OiZASSKDOTS Spotted Ground Thrush attracts attention With less than 2,500 individuals remaining in the world, the Spotted Ground Thrush Zoothera guttata is one of Africa's most endangered birds. Populations of this thrush migrate between African countries and a concerted effort is needed to protect its habitat. Five races exist in what are now only isolated patches of indigenous forest. Two migratory coastal races are found, one in Kenya and Tanzania, and the other in South Africa. The three sedentary races are found in small forest fragments in Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Sudan and recent unconfirmed observations also suggest Mozambique. An International Conservation Action Plan for this species has been set out, recognising the importance of involving local communities and other stakeholders adjacent to Spotted Ground Thrush sites and the potential ecotourism benefits. This was done at a workshop held at Watamu in May 2003, involving sixteen NGO and Government participants from BirdLife International partners in South Africa, Malawi, DRC, Kenya and Tanzania. An International Spotted Ground Thrush Working Group was also set up to co¬ ordinate the implementation of the Plan. It was jointly hosted by Nature Kenya and National Museums of Kenya (NMK), and facilitated by Nature Uganda and BirdLife South Africa and co-funded by the Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the UK Darwin Initiative. For more information on this initiative contact Kariuki Ndang'ang'a at the Ornithology Dept, NMK or at kbirds@africaonline.co.ke Spotted Ground Thrush in the hand flPPP TRIPS L. Magadi Lagoons Saturday 21 June '03 With a 7:00 a.m. early start, we head to the western lagoons of L. Magadi to do some birding. Bring a picnic lunch, hat and water. Book at the Nature Kenya office with 100/- by Tuesday 17 June 03. Trips continued on page 3 Honey from Mida Creek and the Arabuko Sokoke Forest now available from the Nature Kenya office @ 200/- per bottle. Unique T-shirts from the Friends of Arabuko - Sokoke Forest available @ 950/- each By purchasing the honey or t-shirts you are helping to conserve one of the most important forests in Africa. Succulenta trip to Tassia Lodge Fri 29 - Sun 31 August '03 Eco-friendly and having great views, Tassia Lodge will be the base for finding interesting plants and plenty of bird life. It is six hours from Nairobi, beyond Isiolo, north of and adjacent to IL Ngwesi and Mokogodo Forest. Rates for self-catering residents are $330 per day for up to 12 people, and $ 385 for more than 12 persons, but with a maximum of 17 permitted. There is the possibility of camping for those who miss lodge places. Hurry with bookings, as the lodge is busy and confirmation is needed soonest - phone Sue Allen (891190/ 890375) for booking and other details. MIDA CREEK HONEY TALICS i VIPPOS Dry What are our sources of water for drinking water, sanitation, power generation, agriculture and industry? Are we overestimating the amount and quality of water? Come and explore the situation with this one hour 20 min video a African Environmental Film Foundation production Mon 9 June '03, 5:15 p.m.* Louis Leakey Hall, National Museums, Nairobi (^starting earlier than usual) NATURE KENYA, P. 0. Box 44486, 00100 GPO Nairobi Tel: 3749957 / 3746090 Fax: 3741049 E-mail: office@naturekenya.org Use of an ecohydrological model to predict the impact on the Serengeti ecosystem of deforestation, irrigation and the proposed Amala weir water diversion project in Kenya By Ian MacKay and Fleur Ng'weno MacKay Emmanuel Gereta, Eric Wo/anski, Markus Bornerand Suzanne Sernee/s The 25,000 km J Serengeti ecosystem includes a national park, game reserves, game controlled areas, Ngorongoro Conservation area and the Masai-Mara Same Reserve in Kenya. At the centre of the ecosystem is Tanzania's 14,763 km 2 Serengeti National Park. The Mara, Srumeti and Mbalageti Rivers, all flowing westward to Lake Victoria, drain the park. The park is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage site and is made spectacular by the annual migration of more than 1 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebras. These animals disperse into the treeless southern grasslands of the park and the western region of the Ngorongoro conservation area during the rainy season (December through April). This area is the driest region of the park and is arid in the dry