Kenya: The Coolest Trip in Africa Set Departure Tour: May 9 th to May 31 st 2013 Tour Leader: Adam Scott Kennedy Tour driver and local guide: John Chege Tour Participants: J.L. & Nancy Walter and Mike Walsh
Introduction Kenya is a mind- blowing birding destination at any time of year but our May departure was especially well- timed. Not only did we enjoy the best weather imaginable, but we arrived in time to see a majority of resident birds in full breeding plumage, intra- African migrants just arriving, and we even caught the tail- end of the Palearctic migration, particularly good on the wader front. This classic set departure tour covered the vast array of habitats to be found within Kenya, through the verdant Guinea- Congolese rainforest at Kakamega; the Afro- montane forests of Mount Kenya, the Aberdares and Taita Hills; the very full Rift Valley lakes and papyrus swamps of Lake Victoria; the endless plains of the Masai Maral; the semi- arid bush of Tsavo East and West; and finally the bird- rich coastal forest of Arabuko- Sokoke. In total, we recorded 603 bird species, of which 582 were seen and, as is usual, we missed some typically easy species but made up for it with great views of some very tricky species instead that s birding for you! It should be mentioned that this was a relaxed tour with no ridiculously early starts or very late finishes; instead, we took our time and enjoyed our birding and, with three keen photographers on- board, we made the most of the fabulous encounters that came our way. In addition, we observed 55 mammal species and 14 reptiles. Itinerary DATE DESTINATION 9 th May ARRIVE TO NAIROBI 10 th May LAKE MAGADI 11 th May NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 12 th May TO MOUNT KENYA 13 th May MOUNT KENYA 14 th May MOUNT KENYA & NARO MORU 15 th May SOLIO PLAINS & THE ABERDARES 16 th May LAKE NAIVASHA, KINANGOP & LAKE NAKURU 17 th May LAKE NAKURU & LAKE BARINGO 18 th May LAKE BARINGO, KERIO VALLEY & KAKAMEGA 19 th May KAKAMEGA 20 th May KAKAMEGA 21 st May KISUMU (LAKE VICTORIA) TO MASAI MARA 22 nd May MASAI MARA 23 rd May MASAI MARA 24 th May MASAI MARA TO NAIROBI 25 th May TSAVO WEST 26 th May TSAVO WEST 27 th May TSAVO WEST, TAITA HILLS & TSAVO EAST 28 th May TSAVO EAST & TO MALINDI 29 th May ARABUKO- SOKOKE FOREST 30 th May ARABUKO- SOKOKE FOREST 31 st May ARABUKO- SOKOKE FOREST
9 th May The group rendezvoused at the Redcourt Hotel and took an afternoon stroll around the small gardens and roads nearby the hotel to get a first taste of African bird life. Close to the main bar area, a selection of common garden birds were found to include Red- billed Firefinch and their brood- parasite the Village Indigobird, tiny Bronze Mannikins, Speckled Mousebird, House and Kenya Rufous Sparrows, and Streaky Seedeater while overhead were Little Swift in numbers and a few Fischer s x Yellow- collared Lovebird hybrids screeching past at high speed. Along the roadside nearby, we enjoyed our first of many Hadada Ibis, Red- eyed Dove, Baglafecht Weaver, Winding Cisticola and Superb Starlings, among others. This was a nice way to get our eyes honed- in on some of the commoner species that we d see with regularity on the rest of the tour. 10 th May Our destination for the day was Lake Magadi but, with so many excellent birds to stop and enjoy en- route, at times it was looking like we may never make it! With driver John negotiating his way out of the Nairobi traffic with great aplomb, we soon found ourselves at one of the higher points of the southern Rift the aptly named Corner Baridi (meaning cold corner ). A light mist covered the hillsides but this soon burned away as the first rays of sun kissed the short grass. Good numbers of Yellow- crowned Canary kept us entertained and Grassland Pipits bobbed nearby before two larks dropped in beside us Short- tailed Larks! Great views were had as they fed at close range and then a Bare- eyed Thrush began to sing from the nearest tree. What a start! Short- tailed Lark, Magadi Road We slowly made our way down the hills of Magadi Road stopping every kilometre or so for more great birds including Singing Cisticola, Red- fronted Barbet, Schalow s Wheatear, Nubian Woodpecker, Black- backed Puffback, Golden- winged Sunbird, Yellow- bellied Eremomela, Hildebrandt s Starling, Mottled Swift, Ostrich, Taita Fiscal, Chestnut Weaver and Chestnut Sparrow, and stunning White- throated Bee- eaters sitting on the overhead wires, among many others. Before we knew it lunchtime was upon us so we stopped to enjoy the view of Lake Magadi, under what was by now a very hot sun, and could see a wash of pink over the water; it was covered with flamingos. As we finished lunch, a male Somali Golden- breasted Bunting sang nearby and as we watched he and his mate hop around, we picked up more treats in the shape of Black- throated Barbet and Northern Crombec. After lunch, we drove to the Magadi pans for closer views of Lesser and Greater Flamingo and a very smart- looking Yellow- billed Stork fed beside us. One of our target species, the alkaline- lake- loving
Chestnut- banded Plover was then spotted and we enjoyed close views of 8 of these smart little waders, feeding alongside Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper, both in reddish breeding plumage. Red- billed Teal, Grey- headed Gull and Pied Avocet provided part of the supporting cast of other goodies here. The journey back to Nairobi was hot and fairly uneventful although a young, large and very brown- looking Lanner caused a little excitement. Chestnut- banded Plover, Lake Magadi 11 th May As entered Nairobi National Park the only within- city- limits National Park in the world we were greeted by a group of Olive Baboon and once through the main gate we drove slowly while listening to the sounds of new birds, stopping where we could to see Slate- coloured Boubou, African paradise Flycatcher and Yellow- breasted Apalis. A pair of African Black Duck were spotted flying above the forested river valley but the views were