NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 23rd AUGUST 2019

Dear All,
Nigel Hunter and I arrived at the Main Gate to Nairobi National Park
at 6.40am having had no traffic all the way, and there was only one
party of four in the queue so we were through the gate at 6.50am. What
a very different story to the previous Friday!

But like last Friday it was again cold and sombre, and birds were
reluctant to talk apart from a screaming Verreaux’s Eagle Owl in the
valley just down from the entrance.
We had nothing else of note on the way to, and at Ivory Burning Site
although a Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul was calling. Nagalomon Dam was
very quiet excluding the swarms of Sacred Ibis, and the only Grey
Crowned Crane today was heard from here but not seen. It did provide
the days only Green Sandpiper as well.  There were two Yellow-billed
Stork, an African Spoonbill, Great Egret, two Great Cormorants, a
dozen Darters, a Fish Eagle in residence, five Black-winged Stilts and
a pair of White-faced Whistling Duck. A calling Highland Rush Warbler
was the first from here in a long time.

There was not much activity on the back road to Hyena Dam, there was a
Little Sparrowhawk flying around the units, the first of many
Red-billed Queleas and
White-winged Widowbirds. Hyena Dam was peaceful with little on show,
but did have Yellow-billed and a few Marabou Storks, two Great Egrets
which included the tiny long-time semi-resident one, another Fish
Eagle, the resident African Jacana, twenty Wood and three Common
Sandpipers, a Little Stint and seven Black-winged Stilts. The
highlight was of an adult with a large young Serval, which were quite
vocal.
Taking the circuit back round to Nagalomon Dam we disturbed a Black
Rhino wallowing in mud, there was yet another Great Egret, the first
of a massive drop to just five Black-winged Kites for the day
(twenty-five last week), Red-faced Cisticola, a few Orange-breasted
Waxbills and Quail-Finch which were fairly frequent throughout the
Park today.

On the way to Kingfisher, we detoured through the corner of the
forest, it was so very quiet, we had a young Great Sparrowhawk,
Yellow-whiskered Greenbuls and a couple of Violet-backed Starlings as
well as a few other residents. The African Water Rails were at the
Kingfisher Swamp, and a Long-crested Eagle posed in the small tree.
Quiet also at Kingfisher Picnic Site, until an adult Martial Eagle
flew in, and another Long-crested Eagle came winging in from the
direction of the Mbagathi to attack it with a back-up of a pair of
Gabar Goshawks. After we had up to eight Long-crested Eagles last
week, it was surprising that these two were the only individuals
encountered today. Ten Wattled Starlings also flew over.

On the road to Ololo was the day’s only Secretarybird, which was an
immature, and in the acacia scrub Speckle-fronted and Grey-capped
Social Weavers (see image), with a few Chestnut Sparrows amongst
numerous Red-billed Queleas. Down by the river we picked up a few
birds which included a male Namaqua Dove calling from a bush (see
image), the days first Blue-naped Mousebirds and three Crimson-rumped
Waxbills (see image). From here right up to the woodland above Hippo
Pools, which provided the days only African Hoopoe it was quiet with
no excitements.

Rhino Circuit started off quiet but did in fact liven up, with
nominate Grey-headed Kingfisher, two separate groups each with five
Violet Woodhoopoes, three species of Woodpeckers, Black-headed Oriole,
Red-throated Tits and both Lesser Masked and Vitelline Masked Weavers.
A little further towards Athi Dam was a young Martial Eagle.

Athi Dam in fact had less migratory waders than last week, just three
Wood and two Common Sandpipers, a single Common Greenshank, three
Little Stints and four Black-winged Stilts. Other birds included
another two Yellow-billed Storks, but this time adults in breeding
dress, four Open-billed Storks and over two-hundred Marabous, four
each of African Spoonbills and roosting Black-crowned Night-Herons, a
near adult Pink-backed Pelican (see image), a pair each of Fish Eagles
and Spotted Thick-knees, a pair of Namaqua Doves drinking and Banded
Parisoma. Leaving the basin there was a Long-billed Pipit on the road,
and at the Vulture Drinking Pools, forty White-backed Vultures with
three Ruppell’s although one bird looked very much like a Eurasian
Griffon (see images and discussion).

