From: Fleur Ng'weno <fleur@africaonline.co.ke>
Date: 2013-06-05 16:09
Subject: White-necked Ravens and more
White-necked Ravens and more
Happy World Environment Day to all
A backlog of records, in reverse order:
To celebrate World Environment Day, Nature Kenya's Wednesday Morning Birdwalk visited Uhuru Gardens National Monument on the Langata Road. Nesting records included:
Grosbeak Weaver feeding two begging young
Red-collared Widowbird female feeding three disheveled, tailless young just out of the nest
Reichenow's (Yellow-rumped) Seedeater feeding one wing-shivering young
The big surprise, however, was Charles Mwangi's spotting of a Grey-capped Social Weaver entering a nest in an acacia! I think of Grey-capped Social Weaver as a dry-country bird, although found in Nairobi National Park and Masai Lodge Road. Uhuru Gardens is almost in the city centre!
At the end of May (26-27), Bettina Ng’weno and I visited the new Chinese AA lodge near Kimana Gate of Amboseli National Park. We took two walks on the lodge compound. Highlights included:
Pair of African Hawk Eagles
White-necked (White-naped) Raven at close range
House Sparrows already at home
Grey-capped Social Weavers feeding fledged young
Chestnut Weavers nest-building
Eastern Paradise Whydah displaying
Straw-tailed Whydah singing
In Amboseli National Park on 26 May 2013:
Grey Crowned Crane – about 8 in total, one pair with two golden downy young
Kittlitz’s Plover with two tiny young, balls of fluff on spindly legs
Several Collared Pratincoles
And a Capped Wheatear
In my Nairobi garden from mid-May: Juvenile Ruppell’s and Cape Robin Chats.
Finally, on 19 May 2013, Nature Kenya's Sunday Birdwatch visited the seasonal wetlands between two lava ridges at the back of the Ngong Hills. On the shoulder of the Ngong Hills before descending into the Rift Valley, a White-necked (White-naped) Raven flew past us – the first I have seen there in many years. A Southern Grosbeak Canary on the electricity wires sang a short but very sweet song. At the Savannah Sunset Resort there were White-headed Saw-Wings. Everything was green, and we were entertained by numerous dry-country or rock-country birds on the way, adding up to more than 90 species.
Near the old shooting range, the land was flooded, full of high grasses, sedges and Nesaea shrubs, and with a number of waterbirds. The land there is flat, however, making it difficult to see any distance. We then drove up the low lava ridge and walked to the seasonal lake. The lake was full, but brown with mud and without fringing grasses. Egrets and Sacred Ibis could be seen on dead trees in the middle of the lake.
Members of the local Maasai community then came to meet us. They told us that the correct name of the seasonal lake is Emparbal Osidan (not Indachant). It is now a conservancy called Ngong Ranch in Kimuka, Kajiado. They wanted to charge us conservancy entry fees, but since there was no signboard announcing this and our visit was quite short, we only agreed to pay a fee for parking the vehicles on private land.
If you wish to visit Emparbal Osidan (formerly known as Indachant) we recommend that you phone in advance and agree on a parking or conservancy fee. Numbers to call include:
Arnest – 0727-011-426
Samuel – 0728-809-601
Chris (speaks mainly Maasai) 0726-490-866
Wishing you good birding, Fleur