From: Colin Jackson <colin.jackson@arocha.org>
Date: 2009-04-04 09:22
Subject: coastal migrants and others
4th April, 2009.
A brief update from Watamu where there is finally some good migration
action going on - most of the northern winter we have very few migrants
other than waders, it's only in the northward migration that we get
anything much here. I've not been able to get out as much as I'd have
liked to but here are a few records of interest:
No less than two Barred Warblers ringed at Mwamba (the A Rocha
Kenya
centre) on 24/3 - the first I've had here since one ringed and another
seen in 1999!
4 Black Heron flying along the beach in front of the Mwamba on
26/3- a new species for the centre list.
c.100+ White-cheeked Terns moving south at c. 7a.m. also on 26/3
Honey Buzzard in Arabuko-Sokoke on 30th - seen by Ngala and
Stratton (from Tigoni).
Common Rock Thrush (30th & 2nd) - these used to be literally
'common' here during the northern winter, but have become very sparse
over the past 5-7 years.
Eurasian Cuckoo - not apparent until this week (starting 30th
March) - now quite a few around including one on the beach which flew
out to sea and into the sun - couldn't see where it eventually went.
The first Pygmy Kingfisher of the year, caught on 31st March at
Mwamba
which is a very early date. It was in fact a retrap having been ringed
in May 2007 when it had flown into one of our offices and trapped
against the mosquito netting on the window one evening. I was rushing
out, I remember, but had to stop and slap a ring on it - and it
was worth it!
Unidentified falcon flying fast and low above the bush along the beach
front (2nd) - looked v like a Sooty from jizz but not seen well enough.
At least two Ospreys still fishing the lagoon hard, mostly in
front of Ocean Sports and Turtle Bay.
'Hundreds' of Eurasian Rollers moving north over Arabuko-Sokoke
forest
on the 3rd April - seen by Albert during his Amani Sunbird survey
(which results seem to indicate are doing OK tho' we need to collect
more data to make it a significant result).
Single Marsh Warbler ringed at Mwamba on 3rd April.
Male nominate race Red-backed Shrike ringed at Mwamba, 3rd Apr
- new for the centre ringing list.
Eurasian Golden Orioles - the usual wonderfully massive build up
of
numbers along the beach front and all over - had 12 fly out of a single
Cassuarina tree right in front of the centre 2 days ago.
Spot Fly - a few around, but again a serious reduction in
numbers of this migrant which used to be hugely common along the coast
during the northern winter.
Grosbeak Weavers - a lot around in the coastal bush on our
nature trail at Mwamba. These birds come and go - but where to is a
mystery.
Mottled Spinetail - very obvious currently over Gede where they
have nested in an old well just to the right before the second speed
bump by Gede Primary School.
Carmine, White-throated and Eurasian Bee-eaters
- small numbers of these have been around over the past 2 weeks.
Otherwise the waders are looking very glorious in their breeding
plumage and flocks are already moving off north. We're ringing tonight
on Mida Creek so hope to get some interesting data on pre-migration
weights and moult.
Colin
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Colin Jackson
A Rocha Kenya
Christians in Conservation
PO Box 383
Watamu, 80202
Kenya
http://www.arocha.org / http://www.assets-kenya.org
Blog: http://arochakenya.wildlifedirect.org
eml: colin.jackson@arocha.org
M: 0722 842366
O: 042 32023 / 020 233 5865 (wireless)