Dear All,

Itai has sent me a photograph of a bird in nnp at Hippo Pools 20th October 2003.  Whilst the nominate is a widespread wanderer, some birds in the Rift Valley woodland and forest show an affinity to the reddish chested and barred gabonensis. The distribution for this in Britton is given west and central African extending as far eastwards as Elgon. Certainly I have seen it in Kakamega. Fleur saw one not so long ago at Nakuru, and I took a photograph of a calling bird at Hippo Point, Naivasha two years ago and promptly forgot about it!. Has anyone else seen red-chested Black Cuckoos in Rift Valley or eastwards?

I went down the Magadi Road with Mike Davidson and Fleur on Sunday (11th) it was green and plenty of nice flowering at Corner Baridi. There was a Black Cuckoo calling in the valley below. It was International Migration Day, naturally at this time of year there were no palearctics on view, the closest we got to migrants were possibly a Malachite Sunbird flying over and a party of hurrying White-throated Bee-eaters that might have been making for Somalia! There was a Red-fronted Barbet in a nest hole at Corner Baridi, Lyne’s Cisticolas were quite noisy, a nice Rosy-patched Shrike on the way down where it became increasingly dry and birds very scarce. Barlerias were plentiful and we possibly had five species on the Camel Road, otherwise it was looking like a severe draught was in the offing.

Best to all

Brian

PS the dates for the Collared Lark expedition are 22nd to 26th May, interested parties should contact Mike Davidson on <davidson@africaonline.co.ke>