Action for Biodiversity Conservation NATURE KENYA, P. O. Box 44486, 00100 Nairobi. Tel: 749957 / 746090 Fax: 741049 E-mail: eanhsOafricaonline.co.ke Coast events Birders are gearing up to visit different sites. Marlene Reid and Friends of Fort Jesus will be covering the Nguu Tatu area and other teams have proposed some beach areas, Haller Park (Baobab Trust) and the South coast. Interested groups can contact the Nature Kenya office for for more information. T-Shirts available @650/- With support from Tinga Tinga, the World Birdwatch 2001 T-shirts are available from the Nature Kenya front office. Buy your T-shirt now!!! Take advantage of Special rates for accommodation The following are special rates, kindly offered by the following properties: • Mara Safari Club and the Ark @ 3000/- and the Aberdare Country Club @ 2500/- per person per night full board • Outspan @ 2,800/- ppfb • Solio Camp @ $70 ppfb If your team would like to take advantage of these rates (subject to availability of space) please get in touch with Saida at the office. Sponsored accommodation has been offered by: • Marich Pass Field Studies Centre • Elesavo Safari Lodge • Kitengela Glass • Sirikwa Safaris • Bobong Camp • ICIPE (Mbita Field Station) • Block Flotels - Lake Baringo Country Club • Mpala Ranch Nanyuki • African Expedition Safaris Note: • All members visiting KWS National Parks and game reserves please obtain an entry waiver letter from Saida at the Nature Kenye offices. Special Thanks: To all our generous sponsors and to Sir Jeffrey James for once again kindly hosting the World Bird Watch 2001 launch on the 3rd October. ££FDRT1N&i Family Nature Day a truly fun-filled event... Held on Saturday, September 1st, 2001 at the Nairobi Arboretum. The event was a success and many people turned up. Educational and fun activities spread around the central lawn all proved worthwhile attractions. Deserving special mention are the Nature walks and the Treasure Hunt which participants found really exciting. After the success of this event and having learnt from the experience, FONA hopes to make the Family Nature Day an annual event. Special thanks to the Sponsors and all who worked tirelessly hard to make this day such a huge success. Fun activities at the family nature day BirdLife .W'orU, f°stiV>L WORLD BIRDWATCH 6-7 October 2001 It's finally here!!! Hope you have already planned to be part of this exciting weekend. If you have not and need some ideas on where to go, get in touch with Saida at the Nature Kenya office. Team Entry Form Please return your entry forms as soon as possible, so that areas of courage can be well coordinated. The organising committee can place individuals who wish to enter the competition with a team . Please contact the Birdwatch coordinators. Activities for Nairobi at the National Museums Grounds 6th October A fun family programme of activities has been scheduled for Saturday morning as listed below: /( Bird ringing demonstrations from 7:00 a.m. Guided bird walks in the Nairobi Botanic Gardens from 9:00 a.m. £ Talks A video shows at the Louis Leakey hall from 10:00 a.m. 1 AHHOUNC&M&NTS Attention birders! Get those migrants! A most interesting and ambitious project is starting from Copenhagen University, Denmark, in co-operation with the Copenhagen Bird Ringing Centre. The aim; to map the African distribution of all passerine bird species that migrate between the Palearctic and Africa! (Passerines are the small birds from the larks to the end of the bird book. The Palearctic is Europe, Asia and the Middle East.) This will provide insight into the migration patterns, wintering distribution and habitats used. Over the next two years, a large and publicly accessible database will be set up with records of migrants in Africa. Eventually, this data will be used for conservation recommendations. The good thing is: everybody can contribute!! All records of migrant passerines are welcomed! Submit records to Nature Kenya, using the enclosed form containing instructions and pre-printed species list The form, is available from the Nature Kenya office (by post if necessary) Photocopying the forms yourself would greatly help. After vetting and processing, records will be sent to the Denmark database. Please start right away, because the first migrants of the season have already been spotted. Contribute to this project and to its conservation implications; a great opportunity to keep a keen eye out for these small birds that undertake such incredible journeys! For more information about the project, have a look on http://www.zmuc.dk/ commonweb/research/migratorybirds- africa.htm ZXCJJZSlOttS NOVEMBER -Day trip to Butterfly Centre & Nairobi N.P -Masaai Mara with Nature Uganda DECEMBER -Christmas holidays - on the top of Mt Kenya -Coast with Nature Uganda. For more information contact the Nature Kenya front office. THANK roi/l Donations to Nature Kenya by: Phil Hickley of Earthwatch for donating a superb Pentex camera. RSPB for donating two pairs of Binoculass. These items will go a long way in assisting with conservation