The walk to Nguu Tatu in June was so wet that we hardly ventured out of the banda built at the car track.  Birds were few and far between, they being much more sensible than the 6 die-hard birders.  However all was not in vain! A slide down to the lake produced a very wet African Darter.  For a bird spending lots of time in the water surprising to see it so miserable in the rain.  Other birds of interest seen despite the rain being Flappet Larks doing their thing, Black Shouldered Kite, Fan Tailed Widow Birds, some beautiful Yellow Throated Longclaws and Greater Blue Earred Starling (not uncommon in this area these days). Well worth getting wet.

July at Haller Park and South Quarry proved much drier and more prolific.  The park itself does not have the numbers of birds it used to have for whatever reasons.  Black-crowned Night Herons, in the past numerous, are hardly ever seen.  Plenty of very fat Pied Kingfishers and an amazing Goliath Heron. Long Crested Eagle flushed as we walked to the quarry, several Palm Nut vultures flying overhead.  Ponds at the quarry had Grey and Black Headed Heron, a single Madagascar Squacco Heron and several Yellow Billed Storks.  Weavers, Village, Grosbeak and Golden Palm all building nests as well as one or two Zanzibar Red Bishops. Grassland Pipits, Red Billed Firefinches, Three Banded Plovers, Yellow Fronted Canary, many Pin Tailed Whydahs  all round the ponds.  A quick look at the hippo pond on the way back turned up African Fish Eagle, Crested Crane, Marabou and Woolly Necked Storks but no Green Backed herons which are usually numerous here.  Birds seem to be moving from the park despite its large ponds, bush and grassy areas.  Maybe the large numbers of visitors is proving to be be too much of a distrubance! Mombasa Bird Walk welcomes any visitors.  Meet third sat each month Ratna Square 4 p.m..  Karibuni Mombasa.  Marlene Reid


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