Following the Herds - Mkomazi, Tarangire, Serengeti and Manyara Ranch Conservancy - February 2015

[Safaridude]

There is resident game all year around at Ndutu, because of the water there and the woodland. It does get dry and desolate looking, but there is always something to see.

 

But again, I feel like during the high season in February, one can always find solitude and seek out game on one's own… the area is so vast. @@Marks

Edited April 16, 2015 by Safaridude

[Marks]

Thanks, @@Safaridude. Sounds like there is always a pleasant experience to be had. This may be next on my list.

[Safaridude]

February 20

 

6:29am – Topis are absent from the short-grass plains. Though the major populations are in the Western Corridor and the Mara River region in the north, small herds can be found from just north of Naabi Hill on. This pair is just outside Dunia Camp.

 

 

 

7:28am – We are off on a long morning trek to Seronera. The Seronera River Valley has a few small hippo pools invariably surrounded by fever trees.

 

 

 

8:30am – Seronera is excellent for leopard. This female only offers a quick glimpse.

 

 

 

9:14am – Topis sizing each other up

 

 

 

9:47am – A sign at the Seronera airstrip… ok, if you say so...

 

 

 

10:31am – Half way between Seronera and Moru Kopjes, a leopard is perched on a fever tree.

 

 

 

 

4:01pm – A female bushbuck

 

 

 

4:30pm – A lilac-breasted roller kill sequence

 

 

 

 

 

4:49pm – The bulk of the herds have departed, but there are still lots of wildies areound.

 

 

 

5:04pm – The Moru Kopjes area harbors a few black rhinos. A mother and calf are spotted across a korongo.

 

 

 

5:41pm – As graceful as a ballerina – a crowned crane

 

 

 

6:42pm – BFF

 

 

 

6:56pm – Hills behind the camp at dusk

 

Edited April 16, 2015 by Safaridude

[mvecht]

@@Bush dog

 

Thank you for the advice. We wanted to get away from the wet, cold and gray winter in Denmark so decided on Tanzania/Zanzibar for the Holidays.

This will be our first trip to East Africa but it has been a lifelong dream of mine to go. We will try to steer away from the crowds as much as we can but I guess we are also spoiled from having had PV`s in Botswana. Anyhow I am sure we will love it!

[Swahealy 43]

Thanks, @@Safaridude. Sounds like there is always a pleasant experience to be had. This may be next on my list.

Dont be put off by low season at Ndutu!! Always resident lion prides and I have always sighted cheetah and Leopard....Love the ellies as well passing through..... The Big marsh and little marsh always have water and animals need to drink so....Not as spectacular in terms of sheer numbers but a very satisfying place to be all year round. As safaridude alluded to, Ndutu is surrounded by tress so shade and shelter for animals. Oh, and I have always seen Caracal, wildcat, honey badgers etc.... go...you will not regret it!! TA knows nothing!! Ndutu is a secret gem in low season and you can drive off road....if you something you can drive up to it if they are not too shy....have fun!!

[Tom Kellie]

Your work is tremendously inspiring, at least as far as I am concerned, not only in terms of photography and text quality, but also of how to perfectly illustrate a trip report. Indeed, your pictures' range goes from the landscape, captured with a wide angle, to close-up portraits. This, of course, allows people, who are interested in the topics you treat, to have a better and broader understanding, and thus better help them choose their future destination. Beau travail !!!!!

 

~ @@Bush dog:

 

That's so true.

I completely agree with what you've written, @@Bush dog.

Both Safaridude's commentary and imagery are luminous.

Tom K.

[Safaridude]

@@Bush dog @@Tom Kellie

 

Much too kind! Thank you.

[AKR1]

+2 with Bush Dog and Tom K

Edited April 16, 2015 by AKR1

[graceland]

What can I say? I feel the same +3 - plus one for Dh enjoying as well-- but too lazy for his own posting. (Does it seem I do it all?)

 

and he is very particular with replies; always loves a 'Dude report

[twaffle]

+4

[Kitsafari]

@@Safaridude in the crater we had some 40 vehicles in 3-car deep rows along the road straining to see the lions eating their kill (buffalo) and it was such a festive atmosphere that we didn't want to stay and we moved off. the rangers came later and the cars finally scattered.

when we stayed at dunia camp, the seronera area was less crowded by which i mean there would be like a dozen vehicles following a cheetah or a lion. and we were there during the low season when the wildebeests had gone up north.

Now that i've been to a couple more countries, I can appreciate that the animals are far less stressed when there are fewer vehicles. I also appreciate how guides can speak softly and quietly to each other without shouting across the animals and how they don't need to rely on the radios for a sighting. It was our first safari then, and we thought that was the norm in the entire continent! how little did we know then.

 

BTW I loved Dunia camp. the manager then was Peter but I understand there are some relatively new managers there now? it was a mobile camp, but I enjoyed the divan every night in the tent and the food was excellent.

