Greetings all

KWS' Hippo Camp below KWSTI was so delightful during the waterbird counts,
that I returned with my family this weekend.

The "wildlife viewing" shore showcased a variety of birds as before,
including Grey-headed Gulls displaying, terns coming into breeding plumage,
a Spotted Redshank and a Water Thick-knee.

A flash of a white tail disappearing into a mudflat revealed that many of
the mud lumps were actually Collared Pratincoles ­ about 40 of them.  Most
of them had no visible collars, but instead black lines descending from the
eyes, and were washed a rich ochre below.  Others, presumably immatures,
were greyish below.  A couple of times the flock was disturbed, flew up and
wheeled around before settling down again, showing the chestnut underwing
coverts and long forked tails.

By Saturday morning the flock of Collared Pratincoles had grown to about 200
birds.  I do not remember seeing pratincoles on Lake Naivasha before.

Wishing you good birding, and reminding you that 16 February is Nature
Kenya's monthly "Sunday Birdwatch",

Fleur