From: Fleur Ng'weno <fleur@africaonline.co.ke>
Date: 2007-09-19 17:41
Subject: Records from Nature Kenya outings
Records from Nature Kenya outings
Greetings birders
Some exciting outings with Nature Kenya recently:
Good raptor day at the University of Nairobi demonstration plot on Loresho Ridge on Wednesday September 12. We saw Augur Buzzard, African Harrier Hawk, Black Kite and Tawny Eagle. Then a bird of prey plunged between the pepper trees and flew towards us, showing brilliant white “landing lights” on its “shoulders”. I thought it would be an Ayres’ Hawk-Eagle, but when it flew over us it was very dark below, not spotted. Peter Usher took great photos, and we concluded that it was an early dark-morph Booted Eagle.
Today 19 September in the Arboretum there was another confusing small eagle soaring overhead. This one was white on the face, body and leading edge of the wings. The rest of the wings were speckled, not dark. This time we decided it was a sub-adult or very pale Ayres’ Hawk-Eagle. We also saw Great Sparrowhawk, African Goshawk, Hartlaub’s Turaco and Lemon Dove in the Arboretum.
The Sunday Birdwatch visited Karamaini Estate in Thika on Sunday 16 September, by kind invitation of Mrs T.A. Pallister. It is an area of remnant forest, wetlands, cultivation, plantations and bushy vegetation, at 1540m altitude – lower than Nairobi. Highlights included a Broad-billed Roller on the access road, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Trumpeter Hornbill and white-morph African Paradise Flycatcher. We also saw and heard Rüppell’s Robin-Chat and Black-collared Apalis, two birds that I think of as being more highland forest edge species.
Wishing you good birding, Fleur