Mombasa Birdwalk

It is a long time since our birdwalk went to Nguuni animal sanctuary, mostly because we have to pay shs 200 each to get in! Kevin Mazera is working there just now so rather than miss him on the walk we decided to join him. First bird at the gate was a Green Backed Heron. There used to be lots of water birds in this park but they are now very scarce, only one other Black Headed Heron seen. On the drive up to the picnic area there were several Pale Flycatchers and a large flock of Violet Backed Starlings. A Sulpher Breasted Bushshrike calling but not seen. A walk round a couple of the ponds which unfortunately are now devoid of water birds except for Water Dikkops which are fairly numerous, turned up Yellow Throated Longclaw, Palm Nut Vulture, Zanzibar Red Bishops, Common Waxbills collecting nesting material, Bare Eyed Thrush, a gathering of Long Tailed Fiscal Shrikes all waving their tails in the air, Black Headed Batis, two Paradise Flycatchers, probably a male without his long tail and a female and in the gloaming just as we were leaving a Mangrove Kingfisher. Quite a few more common species were seen. The magic was driving out in the dark and seeing Slender Tailed Nightjar sitting on the path swooping up and resettling in front of the car. Then a very small Nightjar appeared, sitting in front of us. It was too small to be a Donaldson Smiths and on closer inspection it was seen to be a more or less fully fledged juvenile nightjar, allover dark brown and slightly fluffy. The parent bird then flew down and started to feed it presumably with a dudu. This was such a magic moment. None of us had ever seen this before. The young bird seemed oblivious of our presence and we had to wait a fairly long time until it flew off to the side so that we could creep past. Ending a bird walk on a high note is always good. Join us for birding in Msa anytime you are around. Marlene Reid (Mombasa)