Tour Narratives
November 2007
See below for Brian’s June/July 2007 report.
In Brief: Year after year our participants find that in two weeks of birding Kenya, new birds are still appearing up to our final morning in the Maasai Mara. An impressive 543 species were seen this time; another 16 were heard only, making for a total of 559 birds recorded by members of this fortunate group. These totals included six storks, 44 birds of prey, eight hornbills, 11 barbets, 11 owls and nightjars, 16 cisticolas, 19 sunbirds, and 15 each of starlings and Ploceus weavers—together with 64 mammals (excluding a few unidentified bats, shrews, and rodents) and 22 identified reptiles and amphibians, plus a few frogs that got away. A whole host of butterflies and dragonflies were pointed out, as well as the fascinating flora, but the whole was just too much to take everything in!
All of this was experienced in the seclusion of luxurious lodges deep in the heart of prime birding country, offering not only comfort but the finest food that anyone could hope to find in the wilds of any country on this planet. Still the superlatives come: the most scenic, the friendliest people, the easiest place to see birds and wildlife, the most comfortable of climates imaginable—all were uttered by the participants on this trip.
In Detail: On our first morning we headed off with a picnic for the short drive to Nairobi National Park, the first introduction to East African birding for most in the group. While waiting for the tickets to be issued at the park entrance, we found such colorful jewels as Variable and Northern Double-collared Sunbirds, as well as Black-headed and Baglafecht Weavers and Dusky and Paradise Flycatchers in the parking lot, and comical Speckled Mousebirds were hanging from a fence. Once inside the park the sight of ponderous Black Rhinos, stately Maasai Giraffes, and grassy horizons dotted with gazelles and ostriches reminded the group where they were. One group member had over a hundred new species of birds on this first day, and had no idea that things were only going to get better! Following this full day, a very tasty meal capped the promise of a good night’s rest.
Under a light cloud cover, we departed through the Nairobi traffic for our first stop on the long drive to Tsavo West National Park. This was a pleasant walk at the foot of the Lukenya Hills east of the capital. Many species were encountered here, in a mixture of highland and lowland forms. Gray-capped Social Weaver was the most numerous species, busily engaged in nesting activities. Banded Warblers were both vocal and readily visible; strangely, there were no migrants other than a couple of Spotted Flycatchers and a Eurasian Hobby. A pair of stately Verreaux’s Eagles patrolled the rocky crags for luckless Hyrax, and a pair of Lanner Falcons displayed along the edge of the cliff. We were fortunate enough to locate several Southern Grosbeak Canaries on the walk back, a species we would not encounter again.
Lunch at Hunter’s Lodge was a pleasant experience with the African Golden Weaver colony in full swing, the dazzling males dancing in the reeds. Kingfishers of four species were a distraction while we had lunch, and after refueling we continued to Tsavo West, finding an Upcher’s Warbler at the garage where we topped off the tanks. At the museum area just inside the gate at Mtito Andei, we stirred up a large assemblage of birds, assisted by the local Pearl-spotted Owlet. This was an excellent experience with dry-country species, and among the birds here we had fiery Orange-bellied Parrots, comical Von der Decken’s Hornbills, noisy Crested Francolins, and busy Fischer’s Starlings. Continuing along the road we stopped for Black-headed Plovers and a perched adult Sooty Falcon.
As we neared Ngulia with evening falling, considerable numbers of nightjars rested on the road, and we were able to get good views of four species. On arrival, Eurasian Nightjars were sitting on the roof beams in the restaurant, making aerial sorties over the diners. The Leopards failed to appear during dinner, but a pair of Crested Porcupines did appear while we ate, followed by the arrival of a Greater Galago. After dinner we retired to bed, readying ourselves for the excitements of the next day.
The next morning we found a small fall of migrants attracted by the lights that had been burning all night, with many shrikes and several warblers feeding in the bushes. After breakfast we set off down the escarpment into the thornscrub below. The lack of rain meant that the area was very arid with many bushes leafless, unusual at this time of year. With perseverance, the species fell one by one and by the time we returned for lunch we had seen virtually all of the area’s residents. Star performers included a group of Scaly Chatterers sitting up in a tree, many Pale Prinias (a northern species increasing in this area), and a group of dapper Madagascar Bee-eaters. We heard many Red-naped Bush-Shrikes, a species that is rarely seen and easily overlooked. In the afternoon we took a drive locally and found a good assortment of species, including a tame couple of Greater Painted-snipe. That evening we were visited by two Leopards.
