KENYA: Across the Rift Valley to Nairobi NP

It is another long drive as we headed through the Loita Plains and across the Rift Valley to Nairobi. It is mainly an open landscape with a few Maasai bomas (above), punctuated with stands of acacias. Along the way we saw Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Usambiro Barbet, Silverbird and paused for a group of vultures on a cattle carcass, including African White-backed and Ruppell’s and a Hooded looking for any little piece that the Marabou Storks would allow it to take. A break in the drive at the Olare Gift Stand left Sue lighter in the wallet.

Once through Narok, one would not know that you were now entering the Great Rift Valley as the descent is barely noticeable. It is not until we reach the Longonot Escarpment (above) on the eastern side that one realizes this most distinctive geological feature, that opened up about 65 million years ago shortly after the dinosaurs became extinct. It is because of this escarpment, as well as the one we climbed several days ago at Iten, that the Rift Valley is deepest and therefore most noticeable here in Kenya. The Rift is not limited to just East Africa, in fact it extends 6000 kilometers, from Lebanon in the Middle East to Mozambique in Southern Africa, and ranges in elevation from below sea level at the Dead Sea to over 6000 feet in Southern Kenya.

We entered Nairobi National Park for the last three hours of daylight covering a great deal of the parks circuits. We had a few target species in mind beginning with a pair of Nairobi Pipits, split from Long-billed Pipit. Several groups of Long-tailed Fiscals perched nicely on acacias along the track as did a small group of Northern Pied Babblers. Though it was terribly overcast with heavy dark patches of clouds we did not get any rain. We had hoped to locate some of the ducks that we were still missing but the dam and various water courses were bone dry. Two new species were added, Spur-winged Goose in a strip of marsh and a Dusky Turtle Dove. Groups of White-winged Widowbirds would burst out of the grasses as we drove by.

We were surprised by a pair of White-bellied Bustards (above), that for some reason decided to challenge us by duetting vociferously and charging towards us.

There was nice mix of mammals including Serval, Coke’s Hartebeest, Buffalo, Wildebeest, Elands (above) and White Rhinoceros.