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Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
It was really lovely to watch this little cheetah cub gently licking its mother's face. Kisaru laid there with her eyes closed for a good ten minutes whilst the cub diligently went about its business. After mum had had her wash she reciprocated with a tongue lick that just about wiped the whole of the little one's face in a single swipe! The daily life of the predators and all the other animals is tough and tragic at times, but there are always some moments of tenderness like this. Experiencing these interactions gives you a better understanding of how these creatures survive and makes you appreciate the wonder of nature.
Vehicles from GMPTE's coaching unit were regulars on NX duties in the 1980s, in all their various guises. The least numerous was Warburton's Travel, from the Tottington-based operator whose business was acquired in 1975, albeit without their small fleet of lightweight coaches. I can't remember when the name was discontinued - was it at de-regulation time, or did it linger on beyond then ? This is a 12-metre PSU5 Leopard chassis (with 5 full-size side windows), as opposed to the 11-metre PSU3 behind it, with a half-size window at the rear.
It always annoyed Alan Warburton, the owner of Viking Coaches at Heywood, that GMT continued to use the name, as he wanted it for his fleet, but couldn't use anything similar as he was so close to Bury. But then he couldn't have used the name anyway if Warburton's had carried on themselves !
Chorlton Street, Manchester, 23/2/85
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
As we get ready to head back to the Mara for our first Africa trip of the year, I thought that I'd close off our October 2019 visit with a final set of images of the female cheetah Kisaru - the 'supermum' who's currently raising six cubs.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
The Olive Baboon is omnivorous and is able to find nutrition in any habitat. In this environment it can locate all sorts of food in the dry grass including seeds and various insects. I watched this large male for a good half an hour and during the whole of that time he was in deep concentration, never once lifting his head to check what was going on around him.
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
I accompanied my previous two lion photos with a bit of information regarding the current status of male lion coalitions in the Mara and how lionesses have to protect their cubs. Whilst I'm sure that I'll be posting a few more lion photos from this trip, I though I'd finish this mini series with a simple image of a beautiful cub in golden early morning light.
You'd think he/she hadn't a care in the world but, as I previously noted, it's a tough life being a lion, whether you're a strong male, lioness, subadult or cub. It may surprise you to learn that statistically "as many as 80% of cubs will die before the age of two years". That's a hard fact to consider, knowing that on average only two of every ten cubs you see and photograph on safari will survive. Obviously the death rate varies country to country and area to area across Africa, but the wider Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is near the top of the list simply because of numbers and competition. There are many reasons for cub mortality, and it's not just survival of the fittest. Being healthy and strong helps, but cubs need a bit of luck on their side.
This particular youngster is in a breakaway group of the Offbeat Pride together with his mother, another lioness and four other cubs of two different age sets. All five of these cubs were sired by the previous pride males who have now moved into another area of the conservancy where they've taken over the Cheli Pride. The core Offbeat Pride has two new males, which is why this group has broken away. If the new males encounter these females, this little cub could be just another statistic!
Addendum : During a return trip in February 2020 I found out that this youngster was actually from the Cheli Core Pride and not the Offbeat Pride. Although the make up of the pride and the situation with the current pride males is a little different, it doesn't alter the general position in respect of 'the statistics of survival' so I've left the wording of the final paragraph as it was when posted.
My patience was rewarded - 27 finally departed, so I could get a shot of 28 !
One from the main Charterplan coaching unit of GMPTE, based at the old North Western depot at Charles Street, Stockport, 28 was one of a pair of PSU3 Leopards in these colours that were new in 1980. Both were withdrawn at the end of 1985, but remained in the north west with their new operators. 28 found a home with GL Travel at Winsford, and later Roger Hill at Congleton, so would still have been making appearances here on NX duplicates. After a few years in the West Midlands, it returned to Manchester for a year in 1998, with Ashall's Coaches, but returned to the West Midlands for its final couple of years.
Chorlton Street, Manchester, 23/2/85
Masai Mara (MNC), Kenya
This is Osidai, one of a coalition of four male lions known as the Offbeat Boys who are the current dominant force in Mara North Conservancy controlling both the Serian (Cheli Breakway) and Acacia (Cheli Core) prides. We came across him alone one morning with this dead hippo, which almost certainly died of natural causes as it appeared to be unmarked, suggesting it hadn’t been killed. And, with none of the other males, or indeed the females, being anywhere near at the time, it was most unlikely that a single lion would have attacked it unless it was clearly weak. Anyway, Osidai was rather pleased that he had it all to himself except that he had to spend the best part of the next couple of days guarding it against opportunistic jackals, hyaenas and vultures until reinforcements arrived from the Serian Pride.
* Agujeta Piquicorta, Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) (Mnc)
*
La becasina piquicorta o Agujeta Piquicorta
(Limnodromus griseus) es un ave limícola playera migratoria, de la familia Scolopacidae.
