In October last year I joined a photographic group at Wild Eye’s Enkishui camp. This camp is sited on the banks of the Mara river about two kilometres up river from the Purungat gate and rangers’ camp. There camp is located in a croton grove which attracts a variety of small wildlife.

The camp was initially sited at this location to prevent the high level of wildebeest deaths when they crossed the Mara at this point. The carcasses floated down river and got snagged on the rocks near the Purungat bridge making the smell from July to September at this point of the migration unbearable. The position of the camp has worked extremely well and the wildebeest rarely try to cross the river close to the camp and there is no smell of rotting carcasses.

“Dawn was breaking. The early morning air was brisk. The game vehicle doors were open inviting us to climb in. The sense of anticipation was building knowing we would see new and unexpected wonders while wandering.” ~ Mike Haworth

We were usually up and drinking at cup of coffee before 6h00 to be ready to leave camp at 6h00. At this time the sun is just starting to crest over the horizon. We were usually out and about in the Triangle until 12h00 at which time we returned to camp to download our images and have lunch.

The game vehicles and guides were ready and waiting for us at 6h00 just as it was starting to brighten up. We were often treated the most beautiful sunrises. Interestingly the sunrises and sunsets have a yellower hue to them compared to the orange rust colours in southern Africa. The latter is drier so the added dust probably alters the colour of the sky.

This is the time when we can walk around the camp quietly to see the smaller mammals and a wonderful variety of birds. Quite close to my tent was a family of dwarf mongooses which had become habituated to all the human movement around the camp.

At the entrance to path leading to fellow photographer, Joe Knapman’s tent, was a Collared sunbird nest. Both the male and female regularly visited the nest.

First thing in the morning, the beautiful song of the White-browed robin-chat could be heard around camp. At midday they were busy foraging in the leaf litter close to my tent.

Very close to the White-browed robin-chat was female Nubian woodpecker busying herself looking for and finding grubs and insects in and under the bark of a fallen tree.

It was interesting to see a pod of hippos sunning themselves on the bank of the Mara river opposite our camp. When it got too hot they simply rolled back into the river. At night you could hear the hippos snorting to each and they would often be foraging around the tents. This noise usually woke me up but the hippos never got tangled in the tents’ guy ropes.

These Dwarf mongooses were very busy and inquisitive around the camp. This species is diurnal so forage during the day in grass and tree undergrowth for flying and crawling insects. The family lives in an old anthill near the tents.

On a few afternoons after lunch as we were preparing to head out game viewing for the afternoon, the storm clouds would build creating a wonderful atmosphere as there was a palpable feeling of an impending storm.

“The eye never forgets what the heart has seen.” ~ African Proverb

A view of the Mara river at last light when we returned to camp. We usually gathered around the camp fire to have a drink and tell stories of what we had seen. The game vehicles tended to go in different directions to ensure better coverage and if a special sighting was found the guide would radio to the others the location and within half and hour the other vehicles would arrive at the sighting.

Wandering through the croton grove yielded some unexpected visitors. I was delighted to find this Brown-throated Wattle-eye in the camp environs.

“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” ~ Mary Ritter Beard

In the same part of the croton grove as the Wattle-eye, I found a male Paradise flycatcher. Trying to photograph these flighty small birds in the crotons requires a high level of patience and attention.

One evening, the Wild Eye camp staff set up dinner on the bank of the Mara river with this view. It was essentially the other side of the bend in the river and another kilometre or so downriver was the Purungat gate and bridge. It always amazed me how well the staff set up this type of bush restaurant with ambience, full bar and piping hot tasty food.

While it is always interesting and productive to go out in the mornings and afternoons in the game vehicle we do not usually get the chance to wander around the camp in the early morning from 6h300 to 8h30 when there is good soft light and the birds are very active. Nevertheless, the wandering at lunchtime can be fun and productive.

“You cannot leave Africa, Africa said. It is always with you, there inside your head. Our rivers run in currents in the swirl of your thumbprints; our drumbeats counting out your pulse; our coastline the silhouette of your soul.” ~ Bridget Dore

The next post will be of leopards we saw in the southern section of the Mara Triangle.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike