NNP - Global Big Day and lone Bateleur

Hi birders,

I was in the park on Saturday with Marco Pruiksma, Jennifer Oduori and Fleur Ng'weno for the Global Big Day. Among the birds seen were a handful of Palearctic migrants - 3 Lesser Grey Shrikes, a Red-backed Shrike and a few Barn Swallows. Black-shouldered Kites are now fairly common - a stark contrast to the situation before the rains. A Jacobin Cuckoo near Hippo Pools was also a nice sighting. Other cuckoos were Diederik, Klaas's, Red-chested and African Emerald. Red-collared Widowbirds were all over the plains while White-winged and Jackson's Widowbirds were only seen in the south-western grasslands around Kingfisher. Yellow-crowned Bishops in breeding plumage were busy displaying at the numerous seasonal marshes. Black-crowned Night Herons, African Darters, Reed Cormorants and Sacred Ibis are nesting in good numbers on their usual clump of trees at Nagolomon Dam. Shorebirds in general were virtually absent from the park as there are almost no 'shores' on any of the dams.

Something curious I've noted is that every sighting of a Bateleur that I have had in Nairobi National Park over the past couple of years has been of a single adult male. No females at all. It's well known that a pair has historically nested in the park for a long time but I wonder if the female is now dead or has dispersed for some reason (or if it's just pure chance that I keep seeing the male). Has anyone here seen a female Bateleur (or even a juv/imm) in NNP or any nearby areas over the last 2 years or so?

Best regards,
Sidney

Sidney Shema

Ornithologist. Safari Guide. Wildlife Photographer

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