not great this is a good record for the park. We walked the Club House gardens to find White- eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Dusky Turtle Dove and the dainty Red- cheeked Cordon- bleu, and a grumpy- looking Warthog took to following us around for a while. At the Ivory Burning site, a White- headed Barbet perched above us while Holub s Golden Weaver, Little Bee- eater and Bronze and Variable Sunbirds occupied our eyes at lower levels. Around the corner, we stopped to enjoy displaying Red- collared Widowbirds and we had brief views of Parasitic Weaver (aka Cuckoo Finch [which is neither a finch or weaver but actually a yellow Whydah!]) but this was to be our best sighting of the species on the tour. Along the Park s northern road we stopped at a reed- filled marsh to try our luck with African Water Rail and were successful with two rails and a Black Crake responding to us here, and at Hyena Dam we had reasonable views of singing Little Rush Warbler while male Grosbeak Weavers were actively nest- building. Further along the road, we encountered scores of Jackson s Widowbird, including some displaying close to the vehicle, a few Grey Crowned Crane and a party of four stunning Zebra Waxbill. A huge Martial Eagle guarded her nest while Rufous- naped Larks and Yellow- throated Longclaws literally littered the road. We stopped at the Karen Primary School dam to enjoy the displaying Yellow- crowned Bishops bouncing around the reed tops like giant bumble- bees, and our driver John spotted something lurking on the other side of the dam a Lesser Moorhen! This was a brilliant find, especially given how far away and hidden it was. By now, we d begun to muster quite a list of plains game but we had more target birds to bag before we could enjoy lunch including Pangani Longclaw that we saw at close range in the Whistling Thorn thickets. A group of Marabou Stork and vultures, including White- backed, Ruppell s and Lappet- faced, frequented another dam, no doubt having a drink and a wash after a bloody meal and we then headed out towards Athi Dam,
finding a pair of Secretarybird along the way. Surprisingly, there were few birds on the dam but nearby we had close- up views of Yellow- throated Spurfowl and another pair of Secretarybird. After lunch, it began to get a little hot and many birds seemed to be resting but there was still a lot to see including Striped Kingfisher, Black- shouldered Kite and White- browed Coucal. By the time reached the Kisembe Forest, the clouds had built up and sure enough it began to spit with rain just as we began our search for the as- yet undescribed Nairobi Pipit but it could not be located. With the already bad tracks getting soaked, we headed out of the forest, flushing a brilliant Hartlaub s Turaco from low ground on the way, and made our final stop at the Nagolomon dam where we found a nesting colony of Black- crowned Night Heron and several African Darter. It was getting dark and late as we headed out of the park but our final surprise of the day was found walking along the road a huge male Lion. He stopped at the roadside and was then joined by his brother, who was equally big and impressively maned and we got to enjoy the brothers grooming each other for 10 minutes all to ourselves. This was the perfect end to a great day in the park. 12 th May We hit the road early to make good use of the quiet Sunday morning traffic and after travelling past Thika we found ourselves our site for the endangered Hinde s Babbler. We hadn t been at the site for long when two birds appeared and babbled nicely for us at the top of the nearest tree. Also of note here were a party of Southern Black Flycatcher, an Eastern Honeybird and the first of our many Grey- headed Kingfisher sightings. Upon leaving the site, another Hinde s babbler was head calling but would not show for us. We then headed towards Mount Kenya, stopping en route to view Purple Heron and Yellow- crowned Bishops on the way. As we entered the Forest Service gate at the edge of the forest, the good birds started to show, with Montane Oriole, African Dusky Flycatcher, Hartlaub s Turaco, Mountain Wagtail and Scaly Francolin showing well within minutes. As we checked into our lodgings, a pair of Crowned Eagles displayed noisily overhead and we then enjoyed a healthy lunch surrounded by 100+ sunbirds in the adjacent trees, including our best views of Eastern Olive and the stunning Tacazze. Black- throated Apalis, Mt Kenya After lunch, a stroll around the lush gardens revealed family groups of Hunter s Cisticola, Grey- headed Negrofinch (Nigrita), Kandt s Waxbill (now split from the western Black- headed Waxbill), a few Chestnut- throated Apalis and a very obliging Black- throated Apalis at eye level and then an equally obliging immature Martial Eagle cruising overhead. A little more distant, but no less
impressive was the sight of an immature Ayre s Hawk Eagle diving at break- neck speed into the forest but whether the bird struck its quarry we ll never know. With recent sightings of African Olive Ibis reported from this site, we decided to do a stakeout where we would have a good chance of watching them fly into roost but, as it happened on this occasion, they called vociferously from the other side of the ridge just out of view. Nevertheless, this was probably the best heard only bird record of the trip and we were continually entertained by small numbers of Red- fronted Parrot flying into roost until it was dark. 13 th May Our eyes and ears were open to prospect of early morning African Green Ibis again but without success. Instead, we walked the forested pathways of our lodge finding Brown- throated Woodland Warbler, Thick- billed Seedeater and numerous greenbul species including Eastern Mountain, Yellow- whiskered and Slender- billed, plus Ruppell s Robin- Chat and a tiny, but very smart, White- browed Crombec. We then had the good fortune of meeting up with the lodge s resident birder, Hudson, who quickly pointed out a tall tree where the