In the morning we again enjoyed a few migrants around the bushes in front of the lodge; along with the common migrants, we enjoyed a beautiful male Irania and an elusive Basra Reed Warbler. We descended to the dry scrub again to have a quick look for Red-naped Bush-Shrikes, and this time we had good views of several individuals. From here we headed westward to Amboseli, stopping along the way for a picnic surrounded by musical Red-winged Larks and elegant Taita Fiscals. Just before joining the main road we stopped at a small wood, finding noisy Brown-hooded Kingfishers, a secretive party of Gray-olive Greenbuls, and a rather extroverted Red-capped Robin-Chat.
Soon we were entering Amboseli National Park and seeing our first Elephants. After a scrumptious meal we adjourned to the lounge to formalize the day’s extensive wildlife list, then retired for a very comfortable night.
Our full day in Amboseli was a magical experience, and Mount Kilimanjaro favored us by lifting its misty veil, making a wonderful backdrop for photographs. Black-winged Pratincoles offered us an ornithological surprise when we found them associating with the commoner species. The swamps were quite low, having yet to recover from the recent drought, but the recent rains had flooded an area not too far from the lodge. This spot was attracting large numbers of wetland birds. Among them we saw Goliath Heron (the world’s largest), noisy and attractive African Fish-Eagles yodeling from the remnant trees adjacent to the water, Two-banded Coursers piping from the barren dusty landscape, Malachite Kingfishers waiting patiently on papyrus stems, and White-headed Buffalo-Weavers launching clumsily to reveal their red rumps, prompting a “what on earth was that?” response from the participants. Toward the main gate we found a single White-headed Mousebird, an Olive Tree Warbler, and Rufous Bush Chats. Among the mammals we were also treated to Cheetahs, Hippos, Elephants, Giraffe, and the unusual Gerenuk.
After a sumptuous meal we ventured out again in the afternoon. The very local Taveta Golden Weavers were breeding on the grounds, and with the help of a Pearl-spotted Owlet we found a very rare species in the form of a Gambaga Flycatcher. On our drive around the marsh we were treated to African Jacanas skittering over the floating vegetation and beautiful Crowned Cranes responding with a quick two-step.
On the following morning, after a brief pause at the swampy area, we flew to Nanyuki via Nairobi. After a delicious cappuccino we were transfered to Mountain Lodge, arriving in time for a wholesome lunch. The remainder of the day we birded from the rooftop, with a good variety of birds both in the bushes and passing overhead. Mammals such as Buffalo and Bushbuck came and went, along with Syke’s Monkeys, Large-spotted Genets, and White-tailed Mongooses. The variety of birds kept the group entertained as numbers of impressive Silvery-cheeked Hornbills honked from the trees, a secretive Buff-spotted Flufftail wailed from dense cover, and Red-fronted Parrots flew in to preen before sunset. In the middle of the night, those who stirred were privileged to enjoy the world’s largest porcine, Giant Forest Hog.
The following day we drove up Mt. Kenya to the meteorological station at 10,000 feet. Here we saw several endemic Jackson’s Francolins, very attractive Abyssinian Ground-Thrushes, and sparkling Tacazze Sunbirds around the cabins. The group was shown a whole host of sub-alpine plants, many in genera familiar to them. Lower down the mountain a major find was a pair of Abbott’s Starlings, a rare species of very restricted distribution. By late afternoon we were finding a few more new species back on the rooftop, where we remained until dark when the nocturnal mammals put in their appearances.
We woke to a clear morning, enabling us to appreciate the impressive view of Mt. Kenya’s alpine zone, the summit clothed in fresh snow. We departed at a slow pace, finding many new species along the roadside, the most impressive being a pair of Bar-tailed Trogons posing for the photographers. Moustached Green Tinkerbird left the canopy to challenge the group from a low perch, and many Hartlaub’s Turacos were active and showy, gliding across clearings on their intensely crimson wings. Finally arriving for lunch at Naro Moru River Lodge, we had a short rest before driving along the road bisecting Solio Ranch. Numerous mammals were evident, including Beisa Oryx, Jackson’s Hartebeeste, and Eland. Wheatears were quite numerous with a sprinkling of Whinchats and other migrants. Among the couple of hundred Lesser Kestrels were a few Amur Falcons, and a surprise was a Common Quail in the open next to the road.
