The Mara Triangle is my preferred area of the Masai Mara to visit mainly because of the controls the rangers put in play to manage the tourist density and behaviour. The Mara Conservancy has been managing the Mara Triangle for 25 years and have done an excellent job.

“Life is full of surprises and and serendipity. Being open to unexpected turns in the road is an important part of success. If you try to plan every step, you may miss those wonderful twists and turns. Just find your next adventure-do it well, enjoy it-and then, not now, think about what comes next.” ~ Condoleezza Rice

There are many benefits to visiting the Triangle late in October. Firstly, the tourist density is much reduced. The timing and size of wildebeest and zebra migration depends largely on the timing of the rains in the Mara and Serengeti. Some years there is plenty of wildlife in the Triangle at this time and other years most of the migrating mammals have already moved down into the Serengeti.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ Economic Survey 2026: Masai Mara visitor numbers fell from 419 829 in 2023 to 343 000 in 2024 — and then again to 213 300 in 2025. The Mara has lost roughly half its visitor base in two years. Meanwhile, Amboseli — which kept its fees substantially lower — saw visitor numbers rise from approximately 245 000 to 295 000 over the same period. For the first time in years, Amboseli drew more visitors than the Mara in 2025. The Masai Mara lifted its non resident tourist entrance fee during the peak July-December period from $80 per person per day to $200 per person per day. This hefty increase had a strong dilution effect on the tourist numbers.

The tourist numbers in the Mara Triangle have also been declining. The Mara Conservancy Archives show a total of 171 478 visitors in FY2023, the highest on record, including 94 901 non-resident adults. There were a total of 129 410 visitors, down 25% from FY2024, including 76 905 non-resident adults. In FY2026 to June 2026, 137 278 visitors entered the Triangle. The non resident visitor density varies considerably between low and peak season months due to the northern hemisphere holiday season from June to September. In February 2025, 4 937 non resident visitors entered the Mara Triangle. The numbers rose to 22 344 in July and 16 718 in August 2025 easing to 7 023 by October 2025. Source: Mara Conservancy.

“…there are no wrong turns, only unexpected paths.” ~ Mark Nepo

When most of the migratory mammals have moved south the predators have to work much harder to feed themselves and their families so, in my opinion, the predator photographic potential is higher. An additional benefit for wildlife photographers is that the grass is short on the plains at this time.

A major benefit for wildlife photographers was initiated in 2026 when the Mara Conservancy began enforcing controlled off-roading in the area along the border and in clearly designated areas in the southern section of the Triangle. Drivers are only be allowed off-road in this area if the vehicle has been fitted with a Masai Mara tracker, they are authorised and supervised by one of the Mara Conservancy’s anti-harassment teams and off-road vehicles are compelled to follow normal Park Rules on crowding and respecting wildlife sapce.

“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep.” ~ Rumi

I have regularly stayed at Wild Eye’s Enkushui safari camp in the south of the Mara Triangle. The camp is located on the west bank of the Mara river just over a kilometre up river from the Purungat gate and bridge crossing. The camp’s location ensures that the camp residents are the first into the southern part of the Triangle at 6h00 and the last back to camp at 19h00.

“Rise free from care before the dawn, and seek adventures.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

When we start out on our morning game drive, it is usually just before the sun has risen over Outlook hill. There are often clouds lingering from the rains the evening before. These clouds provide texture and the sunrise colours set the sky alight presenting stunning colours.

There are two main options when leaving camp, either follow the Bottom River road north and this journey takes us past the crossing areas such as Peninsula, Fig tree, Maja Ma Chafu, Miti Moja as far as BBC. The alternative is that we drive west along Main road and travel south west on the Olare road which takes us onto the plains below the inselbergs along the Mara-Serengeti border. On occasion we see so much within a kilometre or two of the camp that we do not travel far at all.

The predators are usually moving around in the southern part of the Triangle in the early morning just after sunrise when the light is soft, ideal for our wildlife photography. There are usually lions on the west bank of the Mara river between Peninsula crossing and Miti Moja crossing. The Olare road is also very productive in terms of seeing lions and cheetah. Leopards can also be seen along the luggas ( natural drainage channels).

I took this image to show how the enormous size of this Nile crocodile. This is the Peninsula crossing point on the Mara river. I have seen one of these crocodiles with an adult zebra’s head in its jaws and it looked like a small foal’s head because of the massive size of the croc.

“A river doesn’t just carry water, it carries life.” ~ Amit Kalantri

Another benefit to visiting the Triangle outside the wildebeest migration, and before the short rains, is that there is a chance of seen unusual crossings such as a crossing of a breeding herd of elephants, a journey of giraffe and maybe even a male lion who has spotted his brothers or interesting females on the other side of the river.

The gradient of the Mara River as it flows through the Mara Triangle is very gentle, averaging roughly 0.5 to 1.5 meters per kilometre. With the gradient being so low, the water moves sluggishly and meanders in wide loops through the Triangle, creating deep pools and sediment-rich banks that are famous for the dramatic wildebeest river crossings. The Mara river has a flow rate that varies from 2 cubic metres per second (cumecs) in the dry season to average 42 cumecs across the year and peak in the rainy season at around 300cumecs. Compare that to the Zambezi river flow rate which peaks around 3 000cumecs in the peak during the rainy season.

“Rivers are places that renew our spirit, connect us with our past, and link us directly with the flow and rhythm of the natural world.” ~ Ted Turner

A large pride of lions can struggle to feed itself when most of the wildlife has migrated south into Serengeti. It is times like this that lions adapt to hunting warthog. Needless to say one or two warthogs will not go far among a large pride. If the male lions are around the pride gets very little of the warthog that the lionesses caught.

Hot air balloons usually take off between 6h00 and 6h30 and fly for about an hour. So any time you see an image with a hot air balloon in it you know it was more than likely taken between 6h30 and 7h30. The early morning air is cooler and the hot air balloon burner warms up the air inside the balloon creating the buoyancy.

“Life is a series of moments floating away like balloons in the sky.” ~ Unknown

I have always found it incongruent to see a Sausage tree standing alone in a vast area above the inselbergs in the southern section of the Mara Triangle. This is a favourite morning picnic site. When having breakfast you can be visited by buffalo, zebra and wildebeest.

In Swahili, the word ‘mara’ means ‘spotted land’. The grass plains are dotted with hundreds of Balanites. The Balanites aegyptiaca (desert date) is mostly seen in the plains of the Triangle. This species has long, straight green or yellow spines arranged in spirals.

In the open grassland plain along the southern border of the Mara Triangle with Serengeti below the ranges of inselbergs we often see lion, cheetah and elephants. Depending on the time of day, the skies can provide incredible backdrops for landscape images with elephants, balanites and inselbergs.

A typical scene of safari vehicle that had stopped for breakfast among the balanites. The image was taken looking west close to the Serengeti border with the Oloololo escarpment in the distance.

This an example of the vast vistas that your eyes can soar over. At times the grasslands are dotted with enormous numbers of wildlife. This can be combined in the afternoons with cumulus cloud buildup. The combinations can create wonderfully moody landscapes.

Having seen the large wildebeest Mara crossings before I prefer to visit the Mara Triangle at the end of the peak season in October just before the short rains when the tourist numbers have reduced substantially. The short rains usually last from November to December each year. This is a lighter and less disruptive rainy period than the long rains in March to May. It is characterised by warm temperatures and brief afternoon or evening showers that quickly clear up, reviving the savannah into lush green pastures.

“Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.”~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Mara Triangle is about 150 kilometres south of the equator so sunset typically occurs between 6:30 PM and 7:00 PM throughout the year. Dusk is quite short near the equator, but in October the cumulus cloud build up regularly create dramatic skies with oranges, yellows and apricot colours blazing through gaps in the clouds.

I hope these images have given you a sense of what I mean by big skies and vast vistas. I have been travelling back to the Mara Triangle for many years. Somehow the experience is always different. The variety of what you see always changes. The weather is different and I have never seen the same type of sightings in the same place other than at the Mara crossing points. Sometimes the tail end of the migration is late and you get to incredible crossings in October. Other times the migration moved on three to four weeks earlier but you many be lucky enough to see an elephant herd crossing or a journey of giraffe crossing the river. There are times when the really large Mara nile crocodiles come out of the water to warm themselves and you get to see just incredibly large these monsters can be.

“We live in a world which in some respects is mysterious; things can be experienced which remain inexplicable; not everything which happens can be anticipated. The unexpected and the incredible belong in this world. Only then is life whole. For me the world has from the beginning been infinite and ungraspable.” ~ Carl Jung

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

Have fun, Mike

It was our first morning of our Mara Triangle October trip. The weather was cool and overcast, and it had been raining the night before. We decided to drive along the Bottom River road to try and find a lioness, known to have four cubs, along the Mara river near the Maji Ma Chafu crossing.