At the Empakasi junction dam was a Yellow-billed Egret and a couple of
Lilac-breasted Rollers, always a rarity in the Park, Karen PS Dam gave
us a Little Grebe and the pair of Banded Martins did not disappoint at
Eland Hollow Dam and also had four loafing Lions (see image). The only
addition for the day back at Hyena Dam was the first Augur Buzzard and
nothing new at Nagalomon Dam as we headed off to Langata Gate.

We took the road along the Nagalomon River through Kisembe Forest it
was not rewarding ornithologically but always the most beautiful drive
in the Park! A short detour before exiting Langata Gate was however
was rewarding as we ran into a mixed party near ground level, which
was ideal for photography as we were above the birds and added new
species for the day (see selection of images). As a bird addendum,
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleus had been extremely numerous all day,
particularly along the Mbagathi.

We were through Langata Gate at 5.15pm having recorded 180 species for
the day. Nigel did a little exercise, as August is traditionally the
quietest and generally least interesting of all months in NNP, and
during August we had recorded 226 different species. On exiting there
was again hardly any traffic for the return.

Mammals had been very good, apart from the Black Rhino in the morning
we had an additional pair in Athi Basin and a pair of Whites not far
from Eland Hollow. Most plains game was in the southeast with more
Wildebeest than of late.

This morning (28th), our Grey-headed Kingfisher was still in the
Paddock where he has been for the past four weeks. Why he is special,
(and the details will be supplied later), is that he (it is quite
noisy some mornings), appears to be the first record of the
Middle-eastern race semicaerulea for Africa. This race is a breeding
migrant to south Oman, Yemen and SW Arabia, but for five months of the
year the entire population vanishes. Even in the most up to date bird
literature, Handbook of Birds of the World (HBW), under this endemic
Middle-eastern race, the comment for this disappearance is “Possibly
to Somalia.”  One of his most distinctive features separating it from
African races, is a brown head although not all semicaerulea have
brown, many have grey heads, but all have very deep chestnut
underparts.

Best to all
Brian












KEY TO NNP MONTAGE 23rd AUG 2019

1	REICHENOW’S SEEDEATER
Formerly known as Yellow-rumped Seedeater, and appears as this by
regional guides as there have been no updated editions. Following a
split with Yellow-rumped now being an Ethiopian endemic, Kenya and
Tanzania have the endemic Reichenow’s, whilst from their borders
westwards is Black-throated Seedeater separated at the same period.
Parthenium is a noxious invasive plant, and toxic if ingested by
wildlife. It is now all over NNP where ground has been disturbed. It
is now the favourite food item of Reichenow’s Seedeater, and they can
be found commonly cracking the seed cases which then fall and eating
the seed interior. It is suggested that they may be responsible for
spreading the plant, but I feel this is very unlikely because every
seed is cracked. The only way it can be held responsible is if the
seed is dropped, birds do not carry seeds and so it would be in the
same place as it would have fallen naturally. If the seedeaters were
not consuming quantities of Parthenium seeds then maybe our situation
would be more threatening. In the image the bird is sitting in
Parthenium and cracking a seed before swallowing it.

2	SIFFLING CISTICOLA
In East Africa this is what we call it, but in its wide distribution
over much of Africa it is called Short-winged Cisticola, and a look at
the image shows the very short rounded wings, so the name is not bad.
The shortly to be released Kenya Checklist will have the bird as
Short-winged Cisticola to go along with the majority and simply the
situation of conflicting names in different parts of Africa.
Possibly the commonest bird in NNP, but seen when singing. When not
breeding it is very inconspicuous and keeps to cover. Also as with
several other of the very small cisticolas, the tail grows longer in
the non-breeding season and is short when breeding. The reason for
this has never been satisfactorily explained.