We traversed the same route the next morning, a real surprise being a Lesser Gray Shrike on the fence; this species normally passes through central and western Africa on its southward journey. Other nice species included several Black-bellied Bustards and startling Rosy-breasted Longclaw. Our next stop was a visit to an incubating Mackinder’s Eagle-Owl, which glared at us from a rock face on the other side of a quarry. After a tasty lunch we found a pair of African Black Ducks on some scenic montane rapids, as well as displaying Levaillant’s Cisticolas. We stopped to admire Golden-winged Sunbirds feeding in Leonotis flowers on the way to Nakuru, then continued on to Baringo, arriving in the evening.
In the morning we scoured the lodge grounds, discovering Red-and-yellow Barbets, obliging Woodland Kingfishers, and the immense footprints of Hippos outside of our rooms. Continuing to the lake we could see that the floods had inundated the shore, making it unsuitable for wading birds, and had breached the wall and spread onto the club lawn. Beautiful Sunbirds were making aerial sallies from the bush islands they shared with Pied Kingfishers. The sedges harbored mixed weavers, most in their non-breeding attires, but a few breeding-plumaged Black-headed were active and noisy at their colonies.
The next day’s breakfast was one interruption after another as a swarm of birds descended on the bird feeder. Jackson’s Hornbills were the largest but the least aggressive of the diners, some 10 species of weavers in breeding dress were having a free-for-all, three species of starlings added an extra splash of color, and the African Mourning Doves provided the biomass. After breakfast we patrolled the nearby cliffs, finding Bristle-crowned Starlings, watchful White-faced Scops Owls, teetering Brown-tailed Rock Chats, and bouncy Mocking Cliff Chats. With the assistance of the resident junior birder, we were able to appreciate Grayish Eagle-Owl, Heuglin’s Courser, and Slender-tailed Nightjar all at their daytime retreats. After lunch we departed for Nakuru, enjoying a curious group of White Helmet-shrikes on the way.
Words cannot convey the magical spectacle of Lake Nakuru’s Lesser Flamingos in the first rays of sunlight heralding the new day. Lessers were in record numbers this year, but with the high level of the lake we succeeded in locating only a single Greater Flamingo. There was a good assortment of ducks and waders, and among the less common species we located a Dimorphic Egret (normally a coastal species) and several Schalow’s Wheatears (endemic to the Gregorian Rift). But probably the highlight here was a Striped Hyena.
In the morning we looked in the gardens before breakfast. An endearing Little Rock Thrush hopped along the path, Common Scimitarbill probed the crevices as part of a mixed flock, and a responsive Klaas’s Cuckoo flew in and glowed in the early sunshine. Our final new destination was the incomparable Maasai Mara, which required a day of travel punctuated with roadside stops for more new species such as incandescent Malachite Sunbird, diminutive Least Honeyguide, immense Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill, and miniscule White-browed Crombec. Just before descending the last couple of miles into the Maasai Mara, we had an obliging Montane Nightjar sitting on the road. Finally we arrived (somewhat tenderized) at Kichwa Tembo and were soon ridding ourselves of the day’s grime in well-appointed and comfortable surroundings; an exceptional meal soon followed.
We had an early morning walk in the lodge garden before breakfast, finding Ross’s Turaco, White-browed Robin-Chat, and Purple-banded Sunbird among an impressive variety of species. On the grassy swath in front of the fence there was a great array of plains mammals including Elephant, Wildebeeste, and Giraffe. After this we visited the nearby Sabaringo Valley and Oloololo Escarpment. The area’s specialties were found with some effort, and a walk along the edge of the escarpment provided a stunning view overlooking the Maasai Mara and the winding Mara River far below us. Here we discovered the polystyrene-like nests of the curious Foam-nest Frog, and fluorescent Mwanza Flat-headed Agama. After lunch we spent the afternoon at the Serena Oxbow Swamps, where a variety of shorebirds and herons were found as well as a large group of Banded Mongooses. On our return, a lazy Lion basked in the last glimmer of the sun.
After another early morning walk around the camp and breakfast, we set off for our long drive across the Mara. On this section we located a number of special western species such as Rufous-bellied Heron, Senegal Plover, Schalow’s Turaco, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Double-toothed Barbet, Blue Flycatcher, and Sooty Chat.
