NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 22nd April 2013


Dear All,

On 22nd April, Mike Davidson, Fleur Ng'Weno, Jennifer O'duore and
myself met at the Main Entrance to Nairobi National Park at 6.30am
having had light traffic en route.
It had been dry since Friday night, apart from light showers, although
an extremely heavy dew covered the vegetation.

We started the day at KWS Mess Garden, nothing too much of interest
was happening, the Black-collared Apalis was singing. Continuing to
Nagalomon Dam we were to find over eighty Black-crowned Night-Herons
sitting on the typha, many birds sitting on eggs whilst others still
constructing and posturing comically.There was also a male Darter
present, a single Swamphen,  a nearby adult Fish Eagle which was very
vocal and a watchful Long-crested Eagle.  As Fleur wanted to leave at
9.00am we hung around Ivory Burning Site until near that hour. There
was still a Garden Warbler singing from dense cover. Whilst having our
picnic breakfast, a small raptor flew in. Expecting it to be a Gabar
Goshawk we were very surprised to see that is was not, but an immature
Shikra, only one previous record for NNP, by Simon Thomsett. Other
local records are few and far between in the Nairobi district. The
bird made a dive at some perched doves, which scattered, but it
probably wanted the perch rather than the doves. After resting a
while, it took off and was immediately harassed by local swallows and
swifts as it spent some time soaring in tight circles with its
entourage until very high and finally disappeared towards the
south-west.
Today was the first days release of the Nairobi National Park Bird
Checklist available from both Nature Kenya and Fonnap. (All proceeds
generated are being equally divided between the two organisations). It
was remarked that with the launch of the checklist a new bird would
turn up on that date, so that it would be "out of date" immediately.
Whilst this was not new for the Park it was the first any of us had
seen in NNP, and only the second record!

Mikes car tyre was flattening before our eyes, so dropping Fleur off
at the gate worked well as he had to disappear for a short while, to
have a nail removed as it turns out. The remainder of us waited in the
car park, and found a pair of Northern Double-collared Sunbirds nest
building. There was also a stunning Fig Tree Blue feeding on a
Spathodea flower.

On his return we went off to Hyena Dam, but it was far too late for
any activity and we were rewarded only by a friendly Water Rail, and
another cup of coffee.

The water had subsided sufficiently to allow us to pass through the
run-off, but all we found down here were a few Jackson's Widowbirds.
On arriving along the Mokoyeti there was a latish Common Buzzard and
continuing on to Eland Hollow, the dam only offered up single
White-faced Whistling Duck and Red-billed Teal. Nearby the resident
pair of Spotted Thick-knees were incubating one egg. Driving towards
Karen Primary School Dam, I saw a very large bird and said that there
was a Marabou out there, but then asked Mike if he would stop as it
was behaving differently and though it might be a Martial Eagle. We
stopped and I could see immediately that is was a very large
Long-legged Buzzard. What was interesting about this bird was that I
am sure that it was exactly the same individual that was on this same
plain early last May. It's feature that renders it distinct from other
LLB, is that it completely lacks rufous in the plumage. I sent images
of the bird to Itai last year and he confirmed that the bird was the
uncommon brown phase. All other LLB I have seen in Kenya have been
rufous birds, so a brown bird on the same place in successive years is
strongly supporting that the same individual is involved.

We continued across towards Kingfisher not finding anything else much
to report.

On a disappointing note here in the third week of April we could only
find one Red-backed and four Lesser Grey Shrikes. There should be
hundreds of them by now. Only six Barn Swallows were seen all day as
well, and the only migrant warbler was the single Garden.

It was a very nice day, the weather was cool but bright, mammals have
obviously had a major movement down to the south, where we did not
visit. We were through the gate at 3.15pm.

Best to all
Brian