Mombasa Bird Walk

Previous month we had not been able to access this quarry due to felling of Casuarina and other trees which fortunately have now been cleared. This had opened up a whole new vista of the lake with a bird's eye view of a big expanse of water. So many water birds we could hardly get to ID them fast enough for visiting birder from UK.

At this vantage point and our usual one at lake level we saw 5 or 6 MPH (last one counted when flying may have been one we had previously seen in the reeds). The largest number we have seen for a very long time. Common Squacco fishing, about 6 Black Herons, last one doing its spectacular fishing display. Several Purple Swamphens, beautiful views as we were near enough to have good views but far enough not to disturb them. Purple Heron adult and juvenile. Hundreds of Cattle Egrets, an amazing sight as they all came in to roost. Many in breeding plumage. About 200 Reed Cormorants, many juveniles. African Darter nest building. All these birds seem to cram into the same tree to roost and nest, making for a very busy scene. Yellow Billed and Little Egret. Striated and Grey Heron. Brown-hooded, Malachite, Pied and Giant Kingfisher and one lone Open-billed Stork. Overhead an African Harrier Hawk, possibly the parent of the the juvenile still in Haller Park. Several Water Thick-knees although numbers of these seem to have declined. No migrant waders which might have been up at the far end of the lake which was inaccessible to to heavy rain. 29 species in all. This was such a great walk.