilimanjaro

A Final Kilimanjaro Memory

Amboseli Sopa Dawn

XU Ni Enjoys A Final Look at Mt. Kilimanjaro

[graceland]

@@Tom Kelie, I love the Bird Lodge..

And the beautiful image of morning with Mt. Kili

This was a great Amboselli report for those of us who have not been.....so now,

On to Meru!

(I tried to copy the pics; for some reason tonight karma was not on my side)

Edited April 21, 2015 by graceland

[pault]

PAGE 9 PAGE 9 PAGE 9

 

You saw the wild dogs! Wonderful. We saw them some years ago, but I beleive it is very unusual (perhaps different now, but I doubt that). What great luck and a great sighting. Were you close to your lodge when you saw them? Exit from the lodge and turn right towards Ngulia Lodge?

 

And then a carmine beeeater? I didn't even know they existed down there.

 

You had superb views of Kilimanjaro too. I have rarely seen photos as clear as the ones whewre it is the background to the lodge shots. I think my favorite snow pic is the giraffe head and snow.

[Kitsafari]

That was a great sequence of vultures spreading their wings, and that series of elephants walking the hill as well.

 

Love that picture of the exhausted baby elephant, soundly sleeping with mummy watching over it.

 

of the Mt Kili pictures, my favourite is the second one, with the sunlight sparkling on the peak.

 

looking forward to Meru..

[Tom Kellie]

 

@@Tom Kelie, I love the Bird Lodge..

And the beautiful image of morning with Mt. Kili

This was a great Amboselli report for those of us who have not been.....so now,

On to Meru!

(I tried to copy the pics; for some reason tonight karma was not on my side)

 

 

~ Thanks, @@graceland!

 

That bird lodge tree hosts quite a variety of species.

The snow-capped volcano that morning was breathtaking — easily one of the high points of my visits to East Africa.

We truly felt blessed to see it with such clarity. Eating breakfast with such a backdrop was exhilarating.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed the Amboseli report.

Meru is yet another scene, but has numerous charms! I'll start it before returning to Kenya for safari #8 at the end of next week.

I heard from Emma Childs at the Emakoko this evening and from Anthony and Maggie last night.

All is set with everyone.

With Appreciation,

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

PAGE 9 PAGE 9 PAGE 9

 

You saw the wild dogs! Wonderful. We saw them some years ago, but I beleive it is very unusual (perhaps different now, but I doubt that). What great luck and a great sighting. Were you close to your lodge when you saw them? Exit from the lodge and turn right towards Ngulia Lodge?

 

And then a carmine beeeater? I didn't even know they existed down there.

 

You had superb views of Kilimanjaro too. I have rarely seen photos as clear as the ones whewre it is the background to the lodge shots. I think my favorite snow pic is the giraffe head and snow.

 

~ Hello, @@pault!

 

Had I been a member of Safaritalk before that safari, I would have recognized how precious the wild dogs sighting was.

As I didn't join until five weeks ago, I was puzzled when the Tsavo West entrance guards acted surprised when we mentioned that we'd spent time with wild dogs.

You must be right. That sighting was indeed unusual.

The location was as follows: Exit from the lodge, turn right towards Ngulia Lodge but not continue very far. Instead, Anthony soon turned left on a branching track which was unlike any that we'd been on. One might say that it was on the other side of the mountains surrounding the Rhino Sanctuary.

Largely an empty road, the dust suggested that it was a less traveled track.

Anthony was as surprised as I was when I spotted the carmine bee-eater.

Who knew? Maybe it was an example of range expansion? It was a noticeably healthy and vigorous bird, suggesting that it had been feeding well.

Several members of the Lodge and restaurant staff mentioned that the view that morning was exceptional.

There was a feeling of exaltation at being in the right place at the right time with the right equipment. Such a confluence of favorable factors seldom occurs, yet when fate smiles, one sees such loveliness.

That elderly giraffe couldn't have been a more obliging model. It posed and posed without moving, enabling me to change lenses to one with brought out the singular beauty of giraffe and volcano.

Many, many thanks for letting me know what you enjoyed. When I return to Kenya late next week, I'll be keeping in mind the preferences of Safaritalk members.

With Appreciation,

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

That was a great sequence of vultures spreading their wings, and that series of elephants walking the hill as well.

 

Love that picture of the exhausted baby elephant, soundly sleeping with mummy watching over it.

 

of the Mt Kili pictures, my favourite is the second one, with the sunlight sparkling on the peak.

 

looking forward to Meru..

 

~ Thanks a lot, @@Kitsafari!

 

Those vultures fascinated me with their dramatized wing-spreading rituals and semi-dances up off of the ground.

Amboseli's elephant families were a delight, as in the two previous visits. What particularly strikes one in Amboseli is how much elephants groups trek from one location to another. As there is high long-distance visibility in much of Amboseli, it's possible to watch the approach of an elephant caravan from a great distance away.

It may seem whimsical, but it remains my custom to stop for all dozing baby elephants. Anthony knows and understands that. They are one of a safari's most appealing subjects, as they're the epitome of babyhood, albeit a fairly immense baby!

