Dear All,


On Saturday (14th) I went with Nigel Hunter to Naivasha and Limuru.

We started at Hippo Point, compared to earlier in the year, the 
water level has risen and the foreshore has disappeared behind a 
wall of sedges which concealed African Water Rails. Apart from the 
open Lake the only visible habitat are the channels. On the water 
was a very large silvery adult Heuglin's Gull with four Lesser Black-
backs. In spite of the local movement away from Elementeita there 
were no Lesser Flamingos at Naivasha, although forty Greaters. 
Amongst the very few palaearctic waders present was a single 
Temminck's Stint which is quite an early date for the species. 
Otherwise two Greenshank, one Marsh Sandpiper, six Woods, one 
Common, one Black-tailed Godwit, and some fifty Ruff. The only 
palaearctic duck was a single Northern Shoveler. Two Eurasian Marsh 
Harriers were working the shoreline, and singles of Osprey and 
Common Buzzard were also heading south down the lake. Unusual 
concentrations of African Spoonbills, good numbers of Glossy Ibis 
and Yellow-billed Storks. Although more usually associated as a 
southern winter visitor, some ten Grey-rumped Swallows were feeding 
over the open grassland with numbers of Barn Swallows and a couple 
of Sand Martins. There was a strange leucistic Sand Martin 
accompanying them, an extremely pale fawn, almost whitish on the 
tail. In the bush were a single Spotted Flycatcher, three Pied and 
five Northern Wheatears. Some thirty Yellow Wagtails were seen 
during the course of the day, including both lutea and flava.

Along the southern shore adjacent to the KWS block a largish 
building can be seen. This is a new floating restaurant accessible 
from Moi South Lake Road on the old Jackman Farm, called Drifters. 
We had lunch here which was superb, having a delicious snack (or 
meal if you wish) literally alongside Ibis, Spoonbills, Storks and 
Pelicans. Many other species regularly put in appearances whilst we 
sat there. From here we looked at Naivasha Club. Here the open 
shoreline was teeming with birds, especially around the island where 
there were numbers of waders and ducks. Large numbers of White-
winged Black Terns were feeding on this part of the lake, some 
fifteen Black-tailed Godwits, five Ringed Plovers, but only two 
Little Stints. There were five very tame Avocets along the jetty, 
but no Curlew Sandpipers were seen all day. Amongst the ducks were a 
Northern Shoveler and a Cape Wigeon. Four Eurasian Golden Orioles 
were in the garden.

The Manguo pond at Limuru is still rather full, no wader habitat but 
ideal for ducks. There were eight Garganey, five Northern Shoveler 
and two White-backed Ducks. The sewage pond attracted a 
concentration of 59 Black-winged Stilts as well as good numbers of 
Wood and Marsh Sandpipers and Ruff. The place looks ideal to turn up 
something interesting. 

Best birding


Brian


PS today (16th) I was at Uchumi Wilson, and there was a pair of 
Angola Swallows flying around the side car park and building as if 
wanting to nest there (or nesting already). This might be part of 
the recent eastern spread, and perhaps Nairobi is ready for 
colonisation. Those visiting Splash Wetlands might keep an eye open 
for them when driving past.