NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 13th MARCH 2016

Dear All,
On 13th March Nigel Hunter, Fleur Ng’Weno, Marlene Reid and myself
were at Main Gate of Nairobi National Park at 6.40am, there was a
large number of people, particularly tourists also visiting the Park,
and revenue takings must have been healthy.

We first had a look at Ivory Burning Site with a Common Buzzard on the
way there. It was otherwise quiet for migrants, a couple of
Nightingales were calling, the most interesting thing was difficult to
get excited about, a fly-over calling Yellow-crowned Canary. The
notable feature of the record was that it was the first documented for
NNP, but it is quite common in the area, being resident at Langata
Link, a visitor to our paddock, common Kiserian to Champagne Ridge and
Corner Baridi, and resident in Karen including Nigel’s garden. It was
only a matter of time before a bird turned up. I wonder if it is
actually moving in to the Nairobi outskirts from the highlands.

The Thick-knees were not on the causeway, but there were a few birds
apart from the nesting Sacred Ibis at Nagalomon Dam. There was another
Nightingale and a Eurasian Reed Warbler calling on the causeway. On
the sand spit was a Fulvous Whistling-Duck a species that is becoming
increasingly rare in NNP and it is probably over a year since the last
record, along the edge of the reeds nearby were an adult Purple Heron
and the days only Swamphen. There were a number of adult and immature
Black-crowned Night-Herons but an adult Striated Heron was unusual
here. Four African Darters posed on the leafless trees, that were
crowned with an adult Fish Eagle. There were a dozen Wood Sandpipers
along the edge but nothing associating with them.