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18 JAN 2000
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ISSN 1023-30/9

August 1999

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A joint publication of the Department of Ornithology, National Museums of
Kenya, and the Bird Committee of the East Africa Natural History Society

Editors: Leon Bennun, Colin Jackson and Joseph Oyugi
Department of Ornithology, National Museums of Kenya, P O Box 40658, Nairobi

—

Editorial

Benjamin Franklin famously remarked that there were only two certainties:
death and taxes. Readers may be wondering if the delayed appearance of Kenya
Birds should constitute a third. Producing the magazine 1s difficult at the mo-
ment; not because of any lack of material — there are plenty of interesting
articles and records coming in, as the contents of this double issue show — but
because there is so much else taking the time of your editors.

We are considering ways to deal with the bottleneck, In the meantime, any
offers of skilled (please note the emphasis!) help with editing or layout would
certainly be appreciated. More sponsor subscribers might also give us the fi-
nancial resources to take on extra assistance when needed — do consider be-
coming a sponsor when you renew.

This issue contains news up to July 1999, and records up to July 1998.
Records for the ‘missing’ year are still being compiled. They will be in volume
8 (which with luck will appear before the next millennium is too far advanced...)

Many thanks to all those who have sent in notes and observations. What-
ever material we haven’t fitted into this issue will, again, go into the next. Just
a reminder that when vol. 8 appears it will only be sent to readers who have
renewed their subscriptions — please take the time to send your subs in now!

Wishing you good birding, and an excellent World Birdwatch on 2 and 3
October! — The Editors

Subscription rates for Volume 8

Kenya Abroad (airmail)
Sponsor KSh 500 UKE 10,00
Nature Kenya member KSh 150 UKE 6.00
Non-member KSh 250 Uk£ 7.50
Special (exchange/library) please write please write

Please make cheques payable to ‘Bird Committee of the EANHS’. Subscribers outside
Kenya may pay in any convertible currency. Back numbers of most volumes are available,
at KSh 150/= per issue (KSh 300/= per volume).

Please address all correspondence to: The Editors, Kenya Birds, Department
of Ornithology, National Museums of Kenya, PO Box 40658, Nairobi, Kenya

Front cover illustration: Corncrake Crex crex by Edwin Selempo. All illustrations
from the forthcoming IBA directory for Kenya: by Edwin Selempo, except Crab
Plover on p. 105 by Brian Small. Printed by Omnia Printers, Nairobi.

(RS Luna sen eens sons. a ——

Project Kasigau ’98: A preliminary report

Mount Kasigau rises alone, 50 kilometres south-east of the Taita Hills massif.
It is a forbidding peak, reaching over 1,600 metres in a near-vertical ascent
from the plains. Isolation and inaccessibility have largely hidden the se-
crets of this mountain from researchers since Van Someren visited it in
1938. All that was known until recently was that the indigenous forest was
believed to be very similar to the tiny fragments remaining on the Taita
Hills, and that it contained at least one of the three critically endangered
Taita endemic birds; the Taita White-eye. The extent and vulnerability of
this population was, however, unknown; nor was it known whether Taita
Thrush was also present in Kasigau’s forests (though it was rumoured to
be).

Such an enigmatic situation led to plans for an ornithologically-centred
expedition to Mt. Kasigau, under the joint auspices of the National Muse-
ums of Kenya (NMK) in Nairobi and the University of East Anglia (UEA)
in Norwich, England. With support from these institutions and the Royal
Geographic Society, a joint UK-Kenyan team won the Tropical Forest cat-
egory of the BP Conservation Awards (see below); providing the funding
needed to realise our plans. Led by Jim Barnes at UEA, with experience of
- conservation research from the Taita Hills project, the team comprised an-
other Taita Hills veteran, Roger Barnes (a Leeds-based artist — and Jim’s
dad!), plus Ronald Mulwa and Mwangi Githiru from NMK and Peter
Burston, John Leckie and myself from UEA.

The project team assembled in Nairobi in mid-June this year and was
soon in the village of Rukanga at the base of Kasigau, contemplating its
forbidding presence and beginning to realise why no-one else had mus-
tered the energy to survey the mountain. Fortunately, we had information
on a suitable campsite some way up the slope. For most of the next three
months, this site was to act as the base for our research. Data collection
was centred on systematic bird surveys, supported by mist-netting and veg-
etation studies.

Initial work suggested that Kasigau’s forests were somewhat impover-
ished in birds, both species and numbers — possibly due to the historical

2 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

isolation of the peak and resultant local extinctions. However, over time
we made several important discoveries. First, the higher altitude forests on
Kasigau appear to be a crucial refuge for the Taita White-eye. With num-
bers in the Taitas low and threatened by habitat loss and degradation, it was
reassuring to find that Kasigau’s largely intact forests supported a good
population of this species. Flocks of over 100 were not uncommon. Also,
such an isolated peak in the plains seemed irresistible to raptors. We saw
about 25 species (including Egyptian Vulture, African Crowned Eagle, Af-
rican Hawk-Eagle, Bat Hawk and an oversummering Eleonora’s Falcon)
on or around Mt Kasigau, many using the forests, nesting cliffs or thermals
of the mountain regularly. The Acacia/Commiphora bushland around the
mountain’s base supported many species (including Violet Wood-Hoopoe
and Pallid Honeyguide), while Striped Pipits were found around bare rocks
from the base of the mountain, near the villages at 600 m, upwards.

The absence of the Taita Thrush and Taita Apalis was disappointing. On
the other hand, the absence of any of the endemic birds of the Tanzania-
Malawi mountain range (with which the Taitas and Kasigau are currently
included as an endemic bird area (EBA)) by BirdLife International, pro-
vides further support for designation of Kasigau and the Taitas as a sepa-
rate and distinct EBA. The final necessary evidence may come from ongo-
ing DNA studies into the exact taxonomic status of the three Taita endemic
birds.

We found significant tracts of undisturbed indigenous forest on the up-
per slopes of Kasigau. Although degradation from rising human populations
may seem inevitable, we found quite a high level of conservation aware-
ness in the villages around the mountain. We were able to stimulate aware-
ness of the mountain’s importance further through work with several local
schools at the end of our visit. The response from both students and teach-
ers was enthusiastic and we intend to continue our work with the schools
now the survey has finished. We believe local people would readily back a
longer-term conservation initiative. The first steps towards this will be made
by Ronald Mulwa when he returns to Mt Kasigau as part of an MSc study
on the Taita White-eye.

With tourism currently so important a part of Kenya’s economy, we
hope Kasigau residents may see conservation-related income in the future
from birdwatching visitors to the mountain and the surrounding area. If
you visit Kasigau, please make people aware that you are there because the

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 3

mountain’s forests and their special birds have been conserved. — John
Pilgrim, 41 Wellsfield, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 &8DW, UK and Ornithology Dept.,
P O Box 40658, Nairobi

Note

This joint Ornithology Department—University of East Anglia Kasigau team won
the Tropical Forests category of the prestigious BP Conservation Programme
awards for 1998. The £5,000 award provided the key funding needed for the expe-
dition, led by UEA Biology student Jim Barnes, to carry out its work.

The Conservation Programme, now in its fourteenth year, is organised by
BirdLife International and Fauna & Flora International and supported by BP. For
information and application forms, contact Katharine Gotto (the Programme Man-
ager) at BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Rd., Cambridge CB3 ONA,
UK.

Birds of semi-arid areas

A Department research project, ‘The biodiversity impacts of land-use
changes in semi-arid areas: a landscape approach using bird populations’
has received support from the Regional Project for the Sustainable Use of
Dryland Biodiversity (RPSUD). The project will survey bird communities
in Laikipia district, contrasting adjacent areas with differing land uses to
gain an understanding of how birds are responding changes in to vegeta-
tion structure. George Amutete and his team carried out preliminary sur-
vey work in March 1999, and fieldwork proper starts in August.

In April 1999 Amutete joined US researchers Linda McCann and David
Niven at Mpala Research Centre. The team was. continuing long-term re-
search on Laikipia birds begun by the late Jim Lynch (see elsewhere in this
issue). The Department (with the Nairobi Ringing Group) hopes to con-
tinue this work with support from the Smithsonian Institution, visiting three
times each year to trap and ring birds at constant-effort sites near the re-
search centre.

A first look at the Tana River forests

The unique riparian forests on the lower Tana River are an Important Bird
Area, sheltering threatened birds such as East Coast Akalat and (if it is not
yet extinct) the mysterious White-winged Apalis. Some of the most impor-
tant patches of forest are protected in the Tana River Primate National Re-
serve, set up to conserve two rare sub-species of monkeys (the Tana River

4 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Mangabey and Tana River Red Colobus) that are found only here. Unfor-
tunately, the Reserve has long faced serious conservation problems, with
conflicts between the management authority (Kenya Wildlife Service) and
the local people who still live in the reserve and use its resources. To solve
these problems, the Global Environment Facility funded a major conserva-
tion project in the Reserve. For various reasons the project has experienced
numerous delays and false starts, but some work on the research compo-
nent finally got under way early in 1999. Along with other research teams
from the National Museums, an Ornithology team led by Joseph Oyugi
visited the Reserve from 20-27 February 1999. They mist-netted and ob-
served birds in four forest patches, Mchelelo, Congolani Central, Mnazini
North and Mnazini South. All the patches showed signs of distur-
bance. Mchelelo and Mnazini North appeared in better
condition than the other two patches, with a higher pro-
portion of forest-dependent birds and a more complete
canopy cover. There was no sign of the threatened
East Coast Akalat, nor of two forest sunbirds
— Plain-backed and Uluguru Violet-
backed — that are regionally
threatened. . Unfortunately
poor. security still
makes it difficult
to survey many
of the forest
patches in the
area, especially
~ on the west
S, bank of the
river.

Plain-backed Sunbird

Naivasha nest-boxes await their occupants

Many woodland birds such as woodpeckers, barbets, wood-hoopoes and
hornbills depend on tree-holes for nesting. Suitable nest holes are usually
in short supply and these species do badly when large old trees are cut
down, and when dead wood is removed. Elsewhere in the world nest boxes
have been used with great success to provide nesting sites for hole-nesting
woodland species — could they be used in East Africa as well? Work by

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 5

Department intern Michael Maina 1s putting this to the test. Maina was
recently awarded a grant by the African Bird Club for a project to set up
and monitor nest-boxes in the woodland at Lake Naivasha. Boxes of vary-
ing sizes and designs are in place at several sites already and being moni-
tored — now it’s up to the birds...

Waterbird ups and downs: what do they tell us?
The Department has been co-ordinating counts of waterbirds at the main
Rift Valley lakes since 1990. As well as the actual numbers of birds counted,
the way in which they vary from year to year can be very informative.
Department researchers recently analysed patterns of variations in Rift Val-
ley waterbird counts. The results were presented at the international con-
ference on shallow tropical waters and humans, held at Lake Naivasha in
April 1999.

Patterns of variation in waterbird numbers can give useful information
about several different aspects:

(1) How significant are population changes? We need to know how vari-
ability differs across different waterbird groups. If numbers in a particular
group fluctuate greatly, we should not be surprised to see large changes
from year to year. If they are usually stable, then a big change should set
alarm bells ringing.

The results: Individual lakes, and particular waterbird groups, showed very
different patterns. The most consistently stable across all individual lakes
were birds of prey and kingfishers. For the lakes combined, stable groups
included Palaearctic waders, ibises and spoonbills and birds of prey, while
unstable ones included large piscivores, grebes, coots and other rallids,
and flamingos. The population of flamingos was much more stable at Lake
Bogoria than anywhere else.

(2) How reliably do population changes indicate ecological changes? If
different waterbirds with similar ecology increase or decrease in numbers
together at a particular site, and these changes can be related to changes in
the environment, this increases our confidence in using these groups to
indicate specific ecological changes.

6 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

The results: This happened for several groups, such as different waders at
Naivasha and various large piscivores at Nakuru. These correlations could
indeed be related to local ecological conditions.

(3) How independent are counts at particular wetlands? Do particular
groups of waterbirds show correlated patterns across sites? These could
occur in three different ways, reflecting three different scenarios:

e There could be a more-or-less constant ‘pool’ of waterbirds in the south-
ern Rift Valley, which responds to local conditions by making local
movements. If numbers of a particular group increased at one site they
would therefore decrease at another. Waterbird counts could then indi-
cate a site’s ecological character, but sites could not be treated inde-
pendently.

e The waterbirds could come from a much wider geographic pool, with
the number in the southern Rift depending mainly on what conditions
were like elsewhere. Numbers in particular groups would thus tend to
increase or decrease in parallel across different sites. Waterbird counts
in this case would say more about conditions elsewhere than the site
where they were counted.

e The waterbirds could come from a much wider geographic pool, but
respond to the conditions at particular sites. Numbers in particular
groups would then show few clear relationships across sites. Waterbird
counts would thus give a good indication of a site’s ecological charac-
ter, and sites can be treated independently.

The results: there are very few clear relationships, either positive or nega-
tive, between sites. This suggests that waterbird counts do indeed give a
good indication of a site’s ecological character, and individual wetlands
can be treated independently.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 7

Overall, the results give a boost to the idea that we can use waterbirds
as indicators of ecological character in Rift Valley wetlands.

Ornithologists migrate south

Department researchers and associates Joseph Oyugi, Alfred Simiyu, Munir
Virani and Leon Bennun attended the International Ornithological Con-
gress in Durban, South Africa during August 1998. The IOC has never
been held in Africa before, so this was an opportunity not to be missed. It
turned out to be a highly enjoyable (and worthwhile) meeting, thanks in
large part to superb organisation by the hosts, BirdLife South Africa. The
venue was Durban’s brand-new, high-tech International Conference Cen-
tre (the ornithologists warming the place up for the Non-aligned Move-
ment conference the following week). Anyone who feels that ornitholo-
gists are best in moderate doses 1s advised not to go to an IOC: immersion
among a swarm of well over a thousand bird researchers for a week cer-
tainly makes for an intense and rather exhausting experience. The next
opportunity to network at this level will be in Beijing, China in 2002. Thanks
to our various sponsors, BirdLife South Africa, the British Ornithologists’
Union and the African Wildlife Foundation, for making the visit possible.

High NRG
The Nairobi Ringing Group continues with a busy and active programme.
The Nairobi Arboretum has now taken over as the Constant Effort site from
IUCN’s Wasaa Centre in Langata, and regular ringing is also ongoing at
the National Museums grounds. The group made excursions to Athi River,
Magadi, Mida Creek and Arabuko-Sokoke, and the Aberdares — all trips
with their own excitements and challenges. There have been substantial
changes at the Museums riverside site — initially because the El Nino
floods made off with a large chunk of it (and one mist-net, regrettably);
later because of clearance in preparation for the new Nairobi Botanic Gar-
den. This hasn’t deterred the birds, though. Good catches have included a
young Great Sparrowhawk, retraps of Common Fiscal and African Citril
ringed during the groups’ first sessions back in 1994, and African Black
Duck and Giant Kingfisher — see the first-hand account below!

Titus Imboma is the new Nairobi Ringing Group co-ordinator follow-
ing Colin Jackson’s departure for the coast. The ringing group welcomes
(serious) new members — anyone interested in joining should contact Titus.

8 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Ringing in the river

“On 3 December 1998 at the NMK grounds the Nairobi Ringing Group
made. a spectacular advance in its species list by catching its first African
Black Duck. The day before Titus Imboma and I put up nets as usual but
with a small addition — one net across the Nairobi River intended solely
to catch the duck, something that we had tried before with little success.

The following morning Tito opened the nets at 7 a.m., but it was not
until the second net round at 8:00 a.m. that the exciting moment came. As
I was approaching the two 12-m nets in the scrub I looked over the bush to
see that the one across the river had some activity. I saw a big black bird
struggling to free itself. My mind didn’t think of the duck at first: I as-
sumed it was just a polythene bag. But then... it was moving... and I in-
creased my speed, shouting to Tito because I had remembered why we had
set the net across the river — it was the duck!! “Tito! Run! The Duck!
Bata! Bata! Tito!” I shouted as I ran towards the net, leaving the scrub nets
that held only mousebirds.

The duck had been caught in the lower panel, flying downstream. I was
wearing gum boots which didn’t serve their purpose at all as my socks and
trousers were soaked while trying to extract the bird. We removed it safely
between the two of us, and I carried it to the ringing site in triumph, to
surprise the other members. As word got out that we had caught a Black
Duck members of the Ornithology Department flocked to the site to see
our rare catch.

Tito gave the duck a D ring as well as a white colour band after a lot of
agonising searching for a well-fitting non-corroding ring. It was a fully
grown bird with a wing span of 820 mm.

It was a day for quality species because we also caught three migrants:
two Willow Warblers and a Nightingale.

On 10 December 1998, we tried the same magic, managing to catch a
duck again. Unfortunately this time the bird was too heavy for the weak
guy ropes and the net fell, with the duck managing to free itself just as we
were about to reach it. We put up the net again and were consoled by trap-
ping another spectacular species — the Giant Kingfisher.” — Nicodemus
Nalianya, P O Box 40658, Nairobi.

[Adapted from Merops (the newsletter of the Nairobi Ringing Group) —
available from the Department. }

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 9

Advancing by degrees: updates on staff and students

Congratulations to Munir Virani and Brooks Childress for successfully de-
fending their PhD theses at Leicester University; to Oliver Nasirwa and
Wenceslas Gatarabirwa for completing their MSc degrees at the University
of East Anglia; to Paul Matiku, Joseph Oyugi and Alfred Simiyu, whose
MPhil theses satisfied the examiners at Moi University; and to Kiptoo
Kosgey and Mwangi Githiru for completing their Masters’ theses (they
await examination) at Moi and Kenyatta, respectively.

Oliver and Wenceslas returned to Kenya in September 1998 for a year’s
independent research. Oliver and his field team (Richard Musina and
Nicholas Nalianya) have been getting to grips with the papyrus swamps at
Lake Kanyaboli, haunt of the threatened Papyrus Yellow Warbler among
other special swamp species. Floating papyrus is a nerve-wracking habitat
to work in: one can see why papyrus birds have been rather neglected by
ornithologists! Wenceslas, assisted by Silvester Karimi, has been working
in a very different environment — the moorland of the high Aberdares.
This bleakly beautiful landscape is the stronghold of the Aberdare Cisticola,
a little-known Kenyan endemic and Wenceslas’s study bird.

Paul Matiku, Joseph Oyugi and Alfred Simiyu studied the East Coast
Akalat, Kakamega forest birds and sandgrouse populations, respectively.
Simiyu will now join fellow Kenyan Muchai Muchane in Cape Town to

work for his PhD at the Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of Field Ornithol-
ogy. With support from the African Wildlife Foundation,
Simiyu will be looking at the effect of different types of
land-use management on game-bird demography.

Kiptoo Kosgey and Mwangi Githiru
worked respectively on Turner’s Eremomela
and avian frugivory in the Taita Hills. Some
of My arigy’-s-data were collected during
Project Kasigau 1998, an expedition to
Mt Kasigau by a joint team from the
Ornithology Department and the
University of East Anglia (and

winner of the BP Expedi-
= tion Award in the Tropi-

<1

Yo cal Forests category).

foe been
SO Wine inget abies Mar dngitnast bp
Fi

10 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford, where he in-
tends to work for his PhD in zoology. He will be back in Kenya, however,
for fieldwork on the White-starred Robin in...yes, the Taita Hills! By look-
ing at the effects of forest fragmentation on a relatively widespread forest
bird like the robin, Mwangi pings to gain insights into why
other species have become locally i), extinct in many of the
fragments.

Another team member of Project
Kasigau, Ronald Mulwa, hasbeen .
back in the field in the Taita Hills *
(and in Kasigau again) to study the
threatened Taita White-eye Zosterops
silvanus. This is the most wide-spread
of the Taita endemic birds, and es-
pecially abundant on
Kasigau — it can be seen
there in flocks of 150 or
more. Mulwa’s_ work
shows that the a abee ad oe
forage both high in forest Z pe yi
trees and in scrub around a Z
the forest edge. They seem to refer blanct loaded with epiphytes, from
which they glean tiny insects. Mulwa, who is working for his MSc at
Kenyatta University, is supported by grants from the Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds and the Wildlife Conservation Society, and by the Taita
Hills Biodiversity Project. The white-eye field team currently includes Fred
Barasa and George Eshiamwata.

Edward Waiyaki continued his PhD work on the Taita Thrush, after a
visit to Antwerp University in April 1998. Six Department staff and interns
were able to visit the project during August and September 1998 and gained
valuable experience in radio-telemetry work (and in moving at speed up
near-vertical hillsides. ..).

In October 1998 Peter Njoroge began work for his PhD at Reading
University. He stayed in Reading for only a month before heading back to
the tropics to start field-work on Seychelles Magpie Robins Copsychus
sechellarum — one of the world’s rarest birds — and has since spent half a
year ‘marooned’ on Cousin Island where the species has been re-intro-

aP* te
A a Ee
=
a7,

/ hite-starred

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 11

duced. Njoroge passed through the Department in May 1999 and gave an
interesting seminar on the robins. His verdict on the Seychelles so far?
“Too many mosquitoes and too much fish.”” However, he has now learned
how to swim...

From June to August 1999 Department researchers George Amutete and
Joseph Oyugi were, quite coincidentally, on separate training programmes
in Chicago, USA. Amutete was based at the Field Museum of Natural His-
tory as a follow-up to a MacArthur biodiversity training course in Budongo
Forest, Uganda the previous year. The main focus was collection manage-
ment and taxidermy: we hope he will now be training al! the staff how to
make perfect study skins. Oyugi was taking part in a course on biodiversity
conservation run by the Field Museum, Chicago Zoo and the University of
Illinois.

Luca Borghesio pushed ahead with his work on northern Kenyan for-
ests, with surveys in Leroghi Forest, the Karissia Hills and Mt Kulal (ac-
companied by Kariuki Ndang’ang’a), and a reconnaissance trip to the Ndotto
Hills. Kariuki himself left the Taita Thrush project in September 1998 to
take up the IBA Research Fellow position vacated by Peter Njoroge. Daina
Samba stepped into his place in Taita; she has now won a Wellcome Trust
Biodiversity Conservation Fellowship and leaves for her MSc course at
Reading University this October. However, Daina will be returning to the
hills after that to study the Taita Apalis — the most threatened of the Taita
endemics.

Last but not least, Alfred Owino joined the Department in April 1998 as
a Research Fellow with the waterbird count project. He will be a familiar
face by now to anyone who has taken part in the counts.

‘Fundamentals’ forges on

The Department’s regular programme of training courses continues. ‘Fun-
damentals of Ornithology’ nos. 4 and 5 were held at Elsamere Field Stud-
ies Centre, Naivasha, from 26 May to 2 June 1998 and 22-29 April 1999.
The thirty-six participants included professional guides and naturalists, safari
operators and birders interested in brushing up their skills. Several field
visits were fitted in, to the lake, Hell’s Gate and Kieni Forest (fortunately
in drier weather than in 1997!), and the courses ended with the now-tradi-
tional ceremony where participants receive their ‘scientific names’. For
the first time, the 1999 course was organised together with Nature Kenya.

12 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

‘Fundamentals’ no. 6 is scheduled for the end of April 2000 — anyone who
is interested should contact the Ornithology Department. An updated set of
course notes 1s also available.

The field course ‘An introduction to gamebird biology’ also saw a suc-
cessful repeat. The location switched from Kajiado to another district rich
in gamebirds, Laikipia, at the Mpala Ranch Research Centre. From 24 April
to | May 1998, 13 potential gamebird scouts from ranches and community
projects in Laikipia, Samburu and Marsabit Districts were trained by a
team led by Alfred Simiyu. Support-came from the COBRA project of the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The course
aimed to teach appropriate skills for gamebird monitoring and manage-
ment, and also to demonstrate the potential of bird shooting for revenue
generation.

Hot off the press
The following new research reports are available from the Ornithology
Department:

No. 29. Distribution, densities and habitat preferences of three gamebird species
on Imbirikani group ranch, Kajiado. (Matiku, P., Simiyu, A. & Bennun, L.,
1998.)

No. 30. The avifauna and conservation status of South Nandi forest, Kenya.
(Waiyaki, E., 1998.)

No. 31. Monitoring of waterbirds in central Kenya, July 1995 and January 1996.
(Nasirwa, O., 1998.)

No. 32. Monitoring of waterbirds in central Kenya, July 1996 and January 1997.
(Oyugi, J.O. & Owino, A.O., 1998.)

No. 33. Monitoring of waterbirds in Kenya, July 1997 and January 1998. (Oyugi,
J.O. & Owino, A.O., 1998.)

No. 34. Monitoring of waterbirds in Kenya, July 1998 and January 1999. (Oyugi,
J.O. & Owino, A.O., 1999.)

No. 35. Avifauna of the lower Tana River forests: a preliminary survey. (Oyugi,
J.O. & Amutete, A., 1999.)

Bye-bye, CJ

Colin Jackson, our VSO Training and Records Officer, left the Department
in April 1998 after almost four extremely full years. Happily there was no
need for tearful good-byes, as Colin hasn’t gone far — just a few hundred
kilometres south-east, to Watamu. There he is busy setting up a bird ob-

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 13

servatory, Mwamba, that will operate under the A Rocha Trust. Not that he
isn’t greatly missed: but CJ remains a Research Associate of the Depart-
ment and an Editor of Kenya Birds, so we will be working very closely
with him in the future — Leon Bennun.

For more information about Mwamba Bird Observatory and A Rocha, con-
tact Colin Jackson at P O Box 383, Watamu — e-mail cj-jacko @ bigfoot.com.

Bird Committee

Small grants scheme

The Bird Committee has established guidelines for its small grant scheme
(available from the Nature Kenya office). Short-listed appli-
cations will now be consid- | oi = ered twice a year, in April and

October. The first award un- der this scheme was made to
Joel Ng’ida for a project entitled ‘Abundance and
productivity of gamebird populations at moni-
tor- ing sites on Mbirikani Group
Ranch, Kajiado District’. Unfor-
tunately far more applications

Bray ng ‘Z have already been received than

Gilegu anne

el LA See the Committee can support —
NY, ‘ ( ° : .
ie " | “eo = but it will try to put applicants
7 " Ne cis ae in touch with other sources of
Sa funding where appropriate.

Black-faced Sandgrouse

Ngulia 1998

It was another busy ringing season at Ngulia... the following notes are
extracted from a report compiled by Graeme Backhurst (Organiser, Ring-
ing Scheme of Eastern Africa, P O Box 15194, Nairobi).

Although the first eight days yielded fewer than 500 migrants, the sea-
son eventually turned out to be the second best ever, with a total of 20,313
Palaearctic and 1,609 Afrotropical birds ringed — plus five ringed birds
from four overseas schemes.

The first ringers arrived on 13 November, augmented on 15 November
by a contingent from the National Museums plus the first of the season’s

14 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Earthwatch teams. They spent the first eight days and nights looking at the
sky, refining the net rides, putting up more nets, studying bulbuls and some-
how managing to catch and ring 472 migrants! The weather was to blame
for this small number, with virtually no mist at night. All this changed from
22 November, when the mist did its stuff every night and good catches
resulted, including three days each with over 2,000 birds.

As well as the usual Marsh Warblers and Sprossers, there were excel-
lent numbers of Nightingales, Rufous Bush Chats, Iranias, Rock Thrushes,
Spotted Flycatchers, Olivaceous, Olive-tree and Barred Warblers,
Whitethroats and Red-backed and Red-tailed Shrikes. Unusual species in-
cluded a magnificent female Eurasian Sparrowhawk (the second Ngulia
record), two Corncrakes and an Asian Lesser Cuckoo.

Catches on the 27th and 24th (2,464 and 2,463) were the second and
third highest ever — but still some way behind the record 3,131 ringed on
20 November 1995.

Conditions continued good after most of the group had left on 27 No-
vember, with over 2,000 more migrants ringed between then and 2 Decem-
ber despite the diminished manpower, very wet conditions and a nearly
full moon.

The second session was from 15—26 December, when a Museums group,
assisted by Earthwatch volunteers, ringed 7,000 more migrants. Numbers
fell off along with the mist after 21 December. Marsh Warbler again pre-
dominated, followed by Whitethroat, Sprosser and River Warbler. There
were very good numbers of some other warblers: Garden (55), Basra Reed
(114), Great Reed (7) and Sedge (6 — there had been none in the first
session). Exciting captures included a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk, a Eura-
sian Scops Owl and a Common Redstart.