 

and we never got to see leopards the entire time we were there. we really thought, at that time, that area was lacking the spotted cats . it just wasn't our time to see them then!

 

 

and 20 cubs!! what a sight! i'll rather this sight anytime over 20 vehicles! does the pride have many lionesses and how many males?

 

still vastly enjoying your report.

Edited April 17, 2015 by Kitsafari

[Zim Girl]

@@Safaridude

 

Loving the balletic Crowned Crane

[Safaridude]

@@Kitsafari

 

You know, in all the excitement, we forgot to ask how many males in that huge pride at Moru. We did see two of them, so we know there are at least two males.

 

Dunia is great. The tents are HUGE. Probably too big, actually. As with a lot of Asilia camps, Dunia is decorated with a bit of a modern twist. It is tightly run like all the Asilia properties.

 

Seronera can be very bad in terms of traffic. Whereas I feel like you can always find solitude and your own game in the Ndutu area, I don't feel the same way about Seronera during the busy season.

[Safaridude]

February 21

 

It’s moving day, our last day in Serengeti. Just a straight drive to the Seronera airstrip is in order.

 

6:24am – Craig and Kennedy in dawn’s early light

 

 

 

 

6:35am – Like ghosts…

 

 

 

7:26am – An elephant family bids us adieu

 

 

 

8:00am – A male topi exudes dominance over everybody in a small mixed-sex herd.

 

 

 

 

10:18am – Kennedy give us a little dance at the airstrip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Marks]

Dont be put off by low season at Ndutu!! Always resident lion prides and I have always sighted cheetah and Leopard....Love the ellies as well passing through..... The Big marsh and little marsh always have water and animals need to drink so....Not as spectacular in terms of sheer numbers but a very satisfying place to be all year round. As safaridude alluded to, Ndutu is surrounded by tress so shade and shelter for animals. Oh, and I have always seen Caracal, wildcat, honey badgers etc.... go...you will not regret it!! TA knows nothing!! Ndutu is a secret gem in low season and you can drive off road....if you something you can drive up to it if they are not too shy....have fun!!

 

 

That is great to hear. Thank you!

I should count myself lucky to see caracal, wildcat, or honey badger anywhere, let alone all three.

 

@@Safaridude The lighting in the dawn pictures is superb...what a backdrop!

 

[Tom Kellie]

 

That is great to hear. Thank you!

I should count myself lucky to see caracal, wildcat, or honey badger anywhere, let alone all three.

 

 

~ @Marks:

 

You and me both!

When I read about sightings of those species, I'm impressed as the only one I've ever seen is the Wild Cat.

One evening I saw several near Masai Mara, Kenya. Their overall wariness was fascinating, as they repeatedly looked both ways, in search of possible danger.

As to a caracal or a honey badger, my only sightings have been while enjoying Safaritalk trip reports.

Tom K.

[Safaridude]

@@Marks

 

Thank you. It's that pre-sunrise and post-sunset light. There is about a ten-minute window twice a day.

[Safaridude]

@@Marks @@Tom Kellie

 

Kgalagadi delivers honey badger, African wild cat and caracal with regularity. The caracal is a bit hard, but the former two are easy there.

 

I have yet to see caracal in Serengeti or Masai Mara.

[offshorebirder]

In the "LBR kill sequence" on page 4, you can see the LBR's nictatating membrane (closed) in the first photo.

 

Superb, @@Safaridude !

Edited April 17, 2015 by offshorebirder

[Tom Kellie]

@@Marks @@Tom Kellie

 

Kgalagadi delivers honey badger, African wild cat and caracal with regularity. The caracal is a bit hard, but the former two are easy there.

 

I have yet to see caracal in Serengeti or Masai Mara.

 

~ @Safaridude:

 

That's very useful to know. Thank you for explaining about Kgalagadi.

Another hitherto unknown location.

After your post, I read what was available. Kgalagadi sounds like quite a place for birds as well as mammals.

As I lack vision in the left eye, I don't drive. It sounds like most of its visitors are on self-drive safaris.

It sounds like a very worthwhile location, including for the possibility of caracal.

Many Thanks!

Tom K.

Edited April 18, 2015 by Tom Kellie

[Safaridude]

Now, back to the very beginning of the trip…

 

Savanna near Dindera Dam

 

Mkomazi National Park

 

Mkomazi is surely the forgotten park of Tanzania. Though only three hours by vehicle from Arusha, nobody goes there… which is a shame for tourism and thus the long-term viability of the park, but the upshot for the moment is that one can have the park entirely for oneself.

 

Craig and I are joined by Charles Foley, Director of the Tarangire Elephant Project and Assistant Country Director for the Wildlife Conservation Society, for three days to explore this untouched park. Charles, along with other co-authors, has just published a fantastic guide book on large mammals of Tanzania, which I have reviewed here: http://safaritalk.net/topic/14006-a-field-guide-to-the-larger-mammals-of-tanzania/. It is a privilege to soak in Charles’ knowledge of not just elephants, but other mammals and general ecology, which knowledge is on a whole different level.

