A long-awaited Return to the Mara

[TonyQ]

Really enjoying this report. The Serval is really beautiful 

[Kitsafari]

thanks for following @TonyQ 

 

 

 

[Towlersonsafari]

wonderful Serval sighting @KitsafariI am very jealous! and the Egyptian vulture|

[Kitsafari]

9 hours ago, Towlersonsafari said:

wonderful Serval sighting @KitsafariI am very jealous! and the Egyptian vulture|

 

Thank you @Towlersonsafari the egyptian vulture was a gem too. 

[Kitsafari]

 

I'm sure a lot of safarigoers going on game drives would sometimes have quite quiet drives, where you will just sometimes see nothing that would stand out - not even plains game, and then you round the bend, and wham! an amazing sighting is just there.

 

so it was with the serval. Driving from the breakfast point to when we saw the serval was two hours of really unremarkable views, unless we counted hyenas but they were so far that we didn't even attempt a shot, but we just watched a bit and moved on. So after seeing the serval, we were quite satisfied that the trip into the reserve wasn't entirely empty. Again, we didn't have much expectations for an off-season reserve. 

 

 

We moved on, seeing a gray kestrel which was again another special bird for us as we had never seen one, and a rather pretty little raptor it was, a rosy-throated long claw, which honestly i've seen only in Kafue and in the Masai Mara/Mara conservancies, and then a bustard which Nelson ID=ed it with a guide book as a Hartlaub's bustard which got us excited as it was again the first time we would see one. but on return home, using our bird book as well as googling the species, we think it was probably a juvenile black=bellied bustard. The jury is still out there, I'll need to get the experts to confirm it, but if any of the readers can ID it here, so much the better!

 

Gray Kestrel with a pretty yellow butterfly which i only saw at home on a laptop

 

 

 

Rosy-throated longclaw

 

 

 

Hartlaub's Bustard? hopefully....

[Kitsafari]

It was past noon, and Nelson said we should stop soon for lunch, which was good news to me. Not sure about anyone else. somehow, I always get hungry fast when I'm on safaris. I also put on a lot of weight during safaris! but all that work, sitting in the truck watching the tall grass swaying to me and hiding precious small creatures in it, it's all very exhausting and energy-sapping. 

 

Nelson headed for the Mara river. Among the tall grasses, the guides quickly saw the spots. a Cheetah. Lunch was promptly forgotten. 

The spotted cat was a lone male, and seemed very comfortable with vehicles. Again, we were the only vehicle with the cheetah. He was walking very purposefully in one direction through the grasses, and we dutifully followed. Who wouldn't? 

 

He came to a stop at the Mara River, a spot apparently that is well known to the guides as a major crossing point during the migration season. He sat by the river. we weren't sure if he was checking if any game was going to cross over to this side, or if he was contemplating crossing that river. With Malaika's disappearance into the fast-flowing river in the reserve fresh in my mind, I was willing him not to cross as the river seemed to be fast flowing again. Across the river, a mini-van came speeding in our direction. Spying our vehicle, they had guessed we were watching something. There was no way they could have crossed although Nelson said there was a bridge but it was a long distance off. The mini-van sped off, but we never saw it again for the rest of the day. 

 

The spotted cat made a decision, and turn around, back into the tall grasses. And we made a decision too, to leave him wandering in peace and quiet.

 

It was a mighty sighting, because we saw zero cheetahs in Olare Motorogi, which greatly shocked us. When we were last in the conservancy in 2018, we had loads of cheetah sightings - on our last day, we saw 7 cheetahs in that single day, which stunned our guide James from Kicheche (What's happening, he said then). but not this trip. no cheetahs were seen in the conservancy. A couple which had one half as a professional wildlife and rock concert photographer and who had arrived on the same plane as us and staying also in Porini, had to travel across two conservancies (OMC and Naboisho) all the way to Ol Kinyei to have a cheetah sighting. It was their first trip to Africa and a cheetah hunt was at the top of their list. It seemed the cheetahs decided to move out of OMC. Perhaps due to the numbers of lions? we aren't sure. 

