Mombasa Birds

From: Don Reid <donreid@africaonline.co.ke>

Date: 2008-02-02 10:04

Subject: Mombasa Birds

As there is not much going on for the guides at Haller park due to the drop in tourism we have been taking advantage of the situation and going out to enjoy some early morning birding on the last 3 Mons.

Trip to Central Quarry to see the Purple Gallinule (Swamphen) which has now taken up residence there. We arrived a bit late and it was keeping well into the reeds so only got a quick glimpse. However the Great Painted Snipe, Common Moorhen, Large number of White Faced Whistling Ducks made the uncomfortable and hot wait worthwhile. We then drove round to the opposite side of the large pond and right across from us in open view was this wonderful Purple Gallinule. Having birded at the coast for last 25 years and knowing there is supposed to be a small population and having never seen it, it was such a thrill. Just have to take my birders up there and hope it is as obliging for them.

Nguuni Nature Reserve and the surrounding grassland pretty prolific 53 species in about 4 hours.

Small pond to right of Nguuni Gate - Allen's Gallinule with one young one, Purple Heron, African Black Crake in profusion, some with young, Green Backed Heron, Spectacled, Grosbeak and Golden Palm Weavers.

A walk through the tree plantation to the grassland - Tropical Boubou, Northern Brownbuls, Scaly Babblers, Flappet Lark, Black Shouldered Kite (wonderful view of it preening), Pangani Longclaw, White Browed Robin Chats and a Scarlet Chested Sunbird.

Nguuni Sanctuary walking from picnic banda around 2 or 3 of the ponds - Water Dikkops, Crested Francolin, Tawny Flanked Prinia, Klass Cuckoo, 2 superb Sulpher Breasted Bush Shrike, Yellow Billed Stork, White Throated bee-Eaters, Squacco Heron, Black Headed Batis (Minor), male Pintail Whydah just growing its tail, Bare Eyed Thrush, Zanzibar Red Bishops, Yellow throated Longclaw and 2 Gabon (Square tailed) Nightjars seen very closely as they settled in front of us after we inadvertently distrubed their sleeping.

Migrants overall not so many - Barn Swallows, Spotted Flycatcher, Olivaceous Warbler, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper.

The new development of 2 golf courses at Vipingo is such a huge area and great for birding. Fortunately we have an "in" there so decided to take advantage of it. In the garden of the old manager's house there are wonderful old indigenous trees. Eurasian Golden Orioles were everywhere, Brown Breasted Barbet, A hoopoe called but we never did see it despite chasing it around the outside wall. White Browed Robin Chat feeding in the plant pots. Outside the garden Black Capped Tchagras very common and easily seen. Yellow Wagtails everywhere, Grey Headed Kingfisher, fast dash past by a Common Kestrel. Further afield, a splendid pair of Black Breasted Snake Eagles, one sitting in the tree then being joined by its mate, and an African Hawk Eagle which settled in the same tree after flying overhead. Lesser Grey, Red Tailed and Red Backed Shrikes, Barn Swallows and a Grey Headed Bush Shrike calmly feeding in a bush right in front of us. The grass nursery was alive with Grassland Pipits and Yellow Wagtails, just amazing. As we came back to the garden for a late breakfast Eurasian Bee-Eaters arrived, not many but my first for a long time. So beautiful. 36 species seen between 7 a.m. and 11, some quite exciting and in such a lovely place. We hope it will continue to be a good birding area after the development is finished. Thousands of indigenous trees are being planted and the developers are very conservasion concious so we live in hope. (Marlene Reid with Tere, Samson, James and Kevin)