Migra entre Norteamérica, Centroamérica, las Antillas y Sudamérica, en hábitat muy variados, que van desde la tundra en el norte, hasta estanques y marismas en el sur, incluyendo playas arenosas, costas lodosas, manglares, lagunas y humedales de agua dulce. Abandonan completamente sus áreas de reproducción cubiertas de nieve durante el invierno del hemisferio norte y marchan al sur alcanzando desde la región del Caribe hasta Brasil.
Mide en promedio 28 cm de altura. Su pico es largo y recto, con una longitud entre 6,3 y 6,8 cm. En época reproductiva el dorso presenta plumas marrón acanelado, manchado en las alas y estriado en la cabeza, parte posterior del pecho y el cuello. Tiene una banda ocular negruzca y una superciliar blanca; el vientre es rojo ladrillo con unos pocos puntos en los lados y barras en flancos.
En la época no reproductiva, el dorso es gris pardusco y el vientre blanco con algunas barras oscuras en los flancos.
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The short-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus),
is a medium-sized, stocky, long-billed shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. It is an inhabitant of North America, Central America, and northern South America. It is strongly migratory; it completely vacates in breeding areas during the snow-bound months.This species favors a variety of habitats including tundra in the north to ponds and mudflats in the south. It feeds on invertebrates often by rapidly probing its bill into mud in a sewing machine fashion
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Lugar de Observacion / Taken: Minas de sal, Salinas de puerto Hermoso, peravia, Republica Dominicana.
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Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Charadriiformes
Suborder:Scolopaci
Family:Scolopacidae
Genus:Limnodromus
Species:L. griseus
Binomial name
Limnodromus griseus
MNC - MOC Never Completed.
So, it was a WIP, but I doesn't have any idea how to finish, and I've just break apart.
So, This WIP will never finished.
I have some number of this kind MOC, and I will post it some times.
Now, Please enjoy!
Masai Mara (MNC), Kenya
This is Kisaru's daughter, recently named Nadupoi, with her remaining cub. Nadupoi was one of Kisaru's litter of six that we were fortunate enough to see back in October 2019, so it was good to see her again with a cub of her own.
This is what I was originally going to do for my SIA trial, but I'm not sure it would have been any better.
Masai Mara (MNC), Kenya
A full two days after Osidai had found the hippo (previous shot) the Serian (Cheli Breakaway) pride finally arrived. However, by this time it was rather smelly (understatement), covered in flies and not very appealing. When we were there the pride females didn’t go anywhere near it. The youngsters though, including this near subadult, gave it some attention, but more as an object to climb on rather something to eat! The pride together with Osidai, and one of his brothers Saruni who had also turned up, stayed with it the rest of the day, but during the night they left it to the scavengers. We passed the site the following afternoon and all that was left was the skull. Apparently, it had attracted over thirty hyaenas and a hundred or so vultures!
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
I took a few shots of this old 'big tusker' in Mara North Conservancy, but had no intentions of posting any photos simply because he was collared. Obviously I understand why he was fitted with a radio collar, but from a pure photographic point of view I don't normally keep photos of animals with collars or indeed birds with leg rings etc. I only kept this image because we spent an hour or so watching him and, even then, was only happy to keep it in my personal library after I removed the collar during PP.
However, I now feel that I should post the image as I found out last night that he's just died of old age. He looked absolutely fine when we saw him at the beginning of last month. He certainly didn't have any trouble walking or moving about, or eating. We even saw him topple a tree to get to leaves he couldn't reach. I don't know the circumstances behind his death other than it was natural causes. That makes the news easier to take, but it's still very sad. His name was Hugo - one of two large collared bull elephants in MNC - and he was well over fifty years old.
Addendum - I've just found this report :
"It is with a heavy heart that Mara Elephant Project announces the passing of one of our oldest collared elephants, Hugo, on December 5. Although a tremendous loss, the reward for our conservation efforts is Hugo was able to live to an old age spent in peace and pass away from natural causes rather than at the hands of malicious poachers. Hugo was a large bull elephant estimated to be over 50 years old and was the longest continually tracked bull elephant in the Mara ecosystem. He was originally collared in 2012 by MEP and was a resident of Mara North Conservancy (MNC). Hugo was collared simply because of the size of his very large tusks and he was an extremely clever bull. Hugo would hide his large ivory in nearby shrubs if game vehicles arrived and, we like to think, stayed in MNC because he knew he’d be well protected there. He was very sociable, often found in the company of other MEP collared elephants Fred and Kegol. In July 2018, Hugo required treatment from Kenya Wildlife Service Vet Dr. Limo from the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Mara Mobile Vet Unit for an arrow shaft protruding from his stomach. Though Hugo seldomly crop raided, he came into conflict with the local community when he strayed too close to outlying homesteads. Hugo recovered fully from that operation. MEP rangers noted that Hugo’s health had been declining in the past months and they were keeping a close eye on him for any signs of injury. MEP Tracking Manager Wilson Sairowua received an immobility alert on December 5, which led them to the scene. Ultimately, though sad, we are very comforted in knowing he passed at an age that is appropriate for large bull elephants and was able to live his long and healthy life out in the Mara".
