NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 12th DECEMBER 2015

Dear All,
This is Nairobi National Parks darkest hour. A couple of years ago
when President Kenyatta and the Chinese Premier hosted the ceremonial
burning of Elephant and Rhinoceros ivory at Ivory Burning Site, they
revealed a monument pledging joint efforts to protect the wildlife for
future generations. At this time it appears that they were also
negotiating a deal to construct a railway line right through the Park
causing major excision of a large part. It would seem duplicity on the
part of the Kenya Government to show to the world that it was serious
in protecting wildlife and the environment, whilst at the same time
planning the demise of one of the countries most important wildlife
centres. We can only hope that they see the error of this judgement,
and find the alternative wholly outside of NNP.

The projected intrusion will cut a great swathe through the northern
parts from Ole Sereni Hotel, through Hyena Dam, through Nagalomon Dam,
through Kisembe Forest, through Kingfisher Picnic Site and exit near
the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage. All of the above named will be
changed forever, whether through the massive irrecoverable destruction
during construction, the loss of habitat and the disturbance to
wildlife caused by high speed trains speeding through the Park.

Hyena Dam, Nagalomon Dam and the Kisembe and Mokoyeti Rivers are the
water sources that keep the Park alive, the construction will alter
the water catchment of the Park and affect the entire western area.
Hyena and Nagalomon Dams are the most important wetlands for birds as
well as Hippos and other wildlife in the entire Park.

The Kisembe Forest is the most important area for globally Critically
Endangered Black Rhinoceros as well as the most important area for the
very local Brachylaena and Olive forest in Kenya, which has all but
disappeared outside of its borders. The face that the Kenya Government
will be showing to the world is that it has no concern about the
continued existence of Black Rhinos in Kenya, and that any resemblance
to caring for the environment is merely façade.
The Kisembe Forest has a good variety of birds, and is now the major
area of White-backed Vulture breeding in East Africa. This is now a
critically endangered species, poised on the brink of extinction.
Notwithstanding that the forested areas along the Kisembe River is
without doubt the most scenically beautiful part of the entire Park.

The Nairobi Pipit Anthus kisembensis, is found nowhere else in the
world, other than in this forest which is why its scientific name
bears the name of the forest and river. Ocassionally found in IUCN,
the population is endemic to Kisembe Ridge with the eastern limit just
beyond Ivory Burning Site. This entire species range is along the
proposed path for the railway. It may have been more widespread at one
time, but now has its only refuge in the Kisembe Forest, and only a
handful of pairs. No bird on the planet faces such a dire threat to
their continued existence, and its disappearance will be a suppurating
stain on the reputation of Kenya, as a country dedicated to the
protection of wildlife, …for ever.

The dams in the glades around Kisembe Forest hold several pairs of the
Globally threatened Grey Crowned Cranes, fast disappearing throughout
their range as the habitat is changed, Nairobi National Park is a very
important and currently secure breeding habitat for this iconic
species with very high breeding success rate.

Returning to Vultures, throughout the range of the species the decline
in numbers over the past ten years has been between 90-95%. Everywhere
that is except for Nairobi National Park. Over these same ten years in
spite of the tumbling numbers of these once common birds, NNP has
remained stable. The vultures are still a common species, many pairs
successfully raise young in the Kisembe Forest requiring the tall
trees for nesting. The importance as a refuge for this species cannot
be overemphasised, the construction of the railway line, is this going
to be the nail in the coffin of White-backed Vulture in East Africa?

On 12th December, I saw fourteen Ruppell’s Griffon Vultures together
which is a very encouraging sight. This species has suffered the same
fate as White-backed with 95% drop in numbers. In Kenya one of the
only two colonies at Hell’s Gate, has all but disappeared through
disturbance to the breeding site. Fourteen now represents a large
percentage of the birds that exist, and whilst they do not breed in
the Park, it is obviously an exceedingly important feeding refuge for
them. In other National Parks where vultures where once a common site,
very few to none are reported now.

The gravity of the situation facing continued existence of all of
these species thanks to the sanctuary of Nairobi National Park must
not be taken lightly.

The disturbance of the wildlife to the high-speed trains within the
Park cannot be calculated, but will certainly have a very drastic
series of repercussions that will detrimentally and adversely affect
them. Visitors to the Park will have to endure the sight and sounds
associated with the intrusion, the peaceful ambience will be shattered
never to return. The Park will receive fewer visitors as its
reputation as an eyesore with diminishing wildlife will
internationally pervade, and what then?

