From: Fleur Ng'weno <fleur@africaonline.co.ke>
Date: 2008-03-26 18:04
Subject: Nairobi birds and flowers
Nairobi birds and flowers Welcome to the rains

Nature Kenya’s Wednesday morning birdwalk recorded several migrants at Splash on 26 March, including a flock of Eurasian Bee-eaters, Barn Swallows, dozens of Willow Warblers, the song of a Sedge Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher.

Even more exciting were a pair of Cut-throat Finch; the Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Nairobi has no records of this species since 1972.

The highlight of the day, however, were two blood-red flowers of Cyrtanthus sanguineus ssp ballyi. This unusual lily is found in Nairobi National Park and stony grassland in the Nairobi-Machakos-Kajiado area, according to Upland Kenya Wild Flowers, but is seldom seen in bloom.

Wishing you good birding, Fleur