3	BROWN-CROWNED TCHAGRA
Another skulker that appeared in an almost terrestrial mixed flock in
the late afternoon near Langata Gate.

4	SPOT-FLANKED BARBET
Another component of the flock.

5	YELLOW-BILLED EGRET
This close up of the head shows the more benign look of this species
compared to the vicious look of the much longer billed Great Egret
which shows a dagger-shaped area of bare skin extending way back
beyond the eye.

6	LONG-TAILED FISCAL
A common bird in the drier scrubbier parts of the Park, this one was
just posing nicely at Hyena Dam.

7	PURPLE GRENADIER
Part of the Langata Gate congregation, few seen today.

8	RED-CHEEKED CORDON-BLEU
Also this male was part of the Langata Gate flock, unusually large
numbers appeared to be in the Park today.

9	LILAC-BREASTED ROLLER
Two birds were at the junction of the Empakasi Track; the species is
only reported a few times in the course of a normal year.

10	LIONS
Part of a very social group of four at Eland Hollow Dam.

11	PINK-BACKED PELICAN
This non-breeding near adult at Athi Dam shows the intricate mottling
on the back of the neck as opposed to the plain necks of Great White
Pelican. Whilst Pink-backs are almost half the size of White, they can
still appear large when there is no comparison available.

12	SPECKLED PIGEON
An underrated bird!

13	YELLOW-BELLIED EREMOMELA
Always in dry acacia scrub in the south of the Park.

14A	RUPPELL’S VULTURE
At the Vulture Drinking Pools above Athi Basin there were forty
White-backed but just three Ruppell’s Vultures. However one, if one of
these Ruppell’s was a very young bird that more resembled a nearly
adult Eurasian Griffon and was ideal to study, and as usual sink into
the usual mire of confusion at not being able to sort it out! It was a
feisty individual and unprovoked attacked the sunning adult Ruppell’s
coming away with a beak full of its back feathers in its bill, and the
adult Ruppell’s did not retaliate. Normally I would expect juveniles
to kowtow to adults not to bully them! The eye was pale, in Eurasian
Griffons and I would have thought similarly in Ruppell’s it would
indicate a bird of 4 years of age at least. Ruppell’s of that age
should show some traces of the adult plumage, not uniform pale but
nothing shows through.

14B	RUPPELL’S VULTURE
	Underwing pattern of adult Ruppell’s.
	

14C	RUPPELL’S VULTURE
	This image shows the aggression of the pale bird.


14D	RUPPELL’S VULTURE
In this  photo it shows the underwing of the adult Ruppell’s on left.
Of the very pale Griffon on the right, where secondaries and secondary
coverts are extremely worn. The contrast on the underwing between
leading edge to underwing coverts, and the flight feathers seems much
too extreme for Ruppell’s. In the foreground is a White-backed Vulture
showing very whitish underside to forewing.


14	MALACHITE KINGFISHER
Widespread, this image shows the fine elongated crest feathering which
is often spread.

15	CRIMSON-RUMPED WAXBILL
The three last three weeks along the Mbagathi River at Ololo Lodge
there have been three in the same area, this shows surprising site
fidelity.

16	DESERT CISTICOLA
Although in non-breeding, this bird shows the orange wash to the sides
of the undertail-coverts and flanks, and largely blackish tail.

17	GREY-CAPPED SOCIAL-WEAVER
The only regular place to find this species in NNP, is on the track to
Ololo through the short Acacia brevispica scrub. This image of an
adult was taken there and it most certainly breeds nearby.

18	NAMAQUA DOVE
I have only ever heard Namaqua Doves calling in the Park once (Rhino
Circuit), until we found this male calling persistently from a low
bush near Ololo, although no female seemed to be around.

19	NAIROBI IN THE GLOOM
Most of the morning was like this, very hazy and cold. In the
afternoon it brightened up, and in the evening it rained!