Jump to content

penolva

Recommended Posts

After lunch we drove to a riverine area where we had heard there was a leopard in a tree! There were three or four cars there when we arrived and we could just make out a huge leopard that had dragged a big animal into the tree. How do they do that? Their strength must be enormous.1X1A2426.thumb.jpg.edab168f0267cd4f47f0a486a956126a.jpgHe had eaten a lot of the carcass and had then bitten it in two pieces. He was hanging onto both pieces with huge paws. 

 

1X1A2432.thumb.jpg.c1ccc24df9ebb895ca58aa7fc731074b.jpg1X1A2431.thumb.jpg.efba7e203478f1bbd5daaac3798a517a.jpg

 

He tried to pull the rib cage back up but eventually dropped it. He jumped down after it and disappeared from view.

 

We drove on and met a lion Josh said was called 'Blackie'. He had a lot of wounds from fighting and looked quite care worn.

 

_DSC7506.thumb.jpg.d4e87f900c7707420409935ce54dc53e.jpg

 

On our way back to camp we passed a lioness lying on some low land beside the road. She looked as if she was either pregnant or feeding cubs. There was a culvert near her and Josh said we should return there in the morning. We didn't take that much notice but we were soon to find out what was in that culvert!

 

_DSC7470.thumb.jpg.cc9648cca0e328fbae22f569a65d37bf.jpg

_DSC7468.thumb.jpg.b80ed3f809dffa4921555dcfb902eece.jpg

As we returned to camp the sky changed dramatically. First of all the grass turned bright gold and the sky black and then the sun disappeared behind heavy clouds and it started to rain, hard. We had to rush round closing the sides of the Land Rover and drove back to camp slipping and sliding all the way. Francis the Askari met us with umbrellas. We had steak for our evening meal cooked to order. Even though there was just the two of us in camp the level of service and the quality of food did not drop at all. Later it cleared and we were able to take some night sky photographs.

 

_DSC7561.thumb.jpg.f080b76d2f297da441f794f398c907bd.jpg_DSC7564.thumb.jpg.ebbe7d6360601da7b31516670cfa69cc.jpg_DSC7679.thumb.jpg.0caad170554b6e282e6bde4d0786e345.jpg

 

Edited by penolva
photograph
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great captures of some dramatic skies and golden landscapes. That picture in post 16 of gathering dark clouds was moody. 

 

You had some excellent  sightings!

Edited by Kitsafari
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

Great captures of some dramatic skies and golden landscapes. That picture in post 16 of gathering dark clouds was moody. 

 

You had some excellent  sightings!

@Kitsafari thanks for your comments Nice to know you are enjoying the landscapes. Pen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A 5-week safari?  Oh, boy, I am looking forward to savoring this report.  Take your time (but not too much!  :)  ).  Great start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Alexander33 said:

A 5-week safari?  Oh, boy, I am looking forward to savoring this report.  Take your time (but not too much!  :)  ).  Great start.

@Alexander33 thanks we enjoyed every moment. Pen

Edited by penolva
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Early the next morning we headed for the culvert area. There were several female lions lazing around including the one with the teats we saw yesterday. She was down by the culvert entrance. We drover nearer and quietly waited. After a while we saw this.

 

1X1A2439.thumb.jpg.f4d01518bb3a692afa97690b1407c73e.jpg

1X1A2462.thumb.jpg.c9fd57cce984e827aa8acdc257fd495a.jpg

1X1A2445.thumb.jpg.d685e6ab89fc06b595ef11e140ae199e.jpg

 

They ventured out and their mother went to meet them. These were the smallest lion cubs we had ever seen and Josh said this was probably their first time out of the culvert. Could she really have given birth in there?

 

1X1A2446.thumb.jpg.00b4287f99e506a517131f49de6a3597.jpg

 

They climbed all over her and tried to feed but didn't seem to understand exactly where the milk was!

 

1X1A2456.thumb.jpg.8f3eff08b330499cbde58e707424f3c0.jpg_DSC7481.thumb.jpg.ab7ed3460fa5355cc5eeb314796b43cb.jpg
1X1A2453.thumb.jpg.a07ff3cd70f856fff0f7f1c9aa8b6928.jpg1X1A2459.thumb.jpg.d6b871b37797d05ebeb9fc51d8a94737.jpg

 

We watched them for over an hour. Just us and the lions! Eventually she decided to take them back into the culvert. We were amazed that such a large lion could fit in there! It rained heavily later in the day and we were very worried about the cubs. Did they get washed away or get too cold? We didn't find out the answer as we never went back there and I was too afraid to ask Josh. I didn't want to hear bad news so I tell myself they survived and are now running around the Masai Mara big and healthy. I hope so <3.    

