The stars of the Serengeti

playing with mom's tail
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No rain at night which was the big fear of camping in the rainy season.  I awoke at dawn and captured photos of the rising of the Sun over the hut shaped shitters.  There is a view from Out of Africa gracing this campsite.  After breakfast prepared by Lucky we left camp and the young Canadians still sleeping it off and headed out for a day of driving.

As the light was burning off the mist from the Senora River we stopped and listened to the morning sounds.  One of the birds unseen creates an eerie OOOO of different pitches.   there is warbling, chattering, babbling and chirping and later the very loud honking of an Egyptian Goose.

zebra butt patterns
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Moving along the dirt lanes often potholed through grasslands scattered with Acacias of many varieties but particularly the fan shape we have all come to associate with the African plain. Other trees include the sausage tree named for its prodigious fruit, Thorntrees also aptly named, ficus and figs.  On and on it stretches the wind sweeping the grasses the air fresh and sometimes tangy with the sweat of the vast numbers of animals.  The hills in the distance speckeled with the same trees.  Through the land run streams and ponds that are classic watering holes with the requisite awaiting crocodiles.  Some spots are lined with Senegal Palms which give the air of  an oasis.

a lost new gnu
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Some sights include a lone wildebeest looking more forlorn than usual searching for his fellow migrators.  A lost wildebeest calf crying softly with no direction but some carnivore's stomach.  A group of ten Zebra kicking up their heels and squealing with a barking sound.  Baboons sit by the side of the road snacking on grass and nursing babies.

We see the tail end of a lion on a ridge of a Kopyse.  Seeing no more we turn a corner and find another jeep has spotted three cheetah.  We happen upon them just as they reach a rock, climb up and pose.  It is such a lucky moment to catch sight so clearly of such an elusive cat.  They wander off into the tall weeds.  We return to the lion spot and find a female and then; one, two then a third little cub appears on the edge of the ridge.  We are treated to a playful moment of batting at mom's tail.  She looks up only briefly to eye our position.

I am ready for my closeup like I give a damn
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On down the road we see numerous guinea fowl.  There are about 4 varieties and one particularly with a blue head and a top knot that reminds one that these are the progeny of the dinosaurs.  Another oddity we encounter is the Kopi Bustard.  The largest flying bird - just barely.  It is noted for its preference for wildfire roasted rodent.  Several flat topped Acacias have a vulture sitting in wait of something rotten on the wind.

As I wrote this in camp Glenn was napping in the tent.  A dozen miniature mongoose scamper up and under the edge and attempt to scale the canvas.  They chatter and scatter and disappear as quickly as they came.  Bright yellow weaver birds use the grass to weave their nests with the entry at the bottom and a gourd shape.  There are many varieties of wren, starling and weaver coming and going in the nearby trees.  They have been our guests at mealtime awaiting crumbs.

a full figure pose
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Contnuing the morning description,  We rarely see another jeep.  The Serengeti is over 13,000 sq. KM. of open space with no paved roads.  Laying right on the side of the road  is an adult male Lion.  We drive right up to him.  He is 10 feet from the jeep.  We are close enough to hear his heavy panting.  He remains unperturbed by our stares and clicks until another jeep arrives and we move to let them pass spewing diesel smoke in his face which gets him up and trotting off to the grasses.  A gathering of a dozen Giraffe end our morning sightings.  I thought we might be in for a really unusual sight when a male began sniffing at a female.  He began a pursuit but lost interest at the sound of an approaching jeep.

African rainbow
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I am amazed that on so many occaisions we have been able to approach animals that are in or right next to the road and they have stood still for viewing.

With my batteries just about gone I ask Abbas to make our first afternoon stop at the visitor's center.  The closest one is run by the Frankfurt Zoological Society.  It is a sophisticatedly designed series of displays incorporated around a kopyse which is the home of a colony of Rock Hyrax.  This rodent like critter is plump and round with no apparent tail and a penchant for laying about and staring with big dark eyes.  They say it is related to the elephant - go figure.

A busy crossing
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When we returned to camp in the evening a molten gold sun was pouring itself behind an unnamed hill.  The last light illuminating fingerlets of white cloud forming fjords of the cerulean blue sky. Low clouds filled in to make a bank of deep red color with flecks of gold till the sky completely darkened and we were treated to the full panoply of the Milky Way.  A feast for the eyes each time I got up to pee in the middle of the night.  The fate of drinking so much tea.