Again we crossed the Equator heading northward en route to Lake Baringo National Park. It is a slightly alkaline lake surrounded by spectacular rocky scarps, dense acacia thornbush, and impressive towering basalt cliffs in a hot, arid climate. The landscape resembled Arizona, and even featured prickly pear and mesquite (as introduced invasive species). Weavers abounded – Little, Lesser Masked, Northern Masked, Village, Chestnut, and Golden-backed – many of which took advantage of the trays of rice put out for them by hotel staff. Two local conservationists, the “Baringo Boys,” showed us staked-out nocturnal birds, which they amazingly manage to track in all that bush. We saw day-roosting African Scops-Owl, Northern White-faced Owl, two Grayish Eagle-Owls, Slender-tailed Nightjar, and Nubian Nightjar. A boat tour along the lakeshore, among the hippos and Nile Crocodiles, allowed us close looks at Goliath Heron (the world’s largest), Striated Heron (split from our Green Heron), Squacco Heron, Purple Heron, African Darter, African Openbill Stork (unique bill), and Black Crake. A highlight was when our boat driver signaled to the pair of African Fish Eagles nesting on our hotel grounds. He threw a fish in the water and an eagle swooped down for it, but not before a crocodile nabbed the fish!