Dear All,

Here is the latest from some local birding. January (and February) are
the times when ducks and waders might come a little further south than
is usual, and the time to check out a few of the better locations for
waterbirds.

The first outing (14th January) was with the wetlands group at Dandora
Sewage Treatment Plant. Rupert Watson kindly took Karen Plum, Heather
Elkins and myself. This was for a waterbird count and was well
attended by about 35 participants. Because of the size of this
incredible area, we split into four teams and we were responsible for
the count of one quarter. None of the other teams findings were
announced at the time and will turn up in the annual wetlands report
later on in the year. I can only report on our own survey, and even
then I haven't the exact total of the individual species that we
counted. The better birds were two Temminck's Stints, two White
Wagtails, and amongst the thousand or so Yellow Wagtails
(lutea/flava/beema) was a single male Black-headed Yellow Wagtail
(feldegg), these are not usually found this far east. Duck numbers
were low, mainly Red-billed with some twenty Garganey, two Shoveler,
two Southern Pochard and a Cape Teal, plus a few Hottentot and
White-faced Whistling-Duck. There were over 400 White-winged Black
Terns but no other tern species or gulls, the most numerous waders
were Little Stints and Ruffs, and there was a reasonable variety but
only three Curlew Sandpipers. There were two Eurasian Rollers and a
few Northern Wheatears around the offices and some five Eurasian Marsh
Harriers in the area.

On 15th January I went to Naivasha with Mike Davidson and Gordon Boy.
The weather started overcast and we had a short misty shower early in
the morning. We started at the small lake where the entrance is
populated by a military training camp, and the La Pievre Game
Reserve's ascari seems to think that the public domain is part of his
responsibility. We were told stupid things that it is not allowed to
look at the lake, anyway we certainly did. Why they would name a
reserve in the rift-valley after a small Octopus is beyond me, maybe
they plan on spreading their tentacles! The ascari being the first
arm. After the absence of Lesser Flamingos from Nakuru over the past
few weeks, it was a surprise to see them here in the high thousands,
maybe between 10-20,000. There were small numbers of Greater as well.
There is a huge Great Cormorant colony spanning a whole line of trees
adjacent to the lake. Birds are mainly building at present but a few
were sitting tight. There were possibly a thousand Northern Shoveler,
but only three Pintail and no Garganey. Additionally there were up to
100 Cape Teal, and a similar number Southern Pochard, other African
ducks were in smaller numbers. There were a rather poor variety of
waders, but it did include a single Lesser Sand Plover amongst about
thirty Ringed Plovers. Amongst the Yellow Wagtails was a single
feldegg. From here we went to Sopa Lodge, where there was a ribbon of
mud along the foreshore, this attracted a variety of waders, including
three Avocet, three Black-tailed Godwits and two Temminck's Stint. We
finished the day at KWS Hippo Camp, which was as suspected the most
rewarding. The edge was alive with birds of a good variety. Ducks
included only two Garganey, ten Shoveler and a Pintail, but pride of
place went to a superb drake Common Teal already in full plumage.
Amongst the waders were another eight Temminck's Stints (they appear
more numerous than usual this year), five Spotted Redshank and fifteen
Black-tailed Godwit. Other passerine migrants were poor, six Willow
Warblers, one Northern Wheatear, two Spotted Flycatchers, but good
numbers of Sand Martins amongst the Barn Swallows. There were no
migrant gulls, or an Osprey to be seen. Nor sadly was a single
White-FRONTED Bee-eater seen all day, when they used to be so numerous
all through this area.

On 17th January I went with Nigel Hunter to Thika Oxidation Ponds. It
was not the right day for this, as we got drenched for two hours as it
poured whilst we were exposed on the dam walls with no cover, until a
kindly employee came running after us with an umbrella, which was a
very nice gesture, although we were already soaked through. Before
entering the area, there is an area of flooded ground several square
kilometres in extent. This was attracting waders, but nothing out of
the ordinary. There were four Zebra, nice to know that in spite of all
the development they still persist in the area. On the ponds we had
over 200 Garganey, fifteen Shoveler and four handsome drake Pintail,
but nothing out of the ordinary. There was a solid group of 348 Little
Stints, and probably over 400 in all, but again nothing out of the
ordinary. A few Northern and Isabelline Wheatears were on the rough
ground and a male Eurasian Golden Oriole in the trees. In the scrub
was a Common Bulbul assumed to be a young bird, with conspicuous white
eye-ring around both eyes, and reduced black on the head. From here we
had a look at Mwea Rice Fields. There is a murrum road on the left
that is perfectly drivable alongside the paddies for four kilometres.
There were a few waders that included two Temminck's Stint and eight
Ringed Plover, but otherwise nothing of note. On the permanent dam on
the left of the road were nine Swamphen feeding together, six Greater
Painted-snipe and a Purple Heron. Quartering the fields were eight
Eurasian Marsh and two Montagu's Harriers, but also a male African
Marsh Harrier. Yellow-crowned Bishops were numerous and in full
breeding dress, a surprise was a male Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark
amongst the Fischer's, it is difficult to imagine where this has come
from, but they do wander. There were also Red-billed Buffalo-Weavers
nesting in bordering trees, which seemed a bit out of place in this
area. Red-billed Queleas were in large numbers in the seeding rice,
and six Red-throated Pipits were along the banks, with four
isabellinus Red-tailed Shrikes in the scrub.

