Africa Day 9: Lion kill

After the day's wildlife viewing I went to the end of the tents at a river overlook. I went to get a clear view of the western horizon because I thought there would be good sunset. As I stood at the point I noticed a herd of wildebeest stampeding up river, as I looked down I saw that a lion had pulled down a young wildebeest and the lion had it by the neck. The wildebeest thrashed for a few minutes then died from the lion's crushing its throat. After awhile the lion dragged the kill to the side of the river, presumably to eat.

Africa Day 10

Started the day watching 2 lions walk upstream. After breakfast I spotted a skunk-like animal down in the valley, it turned out to be a Honey Badger, apparently one of the toughest and fierest animals in Africa. Nocturnal, it is unussual to see one in the daytime.
During the morning wildlife drive we came upon several groups of elephants, because this is towards the end of the dry season they have come here because of the permanant river. It is estmated there are over 500 in the park now. We also saw our first Elan, the largest antelope.
After lunch I sat on the cliff outside our lodge, above the river valley. About 250 wildebeest, 100 zebra, and a smattering of Eland, Impala, warthogs, ostrich came to the river to drink. After getting a drink, they started to slowly move away from the river to graze on the dry grasses. Suddenly a baboon issued a loud alarm call and all the animals began running from the river. But soon they calmed down, apparently no predator was sighted, and they continued grazing.

Africa Day 8

Today was mostly a long drive from the Serengeti National Park, back past Ngorongoro Crater National Park, then south to Tarangire National Park. The drive was mainly over dirt roads and took about 8 hrs. Because Tarangire has a year round river, it attracts wildlife during the dry season, which is now.
As always when driving we make few stops to check for birds, so even though most of the day was spent driving we still saw 105 species of birds including 17 ones not yet seen. We also saw our first Common Waterbuck and large numbers of Baobab trees. The trees are thousands of years old, despite the elephants which rip up the tree trunks to get the moist inner wood. Many Baobab trees show heavy scaring from elephants.
To enhance our safari experience tonight we are staying at Tarangire Safari Lodge, a tented camp. The camp is located on the edge of cliffs that overlook the river. Staying in the cam allows the sounds of the scrub forest to be clearly heard (just heard a monkey give an alarm call.). Before dinner I was relaxing over looking the river and saw a lion walking along the sand at the water's edge.

Africa, last day on the Serengeti

Today we drove to a visitor center and a few campgrounds where we could leave our van and look carefully for birds.

After lunch I went up on the observation deck and did a 360 scan. Looking with binoculars into the acacia scrub forest From this one spot I saw giraffe, buffalo, zebra, gazelle, baboon, hyrax, and mongoose. Such variety is typical of the Serengeti.
In the afternoon we saw the big three of cats: leopard (in a tree pretty far off), lion (two prides resting close, over 20 lions, including our first adult male), and the luckiest, a cheetah on a ridge about 300 yrds away finishing a kill.
My bird list continues to grow, another 11 new species were seen today.

Africa Day 6: L and L

The birding and wildlife tour has been focused on looking for birds, but we stop to view other wildlife we happen upon. But today we set out in the morning with a goal to find big cats. We drove through an acacia scrub forest along a stream valley, the stream still had significant water even at the end of the dry season. The stream was flanked by bright green palms and fig trees, quite a contrast to the predominantly brown, treeless grasslands of the Serengeti. In this area the grasses were 3 to 4 feet high, perfect cover for lions and leopards. Of course that makes seeing them difficult! After about 30 minutes we came to a large fig tree from which a vervet monkey was giving an alarm call. However, despite intense searching we failed to find the cause of the monkey's interest. So we continued on.
Later we passed another safari van and the driver said a leopard had been seen back up the stream. By the time we reached the very same fig tree, about 20 safari vans were lined up watching, clearly the monkey was right to give an alarm. Soon we had very nice views of a leopard coming down the tree until he disappeared into the grass. But careful searching revealed a second leopard still in the tree, lying on a limb! It is quite unusual to see two leopards together since they are solitary hunters. Turns out the first leopard was a +1 year nearly full grown cub, and the leopard in the tree was the mother, both looked healthy and well fed.
After watching for a half hour or so we again headed up the stream valley, then crossed to the other side, just as a pride of lions crossed the dirt track! At least 10 lions: 4 lionesses and 6 cubs crossed slowly and unconcerned, while the cubs pounced, jumped on the moms, and generally acted as if they were in a Nat Geo documentary. Our driver then took us up a small rise and turned right onto another track hoping we'd get another view. This time we saw the whole pride walk towards us, some coming within 3 feet of our van! We got a full count: 6 lionesses, 2 yearlings, and 8 cubs!
After the lions had disappeared into the grass we continued birding, until we returned to the lodge for lunch. Afternoon rains kept as at the lodge until about 4:00, but we went out wildlife viewing and birding until dusk. Because of the wild predators, you can not leave a vehicle, and you are not allowed out in car after dark. Although much of the day was spent looking for L and L, we still saw 79 species of birds, including 11 new ones for the trip.
As I was finishing writing this post sitting at a picnic table outside the lodge, one of the staff came over. He asked if I had seen the lions as I went back to my room last night. Apparently 2 lions were only 10 feet off the path that went from the lodge to my room, and I had passed them unaware. A fitting end to a day of leopards and lions in the Serengeti!

