Dear All,
I was in Nairobi National Park with Nigel Hunter last Sunday (16th)
but have not had the time to write it up yet. It was pouring if you
remember, with showers most of the early morning. We were at Hyena Dam
as there is little to do in the rain but sit at a dam. We were
watching four Long-toed Plovers in between rolling up the window, our
near resident two now have two more friends. One of these new birds
flew a short distance and we could not believe it but it was of the
southern race leucopterus not one of our nominate birds. Because it
was so short a flight and raining I took an image but it would only
win prizes for a new art form.
Anyway attached are flight images of the two races, and the southern
bird is not the one at Hyena Dam, it’s just to demonstrate how very
different they are when they fly. I have also attached the Hyena Dam
bird in flight and on the ground when the rain had stopped!
It’s worth keeping a lookout for,
Best for now
Brian

The images from left
Normal northern LTP showing all black primaries and secondaries
Image of leucoptera in flight showing mainly all white primaries and
all white secondaries
Image of Hyena Dam leucoptera through window in rain showing all white
primaries and secondaries
Hyena Dam leucoptera showing white primaries
Hyena Dam northern


PS 8 Amur Falcons flew over the house at 6.00pm this evening.