Masai Mara October 2016

[Geoff]

We watched this kill from a fair distance. By the time we had reached the scene the lions had opened the topi up yet she was still trying to stand and with every attempt she was knocked down again by a paw swipe to the head. Finally one lioness applied a suffocating grip. It is the most brutal kill I have witnessed.

 

After a few minutes we were joined by another vehicle.Two women appeared looking down from the pop top vantage point. I thought "this will be interesting" as I suspected what was about to happen. A fetus was then pulled from the carcass with the lioness running off with her prize. I heard some gasps, the women turned 180 degrees and looked out to the distant horizon. Aa few words were yelled (in spanish I think) and the vehicle was immediately driven away. I must admit I couldn't blame them, it was hard to watch. 

[pomkiwi]

2 hours ago, Geoff said:

 

Yes @amybatt there were a few massive crocs in the vicinity and they were not interested. I have no idea why...

 

I read somewhere that the crocs will often go months between feeding after the mighration is over - I wonder if they were still fairly full after feeding the previous week?

 

Enjoying the rport and the excellent images - thank-you.

[Geoff]

5 hours ago, pomkiwi said:

I wonder if they were still fairly full after feeding the previous week?

 

Good point @pomkiwi

[amybatt]

I was just going to ask if crocs were opportunistic feeders or not, but it looks like we might have our answer.

[Geoff]

11 hours ago, amybatt said:

I was just going to ask if crocs were opportunistic feeders or not

 

@amybatt  They're definitely opportunistic and I doubt they rarely pass up an easy meal. I know that the big saltwater crocs of northern Australia often store their food in underwater snags and return to it much later. Thinking about the tommies crossing it was early in the morning on what was a very cool day. So perhaps the crocs were still trying to warm up before getting active.  Also there was a hippo carcass snagged on a partially submerged tree upstream so there was no shortage of food. 

[Geoff]

Some cheetah sightings...

 

Another afternoon with predominantly dull light but we did find two cheetah groups. First up was a mother with two cubs feeding from a wildebeeste.

 

Then a little later an active two male coalition.  

 

Late one morning there was another sighting of a three male coalition with a cast of thousands in attendance (only a slight exaggeration).

 

[Atravelynn]

You captured some of the brutality of the lion kill, but certainly nothing is like being there in person.  Even in dull light, a cheetah family shines.

 

An August entry from an October trip makes me feel better about being 6 months behind on a report.  So thanks!

[Alexander33]

Those serval photos are some of the best I've seen. What great sightings -- hard to top that!

 

I agree with Lynn that you did a good job in depicting that brutal lion kill. One has to feel for the topi, and I have mixed feelings about the whole affair. I think I would have voted to stay on the scene, as it is an integral part of nature, but I get to avoid the dilemma altogether by simply sitting back and appreciating your photographs!

[Geoff]

Some incidental bird images from the main reserve. Please correct any misidentifications. East African birds are not my strong point.

Superb Starling

 

Black-eyed Bulbul

 

Black-lored Babbler

 

Yellow-billed Stork

 

Red-necked Francolin (Spurfowl)

 

Marabou Stork ~ As good looking as ever.

 

Lilac-breasted Roller ~ letting me know what I should do.

Little bee-eater

Griffon Vulture

Lappet-faced vultures

 

HammerKop

 

 

White-backed vulture

 

Lark. maybe Rufous-naped or Fawn coloured. What do the viewers think?

 

 

Maybe a Northern Black Flycatcher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2017 by Geoff
Added two images

[Caracal]

All great shots @Geoff - I particularly like the francolin close up and that striking White-backed Vulture with its superb wingspan.

[offshorebirder]

@Geoff - I think the lark is a Rufous-naped Lark.   It has the very short tail, large bill, wide/tall pale supercilium, and lack of dark line between the eye and the base of the bill that a Rufous-naped Lark would show.

 

Fawn-coloured Larks have less boldly streaked breasts,  a thinner pale supercilium, are more heavily streaked above, and have a dark line between the eye and the base of the bill.  I think this dark line also extends downward in a chevron pattern in adult birds.

[Geoff]

A little over 2 weeks until my next trip and I'm not halfway through this report and still in the main reserve. I better get a wriggle on.

 

Some general game.

 

Tommies

 

Topi - No prizes for guessing who they're watching.

 

 

Waterbuck

 

Buffalo

Eland bull

Elephant - only a few sightings in the main reserve but some good sightings in the conservancies.

