Island Camp, Lake Baringo, Birding Paradise

On Sunday morning we woke to the sun peeping over the horizon and lighting the lake below. At 6.30 we were served with tea and ginger biscuits which we enjoyed out on the tent veranda.

Within minutes we were joined by a multitude of weavers who pecked at the crumbs at our feet (yes, I crumbles my biscuit on the ground)

The view of the lake from our beds when we awoke on Sunday morning

I'd arranged to do a bird tour around the island and had to meet Johnson at reception (on the water's edge) at seven o'clock. While I showered I noticed the weavers were on the tea tray sipping milk and eating the sugar, so dashed out, grabbed my little camera and snapped away.

Early morning teawas shared by the weavers, while the sun rose over Lake Baringo,  !

Words are superfluous

I met Johnson at the appointed time and the first thing he pointed out was the Little Weaver's nest. As is the case with all weavers, the male builds the nest and then displays while hanging on the nest or branch to advertise it until a female approves and joins him as his mate

Johnson next pointed out a Blue-naped Mousebird which was a lifer for me. It was soon joined by several others all moving about too fast for me to get a decent photo.

A little further on, Johnson motioned upwards once again: a Greyish Eagle-owl, resting in a tree, after a hard night's work.

The Greyish Eagle-owl (above) differs from the Spotted Eagle-owl in that it has dark brown eyes. The latter has yellow eyes. Another lifer for me, this Greyish Eagle-owl!

Johnson and I walked up to thatched, open bar where he wanted to show me the various sunbirds which drink from the sunbird feeder suspended there. There were no birds but  Johnson kindly agreed to pose  for a photo against the backdrop of the indigenous trees, shrubs and magnificent Lake Baringo

Later we walked to the informal bar and pool area where there were sunbirds in abundance! Even though I could see the Beautiful Sunbird which Johnson kept pointing out to me, I was unable to get a clear photo of this distinctively striking bird. Above is a sunbird's nest

When I questioned a distinct "pop-pop-pop" call heard all over the island, Johnson told me it was a tinkerbird. Then we saw the bird fly into a hole in the tree, remain out of sight for a few seconds before emerging half-way again. It stayed in the above position for about half a minute before flying out to fetch more food for its young in the nest! I was thrilled to get a clear photo of the Red-fronted Tinkerbird

As regular readers of my blog know, I love little brown birds. The more non-descript, the bigger the challenge for me to try and find out what it is. The little bird above is not at all non-descipt and I was thrilled to tick it off as another lifer for the weekend: A Crimson-rumped Waxbill

All too soon my 90 minute guided bird tour with Johnson came to an end. I joined Grant and Johan who were having breakfast in the thatched open restaurant overlooking the camp and lake below

Then it was time to pack our cases and get down to the water's edge. Our boat was due to collect us at 10am and ferry us back to the mainland.

This little girl, her brother and a red hen in a box accompanied us on the boat

Arriving at the mainland jetty on Baringo Lake

I couldn't resist photographing this last bird,  a Pied Kingfisher, watching us leave the boat, !

On the way home, we passed through a village with stalls displaying Original Pure Honey. Michael, our driver, stopped and we all stocked up

Home sweet home

We arrived back in camp shortly after 1.30 after a wonderful weekend away.

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