It has been a few weeks since I last reported on my April trip to Tanzania - yes it has taken a while to edit the photos from the thirteenth day but it has brought back great memories for me so still enjoyable.

The heavy rain persisted during most of the night so everything was rather bedraggled including this Northern White-crowned Shrike that was sitting forlornly on the fence next to the bus as we boarded at 06:20.

A Pied Cuckoo was drying out in a trackside tree

and a Dark Chanting Goshawk looked rather better.

as did a Long-crested Eagle.

We should have been driving to the high plains for Cheetah but it proved to be too wet, with the bus getting stuck in the mud a couple of times so our guide decided that we had better stick to the low ground and the stream that feeds Lake Ndutu.

Several sightings of Lion with this impressive male

and a party of two Lionesses with cubs of varying ages. They occupied considerable time - well who can resist them.

Next a small herd of Giraffe

and Impala with a couple of jousting males.

Eland are impressive animals in the flesh

and then a family of Elephant arrived.

with a delightful young calf struggling to get up the river bank which it eventually managed without help.

A Black-shouldered Kite watched us from a bush before flying.

Secretarybirds have proved to be very flighty so far but not this time with one sitting on a treetop showing it's head feather that gave the species the name

before flying down and treating us to a close display.

An unusual spot - a close Scrub Hare that just refused to face us - but those ears!!!

Heading back to the hotel, we were accosted by a loan Wildbeest calf, totally lost and bleating for mum but with no others in sight.

Sadly, unless it found the herd, it would be unlikely to survive the night.

We found a pair of Fischer's Lovebirds making a nest in an old tree

with one showing well for the camera

but now the rain set in again, the light swiftly disappearing so we made our way back to the hotel, again being held up by more migrating Wildbeest.

This was our last full day in Ndutu, a stay that was hampered by the heavy rainfall and leaving me with a wish to return in better weather, however unlikely that may be.