It goes without saying that sunrises in Kenya’s Mara are spectacular – the sky’s deep reds give way to brilliant oranges before melting away into cotton candy pinks and baby blues. So as you can imagine, it was mesmerizing to view the equally stunning super moon we had this week, just as it was setting behind the iconic escarpment early one morning before heading out on safari.
We came upon a fresh buffalo kill shortly after entering the park on our first drive of the week. Two lionesses and a very playful cub were blissfully unaware that breakfast would soon be interrupted by herd of buffalo – briefly oblivious to their presence – that grazed nearby.
They had to make a hasty retreat, disappearing into the long grass several times as the herd came thundering to the rescue of their already too far-gone friend. Eventually they moved on and the lions made a cautious return.
We watched as this enormous hippo crossed the road making its way to the river…
Only to gasp in surprise when this teeny tiny baby appeared trailing behind her. This is the youngest hippo I’ve ever seen, with its umbilical cord still attached.
A business of banded mongoose never fails to make me smile. These adorable and very skittish fellows are always on the lookout and always on the move.
So if a group of mongoose is a ‘business’ – would a group of giraffes walking down the Angama runway be a ‘catwalk’?
The stately Grant’s gazelle is a beauty to behold.
This must be the most orderly herd of elephants I’ve ever seen. Not a single one stepped out of line.
The birds of the Mara showed up in spectacular fashion too. This grey-backed fiscal being the first I saw.
A lone guineafowl surprised me by roosting up in a tree – something I didn’t know they could do.
These two male sooty chats duked it out– so immersed in their squabble that they didn’t notice us driving up to them.
The lady whose attention they were vying for was completely unimpressed.
It wasn’t just sooty chats that wouldn’t give us way, this dark chanting goshawk wouldn’t move until his morning meditation was complete.
A black coucal took a more authoritative stance as it dried its feathers in the early morning sun.
This hamerkop wasn’t about to drop his breakfast on our behalf.
Despite the sunny weather this past week, we still found ourselves firmly planted in a muddy hole for a record 5 hours and 15 minutes and in need of rescuing.
In a hilarious turn of events, our rescue team also needed rescuing after getting stuck too.
At Angama Several hours, another rescue team and lots of mud later, we were back safe and sound and already looking forward to what this coming week at Angama will bring.
Two years ago, a hamerkop enjoyed an unusual meal, pecking at the remains of a warthog kill. There are plenty of shallow pools of water currently scattered across the Mara – the perfect hunting ground for hamerkop to find part of their usual staple diet – fish.
