Mombasa Bird Walk

Latest bird walk Sat Feb17th in Nguu Tatu at what we call Husein Pond, as averse to Huseini Car Track. Though separated by only a road this tends to be a much greener area probably to due to more underground water and the fairly large swampy area, now very dry. Migrants were the most abundant so far this year. Male and female Common Rock Thrush, Northern Wheatear, Barn Swallows, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Spotted Flycatcher and Eurasian Golden Orioles which are at the momet abundant in the Mombasa area (Neem trees at Nyali Beach last Fri. full of them). Other species of note Diedrik Cuckoo, not so common these days, Black Shouldered Kite and a lot of Long Tailed Fiscal Shrikes, all in pairs, making their delightful rattling sounds. Maybe breeding? The birds which have now become pretty numerous in this area are the Greater Blue Earred and Superb Starlings. Birds which used to be fairly common here Scarlet Chested Sunbird and Nubian Woodpecker we no longer see. Maybe the reason is the wholesale lopping of big branches off the trees the by firewood seekers. Pity. A last look at a pond on the road back, almost in the dark, turned up an Alan's Galinule. A first for that particular pond. Am facing the cold of UK for the next 3 weeks so probably won't be doing much birding. Wishing you all good birding while I am away. Marlene Reid (Mombasa)