1X1A2460.thumb.jpg.fbb3f790d479f5b2e0650dfbad1aaa9b.jpg_DSC7494.thumb.jpg.e185f358f6613db29e05085c2ad7b687.jpg1X1A2461.thumb.jpg.e457f4c6f5695f6760a5e57855858744.jpg

1X1A2445.jpg

1X1A2462.jpg

1X1A2440.jpg

1X1A2446.jpg

Edited by penolva
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry I am having problems as the photographs are repeating even though I am not putting them in twice! @Game Warden perhaps you can delete the duplicates, the last 4, and advise me on how to avoid this problem. I have come across it a couple of times before but was able to sort it out by deleting the unwanted duplicates. This time its not working. Thanks Pen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Will go on with a new page in the hope the problem doesn't happen again!

 

Meanwhile the other lions had settled down on various mounds to enjoy the morning.

 

1X1A2464.thumb.jpg.c2159643bd19b64f3448ce7c7222a16b.jpg

 

We made our way slowly back to camp and passed these vultures on the way. Their colours showed beautifully in the sunshine. Everything in the MM seems brighter, bigger and stronger than anywhere else we have visited.

_DSC7516.thumb.jpg.8363cf30102c02f1a16420b6754e9327.jpg1X1A2477.thumb.jpg.203c54fbdf2a37a07346a619a6a10d34.jpg

 

I even had a hyena photobomb!_DSC7520.thumb.jpg.c8acce5667ea31d9dfd3c875df335040.jpg

 

We drove to the border with the Porini conservancy and found the first two cheetah just crossing into it. We could not follow them so we returned to camp for lunch.

 

_DSC7509.thumb.jpg.4a58e1327f884c4cbfab7833019cb1dd.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll have to save this for later as I have a few others to catch up with but I think with 5 weeks to go you'll be around for a while!! Glad you enjoyed it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, pault said:

I'll have to save this for later as I have a few others to catch up with but I think with 5 weeks to go you'll be around for a while!! Glad you enjoyed it.

@pault I will :rolleyes: once I finish the MM I will start a new post for the Aberdare's, Samburu etc or everything will get lost in too many pages. Pen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leopards :lol: The afternoon drive was our dream come true and I apologise for the many photographs I am going to post in advance. There is a wooded area near Brians camp and Josh knew a leopard called Bahati was living there with two cubs. Apparently she had three to start with but lost one early in the season. She had a male and a very shy female.

 

Bahati is the daughter of Olive the leopard made famous by Jonathan Scott and the BBC program Big Cat Diary. Olive raised 7 cubs to maturity Ayah, Binti, Kali, Nkyoni, Paja, Bahati and Saba, 3 males and 4 females. Bahati is proving to be just as good a mother as Olive and when we met her she was in her prime. In my mind the most beautiful leopard in the world.

 

We drove into the woodland and all was quiet. No one else around until we saw this. Bahati resting in the dappled sunlight. She was so relaxed and didn't take the slightest notice of us. 

 

_DSC7546.thumb.jpg.6588f6f651c1abc66857c6a967988902.jpg_DSC7548.thumb.jpg.79f3ac65fb36091b9329aa2ab0cf3ac7.jpg

 

We drove slowly towards some trees and there watching us we saw this. The male cub, WOW, we couldn't believe our luck.

 

1X1A2487.thumb.jpg.5b6d82b3077e201bdc259c321442f7e1.jpg1X1A2484.thumb.jpg.3d2c1d6c32545ed98b6c0096b3ca503a.jpg1X1A2493.thumb.jpg.4838972b2b68de41dbdc8fc6ed64fbef.jpg

 

 

He then decided he would show us who was boss.

 

1X1A2482.thumb.jpg.9f17230b2d6f7d0b8b63b3827012e722.jpg1X1A2486-2.thumb.jpg.3fcc355a54e6b1df9537fd10fcc83a03.jpg

Edited by penolva
Link to comment
Share on other sites

He gave us the full range of leopard expressions and we were able to watch him as well as take photographs. It was so quiet we could hear him growl at us but he soon relaxed just like his Mum.

