Kenya after the Rains (mostly): Meru, Ol Pejeta, Olare Motorogi

[michael-ibk]

Bat-Eared-Fox dreams coming true, wonderful! And super bird pictures. And I see you have joined the Order of the Pith with this latest batch of postings, congratulations! Your contributions to Safaritalk, the excellency of your photography and your friendliness have always been much appreciated. To the next 2000 TonyQ posts!

[Big_Dog]

@@Marks should also be allowed into the Hyaena Fan Club!

Looking like a fantastic time showed no signs of slowing down! Lovely little bat eared fox pics, nice Secretary birds and a handsom pair at the end. Shame about no buffalo hunt...yet...

[mapumbo]

Great bat eared fox viewing. Looks like they were doing some serious flea control.

Interesting change of color on the agama.

[dlo]

Bat-Eared-Fox dreams coming true, wonderful! And super bird pictures. And I see you have joined the Order of the Pith with this latest batch of postings, congratulations! Your contributions to Safaritalk, the excellency of your photography and your friendliness have always been much appreciated. To the next 2000 TonyQ posts!

+1

 

There are also plenty of openings to the hyena fan club!

[Marks]

Thanks @@Big_Dog, I humbly accept this induction

 

@@TonyQ The foxes on the last page are superb! Also congrats on the pith!

[Alexander33]

Bat-eared foxes galore! But what I'm really impressed with -- actually, I'm impressed with everything, as this is just such a stellar report -- is how well you did with all the creatures slinking through the high grass -- the dik-dik, the lions, everything in great focus. Quite an achievement.

[xelas]

Wow! First also my congrats for reaching that Order of the Pith status! Well done, and as everyone above, both your writing and your photography are superb.

The quantity and quality of your sightings is just amazing. I love the close-ups, and the wide ones. Best for me is the one with the two lion brothers in the deep grass and a tree in the distance ... iconic shot, IMHO!

[Zim Girl]

@@TonyQ

 

Really loving the bat-eared foxes, you must have had so much fun watching them.

 

Congratulations on getting the Order of the Pith. I always enjoy reading your reports.

[Neeners815]

This has been a wonderful trip report. The pics have taken my breath away. Well done and thank you so much for sharing!

[TonyQ]

@@michael-ibk

Thank you for your kind comments. The Bat-eared foxes were a real treat for us

@@Big_Dog

Thank you. No Buffalo hunt - I dont wish to see one because buffalo take a lot of killing

@@mapumbo

Thank you - it was amazing to see the colour of the Agama change in such a short time

@@dlo

Thank you

@@Marks

Thanks for the congratulations, hyena fan

@@Alexander33

Thank you. The long grass was a challenge (I don't post the ones where the grass is in focus and the animal not!). It was a bit easier when there was a lot of grass because you know it is there and can (attempt) to do something about it when focussing. The annoying thing is when there is a small amount blowing in front of a creature and you don't notice it. But it does give a very different background to what we have experienced before.

@@xelas

Thank you for your kind comments. I like that photo as well - I should remember to take more wider shots!

@@Zim Girl

Thank you for your kind comments. We did really enjoy seeing the Bat-eared foxes - very cute creatures

@@Neeners815

Thank you for your kind comments!

[TonyQ]

OMC continued

As we headed towards camp we saw

Jackson’s Widowbird

 

Before and after lunch we spent a bit of time looking for birds around the camp

Silver Bird

(we were told this has a very narrow range and Birders are keen to see it). It was very pretty!

 

Red-throated Tit outside our tent

Cardinal Woodpecker (female) (?) above our tent

 

After a good lunch and short rest, we headed off and saw a large bird at the top of a tree and drove over to have a look

 

Bateleur

Male Impala with Oxpeckers

Edited March 23, 2016 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

Next we came across a group of Elephants – always a pleasure

 

And sitting in the grass

Rosy-breasted Longclaw (male) in breeding plumage

[TonyQ]

After driving a little bit longer, we came across a group of lions relaxing together

They became a bit more alert

Well most of them..

