Hi Birders,
Between 17th and 24August, Lucy Wamuyu( Laikipia University),
Joseph( TBA), Jamaes Onyango and Myself had a bird survey trip to
Mount Kulala in Marsabit county. It took us two days from Nairobi
to the Mountain. The tip of the mountain is about 2300 meters above
the sea level. The local community leaving around the forest are the
Samburus whose livelihood depends on livestock and pastoralism in
particular. Their livestock(cows) depend entirely on the forest for
grazing and water. The forest has plenty of water which has been
in the entire village.
The forest structure is quite unique with both the montane and tropical
lowland tree species. The
dominant species include the
ceder( on the lowland edge of the forest), Teclea nobilis(dominating the
entire forest), Diospyros(quite common), Prunus africana( grouped in clusters)
lots of seelings of Celtis Africana, Wild coffee, Tapenemontana among
others. The dominant shrubs
and bush include the Vangweria,
Erythrococa and leonotis. The leonotis was spread in forest gaps and
and along the trails. It provided feeding the the Kulal white white-eye
which really specialized on nectar feeding.
The Kulal environment ha a unique ecosystem ranging from from
dryland into a semiarind savanna on the foot the mountain to moist
montane forest. This provides such a unique birdlife. The cultural
right of passage( moran circumcision) seen to provide a safe feeding
safe feeding environment for the Wooded Vulture. After circumcition
when the candidates are getting out they slaughter bulls and, sheep
a goats. After the ceremony the vultures come down to feed on the
remains.
Kind regards,
Titus Imboma
below is a birdlist
Wooded Vulture
Mountain Buzzard
Hemprich’s Hornbill
Red-fronted Tinkerbird
Grassland Pipit
Common Bulbul
Cabanis’s Greenbul
White-stared Robin
Ruppell’s Robin- Chat
Gape Robin
Olive Thrush
Abyssinian Ground Thrush
White-browed scrub robin
Brown Woodland Warbler
Grey wren warbler
Yellow-vented Eremomela
Rattling cisticola
African Paradise Flycatcher
African hill Barbler
Kulala White-eye
Golden-winged Sunbird
Shining Sunbird
Easter Double-collared Sunbird
Common Fiscal
Tropical Boubou
Slate- coloured Boubou
Three- streaked Tchagra
Brubru
White Crested Helmet Shrike
Pied Crow
Fan-tailed Raven
Somali Crow
Bristle- crowed starling
Superb starling
Kenya Rufous Sparrow
Yellow-spotted Petronia
White-headed buffalo-waever
Baglafetcht Weaver
Green-winged Pytilia
Purple Grenadier
Somali Bunting
Kind reg