From: Fleur Ng'weno <fleur@africaonline.co.ke>
Date: 2012-07-09 15:51
Subject: Lake Nakuru records July 7-8
Lake Nakuru records July 7-8
Greetings birders
A Water Bird Count took place at Lake Nakuru on July 8, well organized by John Musina of the National Museums of Kenya with Nature Kenya, the Bird Committee and Kenya Wildlife Service.
With the 2011 and 2012 rains, Lake Nakuru has risen dramatically, flooding some of the acacia woodland and approaching the main gate. At night the sound of frogs calling came from all sides. Stormy skies, silver water, skeletal trees and sunlit birds made for an unreal and magnificent landscape.
Some highlights from my section (the western side with flooded grassland):
A pair of African Black Duck in the Njoro River
Many immature Great White Pelicans, Pink-backed Pelicans, Yellow-billed Storks and Greater Flamingos
Black-winged Stilts sitting on nests
A Grey-headed Gull sitting on a nest
Great White Egrets with black-tipped beaks (going in or out of breeding plumage)
Palaearctic migrants included
Over 40 Common Greenshank
Three Marsh Sandpipers
Over 30 Gull-billed Terns
A few White-winged Black Terns in brilliant plumage
One each of Common Sandpiper and Black-tailed Godwit
Although single birds may have over-summered here, I assume that the larger numbers had just arrived from Eurasia.
On arrival on July 7 we saw a number of raptors, including a young Martial Eagle and its parents, several Long-crested Eagles and an African Hobby. At night a Pearl-spotted Owlet stood on the road, and a Barn Owl was heard over the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya hostel.
Wishing you good birding, Fleur