 

So, a few shots of the cheetah here! every cheetah deserves more than one photo, surely?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back into the grasses.

[pault]

It has been a long time since Olare Motorogi was a hotspot for cheetahs but zero is still disappointing.

 

Very handsome Egyptian Vulture! And very glad you got to see a serval - although it’s a bit unlucky that neither of you had, given the combined number of trips. Hope you have some more firsts coming.

 

I thought driving “all the way” to Governors to get a reserve ticket sounded very inconvenient but I forgot where Porini is - and of course it isn’t very far at all. I also forgot about the populated area sandwiched between the reserve, Mara North and Olare Motorogi. 

 

I am hoping I have forgotten everything else too, so next time is like visiting for the first time. 

[John M.]

Your photos confirm what I've long believed, that my wife would have been rapt with the Mara (avoiding traffic jams, of course). I wanted to take her there, but she couldn't have a yellow fever vax and couldn't risk going without one. She would have been thrilled by such sightings as the lioness with cubs, and the serval. 

[Kitsafari]

7 minutes ago, pault said:

 

I thought driving “all the way” to Governors to get a reserve ticket sounded very inconvenient but I forgot where Porini is - and of course it isn’t very far at all. I also forgot about the populated area sandwiched between the reserve, Mara North and Olare Motorogi. 

 

 

It is time you returned, with your wife and Bibi!

 

When we were passing the populated settlements between the reserve and the conservancies, I was constantly reminded of how the lions in the Governors area had been poisoned by the villagers because they had attacked cattle that were brought into the reserve. I was also just reading the lion situations on the Mara Predator project webpage, and there was a lot of mention of how the Marsh lion pride was forced to move to the Mara North conservancy to escape the constant pressure from persistent cattle incursions and the poisoning dangers they faced. I had expected to see some of these incursions in the reserve but we didn't see any. We only covered a small area near the Governors' camps and where the Marsh pride used to hold territory so perhaps there were other areas that see such incursions.    

[Kitsafari]

18 hours ago, John M. said:

Your photos confirm what I've long believed, that my wife would have been rapt with the Mara (avoiding traffic jams, of course). I wanted to take her there, but she couldn't have a yellow fever vax and couldn't risk going without one. She would have been thrilled by such sightings as the lioness with cubs, and the serval. 

 

I believe that your wife would have been so happy with the amazing density of animals inside the private Mara conservancies, no traffic jams, guaranteed.  but it is difficult without a yellow fever vax as Kenya is thought to be one of the countries with a higher risk. My country has now clamped down too, and requires a such a vaccination certificate at the immigration on arrival.  Pre-covid days, it was never required. 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Kitsafari

[pault]

9 minutes ago, Kitsafari said:

 

It is time you returned, with your wife and Bibi!

 

When we were passing the populated settlements between the reserve and the conservancies, I was constantly reminded of how the lions in the Governors area had been poisoned by the villagers because they had attacked cattle that were brought into the reserve. I was also just reading the lion situations on the Mara Predator project webpage, and there was a lot of mention of how the Marsh lion pride was forced to move to the Mara North conservancy to escape the constant pressure from persistent cattle incursions and the poisoning dangers they faced. I had expected to see some of these incursions in the reserve but we didn't see any. We only covered a small area near the Governors' camps and where the Marsh pride used to hold territory so perhaps there were other areas that see such incursions.    

Usually plenty of water and grass that time of year so the cows head far away to areas without permanent water… at least that is what I was told. But of course drought changes that. 

 

Late June. Earliest date practical since I have been busy retiring and now have a month in the UK (and Austria for sightings of @michael-ibkand @AndMicin their winter breeding lederhosen plumage). No Bibi yet but since my wife and she will be spending time together, that could change. 

