KENYA: Lake Nakuru NP

Over the course of an afternoon and the following morning we did a full circuit of the lake and while the birding is excellent, here the mammals were heavily featured.

As with Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru’s water level had receded tremendously making the anticipated Lesser Flamingo (below) show greatly diminished with fewer numbers. Sadly, the flamingos along with Great White Pelicans were well away from the shoreline since it was so shallow.

Where a narrow stream of freshwater enters the soda lake, shorebirds such as Curlew Sandpipers, Whimbrel, Black-winged Stilts, Pied Avocets, Kittlitz’s Plovers and Little Stints were actively feeding, alongside Garganey and tiny Hottentot Teals, named after Africa’s smallest tribe.

The mating ritual of Ostriches (above) caught our attention. A male was displaying as he strutted behind a female, having his black-and-white wings raised in the shape of a heart. He then got down on his knees – actually for birds it is their ankles – spread his wings out, and swayed his neck from side to side and back behind him, looking just like a snake. This display went on for several minutes. Needless to say the female was not impressed, preferring to continue feeding, and that put an end to any hope the male had on this occasion.

From the marsh we had noticed a Black-chested Snake Eagle (above) circling. It was not until later that we came across it standing in a depression. Since about all we could see of it was its head, though we could see it looking down and stomping, we surmised that it had to have caught a snake, which makes up most of its diet. It must have felt vulnerable in this dip and on two occasions walked out, before flying off without its catch. Since it had left, we did the same. A short while later we saw one with a snake in its talons, eating it on the wing. Maybe it returned to that spot and picked it up?

We were fortunate enough to see nocturnal Bat-eared Foxes at the entrance to their dens at first light. Shortly thereafter two Black-backed Jackals crossed in front of us as they followed a scent through the grasses. In spite of the hardships that lay ahead, there were many mammals that had recently given birth including Zebras, Buffalo and White Rhinoceros. We were able to get close to a White Rhinoceros with a one month old baby (above) as they grazed the short grasses adjacent to the southern section of the lake.

Whilst amongst a group of Rothschild Giraffes and Impalas, we spotted a Black Rhinoceros in the distance. It was not long before monitors with the Rhino Project showed up in their land rover. As they headed towards the rhino we spotted a pride of Lions in the shade of a Yellow-barked Acacia. The monitors got out their vehicles and as they were walking towards the rhino, 11 lions got up and ran in a line away from them, crossing the track that we were on. We left the giraffes, and went towards the lions. Once the rangers had checked on the rhino and left the area, the lions returned to the shade of the acacia. By now the giraffes were well aware of the lions and strolled over to a safe distance, about 80 meters away, to make sure that they knew exactly where their main predators were camped out.