 

Mkomazi borders Tsavo West National Park of Kenya and, aside from having resident game of its own, serves as a wet season dispersal area for Tsavo’s animals. There are a few artificial watering points that can dry up in thirsty years, and game density in the park can vary as a result.

 

With the surrounding Pare Mountains providing a spectacular backdrop, the park brims with outstanding birdlife (especially a profusion of the migratory Eurasian rollers… it is as if these larger rollers have come and consumed all the smaller lilac-breasted cousins). Mammals are more scarce, a likely result of years of poaching. Since being upgraded to a national park in 2006, however, mammal numbers are steadily improving. From Babu’s Camp, the only permanent fixture at Mkomazi, there are essentially three accessible watering points: Dindera; Kavateta; and Maore – accessing the latter two requiring very long drives and many eeny-meeny-miny-moes, thanks to poor signage and side roads leading to nowhere. This is all part of the fun, of course, and we end up covering a lot of ground during the three days.

 

Eurasian rollers have taken over the park

 

Mkomazi remains undiscovered

 

Zebras near Dindera

 

 

The park is known for harboring the three characteristic arid country antelopes (fringed-eared oryx, lesser kudu, and gerenuk) as well as wild dog and black rhino. One must travel far north or east from Babu’s Camp to have a decent chance at seeing oryx; lesser kudus abound but are usually cryptic in deep Dichrostachys thickets; and gerenuks are surprisingly few in the main viewing areas. Coke’s hartebeest, eland, zebra and giraffe make up the main ungulate menu; wild dog and black rhino are around but evade us. Signs of elephants are seen, but they likely utilize Mkomazi only during good rains, retreating to better-watered parts of the Tsavo ecosystem afterwards.

 

Eland

 

Fringe-eared oryx near Kavateta

 

Oryx mating near Maore

 

 

We do encounter a pair of wild lionesses and cubs one evening. By “wild”, I mean “natural”, really. They are not entirely scared of us, yet they definitely have their deflector shields up. Those do-not-come-any-closer-or-I-will-mess-you-up eyes convey a simple species-neutral, culture-neutral message: do not come closer, or I will mess you up!

 

 

 

 

In all, Mkomazi is fantastic wilderness, not yet filled with game. Better park management and more game will hopefully lead to more visitors, ensuring the sustainability of the park. Park management, better game and visitor numbers are intricately linked. The chicken, the rooster or the egg question is operative.

 

Young giraffes

 

Zebras at Maore Dam

 

 

His turn

 

Now, her turn

 

Northern carmine bee-eater

 

Black-chested snake eagle

 

Fantastic wilderness

Edited April 18, 2015 by Safaridude

[Tom Kellie]

The clarity of the zebras, the understated grandeur of the setting — sublime!

~ @@Safaridude:

 

Were I ever asked to what sort of Safaritalk trip report writing I most admired, I would cite the following:

“The park is known for harboring the three characteristic arid country antelopes (fringed-eared oryx, lesser kudu, and gerenuk) as well as wild dog and black rhino. One must travel far north or east from Babu’s Camp to have a decent chance at seeing oryx; lesser kudus abound but are usually cryptic in deep Dichrostachys thickets; and gerenuks are surprisingly few in the main viewing areas. Coke’s hartebeest, eland, zebra and giraffe make up the main ungulate menu; wild dog and black rhino are around but evade us. Signs of elephants are seen, but they likely utilize Mkomazi only during good rains, retreating to better-watered parts of the Tsavo ecosystem afterwards.”

 

“Those do-not-come-any-closer-or-I-will-mess-you-up eyes convey a simple species-neutral, culture-neutral message: do not come closer, or I will mess you up!”

This description and background explanation of Mkomazi is useful, poetic, straightforward and clear.

Thank you so much, @@Safaridude, for writing and sharing such a top-of-the-line trip report. You're inspiring me, setting a high bar. Great stuff!

Action done right — color, motion, composition.

Consistent quality requires a blend of qualities which epitomize craftsmanship. Reading the Mkomazi installment educated me amd moved me.

Like the proverbial broken record, thank you so much for these.

Tom K.

[AKR1]

 

"Motion is tranquility"

-Sterling Moss

 

From rock to racing....

[twaffle]

Well, I have to say that you have outdone yourself Safaridude with those lion images. Nothing conveys the message better than those eyes!

 

Mkomazi is a place I've been watching but I'll wait for the wildlife numbers to increase a bit more I think. Although those mountain backdrops .............

[graceland]

 

"Motion is tranquility"

-Sterling Moss

 

From rock to racing....

A favorite of mine for sure

 

Fabulous capture!