The next morning we made a sortie into a local valley, here finding Buff-bellied Penduline-Tit, Tabora Cisticola, and dazzling Marico Sunbirds. Many of the wide variety of species seen were now starting to become familiar…and it was time to leave! We flew back to Nairobi, and after lunch and time for repacking, the group departed for a tasty Indian meal before catching flights back to the North.
It had been a very successful tour, and it was difficult to absorb all that we had seen in a mere two weeks covering just a small part of Kenya, that birdiest of countries.
- Brian Finch
This most-interesting but all-too-short tour was confined to central Kenya, with extensions as far as Tsavo West, Amboseli, Mara, Baringo and Mt. Kenya. Whilst increasingly more unpredictable, overall the weather was dry but overcast, and in many places cloudy and cooler than usual. Some places had in the recent past received unseasonably heavy rain. We managed to record 512 species.
The tour started the first afternoon with a trip to Nairobi National Park. Whilst we found plenty of vegetation and some very full dams, there were not a lot of grassland birds, nor marsh and waterside birds. Amongst the more interesting species were a Common Buttonquail sitting on a track in the Athi Basin and returning to feed on it, two Marsh Owls flying in the late afternoon, a male Brown-backed Woodpecker in Kisembe Forest, a half-dozen White-tailed Larks in Athi Basin and finally a pair of Nairobi Pipits around Kisembe Forest edge. There were of course the usual spectacular species like Ostrich, Kori Bustard, Secretarybird, Giraffe, Zebra and Buffalo. For the visitors, these caught the eye more than the less-intrusive cisticolas!
The next day we left Nairobi and headed eastward to Mtito Andei. On the way we stopped for an hour at Lukenya, finding a few of the less-common dry scrub birds such as African Penduline Tits, Grey-headed Silverbills and Southern Grosbeak Canaries. The highlights during lunch at Hunter’s Lodge were a most-attractive Battersby’s Green Snake in the sedges, a few kingfishers and the Black-headed Herons, although we missed the usual weavers and sunbirds. Arriving late afternoon at Tsavo West, we found Orange-bellied Parrots in the bird bath near the entrance, and a pair of Eastern Black-headed Batis in the museum garden. Other niceties included our first Golden-breasted Starlings and Pearl-spotted Owlet. Then we continued on to Ngulia with a Freckled Nightjar and an attractively patterned Puff Adder on the road.
After an evening with an assortment of mammalian visitors including Leopard, we left the following morning after an early breakfast for the dry scrub towards Tsavo Gate. Here we found a very good assortment of some of the harder-to-see species in the region including several Yellow-billed Hornbills, a showy group of Scaly Chatterers, Pale Prinias, a few Pringle’s Puffbacks, at least five Red-naped Bush-Shrikes and finally a number of dazzling Tsavo Sunbirds. A Rufous-beaked Snake was searching burrows in spite of the overcast conditions. After a filling lunch we investigated the area towards the Tsavo River, adding to our quickly escalating list with such impressive creatures as Southern Ground Hornbill and Hippopotamus. Leopards and Greater Galagos were again obliging in the evening, but no nightjars were attracted by the lights. Leaving via Chyulu Gate we set off for Amboseli. The small area of woodland at the Oloitokitok end produced Brown-hooded Kingfisher, White-fronted Bee-eaters and Scaly-throated Honeyguide.
After a good night at Ol Tukai we had a morning drive around the swamps, which provided a good variety of marsh birds in addition to a non-breeding Taveta Golden Weaver at the waterside, where there was also an easy-to-see Southern Rush Warbler. We successfully found the rarer larks, but a compact group of 30 Short-toed Larks was quite an amazing concentration. We found a good assortment of dry-country birds whilst searching for White-headed Mousebird along the exit road towards the main entrance. We failed until, at the entrance gate, we found 10 feeding on acacia blossoms. Afternoon around the eastern swamps was again productive, and egrets were in good numbers with a couple of Cheetahs in some grassy cover. Something unheard of before was an adult and young Kori Bustard feeding around the bird-table at Ol Tukai Lodge!
The next day we flew to Nanyuki with a transfer to Mountain Lodge. The dull, cold weather was not conducive to exciting birding, and the best was a male Oriole Finch. Montane starlings were non-existent. Mammals were more interesting, with both Bush Pig and Giant Forest Hogs amongst the usual visitors.