work. Scopus is now available!!! Scopus volumes 21 and 22 have just been published. Scopus is the ornithological journal of the Bird Committee of the East Africa Natural History Society Kenya Birds, also published by the Bird Committee with the Ornithology Department of the National Museums of Kenya, is part of the Nature Kenya membership package. Scopus, the more technical journal, has a separate subscription. Because of the long delays in production, volumes 21 and 22 are being sent to all currently listed Scopus subscribers. Volumes 21 and 22 of Scopus are also available from the Nature Kenya office at Ksh.500 each for Nature Kenya or Nature Uganda members, and Ksh.800 each for non-members. (Plus Ksh.200 for postage and handling if you wish them mailed to you.) Volume 23 (also a single, combined issue) is scheduled for publication by the end of 2001. To receive this issue please send Nature Kenya • A Cheque for Ksh.500 (Nature Kenya/ Nature Uganda member) or 800 (non-member) • Your name and mailing address • Membership number and e-mail address if applicable Postage within East Africa is included. If you live outside East Africa, please contact the Nature Kenya office or check our website, www.naturekenya.org. BIRDWATCHERS SAFARI KIT - Available in 2 sizes Large Canvas Bag contains quality Binoculars, ‘Birds of Kenya & Northern Tanzania’ by Zimmerman & Turner, Map of Kenya, Bird Checklist & Pencil Small Canvas Bag contains all the above except 'Birds of East Africa by Richards replaces Zimmerman Available from Rhino Leisure & Safari, Rhino House, Karen Rd, Nairobi Phones: 884239, 884019, 0733 704892 2 KSOiUUkK AcnYinz-s Sunday Birdwatch (Pot-Luck Outing) > t .x! «nn W) Museum Members meet a J ^9.00 a.m. +be Nairobi car park at 19 October Sunctay^eve-J^^togo. “ ~ The members third Bring TREE WALK Suided Tree Walks in the Arboretum on the last Monday of every month i.e. 29 October from 9:30 a.m Meet at the FONA offices beside the Girl Guides HQ. Those who are not members of FONA or Nature Kenya pay Ksh 100/- fee on arrival at the gate. WEDNESDAY MORNING BIRDWALKS 8:45 M '“ rn t P hn t l2 30 P.m Those who are not members can get temporary membership at Ksh 100 per birdwalk. payable on arriva 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 6 October at 6:30 a.m. from the Visitor Centre, Gede. Cost 100/- per person. This coincides with the World Birdwatch 2001 weekend and could well turn out to be verv exciting as the whole world goes ou t to count as many species as they can. FFJ Bird Walk (Coast) Friends of Fort Jesus birdwalks are held the third Saturday of each month i.e. 18 October, at 4:30 p.m. from Ratna Square, Nyali V&ChA^ATlON 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. ££-r<96» PIAfcY Sat 6 & Sun 7th Sat 18 _ Sun 19 _ Mon 29 _ Birdwalks every World Birdwatch Weekend __ FFJ Birdwalk Pot Luck Outing" Tree Walk Wednesday Morning Bird Hotline 749957 Please note some of the records below are unconfirmed Hinde's Babbler and Grey Cuckoo-shrike Meru Anglican Diocesan compound / August Marlene Reid 4 Phyllis Paltridge Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse, White-headed Mousebird, and Magpie Starling Samburu game reserve/ 5th September C4-ASSIFi£PS Mfljgftres Jgpo/ Philp 4 Ros Hechle/Patrick 4 Karen Plumbe Hairy-breasted Barbet Kakamega Forest/Z4th September 2001 Brown-chested Plover Yala swamp/26th September 2001 Locust-Finch, Blue Swallow, and Red¬ headed Lovebird ENMACO is a community based conservation malaria/mosquito control group with a theme of “No Plastics Please". They are on a campaign for cotton bags instead of plastic. Instead of using plastic bags use baskets, wrap in paper or use cotton bags availble at Nature Kenya, shops and supermarkets. Mungutsi (Busia grasslands)/28th September 2001 Shallesh Patel, Berhd de Bruijn 4 George Eshiarruvata Maecca Duck, and White-backed Duck Manguo ponds Limuru /15th September, "f2001 Wednesday morning bird walk Barn Owls (2) Motional Museums of Kenya next to Natural Sciences building car park/18th September 9 2001 James Wachira, Shailesh Patel and John Musma Please send details to Kenya Birds, c/o Nature Kenya or kblrds@>africaonline.co.ke Did you know?? Did you know that one of the largest social groups the wojld has ever seen - the Brazilian free-tailed bat Tadarid Remember, only the hand printed bags are ENMACO bags. You can buy one from the Nature Kenya front office or contact us on 0733-852500 for more information. SAFEAST: Offers training in First Aid and emergency procedures; child and infant care; and basic firefighting. For details contact 334112,228168, 072 814140 or 0733 752554. Indigenous trees for sale Over 50 species of well grown indigenous trees are available from Carole Hemmings. Contact her on 0151-47332 or e-mail: hemmings@africaonline.co.ke HATVKS- NZ-T brasilliensis - lives in colonies of 20 million individuals? Mammal Committee Reach over 1000 members by advertising in Nature Net Youth committee on their way to the MauMau caves during a recent trip to Mt. Kenya Editor for the, Month Anthony Kiragu 3