Day 3 - A Full Day in Ruaha

So having gone to bed at around 10pm I was awoken some time later by the sound of cracking branches to one side of our tent. I got out of bed and peered through the mesh window. At first I can't see anything but then, as I watch, I see an absolutely massive elephant walk through the bushes, eating as he goes. I debate whether or not to wake Pete up, but decide in the end that he would want to see this. As we watch. our hearts pounding, the elephant walks slowly straight towards our tent. He literally got within an arms length and then walked down the side of our tent, around the back and continued on his way on the other side. Just amazing! I have to say it took a while to get back to sleep.

The next morning our alarm goes off at 5.45am as we are meeting Olaf and Christine for coffee and cake at 6.15am before setting off on our all day game drive. Olaf and Christine had at first been a little unsure about going out all day but were happy to do what we suggested. As you will see, by the end of the day they were so happy they did.

After greeting Ayoub and Dismas we set off. Ayoub has collected some elephant dung which he burns at the rear of the jeep to keep the tsetse flies away. Our first sightings include some impala, some birds, a nice group of zebra and some bat eared foxes.

Burning elephant dung

Amur Falcon

Verreaux's Eagle Owl

Bushbuck

Squirrel

Bat Eared Fox

Zebra

At about 8.30am we stop for breakfast. Ayoub and Dismas set this out on the car bonnet. It included juice, pancakes, sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, fruit, tea and coffee. Once we had finished, packed up and used the "bush toilet" we were on our way again. We quickly saw some more foxes, birds, a large python in a tree right above our heads and then......a leopard.

More Bat Eared Foxes

Southern Ground Hornbill

Woodland Kingfisher

Python

Python Skin

Leopard on the move

We watched the leopard until he disappeared from sight. Then literally our next sighting was a group of  5 lions, 2 females and 3 young males. One was actually walking back to join the others under a tree They were resting in the shade but did get up and move around and stretch for us.

Walking to join the rest of the family

The group resting under a tree

We thought the morning couldn't get any better when Dismas told us they had received a message to say a family of cheetahs had been spotted. Cheetahs are really rare in Ruaha but it seems that one family have now moved into the area. Dismas explained that it was a reasonable drive to see them but we all decided to go. After about a 30 minute drive we were rewarded with a sighting of a cheetah mum and her 4 cubs. They were sitting under a bush but then as we watched they decided to walk off and settle under a different bush.

Cheetah family

After so much excitement this morning we have all built up quite an appetite so it is now time for lunch. This is no boxed lunch but rather a proper meal eaten off proper plates!! During lunch Ayoub is still bird watching and manages to help me get a decent photo of a brown parrot, something that eluded me last safari.

Lunch

Dismas, Ayoub, Christine, Olaf and Pete

Brown Parrot

We have a very nice lunch and once finished Christine asks Ayoub "Is there somewhere here where it will be ok for me to go for a short walk? ". Ayoub of course says No.......and only a few minutes later Christine sees why. So, having packed up lunch we are off again. We cross a dry river bed and on the other side we find this guy.

 Ayoub says that it looks like he has had a good meal recently, there is the carcass of an eland in the ditch behind him.

Carcass of an eland

As we watch this lion he seems a little restless and then we hear some noise from the other side of the track. A few minutes later a second male lion appears. Apparently he is a brother and he looks very hungry and can obviously smell the food.

The brother approaches

He looks hungry

As this second lion gets closer, the first gets up and roars, making it clear that his brother is not invited to dinner. The second lion tries to approach several times but each time is warned off and eventually gives up and wanders off again.

Soon after a female then appears and approaches the first lion. It seems that her company is appreciated and she is allowed to come and sit down under the tree near the kill. We don't see her eat but maybe she has done so already.

He makes it clear he is not happy to see his brother

Then this female appears

She is given a more friendly welcome

Happy Together

So once peace is restored we decide to leave. We stop for a few more birds and then we see some lesser kudu. These are smaller and much more nervous than the greater kudu so harder to get pictures of.

Lesser Kudu

By now it is mid afternoon and we are already thinking what a great day it has been when out of the bush walk a group of elephants. They cross the track in front of us and quickly disappear into the bush again. Other notable sightings this afternoon include a group of banded mongoose that are moving so fast no one manages to get a photo and a pair of jackals.

Elephants

Jackal

By now it is after 5pm and we have stopped for some giraffe photos and a few more birds including a pair of Egyptian geese with babies and are thinking that we have had a brilliant day. I have taken loads of bird photos but will put these in a separate album so as not to make this blog any longer than it already is. Anyway our two last bits of excitement for the day are provided by a pair of ostriches which are quite rare in Ruaha and........another beautiful leopard. She is up in a tree when we first see her but she then spots some impala and down she comes. We watch her stalking the impala for a while but she doesn't attempt a kill while we are there.

Male and female ostriches

Very relaxed

Beautiful face

She spots some impala

And off she goes

It is now time to return to camp. We have all had a fantastic day and Christine and Olaf need no persuading to go out for a full day tomorrow. For a couple who have never been on a safari before they have had a pretty good first experience. I also have to say that we have spent most of the day without seeing another car so most of our game viewing has been done completely undisturbed by anyone else which has been great and one of the reasons we have so enjoyed our safaris in the southern parks.

We arrive back at camp about 6.30. I have time to do a quick bit of washing and have a shower before the Massai comes to our tent to escort us down to the bonfire for pre dinner drinks. As always dinner is good and so is the company but by soon after 9 we are ready to return to our tent, wondering whether we will get any visitors again tonight.