Season's greetings!

Jamhuri day found David Guarnieri and I at the University of Nairobi Kabete campus.   After a 7am start, we were headed back to my place for coffee around 9.45, when David spotted a small raptor atop one of the power-poles in the experimental fields between the fish ponds and Kabete dam.

We approached cautiously, taking a series of photos as we went.  Initial impression was of a Hobby, though further study of the photos had us confused because of the largely white facial pattern and rufous nape patches (see pics attached).  The bird did a couple of circuits of the fields and adjoining woodland, returning once or twice to the same perch, giving us good views, and a few pics, of upper and undersides of the wings.  Flight was fast and direct, though it failed to catch any prey while we watched.  After about five minutes it flew away in a WSW direction.   More pics can be viewed on our list for the morning at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S41042492 

James Bradley and Simon Thomsett have both confirmed from the photos that it was indeed an African Hobby -  thin long wings, unicoloured underwing, lightly streaked underside, long tail, rufous patches on nape, second moustachial stripe behind ear - for which many thanks.

James indicated that this is the first record known to him in Nairobi since Sept 2009. 

Having birded the UoN campus and dam area since the mid 1990’s, and especially over the past six years, I continue to marvel at what shows up in this area.  A group of us found a female Nubian woodpecker there in August, and of course, the Hinde’s Pied Babblers continue to be sighted from time to time.  I expect that, as the indigenous trees (planted by the U o N on the SW slopes of the dam) mature, yet more surprises will be found.

Regards, 

Simon Carter/David Guarnieri