“A lion is born knowing how to hunt, but has to learn how to hunt well.” ~ Matshona Dhliwayo

On the way to Maji Ma Chafu we found two lionesses and three adolescent cubs lying in the road with a six-strong bachelor herd of “dagga boys”, old Cape buffalo bulls, clustering together in the grass near the road. Superficially, the scene looked like a stand-off. In reality, it was an opportunity for the adolescents to get some experience hunting buffalo.

This scene looked to be a classic training lesson for these young lions. One adolescent female took the lead. She crossed the road and began stalking the buffalo. This lioness was in plain sight and the “dagga boys”, the old buffalo bulls, had a good visual on her as she approached them. They allowed her to get reasonably close to them but she was badly outnumbered and outsized. No other adolescents came to help her. That level of cooperation, when hunting, still had to be learnt.

As soon as the adolescent got close enough, all six “dagga boys” turned to face her and began to chase her. She quickly realised she was on her own and decided withdrawal was a smart move, given the approaching wall of bosses.

“Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.”~ Anton Chekhov

The “dagga boys” chased the adolescent lion just far enough to reassert a decent “fight or flight” gap. The buffalo did not know how many lions were lying hidden in the grass. A mature Cape buffalo can weigh up to 900 kilograms and wields lethal, sweeping horns capable of goring a lion. Buffalo are also known to have coordinated defense and will actively protect one another and will counter-attack to rescue a trapped member.

After one or two charges the buffalo must have judged that the single lion approach was just an ineffectual skirmish from one youngster and assessed that the lion pride consisted of two adults and three youngsters with all five lions being visible to the buffalo.

One of the adult lionesses kept a keen eye on her youngster while she was trying out her hunting skills. I am sure if the youngster had got herself into trouble, the two adult lionesses would have moved in very quickly to alter the asymmetric dynamics.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

The other cubs looked to be around one year old. You can the age of lion cubs by comparing their size, physical features, and coat patterns to an adult female. Newborn cubs have dark spots that fade as they grow, though faint marks can remain on their belly and legs. At around one year of age the cub reaches about half of the mother’s total shoulder height.

One of the lionesses did cross the road to check the buffalos’ advances. The adolescent quickly sought some attention and affirmation from the lioness by being allowed to rub herself against her mother.

A young blonde adolescent male also crossed the road to seek some attention from the lioness. He had no intention of trying anything with the onlooking six old “dagga boys” but seemed have ignored them completely. A mistake because they were still uncomfortably close.

The lioness was clearly unhappy with the young male’s disregard for the buffalo bulls proximity. When the young male tried to play with the lioness, she quickly put him in his place.

“He who cannot obey himself will be commanded. That is the nature of living creatures.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

The other larger lioness who was still on the other side of the road just watched the goings while the young male was being chastised. It was interesting that the lionesses were quiet other than the growl from the lioness who was chastising the young male.

Incredibly while the buffalo bulls were slowly walking away, the adolescents quickly began to play by chasing and tackling each other. The lesson was over, tension broken and it was play time.

It was fascinating to watch the hunting lesson and how each of the adolescents reacted to the opportunity to learn. Given the size and coordination of the six old buffalo bulls the hunt was never going to turn into anything serious for the “dagga boys”, old buffalo bulls. It could have been very serious for the adolescent female lion if the buffaloes had caught her. Then it would have been very interesting to see how the two adult lionesses would have reacted.

It can take a lion cub about two-and-a-half years to become a proficient hunter, but mastering dangerous, large prey like an adult Cape buffalo often requires three to four years of experience within the pride. Year old lions begin joining active hunts, though they often bungle attempts by revealing their position to the prey too early. It is only once they have regularly taken part in hunts that they develop basic killing skills, though complex teamwork needed for tackling large animals such as buffalo. Unlike hunting smaller or more solitary prey, bringing down a buffalo requires precise pride coordination—some lions isolate the target while others time their attacks on the rear or back of the animal. All of these tactics and skills are learnt.

The two lionesses and their adolescent cubs were probably part of a much larger pride. The lone lioness with her very young cubs not far away at Maji Ma Chafu crossing were also probably part of the larger pride. The very small cubs were likely hidden from adolescents because the latter would be too rough with their very small cousins. Over the next few days we saw one large male in the same area and he was probably the cubs’ father.

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Lions are the most sociable member of the larger cat family. They live in prides normally up to 20 members, with up to three males, several adult females (one dominant), and a number of sub-adults and cubs. In the Serengeti, a few years earlier we came across a pride of 70 lions. They were not all together because it would have made hunting and feeding impossible. We assumed they were family sub-groups where a coalition of males dominated all the sub-families.

“Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.” – Lao Tzu

Typically males may hold territory of between 20-400 square kms. within which may comprise several prides of females. In the Masai Mara, females do most of the hunting, helped by males when it comes to taking down large prey. The lions favour wildebeest and zebra, but outside of the annual ‘migration’, they have to adapt to taking on other prey, such as buffalo and warthogs.

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

Have fun, Mike

Most people go to the Mara Triangle to see mammals especially predators but in your travels looking for predators you will find there are birds everywhere. It can also be very productive just walking around the safari camp as there are many species of birds around the camp. I stayed in Wild Eye’s Enkushui safari camp which is located along the west bank of the Mara river in a large croton thicket. This post shows a small selection of the birds we saw while travelling around the Mara Triangle.

“Birds are the most popular group in the animal kingdom… And yet they inhabit a world which is really rather mysterious.” — David Attenborough

There are many Little bee-eaters along the banks of the Mara river. They use the overhanging branches of croton bushes to hawk insects.

Grey-headed kingfishers are regularly seen along the banks of the Mara river. This species of kingfisher is an insectivore. Other kingfisher that can be seen include the Malachite and Pied, which are both fish eaters as is the lesser seen Giant Kingfisher. I am told that there are Striped kingfishers along the Mara river but I have never seen one.

“Nature’s masterpiece in every feather. Where the whispers of nature meet the songs of the sky. A living canvas of vibrant hues.” ~ Unknown

A female and male Black-bellied bustard seen in the long grass close to the road. I have seen many more White-bellied bustards in the Triangle grasslands and the occasional Kori bustard. I am told the colourful Denham’s bustard can also be seen here but I have never seen one in the several trips I have had to the Masai Mara.

A female Northern Anteater chat perched on top of a rock protruding above the grasslands. The male of this species is black with white panels on its primary wing feathers. It looks very similar to a Sooty chat.

A Rufous-naped lark chirping away from an elevated patch of earth left over from the recent roadworks. This character puts on quite a display dancing and flapping from its perch with its crown feathers raised.

“There is an unreasonable joy to be had from the observation of small birds going about their bright, oblivious business”
~ Grant Hutchison

A Long crested eagle perched on a grassed earth mound. This species hunts mainly rodents but will go for birds and reptiles when available.

Sitting in a balanite not far off the Main road we found a lone Black chested snake-eagle. It was using the tree as a look point and had an excellent view of the surrounding area. We did not see it hunting and did not wait as they can spend hours just perched in the tree looking out. We also see Brown snake-eagles in the Triangle but I did not manage to photograph one this trip.

A female Wahlberg’s eagle incubating her eggs in a tree close to the bank of the Mara river. The nest comprises loose sticks locked together to provide a nesting platform with soft green leaves to soften the lining. This species usually breeds in southern Africa in the summer and is an inter-African migrant. Not all Wahlberg’s make the migratory journey because the climate offers even breeding conditions all year round.

“Where the whispers of nature meet the songs of the sky.”

At the Wild Eye Enkushui Safari camp a pair of White-browed robin-chats serenaded the guests every morning at around 5h30. This songster is immediately recognisable by its song and duet, and also by its bold white brow and rufous-orange underparts.

“Birds are, perhaps, the most eloquent expression of reality.” ~ Roger Tory Peterson

This pair were very active through the day making frequent appearances next to the media tent where photographers were downloading and editing their morning’s images.

There was also a pair of Slate-coloured boubous which were very busy foraging for insects around the main tents in the safari camp. They also have a distinctive duet.

“The art of patience, rewarded with wings.” ~ Unknown

Down at the south end where the Mara Triangle borders the Serengeti we usually find vultures mainly because of the continued movement of wildlife across the border and many lions and cheetahs in this open area. This was one of a pair of Lappet-faced vultures. This species plays a vital role in opening up a carcass if the lions and cheetahs have not already done so.