Should you be able to contribute in making this a globally aware
crisis, please do endeavour to circulate because the Kenya Government
must be stopped from taking this huge step which will irreversibly
threaten the very existence of globally endangered species, as well as
the iconic Nairobi National Park itself.

Now the latest news……..

At 6.40am Nigel Hunter and myself entered Nairobi National Park
through the Langata Gate where we rapidly completed the formalities
and were in the Park in no time having been expertly processed. There
had been no rain in a week, and everything was returning back to
normal enabling us to reach all the intended destinations. Throughout
the Park there was abundant verdant and tall pasture. Most of the day
was bright and sunny, getting hotter in the afternoon just before
there were a few heavy but brief showers.

Our first stop was the Vlei near the entrance, the grass was a bit
high for swamp species, although twenty Wood Sandpipers were present
and at least one Yellow Wagtail. Whilst looking at the open area, we
also found a Blackcap and two Willow Warblers in the bushes. There was
nothing at all on Hippogrebe Pond, when we continued the small circuit
back to the Kisembe bridge through the forest, our passage was
temporarily blocked by an enormous Black Rhinoceros which trotted off
into the bush, instantly fading from view.

There was also nothing on the Langata Dam, although the days only
Common Whitethroat was along the road, and descending to Nagalomon Dam
we had our first of four Tawny Eagles, the first of two Bateleurs, and
first of four pairs of Grey Crowned Cranes. At the dam there was a
great deal of Sacred Ibis activity where the birds were nest building,
the Black-crowned Night-Herons which might also be nesting were more
discrete. In the typha was a female Little Bittern of unknown race,
and scattered Wood and Green Sandpipers along the margin. A Spotted
Thick-knee was back in the usual spot on the drift and from here to
the adjacent Ivory Burning Site there was a pale Booted Eagle (what
was probably the same bird was seen twice more during the morning).
This is my first for the season, and I have not heard of others. As a
visitor it is nearly two months late. In the bushes were several
Nightingales, a brief Spotted Flycatcher which was the only one today,
and a couple of Eurasian Bee-eaters with sunning Klaas’ Cuckoo and
male Variable Sunbird for close company (see image), and one Eastern
Honeybird was also present.

Taking the back road to Hyena Dam, there was a Sprosser singing along
the road in thick cover, but little else, nor was there actually much
on the new swamp, but Hyena Dam whilst it has lost some recent species
was still interesting. In the duck line were four White-faced
Whistling-Duck and a pair of Red-billed Teal, whilst wading birds
included the only African Spoonbill for the day, and although no
egrets other than Cattle, there were three Squacco Herons which could
very well be the first time three have been seen together in the Park.
Waders were few, apart from numerous Wood and Green Sandpipers there
were no other palearctic species, but the dam still held the five
Long-toed and three Spur-winged Plovers and two African Jacanas. The
days only Darter was flying over, they seem to have been displaced by
the crowding Sacred Ibis on Nagalomon Dam. Other birds were two
African Fish Eagles, two Purple Swamphen, though after the extravert
show last week, African Water Rails were neither seen nor heard, the
typha held two Sedge Warblers, one of which was in remarkably good
voice.

We drove around to the Mokoyeti Bridge, where in the acacia woodland
were several Eurasian Bee-eaters, a noisy pair of Red-faced Cisticolas
(all ten species were seen again this week), a Brown Parisoma and the
only other Willow Warbler of the day. Continuing to Olmanyi Dam, the
only species was our only Little Grebe, and heading round to
Kingfisher were the only two Whinchats found today, but it was quite
quiet.

By the burnt area were three confiding Shelley’s Francolins, but no
hoped for migrants here, and the murrum pits near Maasai Gate gave us
the first of only two Northern Wheatears, and first of five Turkestan
Shrikes. We stopped for lunch by the Mbagathi River below the Baboon
Cliffs, and the first Hildebrandt’s Francolin for a long time was
calling, although I hear they are regular at Emma-Coco just outside
the Park. The days only Common Buzzard was here and a couple of
Long-billed Pipits. On the flooded ford near the Mbagathi was an
attractive adult Striated Heron.

