Dear All,

Mike Davidson kindly provided the transport for Fleur Ng'Weno, Gordon
Boy and myself, for yet another wonderful day in Nairobi National
Park. It was a beautiful sunny morning when we met at the Main Gate at
6:30 am. The lack of rain over the past two days meant that the dawn
chorus was not quite as impressive as the previous Wednesday, nor were
birds eager to sit out in the sun to dry off.
Our first stop was at Ivory Burning Site, there were several
Nightingales singing, the male Irania was singing from the top of an
acacia, and a second bird was calling, in the acacias were four
Blackcaps and two Upcher's Warblers, and three African Firefinches
were chasing each other in the bushes, all very peaceful until a Great
Sparrowhawk flew through. Along the back road there were another two
Nightingales and a Eurasian Reed Warbler, two Zebra Waxbills flew out
of the little swamp, and a sub-adult Fish Eagle fed on a large fish in
a tree. The first of 8 phoenicuroides Red-tailed Shrikes was seen, and
only two isabellinus were seen in the southern part of the Park. This
is quite a reversal.
At Hyena Dam there was a single Sedge Warbler and a Green Sandpiper
but nothing else. On the circuit round to the Mokoyiet Bridge, there
were a couple of Montagu's, one Pallid and a Eurasian Marsh Harrier,
no less than four Rosy-breasted Longclaws were posing on top of bushes
here, and Cisticolas were very active. The surprise here was a
White-tailed Lark, the first I have seen around Hyena Dam, there were
two others encountered during the day. There was nothing of interest
at Olmanyi Dam, the usual male Pied and female Northern Wheatears were
at Kingfisher Picnic Site, and another three male Northerns nearby.
One Willow Warbler was in the acacias but nothing else of note. A
single Pygmy Kingfisher was at the Mokoyiet Bridge below Baboon
Cliffs. Towards Athi Basin there were some eight Lesser Kestrels and
one Common Kestrel, and above the basin another Rosy-breasted
Longclaw, whilst at the dam bird numbers and water levels are still
falling. There were exactly thirty White Storks, twenty White-faced
Whistling-Duck, fifteen Red-billed Teal, and two each of Hottentot
Teal and Northern Shoveler. A sub-adult Fish Eagle was by the
water-edge and the locally resident Eurasian Marsh Harrier patrolled
the dam. There were still over fifteen Black-winged Stilts, three
Spur-winged Plovers, eight Mash Sandpipers, four Greenshank, two
Common Sandpipers, but no more than fifteen Little Stints, and the
temporary resident Curlew Sandpiper. Only five Red-throated Pipit were
along the margins.
Along the Mbagathi there were three Olivaceous Warblers but otherwise
the scrub was very quiet and very warm and desiccated. The only
Whinchat of the day was near "The Beacon," and at Karen Primary School
Dam where there were loafing Marabou Storks and vultures; there was a
new Eurasian Griffon Vulture. The last interesting bird of the day was
a Booted Eagle near the Main Entrance. Barn Swallows were not in large
numbers and pairs of Quailfinch were widely distributed.

There were a good number of mammals seen, particularly Zebra,
Wildebeeste and Eland, the least common being a Steinbok above Athi
Basin.

Another good day was had by all!

Best birding

Brian