On our last morning drive on our way to the Serena airstrip for our flight back to Nairobi we saw an adult Martial eagle in the distance perched on an anthill and it was eating something. It looked to be eating either a guineafowl or a bustard but was disturbed and flew parallel to us passed a small breeding herd of elephants.

There have been over 470 bird species officially recorded in the Mara Triangle according to the Mara Conservancy Bird List. 

“Birds are the most accomplished aeronauts the world has ever seen. They fly high and low, at great speed, and very slowly. And always with extraordinary precision and control.” ~ David Attenborough

The short rains significantly affect bird movement in the Mara Triangle by triggering the arrival of thousands of Palearctic and Afro-tropical migratory birds such as Pallid harriers, Steppe eagles, European bee-eaters and many species of warblers. Falling between November and December, these brief afternoon showers transform the dry, dusty savannah into a lush green landscape. This sudden shift creates an abundance of food that serves as a primary catalyst for regional bird movement.

The start of the short rains coincides perfectly with the arrival of migratory birds fleeing the harsh winters of Europe and Northern Asia. These species travel thousands of miles to settle temporarily in the nutrient-rich grasses of the Mara Triangle.

“Through the lens, a world of feathers and flight unfolds.” ~ Unknown

The rain replenishes ephemeral ponds, marshlands, and small seasonal streams in the southern section of the Triangle. This moves storks, herons, and ibises away from the main Mara River banks out into the open plains

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

Have fun, Mike

The predators you are almost guaranteed to see in the Mara Triangle are lions, big ones and many small ones. Visiting the Mara Triangle in October is purposeful because it is outside the main wildebeest migration period. The main reason we visit the Triangle at this time is that the tourist traffic is substantially less, the predators have to work harder for their food and so are more often seen during the day and there is a wonderful build up of cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds in the afternoons which provide dramatic backdrops and colourful skies.

“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” ~ Stephen Hawkings

The broader Masai Mara National Reserve and its surrounding conservancies is home to a massive population of roughly 850 to 900 lions. The Mara Triangle itself is a distinct management area covering about 510 square kilometres. There are an estimated 80 to 95 lions living specifically within the Mara Triangle. Each pride occupies a defined territory, with males defending the area while females do most of the hunting and cub rearing. Seasonal events like the Great Migration provide abundant food, which helps sustain large, well established prides within the ecosystem. The exact number of active prides Mara Triangle varies depending on seasonal prey migration and male coalition takeovers.

“The lion’s courage is foraged in the crucible of adversity, and its roar is the anthem of triuymph over adversity.” ~ Rashida Rowe

The Triangle shares an open, unfenced border with Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, so these numbers constantly fluctuate. When the Great Migration moves south to the Ndutu plains between January and March, resident lion prides in the Mara Triangle (and the greater northern Serengeti/Maasai Mara region) shift their focus to non-migratory resident game, primarily hunting African buffalo, topis, zebras, warthogs, and various resident antelopes. Lions are highly territorial and do not follow the migration outside their home ranges, so they must adapt to the seasonal absence of the massive wildebeest herds.

“Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature’s inexorable imperative.” ~ H.G.Wells

We found a lone male lion feeding on a carcass in an open area of grassland next to the junction between the Main road and Olare road. It was not clear whether this male lion had made or stolen the kill. The carcass was obscured by the long grass so we could not tell whether it was a topi or wildebeest.

A pair of Black-backed jackals waited just out of striking distance of the male lion. At times they got surprisingly close and it just took a stare from the male lion to get the jackals to back off.

This looked to be a middle-aged lion about four to five years of age. He had dark freckles and spots on his nose and his face had few serious scars, both of which were hallmarks of a middle-aged male.

“When you are close to a male lion and he stares at you and does not roar, listen.” ~ Mike Haworth

We found this lioness close to the Mara river near Miti Moja crossing point. There were three lionesses and two of them had four cubs between them. There were two cubs around four months old and two were 10 to 12 months old. Judging from her teats this lioness was not lactating and her cubs had been weaned.

These two cubs belonged to the two lionesses we saw at Miti Moja. To accurately age a lion cub up to two years old, a combination of height relative to an adult female, eye colour, coat spots, and mane development is used. These visual cues are used because researchers and safari guides rarely know exact birth dates in the wild. The two older cubs in the images below were probably four and 10-12 months old.

“You are never too young to lead, and never too old to learn.” ~ Kofi Annan

When you are a massive male lion you can lie wherever you want. This male was lying close to a lugga with water in it and there was plenty of prey in the inselberg area.

On our first morning in the Mara Triangle we went looking for a lioness and her four cubs but found two leopards instead. The next day early in the morning we found a single lioness with her cubs. Their mother had hidden them in the crotons on the west bank of the Mara river at the Maji Machafu crossing area. It is well known that the mother leaves the pride to give birth in a safe, hidden den. The older cubs can be dangerously rough with the newborns.

Based on the height of the cubs and the colour of their eyes, I guessed they must have been two to three months old. The cubs were small enough to just fit under their mother’s belly and their eyes had transitioned from blue-green to amber-brown in colour.

“Nobody can dim the light that shines from within.” — Maya Angelou

A lioness typically gives birth to two to four cubs per litter, with two to three cubs being the most common number. Litters can rarely range from one up to six cubs. A lioness only has four teats so litters larger than four are very difficult to nurse.

Mothers bring their cubs back to the pride when they are four to eight weeks old when they are strong enough to cope with the rough and tumble from the older larger cubs. Lion cubs start eating meat at around three months old, and the weaning process is usually finished when they are between six and 10 months old.

In the wild, the survival rate of lion cubs below one year old is roughly 40% to 50%, meaning that 50% to 60% of cubs die before their first birthday. In harsher regions or periods of intense conflict, mortality can spike even higher, with up to 80% of cubs failing to reach two years of age. The relatively low survival rate is due to infanticide by new male lions, starvation, predation by leopards and hyaenas when the cubs are left alone while their mother has to hunt. They are also vulnerable to disease as young cubs lack fully developed immune systems, making them highly vulnerable to common parasites and viral infections.

On our second last morning we found the lone lioness walking back to Maji Machafu crossing area where she had hidden the cubs. It is possible that she joined the other two lionesses to hunt the night before but she had no signs of blood on her face or paws.

On our second last morning we were driving past Peninsula crossing point along the Bottom River road when our guide Kenneth saw a male lion lying in the open warming himself with the early morning sun. He was wide awake and alert. After watching for about ten minutes he got up and began to scent mark the croton bushes close by and then went to lie down again in the shade.

We were not sure but he suddenly got up crossed a lugga and walked with purpose toward the Maji Machafu crossing area. He must have heard a contact call which none of us in the vehicle heard.

It was interesting that, although he was aware of the two lionesses and cubs off to his right, he ignored them and walked to the bank of the Mara river then we lost sight of him in the croton thickets. He must have been one of the dominant males in that pride.

“Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” — John Wooden

On our last morning, we found the same male in a similar area but the other side of the Bottom River road. He was lying in the long grass about 300 metres from the road. Again something caught his attention and he got up and started walking back to the same area as the day before.

This male lion looked to be six to seven years old. We did not see his teeth but his face was heavily scarred and the skin around his jaw was starting to loosen. He had a full mane but it was not a heavy black mane though his body structure suggested he was still in prime physical condition.

“Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.” ~ Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

After watching the large male lion walk back towards Maji Machafu we left him in peace and decided to have one final search for the lone lioness and cubs at Maji MaChafu. We found the lioness lying in the morning sun with the cubs carefully tucked away in the croton thicket closeby. The hot air balloon in the background suggested that it was early in the morning. There was beautiful soft warm morning light on the lioness.

As a final goodbye on our way back to the Serena airstrip to fly back to Nairobi we found this male lion lying on top of an anthill, fast asleep in the middle of the day right next to the road.

We were fortunate to have had some wonderful lion sightings in the six days we travelled around the Mara Triangle from out Wild Eye Enkushui Safari camp base.

“Wild Eye – capture a look of untamed freedom, intensity, and creativeness lifted from ordinary rules.”

In the Mara Triangle, the lions are distributed across approximately 10 distinct prides. Between six and 10 primary, resident lion prides occupying territories completely or partially within the Mara Triangle at any given time.

“Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

The Triangle supports roughly 17 to 19 lions per 100 square kilometres. While the greater Masai Mara ecosystem boasts one of the highest lion populations in Africa, long-term wildlife monitoring data shows that the private conservancies bordering the north of main reserve have the highest density of lions. Scientific surveys published by the Mara Predator Conservation Programme and Researchers from Oxford University show the highest concentrations of free-roaming wild lions in Africa are found in the Ol Kinyei and the Olare Motorogi Conservancies. The higher lion density in the Masai Mara usually lowers the chance of seeing other predators such as leopards and cheetahs. The Mara Triangle offers a good balance of likely lion, leopard and cheetah sightings.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

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

Have fun, Mike

After our week in Amboseli long-time family friend Ann and I were fortunate enough to fly from Amboseli to the Mara Triangle where we landed at Serena airstrip. The flying time is about 45 minutes. The alternative is to drive from Amboseli back to Nairobi and then fly from Wilson Airport in Nairobi to Serena airstrip in the Mara Triangle. The flight directly from Amboseli saves at least six hours of travelling time.

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” ~ John Burroughs

At the Serena airstrip we were met by the Wild Eye Enkushui team and we took a slow drive back to camp for lunch. The first sighting on our way to camp was a large male leopard lying comfortably in the canopy of a lone Balanite tree. He was watching all the movement of game in the grasslands around him. Looking at his belly he must have fed well the night before.

“The wilderness holds answers to more questions than we have yet learned to ask.” ~ Nancy Newhall

The Balanite tree also known as the desert date. This is an iconic, drought-resistant tree that dots the Masai Mara grasslands. It is often seen standing alone with a distinct umbrella-like or rounded silhouette against the open plain.

A welcome innovation in the Triangle is controlled off-roading in the Mara Triangle. Strict enforcement is in place, with Triangle rangers maintaining a visible presence and closely monitoring vehicle activity throughout the Conservancy. Off-road movement is permitted only for vehicles equipped with approved live tracking units and activity is limited to designated areas. 

Access is purposeful and limited: off-road driving is allowed exclusively for meaningful photographic or interpretative opportunities (such as sightings of cheetah, lion, or leopard), and never for convenience or general exploration. Off-road access remains highly controlled, with a maximum of five vehicles allowed at any one time within defined zones. Real-time monitoring technology is used to track vehicle movements, ensuring compliance and accountability for all operators. 

Wild Eye’s Enkushui Safari Camp is located in the Mara Triangle on the western bank of the Mara river about 1.5 kilometres up from the Purungat Bridge gate. This bridge is one of the most strategically important river crossing points in the Masai Mara ecosystem. It is located on the Mara River in the southern/southwestern Mara, and is very close to the Kenya–Tanzania border. It is the only vehicle crossing point linking the Mara Triangle side and the Greater Masai Mara side. The key advantage is that the camp’s location affords its guests first access to the high wildlife activity zone at first light. This significantly improves your chances of good lion, hyaena, serval and leopard sightings.

“Wildlife emerges when human disruption ceases.” ~ Unknown

On previous trips I had seen a beautiful young leopardess called Nashipai. I was hoping to get more photographs of her this trip. It was first light and we had driven down to Maji Machafu (meaning dirty water in Swahili) crossing area on the Mara river to look for a lioness and her very young cubs. Instead, we found a leopardess walking out of a croton thicket on the bank of the river. What was unusual was she was foaming at the mouth. This leopardess was not Nashipai.

We speculated that that she must have been foaming at the mouth due to either severe stress or having been in a fight. There was no sign that she had been in a fight. She had no sooner stepped out of the thicket when she bolted.

Less than a minute after the first leopardess had emerged from the crotons a second leopardess cautiously emerged.

“Choose your battles wisely. After all, life isn’t measured by how many times you stood up to fight. It’s not winning battles that makes you happy, but it’s how many times you turned away and chose to look into a better direction. Life is too short to spend it on warring. Fight only the most, most, most important ones, let the rest go.” ~ C. JoyBell C.

The emergence of the second leopard made us think this could have been a territorial altercation.

The second leopardess quickly followed the first probably to ensure she left her territory.

“The greatest value of a picture is when it forces us to notice what we never expected to see.”~John Tukey

One afternoon we decided to search around the Nvumba Nane hills. The scenery is spectacular and there is a pass through a section of these hills where a small tributary flows and feeds into the BBC lugga. At this point there are several large fig trees and one large sausage tree. With its large trees and steep hills this point is called Leopard Corner. We were lucky enough to find a leopardess lying on a large branch of one of the fig trees. She had torn ears probably incurred in territorial fights or hunting in thick thorny bush. This leopardess watched us until another two vehicles arrived. It got too busy for her and she climbed down the tree and disappeared through the long grass across the river and up the adjacent hillside into the thick bush.

On the second last of our six day trip to the Mara Triangle we left the camp at 6h00 after our cup of coffee and muffin. The camp is located in a croton thicket and is about a 700 metre drive to get to the Bottom River road. As we turned onto the Bottom River road there lying on a granite outcrop was a large male leopard. He looked to be asleep but as soon as he heard our vehicle he lifted his head. We asked the guide whether this was Shujaa, a massive male leopard we had seen the year before but this was a different male.

“…there are no wrong turns, only unexpected paths.” ~ Mark Nepo

The sun had not yet risen so the sky was illumed with soft pastel pinks, blues and mauves. This male leopard, now fully alert, was looking out from his rocky outcrop with the beautiful colours of the sky in the background creating a breath-taking scene.

He was a big male who looked like he had been in a few territorial tangles in the past judging from the scars on his face. Shujaa another massive male leopard we had seen in this area the year before had a considerably more scarred face and the skin around his eyes was damaged giving him a more devilish look. This was the same area we found Nashipai the previous year.

We spent about 15 minutes with this male before leaving him to rest in peace. It was interesting that he was resting out in the open on a granite outcrop at a time when the lions in the area were still active.

We were fortunate to have had three wonderful leopard sightings. Two of them were early in the morning just after 6h00 and we were the only vehicle in the area. This was because of the position of Wild Eye’s Enkushui Safari camp which always allowed us to be the first in the southern section of the Mara Triangle.

“If you do not expect the unexpected, you will not recognize it when it arrives.” ~ Heraclitus

Our best leopard sighting have been early in the morning before 7h00. That said last year we found Shujaa, the biggest male leopard I have ever seen, strolling through the open grasslands actively searching in the luggas for prey. He was the size of a fully grown lioness and powerfully built. He exuded an air of powerful confidence. The interesting part was that we found him in the open grasslands at around 9h30 so I can generalise about the best time to see leopards but mother nature always has something different to show us.

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

Have fun, Mike

We spent three mornings at Reedbuck Pan in the Maluleke Concession in the Pafuri section in the north of the Kruger Park. Each morning provided unexpected opportunities for different types of wildlife photographs from great bird interactions to wonderful saturated colours across the pan to dazzling reflections on the pan’s water surface.

“The vibration of being who you are and doing what you love is magnetic. You will align everything you need in your life with that energy.” ~ Maryam Hasnaa

As is normally the case on South African game drives, the morning drive has an early start preferably heading out at first light after a cup of hot coffee and a rusk. On the east side of the Pafuri Tented Camp is a rocky ridge with a few baobab trees. They make a wonderful silhouette with the saturated pre-dawn sky in the background.

It takes about an hour to drive east from the camp to the Reeduck Pan. By the time we arrived the sun had risen but the low angle of light cast long reflections of the fever trees across the mirror-like water surface of the pan. Early in the morning the quality of the light is superb. The direction of the light was just right, the colour of the light saturated with the sparkle from the early morning golden colours and light was soft with no specular harshness.

The pan by its nature is shallow and the banks relatively flat which gives plenty of room for waders to wander along the waterline. It also gives us ample opportunity to see crocodiles trying to sneak up on us while we are distracted taking photographs.

The intriguing aspect about this pan is that there is so much birdlife it is hard to focus on one thing. On the bend in the bank closest to where we stopped for coffee there was a Goliath heron, Grey heron, Yellow-billed stork and Three-banded plover all close to each other and quite relaxed.

“You didn’t come into this world. You came out of it, like a wave on the ocean.” ~ Alan Watts

As I showed in two previous posts, a pair of African fish eagles were aggressively territorial taking on a lone Goliath heron and solitary Great white pelican. The attacks were just intimidation and no one got injured.

I found it quite amazing that the Fish eagle would take on a large bird like a Great white pelican especially with its long beak and extended reach. The Fish eagles harassed herons, storks and pelicans alike.

“Do you have the patience to wait until the mud settles and the water is clear?” ~ Lao Tzu

A quiet moment for the lone Goliath heron the far side of the pan. This heron wisely decided to hunt close to fallen tree trunks which he could duck to avert a Fish eagle attack. Whilst I am sure the crocs do try to catch the herons, on this occasion a small croc was content to warm up in the morning sun on the fallen tree trunk.

