Hi Everyone,

We had the Shikra back again on the 12th April. I was able to get a 
really good look at her with the binoculars and it is a female. She 
had a darker back with the white throat and barred underparts, an 
orange eye, yellow tarsi, but the only thing that is confusing is that 
she had a grey cere not a yellow cere and the black beak.  I 
checked it all out very carefully with the Birds of Africa, and Pat 
also had a good look at her and we are both sure that it is the 
female Shikra.
On my way out of Shimoni on Thursday 14th April I saw a Zanzibar 
Bishop in breeding dress with the red rump. This seems a bit early 
as we usually see them in June/ August, but he was there!
Yesterday, 16th April, coming down the Shimoni road a yellow 
rumped seedeater flew up from one of the puddles on the road.
I was gardening - pruning- one evening last week and had a White 
browed Coucal sitting on a post about six feet away, muttering at 
me. The other one was in the bush behind. They seem to live, or at 
least, spend most of the time in the bush which we have all along 
the top of the cliff fringing the beach.

Maia Hemphill



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Pat and Maia Hemphill
Sea Adventures Ltd., P.O. Box 348, Ukunda, Kenya
Tel : +254 40 52220
Fax : + 254 41 227675
Email : pat_maia@bigame.com
Website : http://www.bigame.com
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