----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Brian Finch <birdfinch@gmail.com>
To: Itai Shanni <itaisha1@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, 6 August, 2009 14:50:34
Subject: Subject: NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 5th AUGUST 2009

Date: 6th August 2009
To: Itai Shanni <itaisha1@yahoo.com>

From: Brian Finch <birdfinch@gmail.com>

Subject: NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 5th AUGUST 2009



Dear All,
Today the 5th August, was a scheduled all day power cut, and so I
decided to spend the powerless day in Nairobi National Park. Only the
eastern half was visited, between Main Gate to Athi Dam, then
returning the same way exiting Langata Gate. The power was off the
entire day and so it was a good alternative to staying at home unable
to work. I saw Fiona’s posting yesterday, and whole heartedly agree
that the wiring off of the Epauletted Fruit-Bat colony at the Main
Entrance gate really showed us what kind of conservation minded people
we have working in KWS. It is shameful, and I think that Nature Kenya
should complain about the outrage. Whilst at it ask why there is in
invasion of domestic animals back into the Park, and they have not
taken any action as to their removal.

It was a cold, unpleasant overcast morning, but by mid-day the sun was
showing signs of breaking through and after a chilly morning the
afternoon was pleasantly warm. There was nothing of note from the
entrance, nor much to report from Ivory Burning Site, a steady stream
of Sacred Ibis, Cattle Egrets and Long-tailed Cormorants were leaving
their roost on Nagalomon Dam, as did up to one hundred Grosbeak
Weavers. Nor was there much along the back road towards Hyena Dam,
except for two Green Sandpipers flying around, which could relate to
two single birds seen subsequently in the same area. At Hyena Dam
there was a Great Egret and three African Water Rails calling from
cover, along the run off were a further two African Water Rails and a
calling Red-chested Flufftail, the female Saddle-billed Stork was in
the meadow with a Yellow-billed Egret, and the female Whinchat was in
the usual place. Yellow-crowned Bishop numbers were in lesser numbers,
only about fifty at this site, there appeared to be more that were
showing yellow-rumps again, but that would make no sense whatsoever,
but then there was a Red-collared Widowbird with a fairly full tail.
The Jackson’s Widowbirds were in non-breeding dress, and small numbers
were in the reeds that also sheltered small numbers of Zebra Waxbills.
Quailfinch were in such numbers all over the area visited, that they
are now the secondmost numerous species in the Park, and with the
number of White-winged Widowbirds approaching thousands this gives an
indication of their abundance. There were a couple of Rosy-breasted
Longclaws here, but just the other side of the circuit road (5A) about
four were giving a fluttering display flight but without song, and
four White-tailed Larks were also fluttering over the grass and
involved in aerial chases again without any song. There were over
eighty Wattled Starlings riding the backs of the numerous Zebra. On
the inside road route to Eland Hollow Dam was a Tawny Eagle with a
good size though still all white chick on a nest in a Balanites. The
single adult seen was very black, far more so than other Tawny Eagles
resident in the Park. Eland Hollow produced a couple of
Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, with another five at Karen Primary School
Dam. Here amongst the numerous Yellow-crowned Bishops and Quailfinch
coming to drink were a pair of African Silverbills, and another eight
were found just after the “Beacon.” Maybe these are the forerunners of
another incursion into the Park, just like last year. Towards the
turn-off to Embakasi Dam (not visited), there were some fifteen Athi
Short-toed Larks. Athi Dam was not too busy, with one each of adult
Pink-backed and White Pelicans, three adult Black-crowned Night
Herons, a Great Egret, some fifty more Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, and
the pair of Spur-winged Plover still incubating and spending much time
chasing off Marabous but there were only three Kittlitz’s Plovers. I
took time examining the palearctic waders present.  All were adults
apart from one Common Sandpiper that I could not be sure of. There
were four Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank, and two Little Stints all
of which looked much like the birds from last Saturday. New arrivals
were an adult female Ruff with blackish blotchy upper and underparts,
not the scaly buff upperparts and fairly uniform buffy underparts of
young birds, and a Wood Sandpiper with white speckled upperparts
rather than the buff spots on the upper parts of young birds. The one
strange Common Sandpiper was so unapproachable had blotchy blackish
spots on the side of the chest, rather plainish upperparts, tail
shorter than wings, pale base to the bill. I have attached the bird
with an adult Common Sandpiper taken at the same time. Also the adult
Ruff and Wood Sandpiper so that the difference between adult and young
birds can be appreciated. So still no evidence of any birds of the
year arriving as yet.
Leaving the dam there were the only two Lilac-breasted Rollers of the
day, and at Forest edge dam the currently resident African Jacana and
another adult Wood Sandpiper.
Swallow numbers very much down, on the open plains the only members of
the family were singles and small groups of Banded Martins. The only
Red-rumped were a pair at Athi Dam.
Mammals were quite spectacular, Wildebeest numbers up to a few
hundred, although the largest single group was only thirty.

Best to all

Brian

PS I have just received photos of a Bar-tailed Trogon seen the last
two days in the Mara, there is no doubt as to it’s identity.