Mombasa Bird Walk

With the hope of seeing some migrants which have seemed very elusive this year we thought we would visit the ponds at Nguuni. Everything very dry and water levels low leaving lots of wading space and plenty of perching places. In two hours we saw some 50 bird species, a record I think. On the walk up to the wetland we had good views of White Browed Scrub Robin and White Browed Robin Chat. The wetland was spectacular so many birds no doubt due to most of the other ponds being completely dry. 8 Pink Backed Pelicans which have been absent for ages, Yellow Billed Storks, a magnificent Goliath Heron, Little Grebes, Water Dikkops, Spur Winged Plover, African Jacana, White Faced Whistling Ducks, Grey and Black Headed Heron, Malachite and Pied Kingfisher, Long Tailed Cormorant, Great White Egret, a single African Spoonbill (years since we saw that around) a tree full of Carmine Bee-eaters, Lots of Barn Swallows flying over and dipping down for a drink or to catch an insect and a lovely pair of Scarlet chested sunbirds. Walking back through the acacia woodland I saw the first of many Spotted Flycatchers (my first this season) and a big group of Northern Brownbuls, easily seen for once due to the bare trees. A drive up to the picnic area where we saw Sulphur Breasted Bushshrike, Greater Blue Earred Starling and a single female Violet Backed Starling. Lots of Red Billed Quelea and Zanzibar Bishops and a lovely group of Common Waxbills. Yellow and African Pied Wagtail, Bare Eyed Thrush and Red Cheeked Cordon Bleus covered the ground space and a pair of Black Headed Batis hopped around in the nearby bush. Two Palm Nut Vultures flew overhead, one a juvenile and the Carmine Bee-eaters decided to give us a wonderful flying display. As the light failed, and we still lingered we caught sight of a Gabon Nightjar, moving along the ground having what seemed like a dust bath, flying up just in front of us so we could get clear views of the tail which helped us ID it. Have never seen this behaviour from a nightjar before. I had really hoped to see a Wheatear and just as we were turning to the car a female Northern Wheatear ran across the gorund in front of us. The only migrant wader seen was a Common Sandpiper. A really great walk, wonderful that we had a visitor from Europe with us and great that there were quite a few "lifers" for several members of the group. Keep birding and feel free to join us if you are in Mombasa. (Marlene Reid - Mombasa 0720 949195)