Hi everyone,

I agree that this is not a Nightingale but I don't think it's a Whitethroat either, although I agree that there is something quite Sylvia-like about the bird based on these images alone. I have communicated previously with Darcy on what I believe this bird to be and have been waiting to see what others thought the mystery bird could be.

I think this bird is a juvenile Red-faced Cisticola and if you take look at these images I took in Tanzania a few years back (hence grainy pics) I hope you see the similarity. In my earlier correspondence to Darcy, I sent some images of juveniles from west of the region that showed pinkish legs but in this East African bird, the yellow legs can clearly be seen. I remember at the time - back in 2008 when I was still in my first year in the region - that I was completely stumped by the bird and it was only chance view of the adult engaging with the juvenile that helped me put the pieces together. Despite being fairly terrestrial, the bird behaved quite like an Acrocephalus and somewhat resembled one too.

Features to look at:

Yellowish legs

Extensive yellow on basal half of the lower mandible

Black culmen with yellow cutting edge (upper mandible)

Black beady eye with a white eye ring

White throat

Pale underside but no sign of grey wash

Buffy flanks

Fairly uniform chocolate-brown upperparts including tail which shows no suggestion of white on tail -  as a Whitethroat would

Given that the line directly below the image on Darcy's original email reads "Red-faced Cisticolas have been very vocal" I think this gives some additional weight to my hypothesis.

I welcome feedback, comments and, maybe, correction.

Cheers

Adam

On Wed, 28 Nov 2018 at 10:34, Graeme Backhurst graeme.backhurst@gmail.com [kenyabirdsnet] <kenyabirdsnet-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

Third and fourth images

Colin is right (but not sure about it being a 1st winter), this is a screen shot blow-up:

Cheers,

Graeme

On 28 Nov 2018, at 04:03, Colin Jackson colin.jackson@arocha.org [kenyabirdsnet] <kenyabirdsnet-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hi Darcy...

Nice records! 

Third/fourth images are of a warbler - looks to me like a first year Common Whitethroat - eye too small for a Nightingale / Sprosser and not dark brown enough above. The rounded crown and steeper forehead and slightly thicker bill would be good for a Sylvia warbler, not an Acro. Yellowish legs also fit for Whitethroat... 

Hornbills have also become more scarce here in Watamu, actually - this is where the Kenya Bird Map data is really going to show this up starkly - though for this to be possible we need regular and frequent repeat cards from the same pentads as well as cards from new pentads. 

Also for the kingfishers - again the atlas will be able to show these sorts of movements very nicely when we have enough people contributing. 

Right now the Afrotropical migrants from the south are departing / have left - Red-capped Robin Chats left us this past week (my atlas card this week was the first without a Red-capped for many months) and similarly Mangrove Kingfisher seems to have left. Yellowbills are still around but fewer - and this will be picked up and highlighted by the atlas by their ranking coming much further down the list than a few weeks back when they were commonly heard. VERY sweet data being gathered by the Kenya Bird Map - and if anyone out there is keen to do some analysis of them, they are freely available from the project. 

If anyone would like to contribute to the atlassing - which is a heck of a lot of fun as well! - please ask Sidney to register you on kenyabirdmap@naturekenya.org

Colin

On 26/11/2018 20:47, Darcy Ogada ogada.darcy@peregrinefund.org [kenyabirdsnet] wrote:

 

Hi all, 

I thought I'd report on some interesting sightings and non-sightings in Thika of late. 

Yesterday, this Levaillant's Cuckoo was one of my first visitors.  I am struggling to recall the last time I saw one in Thika.  I believe I have, but not anytime recently. 

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An interesting photo, was this of a Spur-winged Goose that clearly shows its spurs in flight.  I have never been close enough, or at the correct angle to notice them before. 

<image.png>

A week ago I had this visitor, and I think I am correct in saying it is a Nightingale and not it's near twin.  But please correct me if I am wrong. 

<image.png>

<image.png>

  

Red-faced Cisticolas have been very vocal.  

There was a Eurasian Scops Owl on 9 Nov, also in Thika, but not at my house.  It was dragged into a house by a cat, and very unfortunately it only survived for about 48 hrs.

Also, Pygmy Kingfishers are around. Last year about this time, Don Turner kindly set me straight on this species when I found a dead juvenile. He explained is was the northern nominate form which does come south from the Northern Tropics at this time of the year.  I hadn't realized they were migratory.  Fascinating little birds!

In terms of non-sightings, I have not seen or heard a Trumpeter Hornbill in well over one year.  Please let me know if others in Thika are still seeing this bird.  I still occasionally see Silvery-cheekeds, but even these are much rarer. 

Cheers, Darcy

Darcy Ogada

Assistant Director of Africa Programs 
+254-722-339366
P.O. Box 1629-00606

•

Nairobi 

•

Kenya

The Coexistence Co-Op

Graeme Backhurst

2 Reeds Cottages

Windmill Lane

Faversham

Kent ME13 7GT

+44 (0) 1795 534 943

+44 (0) 7523 699 599

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