----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Brian Finch <birdfinch@gmail.com>
To: Itai Shanni <itaisha1@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thu, 31 March, 2011 16:24:34
Subject: Sosian Ranch (Laikipia) 24th/25th Jan 2011

SPECIES RECORDED ON SOSIAN RANCH (LAIKIPIA) 24th-25th January 2011

Dear All,
I was on Sosian (Laikipia) for 24th and 25th January, and it was a
delight. A good variety of habitat ranging from dense scrub and acacia
riverine to upland grasslands. There are also several springs forming
swamps. The garden around the lodge attracts numerous birds and has an
active birdtable.
These are the species recorded in the two days; Maasai Ostrich,
Striated Heron, Grey Heron, Black-headed Heron, Hamerkop, Black Stork,
Yellow-billed Stork, Sacred Ibis, Hadada, African Finfoot, Long-tailed
Cormorant, Egyptian Goose, Black-shouldered Kite, African
Swallow-tailed Kite, Tawny Eagle, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Bateleur,
Martial Eagle, White-backed Vulture, Shikra, Gabar Gishawk, Eastern
Chanting Goshawk, Western Marsh Harrier, Pallid Harrier, African
Harrier-Hawk, Common Kestrel, Lanner, Helmeted Guineafowl, Vulturine
Guineafowl, Crested Francolin, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Black Crake,
Common Buttonquail, Kori Bustard, White-bellied Bustard, Buff-crested
Bustard, Spotted Thick-knee, Crowned Plover, Blacksmith Plover,
Spur-winged Plover, Three-banded Plover, Ruff, Common Snipe, Wood
Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Little Stint,
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Red-eyed Dove,
African Mourning Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Laughing Dove,
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Namaqua Dove, Brown Parrot, White-bellied
Go-Away Bird, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Little Swift, White-rumped Swift,
Mottled Swift, Blue-naped Mousebird, Little Bee-eater, Lilac-breasted
Roller, Rufous-crowned Roller, Eurasian Hoopoe, African Hoopoe,
Abyssinian Scimitarbill, African Scimitarbill, Green Wood-Hoopoe,
Red-billed Hornbill, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Black-throated
Honeyguide, Red-fronted Barbet, d’Arnaud’s Barbet, Red-fronted
Tinkerbird, Nubian Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Grey Woodpecker,
Bearded Woodpecker, Red-capped Lark, Fischer’s Sparrowlark,
Fawn-coloured Lark, Rufous-naped Lark, Plain Martin, Barn Swallow,
Ethiopian Swallow, Wire-tailed Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Lesser
Striped Swallow, Rock Martin, African Pied Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail,
Long-billed Pipit, Plain-backed Pipit, Bush Pipit, Common Bulbul,
White-browed Robin-Chat, Pied Wheatear, Isabelline Wheatear, Spotted
Morning-Thrush, Grey Flycatcher, Olivaeous Warbler, Barred Warbler,
Garden Warbler, Red-faced Crombec, Banded Parisoma, Tawny-flanked
Prinia, Rattling Cisticola, Pectoral=patch Cisticola,, Desert
Cisticola, Tiny Cisticola, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Yellow-breasted
Apalis, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Chin-spot Batis, Common
Paradise-Flycatcher, Rufous Chatterer, Marico Sunbird, Variable
Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Taita Fiscal, Red-tailed Shrike,
Black-crowned Tchagra, Slate-coloured Boubou, Rosy-patched
Bush-Shrike, Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, Northern White-crowned Shrike,
Common Drongo, Black-headed Oriole, Greater Blue-eared Starling,
Superb Starling, Hildebrandt’s Starling, Red-winged Starling, Yellow
Bishop, Parrot-billed Sparrow, House Sparrow, Rufous Sparrow, Chestnut
Sparrow, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Grey-capped Social-Weaver,
Red-billed Quelea.

The pair of African Swallow-tailed Kite were behaving strangely, with
one of the pair sitting crouched on a nest in a small acacia, although
no sign of eggs or young, just an empty nest. They have been around
for some time, and are considered at least temporarily, residents
staying on the same grassy plain.

In addition good mammal variety, most memorable being close encounters
with Wild Dogs, and a co-operative Leopard.

Best to all
Brian