It is distinctly shivery in Shropshire just now, the wintery weather set to stay for a couple of weeks at least. And so as ever when the parts are chillier than is altogether comfortable, thoughts turn to the old Africa album and days when we lived in warmer climes. Christmas and New Year are the hot season in Kenya, following on the short rains (a term that these days belies their frequent flooding capacities).
Lake Elmenteita in the Great Rift Valley was one of our favourite getaway spots, only an hour or so’s drive north of Nairobi. The shallow soda lake is the breeding and feeding ground for both greater and lesser flamingos (it’s mostly the former you see in this shot).
The small tented camp where we stayed nestled among fever trees at the foot of the East Rift escarpment, below the Aberdares range. I took the photo just as the early morning sun rose above the heights and lit up the flamingos. Of course this scan from an original photo doesn’t quite do the scene justice, the crispness lost in translation. But you get the gist. It’s still very lovely. Though come to think of it, this part of the Rift was very chilly at dawn: jumper and jacket and wellies required, so not so different from my usual Shropshire outdoor garb.
For those who want to know more about this extraordinary place plus a spot of Kenya’s colonial history see my earlier post:
On watch at Elmenteita: the lake that blows away
Today I’m doing a two-in-one post for Becky’s January Square Ups, and Lisa’s Bird Weekly. Please pay them a visit.
Bird Weekly This week Lisa at Our Eyes Open wants to see birds with long wing spans.
Tish Farrell 
so very marvellous 🙂 I love watching flamingos. Such an amazing bird
They are amazing, though a bit whiffy at close quarters.
ahh yes, we don’t get that aspect in Portugal as they don’t breed there so no piles of dung or nests
Oh, what a ight, Tish!
Sight….
Lovely memories I’m sure. If you left it too late the heat haze would make photographing this scene nigh on impossible I guess.
The strange thing that happened in the middle of the day was a lot of very flat light so whatever you photographed looked v. characterless. I’ve got lots of those efforts! The other thing is even the Rift floor above Nairobi is around 5- to 6,000 feet above sea level – so not as tropical feeling as folks may imagine.
Wish we could see Flamingos here ..none..brings back memories of seeing them when in Florida.
What an amazing sight that must have been.
Yes, the sort where you keep pinching yourself 😉
what a sight! beautiful! 🙂
Marvellous shots!
Thank you, Margaret.
I showed your photo to my littlest grandson.
He approves. He likes ‘mingos!
Mingos – fabulous.
That’s a sight I’d like to see. Hope you’re well Tish.
Hello, Gilly. Lovely to hear from you. We are well and hope you are too. All the best for the coming year.
Beautiful photos, Tish and you are right on the flooding part. There have been reports that 4 lakes in the great rift could merge posing a threat to ecosystems and livelihoods.
I heard there were problems at Lake Bogoria. What’s going on – simply too much rain or is something geological also happening?
I think too much rain and water injection from the geothermal Wells could be contributing to the problem too
Hm. That’s interesting. The geothermal industry there has been expanding lately hasn’t it?
It has.
Yes, fabulous! I often see them but no chance of a shot like this 🙂 🙂 Chilly here too, Tish, but bright blue and lovely when you can find a patch of sun to sit in with a book.
Glad you’ve been having some brightness. V. dank and gloomy here today, bits of snow lying about the place.
Ugh! 😦 😦
Beautiful, Tish. I enjoy hearing your tales of Africa. Thanks for sharing. Best, Babsje
Many thanks and all the very best to you, Babsje.
You’re welcome, Happy New Year. Best, Babsje
Love the flamingos! Perfect for this week and for squares. 🙂
Thanks, Lisa.
Lesser flamingos? Just think what that does to their egos! That name needs to be redone. (I hope this isn’t seen by anyone as real, but I’ve seen too much that just this stupid.) 🙂
janet
P.S. I always enjoy when your thoughts turn to Africa. 🙂
Lots of barmy ‘reclassification’ going on, isn’t there. Am rather entranced by the wordplay here – flamingos with egos 🙂
😉
Or we could simply say ‘lesser is more’ 🙂
“The other flamingos”🦩
🙂
What a glorious sight, Tish. 🙂
It has to be one of my best, Sylvia.
Wonderful. Happy & Healthy New Year Tish! 🌿🕛💏💕
Many thanks for that cheery salutation, Cindy. All the very best to you too 🙂
Awesome photos! Love them! ❤
Thanks, Lisa.
What a thrill to view that many flamingos at once.
Yes, an amazing number all at once 🙂
Lovely shot. Very BBC 2 – Sunday afternoon – David Attenborough documentary type!
Was watching Arsenal play the other evening – on the telly of course – and it was snowing. We smiled seeing the trails on the pitch the ball made as it was passed.
It’s very warm over here at the moment. Pith hats and G & Ts are the order of the day. Well, they would be if I owned one or drank gin and tonic! In fact it’s so warm even the dog looked at me sideways today when I reached for her lead!
”Walkies?’ ‘
Not a perishing chance!
Snuggle up and stay warm. Spring will be here before you know it.
Snuggle advice immediately put into practice. I need more woollies.
Reblogged this on Hutts Ultra Blogging World.
Cheers, Pete.
Africa is an incurable disease is it not? 😉
Happy New Year Memsahib.
It’s in the genes! A Very Happy New Year, Brian
Appreciate you blogging thiss