After months of searching the internet during the summer for possible locations across Kenya, including reserve and parks to visit, places to stay, driver and vehicle options, we finally made a plan and booked our trip!!!
Kenya has plenty of birds, diverse habitats and 'relatively' inexpensive costs. Dawn and I departed Manchester to Nairobi to meet her sister and partner. Our plan was to hire a 4x4 with our own exclusive all-in-one driver and guide, spend one night in Nairobi then head to Amboseli for a couple of nights. Then Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru before finishing our trip in the Savannah of the Masai Mara.
Amboseli National Park
Amboseli National Park is located immediately northwest of Mount Kilimanjaro and 240 km southeast of Nairobi, right on the Tanzanian border. This is certainly one of the most picturesque places in Africa to view game and the sight of herds of elephants trudging slowly across the plains in front of Africa’s highest mountain is as iconic as it is breathtaking. Amboseli is filled with the larger game species including zebras, giraffes and all of the other plains game, such as elephants and Africa’s big cats. During the rainy season the expansive plains turn a vibrant green and hundreds of species of birds and small mammals arrive to feed on the profusion of life.
There are five different habitats in Amboseli including open plains, acacia woodlands, thorn scrub, swamp and marshlands. This diversity of habitats allows for excellent game viewing all year round which explains why a tour to Amboseli is such a popular option with travellers. The famous landmark of Observation Hill must be visited and from here you will be able to view the entire park and take some stunning photos.
Giraffe Gazelle: One of the first mammals we came across just after entering the reserve was this strange and uncommon gazelle.
Also known as a gerenuk.
A tall antelope with a long, thin neck which it uses to maximum effect while browsing.
Eastern Chanting Goshawk: As we drove down the sandy road, well....maybe not road but track, there were birds song and sights everywhere from village weavers to large birds of prey soaring overhead to a goshawk sitting up in a nearby tree.
Kori Bustard: Our driver stopped and said 'kori, kori' and I shot up out of my seat and saw a distant bird lurking under the shade of an acacia.
Masai Giraffe: We continued down the track stopping occasionally to watch the majestic giraffe.
I have
seen plenty of giraffe in zoos, particularly when I worked in Chester Zoo, but the first time you see one in the wild, roaming free within the glorious backdrop of Kenya its a memory that lasts a lifetime.
The Masai giraffe is also called Kilimanjaro giraffe, is the largest subspecies of giraffe. It is native to East Africa. The Masai giraffe can be found in central and southern Kenya and is the most common sub species of giraffe in Kenya and the only one found in Amboseli National Park.
Saddle-billed Stork: As we got closer to our lodge the National Park got wetter with large lagoons and pools.
African Fish Eagle: These pools held good number of birds from terns, stilts to storks and even a pair of African fish eagles. Note the juvenile bird on the left with the white patch on its wings.
Black-winged Stilt: Plenty of these feeding along the edge of the pools.
Grey-headed Kingfisher: The 4x4 cursed onward towards our lodge where the landscape changed from open pasture and wetlands to habitation, houses, fences, improved roads.
Sacred Ibis: We were staying in a place called Ol Tukai Lodge, amongst much else, Ol Tukai is one of the finest places on the planet to elephant-watch, from our chalet’s terrace, from just about anywhere on this serene property.
Long-toed Plover: Amboseli’s great herds “pace along as if they had an appointment at the end of the world,” as Isak Dinesen memorably wrote.
Speckled Woodpigeon: And here are just a few more of Ol Tukai’s abounding charms: wide, open spaces with beautifully soothing lawns and gardens backed by a quintessentially African acacia forest; a thinly-visible fence around the entire property which allows us to watch Amboseli’s vast cast of animals as they go about their daily business
Sacred Ibis: As everyone rested and relaxed by the bar and pool I was keen to not waste any of my birding time and get out there and explore.
Amongst the lodge here were several stand alone trees and a small wooded area outside the reception. Theses held good numbers of little bee eaters, woodland kingfisher and wood pigeons.
Great white Egret: Eventually I had to put my bins down and stop, we enjoyed the food here and the drinks before an early night.
And an early start, we were up for 6am and out for 6.30am for our first safari.
The first thing we saw as we left the safety of the lodge compound was a giant hyena running right past the entrance and over the track! This was a little alarming.
Crowned Crane: We drove through the wetlands and around the open grassland where we saw plenty of crowned cranes, herons and ibis.
While East African crowned cranes are not currently listed as a protected species, its populations are still vulnerable. The numbers and range of these birds have been reduced significantly over the last two decades.
The principle threat these cranes face is the loss, transformation, and degradation of its habitat. Inefficient law enforcement and lack of long-term population monitoring leave the species in jeopardy.
Blacksmith Plover: (Juvenile) Other notable bird observed were pied kingfisher, fish eagles, short-toed snake eagles, spur winged plovers and black-headed herons.
African Elephant: Amboseli became a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1991 and is home to a few major league celebrities like the incredible elephant.
Amboseli is the best place in Kenya to see these giant animals of Africa.
Thanks to good management and protection, the pachyderm population grew significantly over the course of the following three decades, so that by 2008 there was a healthy total of 1,600 elephants that could call the park their home.
Seriously brilliant animals and such a privilege to see in the wild.
African Palm Swift: As I mentioned in the introduction Amboseli is famous for the Observation Hill.
Wire-tailed Swallow: On the hill you are allowed to get out of the vehicle and walk freely around the hill, a bit disconcerting at first but brilliant to be walking with wild elephants just a few hundred yards from you.
Kori Bustard: On the hill I got decent views on wire-tailed swallow and palm swift.
On the way back to the lodge we got very lucky as this giant Kori casually strolled by.
Brilliant.
Open-billed Stork: I was even more excited on the second day, no matter how many David Attenborough documentaries you’ve watched, nothing quite prepares you for the thrill of seeing real, untamed beasts in the wild.
The first notable bird we saw was within the lodge grounds, this open-billed stork.
Fischer's Sparrow Lark: This time I thought I would shout up more when I saw a bird as our driver and guide didn't really know his avifauna too well.
Lesser-striped Swallow: speaking up started to pay off as our driver would accommodate my requests and stop giving me chance to photograph the smaller birds seen around the park.
Lilac-breasted Roller: one of the birds I was most thrilled and most looking forward to see was the very well named lilac-breasted roller...
