A trip to Taita Discovery Centre with Duncan Himes at the end of May to tick off some elusive birds for Duncan with the expert help of Ed Sulempo.

Nothing much was seen on the Mombasa Road but that may be because we were bemoaning the hundreds and hundreds of bags of charcoal. More than ever.

At the gate to Rukinga Ranch a pool from a leaking tank had Blue-capped and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleus drinking, Paradise Whydahs (just developing tails) and  Straw-tailed Whydahs. TDC is a great place to see all the 4 Whydahs.

At TDC good sightings of Pringles Puff-back and a short drive into the bush turned up the Scaly Chatterer which was on Duncan's list. An evening visit to Gala did not yield the Taita Falcon but an early morning visit, although still not seeing the Falcon was very productive in other raptors. Bataleur, African Harrier Hawk, Whalberg's Eagle and Lanner all enjoying the early morning thermals.  Evening driving we saw several Spotted Eagle Owls but despite Ed's assurance of a "Taita" species with brown eyes, these all had obviously yellow ones. Hundreds of  Spotted Thicknees, Heuglin's Coursers and Donaldson Smith's Nightjars.

A trip to Ngangao for the Taita Thrush was very successful although only at the far end of the forest, off the pipeline road, where the forest is less dense and not so wet and cold. Most of the other Taita specialities were around the forest station and only gave brief glimpses as they flittered around. 

On the way back down to Mwatate we stopped to watch some bird activity on the rocky slope and were rewarded by seeing a Long-billed Pipit (a first for me). On the way back into TDC at the same pool by the gate there was even more activity than on the previous day, including a Desert Cisticola, another first for me.

A total list of 127 birds for 3 magnificent days with Duncan ticking off two out of three elusives and muttering all the ay back to Mombasa that the "Thrush" was probably the best bird he had ever seen. 

Friday saw us in Shimba Hills park to search for the Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird. Another grey and pretty cold (for us Msa people) morning. An Eastern Red-necked falcon posed for us on the way up from the gate (another first for me) and Peter's Twinspots dashed in and out of the low hedges. The Makadara picnic site was a hive of activity with Trumpeter Hornbills, Fischers Turacos, Retz'e Red-billed Shrikes, Dark-backed Weavers, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds and a lot of African Golden Orioles, males, females and juveniles. The sight of an Eastern Green Tinkerbird was the coup for me. I have heard it many times but never managed to see it. UGVBSB not in evidence, in fact not much sunbird activity at all. None until about 9.30ish. So another that Duncan will have to return to see. Such a great week's birding!  Marlene Reid



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