season. At the end of the wet season, these animals migrate towards the lower Srumeti River and thence to the northern region of the Serengeti National Park and the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya; there they take refuge during the dry season (July to October). This ecosystem may be impacted by (1) deforestation in the Mau escarpment in Kenya, (2) irrigation for mechanised wheat farming in Kenya's Loita Plains, and (3) the proposed Ewaso Ng'iro (South) Hydropower Project that would divert Mara River water at the proposed Amala weir, also in Kenya. All these projects may affect the Mara River flow; the Mara River catchment is the dry weather refuge for more than one million migrating wildebeest and zebras of the Serengeti ecosystem. It may also be affected by climate change due to the increased greenhouse effect. An ecohydrology model was used to predict the likely impact of these developments and climate change on the Serengeti ecosystem. The model was based on observed monthly rainfall in the period 1900-2000 and Illustration by Jonathan Scott from the Guidebook to the Masai ~7 — -;- Continued on page Mara National Reserve available at the Nature Kenya office @ 350/- 4 Here on the equator, we are able to see stars and constellations of northern and southern skies. In June, the Plough (also called Ursa Major,and Big Dipper) is in the north-northwest, below the bright orange star Arcturus. Meanwhile the Southern Cross (or Crux) stands upright in the south. Look straight southeast to find the bright reddish star Antares, the eye of the scorpion, Scorpius. The body of the scorpion curves below it like a giant fishhook. Below Scorpius, Sagittarius (the Archer) is rising. Between the constellations of Sagittarius and Scorpius lies the centre of our own galaxy, the Milky Way. On a clear, dark night, the Milky Way appears wider and denser around this area. Planets June 2003 Both Jupiter and Saturn are now in the west. Saturn is very low on the horizon, setting around the middle of the month. The crescent moon will be just north of Saturn on June 1 st , and near bright Jupiter on June 5 ,h . On June 19 th the moon will be very close to the reddish planet Mars. Venus is not visible in the evening - only in the morning just before dawn. Moon June 2003 7 June first quarter (overhead at sunset); 14 June full moon: 21 June last quarter (rises at midnight), 29 June new moon. Starwatching, a southern hemisphere guide to the galaxy available from the Nature Kenya office @ 900/- Also The Safari Star Guide by Alex and Joy Mackay available @ 400/- OLASSIf=l£PS CONCERT Nairobi Music Society Choir, Nairobi Orchestra, Young Musicians' Competition Winners Classical programme includes Puccini's Messa di Gloria Saturday 21 June 6 pm, National Theatre Admission Ksh 300, students/children Ksh 50 Reach over 1000 members by advertising in Nature Net Rates for Classifieds: • Up to 25 words 250/- • Up to 50 words 500/- Ads • 1/4 page @ 1750/- • 1/2 page @ 3000/- with image +500/- Safaricom Marathon 2003 Saturday 28 June 2003 The only marathon in the world run inside a game reserve 'One of the 10 races of your life' Runners World Jan 2003 Sponsored by Safaricom Kenya Unique Gift Centre Purchase Honey and other products from Kenyan Communities Nature Kenya Point of Sale For further information call 4449244/5 Fax 4449246 Email: VikingLtd@mitsuminet.com £&6iUUA&- A-6-riVin^S Bird Hotline 3749957 bird ringing Meet at the Museums' Nairobi Botanic Garden, at 7:00 a.m. every Thursday. SUNDAY BIRDWATCH Members meet at the National Museum, Nairobi car park at 9:00 a.m. the third Sunday of every month, i.e. 15 June. The members decide where to go. Bring lunch TREE WALK Guided Tree Walks in the -Arboretum on the second Saturday and last Monday, i.e. 14 & 30 June from 9:30 a.m Meet at the -Arboretum gate. Those who are not members of FONA or Nature Kenya pay Ksh 100/- fee on arrival at the gate. WEDNESDAY MORNING BIRDWALKS Bird watching walks at sites in and around Nairobi Meet at the National Museum car park every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. Return about 12:30 p.m. Those who are not members can get temporary membership at Ksh 100 per birdwalk, payable on arrival at the car park. ARABUKO-SOKOKE (COAST) The Saturday birdwatch with the -Arabuko Sokoke Forest Guides Association is on the first Saturday of each month i.e. 7 June, at 6:30 a.m. from the Visitor