Hi James, Adam etc,
I visited Kakamega Forest regularly from 1969-75, and once in 1978. From 1970 on I mist-netted and ringed birds at the old rest-house, and occasionally near Bondo. From 1972-75 I used a site just over the border in Nandi District on land owned by the Kaimosi Agricultural Centre. Here I ringed once a month (12:00 to 12:00, usually Sat-Sun) with the same nets in the same sites.
There were then 6 species of Andropadus greenbul known from the area:
(1) Shelley's masukuensis/kakamegae (now Arizelocichla)
(2) Yellow-whiskered latirostris (now Eurillas)
(3) Little virens (now Eurillas)
(4) Little Grey gracilis (now Eurillas)
(5) Ansorge's ansorgei (now Eurillas)
(6) Cameroon Sombre/Plain curvirostris (now Eurillas)
1, 2, 3 & 6 were common to abundant judging both from net captures & visual observations.
During those years I was convinced that I saw 5 only once, but did catch a pair at the rest-house in 1978 (unfortunately the ringing details for my trip that year are not stored with the rest of my ringing data, and will require a substantial search).
I thought I saw 4 on only a few occasions, and that was after I managed to differentiate their call from that of 6. Both give a 'chum-vee' call, with second syllable rising), but Little Grey is slightly higher-pitched. I think that both these calls were taped and were given to BLOWS (now Sound Archive of British Library). I captured three Little Greys, 1 on 24 Jan 1973, 1 on 18 Jun 1973. Their wings were 70-71mm (Cameroon Sombre >74, usually above 80mm); weights 18.2-19.5g (Cameroon Sombre > 24g).
Are there no skins in Nairobi Museum, or Tring from Kenya.
Incidentally, I note that Mountain Illadopsis is now known from rest-house area. In my days in only occurred in the slightly higher elevation of my Kaimosi site.
Hope this is some help.
Clive Mann
Hi Adam and nice report. There were indeed two Pied Flycatchers in the KFS compound at Kakamega on the morning of the 29th, which were photographed. Other nice birds were several calling Red-chested Owlets and Buff-spotted Flufftails through the night of the 30th. A calling Grey-chested Illadopsis along the stream at the pumhouse was a nice addition to the day list. Very interesting to hear you had a Pied Fly in Nandi Forest too.
I'm curious as to the Little Grey Greenbul though. Having listened to many hours of audio from Kakamega, as well as a good deal of field obs too, I firmly believe this species does not occur in Kakamega, if it ever did.
It seems the field characteristics for separation from Ansorge's are thin at best, and the rattle call attributed to the species on the EA App actually belongs to Ansorge's. Several times I've watched an Ansorge's sing, only to then give that same rattle call. This was also the finding of Caroline McBride in recordings on the Macaulay Library, and her ear is almost second to none. The birds fast jerky song with ascending terminal note is absent from the Kakamega soundscape. Incidentally, the rattle call also does not sound like the bird in West Africa. That Dale Zimmerman was unable to find any clear ecological segregation between the presumed two forms is another nail in the coffin for me.
Can anyone provide definitive evidence that Little Grey occurs in Kakmega? Where are the purported old specimens?
Best Wishes, James