From: Fleur Ng'weno <fleur@africaonline.co.ke>
Date: 2008-04-08 14:53
Subject: Migrants and lilies
Migrants and lilies
Good April birding:
Nature Kenya’s Wednesday Morning Birdwalk visited the picnic site at Sukari Dam (by prior arrangement) on April 2. As we arrived, we saw a bird of prey perched on the ground. It was generally brown with a very pale head. The bird flew up, landed further on the ground at first, and then in a tree. It was a buzzard, and we thought of a Common (Steppe) Buzzard, but we were puzzled by the very pale head. Each time we got close it flew up, but we saw it several times during the morning. From above the tail was bright orange, fading to almost white at the base of the tail. Underneath it looked pale all over, with a very strong black carpal joint. I believe it was a Long-legged Buzzard.
Other highlights were Grey-rumped Swallows, Common Whitethroat, and numerous birds of prey.
A brief Sunday afternoon drive in Nairobi National Park with friends on April 6 found Red-backed and Red-tailed Shrikes and seven Parasitic Weavers, some in bright breeding plumage. And lots of red lilies, Cyrtanthus sanguineus ssp. ballyi, in the burned grassland east of Hyena Dam! (oh, also a pride of lions and two black rhino....)
Wishing you good birding, Fleur