Dear All,
I have just finished a very interesting sixteen day tour with David Sargeant from Oman. Last December he hosted me in Oman, and we had a great time birding that fascinating country. This August it was time to repay his hospitality, and find new birds for David. Having been to Kenya twice before, Tanzania a few times and Uganda, having travelled in West Africa and living in Gabon, naturally the birds that he required to see were both very special and amongst the most difficult that we have in Kenya. He had sixteen days and asked me to plan the most rewarding itinerary. getting him in the range of as many species as possible. To give you an idea of what he was after, here is the list of species he sent me.
Moorland Francolin, Shelley's Francolin, Jackson's Francolin, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Heuglin's Bustard, Swallow-tailed Kite, White-winged Dove, Red-chested Owlet, Nubian Nightjar, Star-spotted Nightjar, Donaldson-Smith's Nightjar, Lemon-rumped Tinkerbird, Eastern Green Tinkerbird, Eastern Honeybird, Speckle-breasted Woodpecker, Dwarf Raven, Somali Fiscal, Three-streaked Tchagra, Red-naped Bushshrike, Pringle's Puffback, Taita Thrush, African Bare-eyed Thrush, Shelley's Starling, Abbott's Starling, Magpie Starling, White-crowned Starling, Botta's Wheatear, Rock-loving Cisticola, Lynes' Cisticola, Aberdare Cisticola, Tiny Cisticola, Brown-tailed Apalis, Taita Apalis, Karamoja Apalis, Little Rush Warbler, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Yellow-vented Eremomela, Green-backed Eremomela, Turner's Eremomela, Brown Parisoma, Grey-chested Illadopsis, Scaly Chatterer, Scaly Babbler, Buff-bellied Penduline-Tit, Williams' Lark, Friedmann's Lark, Collared Lark, Masked Lark,
 Somali Sparrow, Swainson's Sparrow, Bar-breasted Firefinch, Purple Indigobird, Malindi Pipit, Nairobi Pipit, Clarke's Weaver, Juba Weaver, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Tsavo Sunbird, Violet-breasted Sunbird, Northern Grosbeak Canary, Southern Grosbeak Canary, Stripe-breasted Seedeater, Somali Golden-breasted Bunting.
There is a limit to how many places can be visited in sixteen days when they are scattered over the entire country, and the resulting itinerary that I put forward was still somewhat over ambitious. I dropped Botta's Wheatear in Lokichoggio, White-winged Dove and Juba Weaver in Ramu (NE Ethiopian border), Collared Lark still an unknown entity lurking somewhere deep in Shifta country, but otherwise managed to get us at least into the range of the remaining species. Some other species would not be present at this time of year, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Shelley's Starling, and probably Swallow-tailed Kite would be in it's Ethiopian breeding grounds along with Nubian Nightjar. As it happened none of these species were encountered as was expected. The fact that breeding was over throughout much of the country was going to make things a little more challenging.
On the morning of 9th August David arrived on the KQ from Dubai, and we went straight into Nairobi National Park. The weather was foul, low cloud and constant misty drizzle, and unpleasantly cold. For the next five hours we drove around looking for Shelley's Francolin and Nairobi Pipit, although we did see a few nice birds the target species were not cooperative. There was a Marsh Owl taking advantage of the gloomy conditions, the first Wood Sandpiper had returned and Athi Dam had a couple of Greenshank, a Little Stint, Common Sandpiper and White-winged Black Tern. This was quite a miserable start, so we set off after a picnic for Sagala Lodge between Voi and Maungu. On arrival there were some tame Bare-eyed Thrushes in the grounds, and so David did have one new species that day. At dusk we tried for Donaldson-smith's Nightjar, but there was not a squeak from them. After a good nights sleep we retired, but before dawn the nightjars started calling and we
 were able to track them down before they went off to roost. 
Whilst waiting for breakfast we had a look around this most attractive place, the Neem trees were fruiting profusely and attracting large numbers of hungry birds, and amongst them were a couple of African Golden Orioles. After breakfast we left for Ngangao Forest in the Taita Hills for Taita Thrush and Taita Apalis. We rendezvoused with two of the forest guards, and looked for the birds along the top road, finding both species and having excellent views within ten minutes of arrival! Also here we had a pair of Striped Pipits, and a Black-fronted Bush-shrike which I had never seen in that forest before. This was a coup as we now had the remainder of the morning and the rest of the day in which to locate the tsavo-scrub species, namely; Scaly Chatterer, Brown-tailed Apalis, Tiny Cisticola, Pringle's Puffback, Three-streaked Tchagra, Red-naped Bush-Shrike, Tsavo Sunbird, Purple Indigobird and Somali Golden-breasted Bunting.
