NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK: Monitor Lizards, Kongoni & Gazelle

26 NOVEMBER 2008

A mid-afternoon meeting along Mombasa road placed me in the unenviable position of returning to the office at the start of the infamous evening traffic jam, made worse by ongoing road repair works.

Conveniently, though, the East Gate of Nairobi National Park (off Mombasa Road) offered a way to bypass the traffic snarl up, enjoy a short game drive through the park and return to the office in time to get some more work done.

The location and elevation of the area around the East Gate rewards with a commanding view of the Ngong Hills to the west and the grassy plains to the south. The grass is tall this time of year, and a keen eye is needed to spot wildlife. My first sighting was a ring-necked dove perched in an acacia tree.

Ring-necked dove

Driving on, I spotted a solitary female kongoni (hartebeest) antelope grazing contentedly, and a quartet of Thompson’s gazelle affectionately nick-named ‘Tommy’. These gazelle are small, graceful antelope. Their placid demeanour while grazing seems at odds with the continuous, edgy swishing of their short tails.

Kongoni Antelope

Thompson’s Gazelle

The drive was also a fruitful one for bird viewing, and I saw blacksmith plover, Egyptian geese, rufous-naped lark and zitting cisticola. One particularly rewarding sight was a female pin-tailed whydah, perched on a twig and seemingly feigning indifference to the attentions of a colourful, long-tailed male hovering in courtship display flight around her.

Pin tailed whydah – female

What had started out as an incidental game drive was turning out to be a rich game viewing experience. At Hyena Dam, one of my favourite locations, I spotted a monitor lizard basking in the warm afternoon sun. This is a large reptile, over 1 metre long. Its black-and-yellow patterned skin and soulful eyes with dark circular irises make it an intriguing creature. After a few moments of wary appraisal, it flicked out its black forked tongue and, perhaps not liking the sound and scent of the car, slithered off into the tall reeds by the water’s edge.

Water monitor lizard

Emerging from the park through the Main Gate off Langata Road, I reflected on its wildlife diversity: birds, mammals and reptiles all coexist here, in this island of nature isolated from the nearby hustle and bustle of the city.

NAIROBI PARK: Falcons & Goshawks

16 November 2008

The heavy rains that have pounded Nairobi over the past couple of weeks have somewhat dampened the mood for outdoor nature activity. Shrugging off the weather-induced malaise, I spontaneously decided to head for Nairobi Park for a quick late afternoon game drive. After three whole weeks away, I had high hopes of viewing something unusual; a pride or lions perhaps, or some rare bird not seen before…

It was 5.p.m when I drove into the park, and right away I saw a female olive baboon limping along, nursing a badly injured forelimb. I wondered what had caused the injury – a fall? a fight? Nature can be harsh sometimes.

After the sad sight of the baboon, I was immediately cheered up by a trio of speckled mousebirds perched on a leafy bush.

Speckled mousebirds

Knowing that I had only a limited amount of time before sunset, I had to choose my route carefully, if I was to maximise the game viewing. I hit upon what I thought was a brilliant plan – staking out the Hyena Dam (S 01°20.301 E036°48.640), a waterhole that usually has an assortment of birds and large herbivores.

The abundant rains have transformed the usually brown savanna grassland into a green carpet. Watching the tall grasses swaying gently in the wind is very relaxing - the city hustle and bustle seems very far away. As I drove along, I glimpsed lanky giraffe and brawny buffalo over the tall grass. Black-shouldered kite were abundant, and I counted five within a short stretch of road, perched on low bushes or hovering in the air searching the ground for dinner. The perching kites are edgy birds, and tend to fly off if you get close.

Driving on, I saw a rufous-naped lark perched on an acacia stump right next to the road, and stopped to take a look – I’d never been this close to a lark. Interestingly, the bird seemed equally curious about me and didn’t immediately fly off.

Rufous naped lark - profile

A short distance away, I spotted another lark perched on an acacia twig, and again got very close without alarming the bird.

Rufous naped lark – side view

By this time it was getting late and I drove straight on to Hyena Dam. To my great surprise there was no wildlife visible there! Clearly my ‘brilliant plan’ was not particularly smart… Disappointed, I headed towards the park exit gate along a different route, hoping to see some more game on the way out.

As I drove on, I noticed and stopped to admire a large acacia tree festooned with weaver bird nests… and spotted a beautiful but unfamiliar raptor (bird of prey), perched calmly on a branch amid the sharp thorns. Somewhere, in another part of the tree, an unseen, agitated-sounding bird kept up a continuous racket. The raptor, however, seemed completely unperturbed by either my presence or the noise from the other bird. Riveted, I gazed at the bird for several minutes. Occasionally, it would favour me with a contemplative stare. Finally, in a burst of energy, the bird took flight, leaving me enthralled in its wake. (I later confirmed that it was a Gabar Goshawk – which is known to raid weaver bird nests...)

