Hi Sidney,
I am sure it gets ll through all the acacia/commiphora habitat
adjacent to but well to the west of Tsavo East at least. Loitokitok is
not so far away from Tsavo West where it is common and the  habitat
changes dramatically in Amboseli where unrecorded and unexpected.
Lower Tana (if near coastal), and coast should only be Purple-banded.
I would imagine it is widespead in Kitui county which is an
undervisited region, I remember it in woodland not far from the
junction where the Kitui road joins the Mombassa Road, and whilst west
of Tsavo East it is directly North of Tsavo West so not unexpected.
Also in commiphora woodland on the Thika Road to Garissa, not far
before crossing the Tana.
Best for now
Brian


On 6/26/19, Sidney Shema <sidneyshema@gmail.com> wrote:
> The furthest records west on the atlas
> <http://kenyabirdmap.adu.org.za/species_info.php?spp=3676#menu_left> are in
> the Oloitokitok pentad, while ours at Kora (2 pentads) are the furthest
> north. There are several records that remain unvetted in Tsavo East and
> West, Taita, the coast and the lower Tana. I'm sure there must be some
> misIDs among these, especially those records from the coast and lower Tana
> (which I assume should be Purple-banded?).
> There is still a huge gap in the coverage
> <http://kenyamap.adu.org.za/coverage.php#menu_top> of eastern Kenya. The
> area between Kora and Tsavo has very few mapped pentads on the atlas. it
> might turn out that the species is not uncommon throughout that gap e.g.
> Kitui County. There's only one way to find out of course...
>
> Cheers,
> *Sidney Shema*
> Project Manager, Kenya Bird Map <http://kenyabirdmap.adu.org.za/index.php>
>
> Website/Blog: www.shotsbyshema.com
> Facebook: Shots By Shema - Untamed Photography
> <https://www.facebook.com/ShotsByShema/>
> Instagram: @ShotsByShema <https://www.instagram.com/shotsbyshema/>
> Mobile: +254738290842
>
>
> *Join the Kenya Bird Map project <http://kenyabirdmap.adu.org.za/> and
> contribute directly to bird conservation through citizen science!*
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 26, 2019 at 6:27 PM Brian Finch <birdfinch@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi Sidney,
>> It seems that it is not in full breeding plumage, with the underparts
>> being black and lacking the violet of breeding dress, are there any
>> other records of Tsavo Sunbird so far west on the Atlas?
>> Best for now
>> Brian
>>
>> On 6/26/19, Sidney Shema <sidneyshema@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Hi Brian,
>> >
>> > Other photos of the sunbird are attached. The maroon breast band is
>> > very
>> > narrow so you are right about it being a Tsavo Sunbird. It was an
>> oversight
>> > on our part as the species was previously a race of Purple-banded
>> Sunbird.
>> > Thanks for pointing that out. We will amend the record.
>> >
>> > Cheers,
>> > *Sidney Shema*
>> > Project Manager, Kenya Bird Map <
>> http://kenyabirdmap.adu.org.za/index.php>
>> >
>> > Website/Blog: www.shotsbyshema.com
>> > Facebook: Shots By Shema - Untamed Photography
>> > <https://www.facebook.com/ShotsByShema/>
>> > Instagram: @ShotsByShema <https://www.instagram.com/shotsbyshema/>
>> > Mobile: +254738290842
>> >
>> >
>> > *Join the Kenya Bird Map project <http://kenyabirdmap.adu.org.za/> and
>> > contribute directly to bird conservation through citizen science!*
>> >
>> >
>> > On Wed, Jun 26, 2019 at 12:42 PM Brian Finch <birdfinch@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >> Hi Sidney,
>> >> Thanks so much for this superb acount. I was stunned by the gathering
>> >> of hornbills for  handouts!
>> >> Can you see if you have any other images of the Purple-banded Sunbird,
>> >> as although I cannot see the underparts clearly, I think this should
>> >> be a Tsavo Sunbird although it could be the most westerly recorded,
>> >> PBS is restricted to extreme SW Kenya and even more extreme
>> >> restriction along the coastal belt.
>> >> Best for now
>> >> Brian
>> >>
>> >> On 6/25/19, Sidney Shema sidneyshema@gmail.com [kenyabirdsnet]
>> >> <kenyabirdsnet-noreply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>> >> > Dear all,
>> >> >
>> >> > Here's a look at some of the sightings and highlights from our bird
>> >> mapping
>> >> > trip to Kora, Mwingi and Meru at the end of May:
>> >> >
>> >>
>> https://kenyabirdmap.wordpress.com/2019/06/25/bird-atlassing-in-kora-mwingi-and-meru/
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > *Sidney Shema*
>> >> > Project Manager, Kenya Bird Map <
>> >> http://kenyabirdmap.adu.org.za/index.php>
>> >> >
>> >> > Website/Blog: www.shotsbyshema.com
>> >> > Facebook: Shots By Shema - Untamed Photography
>> >> > <https://www.facebook.com/ShotsByShema/>
>> >> > Instagram: @ShotsByShema <https://www.instagram.com/shotsbyshema/>
>> >> > Mobile: +254738290842
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > *Join the Kenya Bird Map project <http://kenyabirdmap.adu.org.za/>
>> and
>> >> > contribute directly to bird conservation through citizen science!*
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >
>>
>