We were up in
Meru National Park and Samburu for a few days around Xmas (24-29/12/2008). All
these places are probably very well known birdwise, so just a few highlights. We
used to live in Tanzania where we would send species-lists of squares visited to
Neil Baker but we are not aware of a similar atlas project in Kenya. If it is of
any use we can still provide a list with the common stuff also.
In Meru
National Park (24-26/12) occasional views of Somali Ostrich. A single Black and
a single White Stork, a Goliath Heron. Between the Murera gate and Leopard Rock
on the main road there is quite a large roost of Harriers with over 50 birds,
spreading out over the grasslands during the day. Most were females cq.
juveniles but at least one adult male Pallid Harrier was seen as was one female
with the characteristic facial mask, the rest presumably Montagus. A Martial
Eagle eating probably a Yellow-necked Spurfowl. A lot of Harlequin Quail.
For those
worrying about White-throated Bee-eater, there was a bunch of them in every
suitable tree. This reminds me that when this WTBE scare came out I had just
come back from Mali (Tombouctou area) in August and there were truckloads of
them there at the time (and Grasshopper Buzzards every 50 m or so on the new
grass). The Niger River had its biggest flood since the 1980s so rainfall was
intense over the Sahel and further south and more WTBE may have gone further
north than usual. In Meru Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and European Rollers were also
very abundant (say one in every major tree), a few Broad-billed Roller in the
strips of gallery forest and an occasional Lilac-breasted. Red-winged Lark
conveniently singing in tops of bushes. Barn swallows galore, a few Red-tailed
Shrike, a single Rosy-patched Bush Shrike, a few Eurasian Golden Oriole, big
groups of Wattled Starling a few males with yellow in the head, Chestnut Weaver
very abundant.
Samburu
(27-29/12) has probably been birded to death and has many similarities with
Meru. Somali Ostrich, an occasional Black Stork and a few more White Stork and
Yellow-billed, an African Spoonbill. Many vultures, mostly Hooded and
White-backed, an occasional Rüppels. Five Steppe Eagle drinking in the River. A
pair of Grey-crowned Cranes. Good views of White-bellied and Buff-crested
Bustard. A thin sprinkling of Common and Wood Sandpiper and Greenshank, a Water
Thickknee. Numerous slender-tailed Nightjars, White-headed and Blue-naped
Mousebirds. White-throated Bee-eater again abundant but also some Somali.
Numerous Eurasian Hoopoe. Loads of
Barn Swallows and Yellow Wagtail, a single Golden Pipit, Pied Wheatear, a few
Spotted Flycatcher, a few Red-tailed Shrike and a Three-streaked Tchagra. Groups
of Chestnut Weaver. Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Cut-throat Finch, Fan-tailed
Raven.
29 December
2008 some 150 White Storks feeding in and circling around the wheat fields just
off the junction between the Mount Kenya Ring Road along the Isiolo Road.
30 December
2008 Solio Ranch an immature Lappet-Faced Vulture, large groups of black-winged
Lapwing often mixed with Crowned. Many pairs of Grey-crowned Crane. At least 50 European Bee-eater.
Violet-backed starling, always a treat.