The first session produced an amazing (and unprecedented) five birds
with foreign rings. There were Marsh Warbler controls from the Nether-
lands (one) and Belgium (two), a Sprosser from Sweden (the first Swedish-
ringed Sprosser to south of northern Egypt,-and the longest and most north-
erly movement of any Ngulia bird), and an Italian Marsh Warbler found
dead in the lodge. Only three birds ringed in previous Ngulia seasons were
retrapped: a Sprosser and a Marsh Warbler in November which had been
ringed in November the previous year, and a Whitethroat in December from
December 1996.

Nightingales (138) and Common Rock Thrushes (59) were caught in
record numbers this year, with second-best ever yearly numbers for

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 15

Corncrake (2), Tree Pipit (20), Rufous Bush Chat (144), Irania (683), Spotted
Flycatcher (278), Basra Reed Warbler (173), Barred Warbler (151) and
Willow Warbler (302).

It was the best-ever year for Afrotropical birds ringed — the total of
1,609 was 449 more than in 1995. The total included no fewer than 681
Common Bulbuls, which thronged the lodge during the first, dry week of
the November session. From the proportion of ringed birds sighted around
the lodge there were estimated to be about 1,500 bulbuls in the surround-
ing bush. Apart from the bulbuls, birds of interest included the second ever
Black Cuckoo and the second and third ever Klaas’s Cuckoos, six Grey-
headed Kingfishers, eight Golden Pipits and five Grassland Pipits, three
Red-capped Robin Chats, 11 African Paradise Flycatchers and 17 Somali
Golden-breasted Buntings.

This season’s efforts brought the number of Ngulia recoveries and con-
trols to the respectable total of 105. There will surely be quite a few more
to come — the 17,232 birds ringed in 1997 have brought in only one con-
trol so far, and there have been five from the 18,344 birds ringed in 1996.
From past experience, recoveries and controls away from Ngulia often take
several years to come in. (Since writing this we have just had notification
of a Barn Swallow, ringed at Ngulia in December 1996 and controlled at
the Chokpak Pass Ornithological Station in Kazakhstan in September 1998.)

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the lodge management, as always, to Kenya Wildlife
Service, British Airways Assisting Conservation and Earthwatch. The Mu-
seums team wishes to thank the Kenya Museum Society and the Bird Com-
mittee of the EANHS, who each sponsored two ringers to participate.

A long way from home

Ringing organiser Graeme Backhurst reports two additional recent records,

in addition to those in the Ngulia account above:

e A Barn Swallow ringed at Ngulia in December 1996 was controlled
(i.e. recaptured and released) at Chokpak, Kazakhstan on 22 Septem-
ber 1998.

e A colour-ringed Lesser Black-backed Gull observed by Malcolm
Wilson at Kazinga, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda, on 18 and
19 January 1999. It had been ringed as a nestling at Sahalahti, Hame,
Finland on 23 June 1996.

16 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Raptor Working Group and Waterbird Working Group

The Bird Committee has agreed to set up working groups on raptors and
waterbirds, to be co-ordinated by Munir Virani and Oliver Nasirwa respec-
tively. Working groups tend to be only as effective as the people who are
involved in them are enthusiastic — if you are interested in becoming in-
volved in either group, please contact Munir or Oliver via the Department
of Ornithology.

IBA bursary scheme

The Bird Committee has set up a fund to help support the secondary school
education of needy students who are closely involved with IBA Site Sup-
port Groups, and whc have the potential to contribute substantially to bird
conservation in the future. Several donations have already been received
for the fund, but more are needed — if you would like to help, please
contact the Nature Kenya office. The first bursary recipient is Dominic
Kamau Kimani, a student at Kimuri Secondary School who is one of the
founder members of the Friends of Kinangop Plateau.

Nature Kenya

Strategic plan wrapped up

Nature Kenya finalised its four-year strategic plan in March 1999. The plan
has seven major components, including identifying and documenting
biodiversity priorities, and taking action for the protection of key species,
sites and habitats. As far as birds are concerned, much of this work is al-
ready underway as part of the Important Bird Areas programme with Glo-
bal Environment Facility support.

Important Bird Areas in Kenya

Work on the Important Bird Areas programme in Kenya has now really
taken off. The programme works at two levels, local and national. Locally,
it is stimulating conservation action at particular sites, especially by work-
ing with ‘site support groups’. Nationally, it is linking up with other or-
ganisations to put IBAs on the conservation agenda. The main funding for
the programme comes from the project “African NGO-Government Part-
nerships for Sustainable Biodiversity Conservation”, which is supported
by the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Develop-
ment Programme.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 17

The two strands of the IBA programme are co-ordinated by Nature Kenya
staff Solomon Mwangi (Sites Conservation Officer) and Paul Matiku (Con-
servation Promotion Officer). Both have been extremely busy since they
began work in April 1998. A few highlights of the last year and a half are
outlined below.

National Liaison Committee

The IBA National Liaison Committee developed out of the existing IBA
Advisory Council. It provides a forum for discussing biodiversity conser-
vation, bringing together more than 20 Government departments and non-
government organisations involved in various ways with IBA conserva-
tion. The NLC has so far held five successful meetings.

Poster spreads the IBA message

Members of the NLC co-ordinated the design and production of a colour-
ful IBA poster, targeted at schools and Government offices. It features Edwin
Selempo’s paintings of four IBAs with their special birds (Lesser Flamingo
at Lake Turkana, Turner’s Eremomela in South Nandi Forest, Jackson’s
Widowbird in the Kinangop Grasslands and Clarke’s Weaver in Arabuko-
Sokoke Forest). The poster was printed in October 1998 and so far around
4,000 copies have been distributed country-wide. A curriculum guide for
schools has been produced to accompany the poster, so that it can be used
effectively as a teaching aid.

SSG network growing
Nature Kenya is now working with local conservation groups at seven IBAs.
These include the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Guides Association (Arabuko-
Sokoke Forest), Burguret Youth for Conservation (Mt Kenya), Friends of
Kinangop Plateau (Kinangop Grasslands), Kakamega Biodiversity Con-
servation and Tour Operators Association (Kakamega Forest), Kijabe En-
vironment Volunteers (Kikuyu Escarpment Forest), North Lake Bird Track-
ers and South Lake Birdwatching Group (Lake Naivasha) and Sunset Birders
(Lake Victoria). The programme is also collaborating with Rural Initiaves
for Sustainable Development (RISDEV), an NGO working around South
and North Nandi Forests.

These groups are diverse in their hile history and activities.
However, they also have many features (and challenges) in common. A
workshop to bring them together was held at Naivasha from 19-21 No-

18 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

vember. Eighteen participants attended from six different site groups. This
gave a chance for people to interact, share experiences and identify com-
mon problems. The links between groups have been consolidated since
then by a number of exchange visits.

The groups are carrying out various work on the ground, including moni-
toring, awareness-raising and education. The Kakamega group has started
an environmental education project with support from the African Bird
Club. This focuses on schools next to the forest: members talk to school-
children about the forest and its importance, and guide them on forest walks
so they can experience Kakamega’s rich biodiversity at first hand. In
Kinangop, the Friends are implementing a similar project with funding
from the RSPB. As well as schools, they are targeting the wider commu-
nity in an awareness campaign focused on Sharpe’s Longclaw. This Ken-
yan endemic bird relies on tussocky grassland, the ‘original habitat in
Kinangop but one that is fast disappearing. Kinangop farmers own the land
on which the longclaws live, so their support is vital if the birds are to be
conserved.

Priorities for conservation action
Kenya has 60 IBAs, all of which need conservation attention. However,
resources are scarce — we need to know where to concentrate our effort
most urgently. To decide this, Nature Kenya organised a workshop to set
priorities for action among the IBAs. Fourteen biologists and conserva-
tionists from eight institutions travelled to the Kenya Wildlife Service Train-
ing Institute, Naivasha on 7 December for a two-day get-together. Partici-
pants discussed and agreed on a methodology for setting priorities, before
settling down to brass tacks and working through the list of sites. The re-
sult was a set of scores for threat and for biological importance — combin-
ing these gives a list of priorities. Sites were classed in three categories of
priority, Critical, Urgent and High — it being recognised that all IBAs are,
by definition, conservation priorities. Appropriate conservation actions were
also suggested, some suitable for all'sites (such as monitoring, and aware-
ness-raising for decision-makers), others perhaps only feasible for the sub-
set of Critical sites (such as Integrated Conservation and Development
Projects).

Many of the sites on the Critical list are hardly surprises — they include
Kakamega Forest, Mt Kenya and the Taita Hills forests, for example. Oth-
ers have received much less conservation attention, such as the Mau Narok/

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 19

Molo Grasslands and_ Busia
Grasslands. The analysis clearly shows
that the most threatened habitats in
ppya are forests and grasslands —
ven though many forests are officially
/protected as Forest Reserves, this has
not stopped extensive destruction and
degradation.
Although extremely hard work for
everyone who was there, the priority-
sefeing workshop succeeded in setting
4 clear and justifiable agenda for IBA
conservation — and in developing a
straightforward methodology that can
perhaps be applied elsewhere in Africa.

~

=
SSSMMMAMHE ES LF

/ | ‘BA databases take shape
Hartlaub’s/MarskAVidowbird Kariuki Ndang’ang’a has been busy
V i collecting data for the Important Bird

Areas apefand computer databases. The paper database now contains
copies fAiterature on Kenya’s 60 IBAs, and sits in a filing cabinet in the
NatureAenya office. Published or unpublished information on particular
sites is often scattered and hard to locate, so the aim is to bring as much of
it as possible together in one place — or at least to provide directions as to
where it can be found. If you know of material on IBAs that may not be in
the collection, Kariuki would be pleased to hear from you.

IBA directory on the way

The IBA directory lumbers on... The text and maps for the 60 site accounts
were finished by March 1998. Unfortunately, there turned out to be major
technical problems in translating the maps to the typesetting software be-
ing used. Solving these, and completing the introduction, took another full
year. However, after several false starts, the directory is now really ex-
pected to go to press in September 1999. The original plan to produce it in
full colour has been abandoned as too costly, but the illustrations (line draw-
ings by Edwin Selempo and Brian Small) and tables will be in tasteful
shades of blue. Watch this space...

20 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Milk, grass and longclaws

Bird conservation is nowadays ever more enmeshed with wider issues of
policy and economics. This is especially so outside protected areas. In the
Kinangop Grasslands IBA, the grassland habitat that supports Sharpe’s
Longclaw and other grassland birds has been giving way rapidly to culti-
vation. Recent studies have estimated a conversion rate of between six and
nine percent of grassland each year, which is startlingly high. What is driv-
ing this rapid change in land use?

To start obtaining a grip on this question, Nature Kenya invited two of
the RSPB’s experts on agriculture and land-use to visit the plateau. The
idea was to develop a better understanding of the key issues surrounding
agriculture and land use change in Kinangop, and map out what further
research might be needed. Accordingly, Matt Rayment and Giovanna Pisano
spend several days in early March 1999 with colleagues from Nature Kenya
and the Friends of Kinangop Plateau. They spoke to farmers and dairy co-
operative administrators, seeing at first hand the land-use issues on the
plateau.

Although very preliminary, the findings bring some good news for
Sharpe’s Longclaw — dairy farming is likely to remain the dominant enter-
prise in Kinangop. Most farmers do not want to convert all of their land to
arable production, as the risk of crops failing completely is to great. Prob-
lems in the dairy industry, mainly to do with milk marketing, have caused
farmers to convert some of their land in order to diversify and avoid rely-
ing too much on one source of income.

Though dairy farming has become less attractive in the last decade, it
remains the preferred enterprise for many farmers. It is less labour inten-
sive and generally less difficult than arable farming on Kinangop. The con-
servation implications are clear — if the milk market became more attrac-
tive and reliable, the dairy sector would grow, and so would the incentives
to maintain grassland as pasture. Nature Kenya is now working with the
Friends of Kinangop Plateau and a local dairy co-operative to put together
a project to improve milk cooling facilities: This would allow farmers to
gain greater economic rewards from their livestock and discourage land
conversion. Access to the facilities would also be tied in to mechanisms to
ensure responsible land management that benefits the longclaws.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 21

BirdLife International

Council of the African Partnership

There are now seven BirdLife Partner organisations in Africa: BirdLife
South Africa, Conservation Society of Sierra Leone, Ghana Wildlife Soci-
ety, Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society, Nature Kenya, Nature
Uganda, and the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania. Representa-
tives of these organisations met as the newly-fo1med Council of the Afri-
can Partnership at Mazvikadei, Zimbabwe, in June 1998, and at Kompiegna,
Burkina Faso, in June 1999. Among other decisions, Partners recommended
that BirdLife Zimbabwe, Naturama (Burkina Faso), the Nigerian Conser-
vation Foundation and Association Les Amis des Oiseaux (Tunisia) be-
come BirdLife Partners Designate. The Chair of Council for 1999/2000 is
Souleymane Zeba of Naturama. At its June 1999 meeting, CAP also nomi-
nated Souleymane as Global Council member for the period 1999-2003,
and Aldo Berruti (BirdLife South Africa) for election as Council Member-
at-large. These nominations will be put forward for confirmation by the
entire Partnership during the World Partnership meeting in Malaysia in
October 1999.

BirdLife Seychelles receives GEF funding

Approval of the US$1 million Avian Ecosystems Management Project for
the newly created BirdLife Seychelles Office has been received from the
Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council via the implementing agency,
the World Bank. The GEF Council will provide a grant of US$740,000
over the next three years and the Seychelles government will supply over
$100,000 of field assistance, project accounting and administration input.
BirdLife Seychelles will provide about $150,000 in scientific expertise and
management input.

The aim is to restore the Granitic Seychelles Endemic Bird Area. It is
one of the first medium-sized GEF projects to be approved. The project
will include research on three critically threatened species, including Sey-
chelles Magpie-Robin Copsychus sechellarum, and will undertake island
assessments with subsequent restoration of at least one islands.

22 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Satellite tracking of Black-faced Spoonbills

The first signals have been received from one of six critically threatened
Black-faced Spoonbills Platalea minor fitted with a satellite transmitter. In
May 1998, signals were received from a bird migrating through southern
Zhejiang Province, China, from its wintering grounds in Taiwan where the
transmitter was fitted.

So far, six birds have been fitted with transmitters in a joint tracking
project. Three birds are being tracked from Tsangwen Estuary, Taiwan, and
three from Mai Po Marshes in Hong Kong. The project has also colour
ringed these birds, as well as a further 10 birds at Mai Po and one bird at
Tsangwen.

Sightings of Black-faced Spoonbills in Kenya are unlikely — to say the
least! But anyone who comes across one of these colour-ringed birds should
report sightings to the Wild Bird Society of Japan (mj-ueta@netlaputa.ne.jp).

New BirdLife project at Mont Péko, Cote d’Ivoire

BirdLife is undertaking a new project at Mont Péko National Park, Céte
dIvoire. The contract provides technical assistance for park management
and a preliminary biological and socio-economic survey will aid planning
of subsequent work. A key element will be to integrate surrounding
populations into park activities.

Mont Péko is one of three protected areas being funded by the European
Commission for an initial two years. The project forms part of a larger
multi-donor programme co-ordinated by the World Bank and the PCGAP
to revitalise the National Park sector in Céte d’ Ivoire.

Mont Péko National Park is a small block (34,000 ha) of Upper Guinean
Forest centred on a series of granite inselbergs. This habitat, forming one
of Africa’s two major lowland rainforest regions, originally covered most
of Sierra Leone, south-east Guinea, Liberia, southern Cote d’Ivoire and
south-west Ghana. It has now largely been cleared and the remaining for-
est is severely threatened.

As more surveys are carried out in the Mont Péko area, it is very likely
to be recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) — one of the species
already found there is the vulnerable White-necked Rockfowl Picathartes
gymnocephalus. This arresting bird, endemic to the Upper Guinea forest
zone, breeds in small colonies in caves and on rock faces under rainforest
cover. The discovery at Mont Péko is significant, as this is only the fourth
known site for the species in Cote d’ Ivoire.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 23

Birding in... Embu

J. H. Burrell
Thika High School, Private Bag, Thika

[Editors’ note: This article is based on J.H. Burrell’s birdwatching in and
around Embu from January 1974 to October 1982. Why are we publishing
information that is nearly two decades ‘out of date’? In part because it
may help to focus attention on a part of Kenya that has been largely ne-
glected by birdwatchers; also because much of the ‘gen’ may still be useful
and valid; and because we would like to know what changes have taken
place since 1982. For that reason, too, we are listing the bird species in
more detail than usual (for obvious reasons these records are unchecked! ).
If anyone does visit the sites described here, please write and let us know
what you find in terms of habitat, routes and bird species... and we’ll pub-
lish the details in future issues. ]

Dry country birds of Embu—Mbeere Districts

The Siakago Road

From the ‘Isaac Walton Inn’ drive down to Embu town and turn left at the
Shell Garage along the Kitui/Siakago road. At a point approx 6 km from
your start the Kitui road branches right — keep straight on for Siakago.
From now on anything might turn up if you stop to check for it either side
of the road, but two very good areas are to be found as follows:

1. Approximately 18 km from your starting point you will come to a
small bridge. Cross over this and pull on the left. Walk anywhere in this
area, following the course of the river bed (usually dry). The river can be
crossed at several points and then a circular walk is possible to bring you
back to the road and bridge.

2. Proceed for another 4 km and you reach another good area. Park at
the side of the road and explore both sides.

These are rich sites, at which more than 185 species have been recorded.
Some of the more notable ones include Peregrine, African Hobby, Euro-
pean Hobby, Common Kestrel, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Steppe
Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, Shelley’s Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard,

24 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

African Cuckoo, European Cuckoo, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Black-and-white
Cuckoo, Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Violet-crested Turaco, Brown Parrot, Brown-
hooded Kingfisher, Violet Wood Hoopoe, Bearded Woodpecker, Scarce
Swift, Horus Swift, Tree Pipit, Hindes’ Babbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Icterine
Warbler, Upcher’s Warbler, Wood Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Green-
capped Eremomela, Tiny Cisticola, Siffling Cisticola, White-headed Saw-
wing, White-crested Helmet-shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, European Golden
Oriole, African Golden Oriole, Marico Sunbird, Mouse-coloured and Afri-
can Penduline Tits, African Firefinch, Paradise Whydah and Broad-tailed
Paradise Wyhdah. /Editors’ note: this last species was recorded from Meru
District in the 1940s, but there are no other recent records from Kenya! —
time to look again? ]

The Kitui road

Along the Kitui road from the turn-off the species are generally similar, but
with some notable additions such as Scaly Chatterer and Steel-blue and
Straw-tailed Wyhdahs

The dams
From the ‘Isaac Walton’ a journey of about 53 km along the Kitui road will
take you to Kamburu Dam. At the dam itself, park first on the Embu side
and walk round the bush to the left and the foreshore to the right. Then park
on the dam itself to scan the spillway to the left. Finally, cross the dam,
park on the right and scan the bush and foreshore to the right. As well as the
bush birds to be seen along the Siakago and Kitui roads, numerous
waterbirds are likely including the two cormorants, Little, Yellow-billed
and Great Egrets, Woolly-necked Stork, Water Dikkop and Giant Kingfisher.
Continuing towards Kitui for a couple of kilometres, a sharp left turn
takes you to Kindaruma. Stop at the first small bridge over a large dry
watercourse to look for Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Bare-eyed Thrush and Black-
bellied Sunbird. Along the shoreline before Kindaruma Dam itself is reached
there is usually a variety of waterbirds, including Three-banded and
Spurwing Plover and (in season) numerous migrant waders. Osprey has
also been recorded here. Notable birds in the scrub and bush include Banded
Snake Eagle, Golden-breasted Starling and Northern Grey Tit.

Ay iS
From the ‘Isaac Walton’ set drive Ba

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 25

Forest birds of Embu-Kerugoya Districts

a
lrangi Forest \

from Embu on the Meru\road.
About 6 km travel will briny
you to the small village of NN
Mutindori. On the left, a
well-defined murram
road leads to St Mark’s
Teacher Training ap S
College. Follow this road Cate ae cig
towards the mountain, t eS
passing the college,
Manyatta and
Kianjakoma Tea
Factories, and finally
reaching the Irangi Forest
barrier. One can park here and ae
explore on foot, or find a forest a)
worker to open the barrier so that you can drive a few kilometres into the
forest. Numerous tracks and trails in the forest itself merit investigation. A
full day is recommended for really good results: an early start can be very
exciting if there has been some overnight rain during a dry spell. Interesting
birdwatching can be guaranteed, but sightings can be slow and few and far
between until one comes across mixed birds parties. The forest holds an
excellent selection of highland forest and stream-side birds, including
Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Mountain Buzzard, Rufous-
breasted Sparrowhawk, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo,
White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Bar-tailed Trogon, Fine-banded Woodpecker,
Mountain Wagtail, Mountain Greenbul, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher,
Black-throated Apalis, Black-headed Apalis, Brown Woodland Warbler,
African Hill Babbler, Hunter’s Cisticola, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike,
Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Montane Oriole, Kenrick’s Starling, Waller’s
Starling, Olive Sunbird, Brown-capped Weaver, Yellow-bellied Waxbill,
Abyssinian Crimson-wing, Thick-billed seed-eater and Grey-headed Negro-
finch.

White-tailed Crested Flycatcher

26 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Njikiini Forest

From the ‘Isaac Walton’ take the main Nairobi Road out of Embu and across
the Rupengazi Bridge. On climbing the hill which bears left, look out fora
murram turn to the right where there are a few small shops. Proceed straight
towards the mountain, following two undulating ‘S’ bends to left to right.
On approaching the third of these, you will notice a small patch of natural
forest on your left as the road bends left; on the right is cleared pine trees,
straight ahead is swamp and natural forest. On the edges one can see Brown-
backed Scrub Robin, Riippell’s Robin-Chat, and Blue-headed Coucal. One
has to walk through the forest as there are few well defined paths. Keep the
swamp to your left and press on and up to meet a small stream; follow this
to the right, and cross the stream by logs to enter a glade. Paths from this
lead to pine forest, but by always bearing left one will eventually reach
murram tracks and the main road, coming round in a circle back to one’s
car —- recommended only for the intrepid and energetic! The birds are
harder to see than at Irangi, fewer in number, and similar in composition.
Notable species here are Lemon Dove, Narina’s Trogon, Eastern Honeybird
and Red-headed Bluebill. It is a pity that this largely unexplored and mys-
terious forest is so difficult to access as it must contain some rarities. Once
by chance, when lost, I found a small lake and swamp area inside thick
forest but could not reach the water’s edge — since then I have been un-
able to rediscover it!

Castle Forest

Drive from Embu on the Nairobi road and at Samson’s corner (12 km from
town) turn sharp right on the Sagana road. Proceed for about 5 km, and just
before Kutus take the right-hand tar road to Kirinyaga. About 6 km along
this bear left onto murram and proceed on a rough road past Kabare Girls’
School straight on to the forest (about 32 km from the tar in total). Con-
tinue into the forest for a few kilometres until the ‘Castle’ 1s reached. Park
and look around. The birds are similar to a combination of those found at
Njikiini and Irangi but do include some additional species, such as Red-
headed Parrot, Sharpe’s and Abbott’s Starlings, Mountain Yellow Warbler,
Taccazze Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill and Yellow-crowned Canary.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 27

Embu township and environs

The town

A variety of birds can be seen in and around the town centre, a useful
viewing spot being the patio of the cafe at the back of the town hall. Around
the treed area of the Provincial/District offices is a good spot to see Slen-
der-billed Chestnut-winged Starlings.

The Isaac Walton

The gardens of the Isaac Walton hotel, just out of town on the Meru road,
with their variety of flowers, plants, bushes and trees, attract a variety of
birds. With a little effort a reasonably relaxed day can yield up to 50 spe-
cies. Some notable species on the list include Little Sparrow Hawk, Scaly-
throated Honeyguide and Garden Warbler.

Kangaru School

About 1.5 km up the hill from the hotel is the large compound of Kangaru
School with its farm land, coffee shamba and indigenous forest and bush,
together with some fine jacaranda and eucalyptus trees. Turn right onto
murram at the ‘Staff houses’ sign, then right again at the signpost and park
off the lane. Walk down the lane, explore the school nature trail (on the
left) cross the small stream, and proceed to the right through scattered bush
into more open country. A stony outcrop affords a lovely view over Mbeere
lands stretching out below and into the distance. Retracing one’s steps, one
comes back to a murram path (you will have crossed it on the outward
journey.) If you go left up the hill you reach the D.D.C. houses on your
right and have parkland, a nice pond and agricultural plots (on the Agricul-
tural Research Station land) on your left. Winding Cisticola and African
Water Rail occur at the pond. Follow the road to the tar and turn right to
reach the Kangaru road to the right. Alternatively turn right at the murram
road mentioned, go up the hill and then left through playing fields, bush,
edge of forest and coffee, returning in a circle back to the road where the
car is parked nearby. The staff houses’ gardens are good for birds as well.
Interesting species here include Bat Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, Scaly Francolin,
African Wood Owl, Montane Nightjar, Lesser Honeyguide, Wahlberg’s
Honeybird, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Grey-Olive Greenbul and Red-faced
Cisticola. |

28 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Agricultural Institute Farm Ponds

Opposite the entrance to the D.D.C (District Development Centre) and
Kangaru Staff house road, both on the right, is a murram road to the left,
with the farm entrances on the right hand. Inside are two ponds with a good
variety of waterbirds, including African Darter, Purple, Common Squacco
and Black-crowned Night Herons, Black Crake and African Reed Warbler.

Close to 400 species have been recorded in the general Embu area, though
some of these are decidely unusual. The variety of habitats makes this a
rich birdwatching site, and well worth exploring — especially with visits
at different times of the year.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 29

Birding in... the Endashant Swamp

Mark Mallalieu
DFID, P O Box 30465, Nairobi

Where in Kenya might you see African Crakes and Dwarf Bitterns along-
side Rosy-patched Bush-shrikes and Bare-eyed Thrushes? Possibly only in
and around the Endashant swamp, just an hour’s drive from Nairobi.
Endashant is a seasonal swamp just beyond the Ngong hills. It lies in a
shallow basin of about 209 hectares, between steep cliffs on one side and a
long rocky outcrop on the other, in dry Acacia-Commiphora country sparsely
populated by nomadic Maasai and their herds.

Being seasonal, the ‘swamp’ 1s, of course, often bone-dry. It appears to
flood in years of good rains, probably from April or May, drying out again
between July and October, depending on rainfall.

Getting there

Travel out to Ngong town, turning right at the T-junction in the town centre,
then almost immediately bear right again where the road forks. Follow this
road (dirt soon replaces tarmac, but it’s usually passable by saloon car)
round the edge of the Ngong hills and soon you are descending steeply
across a hillside into Maasai country covered in camphor bushes (‘ol-
leleshwa’ in Maa). Have your binoculars handy from here: you should see
Schalow’s Wheatears on the road down the hill and Northern Anteater Chats
a bit further on. After 10.8 kms, bear right where the road divides again
(there is a sheet-iron covered church on your right here), and turn left after
another 5 kms where there is an old sign marked ‘Ngong rifle range’. Park
after 4.4 kms by a small fenced pond, put your wellies on and walk in the
direction of the Ngong hills. A scramble down a rocky bush-covered slope
brings you to the swamp.

The birds

The last 8 km or so of the drive to Endashant are particularly exciting. In
the early morning, there are hordes of small birds by the roadside: White-
browed Scrub Robins, Purple Grenadiers, Speckle-fronted Weavers, Grey-
capped Social Weavers and Yellow-rumped Seed-eaters are typical, Green-

30 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Rosy-patched / winged Pytilias not infre-
Bush-shrike quent, whilst abundant
Grey Flycatchers and fre-

ema quent Fawn-coloured
a Ag | / arks perch near the tops
7 SY -

@

# the small trees. Capped
Wheatears can sometimes
Be common in the open
ountry just beyond the
ning at the church, and
Short-tailed Larks,
Temminck’s Coursers and
Kori Bustards also occur
here. There are three good-
ies to look out for in the
better-wooded areas: Tiny
Cisticolas (which some-
times perch conspicuously
right on the tops of acacias),
~.-southern Grosbeak Canar-
ies (here at the northern
~ edge of their range) and the
very local Bush Pipit, whose small size is distinctive — but remember that
Grassland and Long-billed Pipits also occur. Rocky outcrops hold Wailing
Cisticolas, Cliff Chats and a pair or two of Common Kestrels and Augur
Buzzards.

