Hi All,

I have just finished a Kenya tour, usually a quiet time of year, 
post breeding silence throughout much of the country.

As I was in hospital with malaria when the group arrived, I did not 
join them until Kisumu, then because of difficulties obtaining beds 
in the Mara and at Rondo, we had to do the entire non-coastal 
section backwards. This presented a whole host of logistic problems 
as we were arriving in places at the opposite end of the day than I 
am used to! So the group started Magadi Road and the Mara without me.

Kisumu showed the Lake not too low, no islands off Dunga Point. An 
unusual bird here was a Bare-faced Go-Away Bird. There were ten Red-
headed Queleas  losing the red heads, other birds were as to be 
expected. Continuing to Nambale arriving after lunch, we birded the 
afternoon. Bishops have vacated the area, but widowbirds including 
Hartlaub's Marsh were in breeding dress. In spite of the hour we 
managed to dig up Locust Finch and Green Crombec. In the evening we 
were watching the Rock Pratincoles at the bridge at Mumias, and an 
adult Baudouin's Snake-Eagle was sitting in a tree and later flew 
around. This is a very different time of year for this species, as 
it is usually recorded at the new year. It makes me wonder if the 
same bird has not been resident in the region for the past six 
years, rather than being a regular visitor.

Nothing of any excitement on the Kongelai Escarpment, obviously 
there has been fairly good rains in the area judging by the amount 
of maize growing.

Kakamega was in a wet period, regular downpours in the afternoons. 
Very little calling or responsive, the only bird of any note was a 
Madagascar Lesser Cuckoo.

Baringo was by far the birdiest place on the whole tour, recent 
rains meant a lot of activity. Most of the local specialities were 
readily found, but nothing unusual amongst them. Painted Snipe and 
Northern Red Bishops on the jetty. Weaver colonies in full swing.

Nakuru was extremely quiet, a few migrant waders were back, the most 
interesting species being a dark Dimorphic Egret.

The road up to North Kinangop was dry, Long-tailed Widowbirds were 
in non-breeding plumage together with numerous Jackson's. However 
Common Quail were vocal as were Wing-snapping Cisticolas. A young 
Sharpe's Longclaw was also present. From Mutubio Gate in the 
Aberdares, Jackson's Francolins, Aberdare Cisticolas and Hill Chats 
were readily found, but little else. Recent rain had not made the 
going through to Mweiga difficult and the road continues in good 
condition. The Mweiga Mackinder's Eagle Owl was incubating, whilst 
the male rested on the cliff. Nearby we looked at the swamp that 
often had Black Ducks (not this occasion however), I heard a Stripe-
breasted Seedeater singing, and located it in fine voice from a 
Cedar. Whilst they are all over Laikipia from Rumuruti across to 
Timau, the presence near Mweiga is quite an extension of range and 
came as a surprise.

Crossing the Solio Ranch road to Naro Moru held no surprises, the 
grass was quite rank in places though dry.

I tried to find Steven Easley's Orange-winged Pytilias near the 
Timau Junction with the Isiolo Road, around a concrete round water 
tank on the north side of the road. He has found them there on three 
occasions now, and up to five birds. Despite a search we could not 
locate them but did find Boran Cisticola and Little Rock Thrush 
there, neither came as a surprise.

Because of the great number of tourists in the country during 
August, we were forced to stay at the new (one month old) Samburu 
Sopa Lodge. I was apprehensive of being up in the hills amongst low 
scrub, but was very soon appeased. They have constructed a new road 
that climbs through the acacia and enters an area that is completely 
Commiphora. This is a habitat that has not been accessible in 
Samburu before. Soon we found that Somali Long-billed Crombecs, 
Yellow-vented Eremomelas were quite a regular feature. Also Shining 
Sunbirds, flocks of Vulturine Guineafowls over one-hundred strong, 
and at last a place where Northern Grosbeak Canarys are quite common 
and findable. One pair of Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse had two day-old 
chicks. Bristle-crowned and Golden-breasted Starlings were numerous 
and visiting the waterhole, with a variety of other species 
including both Silverbills. The most exciting find will take a bit 
of research, we found a Lark that to all intents and purposes 
resembled Gillett's Lark. Similar to a Fawn-coloured but the crown 
all reddish with dark streaking, and the spots on the breast being 
reddish-brown not black. It sung a couple of times, a soft series of 
five notes, the first three higher than the last two. Fawn-coloured 
Lark was also numerous here. We have a number of very good 
photographs of the individual and will research this further. Sopa 
Lodge is not only in a site for so many rare species (especially 
around the airstrip) but is a superb accommodation on top of it, and 
excellent food. The stumble over the lava at Shaba was not too 
pleasant, but we did find two each of William's and Masked Larks.

