Kindly accept my deepest apologies for the late posting.

The above trip took place from Thursday 4 – Monday 8 September 2008. The long drive to the Michelelo Research Camp (MRC) was approached using the dirt-back-route from Hola Town via Wenje and Maroni respectively. Please take note that there were no signposts to the said camp.

All the “specials” of the area including the Primates – Tana River Red Colobus Piliocolobus rufomitratus, Tana River Crested Mangabey Cercocebus torquatus, Bush-baby Galago spp. were recorded. Others primates included sightings of the Yellow Baboon Papio cynocephalus, Sykes’ Monkey Cercopithecus albogularis, and the Black-faced Vervet Monkey Cercopithecus aethiops. The trip’s highlight was the sighting of the Hirola Antelope Beatragus hunteri c.21. Herewith, please, find the full log of the trip’s account. Total bird’s species tally stood at 131.

Wednesday 3 September 2008: Rupert Watson and I left Nairobi for Thika. We had an overnight at our teammate Gordon Boy parent’s home. A short evening birding stroll in the surrounding environs yielded Northern Pied Babbler, African Green Pigeon, Red-faced Crombec, Ruppell’s Robin Chat, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Grey-crowned Crane, and the Montane Nightjar.

Thursday 4: We left Thika for lower Tana River following the Thika – Garissa road. By 13h00, we refueled in Garissa. The numbers of the breeding Marabou Stork Leptoptilus crumeniferus c.60 on the Acacia sp. flanking the Tana River over the Madogo Bridge crossing were amazing. Further, on past the junction to Mombasa off the Thika-Garissa road (near the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation’s Madogo Radio Station), we encountered a pair of the Somali Ostrich with 17 young ones.

By late evening, we had reached our destination – MRC, settled and had a short walk on the fringes of the forest. A dead Doum Palm Hyphaene sp. was a beehive of activities with the Beaded Woodpecker, Green Wood-hoopoe and the Black-bellied Starling according us a warm reception. While heading back to the camp, Nubian Nightjar flirted back and fro. A good number of small bat species according to Gordon were Pipistrellus
sp. They were noted dashing along the trails. The African Wood Owl hooted and gave contact calls all nights from dusk to dawn.

Friday 5: The morning choruses of the forest birds were like musical orchestra, with the lead rhythm by Red-capped Robin Chat and Eastern-bearded Scrub Robin, Ruppell’s Robin Chat and a full back-up coordinated by the Dark-backed Weaver and the Trumpeter’s Hornbill were in full musical vibrancies. A short walk to the river bank was fruitions us we encountered a “bird-hunting-party” which consisted of the following species African Pygmy, Yellow-billed Coucal, Tropical Boubou, Black-backed Puffback, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Rufous Chatterer, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Black-headed Oriole, African Paradise Flycatcher (white morph), Black-throated Wattle-eye and the Common Drongo. In the background, the calls of the White-browed Coucal, coo of the Red-eyed Dove, piping call of the African Grey Hornbill, musical notes of the Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul and the two-stones clapping calls of the Green-backed Camaroptera were ear-appealing. The recording of the near-threatened Plain-backed Sunbird was rewarding.

The Red-bellied Coast Squirrel Paraxerus palliates were amidst the party. The water birds comprised of White-faced Whistling Duck, Hadada and Glossy Ibises, Pied, Brown-hooded and the Chestnut-bellied Kingfishers, African Pied Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, Spur-winged Plover, Egyptian and the Knob-billed Geese, Water Thick-knee. With the heat of the day, the Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus were basking in the sun. The grunting calls of the Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius were heard severally.

A mid-morning forest walk led to another “bird-hunting-party” which comprised of the rich forest species Terrestrial Brownbul, Fischer’s Greenbul, Ashy and Blue-mantled Flycatchers. A vulnerable species - the Little Yellow Flycatcher was noted. In addition, Little Spotted Woodpecker, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird (observed boring a nesting hole on a dead tree branch). On the return leg back to the camp, we got great views of the Tana Red Colobus Monkey, Tana River Crested Mangbey, and Sykes’ Monkeys and a troop of Yellow Baboon.

The forest floor-dwelling butterfly species were numerous. The dominant species being the Gold-banded Forester Euphaedra neophron.

Later we drove from the MRC to the Park Headquarters in Baomo, 10 kms away. Enroute the following birds’ species were encountered: Crested Francolin, Vulturine Guineafowl, Namaqua and Emerald-spotted Wood Doves, Common Bulbul, Carmine Bee-eater, Cardinal Woodpecker, Red-fronted Barbet, Black-headed Plover, Northern White-crowned Shrike, Golden-breasted and the Wattled Starlings, Marabou Stork, Pale Flycatcher, White-headed and the Red-billed Buffalo Weavers, Blue-naped Mousebird.