There were plenty of Nile crocodiles in the pan and at times we got see a few basking in the morning sun on the far side of the pan. This was a good reminder to be alert and not get to close to the water’s edge.

Surprisingly, we saw a medium size croc try to bite into a terrapin but with little luck. Eventually, the croc dropped the terrapin into the water after trying numerous times to bite and try and crack its shell. The terrapin seemed none the worse for wear after its abuse.

We were joined one morning, while we were enjoying a cup of coffee and a muffin, by this juvenile Kittlitz’s plover which was hunting for insects at the water’s edge.

The adult Kittlitz’s plover in breeding colours has a more distinctive plumage with a peach coloured breast black band across its forehead down behind its eyes onto its nape.

We saw numerous Three-banded plovers dashing along the water’s edge hunting for small insects. Its two black bands across its breast are diagnostic as are its red eye rings and red beak with a black tip. It was a little more difficult to get good reflections of these small plovers.

A Blacksmith lapwing was also very busy looking for food. This species will feed on a wide variety of small aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, including insects (beetles, ants, larvae), worms, molluscs, and crustaceans.

“Water is the mirror of nature.” ~ Francis of Assisi

The main reason for this post was to show familiar waders in unfamiliar light and colour created by the light reflected off the fever trees.

Although the reflections do create an element of distraction, the colours and in the patterns in the water were fascinating. This Grey heron stood motionless in the shallow water of the pan for quite a while. It must have seen a fish and waited for it to swim within striking range.

The crocs showed no appetite for the herons in the pan. At this point the croc was in very shallow water so could not submerge for a stealthy attack. The only time I have seen crocodiles try to catch water birds was in the Salamat river in Zakouma National Park in Chad.

There was plenty of food in the pan for everyone which is why there were colonies of breeding herons and storks in the fever trees in the pan. The pink tinge in the Yellow-billed stork’s secondaries indicated that it was in full breeding plumage.

“No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.” ~ Taoist Proverb

A small flock of African spoonbills flew in to scour the pan for food. They frantically swept their unusual spoonbills through the water trying to catch edibles such as small fish, crustaceans (like shrimp), mollusks, aquatic insects, larvae, and frogs.

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” ~ Khalil Gibran

The inside of the spoon-shaped bill is packed with nerve endings and vibration-sensitive receptors, often referred to as papillae. Instead of relying on sight, spoonbills locate prey by touch. They sweep their partially opened bills from side to side through shallow water and mud to detect movement. When a Spoonbill feels a creature—such as a small fish, crustacean, or insect—touch its bill, the beak snaps shut in milliseconds. This extreme sensitivity allows them to feed effectively in murky, dark, or deep, muddy water where visibility is low.

One of the pair of African fish eagles that seemed to delight in harassing waders in the shallows of the pan. The Fish eagle’s tactics did not deter the waders, the latter just moved to another area of the pan.

Another example of a familiar wader in unfamiliar light. A Little egret foraging in the shallows of the pan bathed in a kaleidoscope of soft reflected colours.

A silhouette of a Little egret foraging in the golden morning light reflected on the water’s surface.

Same subject with a different angle and different light.

The colours reflected on the water’s surface of the pan changed the familiar into a magical wonderland of colour.

“Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.” ~ William Wordsworth

This post was designed to show similar wader birds in unusual early morning reflected light. Such is the magical time based quality of photography. The quality of light, the low angle and reflections are ever changing. The stillness of the water enhanced the quality of the reflections and the vivid colours of the fever trees in the background illuminated the reflections.

“We carry inside us the wonders we seek outside us.” ~ Rumi

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

Have fun, Mike

Helen and I stayed at Pafuri tented camp last May. Thankfully not during the recent devastating floods in Kruger, and in the Pafuri area. The Pafuri section is the biodiverse northernmost part of Kruger National Park. It is well known for famous for its diverse landscapes (fever tree forests, riverine habitats), exceptional birdwatching (Pel’s Fishing Owl and Racket-tailed rollers), and the confluence of the Limpopo & Luvuvhu rivers at Crook’s Corner, where three countries (South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique) meet.

“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.” ~ J. B. Priestley

We enjoyed morning and afternoon game drives. One morning game drive took us to Reedbuck pan in the Maluleke Concession. This is a stunningly beautiful pan situated at the edge of a large fever tree forest. The pan is usually filled by a combination of rainwater runoff and back flow from the Luvuvhu river which meets the Limpopo river at Crook’s corner. When the level of the Limpopo river rises the higher water levels cause a back flow up the Luvuvhu river. The back flow, at times, extends and floods the fever tree forest and surrounding area including the pans.

The pans are a magnet for bird life especially water birds such as storks, herons, egrets, lapwings, plovers and ducks and a pair of African fish eagles.

On the first morning we arrived at the pan it was around 7h00 and was bathed in golden morning light from the east which resulted in vivid reflections in the still water of the pan. There was a lot of activity with heronries in the trees and egrets, herons and storks flying back and forth with food for chicks and building material for new nests. Amongst all the aerial activity, we found a solitary Goliath heron stealthily walking in the shallow water of the pan.

We had seen a pair of fish eagles in the fever trees but they quietly perched high up in the tree watching the goings on. All of sudden from behind us one fish eagle swooped down close to the water aiming directly at the Goliath heron.

African Fish Eagles are known to frequently steal food from Goliath Herons in behaviour known as kleptoparasitism. Fish Eagles are opportunistic predators that often wait for the much larger Goliath Heron to catch a large fish (such as catfish or lungfish), then swoop down to harass the heron into dropping or regurgitating its meal.

While Goliath herons are the world’s largest, standing up to 5 feet tall, they are often forced to surrender a percentage of their catch to faster, aggressive raptors.

In this instance, the Goliath heron did not have a fish in its beak so this attack was not kleptoparasitism but rather a territorial imperative where the Fish eagles did not want competition for their main food source, being the fish in the pan.

“Nature is full for us of seeing inconsistencies and glad surprises” Margaret Barker

Not done with its intimidation tactics, the Fish eagle did a low level swoop to try again. Although these eagles are persistent, they do not always succeed. Goliath herons are known to fight back, and in some instances, have successfully defended their catch. The Goliath heron has a serious weapon in the form of its large sharp beak which its uses as an effective spear. The Goliath heron did not fight back but moved closer to a group of partly submerged branches from a fallen tree.

The Goliath heron ducked its head and body into the water between the fallen branches. That way the Fish eagle could not get its talons close enough to do any damage.

Studies indicate that Goliath herons lose roughly 11% of their fish catches to these “fish-pirates”. We visited this pan every day for the next two days because of all the bird activity. The Fish eagle pair did not succeed in chasing the Goliath heron away from the pan. Needless to say, the Goliath heron chose its fishing spots more carefully where it had more protection than the open water.

The pan turned out to be action packed. The Fish eagle pair flew around the pan intimidating the Yellow-billed storks and Grey and Black-headed herons as they were flying to and from their nests to the area surrounding the pan. At times it looked like the Fish eagles were having great fun.

“Animals are part of every landscape, part of the symphony of interactions that create an ecosystem, but too much of our science is siloed into looking at all these living things in isolation from each other.” ~ Kristin Ohlsen

The last morning we visited Reedbuck pan we saw a Great White pelican on the far side of the pan. We did not see it fly into the pan which can usually provide spectacular shots as they land by skiing across the water on their large webbed feet to land on the water and so sufficiently to land on their bellies and tuck their wings in. We were surprised to see a lone Great White pelican as they are often seen in small flocks as they are co-operative feeders. Great White pelicans are highly social, cooperative feeders which frequently fish in groups, using coordinated, team-based strategies to maximize their prey catch, particularly in shallow waters. 

The Fish eagle pair took turns to intimidate this Great White pelican. The size difference was noticeable but the Fish eagle’s lesser size was amply made up for by its aggression.

A Great White pelican is a large water bird, standing  up to 180cm and it has a wingspan of 226cm to 360cm and can weigh up to 15kgs, making it one of the world’s largest flying birds. It is also clearly distinguished by its long beak with a large, pale gular pouch. Males are generally larger and heavier than females, with a beak up to 47 cm long. 

“Nature’s imagination far exceeds humanity’s.” ~ Richard Feynman

The Fish eagle’s attacked from above swooping down on the hapless pelican which made itself look bigger by opening its wings and its large beak.

Fish eagles are known to attack Great White pelicans for the purposes of kleptoparasitism not predation. The pelican usually catches larger fish which makes the attack more cost effective for the Fish eagle.