Acacia tree with weaver bird nests

Gabar Goshawk (Immature)

By this time it was after 6 p.m. Thoroughly contented with this first encounter, I was happy to call it a day and drove on. About 100 metres further on, I spotted another unfamiliar raptor perched on an acacia. The bird waited just long enough for me to take a picture in the rapidly fading light before taking off. A check of my bird guide later confirmed it to be a European Hobby Falcon.

European (Eurasian) Hobby Falcon

Elated, I left the park with the last light of the day, reflecting on the thought that a short nature visit can still be richly rewarding.

-Ends-

Mount Longonot: A Dormant Volcano

1 NOVEMBER 2008

Mt. Longonot is a dormant cone-shaped stratovolcano found in the rift valley. At 2,776 metres A.S.L, it is the most prominent feature on the landscape in the southern rift valley area around Naivasha.

My friend Philip and I had been itching for a real hiking/mountain expedition, and chose Longonot as our destination. It is close to Nairobi (about 60kms), accessible (smooth tarmac all the way), and offers great scenery. We set off early (at 7:30a.m) and used the Nairobi-Mai Mahiu-Naivasha road which winds its way down the lower escarpment through a forest of candelabra (Tree Euphorbia). There are a number of great viewing spots along the escarpment section, from which Longonot can be seen in all of its glory.

Candelabra trees with Mt. Longonot in the background

View of Mt. Longonot from escarpment

Driving north-west along the Mai Mahiu-Naivasha section, the mountain looms ever closer, and stirs up a sense of excitement at the impending climb. The volcanic nature of the mountain can be deduced from the ‘corrugations’ that become apparent as you get closer, sharp v-shaped gulleys which run top-to-bottom along its slopes. This feature gives the mountain a dramatic texture.

Corrugations on mountain’s slopes

A short stretch of dirt road branches off the main road and leads to the Mt. Longonot National Park main gate (S 00°53.336’ E 036°28.479’, 2,156 metres A.S.L.) which has a mini shop, ablution block and benches under acacia trees where one can relax. The park entry fees are:

-Kenya Citizens: Adults Kshs. 100 Children Kshs. 50
-Residents: Adults Kshs. 500 Children Kshs. 250
-Non-Residents: Adults US$ 20 Children US$ 10

By 8:30a.m. we had started our hike, and were enjoying the warm early morning sun. The mountain’s slopes are bedecked with leleshwa bushes, whistling thorn acacia and coarse grasses. A steep but not overwhelming gradient encourages you to keep your head down and focus on the rocky trail a few metres ahead.

Whistling thorn acacia

Rocky trail

An observant eye will be rewarded with unusual sights - we spotted a chameleon shuffling along on the ground and moved in for a closer look; our attention was clearly unwanted and in a surprising burst of speed the creature scrambled up a nearby tree, changing colour as we watched!

Chameleon before

Chameleon after

After a 2 hour hike we made it to the top of the trail, 2,567 metres A.S.L., a climb of just over 400 metres from the base. From here it becomes clear that Longonot is essentially a cone with a hollow core that forms a crater. The circular rim of the crater is almost 2km in diameter, and the more robust climbers can enjoy an extended hiking adventure by walking around the narrow rim along a well-used trail.

The scenic rewards of this climb are manifold, with magnificent views of the area on offer. The highest point of the mountain is a rugged peak that overlooks the crater. Lake Naivasha can be seen a few kilometres to the north-west, its blue waters providing a beautiful contrast to the greens and browns of the rift valley landscape. There is a feeling of great tranquillity here.

High peak

Lake Naivasha – cool blue

Looking skywards, we notice that a bank of clouds has formed an arc, mimicking the shape of the crater rim, a necklace of white against the clear blue sky.

View of the east from crater rim – scuttling clouds

The abundant biodiversity on the outer slopes of the mountain continues over the rim and into the crater floor. A short stroll along the rim reveals three types of flowers and a black and white striped bee. Swallows swoop and dart overhead at high speed, on the hunt for the many flying insects to be found here – these agile birds are always on the move.

Flower and bee

There are wisps of steam that can be seen inside the crater, evidence of the vents powered by the volcanic activity under the mountain, whose last eruption is thought to have occurred in the 1860’s. It is a VERY long sheer drop from the mountain’s rim down the inner walls to the crater floor, rendering it inaccessible.

View of crater from rim

Refreshed by the mountain’s beauty and tranquillity, we begin our careful descent, enjoying the view of the landscape on the way down. Longonot is a popular destination, and at this time of day (around 11:30a.m.) we meet many climbers on the way up – it is quite hot though, and we appreciate the wisdom of climbing early.

