NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 23rd July 2013

Dear All,
Mike Davidson, Karen Plumbe and myself met at the Main Entrance to
Nairobi National Park at 6.30am, on this grey and gloomy morning, and
were soon through the gate. Apart from a road block of Olive Baboons
our first mammals both scuttled across the road. Firstly a
Black-tipped Mongoose then an Ochraceous Bush-Squirrel.
We went first to the KWS Mess Garden, where although there was a good
variety of parkland birds, nothing of note was amongst them. Although
special note must be given to the Black-collared Apalis which is still
there. The highlight was in fact a butterfly Banded Evening Brown (see
image). Just outside the gate was a confiding pair of Suni.

There was a nice African Firefinch along the road before we arrived at
Ivory Burning Site, but nothing at all at this place, so we continued
on to Nagalomon Dam.

Two African Darters were in their usual tree, sharing it with the only
two Black-crowned Night-Herons we were to encounter today. There has
been a remarkable dispersal out of the area since they bred. There was
an immature Martial Eagle on a small tree, it may have been the
recently evicted progeny of the Mokoyeti River pair, still not
wandering far from home.  A Purple Swamphen rested on a small muddy
patch, and Karen insisted that something was standing behind it. When
the Swamphen moved to feed we could see that it was a female Greater
Painted-Snipe. A rare visitor to the Park, (see image). At the back of
the dam there was a Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul in full voice, it has
sung at this spot at this time of year in several previous years.

Nothing too much on the back road to Hyena Dam, but along the track to
the dam itself there was a beautiful male Harlequin Quail, (see
image), feeding in the wheel ruts. A little further along the feeder
creek we flushed first a Woolly-necked Stork followed by a Glossy
Ibis. The Stork was only the third example I have ever encountered in
the Park.  At Hyena Dam, African Water Rails called noisily from the
other side, but the surprise here was another Greater Painted-Snipe,
this time a male (see images).