The Fish eagle aimed to grab the pelican’s beak with one of its talons and managed to briefly hold onto the end of the pelican’s beak.

It was interesting so see how much the pelican’s beak bent under the weight of the fish eagle’s attack. No damage appeared to have been done during the attack.

Like the Goliath heron, the Great White pelican remained at the pan. The Fish eagle’s intimidation tactics did not work.

There were plenty of crocodiles in the pan and with all the waterbirds attracted to the pan we assumed there must have been good fishing for all the reptiles and birds involved. The fever trees provided some wonderful perches from which to look for fish and stage attacks on unwary pelicans and herons, especially those with fish in their beaks.

The Pafuri area in Kruger National Park was significantly affected by the January 2026 flooding, leading to the closure of the Pafuri Gate, road closures due to submerged bridges and overflowing rivers (especially the Luvuvhu), and precautionary evacuations of camps like Pafuri Camp. Reports suggest areas further south experienced even greater damage, with the floods inundating floodplains and cutting off access. 

“We inhabit a water planet, and unless we protect, manage, and restore that resource, the future will be a very different place from the one we imagine today.” ~ Alexandra Cousteau

Reedbuck pan was highly productive from a birding and bird photography point of view. The recent devastating rains and flooding in the Limpopo and Pafuri area have destroyed many of the roads but once the water levels subside I have no doubt the birding and photograph around this pan will be even better than before.

“To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter… to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring — these are some of the rewards of the simple life.” ~ John Burroughs

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

Have fun, Mike

On several occasions, long-standing friends, Bill and Judy Pierce, invited Helen and I for a weekend at their syndicated bush cottage in Eagle’s Rock estate. This is a private wildlife estate located about 15 kilometres north of Witbank in Mpumalanga, a province in South Africa.

“Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.” ~ Athenaeus

The Eagle’s Rock wildlife estate is located in the flat farming area outside Witbank which is rapidly developing into an opencast coal mining area. This wildlife estate was unique because its eastern and northern border was the Olifant’s river which flows northwards from the Witbank dam to the Loskop dam and onto join the Letaba river in Kruger National Park.

The Olifants river has cut a steep canyon through the red sandstone in the area, an impressive feature which you would not know existed by just looking at the flat farming and mining surrounds. Eagle’s Rock estate has a unique geological character which determines the diverse flora, fauna and birdlife found on it. The red sandstone in the canyon is highly weathered and has developed steep cliffs in sections along the river.

“The river has great wisdom and whispers its secrets to the hearts of men.” ~ Mark Twain

The steep cliffs on sections of the canyon used to be home to White-backed vultures and are now home to baboons, dassies, Black eagles, and Peregrine and Lanner falcons.

One of my favourite things to do here was to get up early when everyone was still asleep, after an evening of fun and laughter, and drive around the estate as the sun was rising to watch all the diurnal wildlife getting started. It is not only the wildlife that is entrancing but the insects and flora too. First thing in the morning, this Common Dotted Border was sipping moisture from the wet soil.

One of the sand roads on the estate follows a valley on the northern side of the estate which has abundant flora and fauna. There are two dams on the river course, and I have often seen kudu and klipspringers on my wanderings. There are Cocqui francolin and Natal spurfowl and many species of seed eating birds in this river course.

Around the dams we have seen Marsh owls, several species of duck and of course in the evenings the frog orchestra warms up for its nightly symphony.

”A river doesn’t just carry water, it carries life.” ~ Amit Kalantri

This Eupatorium was just one of the many flowers blooming along the sand track adjacent to the stream trickling down the valley.

You need to be wide awake when photographing Black eagles from the sandstone cliff edge. It is very exciting when these huge eagles fly past. Being caught up in all the excitement it would be very easy to take a step in the wrong direction and free fall about 300 metres to the bottom of the gorge. Even with that risk it was still a wonderful opportunity to photograph Black eagles in their natural habitat.

“Rivers are places that renew our spirit, connect us with our past, and link us directly with the flow and rhythm of the natural world.” ~ Ted Turner

While waiting for the Black eagles to appear there are always the Speckled pigeons which inhabit the cliffs. These pigeons together with numerous Little swifts are constantly flying past . On occasion, I have seen Fish eagles and even a Martial eagle fly along the river course. I have spent many happy hours musing over the beauty and majesty of this place and what a privilege it is to have your own private Black eagle viewing spot.

You need to remain alert as the Black eagles appear quickly from behind the ridge. They make no sound so you only have a visual cue. They can either come from high after riding a thermal or from down in the valley using the updraft to lift them up.

The pair of Black eagles usually fly together and use the updraft from the canyon to fly along the canyon. This gives a photographer many wonderful opportunities to get relatively close shots of these magnificent eagles gliding past.

From the eagle look-out point looking east up the Olifants river you can see the Presidentsrus resort which is mostly hidden by the cliff at the bend in the river. The Black eagles often sit on the red sandstone rocks. From this vantage point you get an almost 360 degree view of their hunting area. This vantage point also gives them close access to the nest which is about three hundred metres along the valley.

Once the sun has risen and it has warmed up enough for thermals to start developing, I usually drive to an eastern section of the estate where there is a resident pair of Black eagles which have produced offspring almost every year. There is a three hundred metre walk through the rocks to get to the edge of the sandstone canyon. From the main vantage point, you can see up and down the canyon. From this point you can also see the nest that the Black eagles use to raise a chick each year.

The male Black eagle is smaller than the female. The adult Black or Verreaux’s eagle is mostly jet-black in colour. The eye ring and cere are yellow, and the beak is horn grey with a black tip. When these magnificent eagles are flying and when seen from above the white on the back, rump and upper-tail coverts and part of the scapulars form a distinctive V-shaped patch.

There are plenty of dassies on the sandstone rocks which are a favourite part of the Black eagle’s diet. Dassies make up around 90% of this eagle’s diet.

It is a real thrill to watch these huge Black eagle’s fly past. During the breeding season which is in late winter the eagles are very busy preparing and repairing their huge stick nest structure sitting precariously on a cliff ledge.

These Black eagles are inquisitive and often fly above “our” lookout point just to check up on what we are doing as the lookout point is about 50 metres above and 50 metres away from the nest.

The weather in the late afternoons in summer can be quite colourful and dramatic. This was the view from the cottage patio looking north onto the gorge as a storm was building.

“There is something massively energising about the gathering storm. The gathering builds expectations of wild skies, where flashes of forked lightning were followed by booming thunder claps. The sky darkens, there is wind in your face and you can smell the rain coming.” ~ Mike Haworth

The last weekend we spent will Bill and Judy at Eagle’s Rock estate, a thunderstorm developed and with the lightning came the thunder. The view from the patio gave us the sunset to the west and the thunderstorm to the east which was both beautiful and dramatic.

As the storm moved west and the sun set the sky darkened and we got to see nature’s light show with sundowner in hand. It is very humbling to watch mother nature display like this.

“The thunder speaks, but the lightning strikes.” ~ Zulu proverb

The last time we visited Eagle’s Rock estate was in the March of 2020 just before the lockdown for the Covid-19. Bill and Judy’s syndicate has subsequently sold their bush cottage at Eagle’s Rock estate. We spent many happy weekends as guests of Bill and Judy over the years. There was always something to see during the days with long walks around the estate and at times down to the valley floor which took some navigating.

“Old friends are like wine — they grow much sweeter and more valuable as they get older. And they are irreplaceable.” ~ Ron Hale-Evans

Natural wild places and time spent with long standing friends is the perfect tonic and a great way to share ideas and have much fun and laughter together. Thank you Bill and Judy for many wonderful times spent with you at Eagle’s Rock.

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

Have fun Mike.

A pair of Little sparrowhawks are resident in our suburb and they visit our garden each day. The regular visits are probably because we put out food for the birds which helps their hunting success rate.

“Expect nothing. Live frugally on surprise.” ~ Alice Walker

The Little sparrowhawk is a small and secretive raptor, just a bit larger than a laughing dove. It is the second smallest raptor in southern Africa after the Pygmy falcon. A male Little sparrowhawk typically weighs around 68 to 70 grams, and his mate can can be almost double his weight at between 100 and 105 grams.

The colour of the plumage of a Little sparrowhawk and African goshawk are similar with a grey head and upper parts. Its neck is white and its chest and belly are white with a slight rufous tinge and grey barring. It has yellow legs and a yellow cere and eye ring but its eyes vary in colour from yellow to orange. Males are blue-grey above with fine orange barring beneath, females are grey-brown and white. Young birds are browner with coarsely barred chests.

