My new favourite bird is the…
… Green Woodhoopoe!
What a bird!
My guide, Johnson, is curious and patient with my need to stay waiting for them to come back to their nest. They are large birds, up to 44cm long, with iridescent green plumage
We’re both fascinated when one arrives with food and feeds another adult in their tree-hole nest. That’s great – an occupied nest. I wonder if the adult is incubating eggs or in the nest with chicks?
It’s then that another adult arrives and starts feeding the adult in the nest, while the previous adult feeder is standing by. I’ve clearly a lot to learn about their social structure and cooperative breeding.
I don’t think we’ll be moving for a while. I want to see all that again and capture it in photographs. Stay tuned for Green Woodhoopoe updates!
More adventures on safari in Kenya
Is this Hornbill small or is that caterpillar huge? There's an African Grey Hornbill flying past our 4x4 in the Masai Mara. It's come from behind and is flying… read more
Black-Headed Heron There's a Black-Headed Heron with what looks like a snake. I know they eat fish and amphibians, but I didn't… read more
Cheetahs in the Masai Mara Gladys is driving us towards a pair of Cheetahs. "Oh yes! There". We're an excited group of four. A pair… read more
Hooded Vultures assemble There's a corpse in the long grass. We think it's the remains of a Buffalo. That means Hooded Vultures, Necrosyrtes… read more
Black-Backed Jackals Those cunning tricksters, the Black-Backed Jackals are back. Their ears are so pointy, and so are their noses. What a… read more
The Rhino’s Guard – the Red-Billed Oxpecker The Red-Billed Oxpecker's scientific name is Buphagus erythrorynchus. Bu means Ox, phagus means eat, erythro means red and rhynchus means… read more
A tiny Dik-Dik on my lawn Here at Mara Ngenche Safari Camp, in the Masai Mara in Kenya, the luxury is slightly overwhelming. When I booked… read more
Can you kneel on your wrists? Common Warthogs are fabulous creatures. Just look at that hairy face! I love this one's blonde moustache and perky tail.… read more
A Lilac-Breasted Roller perched and waiting Lilac-Breasted Rollers are chunky birds. They also have unusually large heads. I particularly like the long tail streamers which the… read more
Grey Crowned Crane It's one metre tall and has a two metre wingspan. It has a ridiculous crown. It has an inflatable red… read more
Plunge pools, Superb Starlings and sundowners Here at Mara Ngenche Safari Camp the luxury is embarrassing. A beautiful two-room tent with outside shower and private plunge… read more
My first views of wild African Elephants There is a small family group of Elephants in the distance. Seeing them in the landscape is something new for… read more