From: Will Knocker <willknocker@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: 2010-08-05 09:25
Subject: Re: [KENYABIRDSNET] sighting of Pel's Fishing Owl in the Tana River Delta
Hi Lindsay -

I ran the Tana Delta Camp 1997-2000 & never recorded a Pel's in that area, which is not, though, on the main river & therefore not in the fresh water ecosystem of the Delta.
They have been recorded in the Tana River Primate Reserve, though I have never seen one there in many visits over the years.....

I did see a Pel's just upstream of Masai Lodge on the Empakasi River in the Silole Sanctuary a few years ago. Brian F & Itai S. came to look for it, but no luck the following day!!

Best      Will Knocker

--- On Mon, 5/7/10, Lindsay Spainhour <spainhour_lindsay@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Lindsay Spainhour <spainhour_lindsay@yahoo.com>
Subject: [KENYABIRDSNET] sighting of Pel's Fishing Owl in the Tana River Delta
To: kenyabirdsnet@yahoogroups.com
Date: Monday, 5 July, 2010, 17:38

 

Hello all,
 
I have recently joined the mail group and have not had time since my travels in April to post a very exciting sighting...
 
On April 6th, my husband and I took a boat 2 hours up the Tana River from the mouth.  We veered to the right ( around 830 am) and went around a small island.  Immediately on leaving the main river, we saw a huge bird fly across the top of the trees and perch at the top of a tree to our left.  Amazingly, it was a Pel's Fishing Owl.  He remained on the branch in full view for about 3 or 4 minutes and even turned with his back to us and rotated his head around to peer at us.  
 
In my book, I do not have the Pel's Fishing Owl's distribution in the Tana Delta. 
 
Have others seen a Pel's Fishing Owl in the Tana Delta or on the coast?
 
Thanks for any comments or feedback,
 
Lindsay Spainhour