[Kitsafari]

With two awesome sightings in the bag, we could relax and have lunch. as we drove to another private spot along the river, the male cheetah popped out from the tall grass. Nelson thought he might be hunting but it was just difficult to follow him after he vanished again into the tall grass. I saw him emerged into an opening, scanning the area, but we left him behind eventually. 

 

I've added this video of him walking during the second sighting. Nothing exciting, but I wanted to show a bit of the road conditions. The roads were in pretty bad shape, probably after the rains. There was a stretch that was just so rocky, and my back hurt at the end of the day because it was so bumpy. We got stuck also at one point where the path crosses a stream and the soil had become so soft. but Nelson and Albert managed to get us out after many attempts. What is a game drive without a flat tire or getting stuck!

 

 

 We had lunch at a very secluded spot, but just as we were finishing up, we saw a herd of zebras gathering at the banks. we quickly packed up, and headed to where the striped equines gathered. That was where we saw the only other vehicle (on this side of the river!) in the whole reserve. The zebra looked across, there were some crocs in the river, then the entire herd changed their minds, and they scattered in different directions. Somehow, we failed to take photographs of the gathering. 

 

we left the spot, and between then and the drive back towards the camp, there was not much of note except for birds. Thank goodness for the feathered friends!

 

One last look back at the reserve and its distant eles

 

Montagu's Harrier 

 

 

Another yellow-throated Longclaw 

 

As we passed a small lagoon, a pair of white-faced whistling ducks emerged from the reeds and I called Nelson to a halt. It was a lifer species for Herman, and one of my favourite waterfowls. 

 

 

 

 

A sighting of the Noisy glossy Hadeda Ibis rounded up the day trip to the reserve. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

We had a night drive after an early dinner but it was a sleepy affair. other than a white-tailed mongoose that scuttled away so swiftly, the hour-drive was spent trying to nail some shots of the constantly-running-away but plentiful scrub hares and springhares, and one Genet. suffice to say, we failed! we can blame the darkness and the red filter light and the speedy gonzales-hares and not-hares, but in the end, it was us who failed. 

 

And that was it for our third day at Porini. 

 

a couple of videos of the genet and spinghare

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

50 minutes ago, pault said:

Usually plenty of water and grass that time of year so the cows head far away to areas without permanent water… at least that is what I was told. But of course drought changes that. 

 

Late June. Earliest date practical since I have been busy retiring and now have a month in the UK (and Austria for sightings of @michael-ibkand @AndMicin their winter breeding lederhosen plumage). No Bibi yet but since my wife and she will be spending time together, that could change. 

 

 

Congrats on the early retirement! an Austrian GTG with two of my favourite ST-ers sounds delightful.  

[Kitsafari]

Day 4 - my Google timeline tracked that Nelson brought us eastward towards the Olare Orok airstrip in the morning. another lovely morning. Have i mentioned how I love sunrises and sunsets in Africa? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A large male elephant was browsing on the trees, dragging his hind leg as he went along. It seems this elephant had an injured leg since young, and there was always an adult male elephant that would accompany him. And so there was, some distance behind him was an adult male with fine tusks in the midst of rows of short trees. I'd always thought that injured mammals would have a shorter lease of life, especially with injured legs, but these resilient animals always surprise me with their strength and survival skills. 

 

The injured pachyderm with broken tusks   

 

 

 

his companion

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

Around them, the rising sun brought out the usual suspects - zebras, Tommies and topis - grazing on the ridge, and among them, birds feeding on the ground. A white-backed vulture was tucked into its nest near the elephants, while grey-crowned cranes glowed in the light. A pair of Egyptian geese, far from its waterholes, found comfort and security being next to the cranes and a pair of Masai ostriches strutted close by. 

 

It was really very quiet. we were the only vehicle out here, enjoying the tranquillity, the silence, the light, the birds and the beasts, the beauty in front of us, and the wide open expanse, just breathing in the chilly air. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and as the sun rose higher, the light got more orange

 

 

oopsie. 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Up a rocky slopy road we went. a few early birds out in the cool air before the hot sun would send them into the shade.