Meru Forest is such a depressing place being irreparably destroyed 
by illegal charcoal burning activities. There were numbers of 
Kenrick's Starlings in fruiting trees but little else.

Castle Forest Lodge was wonderful, it has birds associated with 
Kieni such as White-tailed Crested Flycatcher and Black-fronted Bush-
Shrike as well as the more regular montane species. Well worth a 
visit, just take a torch.

Mwea Rice is active again, and birds are visiting the paddies. 
Nothing of any note, but it will be attractive to waders later in 
the season.

Blue Posts had the usual specialities, but walking at the confluence 
point of the Thika and Thiba Rivers I flushed an electric-blue 
backed kingfisher, and felt sure that it was a Half-collared. After 
some ten minutes I located it on a branch over the water, and we 
watched the bird for over ten minutes, and it was a Half-collared 
Kingfisher. Eventually it was savagely dive-bombed by a Brown-hooded 
Kingfisher who took over it's perch. Hopefully the bird will stay. I 
don't think there has been a Half-collared Kingfisher in Kenya for 
some twenty odd years.

The Limuru Sewage Pond (by the railway line) is in extremely good 
condition, the best for years. It is ripe to pick up something 
interesting as soon as the passage is under way. Already it had 
fifteen Ruff and over twenty Wood Sandpipers. The main Limuru Pond 
is also in good condition. There were four Maccoa  Ducks (all males) 
and a sprinkling of White-backed Ducks. By far the most exciting 
bird here was a beautiful adult Lesser Jacana walking around the 
edge of the water on the floating vegetation. Nairobi NP was quiet 
as we arrived so late from Thika (via Limuru). Hyena Dam had one Mad 
Squacco Heron and a Darter, but it was so good to see that the 
Saddle-billed Stork chick is soon ready to leave the nest. Athi Dam 
is in good condition with a good selection of waterbirds and should 
attract something of interest this coming season.

Tsavo very dry but Lake Jipe still has good swamps around its 
borders, whilst a good variety of waterbirds, not as good as early 
in the year. There were two Striped Pipits at Ngangao Forest in the 
Taitas, but the other birds were all pretty normal.

Tsavo East is in a terrible state, so drought-stricken and Aruba Dam 
gone. There was a small area just after Buchuma Gate that was more 
vegetated and had many Chestnut-crowned Sparrowlarks, Red-winged 
Larks and Golden Pipits in breeding colours. Otherwise it was 
miserable all the way to Sala Gate and beyond.

Sabaki Estuary had a good variety of waders but not in numbers yet, 
however eight species of terns (no White-winged Black or Whiskered) 
included four Sooty Terns, also three Skimmers and a single Black-
headed Gull. There were at least 5000 Lesser Flamingos spread out 
over the whole estuary. Two Madagascar Pratincoles were all that 
were to be seen of the species.

Sokoke Forest was lush, there having been much rain of late. Birds 
have bred as elsewhere so not very noisy and apart from the odd 
exception not very territorial. We found most of the birds though 
there was nothing too much out of the ordinary, six Coqui Francolin 
were a species that I have only once before encountered in the 
forest, apart from that a Wahlberg's Honeybird, this was the first 
that Willy (who birds there most days) has ever encountered there. 
There were no surprises at Mida Creek, but flying by offshore from 
the Driftwood in Malindi were two Oystercatchers and a Brown Noddy.

That represents the highlight for the tour, at this time of year I 
really was not expecting anything out of the ordinary, so good to be 
proven incorrect.

 

Best birding to all

Brian