Friday, October 29, 2010

5 Lion Cubs in the Masai Mara

Five well-fed lion cubs from the Masai Mara. This was taken well before the annual migration this year, evidence that this pride was doing well.

See location here.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Turaco- Nairobi Kenya

Hartlaub's Turaco, taken earlier this month in my back yard- Nairobi.

This species lives in mature highland closed-canopy forest & is adept at 'crawling' through trees in search of nuts & fruit.

See the location here.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Evening Ablutions- Lake Baringo at dusk

A Njemps tribe fisherman washes at water's edge on Ol Kokwe Island, Lake Baringo in the Rift Valley.

See Location here

Monday, October 25, 2010

'On the Trot'- Jackal in Nairobi Park

Taken in the Nairobi park at dusk- one of those 'chancer' shots that I don't really expect will turn out.

For those interested- here's the EXIF tech specs of the photo- ain't digital photgraphy grand??

Model - NIKON D90
DateTime - 2010:08:08 18:29
ExposureTime - 1/125 seconds
FNumber - 5.00
ISOSpeedRatings - 1000
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Flash not fired, auto mode
FocalLength - 150.00 mm

Friday, October 22, 2010

Lake Baringo Cormorant

A Long-tailed Cormorant from Lake Baringo in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya.

Travel Companions- Mara Migration

I'm not sure of the actual ratio of Wildebeest to Burchell's Zebra in the annual Migration between the Serengeti and Masai Mara, but I'd estimate something like 9:1 (Gnu:zebra). Zebra seem more calculating & less prone to the skittish behaviour which so characterises the Gnu... I'm sure that there's a symbiosis between these travel companions with the Gnu benefiting from the Zebra's tactical leadership and the Zebra benefiting from lowered predation as carnivores pick off the more numerous & possibly less cautious Gnus around
them.

See the general area of the migration through the Serengeti & Mara  HERE.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Three to an ambach- Njemps Children, Lake Baringo Kenya

Three Njemps children paddle their father's traditional reed 'ambach' on Lake Baringo in Kenya's Great Rift Valley. Baringo Island camp helps fund their school, serving a population of some 3000 people living on Ol Kokwe Island in the center of the lake.

Click to see location:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Lake+Baringo+Kenya&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.527387,86.572266&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Lake+Baringo,+Rift+Valley+Province,+Kenya&ll=0.612819,36.077042&spn=0.160322,0.338173&t=h&z=12

Monday, October 18, 2010

Lake Naivasha Flamingos

One step too close and half the flock took to the air. I do try to avaoid disturbing the wildlife, but it happens sometimes.

Lake Oliedon- AKA 'Little Lake' or 'A Lake' is a sometimes-connected appendage of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Vally and hosts transient flocks of Lesser (pictured) and Greater Flamingo.

See Naivasha on Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Lake+Naivasha+Kenya&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.527387,86.572266&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Lake+Naivasha,+Sulmac+Village,+Rift+Valley+Province,+Kenya&t=h&z=12

Friday, October 15, 2010

Goliath Heron- Lake Baringo

The Goliath Heron.

Lake Baringo is an important breeding area for this impressive 5 ft. tall bird.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Mara Vulture & Dead Tree

Dead trees & vultures seem to go together somehow....

This is the Ruppell's Griffon Vulture- the most numerous vulture in the Mara.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Mount Kenya at Dusk

Mount Kenya at dusk. This mountain is deemed to have the largest basal area to height ratio in the world. It's an old extinct volcano with a height of 5199m, directly upon the equator.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Snowy Egret fly-by; Lake Baringo Kenya

Snowy Egret- one of my favourite subjects. This was taken at Lake Baringo in the Great Rift Valley.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Some young grasshoppers found in a cluster at the base of a clump of broad-leafed grass in Nanyuki. They were approx 11mm in length excluding antennae.

Friday, October 8, 2010

A young mature female emerges from the riverine forest bordering the Mara Triangle near Little Governor's Camp in the Masai Mara, Kenya.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

The Water Thick-Knee bird: Lake Baringo

Water Thick-Knee, a nocturnally active shore bird  resident at Lake Baringo in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya