Dear all
Over a four day period, there was an opportunity to investigate the 
Ngaia Forest and the Tower Road in the Nyambeni Hills. This was 
somewhat cursory as far as the birds were concerned, but a little 
more thorough for the butterflies.

The excursion was to obtain wild fruits, and as such the arrival at 
the forest was too late for any thorough birding, but the ideal time 
for the butterflies to be active. This report is  merely an 
indication of the potential of the area from a birdwatching aspect.

The most recent birding expedition to this forest was made by  Bernd 
de Bruijn and Tom Butynski for two days in September 2003.

There had been no rain for the previous three weeks, the ground was 
very dry, and the birds very quiet for the time of year. The wet-
season enjoyed by other parts of the country, had not benefitted 
this area, and the dry conditions prevailed throughout our stay. 
Many species that might have been expected were not recorded, due to 
the dry conditions and the late hours arriving at the forest 
(usually from 9:30, apart from camping in the lowest part of Ngaia 
on the Thursday night).

The elevation differences between the three sites investigated in 
Ngaia Forest did not reveal any marked differences in the avifauna, 
with a few exceptions. However the Tower road to the very top of the 
Nyambenis, held a very different Afromontane Fauna.

I was very surprised at the superb condition of the forest along 
this road, this Forest Reserve seems to be well protected, in marked 
contrast to the depletion of Forest Reserves elsewhere. The 
birdwatching along this road was very active even during the heat of 
the day, and is well worth the visit.

The highest elevation of Ngaia Forest that we visited was also in 
very good condition for birds, with many easy to follow tracks. 
Quite like the fast disappearing Imenti Forest, it held similar 
birds. The middle elevation was also in good condition with some 
easy to follow trails, readily accessed from the Ngaia Forest 
Station where rangers appear to be doing a good job and policing the 
area, even with the planting of a reforested buffer zone.

The lowest part of the forest is in the best condition, the 
undergrowth is thick and very difficult to penetrate, whilst in the 
primest condition, for a birder it is the most frustrating, because 
there are no tracks for entry into the forest, and the scrub 
bordering the forest is almost impossible to walk through. 

During the stay no outstanding discoveries were made, but earlier 
visits or camping in the forest could still yield a few surprises. 

Some of the more interesting observations and omisions are detailed 
below.

CRESTED GUINEAFOWL …..a few feathers were found along the tracks, 
although the species was not seen.

MOUNTAIN BUZZARD ….a pair were very vocal on the Tower Road.

LEMON DOVE ….several were encountered on the Tower Road.

HARTLAUB'S TURACO ….whilst common in the upper levels of Ngaia 
Forest, they appeared to be totally absent from the lower section.

BROWN-BACKED WOODPECKER ….one male on the edge of the forest at the 
upper section of Ngaia Forest. Whilst I have seen the species 
several time in Meru NP in the forest patches, I have never seen the 
species in numerous visits to Imeti Forest at Meru.

CABANIS' GREENBUL ….extremely numerous at all levels. Unlike 
elsewhere, the species exhibits a very terrestrial habit, although 
readily climbing up through the foliage. The call would appear to be 
throatier, the throat contrasting white, but all of the birds I saw 
had dark eyes with pale broken eye-ring. I did not come across any 
whitish-eyed birds reported as Fischer's Greenbuls on the previous 
visit to the area. 

TERRESTRIAL BROWNBUL ….a few parties encountered in the upper part 
of the Ngaia Forest. Dark with paler throats, and longer darker 
bills than Cabanis' Greenbul.
These represent the locally endemic race bensoni.

EASTERN NICATOR ….only met with in the thick scrub in the middle 
elevation of Ngaia forest, although undoubtedly occurs lower down.

RETZ'S HELMET-SHRIKE …a party in the lower Ngaia Forest moved 
through the camp-site.

BLACK-THROATED WATTLE-EYE ….seen in the middle and lower parts of 
Ngaia Forest.

BLUE-MANTLED CRESTED FLYCATCHER ….common throughout the Ngaia 
Forest. One of the most numerous species present.

WHITE-TAILED CRESTED FLYCATCHER ….frequently met in the forest on 
the Nyambeni Tower road.

BLACK-AND-WHITE FLYCATCHER ….pairs were present at our bases in the 
higher and middle parts of Ngaia Forest. With the liking of the 
species for disturbed open areas, there could be a sizeable 
population all around the Ngaia Forest, as well as open areas inside 
the forest. Ngaia represents an important population as the area 
Imenti Forest at Meru, Ngaia and Meru NP hold all of Kenyas Black-
and-White Flycatchers,  the Imenti Forest is going fast, and there 
are only a handful of pairs in Meru Forest.

HINDE'S BABBLER ….in the middle elevation along the rank growth of 
the Ngaia Forest edge, several parties were heard, at the lowest 
elevation camp-site the species was a prominent component of the 
dawn chorus. There is the potential of large numbers of Hinde's 
Babblers throughout the dense scrubby edges of Ngaia Forest and in 
the adjacent Miraa cultivation. This corresponds with my findings 
along the adjacent edge of Meru NP. As a globally threatened Kenyan 
endemic, Ngaia could be a very important centre for this endangered 
species.

This hopefully will encourage further visitations to this area.

Best birding to all

Brian