Karen Club bird walk, Friday 12 December 2014
Following heavy morning rain, myself, Alastair Campbell, Hilary Atkins, Di and Gerry Gilbert, Will Jamieson and Sarah Chiles set out to see what was lurking in the wilds of the Karen Club golf course. Birdlife at the wetlands was very sparse, given the cloudy and windy conditions, though some early song was emerging from the bush – Grey-backed Camaroptera, Grey-capped Warbler, Ruppell’s Robin Chat, Holub’s Golden Weaver and Spectacled Weaver. The Singing Cisticola was again in full voice, but why do we never see or hear the Red-faced Cisticola?
The 14th tee, as often, was very productive, with good views of Black-collared Apalis, African Paradise Flycatcher, Streaky Seedeater and White-headed Barbet, accompanied by the sweet song of the Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike.
At the dams, good numbers of Great Cormorants and Three-banded Plovers were in attendance, along with some Yellow-billed Ducks and Little Grebes, and Plain Martins and Red-rumped Swallows swooping above the water. However, Palaearctic migrants were again sadly lacking. A few African Pied Wagtails prompted the story of the derivation of their Latin name Motacilla – and why “-cilla” is not Latin for “tail”!!
The pond near the tee on the 5th was in very good condition, with a fine growth of reeds supporting a plentiful population of Grosbeak Weavers and their amazingly tidy nests. A few Common Moorhens skipped among the reedbeds.
Given the cool conditions, it was no surprise that sunbirds were scarce, though Collared and Amethyst made an appearance. The highlight of the walk, though, was the Black-throated Wattle-eye, clearly visible in the bush bordering the 2nd fairway.
Generally speaking, a pleasant walk on a cool morning yielded a satisfying 43 species:
Egyptian Goose
Yellow-billed Duck
Little Grebe
Hadada Ibis
Great Cormorant
Black Kite
Common Moorhen
Three-banded Plover
Red-eyed Dove
Hartlaub’s Turaco
Speckled Mousebird
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
White-headed Barbet
Black-throated Wattle-eye
Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
Black-backed Puffback
Tropical Boubou
Black-headed Oriole
African Paradise Flycatcher
Pied Crow
Plain Martin
Rock Martin
Red-rumped Swallow
Singing Cisticola
Black-collared Apalis
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Grey-capped Warbler
Grey-backed Camaroptera
Common Bulbul
Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
Olive Thrush
Ruppell’s Robin Chat
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
Collared Sunbird
Amethyst Sunbird
Variable Sunbird
Kenya Rufous Sparrow
Grosbeak Weaver
Baglafecht Weaver
Spectacled Weaver
Holub’s Golden Weaver
African Pied Wagtail
Streaky Seedeater
Good birding, John Dawson