Lilac-breasted rollers are truly rainbows in the African skies. With blue wings, a green head and lilac chest, this tiny bird amazes and hypnotises onlookers. They also hold a depth of tradition and folklore in many cultures.
In African culture, the lilac breasted roller is considered the bird of peace. It was often sacrificed by kings declaring peace in their land. It was known as ‘the bird of the sun’ and helped maintain harmony between ancient communities.
Red-necked Spurfowl: We didn't see many of these close up during our trip so I was happy when one popped up on a mound on the side of the track.
African Elephants: In the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro we watched as a large herd of elephants meandered past.
Wattled Starling: This group of elephants walked right around the 4x4.
They were followed by a small flock of wattled-starling that foraged in their wake.
Fischer's Sparrow Lark: The brown and grey colour of lark species allow them to be camouflaged in their typical open, savanna habitat.
However, without bold marks most are hard to tell apart from the many similar species.
The male of Fischer's (below) is an exception with its black face and bold white cheek patch. Larks are primarily insectivorous but this species also feeds on grass seeds and has a heavier finch-like bill to handle them.
Crowned Plover: towards the end of the day our driver was getting the idea, see a bird; speak up, and that was he started to do.
'Austin.....this'
The Crowned Lapwing is easily recognised by its combination of brown and white colours, with most tellingly, a black crown intersected by an annular white halo. Adults are noisy and conspicuous.
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse: And again....'Austin here'
I was thrilled the driver spoke up as these were the only two sandgrouse species we saw during the whole trip.
White Stork: Plenty of these lurking in the pools and foraging in the grass.
Super birds, especially when observed in flight.
Lesser-striped Swallow: back at the lodge I was happy to leave Dawn by the pool with a drink and the sun while I went off in search of birds.
Brown-hooded Kingfisher: It was bizarre as I got some funny looks, walking around with my camera and bins looking up at the trees. People would come over and ask what was I doing?
Grey Woodpecker: I would understand getting asked this question walking the urban streets of Wigan or on someone's private land, but I was in Kenya!
It seemed like the folk there were only interested in the big five, the mammals and not the birds.
Well more fool them, birds are the best.
Cape Wagtail: Around the lodge I found more new birds including cape wagtail, grey woody and brown kingfishers.
Spotted Flycatcher: Back at the lodge I decided to leave the main entrance and pass the reception building.
In this area where the cars are parked there is an open wooded space. The spotted flycatcher graced us with perfect poses.
Buff-bellied Warbler.
African Pied Wagtail: A very nice little bird, often spotted singing upon roof tops of our accommodation.
Hadra Ibis: Also in this open wooded area I got a chance to stalk this ibis and follow it while it foraged on a lawn.
Speckled Mousebird: The trees that lined the perimeter fence held a small group of mousebirds.
Steppe Eagle: While watching the mousebirds a large bird of prey flew over, very high, but it looked like a new species.
White Stork: Back at our lodge I found Dawn sitting on the porch reading in the shade and enjoying the superb view of African wildlife and scenery.
Little Swift: I joined her with a drink, and watched as storks, ibis and swift flew overhead.
Lesser-striped Swallow: Plenty of these circling around the place.
Common Bilbul: Not many of these on the other hand.
Little Bee-eater: Sitting high up in a tree behind my loge was this tiny little bee-eater.
Squacco Heron: Back out the next day on another safari and another stunning African day, bright sunshine, crisp morning air and birds everywhere.
Pied Kingfisher: We drove in the opposite direction this day and headed down the tracks and between the pools.
Long-tailed Fiscal: Plenty of birds, including kingfishers, swallows, terns and this smart looking fiscal, a kind of shrike.
Happily sitting there in what became the 'bird bush' as each time we passed it there was a new bird in it.
The 'bird bush' became a regular stop on our safari trips.
Speke's Weaver: In our bush happily collecting grass strands to weave a nest.
This marvellous golden jewel came close at times and didn't seem phased by our vehicle.
Pied Kingfisher: The same could be said for this showy pied kingfisher that flew from one side of the road to the other and back in search of food, exhibiting its characteristic hovering as it went over.
Pied kingys were numerous across the plains and lined the trees and banks of the pools, but it was only at our 'bird bush' that we got such close views.
Grey-headed Heron: The road and tracks we drove down cris-crossed large areas of wetlands that held tons of wildlife and birds.
Egyptian Goose: And here in Kenya they have 'real' Egyptian geese.
Ostrich: Amboseli National Park also has large areas of dryer grassland Savannah where you get completely different animals.
All the large mammals and large birds roamed these areas.
One of the birds I was excited to see was the Ostrich, famous for being the largest bird in the world and laying the largest egg in the world.
The bird didn't disappoint, it was magnificent.
Black Wildebeest: An icon of the Savannah these wildebeest stood alert to danger but not spooked by the passing vehicles.
Blacksmith Plover: Along the banks of the tracks, particularly the tracks closest to wetter areas stood tens of plovers of many descriptions.
Pallid: Harrier: At times it seemed like we were running them over as they scurried away from the moving vehicle and taking flight at the last moment.
One morning we were getting followed by a monties.
Two-banded Courser: I always got excited when our driver slammed on the breaks, but was often disappointed as he would usually point out some mammal.
This time however he shouted my name 'Austin' he said come here, and pointed down at the only two-barred courser we saw on the entire trip.
Crowned Plover: Here is a different plover species, the crowned plover gets its name from it's crown like head pattern.
These birds didn't seem as numerous as the blacksmith plover and seemed to prefer the dryer areas of Amboseli.
Yellow-necked Francolin: In Kenya, the yellow-necked spurfowl prefers bushed grasslands and scrub lands near water and cultivated land. Their range in Kenya overlaps with that of the red-necked spurfow
Chestnut Sparrow.
Isabelline Shrike : Similar to the red backed shrike.
Martial Eagle: Huge and impressive, this massive bird went to roost upon a dead tree as the sun went down one evening.
Seriously big bird.
Secretarybird: Another iconic bird of Kenya, with it's large legs and crazy headdress.
Blue-naped Mousebird: As the sun went down we headed back, but not without stopping to check out a flock of birds.
As we watched, a smaller group of mousebirds flew over and landed nearby.
