I spent Tuesday morning in the Nairobi NP and what a
contrast to my visit on Friday with Brian Finch. After a wet night the morning
was cool and very dull. The drive from the Main Gate through the forest was
completely quiet and so was the Ivory Site.
The back road was also very quiet, apart from a
singing White-browed Scrub Robin! At Hyena Dam there were 2 Sedge Warblers, an immature
Purple Heron, a Yellow-billed Egret, a pair of Moorhens, an African Rail, a
Black Crake, a Black Stork and a very brief glimpse of a small Crake which I
was unable to identify. I then drove slowly towards Karen Primary School Dam, on
this road on Friday we saw numerous Cinnamon-chested Rock Buntings and a number
of Red-tailed Shrikes. This time I did not see a single Bunting and one distant
Red-tailed Shrike. During the morning there were many Black Kites in the sky,
feeding on termites. By complete contrast I also saw at least 30 European Black
Kites all perched in trees and bushes. Maybe European Kites do not eat
termites! At Karen Dam there was a pair of Saddle-billed Storks and a Grey
Heron. At Embakasi Plains Dam there was only one Marabou and a lone Greenshank,
again a huge contrast to Friday’s visit, when the dam was a hive of
activity with White and Pink-backed Pelicans, Spoonbills and Yellow-billed
Storks all feeding in the receding water. As I was about to leave I was delayed
by the wonderful sight of a male Pallid Harrier chasing a Little Swift, what an
incredible sight which more than made up for the dull morning. The Harrier was
really trying but eventually gave up and settled in the long grass. It was
visibly panting for breath. After a 15 min break it took off, had a desultory
try at the Greenshank and then disappeared. On the drive back the sun came out
and so did the Cinnamon-chested Rock Buntings, they obviously do not like wet
roads! Also at least 5 Red-tailed Shrikes (both isabellinus and phoencuorides),
2 European Rollers, 2 Whinchats and the forest was full of singing Blackcaps.
What a difference a little sun makes. Although we have had only one nights
rain, I saw White-winged, Red-collared and
Although the weather was dull and cold the Wildlife
viewing was good with large numbers of Zebra, Wildebeest, Kongoni, Giraffe and
NO CATTLE. There were several lions and apparently I missed a Cheetah with
cubs. A pair of pair of Oribi was a nice surprise. So despite the cool and dull
weather, I had a wonderful morning.
Dave Richards