While researching to write up this blog I found the following quote by a Kenya specialist: “Open plains scattered with wildlife, rocky kopjes, distant mountains, and sparkling lakes — Out of Africa, The Lion King, and numerous David Attenborough documentaries are indebted to Kenya’s landscapes. And, despite it being Africa’s oldest safari destination, I love that you can still find relatively untouched wildlife areas if you know where to look.”
Our speaker, Heather Kerr, who is a member of Strathaven Camera Club, took us on an unforgettable trip to the Amboseli National Park with the aid of some fantastic photography. Heather has now made three trips to Kenya, but this talk concerned her first trip to what is termed the Kingdom of the Elephants. She travelled by air to Nairobi, and early the next day they went by road to Amboseli. This was in early 2020, they got back just before the first Covid lockdown.
Like many African roads, many were dirt tracks, but they did use one of the tarmac highways. On her way she saw typical corrugated iron housing, roadside stalls and a hotel sign advertising Channias Hotel & Butchery – open 24hrs – they didn’t stop! Very shiny motorbikes are a popular form of transport, used for personal transport but also for business needs as well.
They saw a wide variety of wildlife as they journeyed, we saw fantastic photos of Masai giraffe, ostrich, black-headed heron, spur winged goose to name a few. On their arrival, their accommodation was in an enclosed area, in up-market tents with protective hard roofs and everything you might need to hand, including a swimming pool and restaurant. There was also a view of Mount Kilimanjaro, across the border in Tanzania.
We were then treated to photos of many birds, if you are a twitcher, here are a few names: Secretary bird, Kori Bustard (the largest flying bird native to Africa), White Stork, Hamerkop, Squacco Heron, Tawny Eagle, African Fish Eagle, Pygmy Falcon, Pearl-spotted Owlet, a number of kingfishers – Grey Headed, Brown and Pied. The photographic treat went on and on ….. at least another 20 species.
But the trip was really to see the herds of elephants. The females and young elephants travel around in large family herds, whereas the bull elephants live more solitary lives. We were treated to fantastic action pictures of them, in groups, a new-born calf being protected by its mother and aunt, and bulls, all in the most picturesque settings.
We also got a glimpse of the challenges of residential expansion impinging into the regular elephant areas. If you are driving and meet a bull elephant on the track, you do not mess with it, they are enormous. There is also the ongoing problem of killing elephants for their tusks.
The presentation concluded with a series of photos to the theme music to the film Out of Africa. Such was the quality of the photography that many of the questions related to photographic kit and technique. Phil Theaker gave the vote of thanks, echoing many of the comments made during question time.
Heather is donating her expenses to Heather’s Giving Page for Prostate Cancer.
New members are always welcomed at the Club. If you are 50 or over, retired, or nearing retirement, (men only, I’m afraid) you can attend three meetings as a guest and find out what a relaxed and friendly time we have. That’s plenty of time to decide whether to become a Club member or not. Please check out our programme and then use our Contact Form if you wish to attend as a guest, or to enquire about joining.
Largs Probus Club will next meet on Wednesday 26th March at 10:00am within the Willowbank Hotel for a coffee morning, when a couple of members will be speaking.