[Tom Kellie]

~ @@TonyQ and @@Thursday's Child

 

That male impala with the oxpeckers is an exceptional image!

Likewise the Silverbird.

This latest group of photos is impressive!

How do you do it?

Thank you.

Tom K.

[TonyQ]

There were three or four vehicles around, but they were quiet and well behaved. Some left as clearly the lions were not going to do anything

Then by a signal hidden to us they got up

And started heading off together

 

Three became very alert with eyes on something. We were really impressed by the way Charles positioned the vehicle throughout this, anticipating what the lions would do next.

 

They set off after a warthog (we decided not to follow as we did not wish to risk interference with the hunt given how skinny some of the lions were. However they failed anyway.

 

 

We headed off

[TonyQ]

White-browed Robin-Chat

 

We were then delighted to see a family of Kirk’s Dik Dik

The tiny baby

 

Charles said it was really unusual to see a baby Dik Dik so clearly as they are almost always hidden. It was a real treat – I love the Dik Dik anyway – but the baby was so small and delicate.

 

So back to camp after another wonderful day at OMC.

[amybatt]

LOooooooove the lion photos!

 

"Some left as clearly the lions weren't going to do anything"

One huge takeaway for me on safari, and it applies to my two "lions" at home as well, is if a cat is either yawning or licking its lips, it's going to get up imminently. Doing neither, it's going nowhere. Since I learned that on my first safari, it has never failed me. I've had guides want to leave a sighting of seemingly lazy lions, and I insist on staying if even one lion has yawned while I'm there. And I'm always right! Your photos show a whole lot of yawning going on! Plus, that alertness they have, all looking in the same direction. What a delicious sighting!!

[TonyQ]

@@amybatt

Thank you. Charles, our guide, knew that they were going to do something - but other guides didn't - or their guests were too impatient!

[Sangeeta]

Congratulations on the pith, @@TonyQ! So well deserved and it came at such an opportune moment, in the midst of such a delightful report

Absolutely magnificent photos throughout, though I have to confess tgat I especially loved all your Meru images. Very very scenic with the wildflowers, insects, butterflies and the wildlife in their natural settings. In fact, all your photos with that kind of perspective are wondrously beautiful.

Another thumbs up for those jackals and hyenas and bat eared foxes. What a treat this has been though I am guilty of clogging your inbox today.

[Zim Girl]

@@TonyQ

 

I would have been very impressed with seeing that family of Dik-Diks - nice sighting & pics!

[Big_Dog]

I never realised - congrats on the Pith!
Lovely lion shots also...just a Mara classic. Was that 12 in one shot?

[Peter Connan]

To my shame I have come to this report very late. Just read the whole thing. It's taken me four hours, but every moment was a joy.

 

So many magnificent photos. Exceptional technique and you are definitely making the best of your equipment!

 

Thank you.

[TonyQ]

@@Sangeeta

Thank you for the likes and the congratulations. I am pleased you like Meru - we loved it - the wild flowers and greenery were unlike anywhere else we had been

@@Zim Girl

Thank you

@@Big_Dog

Thank you. It is 12 lions - a lot of mouths to feed!

@@Peter Connan

I am humbled that you have sat down and read all of it. Thank you for your kind comments - much appreciated!

[TonyQ]

OMC Continued

 

We began our final full day at OMC with our usual Kenyan tea. As it is still dark at this time(6am), we wave our torch in front of the tent to attract the Askari – but it takes a while for him to see it because of the very heavy fog.

 

As it begins to get light it is difficult to see very far

Early morning view

 

It did not look like it would be a very good day for wildlife viewing! However, near to the road we did see an elephant and

Hippo out of water

Charles said it would clear – so we crossed our fingers.

[TonyQ]

Just before 7.00 we met another vehicle by a thicket and as we moved around we saw

Leopard Cub in tree

This is not as easy as it looks!

Olive looks up at her cub

Charles tells us the cub is about 6 months old. It gets down

comes to greet mother

and gets a thorough licking

The cub had been left in the thicket for a little while and this was the reunion.

 

The youngster showed off its tree climbing abilities some more

Edited March 26, 2016 by TonyQ