MAGADI ROAD 23rd December 2013

Dear All,
Nigel Hunter, Malcolm Cavanagh a friend from UK, and myself had a day
out on the Magadi Road on 23rd December.

We started off getting fuel in Ongata Rongai, in the Total Petrol
Station. Some two years ago on the last visit to this petrol station,
then with Fleur Ng’Weno and Mike Davidson, there was a male Schalow’s
Wheatear sitting on the roof of the duka. This is right in the middle
of the built-up area and there is no suitable habitat for the species
for a long way. Even though Mbagathi gorge might be considered
acceptable, there are no records from there. On this occasion we were
again surprised by this species, but this time a female. It would seem
that there is a breeding pair using buildings right in Ongata Rongai.

The next surprise came as we were crossing the Kiserian River just
before the Isinya Road junction. As we were crossing the bridge, I
heard a Cinnamon Bracken Warbler singing. We got out, and sure enough
there was not just this bird vocalising but another was answering it
on the other side of the road. Presumably they have always been in the
rank vegetation along the river as a relict, but it still seems quite
low for the species which does not even get to Corner Baridi at 7000
feet. (Admittedly there is no rank streamside vegetation).

We saw a few Northern and one Isabelline Wheatear near Corner Baridi,
then continued on to the Icross Road. We only proceeded along here
some five kilometres, but in this distance had over a dozen Northern
Wheatears, seven Eurasian Rock-Thrush, and two each of Willow Warbler
and Common Whitethroat. There was a Sand Martin flying around as well.
By this date it would be expected that these all represented birds on
their wintering grounds. Further down the road towards Oltepesi we
found three very secretive Iranias and an Olivaceous Warbler along a
dry lugga.

The only migrant shrike was a Turkestan Red-tail at Oltepesi and the
only migrant raptors were two Steppe Eagles and a Common Buzzard.

Otherwise we recorded just over 120 species, and many birds were quite
vocal. The recent rains had left dams quite full, and the entire area
was very verdant.

Strangely there were another two Sand Martins at Oltepesi, where a
female Black-faced Sandgrouse was behaving as if it was on a nest.

In spite of recent nesting of White-throated Bee-eaters in the
Shompole region, none were encountered at all this far up the road,
where seasonally they are abundant.

Best to all, and I trust everyone had a good holidays,
Brian