NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 10th March 2014

Dear All,

Mike Davidson, Heather Elkins, Karen Plumbe and myself arrived at
Langata Entrance to Nairobi National Park at 6.40am. There was a
problem with Heathers smart card, in that last Monday it appears that
in spite of handing it in, she was still in the Park as it had not
been checked out. This is something always to be wary of, and ensuring
that your ticket back with the checked out card, really shows that it
is checked out.

It was a beautiful sunrise, and a lovely morning as we drove round to
Main Gate to meet up with Fleur Ng'Weno and Jennifer Oduori, and also
to get Heathers card sorted out, and on leaving it with them it was
handled proficiently.

We first visited KWS Mess Garden, there was not initially much
activity, but strangely as it became overcast and cool, remaining so
for much of the morning, the birds were more active. There were two
Tree Pipits in the same few square metres as the past few months,
still very grey and not showing any sign of breeding plumage, two
Nightingales were in fine voice in the hedge, but the only migrant
warblers here were one each of Willow Warbler and Blackcap. The
Black-collared Apalis was also very noisy, there were a pair of Pale
Flycatchers, and the curiosity of a Kikuyu (Montane) White-eye feeding
on the ground. I don't think I have ever seen any white-eye do this
before, but of course they come to ground to drink at water sources.