As you walk down towards the swamp, look out for the noisy and nu-
merous Banded Parisomas, D’ Arnaud’s Barbets, Slate-coloured Boubous,
Brown-crowned Tchagras and Rosy-patched Bush-shrikes. Once at the
swamp, birds to be seen depend very much on the conditions. In dry peri-
ods, there may be Fischer’s Sparrow-larks out on the dried mud. Depend-
ing on the time of year, pools of water attract breeding or migrant waders. If
there is plenty of cover for their nests, Red-billed Teals and White-faced
Whistling Ducks may be found escorting tiny ducklings. If there is an ex-
panse of open water as well, herons and storks occur (12 species have been
recorded), including African Spoonbills, Glossy Ibises and the ‘secretive’
Dwarf Bittern which, if flushed, will land and stand motionless on the top
of an acacia. Occasionally a pelican drops in (but not for long, as there are

4
§ = 4 f La EB
Roy Te

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 31

no fish). Whiskered Terns may be breeding, along with a few Maccoa Ducks
and Black-necked Grebes (Little Grebes are far commoner, but the Great
Crested Grebes which nested in the 1970s sadly no longer occur). If there is
dense grass and sedge growth, a few Little Rush Warblers and even African
Reed Warblers may arrive and there are lots of Winding and Zitting
Cisticolas, together with Cardinal Queleas and a few Yellow-crowned Bish-
ops.

When water is scarce, muddy pools attract droves of estrilid finches such
as Cut-throat Finches, Crimson-rumped, Black-faced and Common Wax-
bills, and Grey-headed Silverbills, along with other small birds like Straw-
tailed Whydahs.

But the star birds are the rails, eight species of which have been found
recently. When conditions are right, Common Moorhens, Red-knobbed
Coots, Black Crakes and African Water Rails breed, whilst Lesser Moor-
hens may do so. In the wet grassy margins, migrant African Crakes occur in
May to July, sometimes in surprising numbers. But the two top birds are
very hard to find, since they occur in deeply-flooded stands of grass and
sedge and are notoriously difficult to flush. These are the enigmatic Striped
Crake (not called Aenigmatolimnas marginalis for nothing!) and the tiny
Baillon’s Crake. Both species were present during May to July 1998, when
the conditions may well have been exceptionally suitable. If you find flooded
grassland, walk along the margins and hope that luck is with you! Avoid
repeatedly ‘thrashing’ one area, though, as this will damage the vegetation.

The wooded country around the swamp edge should not be neglected.
Here there are Spotted Morning Thrushes, Grey Wren-warblers, Nubian
Woodpeckers, White-headed Saw-wings, Beautiful Sunbirds and two more
‘specials’: Red-throated Tits and Bare-eyed Thrushes, though neither can
be guaranteed. Along the cliff-face on the far side of the swamp are breed-
ing Egyptian Vultures, Lanner Falcons and occasional Verreaux’s Eagles,
together with flocks of Nyanza and Mottled Swifts. Nocturnal birds of the
cliffs include Freckled Nightjars and Spotted Eagle Owls.

A final note

If you want to know more about the ecology of this strange and wonderful
place, read the fascinating accounts by G.R. Cunningham-van Someren and
Dave Richards in the Bulletins of the EANHS (1977, September/October
and Vol 22(4) of December 1992).

32 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Records

compiled by Colin Jackson
P O Box 383, Watamu

This section exists for the publication of interesting observations and for updates
to A Bird Atlas of Kenya (Lewis & Pomeroy, 1989). All contributions are wel-
comed. If you are sending in records for Kenya Birds, please consider the follow-
ing guidelines. For (non-breeding) records of Afrotropical, oceanic and Palaearctic
birds, please send in any observations with notes that you think are of interest, e.g.
early / late dates for Palaearctic and intra-African migrants, unusual records for
your area, or any unusually large or impressive movements of birds. We are keen
to publish information of this kind. Records with information other than simply a
list of birds are particularly interesting and valuable, e.g. “male singing from bush’,
or “4 seen in flock of Barn Swallows...”, or “single adult and 2 immatures roost-
ing with other terns” etc... The Editors will select records for publication accord-
ing to the space available. A// records are useful for supplementing the computer-
ised database held in the Dept. of Ornithology, National Museums of Kenya,
through which our knowledge of bird distribution and seasonality in Kenya will
be improved.

For breeding records, those of confirmed breeding are useful for ALL species,
even the most common ones; records of probable breeding (nest-building, court-
ship etc.) are only needed for rare species or ones where there are few breeding
records. For definitions and codes of ‘confirmed’ and ‘probable breeding’, see
Kenya Birds vol. 5(2), p. 82. Interesting records will be published here and the
others stored by the EANHS for analysis of breeding seasons, success rates, habi-
tat requirements etc. You are strongly urged to fill in a Nest Record Card at the
same time. Much more detail can be recorded on a card, and if your record can be
added to the card collection then it is of permanent value. Cards can be obtained
free of charge from the EANHS Nest Record Scheme Organiser (see back page).

For all records, including breeding records, please be as detailed as possible
about dates and locations. If you have sightings from places not easily found on
the map, please take the trouble to give the latitude and longitude of the site to as
much precision as you can (preferably the nearest second of arc or better). This
will allow us to use these as we update A Bird Atlas of Kenya.

Supporting details and descriptions are always welcome for unusual records
and will improve the chances of publication (see Kenya Birds vol. 4(2), p. 84 for
suggestions on how to submit a record). Records of certain species in particular
are requested for inclusion in this report. These species are indicated in the new
Check-list of the Birds of Kenya (EANHS 1996, available for KSh 100/= from the

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 33

EANHS office) and records should be sent to the Records Officer at the Department
of Ornithology, National Museums of Kenya. For particularly unusual sightings,
supporting details (i.e. field notes, photographs etc.) will be needed for scrutiny
by the Rarities Committee of the EANHS before the record can be accepted.

Key to records

For new atlas records, the species number as given in the atlas 1s placed in brack-
ets after the name: e.g. Whinchat (A# 653). The new records themselves are indi-
cated in square brackets. Codes are: pres, present (first record); post pres, present
(first post-1970 record); prob, probable breeding; conf, confirmed breeding; post
conf, confirmed breeding (first since 1970); e.g. [conf 25B] indicates that the
species is confirmed as breeding (and is therefore also present) in square 25B.
Where scientific names are not stated (here and elsewhere in Kenya Birds) the
English names follow the Check-list of the Birds of Kenya (3rd edition), EANHS,
Nairobi 1996.

Overview

‘Water’ seems to have dominated the scene for much of the period covered
by this report. The shadow of El Nifio fell darkly on the region, bringing
the incredible amount of rain that swamped us from October 1997 until the
long rains in May 1998. This led to vast areas of open water and flooded
seasonal swamps in many parts of Kenya. For many people this was a
disaster, but for wetland birds it was a ‘gift from above’ (literally!). Inter-
estingly however, the numbers of wetland birds were extremely low at the
‘normal’ sites country-wide, notably at the annual waterfowl census sites
in the Rift Valley. Where had they all gone? With a number of records of
wetland species turning up in ‘desert’ and savannah habitats, e.g. Black-
headed Heron and Knob-billed Duck near Lokichogio and African Black
Duck on the Athi Plains, it would seem likely that they dispersed nation-
wide, spreading over much larger areas than usual to exploit the abundance
of newly created wetland habitat. At the coast, the excessive rain turned the
‘dry’ coastal forest of Arabuko-Sokoke into a wetland heaving with frogs
and waterbirds, including the first Lesser Moorhen for the forest. Flufftails
continued to be turned up by our resident crake specialists with a Streaky-
breasted being found near Thika yet again. Seasonal swamps in the Rift
Valley were brimming with water and attracted good numbers of waterbirds,
illustrated by new records from pools in the Rift east and south of Magadi
near the Meto Hills. All round it has been a ‘waterbird year’.

34 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Another major event feature was World Birdwatch at the beginning of
October 1997. For this, teams spread out all over the country and as many
species as possible were recorded (see Kenya Birds vol. 6). This led to a
flood of records including an impressive 80 new Atlas records. Highlights
of the Birdwatch records include the re-discovery of the Black-and-white
Flycatcher at Shimoni after 40 years or more, two Great Snipe (one in
western Kenya and the other at the now well-visited Githumbwini Estate
dam near Thika) and the first Grasshopper Buzzard record for western
Kenya.

The flycatcher is the most spectacular of a set of species that have turned
up recently after remaining unrecorded for long periods. A Sabine’s Spinetail
seen low along one of the forest tracks in Kakamega in late November
1997 is the first for many years — an intensive survey of the forest in 1996
failed to find them and the species was thought to be extirpated (i.e. locally
extinct). Grey Parrots continue to be reported in ever increasing numbers
from Kakamega too, this time 11 from Rondo Retreat Centre which is also
encouraging considering the intensive pressure that the forest is under. A
pair of Orange-winged Pytilia in the Shimba Hills in August 1997 is also
the first record of this species at the coast since December 1990, though the
species has been seen more regularly in its regular western Kenya site,
west of the Kongelai Escarpment. In that same area near Makutano, how-
ever, the site for the Spotted Creeper is fast becoming degraded with trees
cut down and undergrowth cleared, so that it is becoming much harder to
find the Creeper — and there are not many other sites known for this bird.

Birders visiting the Lokichogio area recorded a number of interesting
species including White-rumped Swift — a long way from anywhere it has
been previously seen and most likely a wanderer, Grey-headed Silverbill,
Steel-blue Whydah (presumably from the population in north-east Uganda)
and the two wetland species mentioned above. A Lesser Kestrel seen in
March 1998 in the same area was also a new Atlas record, though it fits
with most other sightings in being during the northward migration and in
the Rift Valley / western Kenya.

The Violet-tipped Courser in Mara is a noteworthy record. This scarce
species is thought to be mostly an intra-African migrant from the southern
tropics, but due to its nocturnal habits and low numbers is rarely seen.
Most records have been from further east, notably the Tsavo region down
to the coast, making this record particularly unusual. Another relatively

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 35

little-known and seldom-seen species is the Common Button-quail, for
which there 1s a breeding record from Lewa Downs near Isiolo (an adult
with young).

Finally, there were a number of interesting Palaearctic records. A Red-
necked Phalarope turned up in the ‘usual’ site at Lake Nakuru but a Terek
Sandpiper in Amboseli was out of the ordinary — all previous inland records
are from the Rift Valley. Observers studying Taita Thrushes in the Taita
Hills were distracted by a Chiffchaff singing overhead one day in February
1998, again a very unusual record for this uncommon species, which is
normally recorded in the central highlands. One of the less common
Palaearctic migrant raptors, the Eurasian Honey Buzzard, distracted the
same observers in the Taitas, and two together were seen low overhead
near Busia on the World Birdwatch weekend in October. These are both
good records for this interesting bird. A Corncrake at the end of January
1998 on the Athi plains is an odd record as this uncommon species is more
of a passage migrant than a wintering one. However, the date suggests the
bird was possibly wintering in the area.

Overall it has been a good period with a number of interesting observa-
tions that continue to build up the picture of the distribution and status of
the birds in Kenya. Many thanks go to those who submitted records —
please continue to do so!

Afrotropical species

Audubon’s Shearwater: Watamu, off- _ lated occurrence in this normally arid

shore from Blue Lagoon, 1/1/98, TB
— these beautiful seabirds are only
seen offshore and are therefore not fre-
quently reported.
Long-tailed Cormorant (A# 22): [pres
101A] Tsavo East NP, 4—5/10/97, JC
Rufous-bellied Heron: 21/6/98,
Musiara Swamp, Masai Mara, WO,
MB — aregular site for this species
Yellow-billed Egret (A# 38): [pres
114C] Funzi-Wasini Island area,
Shimoni, 4—5/10/97, DF
Black-headed Heron (A# 43): [pres
2C] 15 on plains E of Lokichogio, 20/
6/98, MM — probably an El Nijfio-re-

area; these birds are a long way from
where they are usually recorded nearer
L. Turkana.

Saddle-billed Stork: Lewa Downs,
Isiolo, 4/10/97, KM

Glossy Ibis (A# 56): [pres 51C] Lewa
Downs, Isiolo, 4/10/97, KM

African Spoonbill (A# 57): [pres 61B]
Rongai, Rift Valley, 4/10/97, J&HO

White-faced Whistling Duck (A# 62):
[pres 76C] Game Ranching Ltd, Athi
River, 4/10/97, WV, TM; [pres 51C]
Kahurura Forest, William Holden Edu-
cation centre, Nanyuki, 4—5/10/97, FM

Knob-billed Duck (A# 66): [pres 2C]

36 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

1 on plains E of Lokichogio, 20/6/98,
MM — this bird would probably have
been attracted to this unusual area due
to the El Nifio rains that flooded many
areas.

African Black Duck: Athi plains
flooded by El Nino, early 1/98, ST —
the El Nifio not only caused confusion
and chaos on the Kenyan roads, but
also confused this duck, normally
found on forested highland rivers but
here observed out in the middle of sa-
vanna grassland — flooded grassland,
mind you!

Maccoa Duck: Nanyuki, 4/10/97, LC

African Marsh Harrier (A# 98): [pres
36D] Kanyarkwat, Kapenguria, 4/10/
97, MS, CM; Nyambene, Meru NP,
20/6/98, WO, MB

Grasshopper Buzzard (A# 120): [pres
48C] Madende Bridge, 3 km W of Sio
river, Mumias-Busia rd, 4/10/97, CJ,
PN, OM; [pres 36D] 1, Kanyarkwat,
Kapenguria, 9—13/10/97, BF — these
are the first records of this species in
W. Kenya.

Martial Eagle (A# 123): [pres 87D]
Torosei, in Rift Valley on the Tanza-
nian border, 4/10/97, PR, SR, SM

Grey Kestrel (A# 153): [pres 36D]
Kanyarkwat, c. 30 km W of
Kapenguria, 4/10/97, MS, CM

Streaky-breasted Flufftail (A# 188):
[pres 76A] 1 singing, wet grassland W
of Thika, 14/2/98, MM

African Crake (A# 191): [pres 51C]
near dam, Lewa Downs, Isiolo, 15/6/
98, WO, MB; around Musiara air strip,
Masai Mara, 22/6/98, WO, MB

Allen’s Gallinule (A# 199): [pres 63C]
1 imm, Githumbwini dam, Thika, 23/

5/98, MM — this is a good site to find
this species; the immature bird was not
young enough to suggest it bred lo-
cally - it could have been a migrant
from further south.

Lesser Moorhen: Githumbwini dam,
Thika, 5/10/97, WH; an immature bird
caught at night in very flooded (El
Nino!) old sand quarry pools,
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Watamu, 2/
11/97, TB, CJ — the first record of
this species for the forest.

Red-knobbed Coot (A# 197): [pres
37C] Keringet Dam, 5/10/97, CJ, PN,
OM, MS; Githumbwini dam, Thika,
5/10/97, WH; [post pres 76C] Game
Ranching Ltd, Athi River, 4/10/97,
WV, TM — 3 new atlas records is unu-
sual for a well-known and often com-
mon species, especially the two near
the well-watched region of Nairobi.

African Finfoot (A# 202): [pres 62C]
Kigio farm, Ilkek, nr Gilgil, 5/10/97,
CC — a nice record for this elusive
species

Spotted Thick-knee (A# 275): [pres
87D] Torosei, Meto Hills, Rift Valley
on Tanzanian border, 4/10/97, PR, SR,
SM

Violet-tipped Courser (A# 281): [pres
74A] single bird near Intrepids air-
strip, Masai Mara, 5—6/3/98, DR —
this courser is very infrequently re-
ported as it is local, scarce and strictly
nocturnal.

Three-banded Plover (A# 235): [pres
63C] Githumbwini Dam, Thika, 5/10/
97, WH, MM

Blacksmith Plover (A# 217): [pres
61B) Rongai, Rift Valley, 4/10/97,
J&HO

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 37

Black-headed Plover (A# 219): [pres
36D] Kanyarkwat, c. 30km W of
Kapenguria, 5/10/97, MS, CJ, PN,
OM

Gull-billed Tern (A# 301): [pres 51C]
Lewa Downs, Isiolo, 4/10/97, KM —
an unusual inland record for this spe-
cies being away from the Rift Valley.

Brown Noddy: just beyond reef off-
shore from Blue Lagoon, Watamu, 2/
2/98, TB — another pelagic seabird
that is not frequently reported.

Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon (A#
326): [pres 101D] single M, Taita
Ranch, S-E of Voi, 7/5/98, ES, FK

Feral Pigeon (A# 232): [pres 62C]
Fisherman’s Camp, Naivasha, 26/4/
98, PRu

African Mourning Dove (A# 329):
[pres 76B] Tiva, nr Kitui, 4/10/97, RM

Dusky Turtle Dove (A# 332): [pres
63C] Githumbwini dam, Thika, 5/10/
97, WH, MM

Grey Parrot: 11 birds together in trees,
Rondo Retreat Centre gardens,
-Kakamega Forest, 30/11/97, SE, WE
— having gone unreported in
Kakamega for some years, this spe-
cies seems to have made a small come-
back over the past year.

White-bellied Go-away-bird (A#
354): [pres 36D] Kanyarkwat, c.30 km
Kapenguria, 5/10/97, CJ, PN, OM,
MS

Klaas’s Cuckoo (A# 373): [pres 49B]
Kessup, 6 km E along rd from Iten,
11/10/97, CJ

Yellowbill (A# 379): [pres 48C] in
riverine scrub, Madende Bridge, 3 km
of W Sio river along Mumias-Busia
rd, 4/10/97, CJ, PN, OM — this

unique bird is quite scarce in western
Kenya; single bird, Langata, Nbi, 15/
2/98, ALA

Black Coucal (A# 378): [pres 63A]
Karatina, 9/6/98 & [pres 74A] Musiara
gate, Masai Mara 18/6/98, WO, MB —
one of the least known of our coucals.

Blue-headed Coucal: Aberdare NP, 10/
6/98, WO, MB — a local and shy bird
in the central highlands that is not so
frequently reported.

Sabine’s Spinetail: single bird ob-
served flying low up and down track
in forest, Kakamega, 29/11/97, SE,
WE — this 1s the first record in Kenya
for over ten years of this rare species
of swift, which was thought to be lo-
cally extinct in Kakamega.

White-rumped Swift (A# 422): [pres
2C] Lokichogio-Kakuma rd, 9 km to-
wards Kakuma, 22/3/98, JM, MJ-D —
a long way from any previous records,
this bird was presumably a wanderer.

White-headed Mousebird: nr Chyulu
gate, S. Chyulu Hills, 4-5/10/97, SC

Giant Kingfisher (A# 430): [pres
114C] Funzi-Wasini Island area,
Shimoni, 4-5/10/97, DF — an unusual
species for the coast, this bird would
have been a wanderer from inland,
maybe Mt Kilimanjaro.

Pied Kingfisher (A# 431): [pres 51C]
Loldiaga Hills, Nanyuki, 28-30/5/98,
DB

Green Wood-hoopoe (A# 459): [pres
87D] Torosei, on Tz border, 4/10/97,
PR, SR, SM

Violet Wood-hoopoe (A# 460): [post
pres 52C] Rujerewo River, on doum
palms, Nyambene, Meru NP, 11-13/
6/98, WO, MB

38 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Hemprich’s Hornbill (A# 473): [pres
36D] Cheptuya, Kanyarkwat, 4/10/97,
MS, CM

African Grey Hornbill (A# 475): [pres
63A] Chogoria, Mt. Meru, 4-5/10/97,
ND

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill: nr Chyulu
gate, S. Chyulu hills, 4-5/10/97, SC
— a fascinating species, such a large
bird and yet almost unknown to breed
in Kenya — is it a non-breeding mi-
grant from Tanzania in fact? Has any-
one ever seen any ‘migrating’?

Grey-throated Barbet (A# 489): [pres
37C] Sirikwa Farm, Kitale, 4/10/97,
MS, CM; [pres 49B] in a small forest
patch that is quickly being destroyed,
Kessup, 6 km east along rd from Iten,
11/10/97, CJ — the Kessup record 1s
right at the eastern border of this spe-
cies’ range in Kenya.

White-eared Barbet: nr Chyulu gate,
S. Chyulu hills, 4-5/10/97, SC — not
a commonly reported species.

Brown-breasted Barbet: pair seen for-
aging, Yale, Taita Hills, 4/2/98, LL —
a mostly coastal species, it extends in-
land in small numbers as far as Taita.

Red-and-yellow Barbet (A# 499):
[pres 36D] Cheptuya, Kanyarkwat,
Kapenguria, 4/10/97, MS, CM

D’Arnaud’s Barbet (A# 497): [pres
36D] Cheptuya, Kanyarkwat,
Kapenguria, 4/10/97, MS, CM

Lesser Honeyguide (A# 501): [pres
62D] Kijabe, 4/10/97, CD; [pres 49B}]
single bird, Kessup, 6 km E along rd
from Iten, 11/10/97, CJ

Eastern Honeybird: Kijabe, 4/10/97, CD
— only recently recorded from this QSD
(62D), this is our second report.

Wahlberg’s Honeybird (A# 509): pres
63C] | in open bushland with scattered
trees near Thika, 23/1/98, MM

Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark:
around Meru Mulika Lodge,
Nyambene, Meru NP, 13/6/98, WO,
MB

Ethiopian Swallow (A# 554): [pres 2C]
Lokichogio-Kakuma rd, 9 km towards
Kakuma, 22/3/98, JM, MJ-D — this
observation is some distance west of
the species’ previously recorded dis-
tribution in Kenya.

Red-rumped Swallow (A# 556): [pres
2C] Lokichogio-Kakuma rd, 9 km to-
wards Kakuma, 22/3/98, JM, MJ-D —
a very long way from any other Ken-
yan localities for this species, this is
most likely to-have been a bird wan-
dering from a northern population.

Rock Martin (A# 560): [pres 49B] sev-
eral around cliff-faces, Kessup, 6 km
E along rd from Iten, 11/10/97, CJ

Mountain Wagtail (A# 833): [pres
49B] on fast-running stream, Kessup,
6 km E along rd from Iten, 11/10/97,
CJ

Cape Wagtail (A# 834): [pres 62B]
Ndaragua forest, along Pesi river, N
of Aberdare Mts, 4—5/10/97, NG, CG

Bush Pipit: Rift Valley W of Ngong
Hills, 4/10/97, WH, MM

Yellow-whiskered Greenbul (A# 618):
[pres 62C] Kigio farm, Ilkek, near
Gilgil, 5/10/97, CC

Mountain Greenbul (A# 615): [pres
62C] Kigio farm, Ilkek, near Gilgil,
5/10/97, CC |

Stripe-cheeked Greenbul: nr Chyulu
gate, S. Chyulu hills, 4-5/10/97, SC
— a very restricted species in Kenya,

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 39

mainly found on the Taitas and on
Chyulu

Zanzibar Sombre _ Greenbul:
Kamburu, near Mwea NP and Makima
town, 5/10/97, TL — this record is at
the E border of this species’ range in
K.

Rufous Chatterer (A# 595): [pres 36D]
Cheptuya, Kanyarkwat, Kapenguria,
4/10/97, MS, CM

Grey-winged Robin: Sirikwa Farm,
Kapenguria, 4/10/97, MS, CM

Brown-backed Scrub Robin (A# 657):
[pres 37C] Lokitela farm, Kitale, 4/10/
97, JMw, NN — an uncommon spe-
cies anyway, there are relatively few
records from around Kitale.

Lesser Swamp Warbler (A# 696):
[pres 37C] Keringet Dam, Makutano,
Kapenguria, 5/10/97, CJ, PN, OM

Brown Woodland Warbler: nr Chyulu
gate, S. Chyulu hills, 4-5/10/97, SC

Little Rush Warbler (A# 682): [pres
51C] Lewa Downs, Isiolo, 4/10/97,
KM |

Broad-tailed Warbler (A# 686): [post
pres 63C] 1 flushed from wet grass-
land W of Thika, 8/3/98, MM

Long-tailed Cisticola (A# 732): [pres
74C] Siana Springs, Masai Mara NR,
7/11/97, GO — a local and uncommon
species recorded here at the eastern
edge of its range.

Foxy Cisticola: several birds including
a juv, Kanyarkwat, Kongelai,
Makutano, end of 1/98, CJ, JS, I&HM

Black-headed Apalis(A# 757): [pres
51C] NE Nanyuki, 5/10/97, LS, JH

Black-collared Apalis (A# 758): [pres
50C] around waterfalls, Nyahururu, 4/
10/97, NG, CG; [pres 49B] Kessup, 6

km E along rd from Iten, 11/10/97, CJ

Grey-capped Warbler (A# 763): [pres
49B] Kessup, 6 km E along rd from
Iten, 11/10/97, CJ

Red-faced Crombec (A# 771): [pres
76B] Yatta area, Tiva, Kitui, 4/10/
97, RM

Green Crombec: Madende Bridge, 3
km W of Sio river along Mumias-
Busia rd, 4/10/97, CJ, PN, OM — this
delightful little bird is restricted in
Kenya to just this area around Busia.

White-bellied Tit (A# 583): [pres 48C]
Madende Bridge, 3km W of Sio river,
Mumias-Busia rd, 4/10/97, CJ, PN,
OM

Spotted Creeper: Sirikwa Farm,
Kapenguria, 4/10/97, MS, CM — this
species has really only been known
regularly from the tiny patch of forest
(literally a few trees) near Sirikwa
Farm, but that patch is now seriously
under threat of destruction for crops
— in fact since this record the bird has
been seen very infrequently.

Black-and-white Flycatcher: adult M
observed in canopy of forest trees,
Shimoni, 4/10/97, SB, MH; this spe-
cies was thought to no longer on the
coast, this record being the first for c.
40 years.

Taita Fiscal: Rift Valley W of Ngong
Hills, 4/10/97, WH, MM — a very
northern record for the southern popu-
lation of this species.

Brubru (A# 835): [pres 36D]
Kanyarkwat, c. 30 km W of
Kapenguria, 5/10/97, CJ, PN, OM

Red-naped Bush Shrike: | observed
flying across-main rd and perching in
bush beside it, 15 km E of Voi, 11/2/

40

98, LL — atypical area for this infre-
quently reported species.

Black-headed Gonolek: Lake Baringo,
4—5/10/97, SL — this bird was prob-
ably a ‘wanderer’ from further west.

Cape Rook (A# 580): [pres 2C] single
bird, 40 km E of Lokichogio, 20/6/98,
MM — this species is normally con-
fined to nearer L. Turkana and not
found so far west.

Waller’s Starling (A# 887): Turi, Molo,
4/1/97, IL; [pres 62C] Kieni forest, south
of Aberdare Mts, 5/10/97, DT — one of
our lesser-known forest starlings.

Slender-billed Starling (A# 886): [pres
61B] Turi, Molo, 4/1/97, IL; [pres.
49B], flock of 25-30 birds foraging
on rocks covered with fast-flowing
water at top of a waterfall, Kessup, 6
km east of main rd from Iten, 11/10/
97; CJ

Lesser Blue-eared Starling (A# 880):
[pres 36D] Kanyarkwat, c. 30 km W
of Kapenguria, 5/10/97, MS, CJ, PN,
OM — this starling is the commonest
starling in the area.

Riippell’s Long-tailed Starling (A#
881): [pres 51C] Lewa Downs, Isiolo,
4/10/97, KM — this record 1s slightly
out of the normal range and probably
represents a wanderer from further
west; [pres 88D] nr Chyulu gate, S.
Chyulu hills, 4-5/10/97, SC

Shelley’s Starling: many at Gala Camp,
nr Taita, for c.1 month, from 1/7/98,
ES

Superb Starling (A# 890): [pres 60A]
ICIPE field station, Mbita Point, 5/10/
97, GA: [pres 36D] Kanyarkwat, c. 30
km W of Kapenguria, 5/10/97, CJ, PN,
OM, MS

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Golden-breasted Starling (A# 893):
[pres 88D] nr Chyulu gate, S. Chyulu
hills, 4—5/10/97, SC

Fischer’s Starling (A# 891): {pres 76B |
Yatta area, Tiva, Kitui, 4/10/97, RM

Magpie Starling: behind Lokichogio
airport, 22/3/98, JM, J&SH

Wattled Starling (A# 899); [pres 63C]
Githumbwini dam, Thika, 5/10/97,
WH, MM

Olive Sunbird (A# 929): [pres 49B]
Kessup, 6 km E along main rd from
Iten, 11/10/97, CJ

Marico Sunbird (A# 916): [pres 36D]
Kanyarkwat, c. 30 km W of
Kapenguria, 5/10/97, CJ, PN, OM,
MS

Malachite Sunbird: nr Chyulu gate, S.
Chyulu hills, 4-5/10/97, SC — this
record represents the small, isolated
population of this species on the
Chyulu Hills.

