February Trip through Tsavo East

In February, BUC Chamberlain and I went through Tsavo National Park just as I did with Kate the month before.  Luckily these pictures were still on the card and were not lost when the PC failed.  On the prior trip through Tsavo, I did not have my 150-500mm lens due to some mix-ups in our travel schedule.  This trip is when my 150-500mm lens broke; Tsavo and my big lens do not get along well….

This flock of birds was running around the road a few kilometers outside the park.  I am not sure what it is, but they were a difficult subject in the low light.  I know BUC told me the name, but I forgot it.  He took about 300 shots of these birds.

This is a Gerenuk, which I had seen in Djibouti, but I was able to get a far better shot this time.  This young guy was inquisitive, frightened, but also hungry, alternating from about to run, to watching carefully, to eating in rapid succession.

This small lizard was running around the gates to the park while we paid, I had to snap a shot of him.

The elephants were not cooperating with us today.  Never a good close, clear shot.

Hippo point was far more interesting, especially with the LARGE croc making his way to the water, they are an impressive animal.

Here it is sliding into the water, at which point a backed up about 10 feet from the water’s edge thinking of all those National Geographic shots of a croc leaping from the water to drag down a wildebeest.   I am much smaller than a wildebeest.

Another small croc sunning itself on a small rock island.

This large eagle was sitting on its nest and then flew to a nearby tree, a very impressive raptor that was larger than any other I have seen.  The fact that it was able to fly was almost shocking.

An elephant nestled into a small valley surrounded by acacia trees. 

This herd was huddled under the trees trying to hide from the building heat. 

Two nasty vultures sitting on a dead tree, extremely ominous, then we saw the carcass they were feeding on.

A roadside zebra with the rolling Tsavo hillsides in the background.

A lone bull elephant, you can see the size and age of the tusks.  Unfortunately it the signature African butt shot as the animal wanders away, but I had to post on picture of this giant.