Elephants, Acacias and Kilimanjaro

Here's to a New Year full of valued and protected natural beauty.

Amboseli Elephants & Palms

Part of an Amboseli family group.

Amboseli Gerenuk

Here's a local chap we've name named 'Rudolf'.

Merry Christmas everyone! I'll be back on the 27th.

Young Wart Hog, Lake Niavasha Kenya

A Wartlet.

Lion Cubs, Masai Mara Kenya

If you don't have to hunt & you've had enough sleep.... play!

Sand Grouse, Masai Mara Kenya

Female & male Yellow-throated Sandgrouse.

A Few Gnu

I wonder just how many gnus came into the Masai Mara this year....

Masai Mara Balloon

One way to rise & greet the dawn.

Masai Mara Leopard

Fabulous whiskers! The must help navigation in the dark & detecting wind direction.

Wildebeest & Elephants, Masai Mara Kenya

Belly-deep in Gnus.

Amboseli Elephants

Just another day in Amboseli...

Yellow-throated Longclaw, Masai Mara

Surveying the territory atop a well-browsed bush.

Rub-a-Dub Dub, Six Elephants in the Mara River!

Play time in the Mara River. Elephants sure know how to have fun!

Kilimanjaro, Acacia tortilis & Elephants

Another Amboseli pic taken a couple weekends ago. Who needs colour anyway?

Baloons and Rhino, Masai Mara Kenya

A couple of the Masai Mara's tourist attractions.

Mara River Water

Muddy bathwater from the Mara River.

Mara Lion Cubs

Evening playtime.

Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Kenya

 

Animals evolve in form and appearance for good reasons... hmm... Really??

Elephants & tortilis, Amboseli Kenya

Elephants and Acacia tortilis trees- one of my favourite combinations.

Elephant in the Mara Grassland

Like ships in a sea of grass.

Burchell Zebras, Masai Mara Kenya

Zebras are known for their 'no-holds-barred' fights...

Mt. Kilimanjaro, with Gnus

Classic Amboseli view.... with Gnus.

Masai Mara Elephant

Bath followed by a good scrubbing.

Masai Mara Elephants

A bit of a tangle.

Mara Lion Portrait

 

Seeing how soft & cuddly the lions were, a tourist asked his guide "Can I step out and pet that one?"

"Sure you can"  said the guide.... "Once".

Lamu Jahazi Sailboats

This is from last New Year's Lamu Jahazi race... just to break the monotony of wildlife an landscapes!

Leopard, Masai Mara Kenya

Framed in Mara wood.

Blue-Naped Mousebird, Lake Baringo Kenya

A Blue-Naped Mousebird navigating through some serious Acacia thorns.

Masai Mara Cheetah & Young

Two in the long Mara grass.

White Backed Vulture

A mature White-Backed Vulture from the Masai Mara.

Lake Baringo Dawn

Taken with my phone (Samsung S7) this morning from TeddyBear Island.

2018 Wildebeest Migration

Well, the migration is over for this year in the Masai Mara. The much smaller & resident Loita population will move around in the northern parts of the Mara ecosystem as determined by the rainfall patterns, but the Serengeti in Tanzania will host the (mainly dispersed) main population until July-August next year. Bon Voyage Gnus!

Mara Morning

Just another Mara sunrise....

Rains over Lake Baringo

The Short rains are here again. This was taken in Baringo, early November last year.

Gnus Galore, 2018 Wildebeest Migration

This year's migration hit the Mara  triangle en-mass rather late- in early October- ate most all the grass & left within 2 weeks.

Lilac Breasted Roller, Masai Mara Kenya

A pretty bird getting down & dirty.

Young Spoted Hyena, Masai Mara Kenya

Very nice looking.... when not drooling and covered in blood & gore.

Baby Warthogs, Lake Naivasha Kenya

Little Warties.

Masai Mara Leopards

Young Leopards leave their mothers between 18 - 22 months of age. This one may be around 14 months old.

Mara River Elephants

Pool Party!

Mara River Sunset

I managed to line up the setting sun with a nice stretch of the Mara River... took some organising!   :-)Mara r

The Origin of the Wildebeest

It's old local tribal lore that the Wildebeest was designed by a committee and assembled out of surplus parts.

Masai Mara Elephants

A big tangle.

Fish Eagle, Lake Baringo Kenya

Coordination!

Leopard, Masai Mara Kenya

A relaxed cat.

Young Elephants, Masai Mara Kenya

Play time!

Home Construction, Weaver Bird

Taking a break from construction (& checking the size).

Lion Portrait

A healthy young Mara male, not too scarred up from fighting yet.

Yellow-Headed Dwarf Gekko, Baringo Kenya

A little Dragon- well camouflaged.

Traditional Jahazi Boats, Kenya

Lamu Jahazis all in a row.