23/12 2012 Kenya

As we were heading to the MAsai MAra on this day, my hopes were very high to see something interesting. And the morning started off With some great birds around the breakfast table at the Sunbird Lodge.

African Citril/Olivenirisk

Beglafect's Weaver/Bergvever

Beglafect's Weaver/Bergvever

Fischer's Lovebird/Rødhodet dvergpapegøye

Fischer's Lovebird/Rødhodet dvergpapegøye

Great Blue-Eared Starling/Blåøreglansstær

Red-Winged Starling, male/Rødvingestær, hann



Red-Winged Starling, female + male/Rødvingestær, hunn + hann

Rufous Sparrow/Masaispurv

Rufous Sparrow/Masaispurv

Speckled Pigeon/Spragledue

Laughing Dove/Palmedue

Superb Starling/Praktstær

After a bgood breakfast With this great Company we went on, and after a dew hours in the car we entered the Masai Mara. After having dropped Our luggage in the lodge we drove out onto the Plains, and we were not disappointed even though we only had short time before darkness came.

Cape Buffalo + Yellow-Billed Oxpecker/Kafferbøffel + Gulnebboksehakker

Cheetah/Gepard

Cheetah/Gepard

Cheetah/Gepard

Lion/Løve

Lion/Løve

One should think that "The King of Beasts" would act like one, but this is how the first male Lion we encountered acted teh entire time we were watching him and his pride.

Lion/Løve

Lion/Løve

"Masai"-Giraffe/"Masai" Giraff

And at last, the bird of the day for me, the Secretary Bird. Suddenly this long-legged bird just appeared out of the grass and walked next to us. This is one of the birds I really wanted to see while in Africa, and what great views it gave me!



Secretary Bird/Sekretærfugl

Secretary Bird/Sekretærfugl

Secretary Bird/Sekretærfugl

Kenya 22/12-12 part 4

It has been a long time since I shared photos on the blog now, and I figured that it would be a Nice way of enjoying the Winter here in Longyearbyen by looking through more of the photos from last Christmas.

The Mammals of Africa are ones that most Europeans see on the TV, and for many, like me, it is a great dream to get to see these iconic animals. At Lake Nakuru the animals were more than willing to show themselves to us, and I got a real taste of what was to come later on.



This Cape Buffalo (Kafferbøffel) was one of my most wanted species in Kenya. These huge animals appear to be dosile and calm, but the power and changing mood they can show just make them a true danger in woodlands and on the savanna.



Cape Buffalo/Kafferbøffel

When this Waterbuck appeared out of the tall shrubs I was amazed at what a beauty it was. When we drove off I truly wanted to stay behind and look more at it. It appeared as royalty in the darkness of the forest.



Waterbuck

Baboons were seen several Places, but I thought this Picture where it is "mooning" the world was a good picture for us who have grown up With them in the Disney-universe.



Baboon/Bavian.

Thompsons Gazelle (Thompsongaselle) is a vary delicate little antelope, amd to see this one feeding was a nice sight.



Thompsons Gazelle/Thompsongaselle

Another common antelope was the Impala(Impala). These elegant antelopes wanted to run away from the car, but I managed to get Pictures of this one who wasnt quick enough to run away!




Impala/Impala

The striped horse, the Zebra, didnt mind us getting close, and they were obviously more than happy to be photographed. This baby was among the cutest animals I saw this day, and I just had to have it in this blog-post.



Plains Zebra/Steppesebra

 And when I was photographing the Zebras I got the idea of making close-up portraits of some of the animals. I am pretty pleased With the outcome of this one!



Plains Zebra close-up.

The Rock Hyrax is among the closest relatives of the Elephants! When you are stood looking at an animal the size of a large Rabbit, that it is a cousin of the Elephant is not a thing that strikes you....



Rock Hyrax/Klippegrevling



Rock Hyrax/Klippegrevling

Rhinos to me have allways been a living armoured tanks. Bur seeing the White Rhinos feeding next to the car, only ten meters away to begin With, made me think otherways. When they were around a meter away from the car they appeared as nice and peacefull creatures. To not be the slightest bit afraid when a couple of tons of muscles and horn is stood just next to you is a great feeling!



White Rhino/Hvitt neshorn



White Rhino/Hvitt neshorn

Lokking at the Giraffes made me remember all the times that I've seen them in the sunset on TV. And they are my mothers favourite African animal, so off course we spent some time looking at them. :)



Rotchild's Giraffe/ Rotchild giraff

 Our Guide got very happy when we spotted this Black Rhino at a distance. This was the only animal in the park that he didnt feel comfortable driving up close to. So the Pictures were taken at about 40-50 meters. A great animal that truly showed that it was the king of the land......



Black Rhino/ Svart neshorn



Black Rhino/Svart neshorn

 And when I spotted this one, the guide could tell that it was at least two years since he last saw this species. The Pictures didnt become too good due to the fading light, but yo can manage to see the species. :)



Striped Hyena/Stripehyene

May 2013, this far.

May is a wonderfull month when it comes to birds, amd here are some of the more interesting birds that I have had the pleasure of seeing this far in may.

May 11th:

The first goose of the year had arrived at Hotellneset. This was a Canadagoose, ssp. parvipes (Kanadagås, underarten parvipes). We were not expecting it to be this species, so both Vegard and I were surprised when the "Pink-footed Goose" (Kortnebbgås) showed a clear white cheek.......

May 13th:

One of the first unusual gulls that I have gotten to see this year. A Black-headed Gull (Hettemåke) spent a few days in the delta before disappearing again.

May 18th:

Another interesting gull up here in the High Arctic, a Common Gull (Fiskemåke) was seen for only one day before it had disappeared again.

May 19th:

American birds are a rare treat in Svalbard, and after the Canada Goose on the 11th of May, a sighting of a Pectoral Sandpiper (Alaskasnipe) was very nice.

And to make it even better, just next to it a Lapland Longspur (Lappspurv) was feeding at the edge of the pond.

May 20th:

Another bird from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean showed itself in Adventdalen, a Greater White-Fronted Goose, subspecies flavirostris (Tundragås, underarten flavirostris) was sitting in between a flock of Pink-Footed Geese (Kortnebbgås).

May 21st:

A total of three good birds photographed this day. The first is a Pectoral Sandpiper (Alaskasnipe) male that chased of a second male, and then kept displaying on the tundra. This is not a species that should be breeding on this side of the Atlantic, so there could be something really interesting going on here.

A Great Black-Backed Gull (Svartbak) was sleeping next to a little flock of Gaucous Gulls (Polarmåke).

 

And finally a pair of Long-Tailed Ducks (Havelle) were resting in the harbour on my way back home. 

 

 

May 22nd:

A male Tufted Duck (Toppand) was the highlight of this day.

May 23rd:

A Taiga Bean Goose (sædgås, underarten rossicus) gave great views for when sat in the car only 25 meters away from it.

May 25th:

Another sighting of the Viking Gull (Vikingmåke) was a cery nice experience. It came in to eat bread together with the Galucous Gulls (Polarmåke). This hybrid between Herring Gull (Gråmåke) and Glaucous Gull (Polarmåke) is very little described in the litterature, so pictures like these are very good to have for future ID-ing of individuals.

Looking very much like a Herring Gull.

Very little markings on right underwing and left upperwing.

Very little markings on right upperwing and left underwing.