I arrived at 6.30am at the Main Entrance to Nairobi National Park. The
fiery sun on the horizon soon disappeared into the sombre grey that
continued until mid-morning. Still using my old "Smart Card" which had
500Ksh still on it, with the great assistance from the gate and
loading service staff, I was able to pay an extra 100Ksh onto a
Temporary Card to make up the 600Ksh that I needed for myself and the
vehicle. Now my card has nothing in it and it is time to get the new
"Smart Card." I mention this because although it is not possible to
transfer the remaining credit on the old system, it does not mean that
you have to forfeit it when changing to the new system. There was a
Willow Warbler singing whilst this was taking place.
I departed for the Ivory Burning Site, there was a sub-adult Great
Sparrowhawk perched on the roadside on the way, and a Northern Hobby
on arrival. The swathes of Violet-backed Starlings have been reduced
here to a half-a-dozen, but all female-plumaged birds. The first of
the Nightingales was back near the VC's, and a Spotted Flycatcher was
the only other palearctic migrant here. There was a Brown Parisoma in
the Acacia gerardii, and on the back road towards Hyena Dam, the first
of eight Northern Wheatears, grumbling African Water Rail on the swamp
and a scattering of Barn Swallows which were widespread and appeared
to be feeding rather than just passing south. At Hyena Dam there was
little, a Green Sandpiper and Purple Swamphens calling from cover,
whilst the run-off had a male Saddle-billed Stork, a strange-plumaged
Montagu's Harrier and the only Whinchat of the day. Turning right back
towards Nagalomon Dam, the Fan-tailed Grassbird was singing in the
same place as ten days ago, and a flushed a widowbird associating with
Jackson's that had bright yellow shoulders. I only saw it with the
naked eye, and by the time I had stopped it had dropped into very tall
rank grass. Although I waited for twenty minutes it never reappeared,
so something to keep an eye open for amongst the widowbird flocks.
There was a scruffy Eurasian Roller and a smart male Pied Wheatear
before reaching the dam. At Nagalomon were four Black-crowned
Night-Herons and a scattering of Green Sandpipers. Wattled Starling
were flying around in flocks of twenties, there could have been
hundreds present. Taking an unfruitful detour through part of the
forest, there was a stunning Albizzia in flower just before rejoining
the main road towards Kingfisher. Apart from resident sunbirds there
was a single Willow Warbler. There was nothing of note at Kingfisher,
but along the road just past it was an African Hoopoe, and a
female-plumaged Eurasian Rock-Thrush. Also an impressive flock of over
sixty Parasitic Weavers. Along the plains towards Olmanyi Dam there
was an additional flock of thirty more Parasitic Weavers. From here
towards the Mokoyiet bridge was an adult female Red-tailed Shrike and
at the bridge a pair of noisy Red-faced Cisticolas. Revisiting Hyena
Dam there were now a Great and two Yellow-billed Egret nine Wood
Sandpipers and two Eurasian Bee-eaters, whilst a pale Booted Eagle
flew down the Mokoyiet River. The conditions were brightening now, and
soaring over the forest behind Nagalomon Dam were single Common
Buzzard and Ayre's Hawk-Eagle, whilst a Fish-Eagle perched on a tree.
With the air warming up numbers of White-backed Vultures took to the
air, and over the Kisembe Forest was a Black Stork moving south and a
Black-chested Snake-Eagle. The forest held many female-plumaged
Violet-backed Starlings. It was now 1.00pm and rather that calling it
a day, I thought that I would go around to the swamp that in the past
has attracted large numbers of thirsty birds in case there might be
some warblers. This swamp lies near the fence along Magadi Road. There
were a few birds drinking already, and I did not have to wait long for
a male Blackcap. It was so good that I stayed for two hours. In that
time the following came in and actually drank; Red-eyed and
Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, eight Eurasian Bee-eaters, Spotted-flanked
Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-whiskered and Cabanis'
Greenbuls, Ruepell's and Cape Robin-Chats, Olive Thrush, Blackcap,
Great (ex-Tropical) Boubou, Violet-backed Starling, Baglafecht Weaver
and Streaky Seedeater. I saved the best for last, a pair of Lemon
Doves, one very nice adult and the second bird not so well marked. The
first I have ever seen in the Park, and I cannot even find historical
records of the bird for NNP. Really weird as they are resident only a
couple of kilometres away at Giraffe Manor/Hog Ranch. A Hartlaub's
Turaco was going to come down to drink, but the appearance of a
different Ayre's Hawk-Eagle put paid to that. All the time I was there
I was entertained by a laggard Madagascar Pond Heron, that had not a
single white feather, but still in complete non-breeding dress. A late
date, but I have seen a bird once in early November in the Park. A
party of Wart-Hogs came down to graze on the waters edge, and the
Heron persued them and chased the frogs that the animals flushed. It
made interesting video.

As I stayed all of the time in the Northern part of the Park, I did
not encounter the large herds of plains game in the centre and south.
Eland were the most widespread mammal, Zebra were common, and amongst
the less numerous species was a Black Rhinoceros at Olmanyi Dam.

I left the Park at 3.45pm, having had a most entertaining day with a
good trickle of "first-date" migrants.