MAGADI ROAD  6th APRIL 2014

Dear All,
On 6th December Nigel Hunter and myself went for a day on Magadi Road,
to see if there were many migrants moving through.

It started off misty on the Ngongs, but soon cleared as we dropped
below Corner Baridi. The day remained a mixture of cloud and sun all
day, and so was quite comfortable.

The road as far as the upper Ol Kejo Bridge has been completely
resurfaced, after crossing the bridge you are still on your own, and
there is no sign of any continuing work.

The vegetation was green, with some nice flowers however the ground
was showing that the dry season was still persisting. The dam at Ol
Tepesi in spite of being full a few weeks ago, is already showing that
it has not long to go, many other small dams were gone completely.

We found a pair of Ngong (Pringle’s) Puffbacks not far past the Ol
Kejo bridge. Usually the male is not too difficult to get images of,
but the female tends to be far less conspicuous. By persisting and
following quietly I managed to get some nice video of her, and have
attached a couple of grabs from it here. It shows how predominantly
grey and white the bird is compared to normal females from far lower
altitudes, this mirrors the male who also has much reduced black in
the plumage.

There was a good assortment of the resident species, and at least with
weavers some evidence of breeding. We had single Paradise and
Steel-blue Whydahs in full plumage.

The entire day along this road once rich in raptor species revealed a
pair of Eastern Chanting Goshawks and a single Eurasian Hobby!!!!

Other migrants consisted of 19 White Storks at Ol Tepesi, single
Northern Wheatear, Eurasian Rock Thrush,  four Spotted Flycatchers,
two Olivaceous, three Garden, five Willow Warblers, a Whitethroat, and
three Red-backed Shrikes.

So apart from the absence of raptors, no cuckoos or Lesser Grey
Shrikes which which should certainly have been present now.

Although only a few drops of rain fell, at Ol Tepesi this was enough
to send the Singing Bush Larks into raptures of song, before the spots
of rain (for that is all it was), there was no sign of them!

The bird of the day was a superb Speckled Sand Snake, and there is an
image of this magnificent five-foot long creature attached,

Best to all
Brian