Dear All,
Nigel Hunter and myself, met up with Patrick and Johann Loir for a
final birding sortie in Nairobi National Park on 30th July, before
they depart the country for good the next evening. Patrick and Johann
have been one of the major contributors to "kenyabirdsnet" over the
past few years, readily sharing their discoveries with all the other
members, which is more than can be said for some of you out there, who
allow interesting records to go unrecorded. They will be greatly
missed by all of us.
We met up at the gate shortly before 6.30 am, and as they had not been
successful with the White-backed Night-Heron the previous week, we
decided to make straight for the Hippo Pools and devote the morning to
finding it for them.
Passing Nagalomon Dam, there was my first Green Sandpiper of the year,
and the first Spur-winged Plover I had seen on that dam, the only
other northern Park record being once at Hyaena Dam, otherwise of
course it is resident on Athi Dam.  The Martial Eagle was stationed
near its nest, there was a very confiding young Lanner on a bush
towards Maasai Gate, and Shelley's Francolins were calling. We arrived
at the Hippo Pools at about 7.40 am, and searched for the heron. There
was an adult Black-crowned Night-Heron sitting on the bush next to the
one favoured by the White-backed. It took some searching but
eventually we located it, and Johann managed to get some good images
of their final new image taken in Kenya, leaving the country with over
800 species all superb photographs from within the country. (This has
to be some kind of record in itself!). There was a good variety of
other species, which included another two Green Sandpipers, several
Yellow-throated Sandgrouse flying over, Pygmy Kingfisher, a pair of
Violet Wood-Hoopoes and Red-faced Cisticola. From here we left for the
Rhino Circuit, where there was a good selection of acacia species
inclusive of Lesser Masked Weavers, but no sign of the Eurasian Hoopoe
that they saw here the previous week. Next we looked at the river near
Cheetah Gate, here we found the first Little Egret in the Park for a
long time, another Red-faced Cisticola, five Chestnut Sparrows and a
few Crimson-rumped Waxbills amongst the large number of seedeaters
that are attracted to the adjacent farmland. Our next port of call was
Athi Dam, arriving from the southern end. The water level had fallen,
and there was some good muddy verges, a single Black-crowned
Night-Heron was roosting on the causeway, but in the corner of the dam
we found a Water Thick-knee, only the second ever for the Park, and
only the third for the Nairobi district. On the dry mud was a dirty
white White Stork, presumably one that had not made a return journey,
whilst afrotropical waders consisted of a single Black-winged Stilt,
ten Kittlitz's and six Three-banded Plovers, three Spur-winged and
several Blacksmith Plovers. Palearctic waders were present, four adult
Ruff, all males including one bird with the remnants of a white ruff,
three Little Stints were all adults, and one was still in full
breeding dress, likewise four each of Wood and Common Sandpipers were
all adult, but the two Greenshank were in very drab plumage with no
sign of any spotting.  In the weeds were just three Yellow-throated
Sandgrouse, it is possibly that most of the birds come in later on in
the morning. Heading back north was rather quiet, a single Little
Grebe at Karen PS Dam was the only example seen today, there were just
two Wattled Starlings on the backs of Zebras, three Lappet-faced
Vultures was a nice sight, with a gathering of 32 White-backed
Vultures as well as others seen in all corners of the Park, and a
couple of White-tailed Lark were in the grassland. In the Hyaena Dam
run-off were very few birds, single Great and Yellow-billed Egrets, a
juvenile Black-shouldered Kite was presumably locally bred, and the
first Lilac-breasted Roller of the day. On arrival at Hyaena Dam we
immediately noticed an adult Lesser Moorhen feeding in the corner near
the causeway. Always a nice bird in the Park, but this bird was in
exactly the same place, and absurdly tame and feeding openly next to
the car just like the bird last year, and in exactly the same spot. It
really does look like it is the same bird returned if that is
possible. Another bird that is probably the same wintering returner
every year, is the Madagascar Pond Heron, and it was here too, there
were a couple of African Water Rails calling from the reeds, another
Yellow-billed Egret, and a single African Jacana. The rest of the
afternoon was extremely quiet, with a few Zebra Waxbills in the grass,
and a cluster of three Lilac-breasted Rollers at he packed out
Kingfisher Picnic Site.
It was another incredible day, and we departed at 5.00pm.
Mammals abounded in the southern portions, especially Zebra and
Buffalo. There were four White Rhinos above Athi Basin, Hippos in both
Hyaena and Nagalomon Dams. A single Suni crossed the road shortly
before Main Gate. The best mammal for me was a Tree Hyrax at the Hippo
Pools that was climbing out over a low branch over the water, and
defecating over the edge of the branch. This was not only an
interesting habit, but in spite of hearing the species in my garden
every night, it was the first I had ever seen in the Park!

Best for now
Brian