Happy Birthday M. Westercamp!

Things have been quite busy for the past two weeks.  My project is now up and running and I spend my days at the New Nyanza Provincial General Hospital (PGH) monitoring data collection and interviewing.

The first few days of data collection happened last week, once we got our final ethics board approvals from PGH.  We did data collection from Tuesday afternoon until Friday afternoon and were able to get a lot accomplished!

This week has been pretty good thus far, except for the fact that one of my RAs is out sick until Thursday.  Things are moving forward in her absence.

Yesterday we celebrated Matt's birthday with dinner on the rooftop, which was really fun.  He turned the ripe ol' age of 34, which he informed us is when you become old.  I think he is full of crap.  My 'old' age is 70.

Because work has been so hectic, I am beginning to feel a little bit like a hamster in a wheel:
Wake up by 6:30, run, get ready to go to PGH, go to PGH until 5, get home, cook dinner, check email/talk to home, stay up too later because of talking to home or because of working, go to sleep and start over the next day.

When I left Chicago it was still summer and so the days (hours of sunlight) were long.  Being on the equator, our days are almost exactly 12 hours in length, which makes it challenging to fit it all in.

The rains have also seemed to have passed so it is getting hotter here by the day.

Running has been really great recently.  I think I am getting into a rhythm again and gradually adjusting more and more to the trail running that I do here as well as the elevation/hills/temperature.

This Saturday Erwan and I will do my 13 mile long run.  He is going to show me some new running terrain, which should be nice.

I haven't taken a picture since the Mara.  I think I need to get the camera back out and add some new content to the blog.

Hopefully this weekend I will be able to do that.

Ashley

P.S.  Congratulations to Nora and Paul who celebrated their nuptials this past weekend!!!
P.P.S.  Congratulations to Aaron "Otis" Harvey and Amy!!!  I heard the wedding weekend was wonderful!

The migration, the crossing, and the carnage...

The most spectacular part of visiting the Mara this time of year is that the wildebeest are migrating.  They make the journey from Tanzania to Kenya (anywhere from July to November) and then return to Tanzania (to the Serengeti) around February or March.

The endless plains of east Africa are the setting for one of the world’s greatest wildlife spectacle - the 1.5 million animal ungulate (wildebeest) migration. From the vast Serengeti plains of Tanzania to Kenya’s Masai Mara over 1.4 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra and gazelle, relentlessly tracked by Africa’s great predators, migrate in a clockwise fashion over 1,800 miles each year in search of rain ripened grass.


Part of the migration entails crossing the Mara River - which can be quite a treturous part of the journey for a number of reasons; the steep banks, the crocodiles, and the trampling that occurs because of the magnitude of animals.

We staked out for 8 hours on Saturday trying to see the wildebeest cross the river - but ended up disappointed by these silly unintelligent beings.

We got lucky on Sunday though and saw the much awaited crossing!!!

The waiting:

 

 

The Wildebeest are SO skiddish and the slightest movement from any other animal sent them running in the other direction and delayed the crossing.  This baboon sitting on the other side of the river was enough to scare them all away:

One of MANY fake outs - where they moved right to the water's edge and we were SURE they would cross, but then a maribu stork or car or tiny bird would scare them all away from the water

The hourds of hopeful onlookers at one point:

Albert got board of waiting for the dumb wildebeest to cross so he took a nap:

FINALLY!!! They crossed!

After they cross they run across the plains and find fresh grass to nourish themselves after the LONG journey:

Midway through the crossing some vultures flew down, which then spooked those waiting to cross and thus another group of park visitors will get to see a crossing because it was enough to send the thousands of wildebeest on the other side of the river into a flurry of panic which ended the crossing we saw.

The carnage of the crossing (TONS of floating dead wildebeest):

The scenery

The views from our camp site were incredible.  The first morning, I was able to capture the sun coming up over the plains which was breath taking.

It was breath taking in a MUCH better way than it was breath taking to hear the zebras and water buffalo just outside our tent.

Scavengers and other Birds of Prey

One of the most incredible sights this time in the Mara were the Birds...

Eagle (we weren't sure what kind)

Ostrich

Vulture

I guess this is more a bird habitat than bird.  There were about 20 birds perched in it at one point.  I loved how the fig tree looked!

I don't know who was more eager for the crossing to occur - us or the vultures hoping for fresh meat!

Big enough to not be messed with...

Rarely hunted, but not hunters either:

A few of the Predators...

It's much nicer to be the top of the food chain...

Some of the Prey...

Below are pictures of the prey of the Mara...

Wildebeest

Waterbuck

Giraffe

Warthogs

Zebras

Water Buffalo or Cape Buffalo:

 

When they prey gets caught:

The Magic of Masai Mara Day 1

The trip to the Mara was spectacular!  We are at the tail end of the wildebeest migration which meant that there was a lot of activity; zebras and wildebeest crossing the river as part of the migration, crocodiles, vultures, lions, and the rest of the predators on keen alert, kills of all varieties, and lot and lots and lots of carnage.

Alkesh generously provided the vehicle, a Land Cruiser named Tinga (meaning Giraffe in Kiswahili) that took us on the adventure as well as skilled driving and knowledge of the park. 

 

Before even getting the park we saw a wayward Hippo in a large pond about 20 km from the Mara, some Giraffe, Zebra, and Elephants:

 

We stayed at a camp right inside the gates, which was spectacular!

The first evening, near the end of a game drive, we could see the rain coming in from across the plains which was pretty incredible. 

The entrance gate to the Mara.

 

Wildlife pictures to come......