Hi all,

Inspired by Fleur's posting on Dakatcha, I thought I would relate what Martin Odino and I saw over the past 10 days around Marsabit.

We were working about 20 kms east of Marsabit, in the lowlands.  The rains were intense and according to the locals they had already received more rain than they had in many years.  The rains also brought out the 'Jaldesa bloodsuckers'.  These large 'flies' that most resembled tsetse flies in size and behaviour, but were yellow like bees made fieldwork a challenge.  They swarmed and bit us everyday from 10am onwards.  We don't know what they were but the locals said they can disappear as soon as they come.  They apparently come with the rains, as we hadn't encountered them before.  We would be curious if anyone can identify them.

We had mostly small numbers of migrants passing north including, Eurasian bee-eaters, Eurasian cuckoos, Abdim's storks, Eurasian hobbies, spotted flycatcher, Eurasian golden oriole, Western marsh harrier, barn swallow, willow warbler and common rock thrush.

Common birds in the area were black-throated barbet, Somali bunting, pale prinia, Eastern yellow-billed hornbill, the white version of variable sunbirds, Dodson's bulbuls, banded parisoma, Somali crombec, Chestnut-bellied sandgrouse.

Raptors were well represented: Martial eagle, African hawk eagle, Pearl-spotted owlet, Greyish eagle owl, African scops owl, most all the vulture species including White-headed and Egyptian, Lanner and Peregrine falcon, Shikra, Gabar, Pale chantings.

Freckled nightjars were heard calling most nights.

One of the more interesting places due to the recent rains was the flat lowland area between Laisamis and Log Logo.  It was full of lesser kestrels, a nesting pair of tawny eagles, a displaying Kori bustard, and Eurasian rollers.

Sadly the newly tarmacked road continues to lead to high numbers of road kills.  Species we have seen in recent trips include aardwolf, bat-eared fox, tawny eagle, jackal, spotted hyena, monitor lizard, and hedgehog.

Lapsett is planned to wreak havoc on some of the beautiful landscapes near Marsabit.  The Marsabit forest remains vitally important to the whole of the northern region. It should be saved at all costs.

Cheers, Darcy