Dear All,

It was a damp and overcast day on Saturday 4th November, but the sun 
came out briefly in the afternoon. There had been overnight showers 
on the Langata side, but this had not affected the southern portions 
and currently all dams still have receding water levels.

Migrants are still poorly represented, a few palaearctic waders the 
best being a Curlew Sandpiper and four Marsh Sandpipers at Athi Dam 
and four Common Snipe at Olmanyi and a single at Ruai Dam. Migrant 
raptors were restricted to one Northern Hobby and a single Montagu's 
Harrier.

Just five Yellow Wagtails, hardly any movement of Barn Swallows, a 
single Northern Wheatear and a Sprosser/Gale calling at Impala 
Lookout where there was a single Eurasian Tree Pipit. Scattered were 
two Spotted Flycatchers, a few Blackcap, Garden Warbler heard and 
one adult male Red-backed Shrike. Athi Dam had four adult Red-
throated Pipits.

In the afrotropical line, Athi Dam had singles of imm White Pelican, 
Great Cormorant, Southern Pochard and Knob-billed Duck, and a pair 
of Spur-winged Plovers on the causeway. White-tailed Lark was 
singing. Impala Lookout was interesting with three lions and a black 
rhino, as well as 60 Violet-backed Starlings, 20 Grosbeak Weavers, 8 
Parasitic Weavers and a Fan-tailed Warbler singing at the base of 
the hill.

Hyena Dam had a pair of Swamphens, the run-off swamp an adult female 
and two juvenile Saddle-billed Storks.

At the first glade in Kisembe Forest, on the road from Impala 
Lookout that passes through the forest there were a pair of Nairobi 
Pipits, one bird was carrying food and they presumably have an 
active nest. This makes them easy to find at present for those that 
have not caught up with the species (which has been accepted by IBIS 
for publication at long last). 

An Olive Pigeon posing on a tree top at the edge of the forest was 
the first I have seen in the Park for some five years.

Finally Zebra Waxbills were noticeable at the dams and Quail Finch 
is still probably the Parks most abundant species and some 
individuals of all three Widowbirds are back in breeding plumage

Best birding

Brian