Lake Nakura is a large saline lake in the Rift Valley that is home to millions of birds as well as other animals.
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Getting to Lake Nakura requires a slow drive over the mountains out to Nairobi into the rift valley.
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The Rift Valley is a >6000 km long valley up to 2000m deep in Africa, formed millions of years ago by natural forces, maybe when South America moved away.
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We stayed at the Lion Hill Lodge overlooking the lake (through the trees that have grown up over the years since it was built.
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Lush was an understatement!
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The lodge had created a bird feeder from a hollow limb and noted the species that you might see. In fact, I counted over 10 types here.
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Like the other parks, roads were unpaved and the safari vans (Nissan 4WD diesels) took a pounding without problems.
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You get close to the animals like this buffalo.
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Or this one sleeping alongside the road.
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Who woke up as we approached. Even looks sleepy-eyed!
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Lake Nakura is famous for birds. Flamingos, storks, white pelicans and eagles, plus hundreds of other species.
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A fish eagle is at the bottom of the photo. It looks like the Bald Eagle but the white feathers go down the back.
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The fish eagle
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Long crested eagle
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A hawk eagle's nest right above the van. Yep, it's called a hawk eagle. Looks like a hawk, but it's an eagle.
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We saw a baboon sleeping on a tree branch directly over the road
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A troop of baboons blocked the road.
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Family time.
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Lake Nakura is home to hundreds of thousands of white pelicans.
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More pelicans, with buffalos and zebras in the distance.
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Flamingos fly past the pelicans.
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This is a rare marabous stork which has an inflatable bladder below his neck that helps him to fly at high altitude. Note the double-jointed knees too.
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This is a Saddlebilled stork.
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A rhino family snoozing in the warm Fall sun.
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The baby got up and moved around. Note his horn is still small compared to the parents.
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Then he went back to sleep.
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Two more rhinos fresh from rolling in the lake mud.
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In Africa, you learn to "share the road"
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A hyena watching birds. We were told they like to hide in the water and catch birds flying low over the surface.
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Impalas, identified by the spiral horns and the "M" on their tail.
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