Dear Kenya Birders,
My name is Adam Kennedy and Iâ•˙d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the group as the new manager of Naibor Camp (along with my wife Vicki) in the heart of the Mara GR.
Iâ•˙ve been birding from a young age and Vicki and I have just completed two wonderful years managing camps in southern Tanzania (in Mikumi, Ruaha and Katavi NPs) and will now be based in the Mara for at least a couple of years.
I am very keen to organize an up to date Mara bird list (for the group, myself and my guides) and have drafted a spreadsheet which I am hoping many of you will be able to contribute towards (Itai - if I send it to you, will you post it online for the group?). Although the Mara ecosystem is extensive, I have tried to keep the geographical parameters to include the Mara GR and nearby conservancies and escarpments but NOT reaching as far as the Mau forest or Loita Hills, for example. Once I get to know the area better, I shall try to map the precise region that the list will cover. I have used the very useful Governorâ•˙s Camp (GC) Mara list (compiled by Dave Richards) as my primary source of information, plus the species accounts and maps of Zimmerman, Turner & Pearson as my second. Iâ•˙ve then added some further records that Itai has made me aware of (such as Rufous-tailed Weaver and Karamoja Apalis) and finally a trip report by Brian Finch (Rockjumper 2009) where I have taken recent records such as Red-winged Francolin. There are four types of entry on this list;
1. Fork-tailed Drongo â•" black and bold. Good records that one would expect from the area, plus species recorded by Brian on the Rockjumper trip report.
2. African Silverbill? â•" black and bold with question mark. Records on the GC Mara list that might possibly be erroneous or simply subject to typesetting errors (e.g. Tawny Eagle is not on this list!)
3. Dusky Nightjar â•" red and NOT bold. Birds that I feel could well have been recorded in the Mara but are not on the GC Mara list or specified in Zimmerman et al.
4. Pennant-winged Nightjar â•" black and NOT bold. Not listed on either GC Mara list, Rockjumper trip report or clearly recorded in Zimmerman. These are the ╲outsiders╡ and may not have been recorded in the Mara in the past but which could in theory be present or recorded as vagrants.
(Further, I have also marked the Plain-backed & Buffy Pipits in blue and I shall be asking the fundis to explain the current status of these species in the Mara via the group.)
I would be very grateful if you would give this list a good grilling and let me know of any obvious errors and any good records you may have that do not appear on the list. If you can confirm records of any species in that fall in the 2, 3 and 4 categories, I would greatly appreciate it.
Brian â•" Itai mentioned that you compiled a list in the Nature Kenya guidebook to the Maasai Mara National Reserve (3rd edition). Do you by any chance have an electronic version of this list that you can send my way so I can include/ update the records in the spreadsheet? Thanks.
If any of the members of the group are considering a trip into the Mara for some birding, please drop me a line as I am always looking for an excuse for extra-curricular birding. Also, if anyone is interested in staying at Naibor (see our camp at www.naibor.com <http://www.naibor.com/> ) please let me know and I can help to arrange your bookings. Our resident rates are quite competitive. The camp email is info@naibor.com and my mobile is 0718 203032.
Finally, are there any other birders (maybe camp managers?) based in the Mara at the moment? If so, please drop me a line and we can compare notes over a cold Tusker!
Many thanks and best wishes,
Adam Scott Kennedy