13-MAR-2010
Lilac-Breasted Roller
This is Kenya's National Bird
The Lilac-breasted Roller, Coracias caudatus, is a member of the roller family of birds. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula, preferring open woodland and savanna; it is largely absent from treeless places. Usually found alone or in pairs, it perches conspicuously at the tops of trees, poles or other high vantage points from where it can spot insects, lizards, scorpions, snails, small birds and rodents moving about at ground level. Nesting takes place in a natural hole in a tree where a clutch of 2–4 eggs is laid, and incubated by both parents, who are extremely aggressive in defence of their nest, taking on raptors and other birds. During the breeding season the male will rise to great heights, descending in swoops and dives, while uttering harsh, discordant cries. The sexes are alike in colouration. Juveniles do not have the long tail feathers.
13-MAR-2010
An old Single Tusker
This old elephant was off by itself in the trees. Apparently, when an elephant gets too old to be of any use to the herd, it will go off by itself to die. This one definitely shows it's age...look at the shredding on it's ears and the missing tusk..
13-MAR-2010
Waterworks...
It may have been old and alone, but the waterworks were still functioning, it seems.
13-MAR-2010
Smile!
This old one was off a ways from the other loner, grazing in a small stand of bush. We got very close to it, but not too close. Tom - our driver - said the loners were unpredictable. No problem, I'll keep my distance...
Those tusks must be about 5 feet long!!
13-MAR-2010
The Family That Eats Together...
The Family That Eats Together...must be happier.
we got back onto the prairie, and came upon this small grouping of Ostrich. It\s fascinating to watch the many ways they can move their necks and flutter their wings. Of course, it's hard to show the movement with a still camera.
13-MAR-2010
I can't count high enough!!
We went a little further, and hit the jackpot!! There was a HUGE herd of elephants grazing their way across to the waterhole.
The Vernon Viper was in awe, and so were the rest of us. We counted more than 50 elephants together, with babies of all sized throughout the group, too.
An absolutely amazing sight!!
13-MAR-2010
A Sight to Remember
Ashley was definitely "makin' history" for us. You can see the elephants stretching off to the horizon.
13-MAR-2010
Make my Day!!
As usual, we weren't the only ones to be clustering around the herd. Vans were all over the track, and the elephants were coming right between us on their way to the watering hole.
They definitely aren't tame, but they're so used to the vehicles that they just ignore them. On the other hand, if a person got OUT of a vehicle, a different story would happen...
13-MAR-2010
Clustered together..
Here's a wide-angle shot of part of the herd. You can see two distinct young ones in here. Just for perspective, that baby is about 4 feet high..
The other noticible part of this scene is the birds. They're all over.
13-MAR-2010
Yellow-billed Stork with African Spoonbills