Wattled Starling: The flock we were watching was of wattled starling.
Tawny Eagle: Driving down the tracks and roads leading back to our accommodation we saw another huge bird of prey taking roost in an acacia tree.
This time it was a tawny eagle.
Saddle-billed Stork: Back to the wetter areas of the reserve and closer to where we were staying, we had an adult saddle-billed feeding in the wet grass outside the entrance.
Black-bellied Bustard: While scanning the area I spotted this medium sized bustard lurking in the grass.
Kori Bustard: And drove past a giant of a bustard and the heaviest flying bird in the world.
This bird casually walked across our path and beside the van before the sunlight went too low for photos.
A real show stopper and an excellent visit to Amboseli National Park.
Lake Naivasha
Resting at an elevation of 1890 meters is the serene freshwater Lake Naivasha, a superb oasis to include on your safari holiday in Kenya with African Mecca. Just beyond it's shores are papyrus swamps, acacia woodlands, forests and unique geologic features that are remnants of the area’s volcanic past. The nutrient-rich soil is fertilized by an abundance of water, including the Gilgil and Malewa Rivers, to create an ecosystem that is known around the world for a diverse avian presence, as well as terrestrial game animals.
Lake Naivasha is a RAMSAR site, a designation that reflects the ecological importance of the wetlands around the lake. More than 450 distinct birdlife species have been identified, and the resident avi-fauna are joined by migratory species from October to March. The lake, high cliffs and forests are home to spectacled weavers, red-billed firefinches, grey-backed fiscals, grey-capped warbler and many other interesting and colorful aerial creatures. The most prominent, though, are the cormorants and pelicans while the African fish eagles are the most majestic of the raptors.
I would highly recommend a morning or afternoon boating excursion around the lake or to Crescent Island so that a professional guide and ornithologist can help you locate and identify avi-fauna by colors, location and behavior. Nature walks are another popular way to enjoy Lake Naivasha, and these outings get you close to some of the lakes smaller denizens.
Nubian Woodpecker: Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge is a large, mid-range resort located on the southern shores of Lake Naivasha, the only fresh water lake within Africa's Great Rift Valley, southwestern Kenya.
Green Wood Hoopoe: The property boasts extensive facilities and is set within 150 acres of beautifully manicured grounds which teem with resident wildlife.
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Great Cormorant: Herds of giraffe, zebra, and waterbuck roam freely through, while Colobus and Vervet monkeys leap amongst the acacia trees overhead, and at night it’s a delight to witness hippos coming ashore to graze on the expansive lawns.
I dumped the bags had a cool drink with Dawn and then went out to explore before taking our boat trip
The most popular attraction at Lake Naivasha is undoubtedly the chance to take a guided boat safari out onto the water.
We were handed a buoyancy aid and clambered onto a not so sturdy looking boat.
Dead trees reach up out of the cool blue water like grasping hands as a huge assortment of bird life moves about. Everything from pelicans to cranes to smaller, more brightly coloured birds are on display.
The waters themselves are home to wallowing hippopotamuses, and along the shores, you'll spot Cape Buffalo and other herbivores.
Hippopotamus: The lake is not just full of the sights of Africa, fish eagles and storks, but the sounds of Africa too.
The sound of snorting hippos!
It was very alarming being so close to these man eaters.
Grey Heron: A regular sight along the banks.
More Hippos: We were told the the hippos spend the day in the water and the night feeding on our Lawn! I was thinking that would be good to witness.
African Darter: During my stay here I didn't see many of these, so I was please to grab some sort of picture as one darted past during the boat trip.
Great Cormorant: Like a scene from Jurassic Park these birds stood on every available branch.
Red-knobbed Coot: Close towards the banks we had black crake, teal and coot.
Great White Pelican: These impressive birds have a large range in Europe, the habitat includes freshwater lakes, deltas, marshes, or swamps; that is, wherever sufficient amounts of reed beds or grasses exist for nesting.
In Africa, the habitat includes lowlands and alkaline or freshwater lakes. This pelican's fishing technique demands shallow, warm water.
The pelican will gape or spread its wings when hot as a form of thermoregulation. When defending its territory, a male will threaten intruders by gaping, clapping its bill, bowing; the pelican will attack with the bill as its main weapon.
Yellow-billed Stork & Intermediate Egret: This was the only intermediate we saw in this area.
Yellow-billed Stork: Named after their obvious, big, thick yellow bill the yellow-billed stork can be seen on many open areas along the banks of the lake.
I was hoping see some storks and heron on the lodge's lawn, but they often kept their distance.
Intermediate Egret: Its always a challenge for me to distinguish between the Intermediate and the Great Egret.
The great egret is overall much bigger, and note that males are much larger than females – maybe 20% larger. So a very large egret with a smaller one could be a male Great with a female Great, or a Great with another species such as Intermediate.
African Fish Eagle: Although I saw plenty of these in Amboselii I didn't get anywhere near as close as I did here.
The trees lining the banks were dripping with eagles each tall tree had an eagle in it, looking down on us.
Majestic and stunning.
Long-tailed Cormorant: The smaller cormorant, with it's red eye and silkier appearance these birds do stand out.
African Fish Eagle: The African fish eagle is known for it's loud, distinctive call, which can be heard for miles before you can even see it. It is, for many, the sound that evokes the essence of Africa.
Its said that once you’ve heard the fish eagle’s call, you never forget the sound. Often seen perched on a riverbank tree, it feeds mainly on fish. When a potential meal is spotted, it will swoop down and snatch it from the water with it's large clawed talons.
The fish eagle’s diet is not just fish - it also may prey on water birds and eat their fill of carrion. Like most raptors, African Fish Eagles are believed to be monogamous and mate for life.
Even so, the male must win the heart of the female each year, and this bird does it in quite a spectacular fashion. The pair meets in mid-air, locks talons and free-falls until they separate just above the ground.
They do this over and over until they mate. Then it’s off to the nest they’ve called home for many years.
Stunning, simply stunning birds.
Yellow-billed Duck: At the very end of the pathway, that leads away from the lodge and towards the lake, there is a lovely secluded boardwalk.
Although only short, this was by far one of the best place to be for birding. Spending time here away from the other tourists, close to spying hippos and birds was a real joy.
