BY RAPHAEL MBUNDA
We were sitting among a beautiful breeding herd of female elephants and their youngsters as they trickle in towards the waterhole. These beautiful giants looked so gentle and walked so silently. How lucky we were to find ourselves in the right place at the right time.
We gave the animals the space and respect they deserved because this was their domain. They came so close that I could see each eyelash. My uncle, Seba Nkoha, and Mr Kasagero, a lawyer who joined me on this trip, were quite scared. I told them that elephants are not angry or grumpy animals at all, as long as we do not offend or disturb them.
Near the waterhole, the presence of acacia trees and Balanites aegyptiaca, commonly known as the desert date tree, attracted many species of birds that came to drink. Soon, we heard a White-bellied Go-away-bird calling repeatedly. We could not figure out what the call was all about. Then it suddenly took to the air, heading in the direction of Lake Burunge. Birds primarily rely on calls or songs to distinguish members of their own species.
Another bird came and perched on top of an acacia tree. It had a powerful, dusky bill and flew slowly with its neck retracted, a characteristic of herons and bitterns. It was a Grey Heron, with a pale grey body and a long white neck and head. This distinguishes it from storks, cranes and spoonbills, which extend their necks while flying.
On the grass, we saw a young, hungry Red-billed Firefinch calling loudly. Its calls and movements helped its parents identify when it needed food while the adults were constantly searching for seeds and insects to keep it growing. It was a beautiful moment that showed the demanding reality of raising young in the wild.
Our friend Geofrey Massawe told us that the plethora of winged species in the bushes and around the waterhole here at Tarangire Simba Lodge was astounding. We also spotted an African Pied Wagtail wagging its tail and a Brown-hooded Kingfisher perched on an acacia tree. The way the kingfisher stalked a grasshopper, pounced on it and carried it to a feeding position was amazing and quite different from raptors, which tend to hover and dive at their prey.
We also watched a bee, a real dazzler among the shrubs and savannah grass which provide essential habitat and food sources for numerous wildlife species as well as humans. I love honey bees. They provide honey, which has an exceptionally long shelf life and is regarded as one of nature’s remarkable foods.