 

Giraffe

Grant's gazelle

Wildebeeste

Zebra - having a bit of a play fight. 

Bat-eared fox - not much of an image but the only one I captured before the two of them ran off.

Good to see them though as it was 1st time I've seen them since Selinda in 2005. 

[Geoff]

We visited these Jackal pups on a number of occasions. There were three of them and possibly the same ones that Janet saw.

However the parents were never in attendance when I watched them.

[Geoff]

We passed a hyaena den daily.

One morning we watched an individual carrying a reedbuck carcass across the plain and then submerge the carcass in a waterhole near the den site.

[Caracal]

Keep "wriggling on" @Geoff before you leave - but where to this time?

[Geoff]

1 hour ago, Caracal said:

Keep "wriggling on" @Geoff before you leave - but where to this time?

 

@Caracal  3 weeks in South Luangwa. Kaingo & Mwamba camps then crossing the river for some time at Nsefu camp before a few days at Luangwa River lodge. 

[Alexander33]

22 hours ago, Geoff said:

A little over 2 weeks until my next trip and I'm not halfway through this report and still in the main reserve. I better get a wriggle on.

 

Oh, please, I've got a report from July 2016 that I haven't even started, so you are in much better shape than I.  (Not that I'm trying to give you an "out" from completing this very enjoyable report.)

 

Very interesting about the hyena submerging the carcass. I had no idea they did that. 

 

Great jackal pups!

 

Edited September 8, 2017 by Alexander33

[Geoff]

On 9/8/2017 at 11:21 AM, Alexander33 said:

 

Oh, please, I've got a report from July 2016 that I haven't even started

 

 

@Alexander33  Hop to it buddy. 

 

 

[Geoff]

Before moving on to the conservancies. A few lion images.

 

Cubs from Long Face's pride.

The cute side of lions

I was told this is Lolparpit

 

and a few odds & sods.

 

 

 

[Geoff]

We arrived at Kicheche Bush Camp in time for lunch. On our first afternoon game drive in the Olare Motogori concession it was more lions. The light was again dull with a few brief moments when the sun broke through the clouds. Even so I enjoyed watching a lion pride especially as the cubs were so active.

 

 

Amazing how a splash of sunlight can brighten up a scene. 

The lioness noticed a warthog and began stalking.

Catching a meal is hard enough at the best of times and with a playful cub hanging off her rump this hunt was doomed to fail.

As sunset approached the clouds cleared just in time to produce a lovely silhouette of two elephant play fighting on the hill.

 

The next morning and there were more lions close to camp with a magnificent mating pair roaring their heads off between couplings.

 

 

[offshorebirder]

Enjoying this TR very much @Geoff - thanks for taking the time to prepare it.  

 

Have fun on your upcoming safari - making up for lost time last year?

[Geoff]

Just down the road from the mating lions two Black-backed Jackals were enjoying breakfast. I have no idea what they were eating.

Perhaps a hare.

A tug of war ensued and the carcass split neatly in two. One jackal ran off with their portion. The other jackal stayed put.

A family of Banded Mongoose were busy foraging with their sentries on duty.

Unfortunately they did not spot the Leopard walking across the plain until it was too late. The leopard gave a leisurely chase when they started to run and for one of them it was all over very quickly. I presume the leopard ate the mongoose but I suspect it would be a rather smelly meal.

 

Edited September 17, 2017 by Geoff

[Geoff]

Some incidental bird images from the morning.

Giant Eagle Owl fledgling

These two vultures species were perched on the same tree limb which was good for comparison shots.

Ruppell's Vulture (upper image) & White-backed Vulture (lower image)  

 

African Fish Eagle cruising past low overhead

Someone's had a big meal. Tawny Eagle? with full crop. 

The eagle from the above image in a dispute with two Tawny eagles

Tawny Eagles

Secretary bird

Yellow-throated Long claw

back at camp for lunch and I spotted this Silverbird in a tree near the dining tent

and a Red-headed Rock Agama

 

 

Edited September 18, 2017 by Geoff

[Geoff]

In the afternoon we spotted this guy quietly sitting under a bush out on the plains.

We spent a considerable amount of time with him as he strolled towards a distant lugga.

During sundowners I played around with some silhouettes 

Edited September 19, 2017 by Geoff

[Pamshelton3932]

Your pictures are amazing!