rare Abbott s Starling frequently sits. Within moments, three birds arrived to prove the power of local knowledge! A Cinnamon Bracken Warbler was also enjoyed here before it was time for breakfast then move on to our next site the Serena Mountain Lodge. Here we spent the afternoon watching the skies, waterhole and surrounding forest for birds from the rooftop terrace from where we added more species including Silvery- cheeked Hornbill, Oriole Finch, Eastern Bronze- naped Pigeon and Mountain Yellow Warbler plus an amazing number of Red- fronted Parrots flying to roost that must have topped 170 birds. Late in the evening, a Verreaux s Eagle Owl flew to the waterhole and we had great scope views. Over dinner, we were alerted by the staff that a Leopard had arrived at the waterhole so we made a dash to the balcony to watch this wonderful animal parade around the numerous Bushbuck that had gathered but it was not in a position to attack. Even later that night, we got the call that a Giant Forest Hog had arrived and we all managed good views of this impressive and secretive forest beast! Leopard, Tsavo West 14 th May After a quick scan over the waterhole and breakfast, we made our way to the car park area where he had great difficulty departing on time due to some cracking birds on show including Abyssinian Crimsonwing, a close- up Mountain Yellow Warbler and a pair of White- browed Crombec, to name a few. Eventually, we had to pull ourselves away and head off to the Meteorological Station Road, which was a pleasant drive for us passengers but obviously challenging for our driver John, who
handled the bumps, holes and hills of the climb with great aplomb! Reaching the end of the track, we were greeted by three Jackson s Francolins, a mother and her two offspring which were as tame as any chickens we encountered on the trip! With one target species down, we spread out to try for the next and almost immediately Mike found it a superb Abyssinian Ground Thrush. It showed well several times for us but kept disappearing into a thicket with food in its bill a clear sign of breeding success. Jackson s Francolin, Mt Kenya With two targets in the bag, we sauntered a little further up the hill but birds were few and far between but brief views of a skulking Evergreen Forest Warbler was our only sighting of this species on the tour. We headed back to the main gate, finding several more Jackson s Francolin along the way and a soaring Mountain Buzzard over the gate itself before we continued onwards to our accommodation at Naro Moru. In the afternoon, we walked the stunning grounds of the lodge, accidentally disturbing a huge Crowned Eagle that was no doubt stalking the group of Guereza Colobus that were feeding nearby, and other smart birds included African Paradise Flycatcher, Mountain Wagtail and Chin- spot Batis. Late afternoon, we took a short drive to the edge of the Solio Plains to connect with Red- capped Lark, Plain- backed Pipit and flocks of Jackson s Widowbird and the stunning Long- tailed Widowbird. Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Mt Kenya
15 th May Departing our cottages around 7am, we were greeted by numbers of Red- fronted Parrot feeding in the pines overhead; this was a great chance to see a species that is typically encountered only in flight. With the Aberdare Mountains in our sights, we drove out on a different track through the Solio Plains, picking up Black- bellied Bustard and Black- winged Plover along the way. We made a special stop for an encounter with a stunning Mackinder s Eagle Owl that was roosting on the edge of a cliff and we also enjoyed close views of Meyer s Parrot at this site before heading to the gate of the Aberdare National Park. Once inside the gate, we soon found ourselves enjoying a pair of Ayres s Hawk- Eagle displaying acrobatically and a Scaly Francolin scowled at us from next to the vehicle. On our ascent of the mighty Aberdares, we encountered some impressive African Elephant, Golden- winged Sunbird and another sighting of Crowned Eagle displaying. After lunch, we drove to the high plateau of the range where we immediately found our first Aberdare Cisticola singing nearby. We tried our best to find Moorland Francolin but had to settle for many more views of Jackson s Francolin instead, which looked quite at home on the moors. Other goodies on the plateau included a stunning male Scarlet- tufted Malachite Sunbird and a few parties of Moorland Chat. Mackinder s Eagle Owl, near Solio Plains Descending the mountains, we dropped in on what is usually a reliable site for Sharpe s Longclaw and, despite an hour- long search of perfect habitat, we turned up nothing. Had this rapidly declining species disappeared from yet another site? We d try again the following day to find out. 16 th May We walked the leafy gardens of our lodge at sunrise to find Black- lored Babbler ( nothing to do with Darth Vader! ), several Green Wood- hoopoe, an out of place African Thrush and some noisy White- browed Robin- Chats, before heading off to the lakeshore for a boat trip. This was a real treat as we were treated to some excellent birds including Giant Kingfisher and Great Spotted Cuckoo, and great light on more common species like Pink- backed and Great White Pelican, Whiskered Tern and African Fish Eagle, ideal for the photographers. After a while we raced across the lake to try another spot where we encountered Long- toed Plovers, a large flock of Ruff, Common Greenshank and Marsh Sandpiper, and then some large gulls that appeared rather odd so went closer for a better look. We soon identified them as Heuglin s Gulls and one Lesser Black- backed but one of the Heuglin s, an adult, appeared especially pale- backed and, after some research, appears to be of the race taimyrensis, which was quite a find in East Africa as we typically find the darker- backed western birds here. On the grassy island, a variety of plains game grazed as if they were living in a Lost World and were quite the picture of serenity.