We pulled up on the edge of Rukinga Ranch, right next to two male and a female Tsavo Sunbirds, once this restricted species was part of Purple-banded Sunbird, one male was glowing violet and posing for photographs. This was soon followed by the not so challenging Brown-tailed Apalis, once part of Yellow-breasted Apalis, but a distinctive thornscrub species with characteristic voice, and Somali Golden-breasted Bunting was fairly numerous. Birds were very quiet and had to be searched for, we found some five Pringle's Puffbacks, three Red-naped Bush-Shrike, including one young bird that seemed to be following us, a Tiny Cisticola was found in some open commiphora, but a really lucky find was a group of sparrowy indigobirds containing one near adult male Purple Indigobird. The next few hours we searched and searched for Scaly Chatterer and Three-streaked Tchagra but to no avail. However we did come across a most attractive Somali Painted Agama. At about 4pm
 decided to return to the lodge and try their two kilometre driveway. We walked through the open woodland and some Scaly Chatterers gave a very short squeak then shut up completely, but we were able to locate them preening and posing in the low rays of sun and whilst watching them a Three-streaked Tchagra popped into view! We had succeeded in finding all of our tsavo thornscrub species a day early. 
On the morning of the 11th, the nightjars called again, and we had a walk around before breakfast, finding an obliging Spotted Eagle-Owl. Sagala Lodge is the old Ndara Ranch Lodge, but is now quite a paradise. Very nice décor, comfortable rooms and a manager who just loves having his birds around and has done everything to attract them. He has successfully tamed several large groups of Vulturine Guineafowl and they now arrive three times a day and can be hand fed. There were a few birds on the bird-table that I had never seen on a bird-table before, the guineafowl were comical swinging in the feeding platform, Black-necked Weaver and Black-throated Barbets were amongst other species coming for the handout, even White-crested Helmetshrikes were dancing just outside of the window whilst we had breakfast. This is a bird paradise, certainly after losing TDC, but it is even birdier and well worth a visit. 
After a wholesome feed, we left via Kaloleni to Kilifi, continued north through Malindi for our first stop at Gongoni. There were three species of the coast scrub that we were looking for, Scaly Babbler, Malindi Pipit and Violet-breasted Sunbird. No sooner had we started our walk for the Malindi Pipits than two pairs were in song-flight and engaged in aerial chases. They approached us very closely and were naturally digitised. This was a great start and we retraced to Sabaki for Scaly Babbler. We walked through the incredibly dense scrubby cover, finally locating a group that immediately disappeared into the undergrowth and showed no inclination at revealing themselves whatsoever. The views were so poor. Whilst searching the area we found an attractive flowering Combretum, and the red pompom flowers were attracting sunbirds and we stopped to see what was coming in. There were some ten Purple-banded, but amongst them was an adult male and immature male
 Violet-breasted Sunbirds, rare visitors from further north and we were able to secure at least a representative photograph of both. Other birds encountered included a family of three Cuckoo-Hawks, a scattering of Northern Carmine Bee-eaters and a couple of male Golden Pipits at Gongoni. We spent the night at Arocha where we felt much at home although Colin was unfortunately in Nairobi at the time.
On the 12th we met Willie at Sokoke, firstly tracking down two friendlier parties of Scaly Babblers after yesterdays frustrating encounter, the other birds we were looking for were Eastern Green Tinkerbird, Lemon-rumped Tinkerbird a very distinctive form deserving specific identity but no-one seems to have ever shown any interest in the bird and the endemic Clarke's Weaver. Although we were given a run around we finally had wonderful views of a noisy Lemon-rumped Tinkerbird. Then by following a party of Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrikes we located a half-dozen Clarke's Weaver which included an adult male coming into breeding plumage. Eastern Green Tinkerbirds were calling but not willing to show themselves, so we had a small break whilst Willie went looking for roosting Sokoke Scops Owls. Not a species that we were looking for, but who could resist any chance encounter with such an endearing creature. Whilst Willie was away, a Green Tinkerbird called and we
 located a pair displaying in bare branches of a small tree and stayed with them until Willie returned. Other birds included a tame Mangrove Kingfisher near the forest station, at Arabuko Swamp there was a White-backed Duck, a Madagascar Squacco Heron and many Carmine Bee-eaters, but the Pygmy-Geese were hiding successfully. The afternoon was a leisurely walk along the beach at Watamu , there were quite a number of Roseate Terns flying around Whale Island, and Sooty Terns could be seen flying amongst them, and the colony appeared in full swing. Tern flocks off-shore also contained Sooty, Bridled and Common Noddies. Arocha provided a comfortable retreat for the night.