Centre, Gede’ Cost 100/- per person. FF3 Bird Walk (Coast) Friends of Fort Jesus birdwalks are held the third Saturday of each month, i.e. 21 June Please call Marlene Reid on (Oil) 491 648 to confirm Ngong Road Forest Wal (Nairobi) The Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary Nature walks are held on the first and Saturdays of the month i.e. 7 A 21 at 9:00 a.m. Meet at the stairs lead , the Restaurant at the Racecourse. * NEW - Lake Victoria Sunset Birders (Kisumu) The Lake Victoria Sunset Birders are a Nature Kenya Site Support Group and organise bird walks at sites in and around Kisumu every Friday of the month. For further details call 035 42952 or email wck@vicweb.net V&CAAKATIDN Nature Kenya does not accept any responsibility whatsoever in respect of negligence of any of its staff, volunteers or members organising the outings/trips or for any loss, injury, death or damage to property. Southern Hyliota LIdo's Camp, Kakamega Forest/ Apr Shailesh Potel, Douglas Gachucha, Francis Muigai Mouse-coloured Sunbird (ringed). Little Sparrowhawk (ringed) Mwamba Bird Observatory, Watamu Heuglin's Gull. Sabaki River Mouth Brown Booby (ringed) Watamu / Apr Nairobi Ringing Group African White-winged Dove, West of Rhamu Town, Close to Daua River/ Feb Anne Powys, Gilfrid Powys Mammal sighted Two Bushpig Potamochoerus porous feeding on edge of forest at 6.30 a.m. Sunday morning (4- May-03) / Peponi Rd., below Kitisuru turnoff Dino Martins Global Summit on Medicinal Plants September 25 ,h to 30 th 2003 Mauritius Main theme of the Conference is 'Recent Trends in Cultivation, Conservation, Phytomedicine and Other Alternative Therapies for Human Welfare'. To attend / present paper contact # 35, 3 rd Cross, Vignannagar, Malleshpalaya, Bangalore-560 075 INDIA Fax: +91 80 5244592, 3219295, Email: cenfound@sparrl.com or cenfound@yahoo.co.uk Web: www.cenfound.org/global/ global.html Kenya Birds Volume 10 has been sent out with this issue of Nature net. If you do not wish to continue to receive this publication please notify the office. ji/n£ Sat 7 A5F Birdwalks & NRF walk Mon 9 Runninq Dry Video 5at 14 Tree Walk Sun 15 Sunday Birdwalk Sat 21 NRF walk & L Maqadi tri£ Tree Walk - Birdwalks every Wednesday Morning - Bird ringing every Thursday Morning Catherine Ngarachu SPONSOR A FENCE POST <@ KSII 2500) The vision of the Ngong Forest Santuary Trust is to protect the forest's natural environment through wise conservation management and to create a self sustaining and multi¬ functional reserve, which will serve the social, educational and economic needs of the surrounding community. By sponsoring a fence post you will help to protect and conserve the Ngong Road Forest and educate a Child! ...And your name will appear on the Tag to be put on the Fence post For more info email davidson@africaonline.co.ke Succulenta Apology To all the folks who may have turned up at the Botanical Gardens on Saturday 10 May, for a Succulenta Meeting, only to find that there was no meeting, please accept a very sincere apology! Trips continued from page 1 West Turkana Expedition A Prehistory Club and Kenya Museum Society trip 28 June - 7 July 03 The western part of Lake Turkana has yielded important fossil and cultural material, making a significant contribution to the understanding of the biological and cultural evolution of hominids. This trip will provide a rare opportunity to visit many palaeontological and archaeological sites. This is a 10-day camping trip travelling in a opensided truck. Accommodation is in shared tents and cost includes camping equipment, food, transport, guides, security and camping fees. Bring your own sleeping bag, mosquito net, and water bottle, which can be refilled each night. Places are very limited. Cost: Ksh 30,000 per person For more details contact the KM5 at 3750136 or info@KenyaMuseumSociety.org NATV^AUSrS BIRDS OF PREY OWLS: Wise or cursed? . -aur 5s, •• * , / , • v *%* .