 

1X1A2489.thumb.jpg.bfd6a67805c44b71907af16a8856af92.jpg1X1A2491.thumb.jpg.01a5474eeb08e9ceb732b6720009ba54.jpg

_DSC7535.thumb.jpg.d7471fef21264438ba8621c4b73553fa.jpg

He then started to climb down. Was he going to greet Bahati who was still relaxing a short way away?

 

_DSC7539.thumb.jpg.6c6630e325b8cf021ff0107e78868d76.jpg

 

_DSC7531.thumb.jpg.a4e8df5f07f89be7d40f438e27366d24.jpg

 

it was only when he jumped down that we realised there were the remains of a kill on the ground. He picked up a leg and with great pride carried it over to his Mum. He looked really proud of that leg as if he had made the kill himself :)

 

1X1A2512.thumb.jpg.926df3d73e36d5722d1e816d7f1fb4c3.jpg1X1A2513.thumb.jpg.3d3160dcbb916b37fbd17334622bd01f.jpg_DSC7556.thumb.jpg.80e3e57081036e6d5d828fef02f2fb9f.jpg1X1A2519.thumb.jpg.ad8501c78bff886aadc82e6c632959ef.jpg

 

He found Bahati and presented her with the leg. The two of them lay together in the dappled light.

 

_DSC7551.thumb.jpg.0d43a8d6f1831b6c5626c1054efc0157.jpg_DSC7552.thumb.jpg.d15e41bfc58ce9b745fbdcac9aae0a69.jpg

 

It was getting late and we had to leave them to get back to camp. The woodland was only a ten minute drive away. As we sat outside our tent later in the evening we could imagine them just a short walk away. How often do you get to spend over an hour, on your own with two beautiful leopards? Africa gave us a great gift that day but we didn't know that there were more gifts to follow!

 

Edited by penolva
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent Leopard sighting, wonderful stuff!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Excellent Leopard sighting, wonderful stuff!

Thanks @michael-ibk it was amazing ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites


"Would you like to see the 5 Musketeers?" What a question! of course we would. We set off over the plains. Many of you on here will have heard about the cheetah coalition of 5 unrelated, we think, cheetah that have come together in the MM during the past year. One is wearing a collar. They are proving to be excellent hunters and continued to travel around together after we left although I am not sure of the current situation.

 

It was a beautiful morning and there were lots of balloons rising. This was not something we had even considered as its very expensive and not our sort of thing. Judging by the number of balloons its very popular.

 

We suddenly saw movement and there were the 5 Musketeers walking towards us. They were very focused and seemed in hunting mode. Josh got into a great position so we could see them walking by.

 

1X1A2534.thumb.jpg.17ed86efca6cdf1b540a2597282bc828.jpg1X1A2530.thumb.jpg.fd74a532e1949036ee8272ffa50148d9.jpg

 

They were very playful. Four went to investigate a nearby tree while the one with the collar walked right by our vehicle. Two decided to have run around which gave the opportunity of a great landscape with the balloons behind.
 

_DSC7587.thumb.jpg.67a57c0d9455face74746687c5af6b98.jpg1X1A2544.thumb.jpg.5b823dbb690075cf48a461ddb90d76ed.jpg1X1A2542.thumb.jpg.e9f41b7218ab8fad7b152e55bc4f6e87.jpg
1X1A2548.thumb.jpg.61d254c478eeb799b5df5e8eb2fc0f05.jpg

They then fanned out and some nearby wildebeest caught their attention.

 

_DSC7572.thumb.jpg.d2e819c160ebacca1b5364d680754e33.jpg_DSC7571.thumb.jpg.af1b44f3c1be1a3881397724ebd040fb.jpg_DSC7578.thumb.jpg.32778a70250d98d4667cf218ff7cf687.jpg

  

By now around 30 vehicles were there. This was the most crowded sighting we were to have, apart from down by the river. People were driving around trying to get into position to watch the hunt that was developing. Some drivers were blocking the path the cheetah obviously wanted to take and they changed direction a couple of times. It got more and more crazy and we took the decision to leave.

 

I wonder what others would have done? We heard later that they had indeed taken down a large wildebeest and some people got amazing photographs. We also heard that it had been an absolute circus with up to 80 vehicles there in the end. Its just not something we enjoy and we don't like seeing the animals compromised when its life and death for them. Apparently some park rangers eventually arrived and made people move back.

 

What happened next made us very glad we had left :)

 

 

Edited by penolva
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amylovescritters

Awful behavior from the human hoards. So disgusting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amylovescritters

Lovely pics and great TR though. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Amylovescritters said:

Awful behavior from the human hoards. So disgusting.