Black Crake: The pathway wound it's way between some freshwater pools, Lilly ponds and backed up on to the end of the lawn which was surrounded by shrub and bushes.
Wood Sandpiper: Plenty of small waders and crakes came out from the undergrowth with cormorants perched nearby.
Variable Sunbird: This male variable sunbird, is probably the most common sunbird. The yellow on its' belly can be dull or bright. A sharply curved bill used for feeding on nectar in flowers.
Grey-headed Wagtail.
Variable Sunbird.
White-bellied Tit: The white-bellied tit is seen in woodland, wooded grassland, forest edges and gardens.
This small bird along with the white-eyed slaty flycatcher were some of my favourite finds across the whole trip.
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher: Many small birds are difficult to identify. This one due to the shade of grey and the bright, distinct eye ring is relatively easy. Common in highland woodlands and gardens.
Like other flycatchers, they maintain an upright, alert posture when scanning their habitat for insects. Often they pluck the insect from the ground or foliage without alighting and then return to their perch to eat it and continue hunting.
Bearded Woodpecker: The hotel grounds on the banks of Lake Naivasha had lots of trees, bushes and scrubby areas - great birds to find.
Grey Woodpecker: The Grey Woodpecker is a widespread and frequently common resident breeder in much of equatorial Africa.
This species is associated with forests and bushes. It is frequently seen, and regularly taps or drums.
Ruppell's Long-tailed Starling: There were several of these flying in small flocks around the hotel.
Tawny-flanked Prinia: Heard before seen and very difficult to pin down.
The tawny-flanked was sulky and shy and only occasionally came up on to a clear perch to sing.
Green-throated Sunbird.
Black-lored Babbler: These birds are mostly grey-brown with white mottling, especially on the underparts, that varies according to location and the individual. The population near Nanyuki, Kenya, is darker but can have a pure white chin or entire throat.
Black Cuckoo Shrike.
Lake Nakuru National Park
Lake Nakuru National Park is renowned as a bird sanctuary with over 400 bird species, including huge flocks of flamingoes and many other water birds. It is an excellent park for wildlife spotting and is home to many water-loving animals such as hippos and waterbucks.
Lake Nakuru National Park was established in 1961. It now covers an area of 180km² (69.5 square miles) and is situated in the Great Rift Valley - 156km northwest of Nairobi in the Nakuru district of the Rift Valley Province. The park is managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service. Lake Nakuru is a large, shallow lake surrounded by marshes, woodland and grassland. There are some rocky outcrops and the largest euphorbia forest in Africa on the eastern side. The lake is fed by three main rivers; the Njoro, the Makalia and the Enderit rivers, as well as several springs. The park has very good roads and some excellent viewpoints overlooking the lake from Baboon Cliff and Lion Hill.
White-fronted Bee-eater: Literally, Nakuru means Dusty Place. Welcome to “dusty place”!
Ruppell's Griffon Vulture: Almost the first animal we saw was this huge vulture, there were tons of them frantically feeding on a dead animal as we entered the reserve.
Ruppell’s vultures are one of the largest species found in East and central Africa, but their populations are declining fast.
Black-headed Oriole: The van suddenly stopped as our driver pointed out a herd of gazelle passing across the road. It was here I could hear a very distinct (but unusual) song.
After a quick look in the nearby trees I saw my first black-headed oriole.
In the same tree was this bird of prey, the sunlight was bad and the van started moving before I could pin it down!
Here you can see the large flock of Ruppell’s vultures flying in and feeding on the ground.
Also note the apartments and hotels lining the perimeter fence. Strange how close urban life is to this important reserve.
Ringed-plover.
Lesser Flamingo: The lake supports the blue-green Cyanophyte Spirulina Platensis, which is the main food source for the brilliant pink flamingoes that can be found wading on the lake's edge.
At times, there can be up to two million greater and lesser flamingoes and tens of thousands of other birds.
Grey-headed Gull: Food conditions change periodically, and the number of birds fluctuates at times so, if possible, you should check with the national park before making a long journey to view the birds.
If you visit the lake at the correct time of the year you will see thousands of flamingos here. However we only got a few dozen.
Slender-billed Gull: Still the lake provided superb views of gulls, tern and waders.
Black-chested Snake Eagle: Here is another image, from a slow moving vehicle, of a bird of prey before we stopped in a secluded area that had some good public toilets and tables so we could sit down and have some food.
Little Bee-Eater: This area lead down to a beautiful waterfall, which some fellow safari vehicles were parked alongside. Plenty of people were out of their busses, vans and cars taking selfies in front of the waterfall.
African Lion: We followed the crowd down to the waters edge and noticed lots of people acting frantically, looking panicked. It was after a few minutes we noticed there was a totally wild lioness with two young cubs.
Tawny Eagle: As soon as we noticed this we became frantic and ran back to our van!!!!
Eventually we ventured back out of the van and watched as the lion took its cub over a hill and sat in the sun.
It was exhilarating to be standing only a few hundred yards from a wild lion.
Augur Buzzard: After getting our fill of the waterfall we headed back over the track towards a small wooded area and spotted this stunning black augur buzzard.
Secretarybird: These were seen all over the place but it was great to get even closer
Snake eating specialists that have long slit like legs.
This bird wondered into a small clump of purple flowering plants giving us a magical view of these iconic African birds.
Rothschild Griffee: Lake Nakuru National Park also offers sanctuary to huge numbers of native African animals including waterbucks, warthogs, impalas, buffalo, Rothschild giraffes, elands, endangered black rhinos, white rhinos and, occasionally, leopards. A large herd of hippos have a territory in the northern part of the lake, making for interesting game viewing.
Red-billed Oxpecker: Plenty of these foraging on the backs of these majestic animals.
Spur-winged Lapwing: There are small streams and pools that gather around the fringes of the main lake. This is a good spot for lapwings, waders and wagtails.
Grey-headed Wagtail: Five globally threatened species have been recorded here, namely Madagascar Pond-Heron, Lesser Flamingo, Pallid Harrier, Greater Spotted Eagle, Grey-crested Helmet-shrike.
Wood Sandpiper: Along with large congregations of Greater Flamingo, Black-necked Grebe, Little Grebe, Great White Pelican, Yellow-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Black-winged Stilt, Grey-headed Gull and Gull-billed Tern.
