From: "Bishop, Richard (ILRI)" <R.BISHOP@CGIAR.ORG>
Date: 2009-01-16 22:07
Subject: Records from late 2008 and early 2009

Hello  Birders
 
A few recent (and quasi-recent) records.
 
11/2/2009  Nairobi National Park
 
We spent a few hours during the midday hours in the NNP on Sunday 11th Jan. 
 
White Throated Robin.  One very nice male at the Ivory burning site at 12.30 pm, after some effort. A new bird for us in the park and yet another great find by Brian Finch.
 
Other interesting records;
 
Black stork, 2 different individuals in flight
Saddle billed stork:  1 male Near Hyaena dam
Montagu's Harrier;  2 males and I ringtail
Lesser Kestrel:  7 (including 2 males) perched  in trees near Ormanye dam   
Isabelline shrike:  10+ nominate and also 1 phoenicuroides (new for us)
Wood Sandpiper:  10 together Nagolomon dam (left end view point)
Eurasian Roller:   2
Red throated pipit: 1 Nagolomon
Common Rock thrush: 1 just beyond Kingfisher picnic site
 
1/1/2009 Nairobi National Park
 
Best species;
 
Crowned Crane; Flock of 23 outer circuit
Northern Shoveler; 2 Athi basin Dam
Pallid Harrier; 2 Males, plus one ringtail  
Booted eagle; 1 Langata forest
Shelley's francolin; 3
Temminck's stint; 1 (seen well) at Athi Basin dam
Dusky turtle dove; 1 on road near main gate
Namaqua dove; 2 Nairobi end,  only our fourth persona record
Verreaux's Eagle owl; 1 on the Acacia loop circuit. Only our second personal record in NNP and the first for us in over 20 years.
 
Mammals;
 
Lion- A pride of 9 sheltering underneath the palm trees at the dam just beyond the Mombasa road gate (on the right as you proceed towards Nairobi from the gate)
 
 
8/9/11/2008  Kapiti plains Estate
 
Generally disappointing for migrants. The best sightings were;
 
Pallid Harrier;  1 male
Sooty Falcon; 1 Adult
African Marsh owl; 1
Eurasian Golden Oriole; 2 females
 
Highlight Mammals (spotlighted: also relatively poor by comparison with previous trips)
 
Bat eared fox:  3 seen well
Bushbaby (Galago senegalensis-type)- 3 together- unusually stationary and some video obtained
 
 
ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute) compound- Most Interesting Records in January 2009
 
1. Cape wagtail;  4/1/2009.  at the sewage ponds. Only the second documented ILRI occurrence.
2. Bat Hawk: 1 5/1/2009  One seen well hunting on 5/1/2009.  Only the second record at ILRI. We have been looking out for it without success, so I doubt tat it occurs regularly. The firs record was in April 2002. discovered and identified by Brian Finch at dusk. Brian was visiting with a Dutch birder whose name I forget, in order to try to see a temporarily resident red-chested flufftail that came very close, but unfortunately declined to show itself.
 
Good Birding to all
 
 
Richard and Anne Bishop