LIFE ON THE LAKES

We have enjoyed some good rain at Loldia House in the last few months which has turned the area an lovely green. Temperatures averaged 18 degrees centigrade in the mornings and 26-29 degrees centigrade by midday.

The water level of Lake Naivasha rose considerably due to the heavy rains in the Aberdares mountains which are the main source of the lake. The waterbirds have been loving the rise in lake levels and we have enjoyed sightings of large flocks of white pelicans fishing in the morning hours, cormorants, African spoonbills, jacanas, egrets and the herons during our boat trips.

Our gardens are blooming and this has attracted a plethora of beautiful sunbirds including the variable, golden winged, bronze, amethyst and the red chested sunbirds all of whom our guests have enjoyed watching from the breakfast table.

Night game drives on the ranch have been amazing. The resident leopards have been seen during almost all drives, and on one occasion five leopards were seen very close to Loldia House. The aardvark has also made an appearance a number of times during the night game drives.

The resident buffalo, elands, zebra, impala, waterbuck, Grant/Thomson Gazelles and warthogs have been spending most of their days close to the airstrip where the grass is green, however towards the evening most of them have moved down along the shores of the lake infront of Loldia House providing lovely game viewing from the comfort of the house. The baboons have been spending their days on the Fig trees along the lake shore, they seem to have more young infants than ever before.

By the start of August the water levels in Lake Nakuru had risen by half a metre and the numbers of greater and lesser flamingoes, have remained constant. The game in the park (rhinos, eland, impala, warthog, Spotted Hyena and gazelles) seems to be in very good condition; and the White Rhinos spent most of August mating!  A youthful male lion spent most of his time near the main gate providing our guests with some lovely photographic moments. The Rothschild Giraffes have been seen fairly well all over with many in the acacia woodlands.

Photos courtesy of Rocky Simachira

August, September and October  have provided us with very good conditions for fishing with guests catching on average 10kg - 12kg fish and on one occasion a whopping 39kg fish. Guests have also spent many a lovely afternoon catching smaller fish in the reeds off the island's beaches.

In August we acquired a beautiful traditional sail boat which we use to take clients sailing in front of the lodge. It is a lovely relaxing way to enjoy the island scenery and watch fisherman sail alongside you.

We have seen lots of Otters around Sacred Island ( Nzenze and Atego) with several young ones, which is always a delight to see. The Island fisherman have been busy catching the tiny  lake sardines or Omena as they are locally known. The fisherman head out in the late afternoon to spread their lanterns on the lake and then work into the night collecting the fish that come up to eat the insects attracted by the light. The fisherman work until dawn and it is a lovely sight at night with all the small twinkling lights out on the lake. In the morning the fish are delivered to the women of the village who lay them out in the sun to dry.

We have also seen many monitor lizards around Ringiti Island and in camp.

Bird life has been superb with bronze and red chested sun birds feeding on the flower nectar in the gardens, the Hamerkops have built a big nest near the camp bar,  and we have enjoyed regular sightings of bar-tailed and Narina trogons (once seen rarely and now fairly common). Other birds around camp have included  green backed twinspot, little spotted woodpeckers, woodland kingfishers, malachite kingfishers as well as lots of egrets, fish eagles, and recently a group of great white pelicans.

The dry easterly wind (known locally as Komathi) has been blowing for the last two months. The islanders believe that this wind is followed by the westerly wind (known as Ogingo) which will bring the rain and herald the start of the planting season inland.

We hope to share the magic of the life on the lakes in our corner of Africa with you sometime soon