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
The Western White-bearded Wildebeest [Connochaetes mearnsi] is the smallest and darkest of the five previously recognised forms of the nominate Blue Wildebeest. It is the species found across the Serengeti-Mara ecosytem, inhabiting northern Tanzania and southern Kenya west of the Rift Valley.
There were clear variations in the different localised forms of the Blue Wildebeest which has led to them being elevated to full species level under the new 'reclassification of ungulate taxonomy'.
The latest bovids field guide now describes four species - the Blue (Brindled Gnu), Western White-bearded, Easteran White-bearded and Johnston's also known as the Nyassa Wildebeest (a ligher coloured variant with a black flowing beard, that I've photographed in southern Tanzania). The Cookson's (found in Zambia's Luangwa Valley) remains as a subspecies now linked with the Johnston's.
The Black Wildebeest, native to South Africa, has always been classified as a separate species.
9M-MNC
Airbus A380-841
Malaysia Airlines
London Heathrow Airport (LHR / EGLL)
22.4.17
Arriving from Kuala Lumpur.
Leopards MNC 500-3W were the last coaches to arrive with the coaching unit in 'Starsky & Hutch' livery, with a pair for Charterplan, one for Warburton's, and this one for Godfrey Abbott. What I definitely didn't know when I took this shot was that the vehicle would be gone before the month was out ! It passed to Hart Coaches, near Hartlepool, who ran it for 10 years, until the firm was acquired by East Yorkshire Travel, so it joined that fleet a year earlier than it would have done had it stayed here with GMT's coaching unit.
Hart Coaches had form in buying coaches from GMT, having had earlier Godfrey Abbott Reliances ANA 6/7T, and they later bought Tiger / Duples FWH 23/4Y.
Charles Street depot, Stockport, 9/3/85
European Flyers, Diamond DA42 NG "Twin Star", msn 42N216, reg EC-MNC doing traffic circuits to Casarrubios aerodrome (LEMT)
European Flyers, Diamond DA42 NG "Twin Star", msn 42N216, reg EC-MNC doing traffic circuits to Casarrubios aerodrome (LEMT)
No inspiration for a description right now, maybe tomorrow!
Credits:
Snipes-Pistol Grip
WarPig- Inspiration
Shockwave-Rail covers, Handstop, Rope and Magpul text
-Bowlingdude- MW2 Font and iPod
-BraydenMaine- Surefire and HK logo
-Ken- Deadmau5 face.
-Travis- Quick-detach lever
Feel free to comment and add notes!
Resting for the weekend is the Missouri North Central GP7R No. 4485, a former Chicago & Northwestern "torpedo tube" passenger Geep.
It was built in May of 1953 as CNW GP7 No. 1658, later rebuilt as a GP7R in July of 1979 and renumbered to 4485. It was sold to the Chillicothe-Brunswick Rail Authority in the 90's, which at the time was operating the line through here after N&W spun off the route. This GP7R lived as CBRM No. 4485 during this time.
In 2005, the Missouri North Central took over operations and this engine became the MNC No. 4485. Motive Rail operates this line, and the other engine used here is the MRIX No. 8316, a former IC GP8.
Now over 68 years old, this engine's "Route of the Streamliners" lettering is faintly bleeding through on the conductor's side, and the "400" logo is barely becoming visible on the engineer's side, too. 10/23/21.
9M-MNC, an Airbus A380-800 owned by Malaysia Airlines, on short finals to London Heathrow's RWY 27R operating flight MH4 from Kuala Lumpur
Masai Mara (MNC) | Kenya
Inspecting the small olive grass-snake that it had incredibly spotted whilst circling the plain. After picking the snake up and dropping it a few times it decided to leave it for a Tawny Eagle that had landed close by to check out what was happening - I'll post a couple of shots of the Tawny tomorrow.
First flown with the Airbus test registration F-WWAD in Mar-12. After interior fitout and painting at Airbus Hamburg-Finkenwerder the aircraft was delivered to Malaysia Airlines as 9M-MNC in Oct-12.
It was withdrawn from service in Feb-20 and stored at Kuala Lumpur at the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic. It was test flown at Kuala Lumpur every three months but never returned to service. The aircraft was ferried to Lourdes, France in mid Nov-22 and permanently retired. Updated 15-Nov-22.
European Flyers, Diamond DA42 NG "Twin Star", msn 42N216, reg EC-MNC doing traffic circuits to Casarrubios aerodrome (LEMT)