House Sparrow (A# 992): [pres 101A]
surrounding farmland nr Wundanyi,
Taita Hills, 4—5/10/97, DG, PM; [pres
62C] Ol Kalou, nr Gilgil, 1/2/98, FN
— this introduced species is continu-
ing to spread...

Rufous Sparrow (A# 991): [pres 76B]
Yatta area, Tiva, Kitui, 4/10/97, RM
Yellow-spotted Petronia (A# 995):
[pres 76B] Yatta area, Tiva, Kitui, 4/

10/97, RM

White-browed Sparrow Weaver (A#
997): [pres 36D] Kanyarkwat, c. 30
km W of Kapenguria, 4/10/97, MS,
CM

Speckle-fronted Weaver (A# 996):
[pres 36D] Kanyarkwat, c. 30 km W
of Kapenguria, 4/10/97, MS, CM

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 4)

Black-necked Weaver (A# 963): [pres
60A] Rusinga Island, Mbita, 4/10/97,
GA; [pres 75B] Rift Valley W of
Ngong Hills, 4/10/97, WH, MM

Heuglin’s Masked Weaver (A# 955):
[pres 36D] c. 50 nests counted in trees
around GSU camp, Kanyarkwat, c. 30
km W of Kapenguria, 5/10/97, MS,
CJ, PN, OM — this rare weaver
seemed to appreciate the safety of
nesting in the middle of an army camp!

Green-winged Pytilia (A# 1008): [pres
75B] Rift Valley W of Ngong Hills, 4/
10/97, WH, MM — this record is
slightly out of the species’ normal
range, being further north up the Rift
than is usual.

Orange-winged Pytilia (A# 1009): M
and F seen together in Shimba Hills
National Park, 4/8/97, SE, WE; [pres
36D] Kanyarkwat, c.30 km W of
Kapenguria, 5/10/97, SM, CJ, PN,
OM;; 5-6 birds, same site end 1/98, CJ,
JS, I&HM — this is a restricted spe-
cies and difficult to find, and of late
has been mainly reported from the
Kanyarkwat site. The coastal observa-
tion is valuable — there have been few
coastal records in recent years, the last
being in December 1990.

Red-billed Firefinch (A# 1018): [pres

76D] Yatta area, Tiva, Kitui, 4/10/97,
Sze,

RM
African Firefinch (A# 1022): [pre
60A] Mbita point field station, ICIPE,
5/10/97, GA

Crimson-rumped Waxbill (A# 1031):
[pres 62B] Ndaragua forest, along Pes!
river, N of Aberdare Mts., 4—5/10/97,
NG, CG

Blue-capped Cordon-bleu (A# 1025):
[pres 75B] Rift Valley W of Ngong
Hills, 4/10/97, WH, MM — a very
northern record for the southern K/Tz
population.

Grey-headed Silverbill (A# 1045):
[pres 2C] behind Lokichogio airport,
22/3/98, JM, J&SH — this species is
much more uncommon in the arid
north than further south, making this
a very interesting record.

Black-and-white Mannikin (A#
1042): [pres 49B] Kessup, 6 km E
along main rd from Iten, 11/10/97, CJ

Steel-blue Whydah (A# 1033): [pres
2C] behind Lokichogio airport, 22/3/
98, JM, J&SH — another record a
long way from any previous ones, but
birds have been recorded from north-
east Uganda suggesting this refers to
birds of that population.

African Citril (A# 1054): [pres 49B]
Kessup, 6 km E along main rd from
Iten, 11/10/97, CJ

White-headed Mousebird

42

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Palaearctic migrants

Osprey (A# 141): [pres 60A] ICIPE,
Mbita Point, 5/10/97, GA; single bird,
Nbi NP, 8,9 & 13/6/98 — this would
be one of the few over-summering non-
breeding birds that are known to oc-
cur each year, though they are not of-
ten recorded around Nbi.

Common Buzzard: Madende Bridge, 3
km W Sio river along Mumias-Busia
rd, 4/10/97, CJ, PN, OM

Eurasian Honey Buzzard (A# 137):
[pres 101B] ad soaring, Chawia, Taita
Hills, 3/2/98, LL; 2 birds low over-
head, Madende Bridge, 3 km W of Sio
river, Mumias-Busia rd, 4/10/97, CJ,
PN, OM

Montagu’s Harrier: ad male, Naro
Moru, 9/10/97, BF — arelatively early
record for this species

Eurasian Hobby (A# 152): [pres 36D]
Kanyarkwat, Kapenguria, 4/10/97,
MS, CM; over 25 birds flying south,
6/11/97, Loldia Farm, Naivasha, JW

Lesser Kestrel (A# 160): [pres 63A]
single male, Naro Moru, 9/10/97, BF;
[pres 2C] Lokichogio-Kakuma rd, 9
km towards Kakuma, 22/3/98, JM, MJ-
D

Corncrake (A# 192): [pres 76C] Game
Ranching Ltd., Athi River, 28/1/98, ST
— an unusual date for this species
which is considered a passage migrant:
could it have been wintering here?

Caspian Plover (A# 233): [pres 54C] 3
birds nr Dadaab refugee camp, NE of
Garissa, 14/1/98, MM — very little
birding has been ‘done in this area,
these birds are likely to have been
northward-bound migrants heading for
their breeding grounds.

Common Snipe (A# 249): [pres 63C]
Githumbwini dam, Thika, 5/10/97,
WH, MM

Great Snipe (A# 251): [pres 48A] 10
km N of Busia, 4/10/97, CJ, PN, OM;
[pres 63C] Githumbwini coffee estate,
Thika, 5/10/97 WH, MM —-two good
records for this chunky, uncommon
snipe.

Common Greenshank (A# 261): [pres
61B] Rongai, Rift valley, 4/10/97,
J&HO

Green Sandpiper (A# 262): [pres 87D]
Torosei, on Tz border, 4/10/97, PR, SR,
SM — this area holds several seasonal
swamps that have rarely been visited
by birders but provide some very nice
birding

Common Sandpiper (A# 265): [pres
2C] Lokichogio-Kakuma rd, 9 km to-
wards Kakuma, 22/3/98, JM, MJ-D

Terek Sandpiper (A# 264): [pres 88C]
a single bird in Amboseli NP, 7/6/98,
MM — whilst common on the coast,
this species is not often recorded in-
land: this bird was lost...

Red-necked Phalarope: 1, Lake
Nakuru NP, 17/1/98, MM — this beau-
tiful wader is normally pelagic but
when recorded inland tends to be re-
ported from the Rift Valley, like this
one.

Eurasian Swift: big flocks, Kacheliba,
‘Suam River, Kongelai, 11—12/10/97,
BF

Sand Martin: single bird at Kacheliba,
Suam River, Kongelai, 11—12/10/97,
BF

Common House Martin: many at
Lokitela farm, Kitale, 10/10/97, BF;

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 43

few with Barn Swallows, Kessup, 6 km
E along rd from Iten, 11/10/97, CJ |

Tree Pipit: Lokitela Farm, Kitale, 10/
10/97, BF

White Wagtail (A# 832): [pres 61C]
winter ad. male in garden, 10/12/97,
and 2 in factory compound, 4, 14 &
31/1/98, Arroket Tea Estate, Sotik, IF

Whinchat: | bird, Lokitela farm, Mt.
Elgon, 10/10/97, BF

Pied Wheatear: single bird at
Kacheliba, Suam River, 12/10/97, BF
— the first record of this species for
the season.

Spotted Flycatcher: many seen at
Kanyarkwat, c.30 km W of
Kapenguria, 12/10/97, BF

Garden Warbler: Madende Bridge, 3
km W Sio river along Mumias-Busia
rd, 4/10/97, CJ, PN, OM; Lokitela

farm, 10/10/97, BF

Chiffchaff (A# 714): [pres 101B] | sing-
ing, Ngangao, Taita Hills, 8/2/98, Luc
Lens — a more unusual record in that
it is away from the central highlands
where this uncommon species Is nor-
mally recorded.

Willow Warblers: not recorded on 5/
10/97 but many observed in the morn-
ing of 6/10 indicating a significant ar-
rival overnight, Sirikwa Farm,
Kapenguria, CJ

Red-backed Shrike: Lokichogio-
Kakuma rd, 9 km towards Kakuma, 22/
3/98, JM, MJ-D — these birds will
have been actively migrating heading
for their breeding grounds

Eurasian Golden Oriole: 4 at
Kacheliba, Suam River, Kongelai, 12/
10/97, BF

Breeding records

Many thanks go to all those who have sent in Nest Record Cards over the past year
or so. The response has continued to be good. Over the period covered by this
report, up to June 31 1998, a total of 230 records were submitted and accepted by
50 contributors. Of these, 188 were confirmed and 42 probable breeding records
and in all cover 126 species. Those people who sent in breeding records are listed
below — all those who sent in more than 10 deserve special congratulations, par-
ticularly Kuria Ndung’u who was clearly busy observing the breeding birds of
Windsor Golf Club!

A new stock of Nest Record Cards (NRCs) has been printed with a more user-
friendly, covering a number of options that the last one did not make allowance for.
We hope that this will encourage observers in their submission of breeding records.
Blank cards are available upon request. Full instructions on completing the card
are provided elsewhere in this issue. A small plea — if juveniles are observed being
fed by an adult, please note on the second side of the card, the number of juvenile
birds involved under the column ‘Young seen, Out nest’. Thank you!

44 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

NRC contributors for the period
October 1997—June 1998

Kuria Ndung’u — 26

Andrew Mwangi Waweru — 15
Fleur Ng’weno — 14

Wayne Vos — 12

Peter Karanja — 11

Charles K. Kahihia — 9

James Wainaina — 9

Cecilia Gichuki & Charles Waihenya — 8
Shailesh Patel — 8

Willis Oketch — 8

Dorrie Brass — 6

Michael Maina — 6

Francis Njuguna Kiiru — 5
Jeffory Coburn — 5

Samuel N. Kimani — 5

Kevin Mulai — 4

Zachary Methu Mbuthia — 4

Three and less: Peter Faull, Solomon
Mwangi, Dave Richards, Martin

Kahindi, Linda and Neil Davidson, Pe-
ter Ruoro, Samuel Ndegwa Kabaiku,
Titus Imboma, Juma Mohammed, Mercy
Njeri, Mary Mwihaki, Bernard Chege,
Bernard Musyoka, Alfred Simiyu,
Narinder Heyer, North Lake Bird Track-
ers, Duncan Sivell, Jean Githaiga,
Patrick Gichuki, Dominic Kimani.

Records of interest

Common Ostrich: 17 fledged young
seen out of nest with 2 adult males and
1 adult female; young about 1/3 size
of adults, Tsavo West NP, 11/12/97, DB
Great Cormorant (A# 21): [conf 75B]
several feathered young capable of
leaving nest when last seen, Windsor

Golf and Country Club, Nairobi, 6/1/
98,

Cattle Egrets (A# 30): [conf 51C] eggs
being incubated, naked and feathered
young in and out of nest, actual nests
in middle of dam surrounded by wa-
ter, breeding together with Black-
headed Herons and Cattle Egrets in
lower branches, Lewa Downs, Timau,
Isiolo, 15/2/98, KM

Grey Heron: nests and juveniles of this
and other species destroyed when nest-
ing tree was felled, Murungaru town,
N. Kinangop, 15/3/98, AMW

Goliath Heron: large juvs in several
nests, Lake Baringo, 2/3, DR.

Black-headed Heron (A# 43): [prob
88A] 4 nests with 2 birds nesting,
Emali, 22/10/97, WV; 75 nests counted
with 58 ads and 38 young of various
ages, Hunter’s Lodge, Kiboko, 27/2/
98, JMo

Yellow-billed Duck: 7 eggs in nest 1/1/
98, nest empty 2/1 — eggs taken by
boys, L. Ol’ Bolossat, Nyahururu, CW
& CG

Hadada Ibis: 3 young successfully
raised, Murungaru, N Kinangop, 17/2
— 31/3/98, MMw

Augur Buzzard (A# 119): [post prob
49A] 2 young seen flying with parents,
1 young normal morph, other melan-
istic; parents also showing the two col-
our morphs, Chepkoilol Campus, Moi
University, Eldoret, 11/2/97, BMC

African Fish Eagle: bird sitting on nest
at 15:30 h, mate nearby, Amboseli NP,
15/10/97, WV

African Crowned Eagle: feathered
young in nest, Hardy Shopping Cen-
tre, Karen, Nairobi, 10/11/97, PK —

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 45

could this be the same pair that nested
near the Giraffe Centre the previous
year, or a different one?

Common Kestrel: 3 fledged young beg-
ging for food out of nest, Ngong Town,
21/6/98, SP

Scaly Francolin (A# 161): [conf 38D]
ad incubating single egg, 2 miles south
of Poror and North Leroghi Range,
Maralal District, 4/1/98 PF

Common Button Quail (A# 181): [conf
51C] adult seen with 3 young, Lewa
Downs, Isiolo, 16/6/98, WO — there are
relatively few breeding records for this
very skulking and secretive species. ,

Red-knobbed Coot: 5 nests seen,
Naivasha, 22/4/98, CK; 4 fledged young
being constantly fed by ad, Loldaiga,
Nanyuki, 28-30/5/98, DB; many juvs,
Makumi’s dam, Kinangop, 15/3/98,
AMW — this species was once ex-
tremely numerous on L Naivasha but
numbers have plummeted over the last
5 years. It is therefore good to get some
breeding records for it.

Grey Crowned Crane (A# 184): 2 juvs
with ad and second nest of 3 eggs be-
ing incubated, Makumi’s dam, N
Kinangop, 15/3/98, AMW; [conf
100D] one pair with chick, nr Tsavo
West NP boat landing, Lake Jipe, 25/
2/98, FN; 3 recently fledged young,
Nairobi NP, NH; 2 young successfully
fledged, L. Ol’ Bolossat, Nyahururu,
15/1/98 — 5/98, CW, CG — good to
hear of several successful breeding at-
tempts for this species which has suf-
fered from loss of breeding habitat.

Two-banded Courser: | juv being fed
by ad, Observation Hill, Amboseli NP,
18/11/97, FN

Somali Courser (A# 277): [conf 13D]
2 tiny downy chicks sheltering under
ad, E of Lodwar-Kalokol rd, off rd to
Eliye Springs, Turkana, 12/11/97, FN

Black-headed Plover: ads courting,
Nyambene, Meru NP, 12/6/98, WO

African Snipe (A# 250): [conf 62A] 4
eggs in nest, all young successfully
hatched and left nest on 19-—20/2/98,
L. Ol’ Bolossat, Nyahururu, CW, CG

Red-fronted Parrot (A# 342): [conf
38D] one very small chick, 2 miles
south of Poror and North Leroghi
Range, Maralal District, 31/12/97, PF
— the first breeding record of this spe-
cies from the more isolated population
in the forests around Maralal.

Hartlaub’s Turaco: ad carrying nesting
material, Hardy Shopping Centre,
Langata, Nbi, 5/5/98, PK

Black Cuckoo: young being fed by
Tropical Boubou, Loldia Farm,
Naivasha, 20/9/97, JW — a species
infrequently reported as breeding:
boubous are its normal host group.

Klaas’s Cuckoo: chick being fed by pair
of Variable Sunbirds, 13/8/97 — same
observed on 18/8, then an ad. male
Klaas’s visited the chick briefly, but
took no notice, Loldia Farm, Naivasha,
JW — Bronze Sunbirds are the more
commonly reported host for this spe-
cies.

Diederik Cuckoo (A# 374): immature
being fed by Tawny-flanked Prinia,
North Lake Nurseries, Naivasha, 24/
5/98, NLT; [conf 62B] juv fed by Grey-
capped Warbler, Aberdare NP, 10/6/98,
WO — an interesting variety of host
species recorded here.

46 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

African Scops Owl (A# 382): [conf
51C] single juv seen being fed by ad
out of nest, Lewa Downs, Timau,
Isiolo, 7/5/98, KM

Spotted Eagle Owl: 2 feathered young
in nest, | killed by boys, other escaped,
fate unknown, North Lake Nurseries
Farm, Naivasha, 14—17/12/97, PRu

Verreaux’s Eagle Owl: dependent
young with adult out of nest,
Nyambene, Meru NP, 12/6/98, WO

Malachite Kingfisher: juv being fed,
Murungaru, N. Kinangop, 16/3/98,
AMW

Abyssinian Scimitarbill (A# 463):
[conf 62C] ad with 2 juvs, chasing fe-
male Black Cuckoo-shrike, Loldia
Farm, Naivasha, 26/9/97, JW

African Grey Hornbill: both ads feed-
ing young with insects and figs, Fig
Tree Camp, L Bogoria, 31/5/98, SP;
fledged young being fed by ad, Kes-
trel Cliff, Ngong Town, 21/6/98, PLO

Spot-flanked Barbet (A# 484): [conf
88B] 2 fledged young being fed by ad,
Umani Springs Camp, Kibwezi Forest,
Kibwezi, 5/10/97, KN

Scaly-throated Honeyguide (A# 503):
[conf 62C] male Nubian Woodpecker
feeding single young, observed again
on 3/11/97, Loldia Farm, Naivasha, 1/
11/97, JW

Nubian Woodpecker: 2 feathered
young in nest, Samburu Serena Lodge,
Samburu GR, Isiolo, 30/6/97, SMw

Wire-tailed Swallow (A# 552): [prob
89C] pair flying in and out of nest,
contents of nest not seen, KWS guest
house veranda, Mtito Andei, Tsavo
West NP, 23-27/2/98, FN

Lesser Striped Swallow (A# 559): [post

conf 63C] ad flying in and out of nest
carrying food, Bendor Coffee Estate,
Thika, 5/5/97, JG

Rock Martin: ad carrying food to 2
feathered young in nest 5 —12/10/97,
fledged young being fed by ad out of
nest 18/10, Murungaru, N Kinangop,
FNK

Black Saw-wing (A# 564): [conf 62C]
2 half-feathered young in nest, N
Kinangop, 18/5/98, CK

Grassland Pipit (A# 814): [post conf
62A] 2 eggs in nest, 1/2/98, L. Ol
Bolossat, Nyahururu, 13/2/98, CW,
CG

Slender-billed Greenbul: | fledged
young being fed by ad out of nest,
Ngong Racecourse, Nbi, 24/12/97, KN

Spotted Morning Thrush (A# 661):
[conf 76C] Von der Decken’s Hornbill
tried to eat chicks, but could not get to
nest due to overhanging thorns, Game
Ranching Ltd, Athi River, 1/4/98, WV

Anteater Chat: 2-3 ads taking turns to
feed young in nest with worms as
other(s) keep watch, Murungaru, N.
Kinangop, 7/6/98, AMW

African Dusky Flycatcher: 2 feathered
young seen being fed by ad out of nest,
Ngangao Forest, Taita Hills, 11/2/97,
TI

Grey Flycatcher: feathered young in
nest, Game Ranching Ltd., Athi River,
1/4/98, WV

Buff-bellied Warbler (A# 749): [conf
62C] 2 young being fed by both ads in
Acacia xanthophloea tree, KWS Train-
ing Institute Annex, Naivasha, 30/5/98,
GJ

Red-throated Tit (A# 584): [conf 76C]
some broken eggs with feathered

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

young in an old Lesser Striped Swal-
low’s nest, ad also observed carrying
food, Game Ranching Ltd., Athi River,
12/3/98, WV — good to learn more
about the biology of one of our re-
gional endemics.

Black-throated Wattle-eye: | feathered
young being fed by ad out of nest,
Windsor Golf & Country Club, Nbi,
6/12/98, KN —a species that is not so
frequently seen around Nbi.

Long-tailed Fiscal (A# 862): [conf 52C]
ad feeding fledged young, Nyambene,
Meru NP, 12/6/98, WO

Black-backed Puffback (A# 836):
[conf 63C]1 fledged young being fed
out of nest, Kimondo, Mukurweini,
Nyeri, 21/6/98, PG

Black Cuckoo-shrike (A# 604): [prob
74A] F sitting on nest with M in at-
tendance, Talek River, Masai Mara, 5/
3/98, DR

White-naped Raven (A# 578): [conf
74A] ad carrying food to nest, Mara
Simba Lodge, Masai Mara, 10-12/3/
97, MK | |

Hildebrandt’s Starling (A# 889): nest
in use — hole in Acacia xanthophloea
tree by stream, Game Ranching Ltd,
Athi River, 3/11/97; [prob 88C] nest
in use assumed incubating eggs,
Amboseli National Park, 15/3/97, WV

Superb Starling: 4 feathered young in
nest, being fed by 3 adults, 21/11/97,
young capable of leaving nest when
last seen 24/11, Tarabete, Kasarani,
Naivasha, ZM

Bronze Sunbird (A# 925): [conf 38D]
nest with young, 2 miles south of Poror
and North Lerogi Range, Maralal Dis-
trict, 28/12/98, PF — this is the first

47

updated atlas record of this species
since the Atlas fieldwork ended in
1984!

House Sparrow (A# 992): [conf 62C]
ads carrying food to nest, 12/10/97, 2
young being fed out of nest 16/10,
Tarabete, Kasarani, Naivasha, ZM

Baglafecht Weaver (A# 960): [conf.
74A] ad carrying food to young in nest,
young attacked by bushbaby, Mara
Simba Lodge, Masai Mara, Narok, 17-
19/3/97, MK

Heuglin’s Masked Weaver (A# 955):
[prob 36D] c.50 nests with birds build-
ing and others displaying, GSU camp,
Kanyarkwat, Makutano, 28/1/98, CJ

Speke’s Weaver: 2 blue eggs in nest
(16-20/2), 2 naked young (1/3), 2
feathered young in nest (14/3), & 2
young being fed out of nest 26/3/98,
Murungaru centre, N Kinangop, MMw

Red-headed Weaver: ads seen building
nests for 2 weeks 4/97, both seen car-
rying food 6 & 5/97, building new nest
2/7/97, nest at one time used by Cut-
throat Finch, Samburu National Re-
serve, Isiolo, SMw

Yellow Bishop: | naked young and | egg
(addled?), L Naivasha Country Club,
Naivasha, 22/3/98, SK

Long-tailed Widowbird: naked juve-
nile in nest, Makumi’s dam, N
Kinangop, 15/3/98; 2 darkish grey
eggs with white patches being incu-
bated 4 & 9/3/98, 2 naked young in
nest, Murungaru, N Kinangop, 4—9/3/
98, AMW

Red-billed Firefinch: feeding 4 chicks,
1 chick bigger than the adults being
fed by the male Firefinch, has base of
bill white mark like others, but obvi-

48 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

ously a parasite, observed also on 6/
11, Loldia Farm, Naivasha, 3/10/97,
JW

Village Indigobird: | young one beg-
ging food from ad Red-billed
Firefinch, South B, Nbi, 20/11/97, SP

Yellow-rumped Seedeater (A# 1058):
[conf 76C] | feathered chick fell out
of nest — and placed back, Game
Ranching Ltd, Athi River, 8/4/98, WV

Abbreviations: GR, Game Reserve; juv
— juvenile; imm — immature; L. - Lake;
NMK - National Museums of Kenya;
Nbi - Nairobi; NP - National Park; NR -
National Reserve; Ngulia SL - Ngulia
Safari Lodge

Contributors

ALA, Tony Archer; GA, George
Amutetée; SB, Shelagh Ballard; TB,
Tansy Bliss; DB, Dorrie Brass; MB,
Mike Bridgeford; LC, L. Campbell; SC,
S. Carter; BMC, Bernard Chege; JC,
John Clark; CC, Chris Clause; JC,
Jeffory Coburn; ND, Neil Davidson et
al.; CD, Colin Densham; WE, Wayne
Easley; SE, Steve Easley; DF, David
Farr; PF, Peter Faull; BF, Brian Finch;
IF, Ian Francombe; CG, Cecilia Gichuki;
NG, Nathan Gichuki; PG, Patrick
Gichuki; DG, David Gitau; JG, Jean
Githaiga; WH, Bill Harvey; J&SH, John
& Sally Hayes; MH, Maia Hemphill;
NH, Narinder Heyer; JH, Jennifer

Horne; TI, Titus Imboma; G&DI,
Geoffrey & Dorothy Irvine; CJ, Colin
Jackson; MJ-D, Marcel Jacot-
Descombes; CK, Charles Kahihia; MK,
Martin Kahindi; PK, Peter Karanja;
FNK, Francis Njuguna Kuiru; SK,
Samuel N. Kimani; FK, Fidel Kyalo; TL,
Thomas Lehmberg et al.; LL, Luc Lens;
SL, Simon Leparsalaach; IL, Imre
Loefler; BM, Bernard Mburu; TM,
Trelss McGregor; FM, Francis Maina;
MM, Mark Mallalieu; I&HM, Ian &
Hazel Marshall; CM, Charles Mbito;
ZM, Zachary Methu; JM, John Miskell;
JMo, Juma Mohammed; KM, Kevin
Mulai; RM, Ronald Mulwa; SM,
Sikampe Musori; SMw, Solomon
Mwangi; PM, Patrick Mwatia; OM,
Ogeto Mwebi; MMw, Mary Mwihaki;
JMw, Japheth Mwok; NN, Nicodemus
Nalianya; KN, Kuria Ndung’u; FN,
Fleur Ng’ weno; PN, Peter Njoroge; BO,
Bell Okelo; WO, Willis Oketch; GO,
George Omondi; J&HO, J&H Onslow;
PLO, EANHS Pot-luck outing; SP,
Shailesh Patel; DR, Dave Richards; PR,
Peter Russell; SR, Skyler Russell; PRu,
Peter Ruoro; ES, Edwin Selempo; LS,
Lester Short; MS, Maurice Sinyereri; JS,
John Stott; SS, Sue Sylvester; ST, Simon
Thomsett; NLT, North Lake Trackers;
DT, Don Turner; WV, Wayne Vos; CW,
Charles Waihenya; JW, James Wainaina;
AMW, Andrew Mwangi Waweru.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 49

Corrections to records in Kenya Birds 6

In Kenya Birds 6 (1&2) anumber of records were submitted for Githumbwini
Dam on an estate near Thika. This lies very close to the corners of four
QSD squares. Unfortunately, the wrong square number was given for the
site in the last volume. It should in fact be QSD 63C. The corrected records
are therefore as follows:

Purple Swamphen (A# 198): [post pres 63C] Githumbwini Dam, Thika: 2
on 2/1/97 and up to 4 in May, MM; 2 at same site 22/6/97, CJ, JL, KD

Common Moorhen: ad with 3 chicks, Githumbwini Dam, Thika, 15/6/96,
PLO — this was not in fact a new breeding record for this square.

Lesser Moorhen (A# 200): [pres 63C] up to 20 present, Githumbwini Dam,
Thika, 17/5/96; imm birds also seen at same site 7/6/96, MM, and 22/6,
CJ, JL, KD; [conf 63C] ad with one chick, Githumbwini Dam, Thika,
15/6, PLO

Whiskered Tern (A# 312): [conf 63C] 2 recently fledged juvs at
Githumbwini Dam, Thika, 28/6/96, OD '

Key to initials: KD, Kristin Davis; OD, Ornithology Department staff; CJ,
Colin Jackson; JL, Jeremy Lindsell; MM, Mark Mallalieu; PLO, EANHS

Pot Luck Outing.

Red-knobbed Coot

50 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Notes

Nairobi Ringing Group in the Aberdares

From 31 July to 2 August 1998 the Nairobi Ringing Group visited the
Aberdares National Park. Our main objective was to track down the elusive
Striped Flufftail Sarothrura affinis, which has been recorded from the high
moorland in the past. In addition to this search, we carried mist-nets for
trapping and ringing birds around the Rhino Retreat Lodge where we were
based. The participants were the ringing group patron, Mark Malallieu, and
NRG members Mercy Njeri, Ogeto Mwebi, Dan Omolo and Titus Imboma.
The KWS biodiversity officer of the area, Bernard Ng’oru, accompanied
and worked with us.

