I value my sleep. And if you’re anything like me, you do too. Don’t get me wrong-I’m not lazy. I respect bedtime and any interruption to this might earn you a bad slot in my book. Sleep is very important for well-being. Somebody even said: “Sleeping is nice. You forget about everything for a while”.

Before you doze off, this post isn’t about sleep! One of my good friends Kiringo convinced me to let go of snooze time one Saturday morning in January. Few things can get me to do so, one of them being photography (obviously). Especially when it’s a nature shoot. Kiringo had suggested a bird walk in Ondiri Swamp area next to home. Photography+ birds + natural environment setting= pure bliss! So I agreed.

The day itself was quite sunny (thank goodness) which set the mood for the walk. My friend kept me waiting at the meetup point for longer than expected. The delightful sun started to scorch as the minutes flew by. This was soon behind us though, as we began the walk and he helped me identify birds by their calls (songs).

In about half an hour we arrived at the swamp. I was nearly swallowed by the thick plant growth that lined the footpaths. Hairy caterpillars were also in abundance. It was a double exercise in caution holding on to tree trunks for support while also trying to avoid these prickly bugs resting there.

Kiringo pointed out to me that some bird species were absent due to pollution of the swamp. Whenever he visited he would find them, but not on this day. Sad. As human beings we sometimes don’t think about the big picture of the effects of our actions. That’s why I believe photography is a powerful tool that aids us in seeing just that.

Some birds still granted us an audience though. The elusive Cisticolas (Various species) preferred to sing while hidden in the foliage. We managed to spot a Crane at a distance. This is where I wished I had a super telephoto lens, for optimum zoom!

At some point we had to go across the swamp to explore a different section. It was quite the scary walk, balancing gingerly on wooden poles floating on the surface. My pal K didn’t make it any easier by saying the water goes 6 metres deep! One wrong move there and you’re toast. I don’t even know how to swim. Much less in a swamp. By the way is it possible to swim in a swamp? Scientists help me out here.

Once on the other side we managed to spot Weavers, Olive thrush, Yellow-billed ducks, African paradise flycatchers, Speckled mousebirds, Red-collared widowbirds, and the elusive Black crake. And oh, the Cape Robin-chat too! I’m not that knowledgeable about birds by the way. My friend K helped me to identify them by name. I’d seen some of them often but didn’t know the species. Asante sana K.

As we headed home a few hours later, I was positively tired and hungry. There was one more thing I wanted to try though. Making portraits at a boulevard close by. K was a good sport and agreed to be my model for a few minutes.

You should have seen the look on his face when I showed him the pictures. Absolutely mind-blown! Not even the curious stares of passers-by could deter us. But a dead battery did! I had used up all the charge on the bird walk. Reluctantly I packed up my gear and that was it for the day.

Upon arriving home I duly satisfied my hunger then went on to nap. I was quite surprised when I woke up 1.5 hours later given that my naps rarely exceed 45 minutes. The walk had worn me out but it was well worth it!

0