Back on terra firma, we headed back to the Kinangop Plateau in search of the Sharpe s Longclaw, this time with one of the local researchers/ guardians on- board to help us. He took us to the site we tried the previous day and, within minutes, he had located the longclaw for us not in the rough tussock grass habitat they usually prefer but on the adjacent cultivation with the local farmers toiling the earth nearby! We were bowled over by the bird which seemed quite relaxed in our presence and we managed to get some great images of this highly endangered species. Nearby, Long- tailed Widowbirds were common and a Common Quail called in the long grass adjacent to us. We decided to let it continue belting out its wet me lips call without disturbing it and headed back to the vehicle for our descent of the plateau. Sharpe s Longclaw, Kinangop On our way to Lake Nakuru National Park, we called in at Sunbird Lodge for a view of Lake Elementaita and a quick soda and some smart local birds too. Here we picked up Nyanza and Mottled Swifts, Red- winged Starling, White- bellied Tit, Schalow s Wheatear, great views of Scarlet- chested Sunbird and some stunning Purple Grenadier feeding almost at our feet. A Yellow- bellied Waxbill, or Swee, took off from the track to show us its brilliant red rump; this is a good record for the site. Mocking Cliff Chat, Lake Nakuru Reluctantly, we hit the road again and made our way to the park, finding some attractive White- fronted Bee- eater soon after passing through the gate. Due to the very high water levels of the lake, we had to make some changes to our desired route around the lake but eventually made it round to
Baboon Cliffs in search of some of the specialities. By now, the sun was very hot and although we enjoyed spectacular views, the birds had taken shelter and not performing. After lunch, we continued along the trails turning up treats like Hildebrandt s Francolin, Gull- billed Tern, Kirk s Dik- dik and a stunning Red- headed Weaver before making our way to the Muyas Causeway where we had a very close encounter with a relaxed White Rhino, which was simply HUGE! A Common Sandpiper and a Three- banded Plover showed nicely for us and there was a good amount of herons, ibis and wildfowl on show before headed up to our accommodation for the night. 17 th May The next morning started well with a herd of several thousand Cape Buffalo meandering slowly past the rear of our cottages and a male Little Rock Thrush singing outside our respective front doors! Following a swift breakfast, we headed out to see what raptors we could find basking in the early morning light but the only birds of note were a smart Tawny Eagle and several dark Augur Buzzard. To add a little splash of colour, we located a pair of Golden- breasted Buntings next to the road and stopped to enjoy them as they preferred to play hide- and- seek with us from behind a large Yellow- barked Acacia. Back at Muyas Causeway, it was very busy with birds and we stopped there for over 30 minutes, watching as the various waders, herons, ducks and terns, including our first White- winged Black Terns of the trip, went about their business. We headed to another spot on the lakeshore where good numbers of flamingo of both species were resting and preening and picked up a few more ducks and waders for the trip list, and three more White Rhino, before heading to Makalia Falls where we took time to enjoy the cool mist of the waterfall and good views of Mountain Wagtail. Around lunchtime, we had arrived back at Baboon Cliffs where, this time, the good birds were showing very well including Mocking Cliff Chat, Pale Flycatcher, White- bellied Tit, another stunning male Red- headed Weaver and a huge mixed flock of swifts including the resident Nyanza. Unfortunately, a pesky Olive Baboon decided to join Nancy in the vehicle for lunch but was soon sent packing with a strong blow from her elbow into his ribs! African Scops Owl, Lake Baringo After a quick stop in Nakuru town, made a bee- line for Lake Baringo and after settling in to our accommodation, we headed out with Francis, one of the nicest and most efficient local guides in Kenya. He had staked out some of the more difficult nocturnal species that morning so we spent little time in finding African Scops Owl, Slender- tailed Nightjar, Heuglin s Courser, Spotted Thick- knee and a mixed pair of Greyish and Spotted Eagle Owls. Other good finds included Pygmy Batis, Yellow- bellied Eremomela, Black- cheeked Waxbill, Mouse- coloured Penduline- Tit, Jacobin Cuckoo and Hunter s Sunbird.
Over dinner, the captive Ostrich at Soi safari Lodge was booming and made for interesting listening over dinner. [I think the irony of the bird appearing wing- clipped was lost on the other lodge guests though! Adam] 18 th May Before an early breakfast, we enjoyed great views of a pair of Fan- tailed Raven on the lodge s roof and group of Spot- flanked Barbet wooped nearby. Francis had a boat and coxman ready and waiting for us for another trip out on the water and within a minute of launching we were watching a male Northern Masked Weaver at close range. As we headed out onto the flooded lake, we also found a Striated Heron on the nest, a African Darter posing with outstretched wings and a fine Madagascar Bee- eater basking in the morning rays. On open water, we had lovely views of African Fish Eagle fishing and then floated over the grounds of Robert s Camp and Baringo Club, both of which had suffered terribly with the flooding, to find a colony of White- billed Buffalo Weaver and a partly- hidden Verreaux s Eagle Owl. Other highlights of the trip included Red- chested Cuckoo showing well in the open, an obliging Goliath Heron, more Madagascar Bee- eaters, Black Crake, numerous weaver species, a slow ride around the heron rookery (or should that be heronry?) plus some close encounters with a few crocodile that were ready to snap up any falling chicks from the precarious heron nests. Back on shore, we headed to the Thirsty Goat restaurant in what remains of Robert s Camp where the head waiter kindly fed the birds and furnished us with some ice- cold sodas. Jackson s and Red- billed Hornbills scoffed at the bird buffet and were soon joined by Parrot- billed Sparrow and a selection of weavers, and a Pearl- spotted Owlet came in to Francis imitation of the bird to give us close views. We then headed to Baringo Club next door where an African Scops Owl was accidentally discovered next to the main pathway and we added a fine Woodland Kingfisher to our list. We took a short drive to the Baringo Cliffs where we found