NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 4TH JANUARY 2019

Dear All,
Nigel Hunter, his grandson Dillon and myself arrived at the Main
Entrance to Nairobi National Park at 6.40am. The road had been clear
in spite of it being a Friday, but the weather was dark and gloomy and
it had rained the previous night.

There were not many people ahead of us in the queue to get the ticket
organised, but it was made up of groups of residents, there were
delays in processing with so many queries and all entrance being
checked against ID’s and not all travellers were in the office and had
to be sought etc. The four groups processing ahead of us took 40
minutes, we took two. However it was still dark and gloomy, so we
decided to have a look around the car park before going in. This gave
us a few birds not seen the rest of the day such as Brown-backed
Woodpecker, the two Willow Warblers constituted the only migrant
warblers we were to see all day and Northern Double-collared Sunbird
which when I think of it, apart from KWS Mess I have never seen after
going through the gates, though common enough to see at both Main and
Langata Gates! It seems remarkably tied to people in NNP.

Entering the Park it was so gloomy and dark, and now there were drops
of misty rain to make conditions for seeing difficult and hearing,
well there wasn’t anything happy enough to be singing! By the time we
had reached Ivory Burning Site we had a temporary brighter spell, and
the Zanzibar Greenbul woke up. A few Nightingales were also calling
and singing. Sitting on the ivory mounds were a stunning pair of
Lesser Striped Swallows back in full plumage (see image), they were a
welcome return after their absence to parts unknown, and thinking that
there would have been a major return, we were wrong, these were the
only of their kind.

Nagalomon Causeway was silent, and there was not much going on the
dam, the only migrant waders were five Black-winged Stilts, there was
a Squacco Heron in partial breeding plumage, a Great Egret, four
Darters with few Long-tailed Cormorants, the pair of Fish Eagles were
in residence, and the first of about ten Black-winged Kites appeared.
We also had the first of three Martial Eagles, and nothing of any note
amongst the passerines. Another drizzle started as we set off the back
way to Hyena Dam, there was an immature brown and woolly-headed Black
Stork but the bill and legs were bright red. This makes this a readily
recognised individual, the only Common Snipe of the day was on the
swampy area, the first of eleven Grey Crowned Cranes, sixteen Speckled
Pigeons were on the balconies, first two of just three Whinchats, and
very nice gathering of fifty Eurasian Bee-eaters, first of just two
Turkestan Shrikes, the Red-faced Cisticola was singing, and a few
Red-collared Widowbirds. Around the dam were ten Black-winged Stilts,
five Long-toed Plovers, two Green, twenty Wood and two Common
Sandpipers and a Ruff, the only Yellow Wagtail; a female flava type
was also here.

Continuing along the Mokoyeti we found an adult Black Stork, and
circling around back up to Nagalomon Dam we continued to Kingfisher.
An African Water Rail was on the swamp, but there were many picnickers
at the Picnic Site and we recorded nothing. The inside road at Maasai
Gate was now very slippery but we got through and saw the first of two
Secretarybirds today, also several Pangani Longclaws were along here.
The Pallid Honeyguide was in full voice in its fig at the Mokoyeti
Causeway, and not in the slightest put off by the weather. The
handsome Striated Heron also sat tightly on his regular perch.

At the woodland above Hippo Pools a female Irania was the only bird we
saw there, it was otherwise deserted, we called in at the Ox-bow,
where there were no waders that were hoped for, the days only African
Spoonbill so far was here, but the Parks second-only White Wagtail
entertained us during the next heavy shower (see images). It was
unusual in being in winter plumage on the head and in breeding plumage
from throat downwards, as this was the 4th January things were not
right and I sought advice on what was happening with the birds moult
timetables to be so out of alignment. Clive Mann kindly sent the
details with images and query to the Natural History Museum in UK,
which was very speedily answered by Hein Van Grouw, and this is as
follows confirming that there is indeed something wrong with the moult
patterns.

"Hard to tell from the photos only, what is going on with this Wagtail but I
assume, as Brian already suggested, that this bird has a ‘disturbed’
moulting pattern and therefore already shows (partly) breeding plumage.

I cannot think of any (heritable) melanin aberration which could cause this
plumage pattern.

All the best

Hein"

The heavy rain made access to Rhino Circuit impassable, but along the
edge we had two Spotted Flycatchers, a Banded Parisoma and a few other
woodland species, and a Steppe Eagle sat on a treetop, (see image). We
drove along to the Pipeline, the heavy rain also made uncomfortable
going and having found a Pied Wheatear, a dozen Chestnut Sparrows, and
the days only Speckle-fronted Weaver we turned back. Then we found
that no matter what access road we tried to get to Athi Dam, all were
impassably slimy and too much of a risk.

In the afternoon it got brighter, Shelley’s Francolins started
calling, a stunning male Pallid Harrier flew by, a few Rosy-breasted
Longclaws launched themselves into the air, and Eurasian Bee-eaters
flew around noisily.

Thinking the attempt to get to Langata Gate may be fraught with
potential bogging hazards, we had a final look at Hyena Dam finding
the days only Yellow-billed Egret and the left through Main Gate at
4.00pm. Barn Swallows were widespread but no large concentrations, we
finished the day early with 169 species.

We had outrageous experiences with thee lions near Hippo Pools with
the animals literally alongside for 10 minutes and walking a good
kilometre with us, three Black-backed Jackals above Hippo Pools were
so indifferent almost brushing the car to get to the other side of us.
Mammals were in good numbers, and a good variety was seen including
three Mountain Reedbuck in the murrum pit not far from “The Beacon.”
(See image).

It was without doubt a miserably wet and cool day, and the birds did
not respond to it favourably, however this was punctuated by surprises
as always, making the visit most worthwhile.

Best to all
Brian