Freeman Safaris
‘Yesterday’s Safaris Today’
Jean's diary - September 2004
What a day we had yesterday - in fact what a few days we have had in the Mara amongst the Migration! Let me try to write yesterday’s activities in our diary as we transfer to Nakuru.
An earlier start than usual as Brian got up extra early, saw it was going to be good light and wanted to be well in the park before the sun rose above the hills. He wanted the extra 30 minutes to find our pride of lions in the hope they had killed during the night. Well, you can guess what happened. We come across a pair of young cheetahs up and about playing, chasing one another, they were in lovely condition as most cats are at this time of the year. We we had to stop to film, the boys getting their shots, and the cameras never stopped clicking.
So off we went to find the lions, a pride with medium young cubs which we left at last night and with luck would be playing in roughly the same area unless, of course, the 1000s of wildebeest had moved on. It is amazing just how far they can move, and for no apparent reason, just by following the one in front. Fortunately the plains were packed with game, some just eating, others in groups moving off in long lines, first one way then other. There were more than yesterday,
Next, up on to high ground to spot. No vultures, up too early, always a good pointer. We scanned but saw nothing. However, way in the distance Barissa had seen a sudden stampede in an area to our left. Brian said he was about 2k's west of us when the radio shout came that another pride had just made a kill so off we went. It always amazes us how Brian and Barissa find each other. Brian says to put it down to experience and knowing the ground.
Well, after a bit of skillful driving we arrived to see the pride joining the ladies who were still panting like mad with one still holding the zebra by the throat. We were disappointed that we had not seen the actual kill but, after all, we saw the chase that failed yesterday. It was just pure excitement watching events unfold, the snarling, the flashing of claws and teeth, all trying as animals do to look after number one. No male was yet on the scene so the girls were making the most of it. The poor cubs, who were about a year old, could only try to sneak in for a bite but they don’t yet need huge amounts and always seem to end up with big bellies. Well, the 2 boys just did not stop shooting. The light was perfect, the kill was out in the open and the grass not too long and only us and no-one else. No male appeared so the girls and cubs were able to drag the remains in under a bush for later. We had been spotted by other people so Brian decided it was time to move on. Barissa had left soon after our arrival to continue spotting and tracking.
By this time we needed a drink so we met up under a tree for tea, sandwiches and strawberry cake, all fresh from the kitchen the night before. A quick look at a few of the digital photos as we drank, a loo stop and off to we go again.
Brian had asked Barissa to go on down to the Mara river to see if a river crossing was likely whilst we continued down to the Talek river to look for leopard. This is a favourite spot of Bella, the Big Cats Diary leopard, who we had seen 2 days ago but failed to get any good photos as she was well in the branches and fast asleep. Crossing the plains is so exciting as you just don’t know what’s around the corner. We came a cross a further 4 well fed lions, then stayed with 2 jackals for over an hour as well as trying to film a roller in flight. Made numerous numbers of stops to shoot the wildebeest columns, trying for the sun in their beards.
Up and down the Talek river for over an hour produced a number of really good pictures of various animals drinking and a couple of fish eagles but no leopard. Then Anne spotted Billy, as Brian calls him, a fully grown male leopard, crawling through the trees then lying on the river bed enjoying the sun. What a picture, difficult but great, just to sit and observe without disturbing him for over 2 hours was out of this world.
Then suddenly there was noise, dust and chaos as the wildebeest came down the bank to drink. Billy moved into cover, slowly stalking the columns as they came down to drink, inch by inch, muscle by muscle. The excitement of watching a leopard stalk was just unbelievable and so tense. The dust increased and the boys stopped filming to watch. The leopard got closer and closer when suddenly he was spotted and all hell let loose. Wildebeest ran off in every direction into the paths of those still coming down, others were trying to turn, others were splashing with dust just everywhere. Billy decided to go for the biggest but then, when head on, decided it was best to stop to fight another day. Well that was just magic, all ours, we had had it for over 3 hours, even managing to eat lunch as we watched him sleep. It was one of those situations where you just observe and enjoy. We were so busy we just didn’t know where to shoot next.
Time to move on and Billy had gone to ground and the evening light was good. Next was a river crossing which made me hold on for dear life. No, I wasn’t scared but I just could not believe the Landrover could tackle such a slope and seem to do so easily.
By this time we were miles from home so we slowly headed back, stopping and spotting. Way in the distance we had a cheetah in sight breaking cover. Either it had eaten well or was pregnant, Brian guessed the latter because of her shape, and this was confirmed as we got closer. Took a few pictures and left her in peace before anyone else saw her.
The last hour was spent filming wildebeest crossing a small river, Brian positioning the Landrover to catch them running towards us and turning away at the last minute. Time out amongst the migration is something that needs to be experienced, just having lunch out under an acacia tree watching them is something I will never forget.
A Day Following the Migration
© Freemansafaris.com
"Having previous safari experience, we knew some of what to expect, but this trip
really went the extra mile. I have never met a person who knows the Bush as well
as Brian does and what a fabulous team of staff he has. He can be proud of them all
and how he maintains such a smooth running operation. Brian also went to great trouble
to book us a Hot Air Balloon flight, which we really wanted to include in our itinerary,
and proved to be another fantastic event during our stay. We just can't wait to return
to Kenya and dissolve into a different world with our new rafiki, leaving the hassle
of normal every-day life a long way behind. A truly wonderful, wonderful holiday."
Tracy
and John
