Dear All,
With rain falling, I was through the gate at 6-30am, and remained in
the vehicle at Ivory Burning Site until the rain ceased at 8-15am. The
entire day was spent in the northern part of the Park. There was
little flying, but as myriads of small insects emerged a few birds
were gathering for the feast. There were a couple of Nightingales, a
Spotted Flycatcher, a single Upcher's Warbler, two Willow Warblers,
and a couple of Tree pipits passing overhead. Red-collared Widowbirds
were in breeding plumage. Along the back road to Hyena Dam there was
some flooding, and the stream from Splash running into the dam had
overflowed its banks. There were a Squacco Heron, Glossy Ibis in fine
plumage, single of Jacobin and Levaillant's Cuckoos, the first two of
a dozen Red-tailed Shrikes, whilst at the dam single Yellow-billed and
Great Egrets, Spur-winged Goose (which I omitted from the report for
the 13th), a Eurasian Marsh Harrier, some noisy African Water Rails,
and an African Jacana. Continuing on the muddy track to the run off,
there were two Great and three Yellow-billed Egrets, a strange
dark-billed Cattle Egret, ten Common Snipe, a single Wood Sandpiper, a
Red-throated Pipit, some eighty Banded Martins, large numbers of
Jackson's Widowbirds with males in breeding plumage, and a male
Parasitic Weaver. Taking the circuit road back round to Hyena dam
there were two male Pallid Harriers, a Common Buzzard, a Kori Bustard,
a female Hartlaub's Bustard (not usually seen in the north of the
Park), a small party of Eurasian Bee-eaters, a single singing
White-tailed Lark, the first of four Whinchats, six flava and one
lutea Yellow Wagtails, and several Rosy-breasted Longclaws.
Arrival back at Hyena Dam, and I was amazed to find a flock of over 80
Wood Sandpipers, also a good dozen Green Sandpipers, three African
Spoonbills, and a large Crocodile hauled out onto the bank. Continuing
the circuit across the ford and across the Mokoyiet Bridge, I then
took the road to Olmanyi Dam. Some water was starting to cover the
basin attracting half-a-dozen Green Sandpipers, but the only species
of note was seven African Silverbills. Crossing the plains to the west
there were a Common Kestrel, a male Black-bellied Bustard (also
White-bellied Bustard making all four species for the morning), two
Eurasian Rollers,  an immature Great Spotted Cuckoo feeding on the
ground with fifteen Wattled Starlings (some in stunning breeding
dress), and the first of six Isabelline Wheatears, there was an
amazingly coloured Rosy-breasted Longclaw having the entire underparts
rich red. There was another pair of Eurasian Rollers in the same bush
as a Lilac-breasted Roller a little further on.
Continuing towards Kingfisher Picnic Site were a perched Northern
Hobby, a lone Black-winged Plover, another six Eurasian Rollers, three
Northern Wheatears and two Eurasian Rock Thrush. At the picnic site
which was occupied, only a Greater Blue-eared Starling was of any
note. The nearby swamp held a couple of Common Snipe but the track is
treacherous and four-wheel drive only. At 1-00pm it started to rain
heavily but not for long. This brought in huge numbers of Little
Swifts with a few Mottled in with them. Four Northern Hobbies chased
flying insects, three wet Common Buzzards perched on dead trees, a
bird resembling an adult Lesser Spotted Eagle flew over the forest, a
single Black Stork flew in, a second Jacobin Cuckoo was in the bushes,
a few Eurasian Bee-eaters passed over, and the only Red-backed Shrike
of the day was found. At Nagalomon Dam, I stopped to look at a
Yellow-billed Stork and there was a Purple Swamphen feeding behind it.
This is the first seen here in a long while. A Darter was perched on a
waterside tree, and another (or one of the same) male Pallid Harrier
was hunting whilst a Sedge Warbler was in the reeds. From here I
continued to Hyena Dam to see if anything else had come in, in the
run-off there was an Abdim's Stork feeding in with the Marabous, the
Glossy Ibis had relocated, and there were large numbers of Sacred Ibis
and egrets. Amongst these were two more Squacco Herons. Amazingly all
of the Wood Sandpipers seen earlier had left. Along the feeder stream
was a female Saddle-billed Stork, the original Squacco Heron, an
immature Fish Eagle and a different Eurasian Marsh Harrier. Exiting
via the forest I found three calling Narina's Trogons, three Nairobi
Pipits, four Tree Pipits, many Willow Warblers and the Langata Dam is
starting to fill and there are a pair of Crowned Cranes back with one
building a nest on the island where they bred earlier in the year. I
left the Park through Langata Gate at 5-15pm.

It was an extremely pleasant and very birdy day, although the sun
never shone the entire time. No live domestic mammals were seen on the
route followed. Highlights were some dozen or more Bohor Reedbucks
which were very active in the damp conditions, a very large Egyptian
Mongoose below Impala Lookout, nine White Rhinoceros scattered and
very obvious, and two Suni in the forest.

Green Sandpipers were absolutely everywhere, a conservative thirty
were seen, Barn Swallows were everywhere and there appeared to be a
considerable southern movement throughout the day.

The rain has made several tracks four-wheel drive only, namely the
back route along the creek leading to Hyena Dam, the run-off area, and
the tracks to the dams near Kingfisher Picnic Site. Elsewhere the
verges can be treacherous. But…. It's so good to see the place so wet
and green.

Best for now
Brian

On the 18th we had an itinerant Cinnamon-chested Rock Bunting turn up
in the garden. This was the first we have ever had. They seem to get a
wanderlust after rain. Strangely none were see today in the Park.