February 28-March 1: Ndutu

We left the Serengeti for the Ndutu area at the end of February, finally catching up to the Wildebeest migration. There is more rain in the area, and the herds are moving back to take advantage. We watched huge lines of the beasts moving, mostly single file, across the plains. The estimate of 1 million animals did not seem inflated. The total in the entire area is thought to be over twice that.

One of the highlights of the area for us was several Cheetahs. One was on a kill, a young Wildebeest. Cheetahs are unable to defend their kill against scavengers, so they gorge on as much as they can, then abandon it. This cheetah moved into the the grass nearby and took a snooze.

We found a dead Zebra, whose corpse had not yet been discovered by vultures, but did have a Yellow-billed Oxpecker devouring insects and ticks on the skin. Despite the red on the tip of the bill, this is not a Red-billed Oxpecker, which has an all red bill.

At the Ndutu Lodge, we were treated to a view of several Genets that patrol the rafters and thatch, eliminating rodent pests. They are very tame and used to being photographed. 

Have to run now. More later