Dear all,

Magadi Rd. is very well known for its high variety and richness of 
birds. Today, together with Brian, once again we managed to enjoy 
many birds, butterflies and even a few reptiles.

After Kisamese once we were down the hill, we stopped to look for 
birds of the very distinct population of Pringle's Puffbacks (a 
population that is not described in any publication, yet). These 
birds are very distinct and have a much more silvery appearance on 
the back and also a different wing coverts pattern. After a short 
while we found a mail standing on a perch (something that is also 
very different from Pringle's) and we had a very good opportunity to 
take good photos that will help in the description of this possibly 
new subspecies.  A week earlier (when we were accompanied by Fleur 
Ng'weno and Shailesh Patel) we also stopped on the 1st big bridge 
where we found 2 Golden-winged Sunbirds (they are not usually coming 
that low, but been seen around before).
  
We then went on along the main road and stopped on another location 
where we found another pair, but this time we could see also the 
female. Once again the wing coverts have a very distinct pattern 
that looks like the male's but with much duller colouration.
Further down the road, a big colony of Chestnut Weavers was very 
quiet (this was much livelier a week earlier when we were with Fleur 
and Shailesh, there must be few hundreds nest in this small area). 
By the time we got to the water wholes, just before Oltepesi, it was 
already around 13:00, but in spite of the heat not many birds were 
coming down to drink (there is still much water all over). 

We then proceeded towards Oltepesi, stopping on the last crick that 
is still filled with water, to look for the colourful Fire-fronted 
Bishops that we saw last week with Fleur and Shailesh. 
Unfortunately, we could not locate them around, but we enjoyed the 
many Singing Bush Larks that were filling the sky. A week earlier we 
also had there two Grey Crowned Cranes that are not very typical in 
this area. Down at the Oltepesi water-pump we could not relocate the 
African Cuckoos that were there last week so we proceeded on the 
road to Emerit. 

Along the road we found the `lost' Fire-fronted Bishops (at least 6 
pairs were seen). The seen of tens and hundreds of Singing Bush 
Larks in the sky, flying in circles and singing their sweet song 
kept on amusing us and just about 5 Km from the main road we found a 
male Golden Pipit, but this time he was not alone, a female was also 
around. The male kept on displaying and chasing the female, it 
seemed as if he is keeping a territory. This may very well be the 
first possible breeding record for this usually northern/eastern 
species in this area (all the records I know of are of suppose 
migrants). After we had our share of photos of the male displaying, 
we tried to call (using the tape) a Common Button-Quail that was 
calling from the grass. Not much did we have to wait until 3 
individuals came out to the road and gave some nice views. Together 
with them, in the same `field of scope' a pair of Rosy-breasted 
Bush –shrikes were jumping on the road.

I don't know of many places, so close to Nairobi that one can enjoy 
from so much wildlife and scenery. There is a growing concern 
regarding this whole area, as a lot of the natural habitat is being 
chopped down for charcoals. It will be nice if we, as naturalists, 
can do something about it, before all these magnificent species will 
disappear from the area.

Happy birding to all,
Itai