On Sunday morning at Bagamoyo we found >200 Madagascar Bee-eaters in one of our coastal roosts, a roost that will build up in the coming weeks to >2,000 birds.

 

The majority were adults in fine condition, only one was seen with the inner secondaries still moulting i.e this adult population had recently moulted so presumably they do this on their breeding grounds, only the very latest breeders moving while finishing moult. There were quite a few juvs / imms, many in various stages of wing moult, most looking quite 'tatty' with outer primaries 6,7,8, in active moult and no long central tail feathers. These features all indicate REGULAR post breeding movement / migration but

 

WHERE HAVE THEY COME FROM ?

 

a similar roost was located north of Pangani by Paul Oliver a week ago and these may well have been from our small (even tiny) breeding population in the lower reaches of the Pangani River catchment, extending into SE Kenya.

 

last year there were reports of Mad Bees moving through Malawi and Zambia more or less at the time the Bagamoyo roost was vacated.

 

this year we have had reports of Mad Bees moving through our central Rift but not at all sure in what direction.

 

ANY records of movements through Malawi and Zambia recently ?? and in the next few weeks would be VERY MUCH appreciated.

 

What about coastal Kenya, any mangrove roost sites for these birds ?

 

and for everyone on the coast of Tanzania  PLEASE log all obs of these birds.

 

many thanks

 

Neil

 

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: +255 785-311298 and +255 784-834273.
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