This Week At Angama #114

It goes without saying that sunrises in the Mara are spectacular – the sky’s deep reds give way to brilliant oranges before melting away into cotton candy pinks and baby blues. So as you can imagine, it was mesmerising to view the equally stunning super moon we had this week, just as it was setting behind the iconic escarpment early one morning. [f 5.6, 1/500, ISO 400, 0.0]

We came upon a fresh buffalo kill shortly after entering the park on our first drive of the week. Two lionesses and a very playful cub were blissfully unaware that breakfast would soon be interrupted by herd of buffalo – briefly oblivious to their presence – that grazed nearby. [f 6.0, 1/800, ISO 2500, -1.33]

They had to make a hasty retreat, disappearing into the long grass several times as the herd came thundering to the rescue of their already too far-gone friend. Eventually they moved on and the lions made a cautious return. [f 8.0, 1/200, ISO 100, 0.0]

We watched as this enormous hippo crossed the road making its way to the river… [f 6.3, 1/2000, ISO 1000, 0.00]

Only to gasp in surprise when this teeny tiny baby appeared trailing behind her. This is the youngest hippo I’ve ever seen, with its umbilical cord still attached. [f 9.0, 1/640, ISO 1000, 0.00]

A business of banded mongoose never fails to make me smile. These adorable and very skittish fellows are always on the lookout and always on the move. [f 7.1, 1/200, ISO 160, +1]

So if a group of mongoose is a ‘business’ – would a group of giraffes walking down the Angama runway be a ‘catwalk’? [f 7.1, 1/1600, ISO 500, 0.00]

The stately Grant’s gazelle is a beauty to behold. [f 5.0, 1/1600, ISO 320, 0.00]

This must be the most orderly herd of elephants I’ve ever seen. Not a single one stepped out of line. [f 10.0, 1/160, ISO 100, 0.0]

The birds of the Mara showed up in spectacular fashion too. This grey-backed fiscal being the first I saw. [f 6.3, 1/2000, ISO 800, -0.33]

A lone guineafowl surprised me by roosting up in a tree – something I didn’t know they could do. [f 5.0, 1/8000, ISO 800, -0.67]

These two male sooty chats duked it out– so immersed in their squabble that they didn’t notice us driving up to them. [f 9.0, 1/1250, ISO 500, -0.33]

The lady whose attention they were vying for was completely unimpressed. [f 9.0, 1/1000, ISO 500, -0.33]

It wasn’t just sooty chats that wouldn’t give us way, this dark chanting goshawk wouldn’t move until his morning meditation was complete. [f 8.0, 1/320, ISO 200, -0.33]

A black coucal took a more authoritative stance as it dried its feathers in the early morning sun. [f 7.1, 1/125, ISO 800, 0.00]

This hamerkop wasn’t about to drop his breakfast on our behalf. [f 9.0, 1/1250, ISO 500, -0.33]

Despite the sunny weather this past week, we still found ourselves firmly planted in a muddy hole for a record 5 hours and 15 minutes and in need of rescuing. [f 11.0, 1/125, ISO 100, 0.00]

In a hilarious turn of events, our rescue team also needed rescuing after getting stuck too. [f 5.6, 1/640, ISO 100, -1]

At Angama Several hours, another rescue team and lots of mud later, we were back safe and sound and already looking forward to what this coming week at Angama will bring. [f 9.0, 1/200, ISO 100, -0.33]

THIS WEEK TWO YEARS AGO

Photograph by Tyler Davis

Two years ago, a hamerkop enjoyed an unusual meal, pecking at the remains of a warthog kill. There are plenty of shallow pools of water currently scattered across the Mara – the perfect hunting ground for hamerkop to find part of their usual staple diet – fish. [f 5.6, 1/320, ISO 400]