African Spoonbill & Egyptian Geese: Although we didn't see an awful lot of bird species here it was still a great place to visit and we had such a good time here.
Plenty of these about.
Great to see African spoonbill.
Lake Naivasha
Rattling Cisticola: Back to our accommodation at Naivasha where the views of the Rift Valley’s Lake Naivasha – the only fresh water lake of the Rift Valley – were beautiful from every window and verandah at the lodge.
We could also see the dormant volcano, Mount Longonot, the only mountain in the eastern part of the Rift Valley.
Common Zebra: As you tour through the acacia forests, you may sight hawks, cuckoos, woodpeckers, shrikes and other birds, and a solo giraffe may peer through the thorn-leaves branches out of curiosity. The papyrus swamps are where you find jacanas, herons and kingfishers.
Lake Naivasha is one of the primary drinking holes for buffalos, zebras, elands, impalas, waterbucks and other grazers, as well as a favorite place for hippos to cool themselves during the day.
I particularly enjoyed spending some time with these iconic horses, simply sitting still and letting them come to me ready to to a photo was pretty awesome.
Kenya has two species of zebra, Grevy’s zebra and the common zebra. Grevy’s zebra can be seen in the drier regions of Kenya such as Samburu and Buffalo springs. It has very large rounded ears and it is easy to distinguish between the two as they have a very different pattern of stripes.
In the common zebra the stripes are broad and continue down onto the belly. In the Grevy’s they are narrow and they stop on the lower flanks leaving the belly clean and unmarked. Most of the world’s population of Grevy zebra is in Kenya and it is endangered species.
Magical animals.
Waterbuck (STAG): Another regular large mammal that frequently came to graze on the fresh growth of the lawn were waterbuck.
Their long, spiral horns curve backward, then forward. Only the males have horns. As their name suggests, they have a close connection with water. Waterbuck always live near a body of water and use it to escape from a range of predators, which include lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and African hunting dogs.
Waterbuck (DOE): From time to time large herds came on to the lawn many with young.
Hammerkop: This place is great, just to sit back and watch the sundowners on the edge of the lake in the evening and waking up as day broke to the sound of fish eagles, red-chested cuckoos and spurfowl.
Or to walk the banks of the lake and to watch the pelicans on the lake in the distance and to take in the sound of a boat motor as fishermen went out on the lake to catch red tilapia in their nets.
The small walkway down near the lakes edges held good numbers of hammerkop and with a bit of field craft and patience you can get close to these odd looking herons.
Keep on your toes though, as the hippos are awake and swim close to the walkway.
Olive-backed Camaroptera: There was often a bush with a 'tweeting' bird or 'whistling' tune emanating from it.
It was much harder to find the bird, this time it was a Olive-backed Camaroptera.
Female Beautiful Sunbird.
Nubian Woodpecker: Back on the managed and well watered lawns I followed the sound of more drumming to find this Nubian woodpecker.
Ring-necked Dove: This woodpecker is a medium-sized species growing to a length of about 21 cm. The male has a red crown and nape and a reddish streak on the cheek, while the female has a black crown speckled with white, a red nape, and a dark cheek stripe with white speckling.
Plenty of doves on the lawn, doing what doves do in my garden back in Wigan.
Grey-backed Fiscal: This aptly named shrike was a nice surprise
It was even better to watch it sitting above the doves before trying to attack them.
African Hoopoe: In the same area I came across this hoopoe. The African Hoopoe is widely distributed throughout South Africa. Not a particularly sociable bird, the Hoopoe is generally found either singly or in pairs.
There is some debate about whether the African Hoopoe and the Eurasian Hoopoe are 2 species or simply subspecies of Upupa epops.
In the field the African hoopoe can be distinguished by their colouring (africana is a richer chestnut) and the lack of the white sub-terminal band on the primaries in the African Hoopoe.
Here's another olive-backed.
Hippopotamus: Hippo on the lawn!!!
After tea I was super keen to go out with Dawn, with a hotel guide and see some hippo action, and I wasn't disappointed.
We approached cautiously and got some great views of a around eight hippos feeding on the hotels freshly grown, well watered, fresh grass.
Exhilarating, we also had a giraffe walking across our path, within a few feet of us.
Giant Kingfisher: My final morning at the lake, before we moved on to the dry Savannah of the Masai and I got up extra early and headed out to bird the area one more time.
And I'm glad I did as I got my first and best views of the giant kingy.
Handa Ibis:
Variable Sunbird.
African Grey Hornbill: I continued to walk around the single trees and bushes careful to check each one for new birds.
Eventually I bumped in to one of the gardeners who worked at the lodge, this man was ace, nice to chat with and very friendly.
He even took the time to show me some resident hornbills that seem to like the trees at the back of the kitchens.
These birds are great and have a very unusual nesting habit. Τhe female seals herself in a tree cavity and leaves only a narrow slit through which the male will feed her and her chicks until they are nearly ready to fly away. This curious nesting behaviour is a defence against predators such as snakes and martens.
So that's it, my visit to the very superb Lake Naivasha has come to an end. This was so far one of my favourite places we visited during the trip.
Great food, great hotel, great birds and a very great place.
Speke's Weaver: After breakfast we loaded our gear in to the van and headed out of Naivasha, past the growing towns and urban sprawls.
We made a pit stop at a petrol station, this also gave us a chance to grab something cold to drink and some much needed chocolate, but better still gave me a chance to find some birds.
Weaver Nests: The main bird seen and heard was the Speke's weaver. Characterised by pale eyes and a bill on the large side for a weaver. Unlike many weavers, it has the same plumage all year. The adult male is yellow with black throat (edged rusty), face, and bill, and variable black mottling on the back.
Purple Grenadier: The Speke's weaver was named in honour of John Speke - a British explorer.
Sociable Weaver: Other birds to note were purple grenadier, sociable weaver and canary.
I was allowed to wander off and explored the building, I followed the small birds to an area on the ground that they were foraging at.
Lemniscomys: And it was in this area I saw these two small rodents fighting.
Great to watch.
Masai Mara National Reserve
Masai Mara National Reserve is considered Kenya’s best park and one of Africa’s highest wildlife density region for predators. The reserve covers 583 square miles (1510 square kilometers) of outstanding wilderness in southwest Kenya. The location, wildlife, activities and comfortable moderate climate puts Mara at the top of the list, even for the most discerning AfricanMecca traveler to Kenya. When the public reserve was first established, it covered 645 square miles (1672 square kilometers). Strategically, the size of the reserve was later reduced in 1984 to accommodate Maasai cattle grazing on their ancestral lands.
