After 3 or 4 hours sleep we woke to glorious sunshine and went down to breakfast. We were greeted by the manager Patrick who is the most delightful chap you could wish to meet and also extremely good at his job. We had a delicious breakfast consisting of fresh fruits followed by eggs cooked to our choice (perfectly fried yolks for me).
The hotel is just across the road from Lake Victoria and has a beach bar so after our late breakfast we wandered over and sat by the shoreline watching the bird life. There were several Pied Kingfishers bobbing about in the trees above.
And also a Cattle Egret wandering around.
I didn't realise at the time but one of the kingfishers had caught a fish.
Getting in some overdue practice for shooting birds in flight.
We then decided to take a walk along the road near the water’s edge to see what else we could spot. Several more Pied Kingfishers to being with.
Brachythemis impartita m. (Northern Banded Groundling)
Common Sandpiper
We knew the Botanical Gardens were fairly close by and in the distance could see this flock of Marabou Storks. Of course we've seen this bird many times before but usually just on their own so seeing so many was quite interesting.
The road came to a dead end but there was a security guard in front of a hotel/accommodation complex who kindly allowed us into the grounds so we could try and get a little closer.
Their wingspan can be as large as 12ft
The long, reddish pouch hanging from its neck is used in courtship rituals and during the breeding season the naked 18-inch inflatable pink sac is particularly conspicuous. It connects directly to the left nostril and acts as a resonator allowing the bird to produce a guttural croaking.
Even I should be able to get something as large and relatively slow moving in focus.
Also picking its way along was an African Open-billed Stork.
Which promptly flew off when a man walked too close.
And a Hadada Ibis, but both photos were taken through fencing so aren't particularly clear.
Long-tailed Cormorant
Little Egret
We then went back the hotel and sat on our balcony for a while watching the world go by. On the roundabout in front there was a gang of motorbikers which we eventually realised were taxis waiting for fares under the shade of the palm tree.
We watched Hat Man with interest for a long time; he spent ages carefully laying out his eclectic range of hats.
It seemed to take him forever and when he was finally done, he simply sat down and looked at them!
A passing brush seller
Looking to the side, this is the little pool and garden belonging to the hotel.
