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Published: September 1st 2023
Maribou Storks
Standing along a streamReunited with the group, our own lunch was eaten in a picnic site at the Ndabaka Gate, the entrance to West Serengeti. We sat dispersed at picnic tables, facing the wide plain beyond the wire security fence. Other than a few zebras, we didn’t see any big animals, which gave me a chance to focus on the birds that sought our crumbs. Most beautiful in colour and name were the
Superb Starlings. Unlike dull brown Canadian starlings, these were large and magnificent with superb purple and blue feathers. As they poked at bits on the ground, the iridescence of their plumage glowed.
Resuming our drive, Lucas caught sight of a leopard balanced on the branch of a date tree, sleeping off its full belly. Remains of the kill were up on the branch with it. How marvelous to see the leopard passively balanced, its legs dangling limply on either side of the branch and the head turned to one side! Did it feel watched? After a long while, it got up and move to the trunk to have a look around but saw nothing worrisome and returned to its comfortable limb.
A short while later, we saw a lioness perched
on a termite mound, surveying the land. A large herd of Wildebeest stood off in the distance, waiting until the lion moved away from the water. The lion was making a barking-growling noise, which Lucas said was a call to other lions in her family. After a long time, two young females and a young male joined their mother. As a pack they would hunt, perhaps for a Wildebeest. Since it could take all night, we didn’t stay watching for ever.
In fact, we returned to the camp for a couple of hours free. Rest, wash hair full of dust, organize for tomorrow. At dusk, I walked over unescorted to the main tent and had a sun-downer with some of the others. Our dinner was fish in a good slightly peppery sauce, stir fried beef nicely flavoured, cauliflower, rice, and pound cake with chocolate sauce.
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Isabel Gibson
non-member comment
Great videos, showing the seeming nonchalance of leopards and lions. You're right - they do seem unconcerned, even confident. (I remember reading a novel where someone said that human infants must be all the scarier to other animals for being self-evidently completely helpless and yet unconcernedly loud in their squalls. It was like "I'm not afraid to attract your attention. My mom and dad are the biggest, baddest things you can imagine!") I think I'd be finding shade (if shade were available anywhere) instead of lying on top of a termite mound in full sun, but I suppose they know their own business best.