Very interesting to read of reports of cuckoos passing through all over. We too have had unprecedented numbers of cuckoos through Watamu over the past 2-3 weeks. 2s and 3s most days along the beach front without being out looking for them. On Mon 16th April in Arabuko-Sokoke we had 15-20 Common Cuckoos and 6-8 Asian Lessers in 1 1/2 hrs along 1.5km of Brachystegia; on sat 21st April we had an estimated 1,000 Common Cuckoos moving overhead at the Mida bird hide over 3-4 hours. The same day 20-30 on the A Rocha Nature Trail as well as a very clearly seen African Cuckoo with basal 1/2 of bill yellow and T6 with complete barring across feather.

A single Common Cuckoo also ringed at the A Rocha centre, Mwamba, on 20th together with 2 Marsh Warblers and a Sedge - very high numbers of Palaearctic migrants for us! 

I think I sent this to Tzbirds but not this group yet - 8 Amur Falcons along the beach on 15th April after / during some heavy storms. Again all falcons are rare along the sea front. 

The first Red-capped Robin Chat heard at my place in Watamu on Sun 15th. One heard in ASF on 16th but nothing since and none caught which is odd as they tend to flood in once they start. Af Pygmy Kingfisher retrapped from 2 years ago on 18th and another 2-yr old retrap on 20th. Several seen and heard since then too, so seems like they've appeared as expected. No reports of Spotted Ground Thrush yet.

Happy birding!

Colin Jackson
A Rocha Kenya
PO Box 383,
Watamu,
Kenya
eml: colin.jackson@arocha.org
Tel: +254-(0)722-842366
www.arocha.org