Re: [KENYABIRDSNET] MASS DIE OFF THIKA SETTLING PONDS WITH BIRDS OF PREY, SCAVENGERS,

On 24th August, Richard and Ann Bishop, Andrew Kamiti, Chege Karuki,
Itai Shanni, Daniel Vaknin and myself visited Thika Settling Ponds.

We were horrified to see hundreds to dead and dying birds around the
ponds that either had been stricken by a virus or a poison. There
could have been thousands of dead birds under the water and floating
vegetation.

Raptors would find these weak birds very easy pickings, and we found a
Civet midden conaining a large amount of feathers, so mammals may also
be affected.

Spur-winged Plovers seemed to be very seriously hit, but also
Black-winged Stilts, Curlew Sandpipers, Ruffs (including a male with a
well developed ruff), were also scattered around. There could have
been many waders amongst the debris that were nearly submerged, wings
were scattered throughout along the banks. Many waders were showing
signs of weakness.. There were eighty Little Stint, six Curlew
Sandpipers, twenty Ruff, seventy Wood, three Green, fifteen Common and
one Marsh Sandpipers present. Additionally far less live Spur-winged
Plovers than dead ones, a couple of Long-toed Plovers, six Blacksmith
and fifteen Three-banded Plovers. Probably several hundred Stilts. All
are potentially already affected. There was only one White-winged
Black Tern.

Like some waders, Hadada Ibis were unable to fly and appeared
paralysed, and there were carcasses of Sacred Ibis.

Huge numbers of ducks were floating on the surface affecting
Yellow-billed Duck, Red-billed and Hottentot Teal. The banks were
strewn with Coot carcasses that appeared violently contorted. Large
numbers of grebes were sitting on the edge of the ponds, and a few
were floating on the water. There were good numbers of ducks which
also included a pair of White-backed, White-faced Whistling-Duck and
Egyptian Goose. There were many Plain Martins and one sick bird
fluttering in vain on the surface of the water. It isn't known as to
how many small birds were dead amongst the tall grass along the banks,
as out visit was too short to enable anything but a cursory look, but
what we saw horrified us.

This broad spectrum mass die off should be investigated immediately to
determine whether it represents something horrific like Avian Flu, or
that poisons are getting into this water system. The urgency cannot be
stressed enough.