On the evening of 31 July we set up a total of 72 m of mist-nets ready for
early morning bird banding. Before breakfast the next morning, we had
already caught a total of 38 birds of 19 species. After breakfast, at about
10:45 h, we drove off to the moorlands in search of the flufftail. We tried
luring the bird using tape calls the whole day — but in vain. There was not
a single response. Nonetheless, we were able to see the endemic Aberdare
Cisticola and the Alpine Chat at close quarters. We also had a wonderful
view of the Mountain Buzzard, among other interesting montane birds. In
the late afternoon we drove back to the lodge, pitched two more nets, and
ringing continued after a late lunch (16:30 h).

Until the last minute of our stay we had seen a total of 64 bird species
within the park. Exciting birds ringed included Moustached Green
Tinkerbird, Black Saw-wing, Cinnamon Bracken and Brown Woodland
Warblers, White-browed Crombec, Golden-winged Sunbird and Thick-billed
Seed-eater. We saw a total of five African Snipe among other waterbirds on
the high mountain pools and swamps. Rhino Retreat Lodge is one of the
most wonderful sites for birding within the Aberdares. The forest behind it
holds a lot of highland forest birds, while the water holes and the salt-lick
attract a lot of birds in the morning, including Red-fronted Parrots and Ol-
ive Pigeons coming down to drink. Among many others, we recorded Ru-
fous-breasted Sparrow Hawk, Red-fronted Parrot, Mountain Greenbul, Af-
rican Hill Babbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Waller’s Starling, Abyssin-
ian Crimsonwing, Black-headed Waxbill and Yellow-crowed Canary.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 51

Golden-winged Sunbird

Wy
Vu Sincere thanks goes to the park management for giving
‘eg us free entrance and accommodation, and to our patron
fe // Mark Mallalieu for organising the trip and providing trans-
fp jy port. — Titus Imboma, Dept. Ornithology, P O Box 40658,
i } Nairobi.

An odd ‘raptor’

Raptor people are an arrogant lot. They think raptors are so smart and per-
fect. After all, raptors soar majestically about in steady smooth flight, not
like small flitting things in bushes. They hunt too. They put their flying
skills to the test and some of them even chase and kill birds in flight. It is
like watching a cheetah full stretch after gazelle.

All other birds give raptors respect, screaming out warnings and diving
for cover. So they should. I mean they are lesser things, and well, they
should know their humble place. Know what I mean?

I was standing outside my house on the Athi Plains on the 2 January
1998 in the morning when I heard all the small birds let out warning cries.
Oh good, I thought, a raptor is somewhere about. Sure enough I spotted a
medium-sized raptor at about 2 km distance chasing what must have been a
small bird. It zoomed and zig-zagged about and cut off the small bird just
feet from the ground. Ah! Such magnificent powers of flight. I marvelled as
I always do at the acrobatics of both contestants. My sympathy split be-
tween the urge for the raptor to get its hard-won meal, and the urge for the
meal to get away. As they approached I could see the small bird weave and
dodge. The relentless pursuer tucked in its wings and stooped. The small

52 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

bird just escaped. But something was bothering me. The raptor was difficult
to identify. Was it a harrier? It looked long-winged but [ have seldom seen
a harrier so angular and making such a persistent chase. Up, down, left and
right, following the small bird, which was probably a female Jackson’s
Widowbird, for at least three minutes’ active pursuit.

The two birds came right at me, then at 50 m they turned and I was
gobsmacked. The ‘raptor’ had a long beak! Yes, of all the most ridiculous
things. This definitely was one heck of a weird bird. But surely the flying
skills made it a hawk? What? It has a long neck too! Man alive, look, it also
has long legs! This simply is impossible. Only raptors fly and hunt this way.
Sure I have seen crows of various sorts, and shrikes make rude dashes at
small birds, but nothing like this. Well what do you know: it’s a heron, a
Black-headed Heron.

The flight continued past and the heron endeavoured to catch the bird in
its bill. Finally the small bird dived into a tree and the heron continued in its
awkward unassuming flight to land further on in the tall grass. There it
could go about its business stabbing insects, and the occasional rodent.

There used to be a large roost of Black-headed Herons at the Timau
Petrol Station. I was standing in the small grove of exotic pines nearby and
was amazed at the amount of casts on the ground. Huge masses of com-
pressed hair, feathers, and rodent and bird skulls. I first thought it was a
convention site for eagle-owls. But the petrol pump attendant told me all
the herons feeding in the nearby wheat fields roosted there at night.

So the moral of this story 1s that although raptors are cool... so is the
Black-headed Heron! — Simon Thomsett, P O Box 42818, Nairobi

Born to be survivors

The Augur Buzzard occurs at very high densities around the Naivasha area.
This seems to be because there is an abundant supply of food in the form of
mole rats as well as suitable nesting and perching sites. The Augur Buzzard
(AB) Project has been gathering information about the factors that influence
the ecology and biology of this species in the southern Lake Naivasha area.
Fieldwork has finally concluded, and the data are being put together. We
thought the following story concerning a pair of Augur Buzzards (ABs)
would be of particular interest to readers of Kenya Birds.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 53

The pair in question (known as R1) nest in an Acacia tree within the
gardens of Joan Root’s residence, close to the Moi South Lake Road. RI
reside close to a pair of African Fish Eagles (which have not nested in over
ten years). RI successfully nested in 1995, producing one chick, but since
1996 had been having difficulty in raising chicks. The pair then experi-
enced four consecutive nesting failures (on two occasions, chicks were seen).
We were at a loss as to why RI were having nesting difficulties but sus-
pected predation pressure. Around the middle of August 1997, R1 were
seen building a new nest on an Acacia tree and during the first week of
October, the female AB was seen incubating in the nest while the male was
busy hunting across the road on Kedong Ranch. During the first week of
December, two four-week-old chicks were seen calling away frantically for
food. The female responded by feeding both the chicks with remains of a
previously killed mole rat. When we next visited on 12 December, both
chicks were seen healthy and flapping in the nest.

Events then unfolded as follows:

12 December: a pile of freshly plucked juvenile AB feathers were found
underneath the fish eagles’ feeding perch on an Acacia overlooking the lake.
We suspect the chick was attacked in the nest and killed by one of the fish
eagles.

18 December: at about 10:00 h, a young AB chick was found on the ground
about 25 metres from the nest. The parents were heard calling frantically
from aclump of gum trees close to the nest. JR collects the weak and trau-
matised chick and places it in a dog basket. JR places the dog basket on the
roof top of her shed (about 20 metres from the nest tree). At noon, the male
AB comes down on the shed and feeds the chick a lizard. That evening, JR
accommodates the chick in her house for the night.

19 December: At dawn, JR replaces the dog basket, complete with chick,
on the roof of the shed. The chick walks about and saunters to the edge of
the roof where it perches on a protruding pole. JR feeds it a dead mouse and.
later on the parents provide a large rodent (most likely a mole rat). At dusk,
the chick responds to the calling parents by attempting to fly, but clumsily
lands on the ground with a soft thud. JR finds the chick and houses it again
overnight.

54 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

20 December: As the day before. Parents seen feeding chick. Chick is
flapping away vigorously from roof top. Overnight in the house.

2] December: As the day before. Parents feed the chick a mole rat. The
chick appears pretty aggressive and tries to eat the mole rat whole. It fails
and has to tear it up into smaller pieces. JR feeds it a mouse in the evening
and houses it again for the night.

22 December: The AB chick is now very confident on the roof top and
walks to the edge where it perches on a beam of wood jutting beyond the
roof. The dog basket is removed as chick no longer needs it.

23-26 December: Parents feed chick regularly on roof top, but chick is able
to flap away onto nearby cedar post.

27 December: Chick seen walking about on the ground near pepper trees.
JR runs after it, catches it, and returns it on roof top. That evening, chick
seen again on the ground.

In the following days, the chick appeared more confident and was calling
away quite happily. The parents continued to feed the chick even after it
successfully fledged in early January. — Munir Virani, P O Box 40658,
Nairobi and Joan Root, P O Box 86, Naivasha.

Booted Eagle at Tudor Creek

On 20 February 1998 a Booted Eagle (Hieraaeteus pennatus) arrived on
the creek. As the bird flew low in front of my verandah I recognised a new--
comer and straightaway saw the white ‘U’ shape on the rump and the white
‘lights’ between the wings and the body. He (I think of him as ‘he’ but it
could have been a she) swooped down low flexing his tail from side to side
and disappeared over the roof, as most of the interesting birds tend to... but
miracle of miracles he circled back. Doing a fantastic stoop he descended
to the palm tree about 30 yards from my verandah and only slightly below
it, giving me an incredibly advantageous view point. It was already nearly
dark and he was obviously preparing to roost, doing extensive preening and
spreading his tail, wings and every part of his body. I was able to see just

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 55

about every last little spot. His breast was all-over brown so he was obvi-
ously the rarer dark phase, but once the brown surface was disturbed for
preening, the base feathers were a wonderful creamy buff. Only when the
feathers were completely smooth did he look dark. The booted legs had
extremely long feathers, I would estimate about 8 cm, and they came right
down to the yellow feet.

The first day he appeared about 18:35 h and stayed until 09:30 h the next
morning, disappearing (after intensive preening) into the larger trees. I was
overjoyed when he reappeared in the evening at about dusk and started his
preening routine. From then on he appeared most evenings at dusk and left
around 07:30 h the following day, until 1 March when he finally disap-
peared. |

Crows on one occasion tried to dislodge him but he completely ignored
them. One evening just as he was doing his approach to the roost our resi-
dent goshawk had a go at him, but he simply did another circuit and then
having shaken the nuisance off alighted on his favourite branch.. He always
sat on the same branch in exactly the same position. I can understand why
this eagle is easily overlooked: once he had landed he was almost invisible
and whilst flying could easily be mistaken for a kite at a casual glance. I
think his invisibility once he had settled also extended to the other birds.
The drongos never noticed him and except for the one occasion neither did
the crows. One afternoon he arrived early and was obviously still a bit
peckish. He eyed the smaller birds in the bush below but he never made a
kill so maybe it was a case of his eyes being rather too big for his stomach.

On the morning after he had departed, the palm tree was filled with
crows and they were behaving rather strangely, sort of preening all the palm
leaves with their bills. Maybe he had left some scent they liked or maybe
his widely sprayed droppings had attracted extra dudus. He certainly dropped
a lot of lovely buff feathers. The crows have never visited the palm again in
such a manner.

It was like losing a member of the family once he had gone. My family
were pleased not to be tripping over the telescope but I missed his arrival
every evening and getting up early each morning to watch him wake up,
opening one eye, then the other before tidying himself, shaking himself
awake before he departed for the day. Maybe he will follow Booted Eagle
patterns and return to his roost next year just as they return to the same
nesting sites. I do hope so. — Marlene Reid, P O Box 80429, Mombasa

56 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Nesting Ethiopian Swallows at Lewa Downs

The first time the swallows tried to breed outside my door at Lewa Downs,
they were a little bit scared of me. They built a mud nest like a small bowl.
I didn’t count the days they took building the nest, though for about eight
days after finishing moulding it on 27 April 1997 they were taking it in
turns to sit on the nest. Probably there were some eggs in it. I could not
check the contents because it was a risky climb onto the roof from inside.
The roof was made of reeds collected from the swamp. |

Unfortunately, my frequent coming in and out of the house I think dis-
turbed the birds, and they stopped sitting. After 5 May I didn’t see them
again: sad for me because I had already started filling a nest record card.

On 17 June 1998 I returned from Nairobi to find that they had built
another nest just opposite the previous one. This new nest was a little bit
larger. I was curious to know if they were sitting on eggs or if the nest was
empty. The next day I brought a ladder and found three eggs. I was worried
that the birds might reject the eggs after I had touched them, but less than
two minutes after I came down they were back on the nest and continued
incubating. They carried on sitting, until on 29 June I first saw an adult
carrying food to the nest and assumed at least one egg had hatched. The
chicks started to be noisy, begging for food from their parents, on 3 July.

Initially both parents slept with the chicks, but from 12 July only one
adults spent the night there. I think the chicks had grown bigger and the
nest was too small to accommodate both parents as well. of them. After the
young birds had fledged, they continued coming back to roost on the same
nest. However, from 12 August I only saw the parents roosting on the nest
at night. The fledged young ones were nowhere to be seen. My guess is that
the parents may have chased away the grown-up chicks from there territory
as happens with other territorial birds. — Venice Kevin Mulai, Lewa Birder’s
Club, c/o Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Private Bag, Isiolo, Kenya.

Long-tailed Cormorant fishing on reef

On the morning of February 12, 1999, the tide was going out on Bamburi
beach. Great Egrets, Little Egrets, Grey Herons, Black-headed Herons,
Woolly-necked Storks, Sacred Ibis and various waders were feeding in the
tidepools on the old reef near the shore.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 57

Then I noticed a cormorant feeding in the shallow water over the old
reef. It was swimming and diving. A little while later a flock of seven Long-
tailed Cormorants flew in and perched on the roof of glass-bottomed boat.
Soon the swimming cormorant flew up and joined them on the boat.

The cormorants probably came from the Bamburi Quarry pools across
the road. I don’t think I had seen a Long-tailed Cormorant fishing in the sea
before. — Fleur Ng’weno, P O Box 42271, Nairobi

A Nairobi breeding record for African Cuckoo Hawk

The Wednesday morning birdwalk visited the University of Nairobi’s field
station at the end of Loresho Ridge on 17 February 1999, recording, among
other things, Jackson’s, Red-collared and White-winged Widowbirds and a
large flock of Yellow-Crowned Canaries. At about 11:30 h, participants
walked up Loresho Ridge road, lined on one side by houses with thickly
wooded gardens. Suddenly, a sharp-eyed observed spotted a bird of prey in
a jacaranda on the opposite side of the road.

Soon we could all see two birds. An adult African Cuckoo Hawk landed
on the telephone wires about 50 metres away. It was dark grey above; the
throat and breast were uniform grey, with very broad dark and white bar-
ring below that. The tail was broadly barred light and dark. The eye was not
as bright as in other cuckoo hawks I have seen. After several minutes, it
flew past us into the trees across the road.

The juvenile bird perched in the jacaranda for a while. It was slightly
larger than the adult, generally brown above and white below, with a white
mark over the eye, a noticeable crest, and round dark spots below. The cere
was yellow. Then it flopped around, losing its balance, then righting itself,
finally flying off to the jacaranda trees that were leaning over the road above
us. — Fleur Ng’weno, P O Box 42271, Nairobi

Grey-crested Helmet-shrike at Oloidien, Naivasha

Recently there have been three sightings of helmet-shrikes in the Oloidien
area; in much larger numbers than would seem to be usual [see below]. On
the evening of 3 August 1998, at around 18:00 h, I saw 17 of these birds in
Acacia woodland. The first indication I had that they were there was their
unmistakable and noisy chattering. They were moving, presumably foraging,

58 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

in one direction, flying from tree to tree in open Acacia woodland. One
inquisitive bird flew and alighted directly above my path and, cocking his
head, observed me while I observed him! I had an excellent view — striking
field characteristics being no eye wattle, and also an interrupted black bar
across the breast, which indicates that these were the Grey-crested Helmet-
shrikes. — Sarah Enniskillen, Mundui Estate Ltd., P O Box 1, Naivasha.

Sightings of helmet-shrikes north-west
of Lake Oloidien, Naivasha

In the past we have observed small flocks of what we have always taken to
be White-crested Helmet-shrikes (Prionops plumatus) around Oloidien,
Naivasha. Partly through being unaware of the possible significance of their
presence, and also preoccupation with other interests, we have not gone to
the point of studying them as closely as they obviously require. This has
changed, however, with the sighting by Sarah Enniskillen on their property,
Mundui, of an unmistakable Grey-crested Helmet-shrike (Prionops
poliolophus), in company with others which might have been either species
[see above].

We are now putting together a summary of the recent sightings in the
hope that this renewed interest will lead to worthwhile findings in connec-
tion with the possible presence of the Grey-crested in this area. All the
sightings are in the same small area, near Oloidien Lake at approximately
36°25’ E, 0°83’ S.

2 July 1998: Abdi Anti saw and reported a flock of not less than 12 helmet-
shrikes in the sparsely wooded Acacia area north-west of Mundui. He did
not have his glasses with him and adds no details.

4 July 1998: Abdi Anti and Molu Ndiba encountered no less than 36 hel-
met-shrikes in one big flock. This flock was seen on Kinja Farm, slightly
further east than Mundui. As with the earlier observation, the birds were
seen late in the evening as the observers were returning from work in and
around Kongoni Farm. After being watched, again without binoculars and
against s setting sun, the flock flew westward to Mundui and were lost in
the trees.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 59

31 July 1998: A group of birders encountered these birds again, apparently
coming down from the hillside immediately west of where the North Lake
Road is met by the track that goes round Oloidien and through Mundui
Estate. A first group of 17 flew over southwards into very tall trees ‘imme-
diately east of the road, delayed there only a short while and moved on
south-west, disappearing towards Kongoni Farm. These were followed by
a pair of birds, and some ten minutes later, another seven were seen flying
firmly west towards the new A.I.C. compound, but were not seen again. —
Geoffrey Irvine, P O Box 61, Naivasha.

[Editors’ note: Sightings of this species have continued around Oloidien
and we will publish an update in the next Kenya Birds.]

Grey-crested Helmet-shrike breeding record

Following the waterbird count on January 10, 1999, Jennifer Oduori’s group
and mine were driving back through Lake Nakuru National Park on the
main park road between Baboon Cliffs and the main entrance. Where the
wooded grassland gave way to acacia woodland, we stopped to look at
some Coqui Francolins, and noticed a flock of helmet-shrikes low in the
trees. They were about the size of grey-backed fiscals, had prominent, tufted
grey crests, black and white wings and tails, and made a variety of tinkling
sounds. There were about eight of them, moving rapidly through the lower
branches.

On February 6 1999, driving back from World Wetland Day in Nakuru
with Catherine Ngarachu, we stopped at the lake access opposite the Wildlife
Clubs hostel. There the lake had risen close to the road then receded, leaving
a mudflat full of waders, crakes, moorhens and coots, and flooded trees full
of Long-tailed Cormorants. As we watched the waterbirds, we noticed black
and white birds moving gracefully through the low acacia bushes at the
water’s edge. They were Grey-crested Helmet-shrikes, and this time they
were quite near and I observed them more closely. They were about six in
number, and several had bright yellow eyes with no eye wattles.

One of the helmet-shrikes, however, had dark eyes, and I assumed it was
a juvenile. We noted its short and very straight bit of grey crest, like a
‘Mohawk’ hairstyle. Another helmet shrike flew into the bush, and the
juvenile spread and shook one wing. We watched them for a few more

60 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

minutes as they moved on along the lakeshore, the juvenile following two
adults, the other three helmet-shrikes moving in the same direction but some
distance away. It was only in the evening that I noted in ‘Birds of Kenya
and Northern Tanzania’ that the Grey-crested Helmet-shrike juvenile was
‘undescribed’ — Fleur Ng’weno, P. O. Box 42271, Nairobi

Hinde’s Babblers and Blue Quail near Thika

On 27 December 1998, I found a Hinde’s Babbler close to the D416 Kakuzi
road, about 11 km north-east of Thika. The bird was calling loudly and
persistently from the lower branches of a Grevillea tree above sparse Lantana
bushes between the road and a field of coffee. A search of the area on 2
January 1999 revealed two Hinde’s Babblers in a small Lantana thicket
about 500 m from the previous sighting. The birds were not relocated when
I visited the site a week later.

On 9 January 1999, Jeffrey James and I (and my dog) were searching for
Red-chested Flufftails Sarothura rufa in an area of rough grassland and

S
x
rte) Lt
tf Got “<
oa

4
Seat e RE] ss .
SS... SS u Seth.

Hinde’s Babbler

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 61

marsh on the Kangema Farmlands estate about 5 km north-west of Thika.
JJ flushed a quail from rank grass on the edge of a dense, matted bed of
sedges, Cyperus sp. The quail flew about 5 mand landed in the dense sedge.
We walked towards where the bird had landed and flushed it again. It then
flew along the edge of the sedge bed, disappearing beyond some bushes.

We noted that it was a tiny gamebird, roughly the size of a Baillon’s
Crake, dark chocolate brown in colour, with a whirring flight on rather short,
rounded wings (compared with Harlequin Quail Coturnix delegorguei). It
gave a short ‘quip’ call when first flushed. The bird’s size, structure and
habitat indicate that it was a Blue Quail Coturnix adansonii, a species with
which I am reasonably familiar from Malawi. The rather uniform plumage
indicates that it was a female. This species is now seldom noted in Kenya,
but its habitat preferences and behaviour may result in it being under-re-
corded. — Mark Mallalieu, P. O. Box 30465, Nairobi

The Kinangop Plateau

Situated between the Kikuyu Escarpment and the Aberdare mountains is a
high (over 2,400 m), flat stretch of grassland — the Kinangop Plateau. For
birders the place rings a bell as a hotspot for endangered grassland species
such as Sharpe’s Longclaw and Jackson’s Widowbird. The Kinangop
Grasslands form one of Kenya’s 60 Important Bird Areas, and are among
the most critically threatened of all.

Going deep into early history, the name originates from the Maasai peo-
ple, meaning ‘flooded area’. It was an important meeting point for barter
trade between the Maasai and the Kikuyus from the central highlands over
the Aberdares (which the Kikuyus knew as Nyandarua).

The plateau was open grassland with fast-flowing rivers and swamps
and supported myriads of plains game, including various antelope and ze-
bra, bigger animals venturing out from the Aberdares forests, and of course
the grassland birds.

In the early decades of the century the invasion of European settlers
turned it into a section of the ‘white highlands’ and wildlife had to give way
to wheat farms, dairy cattle and sheep. To drain the swamps, Eucalyptus
and wattle trees were planted. Then came independence, the demarcation
of land, small-scale farming and the multiplication of the trees as a good
source of fuel wood. The current result? Introduced plants and animals have

62 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

taken over from the original grasslands and their wildlife. The soils have
been poisoned by the exotic trees and the grassland that remains is often
over-grazed. A forest on the escarpment which supported indigenous trees,
mammals and birds is almost dead, cleared and burned.

Early in 1998 some concerned individuals raised the conservation issue
and formed a group by the name ‘Friends of Kinangop Plateau’. The group
is looking for a way to divert the current trend before the natural plants and
animals of the plateau are lost completely. Obviously, going back to the
previous grasslands is next to impossible. The only hopeful solution, which
is already taking off nicely, is planting of indigenous trees and other plants.
These can do well with the small-scale farming providing they don’t com-
pete and negatively affect other plants. The end results might be modified
versions of indigenous forest and grassland that still maintain the quality of
the soil and some of the plateau’s biodiversity. They may also help con-
serve the various dams, over 30 of which have been introduced over the
years. These support a wide range of waterfowl and have been the subject
of interesting wetland counts.

The group ‘Friends of Kinangop Plateau’ is composed of individuals
concerned for the environment, primary and secondary schools who are
members of Wildlife Clubs of Kenya and have been actively involved in
conservation, and various community groups who have successfully started
tree nurseries of indigenous trees. This note is to request any person or
organisation who would help with ideas to come and help us programme
the project to suit the community and retain the best habitat, for a better
plateau in the future. — James Wainaina, P O Box 695, Naivasha.

[Editors’ note: For more information on this and other IBA site-support
groups, see elsewhere in this issue. ]

Bird records from northern Kenya forests

Mt Kulal

Over the months of November and December 1997, we made an expedition
to M. Kulal as part of our efforts to study the ecology of forest bird commu-
nities in northern Kenya. Mt Kulal forest turned out to be a thrill in terms of
both bird-watching and ringing, both of which we did for as many hours as
the el nifio rains allowed us during the 28 days we spent there. The journey

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 63

to the place was not easy though. On our way, we had an unexpected chance
to watch birds at the foot of Mt Nyiro for four days. We had to stop there to
wait for the ‘bandit fever’ which had gripped the area between Mt Nyiro
and Mt Kulal to cool down a little.

The Kurungu area at the base of Mt Nyiro was quite green following the
heavy rains. The Acacia-dominated woodlands were now tempting birding
parks for us. We managed to record about 80 bird species within the four
days. Bird watching sessions were kept noisy by the chucking and chuck-
ling notes of Von der Decken’s and Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbills, and
the sharp repeated calls of the Grey Wren-Warbler. Unexpected sightings
over this short period included Pearl-spotted Owlet and Donaldson-Smith’s
Nightjar. The northern race of the White-headed Mousebird was also often
seen. The migrant Black-and-white and Great Spotted Cuckoos were in
evidence, and some birds were nesting: we saw White-browed Coucal with
two eggs, and a pair of Yellow- spotted Petronia nesting in an Acacia tortilis
tree hole.

Our first attempt to reach Kulal ended in a day-long car-pushing exer-
cise when we got stuck in mud. However, a day later we arrived at the
mountain and then it was action until 18 December. We had 30 bird species
in our mist-nets and a total of about 250 individuals ringed. Seventy-seven
bird species were recorded in the forest or in the habitats adjoining it above
1,500 m altitude. Among them 16 were probable new listings for the area.

New records for the Bird Atlas of Kenya, square 26B

Dusky Turtle Dove: generally observed calling from the top of very tall
trees in forest.

Klaas’s Cuckoo: calling in the forest.

Montane Nightjar: frequently heard and seen around the village of Gatab.

Spot-flanked Barbet: observed in the woodland adjoining the forest at about
1,700 m. ,

Alpine Swift: seen several times flying in groups with other swifts.

Lesser Honeyguide: captured in forest approximately 30 m from the edge.
(Also found on Mt Nyiro and Mt Marsabit.)

Nightingale: captured at forest edge.

Sprosser: captured in the same net as the Nightingale, two days later.

Blackcap: commonly seen and caught at the forest edge, sometimes also in
forest interior.

64 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Chiffchaff: seen twice in riverine trees in middle of forest.

Northern Puffback: Several observed and heard at Kulal while two females
were caught in nets at the edge of a grass glade. (Recorded also in Horr
Valley, Mts Nyiro and Marsabit.)

Sharpe’s Starling: A group of six seen flying over the forest.

Beautiful Sunbird: One female captured on 14/12/98 in the woodland.

Abyssinian White-eye: A small flock observed outside the forest, at 1,700 m
altitude.

Purple Grenadier: Two caught in net at forest edge, and a pair observed
building a nest that already contained two eggs.

Stripe-breasted Seedeater: Observed on several occasions in the bushland
below Gatab, between 1,500 and 1,700 m.

Leroghi Forest

It took only ten donkeys, a few more workmen, our food ration and the two
of us (the determined ornithologists) to obtain some information on the
avifauna of Leroghi forest. We did as much as possible within the short
time available (18 April to 21 May 1998), camping and working around
five stations within the forest. Each of these had its own distinctive fea-
tures.

Ngurumaut (2,260 m), 19-24 April: a strip of light forest with Olea africana
and Juniperus procera and low bushes of Rhus natalensis and Maytemus
senegalensis.

Sordon (2,450 m), 25 April—1 May: a high, cold and more diverse part of
forest interior with open river valleys and glades. Podocarpus sp., Nuxia
congesta and Cassipourea malosana are common trees.

Bauwa (1,870 m), 2-8 May: next to the forest edge. The forest part 1s domi-
nated by Croton megalocarpus and Olea europea in the lower storey,
and Podocarpus sp. and Juniperus procera above.

Peto (Nangaro) (2,080 m), 9-13 May: among the Karissia hills. This part of
the forest is more closed below, dominant tree species being Podocarpus
sp., Cassipourea malosana, Olea hochstetteri and Brucea
antidysenterica.

Ltilia (2,160 m), 14-19 May: forest edge on top of a cliff that faces the
Matthews Range and the Ndottos. The forest edge is dominated by Olea
europea.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 65

Chestnut-throated Apalis Poro (2,400 m), 20-21 May:
: two days were spent assess-
ing light Juniperus forests

between Poro and Maralal.

We were able to record (by

observation and calls) about

200 bird species. The 500 or

so individual birds mist-net-
PY ted and ringed comprised 51
IPFA species.