Although the decrease in land area may be considered a letdown for wildlife conservation and protection at its infancy, the animals and habitats of the reserve found new allies to ensure their survival for generations to come. Many private conservancies have been introduced to protect the land that surrounds the reserve, thereby providing more area for wildlife.
Tree Hyrax: We were staying at a place called Keekorok Lodge.
Meaning “place of black trees” in the local Maasai language.
White-faced Duck: Located in the very heart of Kenya’s fabled Maasai Mara National Reserve, Keekorok, meaning motley abundance in the local Maasai language, was constructed in 1962 on a choice eighty-acre site in an area of permanent springs and lush grassland.
Greater Blue-eared: This lodge is famous for having a viewing platform and bird watching hide that overlooks a small pool.
Black-headed Weaver: The pool holds good numbers of hippos, waders and wildfowl and became a regular haunt of mine.
Spotted Thick-Knee: There was always a spotted thick-knee loafing around the edges of the muddy pools and occasionally a large bird of prey went over.
Red-billed Teal: Plenty of ducks inhabited the pool.
Tree Hyrax: A resident in a tree just outside of the viewing platform was this lazy looking hyrax, who spent most of the day asleep in this tree.
Purple Grenadier: Kenya is full of great birds, but some are outstanding and this shockingly bright purple grenadier was awesome.
Black-bellied Bustard: The hotel was nice, the rooms were clean and well presented if a little small. The food was OK, but not great, especially the breakfasts but the pool was nice.
I liked how the lodges had large glass doors that looked on to a lawn and a few trees. A nice place to sit and read...or more birdwatching.
Back in the van after a very early start and back on the road for a safari drive - I loved it.
Jackal: The Masai Mara is completely different to what we have seen , vast grassland, lush pastures and large open areas.
Warthog: The migratory large mammals of Masai Mara National Reserve are present from approximately late July – early August until end of October – early November. But the Mara offers year-round game viewing
Grant's Gazelle: Here is the rarer Grants gazelle, a bigger and paler version of a gazelle species lacking the characteristic black strip along the flank of the Thomson's.
Thomson's Gazelle: The reserve and surrounding conservancies offer diverse resident species experiences during safari excursions. You will frequently see impalas, topis, giraffes, elephants, zebras, buffalos, warthogs and other grazing herbivores.
Black-backed Jackal:With so many prey animals, Masai Mara is a veritable bonanza for large predators, such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, crocodiles and other stealthy, powerful hunters.
Here was our first jackal casually pacing through some wildebeests.
Tawny Eagle.
Cheetah: Then after a long drive across the vast plains we came across our first cheetah.
The cheetah is one of the most fascinating predators in the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. A cheetah, walking across the plains is one of the most beautiful creatures on earth: long-legged and slender, graceful like a model on the catwalk.
The global wild cheetah population estimates between 7,500 and 10,000 animals with the Kenyan population considered to be one of the strongholds for the species in Africa.
African Lion: More lions entertained us as this lioness sheltered from the heat of the day.
She had more sense then us lot hanging out of our zipped down roof in the hot sun.
Helmeted Guineafowl: Plenty of these scurrying about the tussocks and through the grass.
Several individuals had bizarre helmet spurs and shapes, others had the traditional large helmeted crown.
Bateleur: By the early morning light we slowed down and watched an adult bateleur drinking in a pool.
Rosy-breasted longclaw: Almost every bird that jumped up out of the grass was interesting.
Such as this longclaw.
Pallid Harrier.
Wattled plover: Springing from the tall grass came lots of plovers.
Red-necked Spurfowl: Also spurfowl ran across the path as the van came crashing and roaring down the roads.
Spotted Hyena: It was great to get up close to some of Masai's hyenas.
Hyenas are widespread and found in most habitats. Spotted hyenas are found in all habitats, including savannas, grasslands, woodlands, forest edges, subdeserts, and even mountains.
The hyena is Africa’s most common large carnivore. There are three hyena species, spotted, brown, and striped. Spotted hyenas are the largest of the three. They are fairly large in build and have relatively short torsos with lower hindquarters, and sloping backs. They have excellent night-time vision and hearing.
This individual was sporting a tracking collar.
Cheetah: Here is a mother cheetah with her cub.
African Lion: This is a bizarre and special moment, after a long drive over the Savannah, this was one of the best moments of the whole trip...
We came across a male and female lion that allowed us to be really close to them without disturbing their natural behaviours. One of which was mating, where I managed to get an image of the male roaring.
Warthog: Lions, cheetahs, leopards, painted dogs, hyenas, and eagles all like to snack on a warthog when they get a chance. Warthogs have longer legs than other swine. This allows them to run away from these potential predators, reaching speeds of up to 34 miles (55 kilometres) per hour.
Mongoose: Another snack sized mammal we saw was this troop of mongoose's or is it mongeese?
Thompson's Gazelle: A staple of the African grasslands.
Black-chested Snake Eagle: Obvious to ID from their white and black patterns.
Lappet-faced Vulture: The lappet-faced vulture has an impressive wingspan of nearly three metres and is willing to take on a jackal to defend a carcass. Smaller scavengers often depend on the lappet-faced vulture to break through hides of bigger carcasses.
There are two subspecies of lappet-faced vulture. The African subspecies, (Torgos tracheliotus tracheliotus), has mostly dark brown to black feathers, which contrast starkly with the white thighs and white bar running across the leading edge of the underwing, clearly visible in flight. .
The north-east African subspecies, (Torgos tracheliotus negevensis), is altogether browner, including partially brown thighs, with only some individuals showing white on the underwing, and those individuals formerly found in Israel also having pure white feathers on their backs.
Side by side with a superb starling.
Crowned Lapwing.
Marico Sunbird: One afternoon while walking past the food hall a small bright flash streaked past and landed on a Bird of paradise flower (Strelitzia).
After fixing my binoculars on it I was thrilled to see an adult male Marico sunbird.
This stunning sunbird is often found in more arid areas, where it is a common resident in woodland and savanna. The male can be separated from purple-banded sunbird by its larger size, longer bill and broader purple breast band.
