June 25/26/27, 2018
At Lake Nakuru, we did not have internet, except for about one hour. Catching up.
The 25th was a travel day. We left Sweetwaters in the morning and took a long drive to Lake Nakuru. Part of it was on highway, but much of it was on country road (country roads are not paved). We got to pass through a number of towns and villages, and got a better feel for the people of Kenya. A very pleasant drive.
Lake Nakuru is fully contained within the city Nakuru. At one point, the lake was famous for its enormous flamingo population, but due to the rising water level from increased rainfall, the lake expanded and the pH of the water changed. The blue-green algae that the flamingos depend on decreased, and a lot of the flamingos left. There are still a lot of them, but not enough to make an aerial view of the lake pink.
The size of the lake has increased a lot, killing off the perimeter trees and inundating at least one lodge. Some of the roads around the lake disappear into the water and are impassible.
The Park is famous for its rhino population (both black and Southern white), and for the Rothschild giraffe. And it has spectacular views.
We arrived at our tent hotel in time for a late lunch. We did have electricity and water, but the accommodation were much more modest than our prior 'luxury tent' (which is absolutely fine by us).
Our afternoon drive around a portion of the lake revealed a number of new animals - including a tree-climbing lioness, that we watched descend from its perch. Through our drives, we also spotted a number of black and white rhinos, and the endangered Rothschild giraffes.
Also a number of large baboon troops, which at times got us a bit nervous. At the aptly named Baboon Cliff, there were many dozen, including some baboon newborns - over which both mom and dad were very protective (I had no idea that there was such strong paternal instinct); dad would stand between us and the newborn and stare at us. Dad baboon is very intimidating.
Usually we go for a 6:30AM game drive and have breakfast after; the second day, we took an early breakfast and took an extra-long drive entirely around the lake. We did not see too many new animals, which was fine - the views were gorgeous, and we saw a number of repeat animals engaging in different behaviors, including a close-up view of a Southern white rhino.
day 1
During drive - Mt Kenya in background
Typical roadside trading town
Old gate to Lake Nakuru, now part of Lake Nakuru
Baboons, baboons, baboons.
Some lions at Lake Nakuru climb trees. Like this one.
Grey-Headed Kingfishers - the one on the left feeding its chick (now almost same size)
Black rhino - they both graze the fields and browse the shrubs. They have a narrower mouth than the white rhino (white comes not from the color, but from 'wide,' referring to the mouth.
A large number of cape buffalo, with Impala in the background.
The next several pictures were taken from this same spot (up to, and including, the white rhino).
Zebras
Thompson's gazelles
Pumba! (Warthog. I like the warthogs.) These are common warthogs, and are larger than the desert warthogs seen in Samburu.
Maribu stork, yellow-billed cranes, and spoonbills.
You can see how the rising lake is reclaiming the forest. A number of hippos among the dead trees.
A large flamboyance of flamingos, though it pales against its historical standard.
White rhino with baby
Verreaux Eagle Owl
Day 2 - Drive around the Lake
More baboonery
White rhino - they do not browse the bushes, they only graze. Their wide mouths are very efficient at mowing the lawn. Long straight lines. This one was kind enough to pose in the morning sun.
African Fishing Eagle
Makalika Falls
Morning dose of Cape Buffalo
African Long-Crested Eagle
Pumba!
Impala, including nursing infant impala
Rothschild giraffe - they can be differentiated by the large spots at the top, and reducing to smaller spots down the animal. Legs have stockings (no spots). These are endangered - about 1700 left in the world. We probably saw more than 1% of the world population today.
Evening drive
Leopard tortoise (mate was further up the hill)
Pumba!
Baboon Cliff had many dozens of baboons, including this couple with a baby estimated at 4 days old running laps around and in-between parents. At one point, it also tried to eat a rock.
View from the Cliff.
Rock Hyrax at Baboon Cliff.
This made our guide and our driver nervous. Different family from the one in the prior photo. Daddy baboon standing over mom and infant protectively, and staring at us. Mom and baby moved a few feet. Daddy walked back up and retook his stance. Stared at us. Maybe time to get back into the van. Baboons are dangerous. There is a reason a group is called a 'troop'.
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