WE garrett At Ngurumaut, large
parties of Yellow White-eyes
were common, foraging up
large trees or low bushes and
moving into or out of the
forest in the morning or
evening. We were wel-

comed by the trilling and

chattering of Chestnut-
throated Apalis and Yellow\yhiskered Greenbul respectively. Three White-
headed Wood-hoopoes were xdnstantly feeding young ones in a tree-hole
nest. We spared time to collect data on what was being fed, how often, and
by whom. !
Along river valleys, there were many nest holes of Cinnamon-chested
Bee-eaters. Apart from the Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, we observed and
ringed Cabanis’s and Mountain Greenbul. The Mountain Greenbul was only
recorded at the Sordon campsite (one ringed, one observed). It has not been
reported in the forest before. Common species in the forest included Abys-
sinian Ground Thrush, African Hill Babbler, White-starred Robin and Yel-
low White-eye. Grey Cuckoo Shrike was also common in some parts, mostly
seen foraging high on Podocarpus trees. Red-fronted Parrots and Olive Pi-
geons were often seen flying quite high above the trees, usually in the
evening, possibly coming back to roost in the main forest after feeding in
more distant patches. Indeed, when we visited Poro, in a forest strip along a
river valley about 6 km from the main Leroghi forest, we found many Olive
Pigeons resting and feeding in the high trees. Cinnamon Bracken and Moun-

66 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

tain Yellow Warblers were ringed and observed at Ngurumaut and Sordon
river valleys at the edges of open grass glades next to dense forest.

Our site at Bauwa was at the lower edge of the forest and the vegetation
here is not really-closed. Our camp was next to a marshy stream. At the
western edge of the forest is an extensive grassland with scattered Acacia
trees. We ringed 28 species among the 67 individuals caught and recorded
82 species in the area. They included forest edge and woodland birds, among
them African Black Duck, African Harrier Hawk, Tambourine Dove, Afri-
can Emerald Cuckoo, Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Scaly-throated
Honeyguide, African Hill Babbler, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, White-
browed Robin Chat, Grey Apalis, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, Black
Cuckoo-shrike, Violet-backed Starling and Red-headed Weaver.

Ltilia, our last camp, sits on top of a cliff that faces the extensive plains
towards Wamba. From the cliff one can see the Matthews Range and the
Ndottos to the east. From the plain below the cliff we could hear calls of
woodland birds including Slate-coloured Boubou, Boran Cisticola and Ru-
fous Chatterer. Occasionally we could see herds of elephants and buffaloes
and at night, the roars of leopards and lions. We concentrated most of our
work (bird ringing, observation and censuses) in the forest, starting from
the edge. We recorded nine species of raptors soaring over the cliff, namely
Verreaux’s Eagle, African Harrier Hawk, Black Kite, Augur Buzzard, Per-
egrine Falcon, Booted Eagle, Tawny Eagle, African Crowned Eagle and the
Bateleur. Little Sparrowhawk was caught in the net as it came to try and
seize a trapped Brown Woodland Warbler. Groups of African Black Swifts
were also acommon sighting over the cliff.

Greater Honeyguides guide

The southern part of the Karissia hills is inhabited by the Ndorobo commu-
nity. They are traditionally hunters and gatherers, though they have nowa-
days turned to some cultivation and cattle keeping.

However, the forest is still a very valuable resource for them in terms of
honey-harvesting. We witnessed about five cases where our guides (some
of whom happened to be Ndorobos) uséd Greater Honeyguides to locate
bee hives in tree holes. The honeyguide would come to our camp and make
a vibrating call from the lower branches of a tree. The Ndorobos would
respond with a repeated ‘grrrr-vroom’ (a tongue vibration followed by a
short whistle). The bird would then lead them via repeated perching and

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 67

calling to the point where there was honey. If the person failed to identify
the hive at the first attempt, the bird would make several other attempts
later.

Scaly-throated Honeyguide is also a common species in the forest: we
ringed seven individuals during our one-month stay. It never guided honey
hunters. We retrapped one ringed Scaly-throated Honeyguide about 5 km
away from where we had ringed it two days earlier. We also observed a
Lesser Honeyguide at Peto camp.

New records for the Bird Atlas of Kenya, square 38D

African Black Duck

African Harrier Hawk

Little Sparrowhawk

Mountain Buzzard

Verreaux’s Eagle

Lanner Falcon: several records.

African Emerald Cuckoo

Verreaux's Eagle-Owl: one individual seen on several occasions in the for-
est, Peto, 12—13/5/98.

African Wood Owl: heard by night at Ngurumaut.

African Black Swift: seen at Ltilia.

Alpine Swift: seen at Ltilia.

Scaly-throated Honeyguide

Eastern Honeyguide: seen at Peto (2,070 m) on 9/5/98.

Mountain Wagtail: three birds seen feeding from banks of stream at Peto
camp and one seen at Poro dam (at lower altitude).

Yellow-whiskered Greenbul: common in the forest.

Mountain Greenbul: one bird ringed and a few others observed at Sordon
camp.

White-starred Robin

Abyssinian Ground Thrush: common in the forest.

Mountain Yellow Warbler: common at Sordon.

White-crested Helmet-shrike: seen at Bauwa.

Slate-coloured Boubou: heard at Ltilia.

Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike: several ringed and observed at Bauwa and
Peto campsites.

68 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Waller's Starling: common in the forest.
Red-winged Starling: seen at Ltilia.
Sharpe's Starling: common in the forest.

Other interesting species recorded

Booted Eagle: one pale morph observed twice on 15/05/98 over Ltilia Cliff.

African Crowned Eagle: displaying over Ltilia Cliff, and heard several times
in forest. At Bauwa we saw a nest attended by a female.

Eastern Nicator: one juvenile was observed near Bauwa camp on 8/5/98.
This species is known from the Karissia hills but its status is uncertain.
This record suggests that it could be resident.

Black-billed Weaver: three individuals of this striking weaver were ringed
and several observed in the southern part of Leroghi forest.

Brown-capped Weaver: we observed several at Leroghi, especially high
on Podocarpus. trees. Some appeared to be entering active nests.

— Kariuki Ndang’ang’a' and Luca Borghesio’’, ‘Department of Ornithol-
ogy, P O Box 40658, Nairobi and *Dip. Biol. Animale, Univ. di Torino, V.
Acc. Albertina 17, I-10123 Torino, Italy

Roadside counts show changes in raptor
populations around the Naivasha-Elmenteita area

The two most important factors that limit the distribution and abundance of
birds (especially raptors) are food availability and nest-site suitability. Popu-
lation studies of raptors usually involve finding all the pairs of a species in
a given area over several years. Up to a point, the value of such studies is
increased the longer they are continued and if information on other aspects,
such as nest success, is obtained at the same time. However, such studies
require a great deal of time (not to mention funding) as well as an obsession
with learning more about a particular species. Raptor road counts are, by
far, a quicker and more fun way of understanding the distribution of raptors
and changes that occur in their populations over time.

Many authors have repeatedly demonstrated the widespread decline in
the numbers and diversity of raptors resident in Europe. The causes respon-
sible for this decline were human persecution, the destruction of natural
habitat, and the effects of persistent toxic chemicals. All these three factors

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 69

are in widespread and often large-scale operation in East Africa (particu-
larly in Kenya). In Kenya, hardly any published studies exist of sufficient
scale and length to demonstrate long-term trends in raptor populations. The
only long-term study is that of declining population trends shown by the
African Fish Eagles at Lake Naivasha. This species is large and charis-
matic, and shoreline counts made by boat are conducted periodically and
are of course fun, since the main objective is to count the eagles.

In contrast, driving from Nairobi to Mombasa is tiring and often tedious
(given the conditions of the roads). But if you concentrate on the tops of
trees and telephone poles (not just the potholes), you will often be rewarded
by the sight of a raptor perched motionless on these structures. Soon, with
perhaps a little help and guidance, you will be able to identify and record
them. Then driving is fun as well as productive, since you will be helping to
collect long term data for changes that are taking place in raptor populations
all over the Kenyan countryside. These can in turn be related to changing
land-use patterns.

Counting raptors in tropical habitats is difficult: this is even true for
relatively open landscapes such as savanna grasslands. In Africa, several
observers have been counting raptors while driving through the country-
side. However, none of these counts were undertaken on a regular basis and
hence comparative studies are usually difficult. Many variables influence
the results of each individual count, such as composition of the observing
team, daily variation in distribution of the species over their home range
and possibly, weather conditions. However, recording the number of kilo-
metres travelled per species seen can give a useful index of densities of
raptor populations in an area, if enough counts are carried out.

In April 1996, April 1997 and August 1997, we counted raptors along
the road that circumnavigates Lake Naivasha. The average distance trav-
elled was 89 km. The road counts were conducted as part of an overall
raptor-banding program around the Lake Naivasha area. Counts began at
09:00 h from Elsamere Conservation Centre and we drove in a clockwise
direction around the Moi South Lake Road, joining the Moi North Lake
Road, onto the Nakuru-Nairobi highway and finally back on the Moi South
Lake Road, returning to Elsamere at about tea-time. The team usually com-
prised four or five volunteers (including myself) all fairly competent in iden-
tifying raptors.

70 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

The results for all three counts were averaged and compared with figures
for road counts conducted by Christiaan Smeenk in the Elmenteita area,
just north of Naivasha. Smeenk conducted these studies regularly between
September 1970 and August 1971, covering a transect route of 42 km.

The table outlines the results (expressed as the number of kilometres
travelled for each bird seen):

km/bird km/bird

1970/71 1996/97
Species (Smeenk) (Virani) % increase/decrease
Augur Buzzard 2:5 3.8 Decreased by 52%
Tawny Eagle 18 18.9 Decreased by 5%
Black-shouldered Kite 53 29.7 Increased by 44%
African Fish Eagle Not seen 45 Not comparable
Long-crested Eagle 47 68 Decreased by 45%
White-backed Vulture Not recorded 68 Not comparable
Bateleur Eagle 70 89 Decreased by 27%
Common Kestrel Not seen 89 Not comparable
Wahlberg’s Eagle 105 127 Decreased by 21%
Harrier Hawk Not seen 297 Not comparable
Verreaux’s Eagle Not seen 297 Not comparable
Martial Eagle 168 Not seen Not comparable
Brown Snake Eagle 140 Not seen Not comparable
Black-breasted Snake Eagle 56 Not seen Not comparable

Looking at the figures in Table 1, it is evident that there has been a decline
in the number of raptors seen along roadsides since the 1970/71 period.
Major declines were shown by common roadside species such as Augur
Buzzards, Long-crested Eagles and Bateleur Eagles (all three are consid-
ered as resident species). On the other hand, the numbers of Black-shoul-
dered Kites have increased markedly, perhaps as a result of filling vacant
spots left by the larger roadside species. |

The decrease of the larger roadside species can be attributed to changes
in land-uses over time, with a shift from savanna grasslands to small and
large scale agricultural plots. This has the effect of reducing the foraging
area available to these birds. As a result, the birds are forced to increase
their home ranges to sustain their offspring, thus essentially reducing the
overall carrying capacity. Also, rapidly changing land-use patterns have the
effect of reducing the suitability of nest trees for larger species such as
Martial Eagles. Modern agricultural techniques and direct persecution by

|

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 71

humans has reduced populations of snakes and other reptiles which are an
important food source for snake eagles. Neither species (Black-breasted or
Brown) was seen during the 1996/97 counts.

One can argue that the counts were done by different observers and more
importantly, that comparing the Naivasha area with Elmenteita is probably
unjustified. However, both the Naivasha and Elmenteita areas are located
in the Great Rift Valley, separated by a distance of just 30 km, Climate, soil
and vegetation in both areas are more or less identical and hence the abso-
lute population densities of species in both areas are likely to be similar.
Thus a comparative study is valid — though the results should still be inter-
preted with caution. — Munir Virani, P O Box 40658, Nairobi.

Thick-billed Cuckoo in the Taita Hills

Early in the morning of 26 March 1998 while undertaking an ornithological
survey in the Taita Hills forests, I set out on my routine transect counts, this
time in the forest fragment of Fururu. At the beginning of the second transect,
my attention was immediately caught by an odd bird banging an insect
against a branch about 12 m up in a tree. The bird was odd because it was
not among the usual species I had been encountering in the Taita Hills for-
est fragments the entire eight months I had been working there. The bird
was relatively large, had completely white underparts and uniformly grey
upperparts with a long tail and from its overall shape and size was clearly a
cuckoo. I watched it for about three minutes before it flew off upwards. I
followed it to the closest gap in the canopy where I saw it with another of
the same species circling together above the forest and calling loudly be-
fore flying away.

Description

Species: Thick-billed Cuckoo Pachycoccyx audeberti
Location: Fururu forest fragment, Taita Hills

Date: 26 March 1998

_ Habitat: Small (approx. 4 ha.), very disturbed forest fragment. Main tree

species are Phoenix reclinata.and Tabernamontana stapfiana while main
undergrowth species is Piper capense.

_ Conditions: Cloudy morning, fair light (9:00 am), considerable shading from

the upper canopy but colours showing clearly; view was directly from

72 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

below and unobscured by twigs.

Optical equipment: Opticron 10 x 50 binoculars.

Previous experience of the species: One observed perched for several min-
utes in the East Usambara lowland forests. The habitat there was a
Brachystegia woodland.

General description: A relatively large mostly grey and white bird with a
relatively long tail which also appeared barred. It was observed while
on a branch about 12 m high in a tree. It was observed mainly from
below with extra facial features seen as it occasionally banged an insect
against the branch. Its size, shape and behaviour suggested a large cuckoo.

Two individuals were later observed circling above the forest with flight
pattern and wing shape very falcon-like.

Similar species: There were no other birds around the area at the time of
observation.

Confusion species: Usually confused with small falcons which prey on in-
sects as well but the behaviour of banging prey against the branch is
very un-falcon-like. The bill was not sharply decurved and hooked like
a falcon’s.

Details

Body size slightly smaller than e.g. Taita Thrush size but tail relatively long,
Upperparts were uniform grey, Wings long, grey with pale edging and tips
to the primaries, Underparts were mainly white (throat and belly) with
very indistinct streaking on flanks under the wings, the tail was relatively
long and appeared barred dark on white; the bill was relatively short (i.e.
compared to most other cuckoos) and the lower mandible (observed from
below) was clearly yellow; it had an orbital ring which was orange-yellow.
The flight of the bird was moderately fast with steady wing beats whilst
observed circling above the forest; the call heard in flight was a series of
repeated sharp (or harsh) short notes that accelerated towards the end: ‘tshi-
tshi-tshi-tshi-tshi...’.

Discussion

This bird is relatively rare and is described by Zimmerman et al. (Birds of
Kenya and Northern Tanzania, 1996) as an uncommon local resident of
Kenyan coastal forest and Brachystegia woodland from Sokoke along the
lower Tana River to Garsen. It has been observed away from the coast in

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 73

the East Usambara Mountains of Tanzania (Cordeiro and Githiru, Bulletin
of the African Bird Club 5: 13-16, 1998) albeit in its preferred habitat,
Brachystegia woodland. This would be the first record of the bird away
from the Kenyan coast and not in or close to Brachystegia woodland. How-
ever, the Taita Hills forests are only about 160 km from the Kenyan coast,
hence not a very unusual extension in the range of a bird known to have
seasonal movements (Fry et al., Birds of Africa vol. 3, 1988). Furthermore,
it is known to inhabit riparian forests which are present along the rivers in
the Taita Hills. — Mwangi Githiru, Ornithology Dept., P O Box 40658,
Nairobi.

Colonial waterbirds at Naivasha, Elmenteita and
Nakuru, January to August 1998

In January 1998 Dr David Harper of Leicester University wrote from
Elsamere to Dr Geoffrey Irvine and the late Frank Turner asking for a sur-
vey on a weekly basis, if possible, of the Great Cormorant breeding colony
at Oloidien, Lake Naivasha. This was suggested as a follow up to a study
done by Brooks Childress in 1995 and 1996. Participants were asked par-
ticularly to note the proportions of crayfish to fish pellets beneath certain
nest areas. Childress’s observation was that a larger percentage of crayfish
were fed to very young nestlings, changing to fish as the young matured.

The first move was to obtain permission to enter private property, and
this was most kindly given by Mrs June Zwagger of Oserian in mid-March.
At this time it was found that the colony had adults sitting on eggs and
many young.

Two sites were chosen at opposite sides of the colony where 12’ x 12’
areas were cleared under trees heavily occupied by nests. Site one had the
most adults sitting on eggs, site two had the most immatures sitting beside
| adults. A weekly check has been kept of material dropped and pellets found
‘on the cleared areas. As at mid-May only a few eggshells were being found,
indicating a slowing up of laying. The results bear out Childress’s observa-
_ When nestlings were small large quantities of crayfish pellets were
found, and that owing to spaced egg laying these have been replaced by fish
pellets, and whole tilapia of 7-10 cm size. On 15 May, gill worm which had
evacuated from the dead fish were seen for the first time. Of a marked area
of the colony seen from the observation post, 90% of young were fully

74 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

fledged and three-quarters of these were the size of their parents. There was
vigorous wing-flapping and stretching and an occasional flight out by fully
fledged immatures. Also for the first time Great White Pelican were fishing
in the vicinity. At the previous visit to the colony, two immature Black-
headed Heron alighted on the highest tree and surveyed the area for thirty
minutes before flying off. No agonistic behaviour from the occupants was
seen.

Ian Marshall joined the observers in early April as he had been investi-
gating increases of fish in the Nakuru Wildlife Forum area, which stretches
from the Lake Nakuru catchment to Mt Longonot. Owing to lack of fish,
the old cormorant colony at the Njoro river mouth, Lake Nakuru had not
been rebuilt and it appeared possible that this population was now at Oloidien.
In early May, however, shoals of small fish were seen with their attendant
catchers the Great White Pelican, along the west shore of Lake Nakuru
from the Njoro River mouth to Baboon Cliffs. At this time, flotillas of
fishing pelicans were very small and only eight Great Cormorants were
counted along this portion of shore. The pelicans were also to be seen fishing
sporadically in Lake Elmenteita, and had started nesting on the rocky is-
lands in the north-west sector. African Spoonbills were also nesting on one
of the Elmenteita islands. The levels of both lakes had risen substantially as
a result of the heavy El Nino rains.

Dramatic changes occurred soon after this at Nakuru. As fish populations
increased, the cormorants re-established an active nesting colony at the Njoro
River mouth, but in small Acacia xanthophloea trees some distance from
the water. By late August, the Great White Pelicans at
Elmenteita suffered a reversal of fortunes as their nest
sites were inundated by the still-rising lake, and nesting
ceased. The spoon- bills, however, managed to rear 3—
4 young before their nest sites were covered by the
lake.

Observations at
but the situation at

Oloidien ceased in late July
Elmenteita and Nakuru con-
tinues to be monitored. —
lan Marshall, Delamere
Estate, Private Bag,
Naivasha

Se ee. . F

. ec a i | |
~~ Great Cormorant Mf

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 75

Threatened birds of Kenya
11: Kulal White-eye

Luca Borghesio'* and Kariuki Ndang’ang’a’
"Dip. Biol. Animale, Univ. di Torino, l-10123 Torino, Italy and
*Department of Ornithology, P O Box 40658, Nairobi

White-eyes (family Zosteropidae) are a group of mostly tropical species,
which, despite their fragile appearance, have proved to possess an amazing
ability for crossing hostile habitats and colonising far-flung places. As a
result, the vast majority of the about 85 species are distributed on islands.

Although genuine ‘islands’ are scarce in East Africa, East African White-
eyes have been able to find something quite similar. These are small forest
fragments, scattered in a ‘sea’ of arid or sem-arid environments. Such sites
are numerous in Kenya and northern Tanzania, and have been rightly called
‘forest islands’ by several authors. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the little
yellow birds are found on top of most of the mountains of our region! But
here starts the problem: isolated populations tend to diverge from each other,
slowly and inexorably, owing to what is called ‘genetic drift’. As a
consequence, white-eyes in East Africa comprise a large number of forms
that differ in their appearance. Depending on one’s point of view, these can
be treated as separate species or simply as a set of sub-species. The result is
a sort of systematic wilderness, where different authors have described as
many as seven or as few as three species of Zosterops in Kenya and Tanzania.

One of these puzzles is the Kulal White-eye. Some consider it a good
species, which should be called Zosterops kulalensis. Others prefer to treat
it as a race of the Yellow White-eye (in which case, the correct scientific
name should be Zosterops senegalensis kulalensis). Still others choose to
place it in the so-called Montane White-eye, and name it Zosterops
poliogaster kulalensis. Nobody knows which of these possibilities reflects
its real relationships. Indeed nobody knows much about this bird at all,
except that it has an incredibly restricted range, on top of Mt Kulal, an
extinct volcano east of Lake Turkana. We also know that the very small
distribution almost automatically makes it an endangered taxon, because
human pressure on the forest of Mt Kulal is increasing.

76 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

In November 1997 we reached the small village of Gatab, on the south
slopes of Mt Kulal. We aimed carrying out a survey of the avifauna of the
area, and especially of its endemic white-eye. This was the start of forty
days of very hard work, under the torrential rains caused by El Nino. Around
us the ill-famed Chalbi looked much more like a golf course than a lifeless
desert... and on top of the mountain we had almost continuous rain and
mist and high winds for all of our stay. Nonetheless we obtained some re-
sults, and they were quite encouraging. Several white-eyes were mist-net-
ted, and blood samples taken before they were released. DNA will be ex-
tracted from the blood and analysed, providing (we hope) a clearer insight
into the systematic status of these birds. This will take time, however! Mean-
while we collected a good amount of ecological and behavioural field data.
First of all, as we saw, the white-eyes were common, perhaps the common-
est species: almost one in four birds captured in the mist nets was a white-
eye. They occurred in all habitats from 1500 m upwards and estimates for
the total population were in the order of 10,000 individuals... not bad!

Kulal White-eyes were quite varied in their food choice, as they ate fruit,
nectar, insects, indeed every food item of appropriate size. We can be sure
that they will not starve to death. Perhaps a more interesting discovery is
that they were ‘commuters’. They seemed to spend the night in the dense
vegetation of the forest, but every morning huge flocks were observed at its
edges, moving towards the drier habitats around, where they scattered in
smaller groups that foraged among twigs. In the evenings they returned to
the forest. It is not clear whether these movements occur all year round or
perhaps only during the wetter months, when drier habitats become more
productive. Still, we can confidently say that the white-eyes, at least for
part of the year, are not completely dependent on the very restricted forest
habitat.

On the whole, the highest densities of birds were found in the open for-
est, that is areas with typical forest trees (such as Juniperus and Olea) but a
low and discontinuous canopy. Lower densities were observed in very dense
and tall vegetation and in the drier bushlands dominated by Acacia. In the
forest, white-eyes clearly preferred glades and openings to places with a
more continuous canopy. So, they seemed to be mostly an edge species,
and this certainly has important consequences from the conservation point
of view. Human activity on Kulal seems at present to be causing a slow
thinning of the forest. Glades are being opened in dense habitats and edges

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 77

are generally increasing. This means that impacts on white-eyes, at least until
now, have probably been limited, as their preferred habitat is still available, indeed
on the increase. But as time passes, human population, firewood extraction, felling
of trees for honey gathering and cattle pasturing are steadily growing, and will
certainly cause the death of the forest if no action is taken. How much time is left?
We don’t know, but from experience elsewhere, probably not much.

What are we to conclude? Well, there is still time for action, but the time will
expire soon. The forest of Kulal is of prime importance, not only for its endemic
bird, but also for the people living in it, and they are now many. Sustainable exploi-
tation is probably still possible now, if the right measures are put in place... will
they be?

In November 1997, Rod Hall from British Airways Assisting Conservation
visited Ngulia to work with the bird ringing team. He hatched the idea of
two Nairobi Ringing Group members travelling to Europe in the winter —
and thus having a first-hand experience of why the birds were migrating
south! Just under a year later, after much planning and preparation,
Nicodemus Nalianya and Bernard Amakobe finally set off for England.
Amakobe reports on their experiences...

Nairobi ringers in England and Portugal

Bernard Amakobe, P O Box 40658, Nairobi

After almost three months of planning, seeking advice, excitement and ex-
pectation, shuttling from one office to another and many triumphs and dis-
appointments, we eventually set off on a trip well planned by British Air-
ways Assisting Conservation, the RSPB, A Rocha (Portugal), RSPB, the
Ornithology Department and Nature Kenya.

_ _ We left Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) promptly as sched-
uled on 4 October 1998 on board a British Airways plane. Not to dampen
our excitement we were shifted from our earlier assigned seats to the luxury
of Club World class. Undeniably we were nervous. Anyway, it was not to
last a lifetime and eventually we found ourselves at Gatwick Airport. Early
moming London and our drama started to unfold. Within two hours we
were shuttled by our hosts to Dungeness on the south-east coast of Britain,

78 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

our home for the following week. The one thing suddenly obvious to us
was the extreme weather difference between Kenya and our host country.
Having left Nairobi at 28°C it was now just 7°C — bitingly cold to us but to
our hosts a mild autumn day. What a contrast.

The main objective of the tour was to obtain a clearer insight into how
bird ringing is conducted in Europe. This could only be done through prac-
tical first-hand experience in the nature reserves and ringing stations them-
selves. We also expected some hints from the reserve managers on how
they run their sites and manage information. Apart from ringing we were
expecting to assist practically in all types of reserve maintenance duties.

Dungeness

Dungeness is the largest shingle foreland in the world. Shingle is a rare
coastal habitat only common in Japan, New Zealand and north-west Eu-
rope. It consists mainly of rounded pebbles of flint. About a third of the
landscape is vegetated, the rest being exposed to the elements of nature.
The shingle itself was formed when chalk weathered in huge amounts dur-
ing the ice age, and released embedded flint to form the beaches of the
English Channel. At Dungeness the shingle is pitted with open pools, some
of them disused gravel quarries, others unique natural excavations, prob-
ably caused during storms in the past.

Dungeness is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because
it shelters unique plant, insect and bird species. It projects four miles into
the English Channel and has a maritime climate. Frequent winds mean a
cooler summer and slightly warmer winters than further inland, but less
rainfall. Most plants grow poorly in these stressful conditions, but lichens
thrive in the clean air of the prevailing south-westerlies.

We spent three days ringing under the keen supervision of David Walker,
the ringing warden. Immediately, we were impressed by their ringing sta-
tion, a comfortable enclosed cabin (our ringing is done in the open!). Their
data collection book setting was not different from ours but they took to-
tally different biometrics from us, except for the wing length. Still, we held
out own when given a chance to handle the birds.

New to us at Dungeness was the Heligoland trap. This is a bird trap set
up in sparse bush or scrub, against which background the meshwire is nearly
invisible. The birds are clearly unaware of its presence as they search for
food in the bushes around. When birds are to be caught, they are driven

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 79

from the bushes inside the trap to a central point, where there is a glass
enclosure. The trapper unsnaps a swinging door that encloses the birds in
the glass box, which has outlets only accessible to the trapper himself. When
no ringing is going on, the trap is de-activated to ensure birds move freely.
We were really amazed by how well the trap worked. It is a widely used
‘method, as we found this kind of trap in all the other ringing stations, even
in Portugal.

We managed to ring birds such as Blackbird, Blackcap, Chaffinch,
Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch, Hedge Spar-
row, the very distinctive Ring Ouzel, Robin, Sedge Warbler, Siskin,
Sparrowhawk, Starling, Willow Warbler and Wren, just to name a few.

Another construction that impressed us was the bird hides. This made it
amazingly simple to watch a very diverse variety of ducks and waders with-
out distracting their attention or scaring them into flight. We were also in-
troduced to seashore bird watching and counting. As Dungeness 1s right on
the English Channel, bird hides are build on the shoreline. Many of the sea
birds are attracted by waste water from a nuclear power plant on the re-
serve. The recycled water contains fish and other food materials trapped in
the process, providing easy food for many birds such as Herring Gulls,
cormorants, gannets and Kittiwakes, which are easy to spot from the hides.