The 13th was a birding day, we visited Mida Creek and Sabaki River Mouth again, until it was time to catch our flight from Malindi to Nairobi JK. Mida Creek had a few waders, around eighty Crab-Plovers, and amongst the more normal coastal waders were three Bar-tailed Godwits including one still in its red summer dress. A dark Dimorphic Egret lacked any trace of white carpal markings showing that not all dark birds do actually possess this. From here we had a walk along the flats at Sabaki. There were fairly good numbers of waders but it is still early in the season, there were two Eurasian Oystercatchers, although Steven Easley had three only a few days earlier. Another dark Dimorphic Egret was present and also did not have any white carpal patch. The tern flock contained numerous Crested and Lesser Crested Terns, a single Caspian, a hundred or so Common, four Saunder's Terns and a couple of Skimmers. The gulls were mainly Sootys but also some thirty
 Heuglin's Gulls. Only one Madagascar Pratincole was present, they should not have left yet. Arriving on time in Nairobi, we were met and set off for a very different climate, this time we were looking for two high montane Kenyan endemics found on the Aberdare moorlands. It was a clear afternoon, and on the drive to Mutubio Gate we saw at least 20 attractive Jackson's Francolins, and at the gate a pair of Aberdare Cisticolas. Our object achieved we birded down the hill finding a Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk and a pair of Tacazze Sunbirds, but although we waited at dusk there was no sign of Olive Ibis. We spent the night at the Outdoor Africa camp site at the bottom of the hill, where they provided a tasty meal and real coffee!
We woke on the 14th to a miserable day, really cold and light rain, with thick cloud cover. We were going to Gatamaiyu to look for Abbott's Starling with a chance of Eastern Honeybird. On arrival the clouds descended and mist enveloped us making it impossible to see any scrub species let alone canopy birds. It wasn't raining but not that far from it. About 9-00am there was an improvement in the weather situation and the birds were coming to life. Standing in the grounds of the forest station the weather got better and better and a mixed flock was forming, there must have been well over one-hundred birds of a great variety of montane species. We sorted through all of the players on the stage, and finally along came a pair of Abbott's Starlings. There was no sign of Eastern Honeybird but more opportunities would be had later. Leaving at mid-day we paid respects to Sharpe's Longclaws as we crossed the Kinangop and descended into Thika. Our journey continued
 to Nanyuki where we arrived at 5-00pm and made our arrangements for our return flight from Kalacha in three days time. Learning that there had been a mix-up in bookings and that we would be staying the first night in a more "rustic" setting, but having a complementary at Kalacha Lodge for the second night. After this was sorted out we continued our long day arriving in Isiolo just as it got dark.
At last there is a good accommodation in Isiolo, Galdesa Hotel is a couple of kilometres on the right, up the right hand road immediately after the police post. It is run by a Dutch couple, and very comfortable with excellent food.
After a very restful night, and hearty breakfast on the early morning of the 15th we set off for Shaba. Here our targets were William's, Friedmann's and Masked Larks, and Yellow-vented Eremomela. The road was good and we were soon at the entrance gate picking up our guard for the walk across the lava. It was a very short time before we were on to a pair of William's Larks but we decided to forgo Masked here and look for it in the north. Driving back towards the gate in the same area as there were many Friedmann's Larks in late April, we were fortunate enough to flush one from the roadside, and because we had our own ranger were able to get out and relocate it, and get some images as it sat on a low shrub. Another short walk soon gave us Yellow-vented Eremomela. Additionally we saw a stunning male Shining Sunbird and a pair of Black-cheeked Waxbills. We were driving to the far north for Heuglin's Bustard, Star-spotted Nightjar, Masked Lark, Somali Fiscal,
 White-crowned and Magpie Starlings, Somali Crow, Swainson's and Somali Sparrows. Just a little more than three hours after passing Archer's Post we arrived in the outskirts of Marsabit. The road was in good condition, and we heard that by the end of next year it will be paved all the way from Isiolo. The one new bird we saw well before Laisamis was the Somali Crow (previously Dwarf or Brown-necked Raven). In the afternoon we walked the slopes of Mt Marsabit but did not find any of the targets apart from several Somali Fiscals. The mid-level gravelly slopes had many Thekla Larks, but as the lodge is in the Park, we had to get through the gate in time. Marsabit Lodge has also greatly improved, the rooms are very comfortable, and the buffet meals much better than they used to be. The view over the lake is still spectacular and the elephants are rediculously tame. A few migrant waders were on the shore but nothing out of the ordinary. Boran Cisticolas have
 turned to using the rooves of the bungalows as a song perch.
