Lake Magadi

The sight of hundreds of pink flamingoes feeding around the shores of Lake Magadi is a spectacular one. The mineral-rich water and hot springs in the area make it a perfect environment for these birds to thrive. The flamingoes can be seen bending their long necks down to feed on the algae and other small organisms in the water.

One of the most distinctive birds found at Lake Magadi is the marabou stork. This large wading bird is unmistakable with its bald head, pink neck, and featherless black body. The marabou stork is well adapted to the hot climate and sunny surroundings of Lake Magadi. It prefers hot springs and other areas where there is plenty of food to be found.

On this tranquil Sunday, we stopped around 50 kilometres from Magadi to explore the rift feeding into lake Magadi. A Masai that had a small homestead near the escarpment’s edge, agreed to take us down into the Magadi inlet together with his son. Once we reached the bottom of the rift, we realised how much hotter it was in the base of the feature, and you can see the heat waves distorting this photograph of the Masai. It must have been around 40 degrees Celcius.

On the way to Nguruman town we passed a number of Masais herding their cattle around on the dry plains along the Nguruman dirt road. We stopped for a drink of water and asked if we could take a picture. Nguruman, Kenya is a small town located in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya. It is home to the Masai people who are renowned for their cattle culture and nomadic lifestyle. The town is also close to the Nguruman Escarpment, which offers stunning views of the Great Rift Valley.

There is plenty of small fish and other critters that the Pelican can feed on in the mineral rich waters of Lake Magadi. Lake Magadi is a soda lake located in Kenya, close to the Tanzanian border. The lake is fed by hot springs and its mineral-rich waters make it a popular destination for flamingos and pelicans. The arid climate and hot temperatures make the lake a harsh environment, but also create ideal conditions for breeding pelicans.

Black-winged Stilt hunting in the salty Lake Magadi waters on a hot morning. The alkaline lakes of Magadi, Kenya are some of the most mineral rich in the world, and that’s great news for these wading birds. With plenty of small critters to feast on, the black-winged stilt can easily support a large population.

An example of a small lake fed by hot springs where the water is bubbling out of the ground below an escarpment. The water has been making its way deep in the underground picking up minerals and heat from the earth layers close to the magma. Due to the mineral rich waters the lakes are small oasis for a rich variety of birds.

Yellow-billed Stork traversing the mineral rich hot springs for small fish and other creatures that thrives in the waters. Near Nguruman Conservatory

Flamingoes feeding on the algae rich waters in one of the lakes created by the underground hot springs.

In one of the small lakes created by the hot mineralsprings that bubbles out of the ground near the Nguruman Escarpment you will find rich bird life including the mighty Marabou Stork. The specimen on the picture has a beautiful small top of fine white hair.

Usually a arid landscape at Lake Magadi but recent rain have turned the acacia trees green creating a stark contrast to the dry soil

A flamingo standing in the simmering heat near the Nguruman Escarpment. In the picture it is quite easy to spot the rigid bone structure for the neck.

A vast, barren landscape unfolds near Lake Magadi. A few Maasai figures dot the road, dwarfed by scattered acacia trees against a backdrop of rugged, dusty hills. Life is a constant struggle in these semi-arid conditions. The communities inhabiting this region rely heavily on small herds of goats for their survival. These resilient animals endure the harsh dry spells, then flourish when the rains arrive, transforming the landscape with vibrant wildflowers and grasses.

A closeup of a dung beetle rolling a large piece of feces along on the ground. Most likely it will used for a breeding chambers or as a food source in time of scarcity.

Here we stand atop a small hill near the lake’s edge, a vantage point offering a stunning panorama of the mineral-rich expanse. From this southern viewpoint, you can clearly see the rich mineral deposits forming a white crust along the waterline. Magadi’s climate can become brutally hot in January and February, as humidity from the lake combines with the heat trapped within the rift valley. It’s a landscape that is both stark and rugged, yet undeniably captivating in its unique beauty.