We took part in all sorts of maintenance tasks on the reserve, including
cutting down trees. Do not get alarmed! Generally we believe that trees
always have a positive side, but these were to go as they were used as breed-
ing grounds by Magpies and Carrion Crows and a vantage point for Kes-
trels, which go ahead and prey on other birds and their eggs. They in par-
ticular destroy nesting sites of the Lapwings and Redshanks, which are be-
ing persecuted in many ways. We also had demonstrations of mink trapping
(and actually saw one trapped). These small, introduced mammals are also
very destructive. They will eat anything in the vicinity and thus have to be
got rid of. The traps are set on the shore of the small open pits at strategic
places, always hidden in vegetation. The minks walk in readily as they are
very inquisitive animals. They are shot as soon as they are discovered as it
is inhumane to leave them to starve to death.

Around 800 pairs of Black-headed Gulls and 250 pairs of Sandwich
Terns can be seen at Dungeness. By creating pools and lakes on the reserve,
the RSPB has provided suitable habitat for wintering wildfowl. Over 50
species of birds now nest on the reserve, many using the wetland areas. All

80 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

this is due to a concerted management effort by the RSPB. The reserve
managers also take great care in the way they deal with visitors and RSPB
members.

Radipole and Arne

After a very successful first week we now took a train bound for Wey-
mouth, in the south-west of England. From the station we were taken straight
to a small shoreline town called Portland, to stay at the bird observatory.
Unfortunately the weather was so windy and severe that no meaningful
ringing or bird watching could be done. We still enjoyed the beauty of the
magnificent shoreline along the English Channel, complete with cliffs and
hills in the background. The observatory is housed in a former light house
that is about 400 years old, which in itself was exhilarating.

After three nights we moved to Radipole Lake, a unique reserve right in
the centre of Weymouth. The key habitat is reed-beds, a very important
breeding and roosting ground for species such as the Bittern, Bearded Tit,
Reed Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler and Reed Bunting. Radipole covers 190 acres
although roads, railway and urban development have encroached on it. The
reserve contains four main habitats: open water, scrub, reed beds and salt
marsh. The reeds are managed mainly to attract the Bitterns to roost and
breed: these birds are now endangered in Britain due to habitat loss. The
management are also anxious to increase the numbers of other reed-bed
species. The fields surrounding the reserve are also soon to be converted to
reed-bed habitat as this 1s

The warden, Martin Slater, told us about their future plans for the lakes
and reed beds, and how they managed their information on computer. It
was interesting that management decisions were based directly from the
data obtained from the field. This meant that data facilitated appropriate
action and sensible allocation of funds. As at Dungeness and the other 150
plus RSPB reserves, five-year plans were prepared and reviewed regularly,
which ensured there was no misapplication of funds.

We could not do any ringing but bird-watching in and around the re-
serve more than compensated for this. We spotted Cetti’s Warbler and a
superb male Reed Bunting (though not, in the end, the Bearded Tit). Also
an odd-looking dog on the grassy fields of the reserve — which turns out to
be more British wildlife, a fox!

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 81

Arne Nature Reserve

Our kind warden decided that without visiting Arne we will not have seen
the best of Dorsetshire and we set off for a day tour to this heathland. Arne
is a 500 ha nature reserve including 300 ha of lowland heath and extensive
salt marshes that lead to the mud flats of Poole harbour.

The RSPB has had a nature reserve here since 1965. The reserve is mainly
open heathland, a type of habitat that is rapidly disappearing in Dorset. By
careful management of the land, the RSPB is trying to safeguard the typical
species of heathland. For instance, this is one of the few remaining areas in
Britain where the rare Dartford Warbler occurs. All six British reptiles are
present, which include the very rare smooth snake and sand lizard.

Heathland conservation is unusual. The main concerns are elimination
and prevention of encroachment by alien species. One of the most dangerous
colonists is the pine, which kills everything under its base when well
established. It forms a very thick layer of cones and shed leaves that do not
allow heath to grow. The other woody species causing real havoc is
rhododendron, which spreads steadily and successfully. It eventually forms
a dense tangle of branches and completely destroys the native flora. Without
proper management, scrub and bracken would invade heathland and easily
overwhelm it. It is preserved using both traditional and modern approaches,
through scrub clearance, re-introduction of grazing, and controlled burning.

After fantastic views of Poole Harbour, Curlews, Brent Geese, Shelducks,
Oystercatchers and Black-headed and Common Gulls, we eventually caught
up with the rare Dartford Warbler — a real feast for the eyes. As we were
preparing to depart, the Warden persuaded us to glance at the feeding table
in the carpark. We were amazed to see Wryneck, Long-tailed Tit and Nut-
hatch at very close range, along with Great Tit, Chafffinch and Blackbird.
We eventually left exhausted but extremely happy.

The next day we braved the trains and the underground all by ourselves
on our way to The Lodge, Sandy, HQ of the RSPB. Over the next two days
we had a taste of the RSPB’s astonishing range of activities. With over 1
million members this is a formidable conservation organisation. We also
are lucky enough to visit the British Trust for Ormithology, the centre from
which all UK bird ringing is co-ordinated. Rules are very strict in the UK,
with thorough and vigorous training. We were impressed by the files and
files of ringing data accumulated over years, which they plan to computer-
ise for easier storage and retrieval.

82 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

To forestall future regrets, we also paid a visit the Natural History Muse-
um’s bird section in Tring. The collection Manager asked us how large the
Nairobi collection was and we proudly announced that we had about 23,000
skins. We were totally stunned to hear that their skin collection alone con-
tained over | million specimens, not to mention the skeletons and speci-
mens stored in alcohol. In the skin collection we saw some skins prepared
by Charles Darwin himself, and also had a chance to peep at extinct species
which are kept under lock and key.

At this point we realised we had only two hours to board a train and head
for Heathrow, from where we would fly to Portugal the next morning.

A Rocha Centre, Portugal

Lisbon was basking in warm sunshine, allowing us to discard our heavy
jackets and jumpers. But here was another major barrier, as we could no
longer communicate with anyone in English. Someone was to meet us at
the airport, but after two hours no one had appeared. We decided to take
charge of our own fate. We knew our final destination was about four hours
away and it was already three in the afternoon. With maps from the airport
tourism office we plotted the best way to reach A Rocha, managing at last to
board a coach from Central Lisbon. Our destination was Portimao in south-
west Portugal, in the Algarve province. We knew this was not our final
destination but it had a certain link to the address of A Rocha. We reached
Portimao at 7.00 pm and this is when the real saga began. Nobody under-
stood a word of English and to make matters worse, A Rocha seemed to be
in quite a remote and inaccessible part of the region. In short, we were
totally stranded. After enquiring from several taxi drivers and getting no
constructive help, we started to panic. We tried to telephone A Rocha Cen-
tre to no avail. But, wait a minute; there was this taxi driver who understood
English a little better. He informed us that he could not take us to an address
he himself did not know. He asked us if we had the phone number of our
would-be hosts, and we half-heartedly gave it to him knowing nothing would
come of it.

An idea struck him and he asked us which number we had used. And so
it turned out that we had been including the code, and the stupid machine
could not comprehend what we were getting at. When we excluded the
code number, it was like manna from heaven to hear the machine croak into
life. So much so that I nearly replaced the receiver in a moment of joy, only

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 83

for Nicodemus to intervene. Anyway, we gave our host our location and
within half an hour we were again being welcomed with suitable pomp and
ceremony.

The next morning we had a tour of Quinta da Rocha, on the estuaries,
marshes and pine woods locally called the bluffs. Eleven lifers clocked up
— Bluethroat, Water Pipit, Redshank, Fan-tailed Warbler, Water Rail, Az-
ure-winged Magpie, Spanish Sparrow, Black Redstart, Crested Lark, Gar-
den Warbler, Little Owl and Peregrine.

The weather was perfect and we were able to ring for four good days,
catching some species which many other trainees in Europe would envy us
handling. The resident warden, Mark Bolton, opted to scribe and supervise
our ringing, identification and general bird handling techniques. We were
able to learn important ageing techniques based on minute details — the
primary and secondary coverts, and the tail moult pattern. It was a real
challenge. We also polished our skills on fat and muscle scoring tactics.
Some of the interesting species ringed were Spotted Flycatcher, Reed War-
bler, Sardinian Warbler, Common and Black Redstarts.

We really had to tear ourselves away from Quinta da Rocha. However,
the expedition was over and we were bound for home, liking it or not. Back
from Lisbon to London, where Paul Buckley from the RSPB had kindly
offered to take us around for the day to see the sights. No birds this time but
buildings — and a glimpse of the Queen herself entering Buckingham Pal-
ace! —

The trip was a great success in terms of learning about ringing and re-
serve management. But it also broadened our personal horizons. We met
and made friends with many people of diverse cultures and ages. Our hosts
and the many other people we met were very friendly, enthusiastic and easy
to talk to. From their accounts of different life experiences, we got an impe-
tus to appreciate who we are and always work hard to improve our social,
spiritual and economic well being. We hope to make constructive use of
what we have gained.

Acknowledgements

Grateful thanks to BAAC, RSPB and A Rocha for sponsoring our visit, and
to the many people in England, Portugal and Kenya who extended hospital-
ity and help.

84 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

How to complete the new
Nest Record Card

Colin Jackson
P O Box 383, Watamu

Five years ago, the Nest Record Card of the EANHS Nest Record Scheme
changed face quite considerably. The original ‘open-plan’ look gave way to
the current ‘boxed’ style with a series of options to choose from for each
category of breeding record. Within each category, a selection of options
was listed, each one with a number assigned to it to allow for easy input
into a computerised database. The first update in 1994 was found to have a
series of problems making the Card difficult to use. Most of these were
addressed and the Card improved with the second version in 1996. From
this second edition we again had a lot of useful feedback from contributors
to the scheme. When the stock ran out last year we refined the design of the
Card yet again and now have the third (and perhaps final!) edition. This
latest edition is blue and slightly smaller (thus fitting into your field note-
book more easily!), but it has other, more important, new features that are
summarised below, along with more detailed instructions on how to com-
plete a Card. The idea is to help Kenya Birds readers have a better under-
standing of how the Cards are used and thus be able to contribute more
effectively to the Nest Record Scheme — we look forward to receiving
many more over the next months!

Summary of new format

The basic format is the same as the first re-vamped edition with the various
major categories of any breeding record divided into boxes. These have
been ordered in a logical sequence for easier completion, starting on the
first side of the Card with more general information on the observation
followed on the second side by the finer details. Sometimes observations of
the breeding attempt may be too numerous for the space available to write
them. A separate card (providing a third side to complete) was produced for
such cases This extra card has boxes for the basic general information that
links it with the accompanying first Card (i.e. observer name and species).
It then provides space for any further notes or drawings that the observer

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 85

may want to add. Please note that the more detailed an observation is, the
more use it is for later analysis and reference.

Detail of categories for new format

The numbers on the annotated example of the three sides of the Card
correspond with those of the sections below. If you contribute to the scheme,
please read the instructions here carefully as some points may not be so
obvious.

Some of the ‘boxes’ on the Card must be completed if the record is to be
of any use (for example, a Card that didn’t list the species concerned would
not be of much value). Others provide information that is useful, but not
essential. Each section below is marked accordingly as either ‘always com-
plete’ or ‘useful but not essential’.

1 .OBSERVER [always complete]
Name: The full name of the observer reporting the record.
Address: The observer’s postal address by which s/he can be contacted;
telephone and / or email address are also useful.
Observer no.: This is a number that may-be assigned to you by the Nest
Record Scheme Co-ordinator if you are a regular contributor. It would
be linked to your name on the computer and used to speed up data
inputting to the computerised database. Please do not fill this in unless
you have received a letter with a number from the co-ordinator — as
yet very few have been issued, but it is hoped that more will be in the
near future.

2.SPECIES [always complete]
Species (Common/Scientific name): In the space provided, write either
the full common (English) name of the bird observed breeding or the
full binomial scientific name. (You can write both if you wish, and can
fit them into the space, but it is not necessary.) IMPORTANT NOTE:
You should use the names from either the Checklist of the Birds of Kenya,
3rd ed, EANHS, 1996, or from The Birds of Kenya and northern Tan-
zania, by Zimmerman, Turner and Pearson, 1996. The names used on
the Department of Ornithology’s BirdMap Checklist are taken from the
EANHS Checklist and are therefore also fine to use. DO NOT use the
names from the Collins [Illustrated Checklist to the birds of East Africa
by Ber van Perlo as many of these are confusing.

86

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Checklist no.: This is the number beside the species name in the Check-
list of the Birds of Kenya, 3rd ed, EANHS, 1996. It is also the same
number as given on the Department of Ornithology’s BirdMap Check-
list. However, if you do not have access to the number, then do not
worry — it can be filled in at a later stage in the Society’s Office.

NOTE: The Checklist of the Birds of Kenya, 3rd ed, EANHS, 1996,
available at the Nature Kenya (EANHS) office for a mere Ksh 100,
is an extremely useful booklet to have and is highly recommended
for anyone who as yet does not have their own.

Date of first observation: Write the date (day/month/year, e.g. 05/10/98
for 5 October 1998) that the breeding event was first noted.

3a. LOCALITY — NAME [always complete]

Name: The name of the actual site that the breeding event was observed.
This could be an area of a National Park, the name of a farm, school or
hotel, a sub-location, a suburb of a town, etc. The name should give as
much detail about the exact location as possible. Examples might be:
‘Mzima Springs, Tsavo West National Park’, or ‘Kimuri High School
compound, North Kinangop’ or ‘Ngong Racecourse, Nairobi’.
Nearest town: The name of the nearest village or town that is relatively
well-known and that can be found on a good map. If you put the name
of a local centre / village, please also put either the next nearest, larger
centre that is most likely to be known by more than just the local popu-
lation, or the area in which it is found, e.g. Fururu, Taita Hills (“Fururw’
alone will mean nothing to anyone who has not visited that actual site).
Other details: Any other details that will aid in the detailed locating of
the breeding record. This may be another name of a town or area that
will add to the above, or it may be, for example, a description of how
far along a certain path from a given point that the record was made.
The more information you can give, the more precisely the record
can be located.

Country: Draw a small circle around the number in front of the country
in which the observation was made. e.g. 01 Kenya

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 87

3b. LocaLity — Lat/LonG & ALTITUDE [useful but not essential]
Lat & Long: These six small boxes are to enter the grid reference for
the breeding record IF IT IS KNOWN (e.g. if you have access to de-
tailed maps or a Geographic Positioning System). If you do not know
it, then do not attempt to complete it but simply send in the Card any-
way and it will be completed in the EANHS at a later stage — so long
as enough detail is given in section 3a.
Altitude: Again, only complete this IF IT IS ACCURATELY KNOWN.
If you do not know it, then do not complete it. If the altitude is known in
feet, then write it as such making very clear that it is in feet and not
metres.
Atlas square: This is the Quarter of a Square Degree (QSD) square used
by the Bird Atlas of Kenya Lewis and Pomeroy, 1989, that the location
where the breeding record was made falls in. This is explained in full
on the sheet supplement supplied with Kenya Birds vol. 7, which also
has a map of Kenya showing all the QSDs for the full country. Copies
are available upon request from the Department of Ornithology, NMK.
Again the same applies — IF THE ATLAS SQUARE IS NOT PRE-
CISELY KNOWN, then do not complete this section. It will be filled in
at a later stage in the EANHS office.

4. SEASON [useful but not essential]
Dry / Wet / Unseasonal: Circle the number beside the sub-category or
choice that best fits the season when the record was made. This is some-
what subjective, but make the best attempt at it. Therefore, for exam-
ple, if the rains are just beginning, one would circle ‘04’ indicating
‘Early wet season’. If rain is occurring out of its normal pattern, e.g. the
El Nino rains, then ‘07’ would be most appropriate with ‘El Nifio’ writ-
ten in the space titled ‘Details:’.

5. STAGES OF BREEDING [always complete]
01-06: Circle whichever of the six categories were observed for the breed-
ing record. For many single-sighting records, there will only be one stage
observed e.g. an adult feeding young away from nest would be category 06.
However, a breeding attempt that is followed over a number of days or
weeks will cover several stages, all of which should be marked on the.card.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

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01.

02.

03.

05.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Courting. This must be breeding display. Beware of other forms of
display that might be taken for breeding (e.g. territorial, young with
adult, etc.).

Nest building / carrying nest material. Adult(s) building the nest or
seen carrying nesting material. This includes excavating a hole in a
bank or a dead tree (though be aware that birds like barbets excavate
holes to roost in as well as for nesting). The nest does not need to be
seen for this stage, though it is preferable.

Nest with contents sighted. For this, the observer has been able to see
into the nest itself and has checked the contents (eggs, chicks etc).
Dependent young out of nest. In nidifugous species, the young leave
the nest immediately they hatch and may remain flightless for some
time. Flightless young out of the nest qualify for this stage. In nidicolous
species, the chick is helpless, stays in the nest and is tended by the
adults. A clearly juvenile bird outside of the nest but with wing and tail
feathers still growing, and with adults nearby, is included in this cat-
egory. A lone bird simply in juvenile plumage with fully grown feath-
ers does NOT qualify for this category.

Nest with contents not seen: adult incubating / brooding. When
observing a nest, one should never disturb an adult that is sitting on
eggs or brooding chicks. This category covers such cases, as well as
nests that are too inaccessible for the contents to be seen but where one
can see that an adult is sitting on the nest, presumably incubating. Be-
ware that you do not mistake a roosting bird for one that is incubating.
It is best to watch a nest for some time to confirm that the bird is
actually nesting.

Nest not seen: adult feeding young / carrying food. Here the nest is
NOT seen but one or more young birds are actually observed begging
food from or being fed by an adult. Alternatively, an adult is observed
carrying food (try to observe where the bird goes to make sure that it is
not a male courtship-feeding a female, rather than feeding chicks). Note:
some migratory species (e.g. certain terns) will continue to feed young
whilst on migration. These are an exception and do NOT qualify for
this category.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 91

6. CoLony / BROOD PARASITE [complete only when applicable]
A colony is a group of birds that have built nests near each other and are
therefore breeding in close proximity. Many weaver species are colonial
nesters as are herons, cormorants, swifts, and some species of bee-eater,
among others. A brood parasite is a species of bird which does not build its
own nest but lays its eggs in the nests of other ‘host’ species. The best
known brood parasites are the cuckoos, but honeyguides and indigobirds
also parasitise nests.

01. Colony with stages as indicated. If you observe a breeding colony
then it would be a lot of work to fill out a separate NRC for every nest!
Therefore just complete ONE card but indicate on it the different stages
that are observed in the colony, writing on the reverse side (side two)
of the card the approximate proportions of the colony that is at each
stage. For example, if approximately 30% of the pairs were courting,
40% nest building, 20% incubating and 10% feeding young, then un-
der section 5 ‘Stages of breeding observed? circle all of the appropri-
ate sub-categories and then WRITE IN the proportions of each stage
observed on the reverse side of the card under ‘Additional notes’ 13
(see below). Don’t forget to indicate how many pairs/nests are present
in the colony too!

02. Nest parasitised. The most commonly recorded observation of a
‘parasitised nest’ is when an adult bird, the ‘host’, is seen feeding the
young of a different species, the ‘parasite’. For this — or indeed if you
are fortunate enough to see a ‘parasite’ female enter the nest of a host
— then complete TWO cards, one with the parasite’s name in section
2 ‘Species’ and the other with the host’s name. On both cards circle
this category in this section and complete the reverse side of the card.
Under ‘Additional notes’ write the host species for the parasite’s card
and the parasite species for the host’s card (see below).

7. HABITAT [always complete]
Under this section, simply circle the habitat that best fits the habitat the nest
was in. Some habitats may not fit any one category on the card. If so, either
circle a combination of habitats or add a brief description under no. 10
‘Other’ (e.g. ‘coastal sand dunes & scrub’).

92 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Dominant plant(s) in habitat — this is useful but need only be filled in if
you know the plant species well. Most people are not botanists, and if you
don’t know the dominant plant, don’t worry about it.

SIDE TWO

8—13 HisTORY OF BREEDING STATUS [always complete]
This table allows the observer to record the progression or ‘story’ of a breed-
ing attempt over a period of time. Ideally this would be the whole breeding
event from courtship to fledging, but any set of observations over time is
useful. Each of the eight rows in the table represents a separate day when
the breeding attempt was observed. Details for that day should be filled in
for each column accordingly (see detailed explanation below). Clearly, if
the nest is checked often, the status may not change much from visit to
visit. Where the status remains the same over a particular period, the appro-
priate range of dates can be put into the day and month column (e.g. ‘5—12/
2/99’, where 5 February 1s the first day when the nest was observed with
that status, and 12 February the last). If more than eight observations are
made, continue onto the second card (third side) as shown in the example.

8. YEAR [always complete]
The year of the observation. Please take note that this box exists !! Lots of
NRCs have been submitted without this important box completed.

9. Day & MonTH [always complete]
The day and month of the observation — one row for one date, or range of
dates where the status remained unchanged.

10. No. or Eccs [complete only when applicable]
Write in this column the number of eggs seen in the nest, if any, for every
visit recorded. You should not purposely flush an incubating adult off
its nest in order to see how many eggs are present. The whole ethos of nest
recording is to disturb breeding birds as little as possible so as to minimise
the risk of the breeding attempt failing.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 93

11. No. OF YOUNG IN NEST / OUT NEST [complete only when applicable]
For the first ‘sub-column’ of this, under ‘in nest’, record the number of
chicks that are observed actually in the nest. Please do not just tick it since
this provides us with far less useful data. Under ‘out nest’, record the
number of young seen away from the nest, having fledged but still remain-
ing dependent on their parents.

12. Status: INSERT CODES FROM BELOW [always complete]
In this column, write all the numbers for the relevant status codes from the
‘Status Codes’ box immediately below the table. This may simply be one
code, or a combination. Try to put in all the applicable codes to give as full
a picture as possible of the status for that visit.

13. ADDITIONAL NOTES [complete only when applicable]
For this column, write any further details that may be of interest or rel-
evance to the breeding attempt. This could be presence of the adults around
the nest and their activity, aspects of courtship behaviour, behaviour of chicks
towards each other or the adults, adverse weather conditions, disturbance,
predation, ideas on why eggs were found broken, and so on. It is here too
that you should detail any information on brood parasites and their hosts,
1.e. specify the other species involved and what exactly was observed. Here
too record numbers of nests in a colony and proportions that are at each
different stage that you can tell e.g. “20% nest-building, 40% incubating,
30% feeding young in nest, 10% inactive or deserted”.

14. Status CODES

These are the codes that should be used to fill in under section / box 12 (see
above). They are divided into the main components of a breeding attempt,
starting with the nest through to the adult and finishing with any distur-
bance that may have been noted.

Nest:

1. Completed. Nest, as far as can be told, has been recently completed. If
you see a nest where the materials are beginning to decay and there is
no sign of activity, this may be an old nest from a previous season and
should not be recorded.

2. Deserted. Nest has been recently built, and eggs possibly laid and even

94 Kenya Birds, Volume-7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

young hatched but the nest was then deserted for some reason (known or
unknown). Usually this code applies after you have been watching a nest
attempt for some time.

e

3. Being incubated. Adult observed sitting on nest known to contain eggs,
or for prolonged periods in manner of an incubating bird.

4. Hatching. Eggs actually observed when chicks are emerging from them.

5. Abandoned / infertile. Eggs known to have been left un-incubated for a
long time; after a day or two, it should be confirmed that the eggs have
been abandoned before finally entering this code n the ‘Status’ column.
MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE NOT ABANDONED BECAUSE
OF YOUR INTERFERENCE! Infertile eggs normally occur as the odd
one or two in a clutch of other, fertile eggs and simply do not hatch
along with the others. These are easy to identify since they are left in
the nest after the chicks have hatched and developed. On occasion, a
whole clutch will be infertile; these are usually incubated for far longer
than a normal clutch before the adult gives up. For these it is important
that the observer returns and double checks the nest more than once, to
confirm that the eggs really have been abandoned.

6. Broken Eggs found broken in or near nest — please give possible rea-
son for breakage if it can be determined. (Remember that in some spe-
cies, broken eggshells under the nest may be a sign that the chicks have
hatched.)

Young:
7. Naked Young are very small and unfeathered.

8. Downy This applies to precocial species such as raptors, waders, francolin,
nightjars etc. where the young hatch with downy feathers and are never
naked as such.

9. Feathered Young have developed enough for feathers to have grown to
a significant extent; if possible indicate under ‘Additional notes’ how
far grown the feathers are, as this is a useful indication as to how much
the young have developed and how long it will be until they fledge.

10. Ready to fledge. Body feathers entirely grown, wing feathers probably
still ‘in pin’ (i.e. with a waxy sheath around the base) but sufficiently
grown to enable the young bird to fly at least a short distance.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 95

11. Seen leaving nest. For this category, in nidifugous species, the young
will have only just hatched and will also be ‘downy’ when they leave
the nest; for nidicolous species, the young will be more-or-less fully
feathered.

12. Flightless & accompanying ad. This refers to nidifugous species such
as waders, francolins, ducks, grebes, crakes etc., where the chicks are
not in the nest, but are too young to fly (or can only fly a short distance)
and are accompanied by at least one adult who is looking after them.

13. Fledged & begging food / being fed by ad. Young must be seen either
persistently begging food from adult of a non-migratory species AND/
OR actually being fed by adult. The young of several migrant species
will continue to beg for food whilst on migration or even on wintering
grounds many thousands of kilometres from the breeding site. This is
most commonly seen amongst terns, but is also recorded in, for exam-
ple, flamingos.

14. Dead. Chick(s) found dead either in or out of nest. If possible, please
state probable cause of death under ‘Additional notes’.

Adult:

15. Courting. Adults observed displaying and courting. Beware not to con-
fuse territorial display (which may be for a feeding territory rather than
breeding site) for breeding display

16. Mating. Adults observed actually mating; beware of display behaviour
in some species where it appears the birds are mating (one mounting
another) where in fact they are not, e.g. Hamerkop.

17. Carrying nest material. Where an adult bird is observed carrying nest-
ing material; nest not necessarily seen.

18. Building nest. Nest observed with adult actively building or, for a hole
nesting species, excavating it.

19. At / entering nest (contents not seen). Nest either inaccessible due to
height or location, or because it is in a hole and therefore impossible to
see into; adult seen at the nest / nest entrance behaving in a way that
suggests they are probably nesting.

20. Incubating. Adult observed sitting on nest or entering nest hole and
remaining inside for extended period of time (an hour or more).

21. Carrying food. Adults can be observed collecting food and flying off
with it in their bills; this usually means that they are taking food to

96 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

young in a nest somewhere (they might also be courtship feeding, so
try to observe where they go). Often the adult can be followed and the
nest itself found, but if not, this status is good enough to record for a
confirmed breeding attempt.

22. Agitated near nest If a potential threat comes close to an active nest,
the adults will normally become quite agitated. Some species may even
attack the intruder, bird-lover or not! Some birds, e.g. waders, use a
‘broken-wing display’ where they pretend to have damaged a wing so
that they cannot fly, thus attracting the intruder towards them and away
from the vulnerable young in the nest. Please note as much detail of the
behaviour as possible.

Disturbance:

23. Human. Record this status if you observe or learn of anyone disturbing
the nest, whether this is done on purpose or by accident.

24. Animal. Adults clearly disturbed by presence of another animal, e.g.
snake, large mammal, mongoose, monitor lizard etc. Please note what
the disturbance was under ‘Additional notes’.

25. Predation. Nest observed being depredated or shows clear signs of this
when visited (e.g. broken eggs in and around the nest). Record details
under ‘Additional notes’.

26. Bad weather Poor weather (heavy rain, strong winds, etc.) has dam-
aged or is threatening the safety of the nest, either directly or indirectly
(for example, heavy rain causing the river level to rise and threaten to
wash away nest). Again, record details under ‘Additional notes’.

27. Other (describe above) Where an activity is observed that does not fit
in to any of the previous 26 categories; describe it as fully as possible
under the ‘Additional notes’ column for the appropriate date.

15. NEST SITE

Site description: In the space provided (or continuing on to the second,
extra card), describe the details of where the nest itself is located — e.g. “in
the fork of a branch towards the centre of a dense bush”, “tucked under the
edge of a roof of small house”, “on ground partially hidden under the north-
ern side of a tuft of grass”. This describes the physical place in which the
nest has been built — NOT what the nest looks like, nor the name of the
area or location.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 97

.g. material, shape, size): Here describe how the
nest Is St acter including its shape e.g. ‘cup nest’ (the most common
nest style), a ‘purse-like’ structure (e.g. sunbirds, crombecs), a ‘platform’

(many raptors), a simple scrape’ (most waders, nightjars, game birds), etc.
If possible measure or estimate and note its dimensions (width, depth), and
describe the material that the nest is made from. Also describe the eggs if
they can be seen — colour, size, shape etc.