One of the most striking aspects of sparrowhawk morphology is the difference in size that exists between males and females. It is not uncommon for male raptors to be smaller than their mate, but the size difference between male and female sparrowhawk is usually large. It is speculated that this size difference ensures both birds can hunt different prey, and not come into conflict over limited prey, especially in winter. The larger female is also more able to protect her nest and young from predators.

“To be prepared against surprise is to be trained. To be prepared for surprise is to be educated.” ~ James P Carse

Although they look similar, there is marked difference in size between an African goshawk and the Little sparrowhawk. The African goshawk has a wingspan around 70cm and body length which varies between 36cm to 47cm whereas the Little sparrowhawk has a wingspan around 39cm and body length averaging 26cm.

Another marked difference is in the tail feather colouring. The African goshawk has clear dark grey and white banding whereas the Little sparrowhawk has very light banding on the underpart of the rectrices but two clear white spots on the upperparts of the tail feathers.

This small raptor is often seen alone and it usually hides in the middle of trees for cover. It is a diurnal hunter and we mainly see it in the hours around dawn and dusk. We hear the Little sparrowhawks often but only see them clearly in late August and September once the trees have lost most of their leaves. When the greenery returns to the trees these little raptors are more often heard than seen. According to Ulrich Oberprieler’s Raptor Guide of Southern Africa, the female calls a rapid high pitched “kick-kik-kik-kik” while the male’s call is a mellower “kew-kew-kew-kew”.

The Little sparrowhawk is a bird hunter, waiting in cover. When an opportunity presents itself, it attacks using a short dash which often results in flight capture. This raptor seems to catch many birds the same size as itself. It normally consumes its prey on a branch in a tree. It will go for chicks of many species if it can find them. The Little sparrowhawk preys mainly on small birds weighing between 15 and 60 grams which include seedeaters such as mannikin, waxbills, weavers and frugivores such as bulbuls and thrushes. We have seen the male Little sparrowhawk go for a Green woodhoopoe but they never seem to go for Indian mynas.

These sparrowhawks have keen eyesight and are excellent at targeting unsuspecting prey. As a perch hunter and using their sharp eyesight and acute hearing, they scan their surroundings for potential prey even when light is relatively low. When this diminutive raptor decides to attack it is phenomenally quick and agile diving through the branches of the trees at remarkable speed.

“Work hard in silence, let your success be your noise.” ~ Anonymous

With the female being so much larger than the male and having a steadier flight pattern, she is able to hunt in more open spaces for larger prey. Males tend to hunt more in woodland and riverine areas seeking small sparrow-sized birds.

Little sparrowhawks prefer to nest in trees in forests and woodlands. Sparrowhawks build their own nests. The nest is often built low in a tree, in a fork near an opening with easy access. Sparrowhawks build simple platform nests from twigs which are not lined with soft material. We have watched a pair mating in mid-August though most breeding in Southern Africa takes place between September and February. Until the chicks are old enough to be left alone, the male sparrowhawk does all the hunting, feeding both the young and the female. Then both parents hunt for the juveniles, and they continue to do so for a month or so after the young sparrowhawks have left the nest.

Life starts rapidly in the Little sparrowhawk world. The incubation usually takes about 32 days and only one chick survives from a clutch of two to three eggs. The nestling is fed by its mother and becomes independent after about a month.

Little sparrowhawks are small birds of prey with short, broad wings. Most bird wing shapes can be grouped into four types, which include elliptical wings, high speed wings, high aspect ratio wings and slotted high-lift wings. Elliptical wings are found on bats and most small forest and scrub-dwelling birds. This wing shape allows a high degree of control and manoeuvrability in confined spaces. Elliptical wings are highly slotted between the primary feathers which helps to prevent stalling during sharp turns, low-speed flight, and frequent landing and takeoff.

Sparrowhawks and goshawks are Accipiters and as such are specialised hunters. The Accipiter shape is very distinctive, with short and broad wings with a strongly rounded wing-tip – ideal for rapid manoeuvring in confined spaces. This is the ultimate ambush predator of small birds, relying on surprise and the speed of pursuit.  The shape of the wing is important in determining the flight capabilities of a bird. Different shapes correspond to different trade-offs between advantages such as speed, low energy use, and manoeuvrability.

Two important parameters are the aspect ratio and wing loading. Aspect ratio is the ratio of wingspan to the mean of its chord (or the square of the wingspan divided by wing area). A high aspect ratio signifies long narrow wings which are useful for endurance flight because they generate more lift. Wing loading is the ratio of weight to wing area and determines the capacity for sustained lift and soaring.

“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.” ~ Stephen McCranie

Wings with a low aspect ratio facilitate rapid takeoff and swift twisting flight, but not for sustained high speed. When not hunting, the flight lacks the aerial mastery of the falcons and appears a little weak with characteristic ‘flap, flap, glide’ pattern. The relatively high wing loading is due to the relatively small wing area to its weight but the weight assists in the mid-air attack.

Many Accipiters hunt and chase songbirds, which are very good at flying fast for short bursts and ducking and dodging through branches. Little sparrowhawks are slender with short, broad, rounded wings and a long tail which helps them manoeuver in flight. The shorter wings make it easier to tuck in and avoid hitting branches, and the roundness still gives them lots of power on the down stroke. They have long legs and long, sharp talons which they use to kill their prey, and a sharp, hooked bill to cut and tear into its prey. The long narrow tail acts like a rudder and steers the bird in and around most obstacles, but it can also be fanned out to act like a third wing.

Sparrowhawks are the sprinters of the raptor family. They are capable of dramatic and fast bursts of speed of up to 50kph, but cannot sustain this speed in a chase. This means ‘spars’ must rely on stealth, speed and surprise to succeed, startling their prey before it has any time to react.

Even when we cannot hear the Little sparrowhawks calling, we often know where they are because of the alarm calls of small birds in the trees in the garden such as Black-capped bulbuls.

It is interesting that these sparrowhawks hunt an area in a similar way to lions. They will hunt in the area daily for a short while and then move away for a period. This prevents over hunting the area and does not give the garden birds enough time to get to know the sparrowhawks pattern of hunting and helps keep the element of surprise.

Whether it is first thing in the morning when we are watching these little “spars” with a cup of hot coffee in hand or dusk with a sundowner it is exciting when these “dashing hunters” come into the garden. The avian dynamics change dramatically and their presence adds dimensions of excitement and wonder spiced with a dose of anticipation.

“Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.” ~ Bruce Lee

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

Have fun, Mike

I am fortunate enough to have worked from home for the past 14 years. My office has a set of french doors which open onto the garden. We live along the Outspan bird sanctuary which has a stream flowing through it. This sanctuary has many trees so looks like a forest. The Outspan stream flows past our home and on down to the Jukskei spruit. Many birds wander up and down the stream foraging.

We are fortunate enough to have many birds resident in the area, probably because the is so much food around. It helps that we provide seed, fruit and suet which attract a variety of our avian friends daily.

“Tame birds sing of freedom. Wild birds fly.” ~ John Lennon

Over the years, and especially after the dry period around 2015, many bushveld birds moved into the urban areas to find food. They found a bounty and never returned to the bushveld. Johannesburg has many parks and is a well treed city which also provides a haven for our avian friends.

In recent years, we have regularly seen and heard a pair of Grey-headed bushshrikes. They have a distinctive long piping call which changes to a clicking sound when they are alarmed. Their clicking sounds just like the clicking of an electric fence. The clicking is normally due to the presence of a pair of Little sparrowhawks which are resident in the well treed Outspan bird sanctuary.

An adult Rose-ringed parakeet with its vivid green plumage and a black and rose ring around its neck. It has a bright red beak and a red-orange eye ring. This is one of the world’s worst invasive parrot species. Rose-ringed parakeets were first introduced to South Africa in the 1900s as part of the pet trade according to an report by the Mail & Guardian.

In the last six months we have had regular visits from as many as five Rose-ringed parakeets at one time. These parakeets have a call which is a harsh shriek but their beautiful vivid green plumage makes them very acceptable. These parakeets come into the garden for the suet but they are relatively skittish.

Juvenile Rosy-cheeked lovebirds. We have had as many as 15 arrive at one time. They compete with the doves and weavers for the seed we put out. These lovebirds are endemic in Namibia and the population in Johannesburg must have grown from pets that managed to escape.

The adult Rosy-cheeked lovebird has the rosy cheeks but the fledged juvenile can vary in colour from a vivid green with a light pink flush across it face and throat to a blue beige colour. The adult’s rump plumage is a powder blue and the colour of the underside of the rectrices is a barred vivid orange, black and green colour combination.

“In order to see birds, it is necessary to become a part of the silence.” ~ Robert Lynd.