 

Brown snake eagle

 

a hyena walked down the slope on one side, and another fast asleep on the other side, then another walking on the road. All signs that there must be a conference of them somewhere, so Nelson went in search of them and found a few gathered near the top of the hill. we passed a really fat hyena almost comatose with a good meal, but she jumped up as we passed by her, and then suddenly we were surrounded by hyenas spread around the area, either lying down or still looking for scraps. It was clear they had a really substantial meal, and one hyena showed us what these tenacious hunters and scavengers caught in the night. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other scavengers and thiefs were hoping for some leftovers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Kitsafari

[Athene]

I am really enjoying your trip report @Kitsafari as it reminds me of our time at Porini Lion Camp in November 2021 with Nelson as our guide. He was great and also very communicative. 

We were part of a group of photographers and stayed there for nine nights. Our tent was no. 6 or no. 7 with a beautiful view towards the plains. If I remember correctly it was the "Hippo" tent.

We were lucky enough to see Fig a few times and also her daughter Faulu. I am so happy to hear Faulu is doing well.

It is very sad to hear that no cheetahs are around any more. We saw Neena with three subadult cubs and also another cheetah (Kikoso?) with two very playful smaller cubs almost every day. We could also witness a lion kill and a cheetah hunt. It is a wonderful area.

Thanks a lot for sharing your trip report and beautiful pictures.

[Kitsafari]

Work got in the way, as it always does, and flu laid me low for a bit. So, apologies for the little brief hiatus. 

 

@Athene wow nine nights! you must have had some awesome sightings. Now i've found your TR which I shall read in a bit. 

 

Up the slope we continued and we saw the herd of wildebeests, which must be the same herd that lost one of its compatriots overnight. But life goes on, and they survived for another day. 

 

 

 

Wildebeests have a bad rep for being one of the ugly fives, and for not being the most intelligent animals. we had the first introduction to the Gnus 10 years ago when we did our first safari to watch the wildebeest migration and  the mighty Mara crossing in northern Tanzania. we were impressed by their stamina and resilience and endurance, and they looked pretty sleek when they are trotting and running.

so nah, they're not that ugly. Just different looking. 

According to African Wildlife Foundation, these are the western white-bearded wildebeest sub-species that populate the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem of Kenya and Tanzania. The eastern white-bearded races inhabit Kenya and Tanzania east of the Gregory Rift. The brindled, or blue, race occurs south of the Zambezi River.

 

 

A female impala leads her newly born fawn away from the noisy contraption. 

Black-winged Lapwing

 

 

 

 

white-bellied bustard

[Kitsafari]

We crested the ridge to a plateau. The Tommies were staring in a direction, not that I noticed as I was just taking in the surrounding landscape. But Nelson and Albert did, though they said nothing. Nelson pushed forward and stopped the vehicle. and said

Serval.

 

 

Serval!! and there it was, this beautiful and elegant cat just sitting out in the open and in the morning light. I was 2x lucky to get my wish granted! It didn't mind us being so close, in fact, it started moving around and even walked under our vehicle. we spent 15 minute with it as it checked out the long grasses for prey, but decided to leave it to hunt in peace.

 

What a chilled cool cat (see what I did there?).

 

Although servals are mainly nocturnal hunters, they are known to keep early morning hours and late afternoon hours awake to hunt, making them more diurnal than most cats. I was surprised that the Tommies and the Grants were all wary of the cat which is way smaller than them and hunts mainly rodents and birds. But I wondered if they have taken new born gazelles before? it's still a predator and all predators need to be kept in sight, and that was what the gazelles did. 

I'm going to proliferate this post with lots of photos of the serval - our best sighting of this cat ever. 

 

 

 

 

 

just before the serval slipped under our vehicle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The serval flushed out a bird as the Grant watched her every move. 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

a few video clips of the serval annoyed by insects in the first clip and scattering the gazelles in the next two. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

Finally, we stopped for breakfast and chatted with Nelson and Albert, and found out about Nelson's amazing project. He backs a project with funds (donated and his own) the purchase of sanitary pads to give to female school kids. The girls were struggling with all their menstrual issues and having no proper care with their altogether natural menstruation, and having watch his own daughter go through the  problems without the sanitary pads, Nelson was inspired to raise funds to buy cases of the pads for the girls in the school in his village. I thought it was such an amazing undertaking from Nelson. Growing up in a city like ours, we take for granted the ease of buying things, and not having to deal with ethical or moral issues (when people used to think females were dirty in every sense of the word because they go through hormonal differences).  It was an excellent kick-in-the-butt wake-up call.

 

Breakfast view

 

Nelson in blue and Albert - the tall one - at the back

 

Rufous-crowned Roller or Purple Roller

 

2 Blue-headed Agamas

 

 

 

African Grey hornbill

Edited February 25, 2023 by Kitsafari

[Kitsafari]

Our downtime at camp turned out to be a little stationary safari as well - a family of dwarf mongoose! The delightful creature is the smallest mongoose in Africa and is the smallest carnivore in Africa. They scampered around our tent, running across the grass patch in front of our tent a number of times. The following morning I saw them running around the wifi and the dining tents, and a staff member said they were residents at the camp. Very cool! another good excuse to stay at Porini Lion Camp, gals and guys !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

More birds and two little mammals at the camp

 

African grass Rat

 

Klasse Cuckoo

 

A rather red Grey headed Kingfisher

 

Meyer's Parrot

 

 

A common bulbul looking annoyed at me interrupting his wifi connection

 

sand martin 

 

A very pretty and relaxed Yellow=winged Bat, which apparently hangs out (pun intended) at the open areas in the camp

[Kitsafari]

Day 4. PM safari drive. My google timeline tells me we were travelling on a ferry for 3hrs, "sailing" northwards up to Richards' River camp, past Amani Mara, past Olare Mara Kempinski before berthing at Porini Lion Camp where we "disembarked". That gave me a good chuckle. 

 

we went in search of the Enkuyanai pride, the family of lions that provided much drama on our first game drive. But only a drowsy adult female and a male sub-adult lion were home, and the mum and cubs were nowhere to be found. 

 

 

 

 

It must have been a fairly quiet afternoon as we didn't take many photos. Not many birds were out. It could have been due to this: 

 

 

We had been very lucky so far. each time the dark clouds hovered over the horizons, the guides and camp staff would say, no worries the winds are going to blow over to Mara North. And we would say, oh good let it rain now and when we get to Serian, there'll be no more rains. 

But the skies were getting dark.

A white object flashed at the corner of my eye, and I told Nelson to reverse. It was a white bird and I don't recall any pure white birds in East Africa. we all looked at it for a long time. Nelson was completely stumped. it seemed to look like a pipit and behaved like a pipit, wagging its tail like a pipit would. I suggested it was a leucistic or albino pipit, but couldn't recall which form had the pink nose and eyes. Nelson took a shot off H's camera and put on FB, as did I. The experts (including our own Zarek) thought it was most likely a leucistic plain-backed pipit. James Kipetu said he had seen one in the Mara Triangle. I hope it continues to survive!

 

 

 

 

Northern Gray-headed Sparrow

 

Red-billed Oxpecker

 

 

a rock hyrax peeking at us. 

 

    

Nelson was on the radio, probably with another Porini vehicle. Must be something interesting. we drove past Kempinski hotel with its numerous luxurious tents, and in the ditch we found the king of kings in a most unglamorous position. 

We must have woken him, as he got up, yawned several times and stretched out. By then, the rains had started. His brother was safely sheltered under the bush but ignored him when he got close to him. finally, with his beautiful mane drenched, and looking miserable, we left the king trying to get back to sleep in the rains. 

No sunset tonight.