My kind of poolside resort

If our safari in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania had included one full day at the Hippo Pool, I would have been only too happy. As it was, our 45 minute halt at the Hippo Pool was a mad frenzy filled with "Woah, look at that hippo!"s, "Ooh look behind you"s, "Did you get a picture of that bird yet"s and many similar attempts to identify and photograph every bird/animal in that little ecosystem. The following photo describes our first view of the Hippo Pool, as we approached it in our open-topped Safari jeep.

First look at the Hippo Pool

If the name Hippo Pool still doesn't make sense, look a little harder at those rocks. Yup, those are HIPPOS! We'll get back to them in a moment.

Can you spot the Little Egret among these Sacred Ibises?

But first, a look at this group of Sacred Ibises perched on a bush, rooting around for food. Double take. There's an impostor in their ranks - a clear white Little Egret, plumb in the middle of the bush. What gave it away was the distinct lack of dark plumes that are found on the rear end of the Ibises.

African Buffalo

A sudden rustle directs our attention to the left. An African buffalo slowly making its way through the bushes, trying to remain inconspicuous and failing because of its tremendous size. Despite its threatening and often violent demeanor, the African buffalo is a herbivore, feeding on grasses and shrubs. Perhaps wading through cool water on hot day made for very pleasant feeding?

Black-headed heron

And who do we have here? A Black-Headed heron popping out of the brambles, keeping a sharp eye out for his next meal - perhaps a little insect or rodent.

Great  White Pelicans

Turning our eyes back to the water, we are enraptured by these large, brilliant birds. A pair of Great White Pelicans, out fishing.

Green-backed heron, the dull brown ones
are probably juveniles

Now lets turn our attention back to - oh no wait! That patch of grass just above the pool is littered with at least a dozen birds. The bright green birds rather look like Green-backed herons while the white spotted brown birds are probably juveniles of the same species.










And now a look at the gargantuan species after whom the Hippo Pool is named. On a hot day like this one, the hippos are enjoying a lazy time cooling off in the water. A red billed oxpecker is perched on the back of one of the hippos, ridding it of ticks and other insects.

Hippopotamuses, with their heads barely above the water
A red bill oxpecker is busy eating ticks off the Hippo's back

Hippos are solitary grazers and collect only in ponds and mud of this sort. One hippo seems to have spent far too long on lunch and is hurrying to join his buddies for the pool party.

Trotting towards the pool

Clambering in

Wading through the pool to join his friends.

Spotted hyena in the backdrop

He splashes in, while a spotted hyena cautiously approaches the pool behind him. While hyenas are usually found in their hunting packs, this canine seems to have ventured a little way from its pack in search of a drink of water. We follow the hyena with our eyes as he walks back to his pack, all of whom are stretched out on a farther bank of the pool. Only now do we notice the large group of Cattle Egret lined up on the bank of the pool behind us.

Line of Cattle Egret

Cinnamon chested bee eater

Blacksmith Lapwings alongside Wood Sandpipers

As we watch the hippos splash excitedly in the water, the pelicans sail from end to end in unison and the hyenas drift into their midday naps, we notice numerous other little birds having a field day at the Hippo Pool.

African Black Crake

Can someone tell us who this is???

We depart the incredibly alive Hippo Pool, gazing back longingly and imagining the dozens of other birds and little critters that had gone unnoticed by us.