@Amylovescritters absolutely agree. Why go to see them in their natural habitat and then do that ? our guide hates this kind of behaviour as much as we do. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amylovescritters

Unfortunately all guides are not cut from the same cloth <_<

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We drove to the wooded area near camp to see if we could find Bahati and the cubs. No other vehicles around, they must have all been at the cheetah's or at the river. The track crosses a small river and then goes up hill. Just before there is a low area with a bank above it. We looked up and there they were! The male cub and this time his sister was with him :) They were on top of the bank so they were looking down at us. 1X1A2559.thumb.jpg.db5fa86528c98563ae245c775094c2b2.jpg1X1A2560.thumb.jpg.c30d1bbfa8a4811e454e2c378994dcb8.jpg

She was shy and was 'hiding' behind a small bush so it was very difficult to get them both in focus. The camera focused on the male, the female, the bush but it took a lot of shots to finally get something that was reasonable. She quickly disappeared into the bushes and after a moment of two he followed.

 

We drove up to the higher level to see if we could spot them but they had disappeared. The next moment Bahati appeared from the bushes and sat down just beside us. 1X1A2563-2.thumb.jpg.db6d6991929ee2ab3b95e9579b1ef50e.jpg1X1A2568.thumb.jpg.77378a6573c401b66397c9ac0879a70a.jpg1X1A2569.thumb.jpg.35d145d60400c3f8df3abfa0607d5aed.jpg

 

 

Something caught her attention and she got up and started sniffing the ground. She was looking for her cubs.

 

1X1A2566.thumb.jpg.e60652971dca96b3c54506fdfedcbb59.jpg

1X1A2587.thumb.jpg.b5885e6769daa1e4616d0a1367bcaba5.jpg1X1A2573.thumb.jpg.9c050a25f80ef2fde6ce4561c54cdcd5.jpg1X1A2579.thumb.jpg.df07e472c5a8cda8982225af961fd7c7.jpg

 

I made a short video of her. Josh left the engine running as he is very aware leopards can be quite dangerous if there are cubs around. You can still hear her give a very quiet call to them.

 

She must have picked up their scent as she walked off into the bushes.1X1A2580.thumb.jpg.bb83d0bda5192722226b300454175934.jpg1X1A2585.thumb.jpg.af3a59ce69ea854611140812d06b6b03.jpg

 

We were so glad we left the circus chasing the cheetah hunt and had THREE leopards all to ourselves the over half an hour. Some lions moved into the area overnight and Josh told us Bahati had taken the cubs away to safety. We didn't see her or the cubs again but she has been sighted several time since we left. Maybe we will see her and the cubs again later this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After lunch we decided to head out for the plains and just hang out with the wildebeest. There was a breeding herd of elephants walking through and they quietly passed by our vehicle. The herds of wildebeest parted way for them to proceed. 

 

1X1A2603.thumb.jpg.9de3fe77cbc165f46a02eaa56b1df1f6.jpg_DSC7649.thumb.jpg.bba98109c7326e55cec5784f00484e34.jpg

 

We sat with the wildebeest for an hour just listening to their grunts and marvelling at the numbers just in the small area we could see. When we had visited Tanzania in 2011 we missed the migration by four days. They had suddenly moved north and there were only a few straglers left. This trip we had timed it perfectly and we saw the thousands upon thousands we had dreamed of. Even though you see it on TV there is nothing like actually being there in person.

 

_DSC7640-Pano.thumb.jpg.d07abc793db97e2ae8490518309e4ce2.jpg1X1A2597.thumb.jpg.8b0751455f4808413d0a47ecfa91f409.jpg

 

 On our way back to camp we saw a malachite kingfisher which was a surprise!

 

_DSC7632.thumb.jpg.d4f542bb2a9596adcca937fe7641cf4c.jpg

 

A lone wild dog. We asked around but no-one had seen any more of the pack. It seemed quite healthy and had a collar on.

 

1X1A2607.thumb.jpg.fd8fda96ee1045979c772ad6b54a53eb.jpg

 


Two cheetah completed our tally for the day.
 

1X1A2616.thumb.jpg.23d9d2b93b3c505d264889f832b7166f.jpg1X1A2610.thumb.jpg.a94036532128b79e5b991ca1dbeb55d0.jpg

 

 We both thanked Josh for the lovely drive and for the perfect day. Makes you glad to be alive!