Brown- tailed Rock Chat, Lead- coloured Flycatcher, Green- winged Pytilia and Northern Grey Tit, among others before it was time for an early lunch and the drive to Kakamega, where we arrived around 7pm. 19 th May I must start by suggesting to anyone who has never had the good fortune to stay at Rondo Retreat that they really should start making plans ASAP! Not only is it a little corner of natural serenity but the staff are among the most charming, helpful and welcoming you will find anywhere in Kenya. During our stay, we always checked the huge Elgon Olive tree that dominates the manicured garden and where a pair of Crowned Eagle had built a nest and were regularly in attendance. On the down side, this used to be the most reliable place to enjoy the spectacular Great Blue Turaco (they also used to nest there) but since Africa s top avian predator decided to move in they had been keeping their distance. Among the birds seen in the gardens were African Blue Flycatcher, Green- headed Sunbird, Mackinnon s (Fiscal) Shrike and both Grey- throated and Double- toothed Barbets. We headed down to the pools at the end of the garden early in hope of enticing some White- spotted Flufftail to show but were unsuccessful. They did finally respond to us but were a little distant to warrant a long wait. Instead, we spent the rest of the morning walking along the main track through the forest, stopping every few metres to view a multitude of exciting forest birds. Probably the star bird of the morning was a Red- chested Owlet that our local guide Ben had whistled to and it responded softly from fairly close range but could we find it? We split up just a short distance and just as Adam found the bird and got everyone onto it, a mobbing Common Bulbul struck the owl on the head and it disappeared
before we got to enjoy the bird sitting low and in the open. Many other species came in to mob the owl and we could see roughly where it was hiding but it was simply not visible. After more than 30 minutes of searching and almost at the point of us moving on, the bird suddenly materialised from the forest gloom and we had nice views for the next 10 minutes. Other birds that morning included Yellow- billed Barbet, Black- faced Rufous Warbler, White- chinned and Banded Prinias, Bocage s Bushshrike, Western Black- headed Oriole, Black- collared Apalis, Chubb s Cisticola, a multitude of greenbuls including the flashy Joyful, and Vieillot s Black Weaver. After lunch, we headed to where the small river meets the main track through the forest and were rewarded with some great birds including Turner s Eremomela, Black- billed Weaver, Cameroon Sombre Greenbul, Square- tailed Drongo and flocks of Stuhlman s Starling. It was an overcast afternoon and there was not too much activity but a White- spotted Flufftail was calling in a swamp nearby but refused to reveal itself. Back at the Rondo Gate, a Broad- billed Roller flew by and at dusk a pair of Bat Hawk emerged from their roost and graced us with some acrobatics before heading off to hunt. African Blue Flycatcher, Kakamega 20 th May On our second morning at Kakamega, we headed to the main forest station and pump house trail. From the car park, we had nice views of Green Sunbird feeding in some exotic Bottle- brush trees. Down the trail, we encountered some skulking Mountain Illadopsis but could only hear Brown Illadopsis. Other good birds here included Bar- tailed Trogon, African Broadbill, Chestnut Wattle- eye, Black- faced Rufous Warbler, Buff- spotted Woodpecker, Red- headed Malimbe and Hairy- breasted Barbet. We took another track past the forest station where Equatorial Akalat and Red- tailed Bristlebill were calling but we failed to get decent views. Instead, we satisfied ourselves with better Brown- chested Alethe, Little Grey Greenbul and Dark- backed Weaver. Returning to Rondo, Angola Swallows were in evidence over the tea plantation and after lunch, at least six Great Blue Turaco called noisily at the bottom of the gardens before showing themselves very well to us and other interested guests. We experienced a heavy downpour in the middle of the afternoon which seemed to get a lot of birds very active, especially the local Grey- throated Barbets, and once the rain stopped we walked around the pools at the bottom of the garden and tried our luck calling with flufftails once more but without success. We did get nice views of Grey- winged and Snowy- crowned Robin- chats here however and a fine Yellow- crested Woodpecker showed well in the garden. 21 st May
After an early breakfast, we took the road to Kisumu and arrived to find a fine Western Banded Snake Eagle perched next to the road and a smart male Red- chested Sunbird fed eagerly nearby. Other birds of note here were small gatherings of Papyrus Canary (mixing with White- bellied Canary), stunning Black- crowned Gonoleks feeding at close range, Carruther s Cisticola, Yellow- backed Weaver and a pair of Double- toothed Barbet showed especially well in the clear morning light. At the point, we were surprised to find a party of Yellow- throated Greenbul (or Leaflove) feeding just above us while the papyrus held Slender- billed Weaver, Swamp Flycatcher and a fairly obliging Greater Swamp Warbler. We then played a game of hide- and- seek with a Grey Woodpecker on a pole that was very reluctant to show itself, preferring to spin around and keep out of view as best it could. We then travelled a short distance to admire some Southern Red Bishops on the edge of the Ahero rice fields and also found our first Open- billed Storks of the trip, among the numerous egrets, ibis and waterfowl. It was then time to hit the highway again and make our way towards the Masai Mara. Due to the poor condition of the usual roads, we chose to make a long diversion and didn t arrive at Mara West until just after 7pm. Western Banded Snake Eagle, Kisumu Red- throated Wryneck, Masai Mara 22 nd May We were greeted with stunning views of the Mara from our high vantage point on the escarpment which we drove slowly down just after breakfast. We got lucky with nice views of a Red- throated Wryneck and Black- crowned Tchagra before reaching the Oloololo Gate where other good birds
