The beginning of our safari was in the Masai Mara. Of course, we used our same Maasai drivers and had some really special sightings.
During our time in the Mara, we had the great pleasure of an up-close encounter with “Olopono,” one of the large male leopards. He was hidden behind a bush, as we drove around the bush, we were able to capture both a tight head shot and a shot of him slipping into the bush. I captured one shot that I liked and processed it in a dark manner. I know some people would like the image lighter, but I liked the idea of him being elusive and wanted my image to reflect that.
We also spotted a cheetah searching for food, but she never quite made the effort to hunt. She seemed preoccupied with something lurking behind her. We searched but saw nothing. We only had a couple of cheetah sightings in the Mara. This was the year of the lions!
Topi pride cubs
On our very first full day we had two of the Fig Tree pride female lions on a hunt for some pumba (aka warthogs) piglets. We noticed the warthog family of four (2 babies with adults) up the hill from the lionesses. The adult pumba led the piglets down the hill straight toward the lions. Oh no! The one lion gave a short chase that ended directly in front of us. The other lioness never even joined in on the chase. Sadly, after that piglet was captured, the other piglet, (still hidden in the grass) let out a squeal and started to run, the lioness dropped the one piglet then quickly captured the other piglet; she ate them both without sharing a morsel.
Fig Tree lioness with warthog.
Fig Tree lioness with warthog, going after second one.
We also spent time photographing the Rekero pride with three male lions. One of the males had an injured eye and years of battle scars. He walked slowly as if he were in a great deal of pain —but didn’t want anyone to know. In that pride, there was a lioness with a single cub; apparently, she had lost her other two cubs due to carelessness. I was able to get a soft backlit image of the mother with her cub.
Rekero pride lioness with cub.
Some of our sightings included: watching a pair of ostrich mating in the rain, a giraffe shaking off oxpeckers at last light, topi’s head butting, mongooses on a termite hill, buffalo roaming and hyena pups playing near their den.
mating ostrich in the rain.
Giraffe with oxpeckers
playful hyenas
mongooses
Jackal fighting off vultures
We also photographed five other jackal pups being fed by not only both adults but one older sibling that was on hand to help mom feed her pups. It was interesting to learn that fully grown jackals from a previous litter often help feed the next gen. Again, the Mara delivers!
Momma loves her baby!
In Samburu, our first game drive started off a bit slower than usual. But soon one of our guides spotted a leopard up a tree, everyone in the vehicle got a shot of it coming down the tree before it ran off to hide in the brush. We were told before getting to Samburu that a cheetah mom with three cubs had been spotted recently. So, we spent some time looking for that family…
Next, we got a call that a leopard with two young cubs was seen up a tree. But by the time we got there, we only got a glimpse of the momma and her cubs. It turns out that it was the same female leopard with cubs that I had photographed in June. It was nice to see that the cubs have not only survived but are getting bigger and stronger.
Cheetah mom with three cubs
We also managed to find the female cheetah with three young cubs. They were absolutely adorable. Slender, yet leggy and all three had full bellies. Momma was tall and thin, and looked ready for a meal. She was still nursing the cubs which were between 3-4 months old. We watched her at last light walk her cubs to a safe location then we picked them up again in the morning where we watched as she tried —but failed to capture a Gerenuk after a very short chase.
One of the cheetah cubs
This cheetah cub was very rambunctious, we all guessed he was the male as he chased birds, rabbits and anything else he spotted.
young male geranuk
Other sightings included a pair of Beisa oryx head butting in the dusty sand for some nice backlit images, Grévy's zebra, a Secretarybird with a mouse, a Bateleur eagle fluffing its feathers, several Lilac-breasted rollers, a Kori Bustard displaying and lots, lots more. Plus, the never-ending supply of baboons and Vervet monkeys with little babies.
Overall, we ended up having some really nice photo opportunities and a great time in Samburu. You just never know what you’ll see or get to photograph. I think it’s the “not knowing” what will unfold during a safari that keeps me engaged and wanting more.
That concludes my 35 days in Kenya with three separate groups. And, as much as I have loved every minute of being on safari, I’m ready to go home and see my family.