There was a point when there was no sunlight on the snow and then, a few seconds later, it sparkled. That image which you liked was made seconds after it began sparkling. I'm so pleased that you like it.

I'm beginning to come to terms with the reality that there's only one week left to gear up for the next safari. After hearing from Emma Childs of the Emakoko tonight, and Anthony and Maggie last night, all is set in Nairobi. My mind is beginning to run through a checklist for packing, not to mention recharging camera batteries.

With Many Thanks,

Tom K.

[michael-ibk]

Have a wonderful safari, Tom, and thanks for your report so far. Have enjoyed your entries on Amboseli and Tsavo very much indeed, and am looking forward to Meru and Samburu. And who could ever NOT stop for baby elephants?

[Tom Kellie]

Have a wonderful safari, Tom, and thanks for your report so far. Have enjoyed your entries on Amboseli and Tsavo very much indeed, and am looking forward to Meru and Samburu. And who could ever NOT stop for baby elephants?

 

~ @michael-ibk:

 

Yes! That's so right. What kind of guest would want to pass by a baby elephant?

I laughed when I read your reply, thinking to myself that anyone passing up baby elephants is missing out on the fun of safaris.

Thank you so much for your very kind thoughts about the first two installments. Meru will have many charms and the finale in Samburu has much action and a dramatic conclusion.

The upcoming safari is a bit of magic in mid-semester. Who knows what might be observed in early May?

Your encouragement means quite a lot to me as I've enjoyed reading your comments in various forums, as well as glancing at trip reports, which I'm sure to read in more detail within the next few months.

With Appreciation,

Tom K.

[pault]

@@Tom Kellie Interestingly we saw the dogs in the same rhino sanctuary area. So now people know where to look - although it is very bushy there and I guess you wouldn't have seen much else?

 

Enjoy Kenya. If you want to keep in mind the preferences of Safaritalk members you'll have a lot to keep in mind!

[Tom Kellie]

@@Tom Kellie Interestingly we saw the dogs in the same rhino sanctuary area. So now people know where to look - although it is very bushy there and I guess you wouldn't have seen much else?

Enjoy Kenya. If you want to keep in mind the preferences of Safaritalk members you'll have a lot to keep in mind!

~ @pault:

 

Yes, that's right! There will be a lot to keep in mind.

 

The wild dogs were on the other side of the mountains seen from the Rhino Sanctuary. Sorry that my description wasn't clear enough.

 

Within the Rhino Sanctuary we saw no more than a single coucal drying its wings, as a downpour occurred while we were inside the fence.

 

Thank you for your kind wishes. As I type this, I'm thinking about how excited I'll feel one week from today, trying to focus on a lesson while getting ready to go out to the airport.

 

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Amboseli to Naro Moru

The long road trip from Amboseli to Naro Moru took us through Nairobi, where

we met and shared an ice cream cup with Anthony's wife, Maggie, then through

Karatina in Nyeri County before arriving on the highway section due west of

Mt. Kenya. Passing a large overturned trailer-truck rig reminded us of the perils

of travel, while cloud-topped Mt. Kenya was a reminder that Mt. Kenya has

a wild beauty which compares favorably with Mt. Kilimanjaro.

ICT Technopolis Vision 2030 Flagship Project

Noor Mosque in Makutano

Highway Accident

Undercarriage

Meeting Maggie in Nairobi

Karatina Petrol Station

Brade Gate Mills Poultry Feeds

Mt. Kenya in Minimal Cloudcover

Mt. Kenya Near Naro Moru

[Girlsnstilettos]

 

Napping Baby Elephant.JPG

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.

 

How could you not stop at the sleeping baby elephant?! Awwwww, nothing more precious than that to me!

[AKR1]

@@Tom Kellie,

 

Wonderful report and just superb pictures and narration. Thank you. Brings back some affectionate memories of Amboseli from 2010, when I was last there. One of the most stunning places anywhere to see elephants in particular, but so much more. Some of the private conservancies, particularly Kitirua, where we stayed, are also spectacular with almost no other vehicles. Your photographs of Kilimanjaro are brilliant.

 

if you have not seen this thread, please do so.

http://safaritalk.net/topic/6999-lets-talk-amboseli-national-park-kenya/?hl=amboseli

[Tom Kellie]

 

 

Napping Baby Elephant.JPG

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.

 

How could you not stop at the sleeping baby elephant?! Awwwww, nothing more precious than that to me!

 

 

~ @@Girlsnstilettos:

 

Exactly!

Breathes there a soul so jaded by life that they'd be on safari only to turn up their nose at a sleeping baby elephant?

There are very few more come-to-a-halt sights than a sweet little pachyderm in dreamland, quietly watched over by mama and aunties.

I definitely feel as you do, @@Girlsnstilettos!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

@@Tom Kellie,

 

Wonderful report and just superb pictures and narration. Thank you. Brings back some affectionate memories of Amboseli from 2010, when I was last there. One of the most stunning places anywhere to see elephants in particular, but so much more. Some of the private conservancies, particularly Kitirua, where we stayed, are also spectacular with almost no other vehicles. Your photographs of Kilimanjaro are brilliant.