included Red- necked Spurfowl and some very tame Sooty Chat. The grass was very long on the plains and this would have an impact on how many birds we would eventually see. On the plus side, there were big numbers of widowbirds especially Jackson s, Red- collared, Fan- tailed and Yellow- mantled but also a few flocks of White- winged. There were also large numbers of cisticolas but the vast majority were Stout with a few Zitting, Pectoral- patch and Croaking also in the mix, and also flocks of both Cardinal and Red- billed Queleas while some close- up Wattled Plovers were new for the trip. Yellow- throated Longclaw and Buffy Pipit were common on the ground and Bateleurs were omnipresent up in the air with Martial, Long- crested and Black- chested Snake Eagles also making the occasional appearance. As one would expect in the Mara, the game was spectacular and we had good sightings of 6 Lion, 2 Black Rhino and many tens of Elephant on the plains while Hippo and Nile Crocodile showed well in the Mara River. The flooded landscape made access tricky in places but we still managed to find Horus Swift and Saddle- billed Stork before lunch. Lion, Masai Mara Black Rhino, Masai Mara In the afternoon, we made our way through even thicker grassland south of the Serena Lodge, where there were 100s of African Quailfinch springing from the roadside as we passed; eventually we managed to get close enough to some for photos but it took a while. Six Harlequin Quail were also flushed during the afternoon but most other birds seemed quite relaxed including Secretarybird, Black- bellied Bustard and Grey Kestrel which we found after a sojourn to the
Tanzanian border to glance upon the Serengeti. Returning to Oloololo Gate, we encountered a scruffy young Dark Chanting Goshawk and a fine Rufous- bellied Heron but best sighting of the afternoon was certainly a Serval that walked casually towards us on the road before finally disappearing into the long grass. Back at Mara West, a flock of 10 Senegal Plover were feeding busily on the lawns a nice way to end a busy day in the Mara. 23 rd May After breakfast we headed slowly down the escarpment road and, with more time on our hands, we were able to walk for a while. This was great as it afforded us great views of a pair of Red- throated Wryneck, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Black- crowned Tchagra, a quick and flighty Green- capped Eremomela and a stunning Klaass s Cuckoo. We then headed across the Mara North Bridge and passed over some short grass plains, with great views of Temminck s Courser and Red- capped Lark, plus Silverbird in the nearby acacias, before passing through Musiara Gate and taking an hour in the Musiara Marsh area. Here we found a Water Thick- knee, Rufous- bellied Heron, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Meyer s Parrot and a huge Martial Eagle, among others. On the plains, we encountered 100s more African Quailfinch plus two lazy- looking Hooded Vultures, but the grass was so long that expectations of finding a bustard were very low and we saw none. Around Talek, we found a male Straw- tailed Whydah, Red- fronted Barbet and a pair of Kittlitz s Plover that behaved as though they were nesting nearby. Once again, the grass was so long on the plains that we really struggled to find sandgrouse, larks and pipits, but did disturb a few Harlequin Quail, and opposite Ol Kiombo airstrip we found a young pride of 8 Lion that showed well for us. Rufous- bellied Heron, Masai Mara We acceptd a kind invitation to relax with the hippos at Naibor from the new managers there and were fortunate to see two Common Scimitarbill around the office area the only ones of the trip so thanks to Ken and Michelle for that! Later we made our way over the plains where another dozen Harlequin Quail were flushed and a few Common Buttonquail too. Nearing Keekorok Lodge, we finally managed to see a pair of White- bellied Bustard which proved to be very relaxed about being on show and, after dark, we had good views of Verreaux s Eagle Owl and Freckled Nightjar in the Keekorok grounds.
Grey- capped Warbler, Masai Mara 24 th May An early morning walk around the Keekorok grounds provided with ace views of Violet- backed Starling, Grey- capped Warbler, African Pygmy, Striped and Woodland Kingfishers, Bare- faced Go- away- bird, Marico Sunbird, Buff- bellied Warbler, Hildebrandt s Starling and a Black- headed Gonolek. After breakfast, we headed out of the park, stopping a few kilometres out of Sekenani Gate to admire another male Straw- tailed Whydah, a flock of Cardinal Quelea and a small gathering of Cut- throat Finch. Further out on the every short grass plains, we a turn off the main road to look for coursers and we quickly found a few Temminck s but not the ones we were looking for. Soon, we stumbled across a party of four Yellow- throated Sandgrouse a very welcome addition to our list and within a minute we found our quarry - Double- banded Coursers! At first, there appeared to be a few but as soon as they start to walk away, more appeared until we clocked about a dozen of them. With that target in the bag, and a few Silverbird on show as well, we headed off to Narok for lunch that included some very fine beef samosas! Yellow- throated Sandgrouse, Masai Mara Our next stop was the Manguo Pond at Limuru where we found a number of new species within minutes; White- backed Duck, Fulvous Whistling Duck and our target Maccoa Duck. It was a single female but with three guests that admire their Stifftails, it was good enough! A Purple Swamphen took some finding in the long wet grass but it was seen by all. Great to see the pond looking so high
still and there were several pairs of Whiskered Tern feeding young there, in addition to good numbers of the usual species there. 25 th May With traffic light as expected on a Saturday morning, we made good time to the gate of Tsavo West, stopping at Hunter s Lodge on the way where we found a fine Shikra, African Golden Weaver, Bearded Woodpecker and White- headed Barbet. Passing through the Mtito Andei Gate, where we got amazing views of two Black- headed Plover, we headed straight to Serena Kilaguni Safari Lodge, stopping on the way for Nancy s target species Abyssinian Scimitarbill plus Black- faced Sandgrouse and African Pygmy Falcon. After check- in and lunch, we made time to enjoy the grounds that were full of birds including Red- billed Buffalo- Weaver, Grey and Red- billed Hornbills and an array of starlings. Black- headed Plover, Tsavo West Friedman s Lark, Tsavo West Our afternoon drive started well with three Orange- bellied Parrot meeting us at the first junction and a Tawny Eagle soared overhead. We then made our way towards Mzima Springs, stopping along the way for great views of displaying Friedmann s Lark, Ashy Cisticola, Fischer s Starling, Red- winged Lark, a stunning Pangani Longclaw and Tsavo (Rosy- patched) Bushshrike. The birding was so good that we arrived at the springs fairly late and it was fairly quiet but we did see African Darter well here. After dinner at the hotel, we observed several Slender- tailed Nightjar hawking over the
