LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK 13th January 2013


Dear All,
Nigel Hunter and myself had a day in Nakuru National Park on Sunday
13th January 2013. We had arrived the previous evening and stayed at
the Kunste overnight where the rooms were very comfortable and the
food as good as always. They had breakfast for us at 6.15am and we
were at the Main Entrance Gate a half-an hour later.
Whilst the environment has changed little, the bird composition has
made remarkable switches since the last visit on 10th December 2012,
that for interest I have repeated the species for that date alongside
todays for a ready comparison. It will be very interesting to see what
the waterbird count comes up with as they will have far more people
for a more thorough coverage.
There was some signs of recent rain in the form of puddles in
potholes, but the water level has climbed even higher although not
restricting any accesses further than they had a month ago. The water
is still pouring through the southern forest in a blanket, into Muyas
causeway and down into the lake. The rivers off the escarpment are
also running strongly, as is the Njoro. What we did on this ocassion
that we did not in December, is carry on from Muyas Causeway down to
the lakeshore and to the delta in the south-east corner which was
packed with birds.
Probably the best bird was not associated with the lake and met with
at Lanet Gate as we were leaving. There were a pair of tame Hemprich’s
Hornbills, and it is the first time in my life I can remember one
dropping to the ground to feed.
Even though it was a Sunday, we left at 3.15pm and were back in just a
fraction under two hours, the road was remarkably empty.
A word to the wise, there have been incidents of fraud concerning
members of the public who have lent their cards to friends and
visitors to get them into the Park at the local rates. They now insist
that Residents and Citizens show a Passport or Kipandi.



………….[December 2012……The water level had climbed even further than
when I was here in July. Now the Njoro River estuary….. gone. The
river is now only contiguous with the lake apart from two parallel
lines of trees heading out into the lake marking the former riverbank.
All the northern foreshore….. gone. Now replaced by the birdiest of
freshwater swamps imagineable, with the causeway providing just constant superb
birding all the way to the base of Baboon Cliffs. Acacia Picnic
Site….. gone. The sign
that marks the site has fallen on one side, dead fallen trees block
the road and the
grassy green camping area, is under a couple of feet of water as just
looks like part
of the lake. The western lakeshore drive below the cliffs….. gone. The
entire west
road is under the lake, the road is littered with fallen dead trees.
The road now goes
up Baboon Cliffs, then a circuit around to Out of Africa Site, then
descending towards
the lake. All the connecting roads to the lake are gone, but still
worth looking at as
some interesting birds can be found feeding on what was once the road.