6 Feb 2005


Dear All

I have just returned from leading the January 2005 Sunbird tour to Kenya - my 25th tour there!  My co-leaders this time were Edwin Selempo and Joseph Gichanga.  Here is a list of our more interesting sightings:

1 adult male Beaudouin's Snake-Eagle at Mungatsi on 22 Jan.  This bird has been present in the area for at least five years now.

1 adult Red-necked Falcon at Mumias on 22 Jan.  The first time I've seen this species in western Kenya.

1 adult male Denham's Bustard on the Solio Plains southwest of Naro Moru on 16 Jan.  I see this species here about every 4-5 years - its seems a few are hanging on the area.  I haven't seen this species in the Mara for about ten years now.  Has anyone else?

1 Lesser Jacana on a roadside pond south of Nyahururu on 17 Jan.  I didn't have time to check the ponds southwest of Ol Joro Orok where I saw 3 last year.

8 Violet-tipped Coursers near Siana Springs tented camp on 25 Jan.  The biggest group I have ever seen in Kenya of this rather scarce bird.  Migrants?

2 Long-toed Lapwings on the marshy ponds near the airstrip just southeast of Musiara Swamp in the western Masai Mara on 24 Jan.  This species seems to be getting rarer and rarer in Kenya.  I used to see in regularly at Lake Naivasha, at Lake Victoria south of Kisumu and at Ahero Rice Scheme, but haven't seen it at any of these sites for several years now.  Does anyone else know of any regular sites for it?  Is it on its way to extinction in Kenya?

4 Black-headed Gulls at the Home of the Cormorants at Lake Nakuru on 18 Jan, but beware perched immature Grey-headeds which look very similar!

c. 200 African Skimmers on the sandy islands in Lake Victoria south of Kisumu on 23 Jan. Nice to see so many of this very local bird.

1 Red-faced Lovebird at Mungatsi on 22 Jan.

1 Speckle-breasted Woodpecker at Mungatsi on 22 Jan.  Only my second sighting there in about 12-15 visits.

2 male African Stonechats with completely black breasts on the road to Mt Lodge on 15 Jan.  These looked very like the albofasciata race as illustrated in Stevenson & Fanshawe, but that shouldn't occur in Kenya.  Has anyone else seen black-breasted Stonechats on Mt. Kenya?

1 Gambaga Flycatcher in the Kerio valley west of Kabarnet on 20 Jan.

1 Semi-collared Flycatcher in Kakamega Forest on 21 Jan.

Best wishes,

David


David Fisher - Director
Sunbird, P.O. Box 76, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 1DF, United Kingdom
Tel:  01767-262522  Fax:  01767-262916
VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT: www.sunbirdtours.co.uk

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