----- Original Message ----- 
From: Don Reid 
To: kenyabirdsnet@yahoo.com 
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 10:25 AM
Subject: News from Mombasa


Dear All,

After the amazing news from Brian Finch, which I thorughly enjoyed reading, I hardly dare put in my ten pennorth!

Tudor Creek is getting its usual raptor presence, with migrants and residents riding the strong thermals. An Osprey has made it his territory and can be observed most days from my balcony, fishing or just enjoying life on high. Our last bird walk also saw an Osprey off Bamburi Beach catching fish. What a wonderful bird it is to see in action. I have had several sights of the Booted Eagle but it no longer roosts in the palm tree which is a pity. The Ayres Eagle is around every day for long periods of time. I swear it is the same bird that has been arriving at the start of every windy season since I came to live here which is about nine years. Being a resident I wonder where it is for the rest of the year? The Fish Eagles are around as well as Little Sparrowhawk and African Goshawk. A Peregrine often comes in the late afternoon but seems to be just passing by. The Palm Nut Vilture seems to have moved away. Probably got fed-up of the harassing Crows. The strangest visitor to my garden has been a Brown Parrot. I first saw it in late Jan. I heard it first and thought it must be a wandering Brown headed Parrot but on closer observation found it was in fact a Brown Parrot. This must be an escapee. My friend in Likoni has also had a Brown Parrot in her garden. I have seen mine two or three times and heard it but it now seems to have disappeared. Any ideas of where it might have come and who might be having captive brown Parrots? 

Good news is that the crow eradication programme is well under way. 500 crows killed as on Mon 7th March. Cheers and good birding Marlene Reid


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