The descent – late climbers toil in the midday heat

At the lower elevations, we begin to notice the large herbivores; there are giraffe, zebra, kongoni (hartebeest) and eland aplenty. You can see much more on the way down, as there is a better field of view.

Curious giraffe

As we approach the trail’s end, a bird’s persistent call catches our attention. On closer inspection we identify the source as a bronze sunbird, which promptly flies off to another tree. A prickly pear cactus bush signals the end of the climbing trail. This is an intimidating plant due to its dense growth and very long and sharp spines, but also beautiful – a red flower bud can be seen nestled deep in the bush.

Bronze sunbird

Prickly pear cactus bush

At the gate area we rest at the outdoor benches and take stock of our hike, and revel in the sense of achievement. We notice that there are lots of birds here. Cleverly, a log into which a small shallow metal basin has been embedded serves as a bird bath at which various species of birds take turns to have a drink and a cooling dip. From our bench we observe birds at the birdbath and in the surrounding trees, including superb starling, speckled pigeon, speke’s weaver, rufous sparrow and laughing dove, among others.

Speckled pigeon

Speke’s weaver

A chestnut sparrow is our last sight as we depart.

Chestnut sparrow in acacia tree

Mt. Longonot is a place of many wonders, and a great destination for sporty types and wildlife lovers alike.

Climbing Tips:
Clothes: light cotton t-shirt, comfortable shorts or lightweight track bottom
Shoes: well-fitting hiking boots or sneakers with good grip; heavy socks
Water: carry AT LEAST 1 litre of water
Headgear: hat or bandanna
Eyewear: sunglasses
Balance/Support: a stout walking stick - gives extra stability on steep slopes

Backpack: with padded straps for comfort (keeps hands free for climbing)

-Ends-

A Paradise Found

19 OCTOBER 2008

A lazy, sunny Sunday provided a great opportunity to explore a place I’d been keen to visit, Paradise Lost in Kiambu.

A mere 15-minute drive from Nairobi city centre, this is one of the most accessible nature-oriented recreational destinations near the city. Simply drive onto Thika road, branch left at the Muthaiga roundabout onto Kiambu road, drive on a further 5kms and find the turnoff onto a dirt road on the left (for the GPS savvy, coordinates are S 01° 12.357’ E 036° 49.916’). Follow the well signposted road through a vast coffee farm to the Paradise Lost main gate (S 01° 11.420’ E 036° 49.535’), where the ticket office is located. The entrance fee is Kshs. 250 and Kshs. 200 for resident adults and children respectively, and US$ 10 for non-residents.

The signage at the gate promises picnic/camping sites, waterfalls and stone-age caves.

My first impressions are favourable: the view from the gate is of a gently sloping valley covered with lush green grass on which well-fed camels and horses graze calmly. To the east, the hump-shaped Mt. Kilimambogo dominates the horizon.

Camel grazes on lush grass

A playground area resonates with the laughter of children at play as they enjoy swings and slides– this is a child-friendly environment.

Lower down the valley, a copse of trees partially obscures the view of a large water body and inspires immediate curiosity. I stroll in this direction, resisting the distraction of an ostrich in a large enclosure on the way.

The water body turns out to be a large dam that is fed by a river. There are plenty of visitor ‘bandas’ , open-sided roofed structures with benches and tables along the dam’s nearside shore, and a basic restaurant-cum bar facility provides an assortment of meals and drinks. Many of the visitors, mainly family groups, were preparing their own barbecued lunches, and the air was rich with the welcoming aromas of roast chicken, beef and other meats.

There is a boat hire facility, and for Kshs. 50/= per person on weekends (free on weekdays), a group can take a boat and ‘self row’ on the dam.

Boats for hire

I opted to hire a guide with the boat, and enjoyed a leisurely chauffeured circuit of the dam.

View from the boat

There’s lots of bird-life on the dam as well as on the shore, and I observed little grebe, long-tailed cormorant, malachite kingfisher, common sandpiper and yellow-billed duck.

Long-tailed cormorant

Common sandpiper

A highlight of the boat tour was observing Speke’s weaver birds up close building their nests – a feat of advanced, environmentally friendly engineering using renewable resources!

Speke’s weaver

Under construction - Speke’s weaver builds nest

After a very enjoyable boat ride I strolled upstream to the 50-foot waterfall, around which there are lots of trees, particularly Fig (the Mugumo tree so beloved of Kikuyu fables).

Waterfall

There is a cave system behind the waterfall, from which I enjoyed the unique experience of viewing the area through a curtain of water.

Behind the waterfall

The caves are well lit and an interesting place to poke around. I explored them without the benefit of a guide and thus missed out on an explanation for the 'stone age' historical context, something I’ll be sure to do next time.

