On 26th May, Mike Davidson, Nigel Hunter, Karen Plumbe and myself tried to drive to Lake Kwenia from Ol Tepesi on the Magadi Road. 
This is the first time that the lake has had water in it for the past fifteen years, and we wished to see this phenomenom. 
After gathering at 7.00am on Mukoma Estate, we set off on this overcast day.  We stopped to buy some Mendazis in Ongate Rongai, in the middle of town, and were most surprised to find a male Abyssinian (Schalow's) Wheatear in their car-park, preening comfortably as if it belonged there! So close but there has been no record for NNP, even though the Mbagathi Gorge might have been though suitable.
Near where there was a male Pringle's Puffback last week, there was a displaying pair, also Black Cuckoo were calling here. 
We met up with Robert, at Ol Tepesi, who lives at Kwenia and is monitoring breeding birds of prey there. Although Singing Larks were so abundant on the Ol Tepesi side of the road last week, we only encountered a few at the start of the road to Kwenia, in spite of the ground appearing suitable, this is obviously not the case. Along the section of road there were abundant Harlequin Quails, possibly thousands of Cardinal Queleas and numerous Chestnut Sparrows and Chestnut Weavers. Also on the journey were a couple of Kori Bustards, (several Buff-crested), a Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, two Jacobin and an African Cuckoo and three Madagascar Bee-eaters, amongst the usual good assortment of dry country species.
When we arrived at the lake it was enormous, it was like staring at Lake Nakuru, but trapped between two lava ridges. It was probably not very deep but covered an impressive area. Being new water, it was not too attractive to water birds yet, there were three Black-necked Grebes, a Glossy Ibis, a dozen Red-knobbed Coot, numerous Whiskered Terns, several Black-winged Stilts and a Spur-winged Plover. The cliffs had Ruppell's Vultures soaring over them, but we could not get closer because of the water cutting off the road.
On the return we found three Spotted Thicknees, and were back on the tarmac road in less than two hours after leaving Kwenia. The roads were all dry, and the Ol Kejo was not even flowing, it is amazing how this area dries out in such a short time.

Best to all
Brian