NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 14th February 2016

Nigel Hunter, Fleur Ng’Weno, Jennifer Oduore and myself met up at
6.45am at Langata Gate and were quickly and efficiently processed. We
first had a look in the forest, hearing Narina Trogons that would not
show themselves, and Emerald Cuckoo. Three immature Jacobin Cuckoos
were along the edge of the forest, and there was a reasonable variety
of woodland birds, as a result of the recent rain. With caution we
decided that some areas could be too muddy to reach, but it is amazing
how quickly it dries off. An adult and immature Little Grebes at
Forest Edge Dam were the only representatives today. Heading to
Nagalomon Dam was our only Common Buzzard of the day, whilst at the
dam it was a hive of activity from the Sacred Ibis colony, and the
Black-crowned Night-Herons were also flying around. A female-plumaged
Western Marsh Harrier was perched amongst the Ibis, and two Darters
were present, whilst at the highest point an adult Fish Eagle surveyed
the area.

At Ivory Burning Site there was a singing Thrush Nightingale, and a
number of Common Nightingales, but the best bird was a very bright
Icterine Warbler in full song. Along the back road to Hyena Dam there
were singing Marsh and Garden Warblers, but on arrival at the dam we
found that the water level was high and the swampy area inundated.
Nevertheless it was still entertaining with a female Saddle-billed
Stork, two African Spoonbill, two Squacco Heron, three Great Egret of
which one black-billed, two Yellow-billed Egrets, the usual pair of
Fish Eagles but sadly no sign of the Great Spotted Eagle. Five
Long-toed and a pair of Spur-winged Plover, two African Jacana, twenty
Wood and a dozen Green Sandpipers, several Sedge and a singing
Eurasian Reed Warbler and a brief visit by two Yellow-crowned Bishops.

Taking a circuit around Hyena Dam run-off, we had the first of eleven
Whinchats and first of three Rosy-breasted Longclaws, a detour to the
Mokoyeti Bridge rewarded with a Spotted Flycatcher and Brown Parisoma,
and a rest-stop at East Gate provided an attractive male Marico
Sunbird.

Crossing the grassland we had our only Secretarybird of the day, first
of three Tawny Eagles, a Kori Bustard, just two Banded Martins a the
occasional White-winged Widowbird. The flooded murrum pits provided
the only Wheatear of the day, a Northern.
A few vultures had arrived at the murrum pits at the top of Athi
Basin, with two Ruppell’s amongst the White-backs. Athi Dam was too
full, we had a pair of White-bellied Bustard on the way, but at the
dam were three White Stork, five Spur-winged Plovers, three Greenshank
and Common Sandpipers and two Little Stint.

On the Rhino Circuit was an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler and first of
five Willow Warblers, whilst at the oxbow shortly before Hippo Pools
was a nice Lesser Spotted Eagle perched in a dead tree. The inside
Maasai Gate Road provided the days only Common Whitethroat, and at
Kingfisher a few Eurasian Bee-eaters.

On returning via Hyena Dam there was an attractive African Water Rail
really enjoying a sun-bask next to the Causeway. Some six pairs of
Crowned Cranes were widespread, Barn Swallows were throughout, but
only in small numbers, and just four Quailfinch seen.

Mammals were numerous in the southern parts and along the Mbagathi River.

We were out through Langata Gate at 5.00pm having had a very nice time
and recording 180 species, also there were many tourists also enjoying
the Park today which is always good to see.

Best for now
Brian

   	


NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 19th February 2016

Dear All,
On 19th February Nigel Hunter and myself met Jeffrey James at Main
Gate at 6.45am. It’s three years since Jeffrey was last in Kenya and
wanted to revisit his favourite old haunt.

There had been no rain since the big dollop, and things were really
drying off fast, but after a week of cloudless skies, the clouds
rolling in showed that there was still moisture around and maybe we
could get some more.

Our first stop was Ivory Burning Site, on the way there was a Common
Buzzard and a singing Thrush Nightingale, whilst at the Site anything
up to ten Nightingales, and the first of three Garden Warblers. At
Nagalomon Dam the Sacred Ibis rookery was thronging, much to the
exclusion of anything else. Some fifteen or so Black-crowned
Night-Herons must have wished for ear-plugs! There was an immature
Purple Heron, and a White Stork amongst the Ibis, but only one Darter,
the first of three or four female-plumaged Western Marsh Harriers and
a single Swamphen. A single adult Fish Eagle perched aloft and seemed
oblivious of the Ibis activity.

We took the back road around to Hyena Dam which was unproductive, but
the Dam itself was very entertaining, with the resident pair of adult
Fish Eagles based in the tall acacia, and a pair of Martial Eagles,
birds were kept on the move and easier to see. A nice adult male
palearctic Little Bittern was in the reeds in front of us whilst we
breakfasted, the two Squacco Herons are still present, three Great
Egrets included the all black-billed bird, the pair of Saddle-billed
Storks are back together after the male has been AWOL for a while,
there was an immature Glossy Ibis and two African Spoonbills, and the
days only Red-billed Teal was here. The only African Water Rail was in
the western corner by the causeway, two adult African Jacanas, a
Black-winged Stilt, nine normal Long-toed Plovers in the air at one
time (where have they been hiding), and the southern white-winged bird
making a tenth, the pair of Spur-winged Plovers is still here. Some
twenty Wood, ten Green and a Common Sandpiper were the only
palearctics. There were a pair of Sedge Warblers along the causeway,
and it was from here that following a flushing of large birds we could
see that the Great Spotted Eagle is still present, but flying over the
reeds and dropping into them. This makes it rather inconspicuous, but
I have seen a bird at Naivasha doing exactly the same though in
papyrus.