Stone-age caves

Satisfied with what I had experienced, I elected to call it a day, although there was so much more still to see.

At over 50 acres in area, Paradise Lost is a hidden treasure with a mix of charms that will appeal to a wide cross-section of recreation seekers - I’ll need several visits to fully experience all that it has to offer!

-Ends -

Salaita Hill - Squirrels, Parrots & Lovebirds

10TH OCTOBER 2008

A three-day weekend provided the opportunity to venture further afield than usual, and we chose a camping holiday in Salaita, Taveta District, over 450kms south of Nairobi.

Departing on Friday morning, we used the Nairobi-Machakos-Kola-Wote-Makindu-Voi route, which is longer but more scenic than the more commonly used Nairobi-Makindu-Voi route for the first leg of our journey. A leisurely drive saw us arrive at Voi in the early afternoon, where we stopped for fuel and a tasty roast chicken lunch. The last 100km leg of the journey is the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta road which branches off the Nairobi-Mombasa highway and heads due west, bisecting the Tsavo West national park. The 20km Voi-Mwatate section of this road is tarmac, but the rest isn’t: a vehicle with high ground clearance and robust suspension (4x4, tour van, etc) is recommended.

Our destination was Mr. Shoko’s farm at Salaita Hill, about 10kms east of Taveta town near the Kenya-Tanzania border. We arrived late afternoon after a bumpy but scenic drive. This semi-arid area is characterised by large baobab trees, acacias, thorn bushes and savannah grass.

The 15-acre farm is mostly undeveloped: only a small part is used for subsistence farming and the rest is rangeland for Mr. Shoko’s goat herd. The area is rich in wildlife, especially birds, and within a few minutes of our arrival we had seen a fork-tailed drongo and superb starling. The farm has stunning line-of-sight views of Mt. Kilimanjaro to the north-west and the Pare Mountains and Lake Jipe to the south-west.

Fork tailed (common) drongo
View of the Pare Mountains

A stunning sunset capped the day and a moonlit night quickly descended.

A Salaita sunset

On Saturday we awoke to the sight of a pair of namaqua doves – the male’s black bib and striking red/yellow bill are unmistakable.

Namaqua doves (male & female)

The rest of the morning was spent in relaxed fashion, watching the birdlife that resides on or visits the farm. A large bucket under a tree serves as the watering point for Mr. Shoko's goats, and provides the focal point for the many birds we saw on the farm. Fischer’s lovebirds, mourning doves, white headed buffalo weaver, African orange-bellied parrot and red-billed quelea were among the species viewed.

Fischer's lovebird

White-headed buffalo weaver

African orange bellied parrot - male & female

Later on, Mr Shoko gave us a guided tour of the farm and its environs, and we took in the sights and sounds of the area. He pointed out the deep erosion gulleys that are a common feature of the area, and informed us that livestock overgrazing was a key factor in this problem – local pastoralists in the area maintain very large herds of cattle.

Scars on the land - erosion gulleys

As we strolled along it became apparent that Salaita Hill is only a short distance from the farm. Imagining the panoramic view from the hilltop, I asked Mr. Shoko if we could climb it. In hushed tones, he revealed a spooky local legend – the Hill is haunted! ‘Salaita’ is an Africanisation of ‘Slaugher Hill’, named for the site of a bloody World War I battle between British and German forces in which many lives were lost. It is said that the ghosts of the dead inhabit the Hill. No climbing, then…

Later, after a drive to the vibrant Taveta town, we settled in for a laid-back afternoon. Interesting sights included squirrel, grey-headed sparrow, lilac breasted roller, pale chanting goshawk, white-bellied go-away bird and yellow spotted petronia.

Cheeky squirrel nibbles on a snack

Yellow spotted petronia

There’s lots of insect life as well, and a dragonfly was obliging enough to pose for a picture.

A dragonfly poses calmly for the camera

A late afternoon stroll on the farm was rewarded with the sight of a Nubian woodpecker, a fitting end to the day’s wildlife viewing.

On Sunday morning, the early risers among us enjoyed the sight of a brilliant savannah sunrise.

A Salaita Sunrise

After a hearty breakfast, as we prepared to break camp, we saw crested francolin and red billed hornbill. When asked about the profusion of birdlife on the farm, Mr. Shoko informed us that we had barely scratched the surface: there were many more species to be seen!

Red-billed hornbill

Out of time, we bid a reluctant adieu to our kind host and embarked on our return journey, a highlight of which was the sight of a male and female pair of Von der Decken’s hornbills.

Von der Decken's hornbill (male)

It was a memorable trip, and one we’ll repeat often. And maybe even work up the nerve to climb that haunted hill…

-Ends-