Lion- Nairobi Park, Kenya

A keen-eyed fellow from Nairobi Park. It's been a good year for the Park's Lions, at least by appearance.

It's been a good year for pic-a-day too. Many thanks for all your support. I'm off till the 4th or 5th of January.

See y'all next year, and have a good holiday.

Mt. Kenya Colobus

A young Colobus monkey. Colobus are 100% vegetarian (eat shoots and leaves) and do not have opposable thumbs.

Nairobi Park Lioness

This lioness had three half-grown cubs to feed & seemed to be coping quite well.

Merry Christmas everyone!

elk

'Swamp Ellies'- Amboseli Kenya

This photo of Amboseli 'Swamp Ellies' is popular at my exhibition and I'd neglected to include it in the online gallery of exhibited photos ( http://www.pbase.com/pinicola/elk_exhib1 ), so here it is...

'HoverFly'- Macro photo, Laikipia Kenya

I've always noticed these little flies- I call them 'HoverFlies'- that for reasons unknown are in the habit of hovering for minutes on end in precisely the same spot before darting away to take up a new position not far off.

This one, all of 7mm from wingtip to wingtip held position so well I was able to take my time to focus in and capture some detail of it's appearance.

Kongoni- Nairobi Park, Kenya

This Male Kongoni (Coke's Hartebeest) has been out rooting around scent-marking the perimeter of his territory. How could the females resist?

I've created a gallery of the photos in my current exhibition at: http://www.pbase.com/pinicola/elk_exhib1 so please drop by for a look!

Tawny Eagle- Nairobi Park, Kenya

Mature Tawny Eagle on a rather prickly perch in Nairobi Park.

Kirk's Dik-dik: Laikipia, Kenya

Kirk's Dik-dik, Madoqua kirkii, reaches a height of only 35-45 cm at the shoulder. The male is noticeably smaller than the female and they pair for life. They are well adapted to dry conditions, metabolising all the water they need from their food which consists of leaves, buds, flowers, fruit as well as grass.

This is an older male showing some scars from close encounters with predators (including wild dogs, leopard, cheetah, lion & a couple of the larger birds of prey).

Photo Location: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=N+00%C2%B036.70+E+036%C2%B047.94&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=0.601362,36.840119&spn=0.024546,0.027595&sll=0.500558,36.510315&sspn=0.392745,0.441513&vpsrc=6&t=h&z=15

Zebra- Nairobi Park, Kenya

A Photoshopped pair of Zebra from Nairobi Park.

Great Egret- Lake Baringo Kenya

A Great Egret from Lake Baringo. Interesting to see the wing structure so clearly.

An interesting looking character from Nairobi Park. It doesn't take long to distinguish one lion 'face' from another.

GULP! Somebody talked me into it........

After nearly 40 years of lugging a camera around Kenya it's time to expose my product to the most critical type of audience... potential customers!  All are welcome, I'll have 42 framed images and I'm nervous.

Malachite Kingfisher- Nairobi Park, Kenya

This is the final pic from a series taken earlier this year in Nairobi Park. This little fish-eater was a particularly photogenic character.

Crowned Crane- Nairobi Park, Kenya

I hadn't realised Crowned Cranes had such big feet! They feed in and around swamps quite a bit, so I suppose they are adapted to walking in mud. Standing around 4 ft high, they must weigh over 10 kg.

Zebra Graphic- Nairobi Park Kenya

Gearing up for my first-ever exhibition here which begins on the 13 this month. This'll feature- printed on canvas 87 x 60 cm (34x24 in) with a thin black frame.

A Fish-Eagle 'Fishing'. Lake Baringo.

Lion Cubs Mauling Prey! Masai Mara Kenya

Oh that poor stick!

Sisal Growth Macro Detail- Nairobi Kenya

Sisal 'leaves' are single thorn-tipped blades that can reach a length of nearly 2 meters. The cluster opens from a single base with older leaves incubating younger leaves successively within. This type from my back yard lives for between 7 and 10 years attaining a circumference of up to 3.5 meters. They flower once and die- sending a single flower-tipped stalk over 4 meters vertically.

Heavy nectar-laden yellow flower clusters at the apex attract swarms of honey-bees, bee-eaters and bush-babies at night. This reproductive effort draws nutrients from the fleshy leaves and thick root, which shrivels and dries, eventually allowing the seed-laden to be blown over.... depositing it's seeds to grow from where the tip of the tall stalk lands; 4 to 5 meters away from the parent.

Egyptian Goose Bathing- Nairobi Park, Kenya

A power-shower for this Goose. It was vibrating as hard as it could.... seemed pretty efficient!

Female Impala- Nairobi Park, Kenya

A female Impala daintily nibbles at succulent- and well protected- Acacia leaves in Nairobi Park. I can aaaaaalmost see my reflection in her eye.

Egret in Flight- Baringo Kenya

This fly-by photo of this Greater Egret from Lake Baringo converts rather elegantly to black & white image I think. I just might blow this one up to make a large print in a black frame....

