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Newsletter 26th July 2010
July already!
Jambo,
Yes, I’m late again but promise to improve! Sorry it has been such a long wait for this newsletter.
I’m not too sure where to start or even if I can remember absolutely all the fantastic sightings we have had. What a start to the safari season, although I have to say it just proves that the Mara always matches our expectations.
The Migration arrived a little earlier this year and in full force rather than the usual trickle. I have never seen so many appearing so soon. The grass was just right but unfortunately there is a lack of water in the gullies. After the wet April/June, in their search the wildebeest were quick to reach Topi and Paradise plains, despite many thousands crossing the Mara River by Lookout Hill. We have already seen huge numbers crossing down on the main crossings including thousands of zebra. A few thousand have also crossed back. I have to say the return crossings are the best and I am sure we will experience huge numbers returning once they realise there is no water on the far side of the Mara.
This year as we have experienced a huge number of very small wildebeest calves which is unusual but their journey north has been quicker than normal, following the water, and by the time they usually reach the river the calves are reasonably large. This, as you can imagine, has resulted in many ‘separations’, a lot being carried away by the fast flowing river making the crocs lazy, many separated from their mums and wandering up and down the banks and even out on the plains. Although sad it is invariably a quick death and you have to remind yourselves that it is vital to those who rely on the food chain to feed their cubs.
The lions have lost their sleek look after months of forced diet and they certainly are enjoying themselves now, often killing more than once at a time, with carcases all over the place! I have to say I ve noticed an increase of activity in their daily lives. One or two are in love, the big boys have started to earn their keep although I hear not all is well in the marsh pride!
I think once again the leopards have stolen the limelight. We now have three sets of cubs. Olive and her two still steal the show although she is showing signs of wanting her man. Julia, on her special birthday, witnessed Olive make a kill right out in the open in the long grass. We saw her go in but lost sight of her until she made the final dash catching a young wildebeest. It was a spectacular kill which we were able to witness from start to finish, leaving her dragging the kill into the bushes for her cubs. It was so exciting we just had to go for our morning tea break!!
We have also enjoyed Acacia and her two younger cubs. I was very pleased to come upon her again as the last time I saw her she and her cubs had to make a hasty retreat from a hyena. We enjoyed her and her cubs up a tree with three different kills, out in the open, crossing a stream as well making a kill. Anne and Val waited till very late and were rewarded with Acacia making a kill and carrying it up a tree.
Esther has just sent me a text message saying that they have come across a third leopard who has just shown her cubs. We knew this particular one had gone into hiding, but how exciting! Let’s hope we will be able to enjoy them as we did Olive and her cubs last year. Yuzo, who specialises in leopards, will have a great safari in September watching so many leopards. I will keep you posted
No newsletter will be complete without mentioning the three boys who are still out and about. So far every safari has been able to enjoy at least two chases/kills, not just by the boys but a young mum and son. I am also told that a cheetah has given birth not far from the camp. Esther has seen this but is unable to verify the number of cubs. It seems likely that a number of cheetahs are returning to the park from the Maasai lands now that conditions are improving, especially as the hyenas have sufficient to eat finishing off the half-eaten lion kills.
We have enjoyed many more spectacular happenings, the huge numbers of zebras passing through with one or two stand up fights, giraffe babies as well as the serval mum and her kittens just to name a few.
As some of you know I have started to build my new house literally on the boundary of the park and within 10 minutes of the camp. The house is being built around three large fig trees and will be built mostly out of wood. It will be raised from the ground and open plan with my office in the tree canopy giving views over the plains. John, a great friend, has flown out from the UK for 3 months to take charge of the daily build.
I have to say it has been my life’s dream to be able to once again enjoy the bush and the game from my veranda as I did with my parents all those many years ago. As it is we live in the Mara most of the year and now Esther and I are going to live here all the year round. What could be better than that?
Well, the next newsletter will be forthcoming within a couple of weeks. Till then, from the Mara,
Kwaheri
Brian
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