I was at the Ngong Race Course yesterday afternoon in the paddock within the race track looking at this years ‘for sale’ yearlings , when I heard an unusual bird call that I thought might be a small raptor.  I did not have any binoculars, but I could still clearly identify that I was looking at a pratincole.  Luckily it circled round me still calling before disappearing.  Stupidly I did not concentrate on the tail shape, but the call was a single note fairly rapidly repeated.  On my return home I googled the audio of both Collared and Madagascar Pratincoles (provided by Cornell University audio library).  From that I was able to identify the pratincole as Madagascar rather than Collared, which has a quite different rhythmic phrased call rather than the single notes I was hearing.

I realise that inland records of Madagascar are very rare, but I am hoping that by mentioning it, someone else may be lucky enough to see it, if it stays around for a little bit.

Regards

Nigel (Hunter)