arly morning scene: A lone white-headed vulture, an endangered species, was spotted by the roadside, clutching a carcass under its talon. Maintaining a safe distance, I stopped to watch it feed. The meal was that of a dead rock monitor lizard, likely a victim of a speeding car.
As another car approached at a moderate speed, the bird was threatened and fled to a nearby acacia tree.
Once the dust settled, I drove past the carrion while the vulture returned to its meal.
The White-Headed Vulture is named for its downy white feathers on its head. It is medium-sized, with a naked pale pink face and a bulky coral-coloured beak. It is a scavenger but can also hunt and kill small mammals, birds, and reptiles.
A red-fronted Tinkerbird
However, it is a species on the verge of extinction, as like all vultures, they are targeted and killed after consuming poisoned bait set by poachers, intended to prevent them from revealing prime poaching locations.
I was told that vulture eyes are highly sought after by gamblers, as they are deemed lucky and believed to provide the ability to “see into the future”, a belief deriving from the fact that vultures have incredible vision and can spot carrion from miles away.
Opting for a nature walk, I took another turn, which led me to excellent views of a Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Southern Black Tit, Short-tailed Lark, Red-throated Pipit, Red-capped Lark, and a White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides) that was patrolling the area, diving to catch a bee in flight before returning to the same spot to look for the next bee or another flying insect.
It displayed incredible acrobatics.
Engaruka is a village renowned for the well-preserved ruins of an Iron Age farming community and its sophisticated irrigation system.
It is also a settlement where life has remained unchanged over the years, nestled amid the beautiful scenes of the Rift Valley’s geological system, with native trees and shrubs that provide an ideal habitat for birds.
It was midday, and the wind was blowing hard; butterflies and other insects were being swept up in the swirling dust, making it easy for the skilled bee-eaters to catch an easy meal.
Later, in the hush of the fading afternoon light, a group of flamingos flew past; they were definitely coming from Lake Manyara on a safari to Lake Natron, where they breed.
Deciding to end my day, I called it a day.
Raphael Mbunda, Leganga Lodge at Usa River.Birding is his hobby. He can be reached at
Email: mbundarb11@gmail.com
Phone: +255756606070