On the morning of the 16th we left delightful Marsabit Lodge for our all day drive north to Kalacha. In a field on the slopes we had the extraordinary sight of over two-hundred Paradise Whydahs in non-breeding plumage. It was not long before we saw our first Heuglin's Bustard on the lower slopes, a handsome male strutting its stuff. Somali Fiscals were extremely common all through the area, and very noisy. Our first Magpie Starlings were close to Marsabit, and near Maikona there were several pairs of our first of many colourful Somali Sparrows and so many White-crowned Starlings in the same place. We walked many kilometres of rocky and shingly terrain, but it was on the most miserable uncomfortable (for walking) black lava rocky plain that in the hottest part of the day we found a pair of Masked Larks not far after Maikona. Also we had several Greater Kestrels, and House Buntings coming in to drink from the puddles on the road left by recent rain. In
 fact the entire desert was green with copious flowering white Heliotropium, red Indigofera and blue Barleria. We checked into the Chalbi Tourist Camp, then in the late afternoon went and sat on a lava ridge to wait for the sun to set and the Star-spotted Nightjars to wake up. There was still much light in the sky when they started calling and we easily located a bird sitting on the ground, it would have appeared all black in the torchlight were it not for the two white patches either side of the throat that throbbed with each call, and of course the fiery eye-shine. After spending some time with these birds we returned to our rather primitive very hot but surprisingly comfortable accommodation. Unfortunately we did not know that we had to order dinner at 3-00pm and there was nothing for us, and so it was a good night to fast!
There was only one bird that we had not found that was on Davids list, and that was Swainson's Sparrow, the Ethiopian representative of Grey-headed Sparrow. For this we had an all day excursion up into the Huri Hills on the Ethiopian border finding a number of sparrows feeding exclusively in flowering Erythrina. The Huris have been little explored ornithologically in recent times, these mountains in the hot lava plains provide a haven for a number of species requiring a more temperate climate. In the interest of completeness we recorded the following species not seen in the lowlands…. Black-shouldered Kite, Ruppell's Vulture, Tawny Eagle, Helmeted Guineafowl, Coqui Francolin, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, White-bellied Bustard, Spotted Eagle-Owl (unfortunately dead), Lilac-throated Roller, Rufous-crowned Roller, Cardinal Woodpecker, Fan-tailed Raven, Slate-coloured Boubou, Bristle-crowned Starling, White-winged Scrub-Robin, Ashy Cisticola, Croaking
 Cisticola, Pectoral-patch Cisticola, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Northern Crombec, Somali Grey Tit, Rufous-naped Lark, Flappet Lark, Short-tailed Lark, Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver, Hunter's Sunbird, Variable (white-bellied) Sunbird, but the most interesting was the discovery of what appears to be an undescribed form of arboreal pipit, behaving similarly to Nairobi Pipit. We secured some good photographs of the form and obviously some more work will have to be done in this area. Also the Rufous-naped Lark (that I also saw in my previous visit to the Huris), probably represents an Ethiopian race not recorded in Kenya. There is a huge distribution gap between here and the closest birds to the south. We had another evening with the Nightjars where there was also a Red-necked Falcon hunting at dusk, then returned for our overnight at the very comfortable Kalacha Lodge, where on the small reed-lined pool we found a rather lost Little
 Grebe.
 
We left Kalacha very early on the 18th. It was wonderful spending a good half-an-hour weaving in and out of the valleys and skimming the forested ridges of the Matthews and Ndotos. It has to be the most intact primary forest in the whole country. In spite of this playtime, we still were in Nanyuki by 7-30am and had a delicious breakfast at "Barney's."