harshad : The Birds of Lake Naivasha

On the day 2 of the trip, we were to travel to Naivasha. Initially, we were planning to start early but as we had realised late yesterday evening that the Sopa Nukuru Lodge has an infinity (swimming) pool. We changed our plan. The first thing we did this day was to enjoy this pool.

Infinity pools are the ones where the deep end is such that it appears to merge with the horizon, at least it looks that way when one is swimming in the pool. See the photos below.

Infinity Pool

We had our fun in the pool, all the models in our group did modelling for photos (these photos are their professional property hence not posted) and then we finished our breakfast, packed, loaded the car and left.

We set out for our journey from Nakuru to Lake Naivasha at about 0930. We did not drive straight to Naivasha (as such we were in Sopa Lodge inside Lake Nakuru Nation Park), we took a smaller and quick safari through this national park and then continued further to Naivasha. Since this safari was a simple drive through, we saw the usual wildlife like Zebras, etc.

In about three hours including safari, we reached our place at Naivasha, Simba Lodge. We quickly settled down in our rooms and rushed down for Lunch. We were to go for a boating trip in Lake Naivasha.

There was a marriage function going on in the lawns of Simba Lodge and to our surprise, Bollywood songs were being played in that function. We later found out that it was a marriage of a Muslim girl of Indian origin and a local boy, hence the Bollywood songs.

The Lodge surroundings were all natural with some birds frequenting big trees on the campus. We were told that many animals also venture around the boundary and inside the boundary of the Lodge. Here are few birds shot by me (in a harmless manner by my Canon DSLR).

Superb Starling

African Paradise Flycatcher (also seen in India)

Very Pretty White eyed Flycatcher

African Pied Wagtail

After lunch and some rest, we set out for Marina Camp sit for boating. There are many places along the lake from where one can hire a boat but Eric, our guide cum driver told us that Marina Camp was the best and he was right.

After reaching the Marina Camp, we bought tickets for our boating trip (USD 30 per person) and went to the boating point for boarding the next available boat. There is a place in the middle of the lake called Crescent Island where the entry was another USD 30 per person hence we dropped the idea of going there. There is also a road to Crescent Island (which is actually a peninsula) however, the entry fee is the same.

We wore our life jackets (mandatory for every passenger) and boarded our allocated boat. This boat was a narrow flat bottom boat being driven by a single Out Board Petrol engine. Our boatman was an expert navigator. He was also a good bird spotter and a bird guide. Soon we were underway for seeing a world full of birds.

From this point on, for the next one hour, it was a memorable boat ride in Lake Naivasha. We possibly have never seen so many types of birds in a single place before. I will now limit my description and let my readers take this trip themselves through photographs. I will interrupt only and only to give an explanation when needed.