Dear All,

Peter Usher gave Mike Davidson, Karen Plumbe, Rupert Watson and myself a
real treat this morning. We met up with him and Tabatha at just after
8.30am, and he had his inflatable boat with him. The magic item was an
electric motor, and in complete silence we glided across Manguo Ponds
looking at the birds at closer quarters than has ever been available before.
There were some fifty Southern Pochard, but alas no Ferruginous Duck, and
the Gadwall was equally absent. Apart from the usual Red-billed Teal,
Yellow-billed Duck, White-faced Whistling-Duck and Egyptian Geese were some
forty White-backed, two females and one drake Maccoa Ducks, five Hottentot
Teal and eight Fulvous Whistling-Duck, but palearctics were notable by their
absence. The Western Reef Egret was still there however and we were able to
record the bird with photos and video. Other herons included four
Black-crowned Night Herons, and the four white egret species. Whiskered Tern
were fairly numerous and sitting very tightly on their grassy platforms so
we did not see if there were eggs, but their refusal to budge strongly
suggested incubation.  We were not lucky enough to see the Clawless Otter
that Peter and Tabatha managed to photograph so well several weeks ago.
Other waterbirds consisted of Crowned Cranes, all three Ibis species and
African Spoonbills.

Migrant-wise it was disastrous, no harriers, the only migrant raptor being a
lone Common Buzzard, and in the passerines only a few Yellow Wagtails and
Willow Warblers singing from surrounding trees. Where are all the migrants
this year?

 

There were two roadside Black Storks on the descent road towards Naivasha.