It was busily feeding, visiting each flower head and buzzing to the next.
A stunning bird indeed, but a tricky bird to photograph as it wouldn't stay still!
White-browed Robin Chat: The lodge regularly put out bird food and kitchen scraps to attract the birds.
I loved the fact they did this, every lodge should be doing this.
I spent much of my free time sitting and watching the bird visit the ground feeders that were at times crammed with weavers, starlings and finches.
I even saw a couple of robin chats and its young visit a couple of times.
Woodland Kingfisher: A familiar sound when sitting on the porch reading was the crackling call of the woodland kingfisher.
Speckled Mousebird.
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu: This was the only one I saw, it was down in the scrub near the viewing platform.
Superb Starling: One of my favourite birds of the trip and one that was common and in good numbers around the lodge.
The superb starling is a small but distinctive bird, with metallic greens and blues on its chest, back and wings. They are fearless of man and, because of this, they are often found near villages and towns.
Hildebrant's Starling: Here is another awesome looking starling.
Beautiful charismatic little birds.
Speckle-fronted Weaver: This weaver is one of the smallest weavers. It is finch-like, with a short stubby bill. The head pattern is distinctive (see right) - the black feathers on the crown are tipped white, giving a speckled effect, which gives rise to its name.
The nape is chestnut and there is a black moustachial streak surrounding the broad pale grey face. The sexes are alike. The juvenile is like the adult but paler, especially on the nape, which is tawny rather than chestnut.
Olive Baboon: I was happily sitting and watching the birds when a troop of baboons came in to the lodge's grounds.
They were fine for a short while before they started following me.
Purple Grenadier: I returned to the main lodge and left the baboons to do their own bird watching.
Violet-backed Starling: Here we have a new species of starling.
The violet backed starling is also known as the amethyst starling. This species is highly sexually dimorphic, meaning the male and female starlings are easily told apart.
The male has a bright metallic purple head and back, with a bright white chest and stomach. The female in comparison is rather drab, with mainly brown plumage with a white speckled stomach. This species is rather small compared to other starlings.
Chin-spot Batis: And another new bird, this time by first batis of the trip.
The beautiful little chin-spot batis is a fairly common bird, found throughout large parts of Africa south of the Sahara Desert and can be found in orchards and gardens, where it feeds almost exclusively on insects and spiders foraged from among the bark and leaves of trees and shrubs.
These very active little birds (adults weigh only about 12g) move around singly or in pairs, often in mixed groups together with other small insectivorous bird species.
Both sexes build the cup-shaped nest of shredded leaves bound together with spider web and camouflaged with lichen in a fork of a (often thorny) tree. Breeding takes place in spring and summer, when 1-4 eggs are incubated by the female for around 18 days.
During this time the female rarely leaves the nest as the male supplies her with food. Both parents take care of the chicks, which leave the nest at around 16-18 days old but stay with their parents for another 6-14 weeks. The male defends the pair’s territory all year round.
Red-fronted Barbet: And then I came across another new bird, my first barbet of the trip!
The red-fronted barbet is a northeast African endemic, widespread in dry bush and woodland.
Hildebrandt's Starling.
Bare-faced go-away-bird: Whats a great name for a bird - the bare-faced go-away-bird.
It gets its name from the call it makes.
Starlings: A gang of starling, reminding me of how my own garden starling flock together on my feeders.
Woodland Kingfisher: I saw this bird almost everyday and watched as it foraged from a perch feeding on invertebrates on the lawn.
Very vocal you often heard it before you saw it.
Superb Starling and Black-headed Weaver: Back at the ground feeder to watch the starlings and weavers.
Superb Starling: Take a look at this stunner, you can keep your lions, zebras and cheetah - these are superb.
Long-tailed Ruppell's Starling: Another visitor to the ground feeder was this glossy, vibrant bird.
The Long-tailed Starling is a large starling, ranging from 28–41 cm in length, including the tail. There are no differences between the sexes. The tail is very long, as long or longer than the body.
Topi: Back out on another safari and we came across some topi, some were even fighting.
Their favourite habitats are floodplains, but they are sometimes found in dry areas of open savanna and park woodland, taking to the shade during the heat of the day.
The largest number of topis are found in Southern Sudan and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park.
Cheetah: One of my favourite big cats it was always great to see these during the safari drives.
Giraffe fight!
Not only did we witness a topi fight, but we also saw a battle between two giant giraffe.
They stood in the distance frantically thrashing their long necks and horns in to each others bodies.
Topi: Here was the topi fight, there was a large amount of vehicles that were parked on the track with dozens of onlookers hanging out of windows and rooftops.
Really exciting to watch first-hand.
Yellow-billed Oxpecker: Feeding in huge number.
Cape Buffalo: The Cape buffalo, also called African buffalo, the largest and most formidable of Africa’s wild bovines and a familiar sight to visitors of African parks and reserves.
Cape Buffalo: The Cape buffalo is the only member of the buffalo and cattle tribe (Bovini) that occurs naturally in Africa. (The forest, or red, buffalo, S. caffer nanus, a much smaller and less familiar subspecies, inhabits forests and swamps of Central and West Africa.)
Yellow-billed Oxpecker: With such a big herd comes a big smell.
Yeah they stank!
But where there are large amounts of smelly buffalo poo there are large amount of insects and in turn large amounts of oxpeckers.
And oxpeckers where aptly named as they fed mainly on the insects around and on these mightily oxes -well buffalo's.
Take a look at the view!!!!
Hello you!
African Lion: Following the herd were a small pride of lions.
The proverbial “king of beasts”, the lion has been one of the best-known wild animals since earliest times.
One lioness even had a small party of cubs that were playing on her when she went to sit down with them.
Simply brilliant to witness.
Yellow-throated Longclaw.
Found on prairies and grasslands, they are surprisingly like meadowlarks (family Icteridae), which are New World birds; both are the same size and shape and have streaked brown backs, bright yellow underparts, a black V on the neck, and white tail feathers.
Fan-tailed Widowbird.
Our plan was to to spend the day searching for leopards.
The leopards are agile swimmers and also the strongest climbers among the large cats (hanging in the trees makes them seem lazy). The leopard is extremely elusive and is often mistaken for other large cats such as the jaguar or the cheetah.
