Dear all,

Yesterday (11th) together with Brian Finch and Mike
Davidson, we drove up the Aberdare (coming from
Kinangop). 
Around kinangop, surprisingly the Widobirds are still
in breeding plumage (both Long-tailed and Jackson�s).
In a small grassy patch, one Common Quail was seen and
another one was heard, in the same patch one juv�
Sharpe�s Longclaw and just before Murungaru one Angola
Swallow was flying by. Up on the mountain, Aberdare
Cisticolas are very vocal and also very easy to find
and in a small valley not far from the gate, a pair of
Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbirds.  
A week earlier, together with Gordon Boy, once we were
up on the mountain we stopped at one point and saw a
pair of A. Green Ibis�s flying away from a tree. One
bird was seen again on the same spot about 4 hours
later. Yesterday, we stopped again in the same spot to
look if we can find a nest. As we arrived, one bird
flew away. It took us 2 min� and there it was; 2 eggs
inside a wonderful stick nest that has small grass
�carpet� just below the eggs. We took some photos and
proceeded so we won�t interfere with the breeding. 
To the best of my knowledge and according to BoA,
there is no confirmed breeding of this species in
Kenya since the early 1900. Though regularly recorded
both on Mt. Kenya and on the Aberdare, I am not sure
that a nest was ever since found. If anybody is
interested to get a photo of the eggs, I will be happy
to provide.

Happy birding to all,
Itai.

=====
***************************************
Itai Shanni                    
itaisha1@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/itaisha1
           
Tel 00-254-722-889099
or  00-254-733-254270  
p.o. Box 47419           
Nairobi                  
Kenya