Karen Country Club bird walk, 23 January 2015
On a glorious, sunny, mild morning, myself, Alastair Campbell, Karen Plumbe, Sarah Chiles and Barb Schlegel set off to explore the avian delights of Karen Country Club. The first sighting was a Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, and other “big birds” were to follow.
The wetlands were alive with birds, and it was hard to know where to look next. We had clear views of Tropical Boubou, Rueppell’s Robin Chat, Willow Warbler and African Citril, and a good sighting of a Grey-headed Kingfisher was soon followed by a Giant Kingfisher flying across the reedbeds. Two Grey Crowned Cranes flew past emitting their distinctive call. The highlight, though, was an immature Purple Heron, the first sighting of that species for Karen Club.
At the dams, the usual Reed Cormorant, Common Sandpiper and Three-banded Plovers were joined by three Black-winged Stilts, which treated us to a flying display, and a single Green Sandpiper, the first of the season at that site. And intriguingly, there were two Yellow-billed Ducks sitting next to each other in perfect light, at the same angle to the sun, one with an obvious green speculum and the other with an obvious blue speculum. I am convinced there are real differences out there, and not just tricks of the light.
On our walk, a number of the “usuals” were strangely absent – no Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, or Hamerkop, or Great Cormorant, or barbets, or Streaky Seedeater. But we did get excellent views of a flock of 20+ Rock Martins mixed with some Plain Martins, as well as Hartlaub’s Turaco, Cape Robin Chat and Pale Flycatcher.
The total of 48 species was very satisfying, and we thoroughly deserved our bacon and egg baps washed down with coffee.
Birds seen and heard on Karen Club bird walk, 13 February 2015
Egyptian Goose
Yellow-billed Duck
Little Grebe
Sacred Ibis
Hadada Ibis
Purple Heron
Reed Cormorant
Black Kite
Black Crake
Grey Crowned Crane
Black-winged Stilt
Three-banded Plover
Green Sandpiper
Common Sandpiper
Red-eyed Dove
Hartlaub’s Turaco
Speckled Mousebird
Grey-headed Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
Black-backed Puffback
Tropical Boubou
Black-headed Oriole
African Paradise Flycatcher
Pied Crow
Plain Martin
Rock Martin
Lesser Striped Swallow
Singing Cisticola
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Grey-backed Camaroptera
Common Bulbul
Willow Warbler
Olive Thrush
Cape Robin Chat
Ruppell’s Robin Chat
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Collared Sunbird
Bronze Sunbird
Variable Sunbird
Kenya Rufous Sparrow
Grosbeak Weaver
Baglafecht Weaver
Spectacled Weaver
Holub’s Golden Weaver
African Pied Wagtail
African Citril
(48 species)