We drove for miles and put a lot of time in looking at the best areas, our driver knew some important resting sites that we drove to.
But saw no leopards....
Little Bee-eater: Plenty of decent birds from bee-eaters, to widow birds to rollers.
Lilac-breasted Roller: If only the sun was on the other side of the van!
Ruppell's Long-tailed Starling: Take a look it the colour of this glossy plumage - just brilliant.
African Lion: Impressive and aw-inspiring.
The number of African lions in the wild is declining and they’re now thought to be at risk of extinction. Over the last ten years their numbers have gone down by 30%.
The main threat facing African lions in the wild is being killed as part of organised hunts.
Nile Crocodile: We followed the river looking for leopard....
Bateleur: We looked in the trees looking for jaguars....
I looked in the sky looking for birds.....
Lappet-faced Vulture: And apart from some large birds of prey and crocs we didn't see any jaguars.
Nile Crocodile: Still it was a lovely, longer drive across the Masai.
Vultures.
Hooded Vulture: After seeing several species of vultures I was thrilled to see the smaller hooded, feeding on an old mangled leg from some long dead mammal.
Kenya is home to nine vulture species, seven of these are listed in the Red Data Book of Birds of Kenya as facing a threat of extinction.
The Hooded Vulture was recently upgraded by the IUCN and is now considered globally endangered - this was the only one I saw during our trip.
Secretarybird: Vultures are threatened by poisoning, persecution, electrocution and collision with power lines, drowning in farm reservoirs in drier parts of the country, shortage of safe food supplies and loss of suitable habitat.
Grey-backed Fiscal: Other threats to vultures, such as use in traditional medicine and divination, or the capture and illegal trade in live birds, have also been identified.
Grey-headed Heron: Lurking in the grass near the pool.
Bateleur: Sitting with Dawn having a cold drink by the pool and I saw this soaring bateleur fly over.
Giving us some good views of its under wing pattern and sort tail, characteristic of this species.
Superb birds.
Bronzy Sunbird:
A very pretty small bird with glossy green and black plumage, a long black down curved bill and a long black tail.
Purple-banded Sunbird (female): The bushes at the front of the lodge held good numbers of sunbirds and a good variety too.
Purple-banded Sunbird.
Little Bee-eater: I really enjoyed just siting with my binoculars and camera, listening and watching the marvellous African birds.
Just watching this little bee-eater resting for a moment on a perch then taking off to catch a fly before landing on another low branch.
I could have spent the day here watching birds.
There was a small open area surrounded by trees that looked out on to some unoccupied lodges.
I made regular trip to this area.
Hippopotamus: Back to the viewing platform to watch the hippos and look out for new birds, and I'm glad I did.
On this particular visit, the pool had the largest amount of hippos that I had seen there before, this made them come out of the water more and show different behaviours than before - such as this 'yawning' behaviour.
This behaviour is a territorial behaviour and not actually a yawn.
Black Crake: Several crakes scurried around the edge of the pool.
Three-banded Plover.
Water Thick-Knee.
African Elephant: Impressive and slightly scary when this large bull came charging past us.
Widowbird: Springing up and down like on some sort of trampoline were several species of widowbirds.
Pygmy Kingfisher: Stopping to take pictures of a nearby hammerkop and this tiny blue and orange bird alighted on a nearby grass strand.
Hammerkop: Wading in a nearby pool near their giant nest site.
Jackson's Widowbird: It's extraordinary long tail evolved through female mate choice, these birds were awesome to see.
Rufous-naped Lark.
Hammerkop Nest: An impressively large structure.
White-bellied Bustard: On our last day I finally got close to a medium sized bustard.
I had seen several, but they were often in the deep long grass where I could only see a black neck and head or a silhouetted bustard shape in the distance.
I was thrilled to finally see one up close and personal.
This bird wasn't shy and allowed us to follow it in the van giving us superb views of it's features.
Oh yaeh, I would like to give a special thanks to Eddie Williams for the help with pinning down some of the birds.
Cheetah kill: We continued on the track that would bring us back to the lodge and the driver saw something out of the ordinary.
Our driver suddenly got really excited and drove off to a nearby bush. - we found a kill, although we missed the chase and the catch, we were the first to find this big cat with it's dinner.
Our driver allowed us to spend sometime watching the cat and it's cub feeding on the gazelle before picking up his radio receiver and putting news and location out to the other drivers.
Going on safari gives real perspective on the term ‘survival of the fittest’. If you can’t outrun or outsmart your predator, you’re dead. Anyone that gets to witness a stalk or a kill on safari is incredibly lucky, but it’s not always a sight that everyone wants to see.
Every guide has eagle eyes and will spot any potential stalk far before you, and keep you a safe distance from the scene.
Take a look at the little cub standing within the bush.
They tore into the gazelle, secluded and safe from other predators and scavengers. There is something truly special when witnessing a hunt or a kill, but I got to witness the food chain process.
Once the mother cheetah got her turn she made sure her young cheetah kitten had a turn, I guess it wont be too long before others turn up and force her off the food. What a day!
Cheetah hunting success rate is 58%.
A study from the Serengeti in 2012 observed 192 cheetah pursuits, of which 114 ended in a kill – a success rate of 58 per cent. In order to stop larger carnivores from stealing their hard-earned meals, they move them to more secluded, shadier spots – even so, research suggests they are ousted 10 per cent of the time.
Unfortunately, we had to head back then, as we were already going to be in breach of curfew. Seeing this as we started to head back was the most amazing part of the day.
Nature is truly amazing.
Marabou Stork: Our final stop was back at the fuelling station, the one we stopped at on the way in to the Masai, this time we had a field full of marabou.
Unfortunately we also had two dead hyenas on the road out of the reserve, one was pretty close to the fuelling station.
A sad note to finish on, but it highlighted the importance of these protected nature reserves.
Effective wildlife conservation in Kenya calls for immediate and long-term changes in practice, management and perception towards wildlife and its conservation. Conservation Education is instrumental in soliciting for support from both local and international communities. Challenges facing conservation are increasing by the day.
Changing lifestyles have led our populations to be disconnected from matters of conservation of wildlife and its habitats. To most students, teachers and community members, a visit to the parks is a learning experience and one I can't recommend highly enough.
My total birds species list was: 308