 

The special light as the sun goes down.

 

_DSC7627.thumb.jpg.f185011fdeebc4ffc4fbcb042e707b79.jpg_DSC7681.thumb.jpg.73ed20ffc0d9dab8a4eea7fd4a6272e0.jpg

 

 

Edited by penolva
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A beautiful morning at the start of an astounding day. I usually like to keep a daily diary record of each trip but today all I could manage was a list of sightings, there were so many. All of the sightings were just for us with no other vehicles around and we were able to spend as long as we wanted with the animals. Is it that the MM has so many visitors that the animals just get used to us? Even the tiny hyena pups seemed just curious and not at all afraid.

 

Very cute hyena pups with their mother and 'baby sitters'.

 

_DSC7684.thumb.jpg.f8ac7ff9022a1b2fb3058b2e4127f43a.jpg1X1A2627.thumb.jpg.78f7013ae19c9391558638592d7a5c69.jpg1X1A2630.thumb.jpg.af0bfefd7bf029b27ae1e7eb33ba1f35.jpg_DSC7698.thumb.jpg.1391512948c09bb39a394f2196bc5f49.jpgThe youngest hyena we had seen so far. I loved the way the two of them stared at us from their den. 

 

Next up was a herd of eland but they wanted to be in the 'Show us your bums" category.

 

1X1A2633.thumb.jpg.896b651209ed8f4740361586e58ee010.jpg

 

An old Dagga Boy was enjoying the early morning with his entourage of ox pecker and an egret. 

 

_DSC7730.thumb.jpg.b4c30391faa75edbf3bd4150d6346b61.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We popped down to the river to see if there was any action. The crossing point was miles away from the Serena area and there were no other vehicles there. Only a few hundred wildebeest and some zebra who all decided to cross! When we met BrIan eventually he told us that one year there was a crossing by the Serena that took three hours! We did think that no matter how many wildebeest there were at a crossing if they took three hours would we have been able to comprehend the numbers involved? Our several hundred were definitely good enough for us.

 

_DSC7742.thumb.jpg.e5078f7378b7745491fac7699afe0467.jpg

 

_DSC7738.thumb.jpg.5b6487f5895262f2ce84e1f21671715b.jpg

 

We noticed some gazelles looking nervous and making warning noises. Looking hard we spotted a leopard crouching in the grass. Although it tried to stalk the impala they were off in an instant running like the wind.

 

1X1A2637.thumb.jpg.9c2f6a985a8402c5996b5367910b7aee.jpg1X1A2641.thumb.jpg.d001821a74edb1fce580ca10872d3fb6.jpg

 

Giving up it decided to go for a drink which was perfect for us as we could follow it down to the river and park just opposite its drinking spot and get some good reflection photographs.

 

_DSC7722.thumb.jpg.29d689ec969a4512f23b438def6893ee.jpg1X1A2645.thumb.jpg.538a7cd86cd55fe5de655cc680c51ee0.jpg

 

1X1A2647.thumb.jpg.54f5629c3f168157861dcd991a14d07c.jpg

 

After spending ten minutes or so drinking it casually wondered up the side of the bank, walked past us and dissapeared into the bush. Back to camp for lunch and a nap. Phew! we couldn't imagine what we would see that afternoon but it was one of those once in a lifetime sightings that even had Brian jealous when we told him about it.

 

1X1A2655.thumb.jpg.8e56823c84a3707e138b1c05f578f325.jpg1X1A2658.thumb.jpg.d449d50993a618db6dd6a8686fde87eb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@penolva

I am so glad to come back from my holiday and find that you've started your trip report!  So many leopard sightings!!  Brian's camp was high on my list last year; perhaps I'll follow in your footsteps for 2018!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, AmyT said:

@penolva

I am so glad to come back from my holiday and find that you've started your trip report!  So many leopard sightings!!  Brian's camp was high on my list last year; perhaps I'll follow in your footsteps for 2018!

Welcome home @AmyT hope you had a great trip? Pen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Safaritalk uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By using Safaritalk you agree to our use of cookies. If you wish to refuse the setting of cookies you can change settings on your browser to clear and block cookies. However, by doing so, Safaritalk may not work properly and you may not be able to access all areas. If you are happy to accept cookies and haven't adjusted browser settings to refuse cookies, Safaritalk will issue cookies when you log on to our site. Please also take a moment to read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy: Terms of Use l Privacy Policy