At the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Camp, Baomo, the camp offered an array of bird species notably the Little Bee-eater, Fisher’s and Superb Starlings, African Mourning Dove, Wire-tailed Swallow, Little Swift, Grey-headed Silverbill, and the Grey Wren Warbler.  

A sundowner birding session along the banks of the Tana River, near the KWS water pump station was exciting with further recording of the sunbirds - Amethyst, Collared and Eastern Violet-backed Sunbirds, Green-backed Heron; Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar (was mobbed and chased away by the Water Dikkops c.15).

Back at the camp, the Small-spotted Genet Cat Genetta genetta was our night guest, while, the calls of the hyena were heard from a distance.

Saturday 6: Within the camp precincts, mimicking the Narina’s Trogon was fruitful, as a male responded and flew to a patch above our heads. The Regionally threatened species, the African Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus landed on an open top patch obediently waiting its ticking-off the muster roll. Other birds such as the Tambourine Dove, Madagascar Bee-eater, Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus, and the African Green Pigeon were added to the list. 

We took a mid-morning boat trip and crossed to the eastern banks of the reserve, opposite the MRC in search of the Hirola Antelope, but in vain. Other mammals seen included the Reticulated Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata, Dik-dik, and the Warthog. The birds of the said area included Klaas Cuckoo, Lilac-breasted Roller, Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis (1 immature), Striped Kingfisher, Golden Pipit c.9, Hunter’s Sunbird (immature male), White-bellied Bustard, Rattling Cisticola, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Long-tailed Fiscal, Wooly-necked Stork, Barn Swallow (the first one for me this southward-bound migration season). After the long walk, of which I was privileged to add a “lifer” to my list – the VIOLET-BREASTED SUNBIRD! We turned back and took a 1-km boat ride due north of the camp. Sacred Ibis, Common Greenshank, Marsh Sandpiper and the Grey Heron were add-ons. A picture posing Nile Monitor Lizard Varanus niloticus was basking on the riverbank. Late evening we took another walk on the fringes of the MRC forest due south and we added a Little Sparrowhawk Accipiter minullus.

Sunday 7: The morning stroll around the camp and the river frontage was rewarding with sightings of the Globally threatened species Fischer’s Turaco. The other exciting sightings included the Crested Guineafowl (on top of a tree approximately 20mts high), Broad-billed Roller, Black-headed Heron, Yellow-billed Stork, Ruppell’s Long-tailed Starling, Brown-breasted Barbet, Osprey Pandion haliaetus and Von der Decken’s Hornbill.

Monday 8: We again went back for the Hirola Antelope search and it was successful as we ended up seeing five groups, each group consisting of individuals of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 respectively. Rosy-patch Shrike and Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus were logged-in. Group c.6 of the Common Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus was noted. We also did a scouting of the Sifa East Forest. It was fantastic seeing great clusters of the Borassus Palm Borassus aethiopum.

To crown our trip, we took a late afternoon boat ride 3 kms due north of the river course and we made a new entry of the Open-billed Stork, African Darter, Pink-backed Pelican, Brown Snake Eagle Circaetus cinereus and the Black-crowned Night Heron. To sum up the mammals list a pair of Black-tipped Mongoose Galerella sanguinea and Bush Squirrel Paraxerus sp. were seen foraging off the food scrapes near the camp kitchen.

With the expertise of a local guide, Abio, we were able to see the Tana River Poplar tree Populus ilicifolia. Other tree species in bloom were the Albizia and Acacia spp. respectively.

On a sad note, the state of the camp was deplorable state, with the “makuti” thatching

covering the tents giving in, broken down generator for pumping water and lights. The boat engine was not in the finest state too, thus, hindered us to do more river expeditions. In addition, there is a dire need of putting up signposts. It is my sincere hope that the KWS management team will take a swift course of action and remedy the situation at hand! 

On behalf of the team and myself, I do sincerely thank the Boy’s family for their warm reception and kind hospitality they accorded us. To the KWS field staff members Sgt. James Gadam at Baomo camp for organizing the escort and tracking team (Share Musuo and Alex Lenguyaya), much appreciated. A big thank you is extended to the MRC staff Abio Gafo (very knowledgeable on the flora of the area) and Jilo Hamisi (the coxswain). A vote of thanks goes to Gordon Boy for his company, enthusiasm and information. Finally yet importantly to Rupert Watson, I am greatly indebted to him for his warm and cordial invitation, careful logistical planning, watchful eye and safe driving!

Happy birding always,