On 18th January I went into Nairobi National Park. There had been some
rain during the night and the morning was full of bird song. On the
way to Ivory Burning Site Blackcaps were singing and two Common
Buzzards were drying out. At the site a few Nightingales were being
musical, but the loudest and most beautiful voice came from the now
resident male Irania, who was warbling beautifully, and when he gave
the contact call was immediately answered by another in a different
clump of bushes, and is not alone. Also not alone, a second Upcher's
Warbler has joined the first. A male Eurasian Marsh Harrier was
overflying, and both Crested and Scaly Francolins called from dense
cover. Further along the road towards the back of Hyena Dam were a few
Willow Warblers, another Nightingale, and a party of fifteen Eurasian
Bee-eaters. A female Eurasian Marsh Harrier persistently hunted over
Hyena Dam but there was nothing else present. Circling through the
grassland there were a two Montagu's Harriers, a couple of Whinchats,
the only Yellow Wagtail of the day and two Athi Short-toed Larks.
Mixed Swifts and swallows were skimming the grassland, and in spite of
the time of year there must have been about sixty nominate Common
Swifts in these assemblages. There was a Eurasian Roller on one bush
out in these plains, and a male Pallid Harrier flying down the valley.
At Karen Primary School Dam was a very attractive adult male
phoenicuroides Red-tailed Shrike, this is split off by many authors as
Turkestan Shrike. T&Z state that this is the normal migrant to Kenya,
which is a surprise, because I am sure I only see a very small
percentage compared to nominate isabellinus, this requires some follow
up. Eland Hollow was completely dry but the only Northern Wheatear for
the day was on the dry bed, and a Booted Eagle passed overhead. I then
took the Beacon Road, and there were two Lions lying on the earth, as
I drove around them, another eight sizeable lions stood up and I was
surrounded. There was no sign of anyone cutting the trees as with last
week, but they might have just moved to another more obscure area.
Four Lesser Kestrels hovered over the grassland. Ruai Dam had nothing,
even the Common Snipe had left. At the junction with the main road
there was a very attractive adult male Common Kestrel, and above Athi
Dam at the top of the descent road, there was a party of twelve
African Silverbill. Ahead of me on the dirt road towards the dam,
there was a group of feeding Vultures and Marabous. There were a few
Ruppell's, a single Lappet-faced and the rest White-backed, but also
one very large orange bird. Getting closer I could see that it was a
Eurasian Griffon, the first in the Park for some years. There were
dark areas on the shoulders and coverts, and pale tips to secondaries,
there is a possibility of a hybrid Eurasian/Ruppell's or maybe it's a
young bird. It was larger than the Ruppell's present, even the bill
looked deeper. More research required. On the dam, in spite of the
recent rain the water level has dropped further. Many birds have
departed, but the Great Cormorant, Collared Pratincole and two
Northern Shoveler were still present, and new arrivals being a Curlew
Sandpiper with the longest bill I have ever seen on one, and a
juvenile Lesser Flamingo. A female Eurasian Marsh Harrier was keeping
the smaller birds on their toes, which numbered three Greenshank, ten
Marsh and three Common Sandpipers, twenty Little Stints, fifteen
Black-winged Stilt and a pair of Spur-winged Plover. The only other
migrants were just four Red-throated Pipits, one House Martin came in
to drink with some swallows, and what was possibly the same male
Pallid Harrier came in to the area. Near Cheetah Gate there was a
single Speckle-fronted Weaver, along the Mbagathi three Steppe Eagles
including one very small dark bird, and a Black Stork. There were a
couple of Olivaceous Warblers on Rhino Circuit, but it was very dry,
and the river very low. The southern edge of the park produced seven
Isabellinus Red-tailed Shrikes but little else apart from a tame pair
of African Black Duck on the Mokoyiet crossing, which after
photographing were left in the same place right next to the bridge.
Kingfisher picnic site was full of revellers, and not examined. There
were a pair of Nairobi Pipit at the edge of Kisembe Forest, and a
different male Eurasian Marsh Harrier. There were a few scattered
Green Sandpipers, but no Wood, Barn Swallows were present over much of
the area and in good numbers, whilst Quail-Finch were throughout.
Another good day in the Park, what more can one say. Get out there!

Finally this very interesting atlas map has just come through from
Neil Baker in Tanzania. I personally had no idea that Ruaha
(Red-billed) Hornbill occurred right up against the Kenyan border.

Clearly it must at times take a jump into our territory, but has
anyone ever seen a Red-billed Hornbill in the Mara or extreme SW of
the country. I for one know I have never seen it there, but then I
have really never been into the area where it might occur. I think we
have every chance of having it at least occasionally at Sand River or
Bologonja, maybe even SE Lake Victoria. Well worth a look out for or
even a special trip into the area to see if it is there. Look what has
happened with Rufous-tailed Weaver moving in.

As you can see, the bird shows as occurring in Kenya, because it
actually occurs in two atlas squares that are shared with Kenya. Look
for black as opposed to red facial skin, and white as opposed to black
eye (although Baringo birds show white-eyes, they have red-facial
skin). That is too close for comfort, for it not to have occurred
here.

Best for now

Brian