Hello Birders,

The following is a late report of highlights from an all too short birding trip in Kenya beginning on the 22^nd Oct. All time was spent in the far southwest (Llambwe Valley & Gwassi Hills) and in areas around Nairobi (Thika – Kikuyu). Thanks to good company, and much appreciated support from friends and colleagues in Nairobi, it proved to be a rewarding trip. For further reference, various sound recordings and species lists are stored at xeno-canto.org and eBird respectively.

Overall diversity still seems good in Kenya but abundance of many species encountered seemed low.... no concentrations of anything greater than 500 (Little Swift) and 300 (Abdim’s Stork) individuals were encountered, no White Storks and only a single Wheatear the entire trip (a Pied in Nyanza). Numbers (though not richness) of birds of prey seemed lower than average throughout, as did bee-eaters and swallows (except Common House Martin). Seeing neither a Woodland nor Grey-headed Kingfisher anywhere, and only a single Striped was odd. In South Nyanza on a more positive note, a loose group of 17 European Rollers after a storm on the 31^st along the lake west of the Gwassi Hills, and single Red-backed and Lesser Grey Shrikes later the same day was interesting. European Bee-eaters in small flocks on most days as usual, and Blackcap and Garden Warblers in good numbers above 1600m. Willow Warblers and Spotted Flycatcher fairly abundant throughout with pockets of Tree Pipit and Golden Oriole here and there.

24^th (Ol Doinyo Sabuk); birding with Simon Carter, we found nesting Lead-coloured Flycatcher (still building) in the campsite at the gate and calling Purple-crested Turaco shortly beyond the park gate. In montane forest near the top were Lemon Dove (2 on the road and others singing nearby) and African Hill Babbler (2 birds counter singing). Typical hararensis Long-billed Pipit were common on the drier slopes below the forest. Rueppell’s Robin-chat were abundant and in fine form, mimicking a huge variety of species. Along the Chania about 14km below Blue Posts were a single hepatic Common Cuckoo, two Hinde’s Babblers, Fan-tailed Grassbird and Common Scimitarbill.

25^th (Karura Forest); with Simon Carter again, we heard and recorded an unseen raptor that sounds like Ovampo Sparrowhawk. A copy of the recording will be posted to xeno-canto.org shortly but in all respects it sounds identical to a bird recorded on the Langata/Magadi Road in the 70’s by A. Gregory (available here: http://sounds.bl.uk/Environment/AR-Gregory-Kenyan-bird-recordings).

27-30^th (Gwassi Hills); bird mapping with sharp-eyed NMK Interns Dominic Chesire and Yvonne Muhingi, mostly from 2100-2250m on the highest ridge. We found good raptor diversity with the following seen: Bat Hawk, African Goshawk, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Crowned Eagle (the resident pair), Ayres’s Hawk Eagle (two adults and a juvenile), Martial Eagle, Fish Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Common Buzzard, Long-crested Eagle, Harrier Hawk, Black Kite, Hobby, Lesser Kestrel, Common Kestrel, Lanner. Passerine diversity is generally poor at high elevations though we added African Hill Babbler, Pale Flycatcher, African Dusky Flycatcher and Red-headed Weaver to the Forest Reserve list. Western Citril is a fairly common resident in all areas above 1500m (sound recordings on xeno-canto) but apparently absent lower than this. All birds, males and females have the yellow forehead with none seen that look entirely black fronted as in kikuyuensis. At night up to six African Wood Owls were counter calling across several wooded valleys and slopes, with Spotted Eagle-Owl and Barn Owl in Magunga on the 26^th. Also on a high ridge in montane forest was a chameleon. The photo is attached here and suggestions as to id are welcome. Based on images in the Kenya reptile atlas it looks possibly like a Montane Side-striped Chameleon (Trioceros ellioti). I can be reached at james_bradley AT ymail.com if you have any thoughts.

30^th/31^st (Gwassi Foothills, south and west); continuing a clockwise circuit of Kisingiri with Dominic and Yvonne, an Eastern Plantain-eater near Nyandiwa was one of two seen in this area but nowhere else. In riverine, lakeshore forest at Nyangwethe (1150m) were singing Pallid Honeyguide and Cabanis’s Greenbul (these must be the only lakeside Cabanis’s in western Kenya?), and calling Little Greenbul. Also here were Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Blue Flycatcher, Little Sparrowhawk, Banded Snake-Eagle, juvenile African Goshawk and nesting Olive-bellied Sunbird. A nice find on a rocky lakeside hill just to the north was a pair of Rock Cisticolas (photo attached), with features and voice just like the Mara birds (though Brian may wish to comment) which are Cisticola emini emini.

2^nd Nov (Gatwamba Forest); lastly, a short morning visit to a small, isolated forest south of Gatamayu turned up lots of montane goodies but best of all a pair of nesting Abbott’s Starling. The cavity was very high in an enormous African Olive along a river, and the adults appeared to be feeding young.

Good birding,

James