A couple of nights ago when coming off the beach in the evening at dusk 
had a Bat Hawk hunting over head. Stunning views of it cruising around 
waiting for the small bats to emerge from the roof of the Italian hotel 
next door and watching it bank over to the side, a few swift flicks of 
its wing tips, a small jink to the side and back to line up behind a bat 
and whoop! taken no problem. Then in classic Bat Hawk style a few 
seconds later whilst relaxed and cruising on the wing, it would bend 
over and gulp the bat down whole.

We watched it catch five bats in approximate 15mins and it was 100% 
successful with all attempts it made - missing none and having to try 
again. On the other hand, an African Goshawk was trying the same idea 
but was clearly far from skilled at it - dashing out from cover in a 
somewhat manic flaying of wings, tail and long legs... and missing the 
bat altogether and returning to cover to hide in shame before trying 
again from a different ambush point. It may have succeeded at some 
point, but certainly not while I was watching!

At the same point in time, glancing out to sea we were watching c.2,000 
Brown Noddies coming in to roost on Whale Island and a handful of 
Roseate Terns. We were over on the island last week and confirmed that 
there are no terns breeding there this year - just a few hanging around, 
possibly roosting on it at night but no sign of nesting.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colin Jackson
A Rocha Kenya
PO Box 383,
Watamu, 80202
Kenya

Eml: colin.jackson@arocha.org
Tel: +254 (0)20 233 5865 (wireless)
      +254 (0)42 23 32023 (landline)
Cell: 0722 842366 / 0771 757746

For more information:
www.arocha.org
www.assets-kenya.org
www.tanariverdelta.org