To Kenya Birds Net 

On Thursday 13th January, 2005, in the late afternoon I came down to Ruhuini
Park Gate on the Nyeri side of the Aberdares.  Just outside the Ranger¹s
office two birds were building a nest in a tree, probably a podo, about 15
or 18 feet about the ground.  It was rather dark under the tree and the nest
appeared to be being built from podo leaves.

I only got occasional glimpses of the birds as they flashed by, but the most
noteworthy features were considerable red in the plumage and a most
noticeable staring eye ring on one of the birds.  The only bird that I can
find which is anywhere near possible is the Red-Headed Bluebill and I wonder
if anyone has any different suggestions.

Zimmerman and Turner, p683, shows the position by the stream at Ruhuini to
be about right but reports only uncommon in the Meru and Embu forests which
are some way away the far side of Mount Kenya.  Vol. 7 of the Birds of
Africa p 316 (not 315 as indexed) repeats the reference to Meru and Embu.
The nest description there probably fits the nest I saw, although it was
obviously not complete.  Both birds were at the nest frequently, but
confusingly I got the impression that one of them had a rather paler chest.

Peter Le Pelley 
hhm@hhm.co.ke

forwarded by Fleur