Three female lions rest on the vast African plains of the Masai Mara in Kenya. Shortly after taking this shot, they were joined by two others from the pride and they made an attempt to capture a warthog. I had no idea how fast a warthog could be and despite the well orchestrated ambush by the lions, the warthog narrowly escaped. Those are cape buffalo in the distance. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 125mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/2500th of a second.

A mother African bush elephant leads her calf on a foraging mission under a full moon in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second, 3 stop graduated neutral density filter.

Today is my wife’s birthday. It’s a milestone year so I figure I better post something she likes. I know she loves cape buffalo. Their anthropomorphic expressions of disinterest and disdain always made her laugh. This guy was doing his “get off my yard” best as we drove past in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 290mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second.

A young male lion lets out a big yawn before getting up from his afternoon nap. Photographed earlier this year in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 380mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.

This gnarled old tree trunk seemed to be a favorite scratching post for the local elephants. Photographed in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 155mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/100th of a second.

These two African bush elephants were challenging each other for dominance over the herd. The challenge was half-hearted and didn’t get very aggressive. The smaller guy on the right seemed to know that he had no chance against the bigger bull. Photographed in the Maasai Mara of Kenya. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1600th of a second.

Apparently yesterday was International Leopard Day. That said, here’s another leopard from the recent trip to Kenya. This female had two grown cubs. You can see one of the cubs crossing in the background as she stands guard. Photographed in Samburu National Reserve. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/3200th of a second.

Yesterday I posted the world’s largest rodent. Today, it’s Africa’s smallest antelope. Dik-Diks really are tiny and I only wish I could have captured something in the image to show scale. I’ve mentioned it before, but when they run through the grass, look like oversized rabbits. This is the Kirk’s did-dik, photographed earlier this year in Samburu, Kenya. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second.

I photographed three different species of hornbill in Samburu National Reserve, the red-billed, Von Der Decken’s and this guy, the northern yellow-billed (also known as the eastern yellow-billed). Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.

I’m a big fan of gerenuks. Their nickname is the giraffe gazelle, for obvious reasons. The neck of the male is just as long as that of the female, but it doesn’t quite look it because it is much thicker. Always fun to see their faces protruding from the bushes. Males also have horns which are absent on the females. Photographed in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/640th of a second.