We were up early again - cloud shrouded the sunrise and it only peeked through for a few seconds before disappearing. Nonetheless it was a great way to start the day - looking out over the calm lake - the darter set off for a days fishing, two hippos came in from the lake to our right to assume their position, submerged, except for their hairy nostrils, in front of the lodge and black headed weaver birds waking up and readying themselves for another days nest building.
Charles arrived with Briscoe just after 7am and we headed northwards- our day would see us go from south to north and exit via the north gate. We passed several lakes Hago, Mihindi & Rwanyakazinga and two large plains, observing the bird & mammal life - a hammerkop catching and endeavouring to eat a frog, a goliath heron fraternising with a hippo, topi on termite mounds and male Defasso's waterbuck following the females - it looked like the mating season. We also looked for one of the six recently released lions whose tracking collar said she was in the middle plain, but our search was to no avail. She was probably bunkered down as she is due to give birth to cubs soon. On the very large northern plain there were large herds of buffalo mixed with eland,the odd giraffe and topi and waterbuck (today's photo) on the fringes.
We saw three new birds for this trip whistling ducks, a saddle billed stork and a pallid harrier.
As we returned to camp via the road outside the park we went through the area of park returned to the returning communities after the genocide in 1997 - as they were pastoralists the rolling landscape was turned into farmland - there were notably large herds of ankole cattle, banana plantations, maize and sogum fields - the latter is used for brewing, porridge and flour. Deforestation happened in the initial flourish to create pasture but after a 4 year drought trees are being replanted - 4 for everyone cut down.
Briscoe told us that the schools we saw were provided by the park and all the children get free education - interestingly there must not be more than 3km between the schools - great that that's the maximum a child has to walk to school. That said you do still however see tiny tots carrying large yellow cans of water from the village pump home.
After a long day we finally got back to camp at 4 ish and sat on the terrace having a very welcome coffee before heading back to our tent for showers and relaxing before dinner.