From: Don Reid <donreid@africaonline.co.ke>
Date: 2010-09-28 10:56
Subject: Mombasa Bird Walk

Dear Birders
 
Sat Sept 17th took us to the South Quarry of Haller Park
 
This quarry is still being worked but the ponds in the part that is now obsolete are fast becoming established as good water bird areas.  The many weavers nesting is truly a magnificent sight, Village, Golden Palm and Grosbeak with Zanzibar Red Bishops in among the Grosbeak weaver nests. 
 
We saw the largest number of Three Banded Plovers that I have ever seen.  They love the large puddles and are easily seen scurrying around the edges.  Migrant waders also seemed to favour these puddles probably because the large ponds are still very full and the wading space is rather waterlogged.  A  Curlew, a Wood. a Green and one or two Common sandpiper, Little Stint and a few Barn Swallows were the only migrants seen.  Yellow Billed Stork, Cattle and  Little Egrets. one Yellow Billed Egret, an unusually small number for this area.  A few Green Backed Herons and one magnificent Purple Heron as the last bird of the afternoon.  29 species in all.  If you are in Mombasa on the 3rd Sat in any month please feel welcome to join us.  (Marlene Reid - Mombasa)