Mike Davidson, Fleur Ng'Weno, Jennifer Odouri and myself met at the Main Entrance to Nairobi National Park at 6.30am. It was a cold an overcast morning, there was an Emerald Cuckoo in the car-park but the weather brightened up late in the morning, and was a little warmer in the afternoon. At 10.00am we dropped Fleur back at the Gate, and picked up Heather Elkin and Karen Plumbe for the remainder of the day. 

There was quite a bit of activity at the KWS Mess garden, both Green-backed and Wahlberg's Honeybirds, and amongst the assortment of garden species was a very noisy Black-collared Apalis. In spite of its abundance in Karengata, this was only the second ever for the Park, the first being at Ivory Burning Site several years ago.
Whilst there was a Nairobi Pipit on the way, Ivory Burning Site was very dull, and along the back road to Hyena Dam there was nothing of any note, the best being a pair of Yellow-billed Ducks on the floodings and Brown Parrots calling from a fig-tree.  The highlight at Hyena Dam was a pair of African Water Rails with three what must have been day-old chicks. Tiny black balls of fluff with prominent pink bases to their stubby bills. The first time any of us had seen Water Rail chicks in the Park. In the Hyena Dam run-off were the first of the Yellow-crowned Bishops for the season, about six birds in all. The three widowbirds were also a prominent feature of the basin, and Cardinal Queleas were increasing in  numbers with small numbers now widespread in the grasslands, where there were some eight Orange-breasted Waxbills. A Saddle-billed Stork was crouched low down on its well concealed nest in the crown of an acacia along the Mokoyeti River, also nesting along the river were a Martial Eagle, whilst a Long-crested Eagle sat nearby. (Strangely enough there seems to be no breeding record of this species for NNP, and they appear to be purely visitors).  Also a Red-faced Cisticola was singing from the riverine scrub. Karen Primary School Dam was quite empty, although a White-tailed Lark and a few Rosy-breasted Longclaws were singing here, and an adult an immature Black-chested Snake-Eagle traced lazy circles in the sky. Back-tracking to Nagalomon Dam there were a pair of Spotted Thicknees on the drift with one chick, seven Black-crowned Night-Herons on the dam, and a Fish Eagle. We followed the road along the Kisembe River finding a pair of Little Grebes and a Lesser Moorhen on the Langata Dam. The bird seen here last week was an adult male in full breeding plumage, but even though in the same group of water-lilies, this was a dowdy female. Apart from this there were Mottled and African Black Swifts along the escarpment, and a Brown Parisoma was very confiding at Kingfisher Picnic Site. 

We were through the gate at 2.00pm, having had a short but very rewarding visit.

Mammals were quiet, presumably much has left the Park, or is in the Athi Basin.

Best to all
Brian