We continued through the Hyena Dam run-off, detoured to the Mokoyeti
Bridge where the usual Spotted Flycatcher was present, and the only
bird see today, Red-faced Cisticola were singing at the river giving
us all ten Cisticolas, an immature Martial Eagle was near the old
nesting site, then we took the inside road to Eland Hollow Dam. On the
way was the only Black-shouldered Kite of the day, and the first for a
while, three Lesser Kestrels, the first of three Tawny Eagles, the
only Rosy-breasted Longclaw, and first of eight Whinchats whilst at
the dam were just pairs of White-faced Whistling-Ducks and African
Jacanas. In the valley on the way to Karen Primary School Dam apart
from an impressive Black Rhino, were a Kori Bustard and a pair of
Secretarybirds, a third bird was near Kingfisher. The flooded murrum
pits had the first of four Northern Wheatears, and the first of two
Pied Wheatears with a male in Athi basin.

It was quiet as we crossed the plains, although an immature Jacobin
Cuckoo flying over the open grass was a strange sight. The murrum pits
at the top of Athi Basin had a pair of African Spoonbills, and that
was it as we were too early for the drinking vultures.
Because Athi Dam has no outflow, unlike other dams, it is a full as
ever and there is extremely little shoreline. Eight White Storks were
in the grassland, the only Yellow-billed Stork of the day flew over,
an adult Fish Eagle was present, afrotropicals waders were sparse just
Three-banded, Blacksmiths and six Spur-winged Plovers, palearctic
waders were abysmal with four each of Little Stint and Greenshank and
two Common Sandpipers.

We drove towards old East Gate until the road was blocked by the
railway excavations just this side of the cement factory. Our only
Turkestan Shrike was along here, but little apart from four
Speckle-fronted Weavers. As we were now blocked off from the Acacia
mellifera habitat, we took the pipeline road down to the Mbagathi
River, finding four Violet Wood-Hoopoes, one of which was an extremely
short all black-billed bird that could not have long been out of the
nest, a d’Arnaud’s Barbet and two Black-faced Waxbills.

Having lunch on the Rhino Circuit was very quiet, but there was an
attractive adult Black Stork, and single calling Olivaceous and Willow
Warblers. Now continuing westwards along the southern road, we
relocated last Sundays Lesser Spotted Eagle in the vulture nesting
trees below Baboon Cliffs, and a pale Booted Eagle was also in this
area. From here it was quiet until we took the inside road to Maasai
Gate where we found what looks like a hybrid Turkestan/Red-backed
Shrike. Unfortunately the image does not show the tail features. The
underside of the tail is white (which can be seen) and from the
upperside the inner tail was blackish, and the outer three or so pairs
were rusty. The rump was all grey contrasting with the tail as in a
normal Red-backed. Most of the head was pale grey, but the forehead
was rufous suggesting Turkestan rather than Isabelline. There was no
pale supercilium above the mask, nor any white on the wing. The
upperparts were greyish but with warmer rusty intrusion, underparts
were white with rosy flush on the flanks, and faint scaling which is
probably the last of immature plumage. Most of these features suggest
that the bird is more Red-backed than Red-tailed. We also heard but
could not see Eurasian Bee-eaters here.

Kingfisher was very quiet, and as we climbed the escarpment to the
Kisembe Forest it too was very quiet, the Forest edge dam had an adult
and immature Little Grebes, and the Crowned Cranes here are still
incubating. Hippogrebe Dam had 25 Wood Sandpipers but on the way there
we met a large Black Rhino on the road which crashed off into the
forest.

It was a very good day recording 185 species, 186 with some Red-backed
Shrike dna!
Apart from the incubating Crowned Cranes, we encountered three pairs
with chicks, with the pair on Hyena Dam run-off having three. Two
other pairs were seen, that did not reveal any offspring. Barn
Swallows were widespread in small numbers and no concentrations, and a
few Quailfinch were in the southern parts of the Park. One point of
interest was that there seemed to be an unusual number of Grey Herons
compared to normal.

Most mammals were in the southern parts, and at Kingfisher, although
Kongoni were more widespread.

We were through Langata Gate at 5.00pm having had a very rewarding
day, it’s just amazing how this relatively small Park just has such a
variety and such interesting birds. Again for its size it is quite
likely the richest bird fauna in East Africa and a safe haven for a
long list of endangered wildlife, long may it remain so.

Best to all
Brian

KEY TO IMAGE

TOP LEFT ICTERINE WARBLER, BOTTOM RIGHT HYBRID SHRIKE, MIDDLE LESSER
SPOTTED EAGLE.