From: James Christian <jc@james-christian.com>
Date: 2006-11-04 09:02
Subject: Dwarf Bittern and Notes
Dwarf Bittern and Notes Hello All,

Spent a few hours in Samburu on Nov. 1st checking on a camp.  It was very wet, green and pools of water were sitting everywhere by the side of the road. Beside one we found a Dwarf Bittern.  As I am still rather new to Kenyan birding I really don’t know how common or not this species is but since it was a first for me I thought that I would report it along with a brief summary of my recent visit to The Tana River Primate Sanctuary and other assorted notes.

After a very nice stay on the Tana River Delta (Sep. 20th – 25th) we decided to return to Nairobi via the Garissa Road.  Stopping for the night at the Tana River Primate Sanctuary was a great idea and I was so impressed by the beautiful forest there.  While I gather the forest has been greatly reduced and degraded in the past 15 years we still had an excellent time birding for a couple hours in the morning before our return drive.  During the course of that walk we encountered the following species:

Brown Hooded Kingfisher
Fischer’s Turaco
Eastern Bearded Scrub Robin
Northern Brownbul
Olive Sunbird
Dark backed Weaver
Black-throated Wattleye
Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher
Scaly Babbler
African Barred Owlet (x2 one chased off a squirrel in a territorial way. What is this squirrel species?)
Crested Guineafowl

Many of you probably already know the Primate Sanctuary but for those that have never been I would really encourage a visit to this incredible forest.

On June 3rd at Tumaren, our ranch in Laikipia opposite Mpala we had a female Finfoot.  Kerry Glen, my wife says that she has seen finfoot only once before on the Ewaso Nyiro River.

Some additional non bird notes:

On several recent drives to Tumaren we have passed sunning male Agama Lizards that appear quite different from a typical Red Headed Rock Agama. The red comes down significanlty passed the head and shoulder to encompass the front legs more in the way that a Mwanza Rock Agama is coloured.  In a blog (online diary) on Laikipia Conservation / Natural History that we have begun I have uploaded a photograph.  I would be greatly interested if anyone had any ideas.  Should anyone prefer an image sent directly please ask otherwise see below.

http://wildlifedirect.org/tumaren/2006/11/04/odd-agama-lizard/

Also, Many thanks to everyone that helped me with my questions about Black-collared Apalis a while back.  Just as I was sending out thanks for the help my email server faltered and I never got those thankyous out.  I’m sorry for that.

Also Also, Brian wrote in a recent note about a great deal of dragonfly activity including large numbers of Tramea and Pantala.  Up at Tumaren we had been observing large numbers of both species moving through in large numbers for weeks previous to his observation farther south so it would be interesting to know more about such a large movement.

Hope your all well. Cheers,

James Christian
Safaris in Kenya

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