Africa Day 5, part 2

Although most of the day we were driving, we still had a successful day seeing wildlife and birding. We made stops at serveral dry river beds to search for birds. In addition we made a wildlife drive around our lodge. The lodge, 4eronera, is an architectural mmarvel. It is constructed on a granite outcropping. The lodge spaces include various granit rocks as walls and other features. The lodge sits in an acacia forredt through which flow sevearl streams that stau wet year round. Hence the is a good variety of wildlifeof which we saw Topi (a large antelope) hyraxes, monkeys, mongoose, giraffe, Thompson gazelle, Impala, and Ostrich, African Buffalo.
Birding was also good, despite all the driving we saw over 100 species, 42 of which were seen for the first time on the trip.
Because the animals are wild and unafraid of people, visitors can not leave their vehicle. Since our van's top can be lifted up, we can stand in the vehicle, see 360 degrees, and get good views of wildlife, which often is quite close to the road.

Africa Day 5, part 1

Today we spent most of the day driving from Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti National park, a long dusty drive over dirt roads. The drive helps bring home the vastness of East Africa. The landscape changed from dry forest to scrub forest to the vast grasslands of the serengeti, which means endless grass. To break up the drive we made several stops, and not just for birds. We stopped at a Masai village and were hosted by one of the chief's son on a tour, the chief has 42 children by is 10 wives. All the houses in a village are made by the women, a 2 day project in which sticks 1 to 3 inches in dimeter arewoven into a wall with flexible small braances. The 20 foot diameter house walls and roof are covered with cow dung to seal them. Inside is a central cooking area surrounded by 4 sleeping chambers: one for the mother, one for the father if he visits, on for the children, and one for any small goats or calfs.
The Masai have well defined roles, women make houses, cook, and tend to young children. Young boys tend livestock, and young men become warriors to defend the village and lifestock. Previously, young boys became warriors by killing a lion, earning them the right to wear red blankets. Because the population of lions has declined and the population of Masai has increased, now they become warriers by chasing off a lion. Their culture revolves around livestock, a bride's family must be compensated with cows, a man's riches are defined by the number of cattle, goats, or donkeys he owns. Except for some millet, they eat meat, milk, and blood.
We also made a stop at Oldupia Gorge, (it was miss translated as Olduvia Gorge by a german researcher) a 25 mile grorge where the Leaky's did research and helped define the hominid evolutionary tree from .5 to 4.0 million years ago. Although now a dry scrub river valley, the area was once wet and lush. 10,000's of stone tools and fossil remains have been found, including two stunning fossil tracks showing that early hominids walked upright over 1.5 million years ago.

Africa Day 4, part 2

Today we had close looks at African Buffalo, Hippoptamus, Thopson's Gazelle, Grant's Gazelle, Black-faced Vervet Monkey, Olive Baboon, Warthog, Common Eland, and Hartebeest. In addition I had moderate to distant views of African Elephant, Lion, Black Rhinoceros, Spotted Hyaena, Black-backed Jackel and Common Jackel.
Here are today's pictures of hyaena, buffalo, hippo, and a large bird called a Kori Bustard.
Today was the best day of birding I saw more than 100 species, including 51 new ones. Highlights included a Saddle-billed Stork, Gray Crowned-Crane, Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Bateleur (a colorful hawk). You can check these out in Wikipedia.
Of course I hope the time I am spending at 4000 to 5000 feet will help acclimate me for the Kilimanjaro attempt now only 14 days ahead. On the other hand the wildlife viewing has required almost no exercise, so I worry I will lose some of my training capacity for long hikes and climbs.

Africa Day 4, part 1

We spent the day in Ngorongoro crater, a 12 mile crater with 1000+ high walls that is the result of a massive explosive volcanic eruption 1.7 million years ago. The high walls form a relatively closed ecosystem with a large alkaline lake, freshwater marshes, mostly grasslands, and some acacia forest. To protect visitors, one must stay in vehicles (except at rest room stops). But since safari vehicles have popup tops, one can stand in the van and see in all directions very well.
The most numerous big animals in the crater are Blue Wildebeests and Burchell's Zebra. Today I saw about 150 zebra and 10 times as many wildebeests. Included are some photos I took today of zebra and wildebeests. With so many prey around it is not surprising that there are predators. We did see one pride of lions just finishing a zebra. They were pretty far off in tall dry grass, if you look carefully you may see 2 or 3 lions in the last photo.

Africa Day 3

Today was the first full day in Tanzania. We spent the morning walking through a conservation area adjacent to our lodge at Gibbs farm. The lodge was quite beautiful, each unit is surrounded by native flowering plants along a hill side. Our trail was clearly popular with wildlife. It showed signs (scat) that elephants, buffalo, and baboons had been on the trail last night. But we only saw a baboon while on the trail. The highland (about 5000 ft) forest had a modest assortment of birds, but because it was cloudy bird numbers seemed low (our guide says the birds are more active when its sunny).
After lunch we drove to Ngorongoro National Reserve. This park protects the extinct Ngorongoro crater, from the rim one looks down at a flat plain that has a large lake, mostly grassland, and a small forest all within the 12 mile diamater crater. From the rim I could see wildebeest herds, a small group of buffalo, and numerous elephants! Tomorrow we will spend the day in the crater hopefully getting close views of the mammals, and of course birds.
So far I have seen about 130 species of birds and 15 species of mammals.
Included in this post are several photos of plants at Gibbs Farm, a tree rubbed smooth by elephants, and some shots of Ngorongoro crater. The strong haze washout the details of the crater.