waterhole, no doubt attracted by the myriad of bugs disturbed by the game coming in to drink. It was a good start to our 1- week extension and we were eager to see what the second day would bring. 26 th May Crested Francolin was our first prize of the day and although this is a fairly common and widespread bird we simply hadn t connected with it previously. Next up, a male Somali Ostrich crossed the road ahead of us and most of us saw another two Abyssinian Scimitarbills. We drove around the various tracks of the park but there was not so much singing as the previous evening, perhaps on account of the overcast weather. Nice birds that kept us perky included good views of Green- winged Pytilia and Blue- capped Cordon- bleu then a female Buff- crested Bustard crossed ahead of us but failed to stick around. Upon reaching some good lark habitat we listened out and located Red- winged and Singing Bush Lark. Later we disturbed a male Lesser Kudu, had better views of a male Buff- crested Bustard and a huge colony of weavers that included vast numbers of Chestnut Weaver and Red- billed Quelea, plus a very smart Oryx that sauntered by. On the way back to the lodge, we found a party of four African Pygmy Falcons that posed well for images. Our afternoon game drive started once again with good views of Orange- bellied Parrot but the highlight of the day was definitely the Leopard that graced us with stunning views for over 20 minutes at very close range. The group of female Lesser Kudu we watched nearby had good reason to appear anxious. Somali Courser, Tsavo East 27 th May After breakfast we left Tsavo West and headed towards Tsavo East before tracking south towards the Taita Hills. This was a poignant journey as the lack of any wild habitat was very noticeable, even towards the summit of the protected area. After collecting our local guide, we began our walk through the remaining small patch of forest but it was so quiet. Even the most abundant of the endemics, the Taita White- eye, was a single seen only once and other birds were few but included some Stripe- faced Greenbuls moving noisily through the trees but failed to show. We then accessed the forest via another track and quickly found Taita Thrush but it was so well hidden that it was not seen by all. After another quiet trek, we stopped for lunch and tried again afterwards. The Taita Thrush was relocated but again it was very difficult to observe and although Taita Apalis was then heard but remained hidden from view.
Taita Thrush, Taita Hills So we headed back down the hillside to Tsavo East, passing through Voi Gate quite late and with a solid cloudy sky it felt later than it actually was. We did have time to watch 100s of Elephants going about their business, find a relaxed Brown Snake Eagle perched high and catch a glimpse of a Buff- crested Bustard displaying in free- fall but the highlight was a pair of Golden- breasted Starling seen well for about 10 minutes. Black- backed Jackal, Tsavo East 28 th May We did a pre- breakfast walk around the gardens of Ashnil Aruba and connected quickly with the Pearl- spotted Owlet heard briefly the previous night. By the pool area, we watched nine Kori Bustard feeding in the distance, all in distinct groups of three, and two Collared Pratincole called noisily as they flew by overhead. After breakfast, we took a drive north and hit a really rich patch of birding with numerous highlights including Somali Bee- eater, Somali and Temminck s Coursers and Chestnut- headed Sparrow- Lark. On another track, we encountered a pair of Red- and- yellow Barbet, many Pink- breasted Lark and Taita Fiscals, African Hoopoe, Chestnut- bellied Sandgrouse, African Pygmy Falcon and more spectacular Golden- breasted Starlings before taking lunch at Bachuma Gate where we watched a family of Dwarf Mongoose come trotting by with pups in mouth. After lunch, we took a fairly uneventful drive to Malindi where we would spend our final three nights.
Chestnut- headed Sparrow- Lark in Tsavo 29 th May We made our way straight to the Arabuko- Sokoke forest station where we met up with Willy, our local guide. Within minutes we were enjoying African Golden Oriole and Green Barbet and soon after we heard a Red- capped Robin- chat that was eventually seen well. A Golden- rumped Elephant- Shrew dashed across our path and this seemed to be a good omen as we began collecting a good number of species of the coastal forest biome including Yellow- bellied Greenbul, the Coastal Yellow- rumped Tinkerbird and Black- bellied Starling. A group of Retz s Red- billed Helmet- shrike were encouraged in and showed well albeit rather briefly and a Fischer s Turaco was heard but it was always heading away from us and we never managed a view. A tame White- headed Dwarf Gecko was seen back at the forest station before we headed off to a new area. At our first stop, we quickly got great views of a male East Coast Akalat singing next to us and we also saw Eastern Nicator, Eastern Green Tinkerbird and Short- tailed Batis here. Nearby, a Lowland Tiny Greenbul was feeding young and we also got good views of both Mombassa Woodpecker and Narina Trogon here. Other goodies nearby included both Amani and Plain- backed Sunbirds, Ashy Flycatcher, Pale Batis, Little Yellow Flycatcher and Red- tailed Ant- Thrush. After lunch we tried very hard for Sokoke Pipit and although they were calling nearby we just couldn t get good views. However, in our quest to find the bird we did stumble across a nest that contained two eggs so we moved on and hoped the bird would return to incubate. Later we tried in vain to find a roosting Sokoke Scops Owl but none of their usual sites were occupied. We d have to try again tomorrow. 30 th May Making the most of a fine morning, we tried the main swamp area where we had little trouble locating Golden Palm Weaver and a fly- by Knob- billed Duck but getting good views of a pair of Malindi Pipit took a little longer. We eventually found them and also a Woolley- necked Stork and several pairs of noisy Coastal Cisticola which is now split from Winding Cisticola by most authorities. We tried another few sites for Fischer s Turaco but had no luck at all but did stumble across some Scaly Babblers and got good views of a Scaly- throated Honeyguide. Heading back into the forest, we tried again for the Sokoke Pipit but got distracted by some Four- coloured (Gorgeous) Bushshrikes calling nearby. Some poor views were had and despite some solid attempts to see them they did what they do best disappear in to the thickets. Fortunately, the pipits were heard nearby and after a little while we all got good views. Later in the day, we tried for the Scops Owl but Willy was baffled that he could not find them. He made a pledge that he would visit the site early in the morning and follow it to roost and was confident that we would see it before departing the next day. So we
