TANZANIA 2010: The 8th Wonder of the World – part 2

The largest concentration of predators in the world is believed to exist within the crater, with the highest numbers belonging to the much maligned opportunists, the Spotted Hyenas. A vehicle spotted along a track peeked our curiosity enough for us to stop and see what might be around. Amongst a thick patch of perennials we could see three kit Golden Jackals (above). A short distance away their parents were doing their best to keep the hyenas at bay.

The crater holds a small population of Black Rhino’s (above) and one of these rare mammals with her calf was spotted a good distance away from the tracks, but on a knoll in full view.

The Ngoitokitok Springs picnic site is the only place in the crater where we are allowed out of our vehicles. We were joined for lunch, not only by dozens of other vehicles, but by ravenous Rufous-tailed Weavers, Helmeted Guineafowl and Yellow-billed Kites (above), all too eager to pick off any food they could see from unsuspected safari goers. Along the edge of spring roosting Black-crowned Night-Herons and Long-tailed Cormorant where joined by a Yellow-billed Stork.

As the thunder got louder and a storm closed in on us we left the picnic site just as the rain started coming down. Knowing that most of the rain falls on the eastern side we ventured in the opposite direction and away from the weather. We paused for Lesser Spotted Eagle, Secretary Bird and a Eurasian Roller before the sun came out.

On a hill we caught sight of an outline of a lion on the ridge. It turned out that it was a male with a female besides him. As we scanned we came across several more. It was not long before the female got up and the male followed her down the slope towards us (above). That type of behavior means only one thing – they are on honeymoon! It got exciting, as we watched for over an hour various situations unfold.

Fifteen individuals made up this pride, including two males, three females and their mostly younger offspring. One of these younger females began to stalk a distant Wildebeest. She led the way as two others followed crossing the track behind us. In reality they were just repositioning themselves for what would likely be a hunt after dark.

One of the younger cubs joined the courting couple and seemed to vie for the attention of its mother much to the displeasure of the male. Meanwhile we could see the youngest members of the pride wander down from the rocky outcropping on the bluff to join a resting female sleep in the open near the base of the hill several hundred meters away.

We decided to stay where we were and see if this couple would mate. What unfolded was tremendous action. There was the briefest of matings followed by a short nap. A second pair of lions then came down the hill towards the mating couple and that led to the two males fighting (above) before they parted to a more comfortable distance from each other. This root of this quarrel was likely because both females were in estrous. Maybe it was the end of the honeymoon for the first pair and the begin for the other pair?

As we worked our way towards the Lerai ascent road we found ourselves back in the rain and encountered our first herds of elephants including some feeding in the Gorigor Swamp. This was a productive spot with an assortment of waterfowl, herons and egrets, Collared Pratincoles, African Spoonbills as well as an uncommon migrant a Spotted Redshank, that Colin found.

Leaving the swamp we came across a Kori Bustard walking down the dirt road with her two chicks (above) who must have only been a couple of days old. Dodging the puddles they eventually wandered off the track and into the taller grasses.

It isn’t until one climbs up the crater that you realize how steep the wall really is. Even with a 4-wheel drive there are times when we would stop for a bird and have trouble getting going again. In the upper reaches of the Lerai ascent a Abyssinian Crimsonwing rummaged around the roadside verge; Hunter’s Cisticola and Brown Woodland Warblers bounced about the hedgerow and we caught sight of a Narina Trogon.

The following morning our return to the crater began with great excitement as shouts of “Serval” got everyone off their seats, to catch the cat running across the road towards the crater lip and sadly, out of sight. A flock of Cape Rooks seemed to take pleasure in taunting the Maasai cattle grazing near where the Serval vanished.

By the time we got to the descent road, we left the fog on the rim and had a gorgeous day ahead of us. Near the entrance gate we got good looks at Yellow-bellied Waxbill and African Firefinch and on the way down we added Klaas’ Cuckoo, Tacazze Sunbird, Golden-winged Sunbird (above), Wailing Cisticola, Long-crested Eagle, Steppe Eagle and Purple Grenadier.

Other highlights included a pair of Lanners and a Snipe that was likely an African. We found a Lappet-faced Vulture and Black-backed Jackal patiently waiting to get a piece of meat from a carcass a Spotted Hyena was feeding upon. When the hyena decided to pick up a leg and run off with it, seven other members of her clan came in hot pursuit.

The Lerai Forest (above) was relatively quiet with only White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher and Grey-backed Fiscal being new trip birds. At Gorigor Swamp a Black Egret was a wonderful sighting, while the ducks included Yellow-billed Duck, Southern Pochard, Pintail and Shovelor. Sadly by mid morning we had to make our way back out of the crater. We did pick up Pangani Longclaw before the ascent. Mountain and Augur Buzzards could be seen circling on the rim as we got one last view of Africa’s Eden.

Before leaving our lodge, the Ngorongoro Serena, we found a very confiding magnificent Schalow’s Turaco (above) which made up for the previous briefest encounters.