Height above ground: in metres, estimate the height the nest is located above
the ground.

SIDE THREE

This is the second card and 1s mainly blank space. It simply provides space
for extra information that you may have noted about the breeding attempt.
Use it to add extra days when the nest was visited many times, or for extra
descriptions of the nest site and construction. Any added behaviour is also
interesting and worth noting down, as are sketches of the nest and/or its
location. For boxes 16. and 17., the details written here should be exactly
the same as for boxes 1. and 2. This is in order that if the two cards become
separated by mistake, they can be matched up again without too much trou-
ble. Please ensure that you complete these boxes fully! And to ensure that
_ the two cards do not become separated, please attach this second, extra card
to the main one, preferably by stapling them together.

Extra comments and conclusion

__ There are certain things that should be considered and observed when look-

ing for and watching breeding birds. In the interests of the birds and their

_ attempts to breed successfully, the over-riding rule is ‘Disturb the birds as

_ little as possible’:

© Try not to visit a nest more often than is necessary to keep track of the
major events in the breeding attempt.

¢ Excessive disturbance from an observer (or observers) may cause the
birds to desert the nest so that the breeding attempt fails.

¢ Be very careful how you approach nests: frequent or careless visits can
draw the attention of a predator.

98 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

A mirror on a long stick can often be useful to check the contents of a nest
high in a bush or tree. It saves you having to climb the tree and perhaps
disturb or dislodge the nest (or indeed fall out of the tree yourself!)

Overall, we hope that this new design of card will be easier to use than
the previous ones. Please remember to complete BOTH sides of the main
card and ALL the details in the top two boxes of the second card if it is used.

All and any comments and suggestions on the card are most welcome
and should be sent to the Nest Record Scheme Co-ordinator, EANHS, P. O.
Box 44486, Nairobi.

Waterbirds on Kenyan wetlands,
1998 and 1999

Joseph Oyugi and Alfred Owino
Ornithology Department, P O Box 40658, Nairobi

1998 overview

As usual, the waterbird counts in 1998 were carried out both in January/
February and mid-year with over 180 volunteers taking part.

Following the heavy El Nifio rains at the end of 1997 and start of 1998,
most wetlands had high water levels and several temporary wetlands
emerged. Waterbirds were generally much more dispersed than usual, and
numbers of birds counted at particular sites were low compared to past
years. This was especially obvious in the wetlands around Nairobi and
Limuru. The very wet and muddy conditions in January also created practi-
cal difficulties — many access roads were virtually impassable!

Thirty sites were covered in different parts of the country in January
1998. The range of sites was the greatest so far, including wetlands around
Nairobi and Limuru, in the Rift Valley, the coast, the upper Tana River,
Lake Victoria and Lake Ol’ Bollosat. Several sites were counted for the first
time. Once again wetlands in the Rift Valley (which include several impor-
tant Lesser Flamingo feeding grounds) contained by far the most waterbirds
— almost 950,000 in total, of 90 different species. Approximate totals for
other regions were: Nairobi and Limuru areas, 2,600; coastal Kenya, 4,200;
the upper Tana dams, 2,400; Lake Victoria region, 2,700; and Lake

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 99

Ol’ Bollosat 3,900. Of course, not all the wetlands at the coast or Lake Vic-
toria were counted. The number of flamingos was higher in the Rift Valley
in January 1998 than in some previous years (c. 914,000 individuals). At
Naivasha, water had risen and flooded the fringing papyrus, so many
waterbirds were hidden in inaccessible lagoons. A large proportion of the
birds may have been missed here.

The mid-year waterbird counts conducted between July and August cov-
ered nine different sites (Lake Nakuru and the two adjacent sets of sewage
treatment ponds, Lake Ol’ Bollosat and the five dams located on the upper
Tana). Lake levels at Lake Nakuru were very low compared to the other
year, and only 2,600 flamingos were recorded. However, the fish-eating
waterbirds such as cormorants and pelicans showed a significant rise in
numbers, responding to the re-appearance of fish. Lake OI’ Bollosat and the
upper Tana dams also showed a general increase in the number of waterbirds
counted compared to January.

January/February 1998

Nairobi and Limuru areas

The January 1998 waterbird counts in Nairobi and Limuru wetlands cov-
ered eight different sites, many of which were man-made wetlands (sewage
treatment works). These were Manguo Floodplain, Limuru Sewage Ponds,
Dandora Oxidation Ponds, Kenyatta University Sewage Works, Langata
Road and AHV Church Property Ponds and the wetlands within Nairobi
National Park. Numbers of birds dropped at Dandora Oxidation Ponds and
Limuru Sewage Ponds, possibly due to dispersal to the many other tempo-
rary wetlands available after the rains. On the other hand, the well-flooded
Manguo Floodplain showed a significant rise compared to January 1997.

A total of 2,639 waterbirds of 56 different species were recorded in Nai-
robi and Limuru sites. The bulk of these were at Dandora (2,163 individu-
als of 48 different species). Numbers for other sites were: Manguo
Floodplain, 129; Kenyatta University Sewage Works, 100; Nairobi National
Park, 92; Sukari Dam, 65;, Langata Road and AHW Church Property Ponds,
40; and Limuru Sewage Ponds, 20.

Ducks and geese (1,526) were the most abundant single waterbird group.
Ibises and spoonbills (191) followed by tringine sandpipers (148) were the
second and third most abundant groups. Garganey (576), Hottentot Teal
(375) and Egyptian Goose (201) were the most abundant single species.

100 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

Rift Valley |
Nine different sites were surveyed in the Rift Valley during the January
counts. These were Lakes Naivasha, Nakuru, Magadi, Bogoria, Turkana (a
partial count), Elmenteita, Sonachi, Oloidien and the Nakuru Sewage Works.
A total of 947,495 waterbirds of 90 species were counted in Rift Valley
lakes. As usual, flamingos were the most abundant (914,694 in all). Other
species of waterbirds totalled just 33,801 for all the wetlands counted in the
Rift Valley. Lake Naivasha contained the highest number of species (60)
followed by Nakuru (59) and Elmenteita (51). The lowest number of spe-
cies was at Lake Sonachi — just-three.

Lake Bogoria had the most waterbirds (544,701 individuals) followed
by Nakuru (353,757), Magadi (30,468), Elmenteita (13,003), Naivasha
(2,172), Oloidien (1,691), Turkana (1,098 — only a small section was
counted), Nakuru Sewage works (596) and Sonachi (9). The count for
Naivasha was notably low, probably due in part to many birds lurking in-
visibly behind the papyrus, in newly created lagoons. After flamingos,
calidrid sandpipers were the second most abundant group (12,733), the bulk
of these being at Lake Nakuru (8,891 individuals). Ducks and geese were
the third most abundant group (6,591), with the highest record from Lake
Elmenteita (3,707 individuals).

Lesser Flamingo (898,311), Greater Flamingo (15,383) and Ruff (7,831)
were the most abundant of any single species recorded in the Rift Valley. A
good number of Chestnut-banded Plover (447) were recorded at Lake
Magadi. Numbers of African Fish Eagles at Lake Naivasha declined again
— only 67 were counted.

Kenya coast

The Kenya coast has a variety of different wetlands which provide good
habitats for different species of waterbirds, most of which are Palaearctic
migrants. The January 1998 waterbird counts covered five different wetlands.
These were Lake Chem Chem, Malindi Harbour, Malindi Golf Course, Mida
Creek and Sabaki River Mouth. A total of 4,239 waterbirds of 41 species
were recorded, the majority at Mida Creek (3,199 waterbirds of 21 differ-
ent species). However, Sabaki River Mouth had the highest number of spe-
cies (33) and was the second in terms of number of waterbirds (712 indi-
viduals). Malindi Harbour, Lake Chem Chem and Malindi Golf Course held
232, 87 and 26 waterbirds respectively.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 101

Among the waterbird groups, Palaearctic plovers were the most abun-
dant (2,268) followed by calidrid sandpipers (1,014) and stilts and avocets
(236). The Ringed Plover (714) was the most abundant single waterbird
species, followed by ie Plover (690) and Crab-plover (586).

Lake Victoria region

The January waterbird counts in the Lake Victoria region covered three
different sites: Dunga Fishing Beach, Nyamware Rice Field and Sondu-
Miriu River Mouth. The water levels at the sites were high and the Water
Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes formed a thick carpet on the lake, espe-
cially at Dunga Fishing Beach. A total of 2,737 waterbirds of 42 different
species were recorded from the three sites surveyed. Sondu-Miriu River
Mouth had the highest number of waterbirds and species (1,419 individuals
of 35 different species). The other sites, Nyamware Rice Field and Dunga
Fishing Beach, held 1,115 and 203 waterbirds respectively.

Gulls and terns (673 individuals) formed the dominant group, followed
by tringine sandpipers (507) and calidrid sandpipers (361). White-winged
Tern (620) was the most abundant species, followed by Ruff (3/4) and
Common Sandpiper (226).

Upper Tana River dams

The five upper Tana dams (Gitaru, Kiambere, Kindaruma, Kamburu and
Masinga) were surveyed during February 1998 with thirteen volunteers tak-
ing part using boats. The water level was high in all the reservoirs. A total of
2,422 waterbirds of 43 different species were recorded from the sites.
Masinga Dam had the highest number of waterbirds (1,115 individuals of
29 different species). Other counts were Kamburu, 652; Kindaruma, 284;
Gitaru, 209; and Kiambere 127 waterbirds.

Gulls and terns (487) were the most numerous group, followed closely
by cormorants and darter (474), tringine sandpipers (449) and calidrid sand-
pipers (284). Great Cormorant (447), Common Greenshank (379) and
Whiskered Tern (360) were the most numerous single species.

Lake Ol’Bolossat

_ Lake Ol’Bolossat is one of the several wetlands found in central Kenya
(Nyandarua District). It covers an area of about 90 square kilometres of
_ which about 80% is marsh and 15% open water, while the remaining 5% is
open land that is seasonally flooded. The site was counted for the first time

102 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

as part of the annual African Waterfowl Census (AfWC). The total of 3,921
waterbirds of 46 different species, including 1,155 Hottentot Teal, was quite
impressive.

1998 mid-year waterbird counts

The 1998 mid-year waterbird counts were carried out during the months of
July and August. Nine different sites were surveyed: Lake Nakuru (with the
two nearby sewage works), Lake OI’ Bolossat and the five Upper Tana Dams.
The counts at Lake Nakuru and adjacent sites were a continuation of the
mid-year count that has been carried out there since 1990. The other sites
were being counted for the first time during mid-year with support from the
KWS-Netherlands Wetlands Programme. Training of waterbird counters,
mainly staff from Kenya Wildlife Service, was also carried out at Kamburu
during the counts at the Upper Tana dams

The results for the mid-year counts were interesting. Very few flamingos
were present at Lake Nakuru, but fish-eating waterbirds such as cormorants
and pelicans had returned in good numbers. Greater Flamingo was spotted
for the first time at Masinga Dam (a freshwater wetland). Some of the rare
waterbird species in Kenya, such as Great Crested Grebe, African Darter,
Little and Dwarf Bitterns and Chestnut-banded Plover, were also recorded.

Lake Nakuru

The annual mid-year waterbird counts at Lake Nakuru took place on 18—19
July 1998 with 66 volunteers taking part. Both the lake and the two nearby
sewage works (Njoro and Town) were counted. There was the usual buffalo
problem in certain sections but no serious incidents. The lake level was
quite high with thick mud in many places along the shoreline. Over 16,000
waterbirds of 66 different species were recorded in total, about 1,100 of
these from the sewage works.

Flamingos (Greater and Lesser) were remarkably few, only 2,613 being
recorded. The lake waters were high and unusually dilute, so feeding con-
ditions were probably poor for these species. There was however a significant
rise in the numbers of grebes (2,650), gulls (2,384) and pelicans (2,300).
Particularly notable were records of rare species in Kenya such as Great
Crested Grebe (2), Dwarf Bittern (1), Little Bittern (1) and Chestnut-banded
Plover (5). Great Crested Grebe was once acommon species at Nakuru, but
these records are the first here for many years.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 103

Lake OI’Bolossat

Twenty-three volunteer counted here on 25 July 1998. The water level was
high and most sections of the swampy edges were muddy, making some
parts inaccessible. Despite this, over 4,800 waterbirds of 59 different spe-
cies were recorded — more than in January. The leading waterbird groups
were ducks and geese (1,493), herons and egrets (954) and ibises and spoon-
bills (779). Yellow-billed Duck (1,080), Cattle Egret (456) and Egyptian
Goose (376) were the most abundant of any single species recorded. Afri-
can Snipe (8) and Giant Kingfisher (3) were some of the unusual waterbirds
recorded.

Upper Tana dams
The five dams on the upper Tana River (Gitaru, Kamburu, Kiambere,
Kindaruma and Masinga) were counted from 2-7 August 1998. Over 23,000
waterbirds of 53 different species were recorded, substantially more than in
January.
Masinga Dam, by far the largest of these sites, held 22,254 waterbirds of
39 different species, including a notable 19,143 White-faced Whistling Duck.
Numbers at the other sites were much lower: Kiambere, 476; Kamburu,
377; Kindaruma, 320; and Gitaru, 84. Across all the dams, the leading
waterbird groups were ducks and geese (19,976, mainly White-faced Whis-
tling Ducks!), cormorants and darter (1,203) and herons and egrets (655).
Forty-five Greater Flamingo were sighted at Masinga, along with an
encouraging 53 African Darters and 20 Giant Kingfisher.

January/February 1999

In January 1999, 39 sites were covered — a substantial increase compared
to previous years. Rainfall since mid-1998 had been below average and the
water level in all sites was low, often with extensive mud flats. Most sea-
sonal wetlands were dry and waterbirds were not as dispersed as in January
1998. Sites within the Rift Valley, including Ol’Bolossat, parts of Lake
Turkana and three dams on the Kinangop plateau, held over 1,200,000
waterbirds of 112 species. Wetlands within Nairobi and central Kenya held
approximately 16,500 waterbirds of 81 species; there were 23,200 waterbirds
of 85 species at six sites on the Kenya Coast, 34,600 of 69 species at the

104 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

five Upper Tana River dams (including Sagana fish ponds), and 2,950
waterbirds of 53 species at sites around Lake Victoria.

Overall, the number of flamingos in the Rift Valley was higher than in
recent years (over 1.2 million counted). Numbers were highest at Lake
Bogoria (1,070,000, almost twice as many as the previous year) followed
by Lakes Magadi (40,500) and Nakuru (11,900). The number of flamingos
at Nakuru, although still unusually low, increased considerably compared
to July 1998, perhaps linked to the drop in water level. At other sites, such
as Dandora Oxidation Ponds, the number of waterbirds (especially ducks)
showed a rise. Birds may have concentrated on permanent sites as seasonal
wetlands, where they had dispersed in 1998 after the El Nifio rains, dried
up. The high number counted is therefore probably a good reflection of the
actual number of waterbirds in the region.

Rift Valley lakes, ponds and dams

Rift Valley wetlands were counted between 9 and 31 January 1999. The
sites covered (in order of counting) and numbers of waterbirds recorded
were Bogoria (1,078,434), Nakuru (26,850), Nakuru Sewage Ponds (2,325),
Elmenteita (9,577), Magadi (44,716), Naivasha (10,507), Oloidien (3,351),
Sonachi (378), Turkana (1,424), Ol’ Bolossat (25,154) and Kinangop Dams
(802). Apart from flamingos, the most numerous groups were Afrotropical
ducks and geese (14,100), rallids and jacanas (mainly coots) (10,627),
followed by pelicans (6,686), Calidrinid sandpipers (6,187) and grebes
(5,925).

Some notable records included 19 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps
cristatus, including several juveniles, at Lake Elmenteita, where they had
clearly been nesting. There were good numbers of Great White Pelicans at
Elmenteita (1,400) and Nakuru (3,600), though still only a tenth of the num-
bers recorded in the early 1990s). More than 700 Red-knobbed Coot were
counted at Naivasha (still very few, but a good increase over the very low
numbers of recent counts), and there were two African Darters at Naivasha
as well.

Lake OI’ Bolossat was particularly interesting this year. For the first time
it exceeded the Ramsar qualifying criterion of 20,000 individuals, with a
total of a total of 25,154 waterbirds of an impressive 82 species. The lake
level was low, with turbid water, and most sections of the swamp were dry.
There were a notable 8,100 Red-knobbed Coot, almost 6,000 Egyptian

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 105

Geese, and nearly 2,000 Sacred Ibis. Three regionally threatened waterbird
species were also recorded: eight Great Crested Grebes, 29 Maccoa Duck
and 40 White-backed Duck.

Wetlands around Nairobi

Nairobi wetlands were counted between 6 and 27 January 1999, mainly on
the Wednesday morning birdwalks. The bulk of the waterbirds were, as
usual, at Dandora Ponds. The sites covered (in order of counting) and
numbers of waterbirds recorded were Manguo Floodplain (834), Limuru
Sewage Ponds (98), Gethumbwini Dam (562), Dandora Oxidation Ponds
(13,718), Jogoo Road Pond (28), Hillcrest Dam (198), Langata Road and
AHV Church (82), Fourteen Falls (112), Clayworks Ltd Pond (38), Kenyatta
Univ. Sewage Works (303), Nairobi Racecourse Pond (21), Nairobi National
Park (545) and Runda Pond (18). The most abundant groups were grebes
(4,837), Afrotropical ducks and geese (2,919) and rallids and jacanas (2,561,
again mainly coots). Notable records included 56 White-backed Duck on
Manguo Ponds. There were two African Darters at Langata Road pond and
one at Fourteen Falls.

Wetlands at the Kenya coast

Coastal wetlands were counted between 27 January and 8 February 1999,
the sites covered and numbers of waterbirds recorded being Arabuko Swamp
(1,405), Fundisha Saltworks (523), Lake Chem Chem (2,203), Malindi
Harbour (1,030), Mida Creek (4,749), Sabaki River Mouth (14,310). The
most abundant groups were Calidrinid sandpipers (10,056) and Palaearctic
plovers (2,510). Some notable records were around 390 African Open-

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106 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

billed Storks and the same number of African Jacanas at Lake Chem Chem;
nearly 700 Crab-plovers at Mida Creek; and one Lesser Jacana and 13 African
Darters at Arabuko Swamp.

Upper Tana dams and Sagana Fish Ponds

These sites were counted between 30 January and 13 February 1999. The
sites and their waterbird numbers were Kindaruma (108), Gitaru (166),
Sagana Fish Ponds (328), Kamburu (1,067), Kiambere (1,080) and Masinga
(31,879). As usual Masinga held by far the bulk of the waterbirds. The most
numerous groups were Afrotropical ducks and geese (29,114) and cormorants
and darters (1,947). There were good numbers of African Darters (228) on
the Upper Tana dams, and 28,900 Afrotropical duck (including around 16,800 _
White-faced Whistling Duck) on Masinga alone.

Lake Victoria Wetlands

Counted on 30-31 January 1999 were Sondu Miriu River Mouth (473
waterbirds), Obange Pond (109), Nyamware Rice Fields (1,814) and Dunga
(554). The most numerous groups were terns (1,196, a good number) and
Calidridinid sandpipers (428).

Acknowledgements

Once again the waterbird count organisers (the Department of Ornithology,
NMkK) are grateful to the volunteers who have over the years been such
enthusiastic participants. We thank all those who generously provided
vehicles and boats; Elsamere Field Studies Centre and the Kenya Wildlife
Service Training Institute (through the KWS-Netherlands Wetlands
Programme) for counters’ accommodation; Delamere’s Camp for permission
to count at Lake Elmenteita; the Tropical Biology Association for the loan
of binoculars; and the many others who assisted in various ways. Financial
support for the 1998/1999 counts came from the Ramsar Bureau’s Wetland
Conservation Fund and the KWS-Netherlands Wetlands Programme. The
waterbird counts are a collaborative effort between the Department of
Ornithology (National Museums of Kenya), Nature Kenya (the East Africa
Natural History Society) and the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999 107

Dr James F. Lynch

James F. Lynch, Smithsonian Research Scientist and Research Asso-
ciate of the Ornithology Department, lost a long battle with cancer
on March 26, 1998. He died at his home in Shady Side, Maryland,
USA. Despite the difficulties of his illness, he carried out fieldwork
in Texas only three weeks before he died. Over the past year, he pro-
duced several new papers and manuscripts and sustained an active
correspondence with colleagues around the world.

Jim Lynch was a man with a great love of life and a large appetite
for its many aspects. He was a productive scientist, a willing teacher,
a talented artist, a gifted musician, and a generous friend.

Jim was born in Boston Massachusetts in November 1942. He
went to Harvard College, graduating cum laude in 1964 with a BA in
geology. He was a man of many facets. To help put himself through
school, he sang professionally with a group aptly named “The Lynch
Mob’. He also rowed during this period, and made the decision to
concentrate on science rather than train as a member of the American
Olympic rowing squad.

From Harvard Jim moved to the University of California at
Berkeley to pursue his PhD. It was at this stage that he underwent a

- major change in research direction. During his first two years at

Berkeley he was a graduate student in Geology. After a summer ge-
ology work experience in a mine in Montana, he switched his major
to zoology, graduating in 1974. His thesis was titled ‘Ontogenetic
and geographic variation in the morphology and ecology of the Black
Salamander, Aneides flavipunctatus’ .

Jim then joined the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
in Edgewater, Maryland as a research scientist. During his 24 years
with the Smithsonian, he conducted research in ecology, systemat-
ics, island biogeography, habitat reduction and fragmentation, and
animal-plant interactions. Jim’s conservation research in Central
America and Mexico spanned over 30 years, from documenting the
distribution of salamander populations in Guatemala to examining
impacts of habitat fragmentation in Yucatan bird populations. Most
recently, he initiated a project with the National Museums of Kenya

108 Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2, August 1999

to monitor bird populations in Laikipia, comparing avian communi-
ties in areas with a variety of human impacts. (His last visit to Laikipia
was in late 1997, when despite frail health he was able to take Mu-
seum researchers around some of his study plots at Mpala Ranch.
Jim’s enthusiasm for birds was undiminished by illness and together
we enjoyed dramatic aerial displays by Lanners, a surprise flock of
overflying Open-billed Storks, and pinning down the identification
of Boran Cisticola...).

Over the course of Jim’s career, he worked on amphibians, birds,
mammals, reptiles and ants, and conducted research over an enor-
mous range of the world, including North, Central, and South America,
Australia, and East Africa — not to mention many parts of the United
States.

Jim produced over 60 scientific publications. He was actively in-
volved in many professional societies, advisory committees, and non-
profit organizations, such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Ameri-
can Bird Conservancy. A regular reviewer for many international jour-
nals, he was an enthusiastic collaborator with scientists from all over
the world.

In order to support new scientists working 1n conservation biol-
ogy, a fund has been set up in Jim’s honour through the Smithsonian
Environmental Research Center. The James F. Lynch Conservation
Biology Fund will assist students and researchers working in Central
America and East Africa. The goal is to build this fund into an en-
dowment that will continue to help scientists interested in conserva-
tion biology for years to come. Contributions and inquiries may be
made to the James F. Lynch Con-
servation Biology Fund, care of
Jeanine Robert at the Smithsonian
Environmental Research Center,
P O Box 28,
Edgewater, MD
21037, USA.
The first award
from this Fund
will be made in

1999.

East Coast
Akalat

—~_-—

Don’t forget...

World Birdwatch
2-3 October 1999

To register contact Nature Kenya.

NTT World Birdwatch is on again this year too — for the

WHOLE month of October. Please send ANY records from
ANYWHERE in Kenya for ANYTIME in October to the Orni-
thology Department. Every species on the final list earns
money for bird conservation.

Kenya’s NTT ranking has slioped recently because we
haven’‘t gathered records over the whole month — you
can help claw our way back up fo the fop!

Contacts
For Kenya Birds « National Birdmap « nest record cards
Department of Ornithology, National Museums of Kenya, P O

Box 40658, Nairobi, e-mail kbirds@africaonline.co.ke, tel.
742161/31 ext. 243, fax 741424

For Bird Committee ¢ birdwalks and excursions ¢ birding
hotline * regional birding groups * Scopus subscriptions

Nature Kenya, P O Box 44486, Nairobi, e-mail
eanhs@africaonline.co.ke, tel. 749957/746090, fax 741049

Kenya Birds, Volume 7, Numbers 1 & 2: August 1999

Contents
| ee ee Mr MM Me ll
News from Kenya-and abroad)... si. ......k ti gscctccueevs duties cnet ersethte gyre ne I
Department Of OmmitholOBy «i inci-..n. .secnnsauntic <sdsesansci anne connatnats ene once aes eee l
Bind Committee 2.22.0. dirncvsnsescsevesctnes sltgeun eels nuasn Ot See eden tae Meee 13
attire Rem Ya sv.....b..e-nceccstangeccsschesecscheskecaxnents shsigugaalgeccads awilennaien cess eect 16
RirdLife International 2.2....:..9:<...00s.0essas-secgde--epidhnenedesdhagtapseet enone ogee 21
et i ee ee ee eee 32
Afrotropical Species ............éesccssseicenssscendosesedts conadosounsd auwetoeuleinadea t\ay desea 35
Palaearctic SPOCheS:.................segs.sescecgosndenessse Sedetas sino nulrseneeey eee nerysekes at aaa 42
BreCding TECOIPGS) 2.6... sc. oe cneccatescncsgnenconscnoagttoadeednadontdead ae aan tee eee Bee 2 43
Corrections to.records in Kenya Birds 6 ....5......:.0..s10000setaers+sss0es 2 49
Notes
Nairobi Ringing Group in the Aberdare. ....0.6....5. cssscscscsacncnsssaesgsetens ene ee 50
An Odd Prapion 2 olon.:ciecsses3scecesds.ssceonnscot gts euetaeseenes debtegas eck eae eee at eee 51
BortO De SUPVRMOIS' fo cciccic....scsscccccssooventencscateatonts sadtnedsudeenye etn aie acesasaeteea— nn 52
Booted Eagle at Tudor Creek ..............:0.::ctesseis-secsans setkcusenecuunsshesensee eens aan 54
Nesting Ethiopian Swallow at Lewa DowDsS ..............::ccsssessseeeeeceeseeceseeeteceneeeeeeenseens 56
Long-tailed Cormorant fishing on reef .................:s0.cseuhstnerccsvesierss=s7sheseeseeean aaa 56
A Nairobi breeding record for African Cuckoo Hawk .............eeesseceeesseeceseneeeentneeeees 57
Grey-crested Helmet-shrike at Oloidien, Naivasha ..0.0........ceseeesccesneeeeeeeeeneeeeeneeeens 57
Sightings of helmet-shrikes north-west of Lake Oloidien, Naivasha ..................:.6+++ 58
Grey-crested Helmet-shrike breeding record 0.0.0.0... .eceesseeeseeceseeeeeeeeeeeaeecenaeeseaeecenes 59
Hinde’s Babbler and Blue Quail near Thika ................cccccecccsssaceeeecesseeeceeesenreeeeesenens 60
The Kinangop Plateaus .....05.50.0.025...0000csscssebgensencesscssnas-o0deeeaabeedccceeset eatin naan 61
Bird records from northern Kenya forests: .........0..cessccesscccosessoenesnosceesaniens aaa 62
Roadside counts show changes in raptor populations ..............:ccccssesessesesecseeseeeeeeenees 68
Thick-billed Cuckoos in the Taitta Hills. .....:........i..:csatesssanseeccnss'ssnsehsadeces gee eee meno 71
Colonial waterbirds at Naivasha, Elmenteita and Nakuru, January to August.1998 .73
Threatened birds of Kenya 11: Kulal White-eye .000..... eee eeeeeneeeneeeenneeeees 75
Nairobi ringers in England and Portugal ..................sccesssscccesesseecesesnceeeeeeeeeeeens 77
How to complete the new Nest Record Card .............eesescecsesnecesenneeeeeenneeeceses 84
Waterbirds in Kenyan wetlands, 1998 and 1999 ooo. eee eeseecceeeeeereeeeeeeeeeeee 98
Dr James F. Ly Mh valecepessseitvens<cexonssssonsseruonannncenands anes shins eu aeetn een ae
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