Sorry missed Karen Plumbe off the ist for NNP visit. My computer
crashed last night and I am using a primitive keyboard on an old desk
top and finding it so very trying with lots of the wrong keys being
pressed,
Best for now
Brian

On 4/23/13, Brian Finch <birdfinch@gmail.com> wrote:
> 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 turn up on that date, so that it would be "out of date" immediately.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
>