headed back to base and tried our luck with a seawatch instead. There was a huge flock of terns a very long way out and only the dark- backed Swift Terns could be positively identified, and a few Sooty Gull passed just offshore that proved a lot easier to ID. 31 st May On our final morning, we paid a visit to Mida Creek to catch the rising tide and the moving waders. This was brilliant and we added over a dozen new species to our list in little over 30 minutes including Crab Plover, Terek Sandpiper, Dimorphic Egret and Lesser Crested Tern, and four male Amethyst Sunbird displayed nearby. We then went to Willy s site for the Scops Owl and this time we were very lucky to find a rufous morph bird roosting deep in the Cynometra thicket. Elated with the find, we made our way slowly down the track when suddenly three African Cuckoo Hawk appeared next to the road and soared next to us. With Mike catching an earlier connecting flight to the rest of us, we said our farewells at Malindi Airstrip. Sokoke Scops Owl, Arabuko- Sokoke Forest The remaining party then made a brief trip to Sabaki River Mouth where we found two pairs of Malindi Pipit and a few Sooty Gull but the best birds were several displaying Zanzibar Red Bishops, Golden Palm Weavers and lots of Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul flying around. After that, we took lunch at our villas before flying back to Nairobi and the journey home.
BIRD CHECKLIST # English name Scientific name 1 Maasai Ostrich Struthio camelus 2 Somali Ostrich Struthio (camelus) molybdophanes 3 White- faced Whistling- Duck Dendrocygna viduata 4 Fulvous Whistling- Duck Dendrocygna bicolor 5 White- backed Duck Thalassornis leuconotus 6 Knob- billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos 7 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca 8 Spur- winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis 9 African Black Duck Anas sparsa 10 Yellow- billed Duck Anas undulata 11 Red- billed Duck Anas erythrorhyncha 12 Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota 13 Cape Teal Anas capensis 14 Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa 15 Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris 16 Coqui Francolin Peliperdix coqui 17 Crested Francolin Francolinus sephaena 18 Scaly Francolin Pternistis squamatus 19 Hildebrandt's Francolin Pternistis hildebrandti 20 Yellow- necked Spurfowl Pternistis leucoscepus 21 Red- necked Spurfowl Pternistis afer 22 Jackson's Francolin Pternistis jacksoni 23 Harlequin Quail Coturnix delegorguei 24 Common Button- quail Turnix sylvaticus 25 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 26 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus 27 Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor 28 African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus 29 Woolly- necked Stork Ciconia episcopus 30 White Stork Ciconia ciconia 31 Saddle- billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis 32 Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus 33 Yellow- billed Stork Mycteria ibis 34 Great Cormorant (inc. white- breasted forms) Phalacrocorax carbo 35 Long- tailed (Reed) Cormorant Microcarbo africanus 36 African Darter Anhinga rufa 37 Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus 38 Pink- backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens 39 Hamerkop Scopus umbretta 40 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 41 Black- headed Heron Ardea melanocephala 42 Goliath Heron Ardea goliath 43 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 44 Great Egret Ardea alba 45 Intermediate Egret Mesophoyx intermedia 46 Little Egret Egretta garzetta
47 Dimorphic Egret Egretta dimorpha 48 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 49 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides 50 Rufous- bellied Heron Ardeola rufiventris 51 Striated Heron Butorides striata 52 Black- crowned Night- Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 53 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 54 Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus 55 Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash 56 African Spoonbill Platalea alba 57 African Cuckoo- Hawk Aviceda cuculoides 58 Bat Hawk Macheiramphus alcinus 59 Black- shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus 60 Yellow- billed Kite Milvus (migrans) parasiticus 61 African Fish- Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer 62 Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus 63 White- backed Vulture Gyps africanus 64 Rüppell's Vulture Gyps rueppellii 65 Lappet- faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus 66 Black- chested Snake Eagle Circaetus pectoralis 67 Brown Snake Eagle Circaetus cinereus 68 Western Banded Snake Eagle Circaetus cinerascens 69 Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus 70 African Harrier Hawk (Gymnogene) Polyboroides typus 71 Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus 72 Dark Chanting Goshawk Melierax metabates 73 Eastern Chanting Goshawk Melierax poliopterus 74 Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar 75 Shikra Accipiter badius 76 Black (Great) Goshawk Accipiter melanoleucus 77 Mountain Buzzard Buteo oreophilus 78 Augur Buzzard Buteo augur 79 Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax 80 Verreaux's (Black) Eagle Aquila verreauxii 81 African Hawk Eagle Aquila spilogaster 82 Ayres's Hawk Eagle Aquila ayresii 83 Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus 84 Long- crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis 85 Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus 86 Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius 87 African Pygmy Falcon Polihierax semitorquatus 88 Eurasian (Common) Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 89 Grey Kestrel Falco ardosiaceus 90 Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus 91 African Water Rail Rallus caerulescens 92 Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra 93 Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio 94 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 95 Lesser Moorhen Gallinula angulata 96 Red- knobbed Coot Fulica cristata