Re: [KENYABIRDSNET] NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 12th DECEMBER 2015 & NAIROBI NATIONAL PARKS DARKEST HOUR

Hi Brian

this is awful . Lets hope another of the options is chosen .

Mike

From: mailto:kenyabirdsnet-noreply@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, December 14, 2015 7:14 AM

Cc: Swara Editor ; FoNNaP Kenya ; Paula Kahumbu ; birdfinch@gmail.com

Subject: [KENYABIRDSNET] NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 12th DECEMBER 2015 & NAIROBI NATIONAL PARKS DARKEST HOUR

> 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.
>