 

if you have not seen this thread, please do so.

http://safaritalk.net/topic/6999-lets-talk-amboseli-national-park-kenya/?hl=amboseli

 

~ Hello, @@AKR1!

 

I'm so pleased that the images and report were meaningful to you.

You're so right, that Amboseli's elephants are superlative, yet there is indeed a number of other highlights well worth viewing.

Not to mention one rather lovely snow-capped volcano in the neighborhood.

It's so encouraging to read your comments. When is seated at the computer in the wee small hours in Beijing, the spirit sometimes struggles when writing a trip report. Encouragement is the milk of inspiration, hence your very kind words mean a lot to me.

Thank you for the link, which I hadn't seen before.

With Appreciation,

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Trout Tree Restaurant

A special request was lunch at the Trout Tree Restaurant, on the highway leading to

Nanyuki, near Naro Moru. It was my third visit to the Trout Tree, which is situated in

an immense Ficus thonningii, Strangler Fig or Mugumo, tree, beside the Burguret River.

Large circular pools breed trout in a bucolic setting, where birds and butterflies are

plentiful. The kitchen staff graciously prepared off-menu trout en papillote for me. I look

forward to a fourth visit to the Trout Tree as the jovial staff gives such a warm welcome.

Approaching the Road to the Trout Tree

Trout Tree Entrance — Art Gallery

Trout Pools

Cameras Need Rest, Too

Seated in the Trout Tree Restaurant

Trout Circling Counter-clockwise

Seating in a Mugumo Tree

Trout Chowder

Trout en Papillote

Ficus thonningii Leaf in Yellow

Jovial Trout Tree Staff

[armchair bushman]

Glad to see you went to Trout Tree - one of my favourites!

In case you're interested:

The "Geometric Seed Pods" a few pages back are Leonotis sp. (Either Leonotis nepetifolia or L. molissima, not sure which just from the flower husk).
If you send me a greatly zoomed-in/cropped version of the cattle egret eating the frog I may be able to give you a more accurate ID on the frog. I'm second-guessing my Xenopus laevis ID.

 

Some links to read more about the steep declines in vulture populations that @@Safaridude mentioned:
https://www.peregrinefund.org/docs/pdf/research-library/2011/2011-Ogada-vultures.pdf
http://www.4vultures.org/our-work/anti-poisoning/international-workshop-african-vultures-poisoning/

 

Looking forward to the Meru section of the report!! Did you notice "Hotel Starbucks" in Karatina as you passed through (the logo being a "buck" of some sort within a star!)?
Looking at all the shop, restaurant, and bar names in small Kenyan towns is one of the highlights of travelling here for me.

[Tom Kellie]

Glad to see you went to Trout Tree - one of my favourites!

 

In case you're interested:

The "Geometric Seed Pods" a few pages back are Leonotis sp. (Either Leonotis nepetifolia or L. molissima, not sure which just from the flower husk).

If you send me a greatly zoomed-in/cropped version of the cattle egret eating the frog I may be able to give you a more accurate ID on the frog. I'm second-guessing my Xenopus laevis ID.

 

Some links to read more about the steep declines in vulture populations that @@Safaridude mentioned:

https://www.peregrinefund.org/docs/pdf/research-library/2011/2011-Ogada-vultures.pdf

http://www.4vultures.org/our-work/anti-poisoning/international-workshop-african-vultures-poisoning/

 

Looking forward to the Meru section of the report!! Did you notice "Hotel Starbucks" in Karatina as you passed through (the logo being a "buck" of some sort within a star!)?

Looking at all the shop, restaurant, and bar names in small Kenyan towns is one of the highlights of travelling here for me.

 

~ @@armchair bushman:

 

Thank you for your very kind encouragement!

The Meru section has been waiting during the telling of the Tsavo West and Amboseli stories.

I hope to post several parts of Meru before returning to Kenya next week.

Yes, I have noticed and photographed that hotel in Karatina. There may eventually be a few photos of such enterprises, taken on other safaris.

Thank you for the links about vulture declines. That's an entirely new concept to me, as I'd never heard about their conservation situation.

The seedpod on Amboseli's Noomotio attracted me as it was the only one of its kind that I observed there. The steady wind blew it to one side which I liked. I appreciate your identification of it as a Leonotis sp.

I agree with you that the Trout Tree is well worth a visit. Due to timing and location, the Trout Tree makes an ideal lunch stop when heading up to Meru or Samburu. The food has been great — I happen to love trout. The hostess and staff are warmhearted and cheerful, which has endeared them to me.

With Appreciation,

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Unexpected Lunch Guest

The trout lunch had begun when an unexpected visitor arrived. The Trout

Tree restaurant is situated on a stable wood plank platform surrounding

the massive trunk of an old Ficus thonningii tree. A head poked through

the rope fencing — it was a Colobus guereza, Guereza Colobus monkey.

It was a well-mannered impromptu lunch guest, making no sound,

causing no trouble, doing no more than breaking bread with us

before leaving as quietly as it had arrived.

Unexpected Guest

Breaking and Entering, Colobus-style

Well, Look Who's Here

Breaking Bread

Silent Visitor