Spotted Eagle-Owl- Nairobi Kenya

Approximately 12 birds of four species and two squirrels were scolding this owl just outside my kitchen window the other day. He seemed unperturbed.....

Young Colobus Monkey- Mount Kenya.

This little chap is probably around a month old- losing the infant's white coat for the typical black & white Colobus pelt. Taken in Nanyuki, Mt. Kenya.

Lion Duet- the music of Nairobi Park, Kenya

It's quite an experience to be so close to a lion when it roars- let alone two!

VineVegetation Detail- Nanyuki Kenya

I found this vine creeper along the Burguret Rive at our Trout Farm  at the base of Mt. Kenya today (www.tamtrout.com). Nice to be able to send it to you directly from here!

Lioness- Nairobi Park, Kenya

This lioness was caring for three active half-grown cubs when spotted the other day in Nairobi Park.

Lappet Faced Vulture- Nairobi Park, Kenya

Lappet-Faced Vulture, Nairobi Park. This one's for Shiv Kapila, a raptor biologist here in Kenya (www.shivkapila.com). Keep up the good work!

Jackson's Chameleon- Nairobi Kenya

One of a series of shots taken last year using a remote flash. A Jackson's Chameleon, Nairobi.

Young Elephant- Masai Mara, Kenya

This little 'un has time to admire the flowers!

Grants Gazelle- Amboseli, Kenya

A healthy looking male Grants Gazelle from Amboseli Park.

Male Lion (B&W)- Nairobi Park, Kenya

One of three young males we encountered in Nairobi Park a couple weeks ago.

Egyptian Goose- Nairobi Park, Kenya

An Egyptian Goose- one of the few birds that can be found EVERYWHERE throughout Kenya where there is permanent fresh water below 3000m altitude. Obviously a very adaptable bird.

White-Bellied Go-Away Bird. Amboseli Kenya

A White-Bellied Go-Away Bird. Aside from bleating like a sheep, it's call is also "G'wa!" (go away!). This one was found in Amboseli.

Hatchling Green Turtle- Lamu Kenya

Heading into the surf- a Green Turtle's first steps (Manda Island, Lamu Kenya).

Pied Kingfisher- Baringo Kenya

Looking fast while standing still- the sleek Pied Kingfisher is a purpose-built tool made to bridge the air/water divide.

Two Little Bee-Eaters, Nanyuki Kenya

Little Bee-Eater from Nanyuki Kenya.

Young Elephant- Masai Mara, Kenya

A young elephant with It's older sister 'minder' in the Mara Triangle Conservancy area of the Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Hada Ibis- Nairobi Park, Kenya

What's noisier than a Hadada Ibis??? TWO of them!  This was taken in Nairobi Park early Oct. '11.

Lioness- Nairobi Park Kenya

Keen eyesight. She was watching a group of Kongoni on a ridge almost one kilometer away. This was taken in Nairobi Park earlier this month (Oct 2011).

Hyena Pups- Amboseli Kenya

Lounging around the den on the Amboseli plains, these three half-grown Hyena pups are part of a large group located close to the swamps.

Lesser Egret- Lake Baringo, Kenya

Quite the costume here- what with the yellow feet & accessory feathers on head & breast. A Lesser Egret from Lake Baringo.

Flying Fox- Syechelles

 

Anotther pic of that fabulous furry Fruit Bat from the Seychelles- the aptly named 'Flying Fox'.

Urban Eland- Nairobi Park, Kenya

The dichotomy of Nairobi park is fascinating; on one side you have hundreds of square kilometers of wild savanna leading though to the expanse of the Great Rift Valley (yes, migratory corridors are still open). On the other side you've got downtown Nairobi with it's increasingly prickly skyline. Long Live Nairobi Park!

Male Lion- Masai Mara Kenya

This big fella was keeping a close eye on my activities from his vantage point on a small hill in the Mara Triangle.

Wooly-Necked Stork, Masai Mara Kenya

An odd bird and not very common to the Mara, the Woolly-Necked Stork is most often spotted along lagoons at Kenya's coast.

Hermit Crab- Lamu, Kenya

This 3-inch Hermit Crab protects his intertidal territory with a (relatively) fearsome weapon.

Two Little Bee-Eaters, Nanyuki Kenya

There must be a suitable caption for this.... just couldn't find it! 
Two Little Bee-Eaters on a Bottle-Brush tree near Nanyuki, Mt. Kenya.

Swamp Elephants- Amboseli Kenya

From my Amboseli archives: The daily routine of trekking back to the acacia forests after a morning wallowing (and grazing) in the swamps.

Crested Crane- Nanyuki Kenya

Up close and personal- Crested Crane- Nanyuki Kenya. Every once in a while one has t ask "Why???". Or- as an ecologist "How did THAT happen???"

Lion Portrait- Masai Mara, Kenya

Here's looking at you!