From: Colin Jackson <colin.jackson@arocha.org>
Date: 2014-06-24 13:16
Subject: western Village Weaver at Naivasha
Following on from Brian's report of the race bohndorffi of
Village Weaver at Lake Naivasha in January, I was on Loldia Farm
last week (20th June) and doing some recording for the repeat of the
Kenya Bird Atlas and had a male of this race displaying at a nest in
a colony of eight nests in an Acacia overhanging water by the main
water pump for the farm. Seems like they have extended their range
eastwards quite considerably.
The Malewa delta was also UNbelievable in the number of egrets and
herons on it. I did an estimate of total numbers and reckon there
were a good 6-7,000 birds in the swamps of the delta; there were
also about 400 Great White Pelicans, 21 African Fish Eagles all
counted from the same spot. Purple Herons were common along the
shore - I counted 10 in just 200m of swamp edge and there were
literally dozens flying past - an estimate of several 100 Purple
Herons in that area that day would not be at all exaggerated. Quite
an incredible phenomenon and important to keep tags on the numbers
in the swamp.
A Little Bittern on the dam at St Andrew's Turi over the weekend
(22nd) was also a nice bird to see there - and there was a Cinnamon
Bracken Warbler singing in the gardens of the staff houses looking a
little lost and out of place away from its normal forest habitat..
Colin
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Colin Jackson
A Rocha Kenya
Christians in Conservation
Cell: +254 (0)722-842366
+254 (0)771-893636
www.arocha.org
www.assets-kenya.org
Blog: www.arochakenya.wildlifedirect.org