During two safaris to Lake Nakuru
here in Kenya in August- not one flamingo was seen. Not a lesser not a greater
!!
The lake is extremely flooded
with freshwater presumably thus denying algal feeding for the flamingos..
Was wondering where they have
all gone to?
Brgds Simon Ball
Nairobi ,Kenya.
From: kenyabirdsnet@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:kenyabirdsnet@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Neil and Liz Baker
Sent: 04 October 2012 09:50
To: Pete Hancock
Cc: EMAILGROUP; kenyabirdsnet@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [KENYABIRDSNET] Re: Flamingos in Tanzania
Hi Pete
We are going by Manyara on Saturday on our way to Eyasi and
Kitangire (all 3 very important flamingo lakes) and will certainly look and
count whenever possible.
I'm sending this msg to our email group and the Kenya group just
in case someone can comment on lack of birds at any particular lake.
Our major flamingo count issue has always been that we never have
people at all the lakes on the same day so we never know if absence from any
particular lake means anything unusual.
I assume you are asking Graham and the guys in Namibia and SA.
More very soon and for sure I'll talk to folk at the PAOC.
Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania
Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: +255 785-311298 and +255 784-834273.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com
Subscribe to: tanzaniabirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
From: Pete
Hancock <birdlifemaun@gmail.com>
To: tzbirdatlas@yahoo.co.uk
Sent: Thursday, 4 October 2012, 9:31
Subject: Flamingos in Tanzania
Hi Neil,
I hope
this note finds you and Liz in good health. I’m writing to find out if there is
anything unusual going on with Lesser Flamingos in Tanzania – we are inundated
with flocks here in the Okavango Delta where they’ve never been seen in the
past 30 years. Because they are turning up in unusual (and unsuitable) places,
and because they are sometimes seen flying during the day, I’m hypothesising
that they are strangers to Botswana i.e. birds from East Africa. I heard
that Lake Nakuru is very deeply flooded this year and that no suitable habitat
for flamingos exists there. What’s the situation in where you are – any
comments?
I know a
link between the southern African and East African populations has long been
hypothesised, but I don’t think these birds move regularly – only when they
have to, as when there is a major disruption in one area. Please do me a favour
and ask around at the PAOC to see what others think – regrettably I’ll not be
there.
Many
thanks, and all the best
Pete
Pete Hancock
BirdLife Botswana
PO Box 1529
Maun
Tel: +267 6865618
Cell: +267 74654464
www.birdlifebotswana.org.bw
http://birdlifebotswana.blogspot.com/