I started early morning from the Aberdare national park by my safari van and by 2 pm I reached Lake Nakuru Lodge, Even after skipping visiting the Thompson’s fall, it was late because some time spent on the equator line.. It was so late for my lunch even I could barely catch it up 🙂
After quick lunch I just dropped down my baggage in the room and rushed for my evening safari of
UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lake Nakuru
… Safari began somewhere around 3.30 pm (park timings are till 6 pm only so wanted to hurry)
Roopa posing at the park entry gate
(in the background you can see my guide & van completing entry formalities)
During my lunch only looking at the lake side the absence of the flamingos was suspected !!! 🙁 and that was the hard truth !!! Although I know that the number of flamingos always vary with respect to the water levels (even in India too) …
On discussion with my guide I came to know that in the early 1990’s the lake’s level dropped heavily. However in year 2013, the lake water levels increased to the alarming level which led to the migration of flamingos to Lake Elmenteita, Simbi Nyaima and Bogoria. Observation is that the number of flamingos has been decreasing, may be due to the pollution resulting from industries or simply changes in water quality making the lake temporarily inhospitable.
Anyway so at the place where greatest bird spectacle on earth happens … Where myriads of fuchsia pink flamingos recides … whose numbers are legion, often more than a million – or even two million… fed on the abundant algae, which thrives in the warm waters of lake Nakuru … pity me …. I could not get even 2 !!! that too in month of September which is supposed to be peak season 🙁 … Don’t stop me …I want to cry loud on this …
This happens .. its nature … part of bird watching … you can’t guarantee Flamingos …. Then take photos of your loved ones with the great lakeside …
Beautiful of evening in the jungle of Nakuru
Since this part this park hosts ~400 bird species (including 5 globally endangered species) 50+ mammal species and over 500 species of flora …
Hence even if you miss Flamingos at Lake Nakuru you are guaranteed to see :
The White Rhinos, African Buffalos, Rothschild Giraffes, Zebras, Impalas, Olive Baboons, Vervet Monkeys, Waterbucks, a variety of water birds (Yellow-billed Pelicans, Marabou Storks, Hammerkops, Fish Eagles, etc.)
May be you also see : The Hyenas, Jackals, Lesser Flamingos, Hippopotamus, Pythons
&&& If you are lucky : Watch Lions, Leopards, Black Rhinos, Wild Dogs, Colobus Monkeys, Cheetahs
And don’t forget the plants! ?Look at the wide variety of beautiful grasslands …dense forests, and the very rare tarconanthus bushlands and euphorbia forests.
Here is what I spotted with my 18-135 Canon lens … A SpoonBill, Left to it is Geese & Lilac Roller; Bottom Right is a Thrush, left to it is Beautiful Starling
This park is also the first national Rhino sanctuary and hosts one of the world’s highest concentrations of the Black Rhinoceros…
———-Rhino photo goes here ——
Also the lake fenced off to protect Rothschild giraffes, black rhinos and white rhinos
———- Giraffe photo goes here —–
Nakuru means “Dust or Dusty Place” in the Maasai language .. however due to rains happening lately till September this year .. during game drive we didn’t face much issue of duste
On the way back from lake we got message that lion cubs are spotted (As against Indian national parks, here mobile connectivity is there so guides easily pass on messages and you get sighting) (Indian national parks you will not get any mobile signals, mobile jammers work or jungles are so dense and intricate to get signals)
By evening 6 pm it was becoming dark and my van headed down to take rest at Lake Nakuru lodge …
Second day after too early morning bk fast, at ~7 am guide decided to head down to the lake again to see if there is any chance to see flamingo … on the way itself the great confrontation happened with Lion family of @ 20 lioness and 1 lion .. they all were looking at us …
And on the way to exit to the park again one more nice shot of the family … looking at the hunt …
And obviously where there is hunt .. there will be the vultures (in India vultures are almost extinct !)
I was pretty happy to see the Lions and family so close … but sad too to miss flamingos … although near to my home at ~100 kms three is place called as Bhigwan where backwaters of huge dam attracts flamingos … I go there many times but flamingos are not in even thousands …
By the way the entry fee to this park is $80 for adult (refer to Kenya WildLife Service)
I know there are many photos to this blogpost, but I can’t avoid putting good information on the flamingos and their habits displayed in the hotel.
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