We like to add Samburu National Reserve to our Kenya tour itineraries for a chance at species we don’t see in other areas of the country. One of those species is the Somali ostrich. The males have an almost bluish tint to their necks and legs. This big boy was doing a lot of preening and I caught him with one of his wings outstretched as if telling us where to go. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 2000, f/5.6 at 1/1600th of a second.
These two hyena cubs were playing with each other at the end of the day while their six other siblings were resting at the den watching the action and waiting for mom and dad to call it a night. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 3600, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.
Predator on prey images aren’t always the prettiest to look at. But I did like this close up of a lion’s paw on the back of a fallen Cape buffalo. Taken in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 720, f/5.6 at 1/800th of a second.
Egyptian goose sightings are fairly common on our Kenya trips. This goose leading her chicks was within our camp grounds at Ol Pajeta Conservancy. This species is native to Africa, but has been introduced to Europe the United States and a few more locations around the world. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 4000, f/5.6 at 1/2500th of a second.
On our first night in Kenya back in April, we came across a large herd of zebra. This pair was playing as others in the herd were munching on a grass, all getting ready for another night in the Masai Mara. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 100, f/2.8 at 1/1000th of a second.
We saw so many giraffes on our last trip to Kenya. For the most part, we see reticulated giraffes in the central and north regions of Kenya and Masai giraffes in the south. This was taken on a very stormy afternoon in the Masai Mara. The skies were dark and threatening while one giraffe after another walked toward the horizon line. Quite a spectacle to witness. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) IS) 560, f/2.8 at 1/800th of a second.
The pin-tailed whydah is just one of the cool birds we see in Kenya on our safaris. And if it looks familiar, you might have seen one in Southern California where they are an introduced species. This is the male. The female lacks the long tail and is more brown in color. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1400, f/5.6 at 1/2500th of a second.
When Karen and I lead safaris to Kenya, we always stay a night in Nairobi — not necessarily because we want to, but because airline schedules usually dictate that we do. Plus this gives our guests an afternoon to rest before the safari begins. That said, Nairobi National Park is always an option that first afternoon for anyone wanting to get a bit of safari-lite experience before the Masai Mara. It also gives us a very strong probability of seeing rhinos, which aren’t always easy to see in other parks. For this image, I positioned the vehicle so that I could capture the skyline of Nairobi. Pretty remarkable that such large animals, including giraffes, lions, ostrich and many others, live so close to a major city. The park itself is fenced on the three sides adjacent to the city, but open on the other so that animals can safely move in and out. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1250, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.
As I dive deeper into all my files from our last trip to Kenya, I keep finding more shots of lions doing all the things that lions do. We encountered this pride late afternoon in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy. There was one adult male with multiple adult females, along with a couple of cubs. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 500, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second.
Elephants have the largest brain of any land animal and three times as many neurons as humans. They are incredibly smart and have also been known to show deep empathy while grieving a lost family member. That said, zoologists haven’t been willing to attribute their ability to shed a tear to an emotional response. But only because they can’t prove it. Who knows why this particular elephant was crying. Perhaps the wind, perhaps a fly, perhaps something more. Photographed in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy in Kenya. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1250, f/5.6 at 1/160th of a second.