Kenya 2023: Chapter 14 – Cubs and Eagle

One of our goals was to see some cubs on this trip. Last time we had seen some cheetah cubs, but we wanted some lion or leopard cubs, of which the latter is the ultimate goal of any big cat photographer. 

Not long after we left The Suck, we joined another convergence of vehicles around the Rongai pride. Unlike the day before when they had found shelter in the shade of the bushes, the cubs were a bit more active, playing with one another one a small hill aside a patch of tall, green grass. We shot for about half an hour and moved on, headed along the banks of the lugga looking for leopards.

Leopards are Lenny’s favorite animal and he’s never been out on a trip without seeing one, so we were hopeful that his uncanny streak and our uncanny luck would combine for a good sighting.

 Superb starlings

We hadn’t gone far, maybe about half a mile when Lenny spotted a Bateleur eagle in a tree. The Bateleur is big, with a black head, orange beak, white and blue wingtips, and huge orange talons. We had the eagle to ourselves for a few minutes and then two other trucks, one of them a Gamewatchers truck, came and joined us. Lenny is an avid birder and photographer like we are, so we swapped the 600 onto his camera for a bit which allowed him to get some superb shots for his own collection. The eagle ruffled his feathers, bobbed his head a few times, cawed, and then flew off west down along the lugga to another dead tree. We were headed that direction anyway and followed.

 Bateleur Eagle