Although these lovebirds are monogomous and at times have a very confiding manner, they can be very aggressive towards each other when it comes to dominating the available seed. They certainly dominate the weavers and sparrows on the seed tray.

A male Southern masked weaver in his full breeding plumage. The female is a similar size but lacks the colourful yellow plumage and black face and neck mask. These weavers are seed eaters but also enjoy the suet. This male was perched in a budding prunus looking down at the activity around the feeding tray.

An adult Grey lourie or Go-away bird. It’s latter name is onomatopoeic. It has light grey plumage and when excited raises its grey crest in the same way as other turacos. These lourie’s come into the garden for the fruit we put out. In late winter they gorge themselves on syringa berries and in early spring also eat the new buds on the oak tree in our garden.

An juvenile Speckled mousebird with its partly grown rectrices. These unique birds fly in as a group of six or more birds. They come in for the fruit and the berries on the puzzle bushes and bottlebrush trees. Like swifts, mousebirds are pamprodactylous meaning their two outer toes are reversible, so all four toes can be directed forward at will. Being able to rotate all four toes to face forward enables them to feed upside down, hold food with their feet, and perch with their legs positioned at strange angles.

The Speckled mousebird’s feet are large, and their legs widely spaced. Mousebirds do not perch like most other species and tend to rest their abdomens on their perch. They could be considered “living fossils” being survivors of a lineage that was massively more diverse in the late Paleogene and Miocene ages. These birds are unrelated to anything else alive today.

An adult Cape glossy starling with its iridescent blue plumage and bright yellow eye. These starlings are frequent visitors to our feeding table to enjoy the fruit and suet. These birds are very talkative which makes great accompaniment when gardening. Of the seven species of glossy starlings, only the Long-tailed and Burchell’s starling have a black and not a bright yellow eye.

“Birds are a miracle because they prove to us there is a finer, simpler state of being which we may strive to attain.” ~ Douglas Coupland

A few months ago a pair of Red-winged starlings were regular visitors to our fruit and suet offerings. These starlings are frugivores and insectivores so enjoy the fruit and the suet in particular. The brick-red colour is only on the primary wing feathers.

The female Red-winged starling is the same size as the male and has the same clearly evident brick-red primary wing feathers. The female has a grey head with darker streaks and her blue glossy plumage is somewhat duller than that of the male. This species of starling has a variety of call which are more like whistles with the most frequent sounding like an extended “spreeooo”.

Two adult Green woodhoopoes with their iridescent green neck and back plumage, and bright red beaks. The fledged juvenile has purply-blue neck and back plumage and a black beak. The juvenile’s distinctive white and blue barring has still to fully develop on its rectrices.

An adult male Grey hornbill feeding suet to his female. The female has a creamy coloured maxilla (upper mandible) with a dark red tip to both mandibles. These hornbills have a distinctive piping call which has a sad tone to it.

The adult male Grey hornbill has its diagnostic dark black beak with a noticeable but small casque on his upper mandible. A pair of Grey hornbills are resident in the area and occasionally come to visit to feed on the suet balls we put out for the birds.

We have a pair of Southern boubous in our area and they can be heard during the day dueting to each other. These shrikes have a distinctive black upper parts, a buff-beige under parts and a clear white wing bar. They have a wide variety of calls in their repertoire. The boubou prefers to forage in the undergrowth and only occasionally presents itself out in the open. They are not fruit or seed eaters and are very selective on the suet.

A pair of Cape Robin-chats are resident on our property. These are shy but inquisitive birds with an orange throat and rump, grey upper and under parts and a striking white supercilium, which separates the blackish lores and ear coverts from the dark grey crown.

This species of Robin-chat is always the first to start singing in the morning at the first hint of light. When on alert it flicks its tail up. The masked weavers chase the robin-chats when they get too close to the weaver’s nest.

“Some birds are not meant to be caged, that’s all. Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild.” ~ Stephen King

A fiesty małe Southern masked weaver guarding his seed against all birds smaller than himself. The Southern masked weaver has a red eye and its crown is yellow to just above the beak. The Lesser masked weaver has a yellow eye and the yellow plumage on its crown only extends half way across its head and the black mask extends from its neck across it cheeks and include the front part of its crown.

An adult male Cape sparrow. It has the white and black markings on its face and neck and rusty brown upper wing coverts. This male did not have the usual black crown so its grey nape and crown suggested it still had to develop its full adult colouring.

The female Cape sparrow has the same colouring as the male except it has a grey head, neck and nape and no distinctive black markings on her face and neck. The female has a clear white supercilium.

A pair of Crested barbets are resident in our area and they can often be heard trilling. They are very fond of the fruit we leave out for them. They tend to dominate the fruit and are only pushed off by the Grey Louries. The smaller Black-collared barbet defers to its larger black, red yellow and white plumed cousin.

“Birds chirping around you is a beautiful realisation that life is incredibly good. Let this sound be a gentle break in your routine.” ~ Hiral Nagda

The Crested barbet is also fondly referred to as the “marmalade bird”.

A family of Black-collared barbets regularly come to visit the fruit tray. These barbets can be quite aggressive to some birds that are bigger than themselves. They have a very strong beak which is probably the deterrent. This species of barbet is smaller than the Crested barbet and is pushed off the fruit by the latter.

The intensity of red face mask seems to vary according to age. I have never seen a Black-collared barbet with a yellow face mask, a yellow morph. This barbet has dark red eyes. Black-collared barbets have a distinctively different call to the Crested barbet and can be seen bobbing and quivering their wings while duetting.

A female adult Thick-billed weaver is also an occasional visitor. I have not seen the male in the garden but I know they nest in the reeds in a small dam about a kilometre down the stream. These weavers prefer the grass seed and also do not compete on the feeding tray.

We normally see the Southern boubou hopping around in the undergrowth in the garden. They tend to be more secretive than the other birds with the exception of the Cape Robin-chats. Among the vast repertoire of the Southern boubou, it has a piping call like a Grey-headed shrike but its call does not extend as long as that of the Grey-headed bushshrike.

A Green woodhoopoe holding precariously onto a thin branch. We have a family of six which come through the garden twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. They seem to travel up and down the Outspan stream foraging for grubs and insects under the bark of the many trees growing along the stream. They are particularly fond of the suet balls and can easily access them with their long beaks. Interestingly, the Indian Mynars will not tangle with these woodhoopoes because of their long beak.

A male Red-headed finch. This is an occasional visitor. A few of these finches come into the garden at times when the grass seed is abundant. They cannot compete on the feeding table with the weavers and doves.

A Ground dove – I think! I do not know what species of dove this is. I have only ever seen a similar looking dove in Mauritius. This character stayed for a few days and we have never see it again. It was bigger than a Laughing dove but was shunned all all the doves.

An adult Laughing dove. With the seed we put out on the feeding table, we attract 20 plus Laughing doves and a few Cape Turtle and Red-eyed doves. The Laughing doves have a soft call that sounds like ‘coo-coo-cuk-coo-coo’. These doves have exquisite soft pink, cinnamon, brown and bluish grey colouring on their wing and back feathers. As demure as these doves appear they can be quite aggressive with each other using their wings to hit their opponents when feeding.

The Red-eyed dove looks like a large turtle dove but has a red eye. We usually only see one or two of these doves around at any one time.

We have several Karoo thrushes in the garden. They enjoy the fruit and the suet. We often see them foraging on the lawn for insects and worms. The Karoo thrush is easily mistaken for an Olive thrush but the latter has a dark brown maxilla whereas the Karoo thrush has a yellow maxilla and mandible.

A Tawny flanked prinia is a regular visitor but prefers to forage for insects in giant strelitzia, clivias and and other shrubs.

We had Black sparrowhawk in the garden a year ago when a pair were nesting in the poplars along the Outspan stream. We even had an African Harrier-hawk visit a couple of times a few years ago, but we do have daily visits from a pair of Little sparrowhawks. They use the cover of the large trees in the garden to launch their blisteringly fast aerial attacks.

These images illustrate the variety of birds which we are fortunate enough to have come into our garden. Feeding the birds is certainly helps attract them.

There are many more species of birds which we see in the garden varying from Cape white-eyes to bronze mannikins. We often hear a woodpecker in the olive tree next to the house but I have not seen it clearly. We have several Hadedas which aerate our lawn and flower beds for us. Although the Hadeda is an attractive ibis, it is very noisy. Tongue-in-cheek we refer to the Hadeda as a “sabre toothed pigeon”.

“Every bird, every tree, every flower reminds me what a blessing and privilege it is just to be alive.” ~ Marty Rubin

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

Have fun, Mike