There are two books which started my interest in the natural world. The first was A Treasury of Natural History by Bertha Morris Parker which I got when I was eight years old. The second was An Encyclopaedia of Animals in Colour, edited by Dr Maurice Burton which I got …
The Red-Billed Oxpecker’s scientific name is Buphagus erythrorynchus. Bu means Ox, phagus means eat, erythro means red and rhynchus means nose. They …
I’ve seen Sacred Ibis before. They’re beautiful and fascinating. This one has something I’ve never seen before, though. As it flies in …
This Lioness has clearly caught something cute, furry and with floppy ears. It’s already had a good chew at it. The male …
There’s an all-black Swallow-type bird next to our route, as we drive along the dusty compressed-earth tracks of the Masai Mara. This …
It’s the tiny head which first strikes me; and then the bare face with the orange skin. It’s an African Harrier-Hawk and …
My guide, Johnson, here at Governors’ Camp in the Masai Mara, has been brilliant. He’s responded to my every wish, respected that …
As we head back to camp, I can see birds bathing in the pools of water left by the ruts of the …
I love how playful and how brown and fluffy the young Zebras are here in the Masai Mara. They’re still careful not …
Isn’t this big male Lion’s mane fabulous? Lionesses prefer male Lions which have a dark bushy main. It’s a sign of fitness, …
Gladys is driving us towards a pair of Cheetahs. “Oh yes! There”. We’re an excited group of four. A pair have been …
Those cunning tricksters, the Black-Backed Jackals are back. Their ears are so pointy, and so are their noses. What a beautiful look …
This is my first view of a Pied Kingfisher. They are massive compared with the Common Kingfishers we see in the UK. …
There’s a fast antelope called a Topi here. They often like to stand on hillocks, looking like sentinels. The only previous photographs …
No sweat. That’s the problem with being a bird. Humans have sweat gland which act to produce water which cools the body …
Here at Mara Ngenche Safari Camp the luxury is embarrassing. A beautiful two-room tent with outside shower and private plunge pool, fabulous …
I’ve already had the experience of a male Lion getting uncomfortably close to me on this safari. This time it’s a Lioness …
In the distance, through the heat-haze, from a moving vehicle, wearing dirty glasses, the first thing I think is that those large …
Masai Giraffes are tall. There are four species of Giraffe and this one is native to the Masai Mara. I love the …
It’s my first view of Spotted Hyenas. What strange animals. They have such short back legs and long front legs. I’m sure …
There’s a Lion in the Masai Mara and we’re on safari to see it. Four of us are in an open-sided vehicle …
There’s a corpse in the long grass. We think it’s the remains of a Buffalo. That means Hooded Vultures, Necrosyrtes monachus, are …
There is a small family group of Elephants in the distance. Seeing them in the landscape is something new for me. I’ve …
We’re out on a safari drive in the Masai Mara in Kenya. Our guide and driver, Gladys, is an expert at spotting …
Animals with hooves are either odd-toed or even-toed. The odd-toed ones are horses, rhinos and tapirs. The even-toed ones are cattle, antelope, pigs, giraffes, camels, sheep, deer, and hippos. …
Here at Mara Ngenche Safari Camp, in the Masai Mara in Kenya, the luxury is slightly overwhelming. When I booked on a …
We’re in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. I think it’s an indestructible Toyota Land Cruiser. Gladys is our local Kenyan guide for four of …
The twelve of us who have been volunteering in Kenya for Kenya Connect for the past eight days have been whittled down …
It’s been a hectic week volunteering on a literacy programme in Kenya for Kenya Connect. I’ve had little time to process all …
Muthoki Country Lodge has been our home in Wamunyu for the week, with luxurious tents and fabulous food. We have four-poster beds …