A day of Giraffes, Drongos, Sacred Ibis, Coucals and Snake-Eagles

Masai Giraffes are tall. There are four species of Giraffe and this one is native to the Masai Mara. I love the leaf-like patterns all over its body. It’s such a beautiful natural pattern.

This one is a male, as his horns have bald tops. He’s obviously been fighting with the other males again.

One of the common birds of bush-tips here is the Common Drongo. The adults have gorgeous red eyes. Their forked tails are a familiar sight. They are also called the Fork-Tailed Drongo, Dicrurus adsimilis.

They have long sensitive rictal bristles, or whiskers, around their beaks. They must be mainly insectivorous.

Common Drongos steal food from other birds and eat food items which have been disturbed by other species. They are very wary and utter alarm calls whenever they see predators. They also utter alarm calls which are false just to steal other species’ food.

Now that’s Clever.

There’s an African Sacred Ibis near a pool, with its strange but elegant bare neck. The African Sacred Ibis, Threskiornis aethiopicus, is closely related to the Australian White Ibis, which I’ve seen when I went to Australia for half a day’s work, and is known as the Bin Chicken.

There’s a White-Browed Coucal or Lark-Heeled Cuckoo, Centropus superciliosus, in the undergrowth. They seem to love being embedded in bushes which makes photographing one cleanly a nightmare.

Those intense red eyes are lovely, though, aren’t they?

It’s a clumsy, ungainly bird, crashing about, unable to balance properly in the undergrowth it prefers. Unlike the Common Cuckoo, the White-Browed Coucal isn’t a nest parasite and raises its own chicks.

Then there’s the thrill of the day.

There’s a Black-Chested Snake Eagle or Black-Breasted Snake Eagle, Circaetus pectoralis, on this small rock. It’s a perfect perch to spot smaller items of prey.

The bright yellow eyes are fabulous.

Those are just a few of today’s birding experiences in the Masai Mara. What a fabulous place and how wonderful to share it with good people.