The vulture-bathing pools above Athi Dam had just four White-backs but
it was too early for the main arrival, Horace Hippo was here but the
only bird was a Greenshank that seems to be here permanently.
Continuing on to Athi Dam was another Shelley’s Francolin, single
White-bellied and Hartlaub’s Bustards, a male Pied Wheatear and the
numerous open grassland species. Red-collared and Jackson’s are in
good numbers almost throughout the Park, but White-winged are very
scarce at present. Rosy-breasted Longclaws are also quite numerous and
we had three Pangani Longclaws. Athi Dam was accessible, and some mud
is starting to appear, there was a solitary White Stork, two Fish
Eagles that were not the birds seen at Hyena Dam in the morning, some
six Spur-winged and two Kittlitz’s Plovers, but with them a moulting
adult Little Ringed Plover, with seven Greenshank and four Common
Sandpipers.

We looked at Rhino Circuit but did not find anything of note, then
continued to Cheetah Gate as far as the fallen Electricity Cable
across the road. Many vultures were congregating on the tops of trees
along the river, a remarkable sight of fourteen Ruppell’s Vultures
closely huddled amongst the White-backs. Nairobi National Park is very
likely the single most important refuge for these two vultures whose
populations continue to drop out of sight. Also it is fairly certain
that more White-backed Vultures nest in NNP that anywhere else in East
Africa (if not Africa), and they are very successful here.
Three Open-billed Storks were feeding in a flooded lugga, a Eurasian
Hobby appeared after the first shower, then a Kori Bustard was along
the roadside, one Laughing Dove was associating with Ring-necks, a
pair of African Hoopoes were cavorting, a pair of Red-and-Yellow
Barbets were duetting, and a pair of d’Arnaud’s Barbets were seen,
(all seven Barbet species were recorded today), the only Red-backed
Shrike of the day was a male, a Speckle-fronted Weaver was carrying
nest material, a stunning breeding pair of Lesser Masked Weavers fed
in acacia mellifera, and the days only Tree Pipit looked out of place
on top of an acacia mellifera as well.

Time now to return to Main Entrance, near the beacon in the grassy
valley an male Amur Falcon was attacking a female Montagu’s Harrier,
both male and female Pallid Harriers were skimming over the swathe,
the only Black-shouldered Kite today was here, and a pair of
Lappet-faced Vultures posed on a Balanites. A check of both Karen PC
Dam and Eland Hollow failed to produce, but nearby on the more
recently burnt area (last year) were three Temminck’s Coursers. A last
stop at Hyena Dam before leaving resulted in a Lesser Kestrel flying
by, what looked like last weeks female Western Marsh Harrier was
hunting over the area, but the nicest find was an adult Great Spotted
Eagle which is almost certainly the bird that lived here early in the
year from January to March.

Barn Swallows were scattered but no large concentrations, only a few
pairs of Lesser Striped Swallows and not many Red-rumped. The
grasslands are teaming with small Cisticolas with Desert being heard
throughout, but of course Pectoral-patch greatly outnumbered them.
However the commonest bird of the day was in all likelihood Siffling
Cisticola, which come out of the woodwork when breeding season in
here, although undoubtedly present all year. The total number of
species recorded today was 207, though some amazingly common birds
were just never encountered. Just to put the Parks diversity into
perspective, last Saturday we recorded a staggering 51 species not
recorded today!!!

We were through the gate at 5.40pm having had a superb day albeit with
a slow start.

Mammals were largely along the Mbagathi, and as is usual many had left
the Park after the rains. Last week the place appeared full of Eland,
but today we did not see one! The only Lion was right near the Hippo
Pools. A Serval crept through long grass near Maasai Gate, and Suni
were plentiful in the forest, although repeatedly reported as
Dik-Diks!

Best to all
Brian

MONTAGE FOR 12TH DECEMBER 2015-12-12

TOP LEFT
An amazingly colourful assemblage of unrelated species at Ivory Burning Site.
(Eurasian Bee-eater, Klaas’ Cuckoo and Variable Sunbird.

TOP MIDDLE
Unusual front view of female African Hoopoe.

TOP RIGHT
Welcome back to the adult Great Spotted Eagle!

BOTTOM LEFT
Part of the congregation of globally important numbers of Ruppell’s Vultures.

BOTTOM MIDDLE
Moulting adult Little Ringed Plover at Athi Dam.

BOTTOM RIGHT
Croaking Cisticola male with diagnostically heavy bill.