%**'- »* Continued from page 2 calibrated against observations of the number of wildebeest and lions in the period 1960-1999. The developments in Kenya, acting together with likely climate change, are predicted to have a severe impact on the number of migrating wildebeest in the Serengeti ecosystem when a drought occurs. A drought is a common, expected occurrence in the Serengeti; historically a drought occurs about every seven years, and a severe drought occurs every twenty years or so. Following these developments, during a drought, 20% to 80% of the migrating wildebeest may die, according to the severity and duration of the drought. With a 50% die-off, it may take twenty years for the wildebeest population to recover. With an 80% die¬ off there may be no recovery of the wildebeest population. A model sensitivity analysis was carried out and suggested that the predictions of a collapse of the wildebeest population are reliable, the uncertainties are probably 20%. The main reason for this reliability is that the proposed Mara River water extraction in Kenya would not leave enough water in a drought to satisfy the water consumption in the Serengeti ecosystem by (1) the animals drinking and (2) evaporation in the Mara River. It is suggested that a Mara River transboundaxy management group needs to be established, where the governments of Kenya and Tanzania need to have equal voices. Any management plan must be compatible with ecohydrology principles for the sustainable use of the water resources by both countries. Reference: E. Gereta, Tanzania National Parks, PO Box 3134, Arusha, Tanzania. E-mail: emmanuel_gereta@hotmail.com, E. Wolanski Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville MG, Queensland 4810, Australia. E- mail: e.wolanski@aims.gov.au, M. Borner Frankfurt Zoological Society, PO Box 14935, Arusha, Tanzania and S. Serneels, International Livestock Research Institute, PO Box 30709, Nairobi, Kenya Full article published in Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology, vol. 2 (1-4), 127-134 and is available in PDF from office@naturekenya.org Hu-hu-hu, hu-hu-hu who are you? who are you? That is a sound heard in the night. Most people are afraid of that sound. They say if it is heard, then someone in that village, or near where the cry came from, is going to die. Others say this village will face a disaster of some kind. It is an ill-omen. It is the owl. The owl is also the great hunter of the night. Flying silently, eyes wide open and ears open to every sound in the silence of the night. Its hearing is so good that it hears even the slightest movement of mice in the bushes. Its sharp claws and curved beak are efficient weapons to catch its prey, rodents and insects. As owls hunt rats, mice and insects, which eat crops and carry diseases, they are helpful to people. Yet all over the world people dread the owls strange cry. For many, it may be an expression of their own fears. Raptors at the Bird Table! Hilary Garland Bird tables are fashionable; from there, feeding birds can be admired, identified and recorded. But the feeding activity of numerous small birds inevitably attracts the attention of raptors, which swoop down and grab a meal (that is, one of the small birds). This seems to anger some people who are willing to take action against any raptor. People hear owls when they are awake in the night taking care of the sick, keeping watch in battle or lying awake worrying about their own problems. Death may come with illness or wars. People therefore think of the owls' calls as announcements of death. No one likes the bringer of bad news. And so the fear of the owls' calls makes people think that the bird itself is cursed. Not all cultures have the same beliefs. In some cultures, the owl is a symbol of wisdom. It is good to learn about the hopes and fears of our ancestors, and how different cultures express these thoughts through animals. The important ecological services owls and other raptors provide also should not be ignored. People who study wildlife learn from observations. An owl is neither wise nor cursed. It is just a bird. From Rainbow magazine, courtesy of Fleur Ng'weno which threatens their small birds, or poultry. Naturally a raptor will be drawn to the bait of a bird table. Raptors (also known as birds of prey) are meat eaters and they have to eat to survive. The numbers of these magnificent 'Kings of the Air' are small and diminishing due to habitat loss and other environmental problems. Raptors are slow breeders whereas the small birds that are common at bird tables, breed fast, as do chickens, and can afford to lose a few of their kind to sustain a raptor. Raptors need our protection and we need to help people understand their ecological role. One solution would be, to remove the bird table thereby taking temptation away from the raptor. For more on raptors visit www.peregrinefund.org