Dear All, 

On Wednesday 9th I went down Magadi Road to look for some newly 
emerging butterflies to photograph. I called in at the short Sitima 
track, below Kisamese, overlooking the Ol Kejo Valley, as this is by 
far the best place for butterflies down this road at present, and is 
where the Pringle's Puffbacks have been nesting. Now they prefer to 
keep to cover. I did have three obliging Scaly Chatterers there, and 
although they were very bouncy and diving into cover, I did get one 
photograph. I wanted to get a picture of the Magadi Road birds, 
because like the Puffback, they are an extremely isolated population 
of an eastern eremic species. On comparing the photo to birds from 
Tsavo, there is no obvious difference apparent, although they are 
possibly more strikingly and attractively marked than eastern birds, 
the face pattern being more contrasting.

A White-browed(winged) Scrub-Robin here, is also giving perfect 
imitations of Donaldson-Smith's Nightjar, so they may also come this 
far up the road, whereas the closest I have had them in the past is 
the flat area after the Ol Kejo Bridge, although it is only a few 
kilometres further.

For people having difficulty connecting with Steel-blue Whydah, 
there is a good spot that should be reliable for a short while a 
least. Continue down the road towards the final descent of the 
escarpment, until the Camel Painting on the rock on the left is 
reached. In the first 50 metres along this road, there are at least 
three adult males, with a number of females, and a number of 
Paradise Whydahs as well. Either imitate a Pearl-spotted Owlet, or 
play a recording of one, and the whydahs behave very aggressively 
and come in for the attack. Even the normally furtive Paradise are 
very bold here. There is also a great deal of other bird activity 
along this road.

On Saturday 12th, I went up to the Aberdares, entering in the 
Mutubio Gate. The moorland now is only two hours from Nairobi! The 
road from Naivasha is in superb condition, first twenty kilometres 
(all apprx) paved and in excellent condition, followed by a murrum 
section for 15 kilometres or so, but has to be the best murrum road 
in the country, then the last ten kilometres is newly tarmacked 
right up to the entrance of the Park. For the last few kilometres 
before going through the gate, there are many Jackson's Francolins 
along the road. This is the only place I know where the species can 
be seen without going into a National Park!

I was looking for two butterflies, but being a grey day, only found 
one, and also wanted to photograph the highland species, but did not 
encounter Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbirds or Montane Francolins, 
which require an excursion on foot up the sides of the peaks, and I 
was only on a day trip from Nairobi.

I was successful in getting a whole series of Aberdare Cisticolas, 
which were numerous on the moorland, soon after entering the gate, 
also got nice photo of Jackson's Francolins which were obvious 
throughout the day, and some nice Hill Chats, also encountered first 
on immediately entering the Park. A very nice male Rufous-breasted 
Sparrowhawk did not stay around to be photographed unfortunately. 
Whilst the road is in such fine condition, this is a good time to 
catch up with these rather hard to get residents.

Best to all

Brian