On the following morning we drove up to the Met Station, and Jackson’s Francolins and Abyssinian Ground-Thrushes were on view as usual. Misty, annoying showers were the order of the day, and maintenance on the Weather Station resulted in a bogged tractor and trailer which was seriously damaging the road as well as blocking it. We found a female Maccoa Duck at a wetland reserve near Naro Moru, which was a pleasant surprise. Evening on the roof of Mountain Lodge was again uninspiring, with gloomy and cold conditions.
The next day we had a slow drive back to Naro Moru that showed that the forest did still contain the birds, it was only Mountain Lodge that they seemed to be avoiding! We found many of the “missing” montane forest species, although nothing too out of the ordinary. A walk around the manicured gardens at Naro Moru in the afternoon produced a good assortment of Sunbirds, and stunning Hartlaub’s Turacos. There were Green Woodhoopoe, Brown Parisoma and Red-headed Weavers in the car park, which seemed to be attracting a number of species from the area. After an eventful walk around the gardens, we drove across the Solio Ranch Road. There was much rank grass, although the road was dry, and there were three Greater Kestrels, two Angola Swallows and an early Barn Swallow, as well as the expected Black-winged Plovers, the stunning Long-tailed and Jackson’s Widowbirds. Plus, gorgeous Rosy-breasted Longclaws were on view as usual. At Mweiga we saw a Mackinder’s Eagle-Owl, with eggs. It was too cold for the usual Elementeiata Rock Agamas, and there was no sign of them. Nearby were four Black Ducks on a dam, and there were several Red-throated Wrynecks, a Scaly-throated Honeyguide, a pair of Little Rock Thrushes and, sadly, a road-killed Montane Nightjar on the road. There was a single Cuckoo-Hawk at Ndaragwa, as we ate our picnic lunch. At the large dam near Nyahururu there was an obliging Little Bittern (sitting with legs splayed as it gripped the reeds, in what looked a very uncomfortable position), a pair of African Water Rails insulting us from the edge of the marsh, and numerous Levaillant’s Cisticolas parachuting from the sedges. Continuing to Nakuru and on to Baringo we could see the damage caused by recent downpours, but were fortunate to be able to cross the river whilst the water was low.
In the morning we were surprised to see that the water level had continued its rise, and was pushing closer toward the lawn. Indeed, there were crocodiles swimming over the jetty! This inundation might seem good for the birds, but it is not good for accessibility as only a narrow channel was visible where the jetty was. The invasive Prosopis appears to be dying back where the roots are completely submerged, which is certainly a good thing. There was a single Magpie Starling in the garden feeding in a fruiting Neem, together with numerous Bristle-crowned Starlings, Jackson’s Hornbills and Black-headed Orioles. White-bellied Go-away-birds dropped to the ground to collect the fruit that the gathering was dropping. The bird table was busy with a good variety, including weavers in breeding plumage. We managed to find all of the cliff specialties, with Great Spotted and Levaillant’s Cuckoos in addition. Of the nocturnal species we saw Greyish Eagle-Owl, Slender-tailed Nightjar and the stunning Heuglin’s Coursers, all at their daytime retreats. A seasonal pool in the area had a single Dwarf Bittern and Knob-billed Ducks. A pair of Eurasian Hoopoes of the African race wabeli were in the scrub. In the afternoon we left for Nakuru. At the Hippo Picnic Site pool were several Painted-Snipe and other waterbirds in good numbers, but no migrant waders or Avocets. The Lesser Flamingos were probably in excess of a million birds, and at present must be one of the most impressive bird spectacles anywhere in the world.
In the morning we birded in the forest finding very nice, discrete parties of White and the very rare Grey-crested Helmetshrikes. The latter were very obliging, allowing photography at close quarters. Several Broad-billed Rollers were in the forest, and amongst the early returning White-winged Black Terns were singles of Black-headed Gull and Common Sandpiper. White Pelicans were starting to return after a long absence, with up to 2,000 present. After breakfast the next day we had a look at the sewage ponds. There were hardly any ducks, but amongst the few was a single White-backed Duck, and amongst the swifts and swallows were Horus Swift and Grey-rumped Swallows. Then we set off to the Mara via Kericho. At the Chagaik Arboretum there was a taster of the west that we were not visiting, with Yellow-spotted Barbet, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Banded and White-chinned Prinia and Black-billed Weaver. Near Leiten there were many Yellow-backed Weavers at their nests in the isolated montane population discovered two years ago.
Our first morning in the Mara was spent on the Siria (Oloololo) Escarpment where we were most fortunate in locating most of the local specialties, including Ovampo Sparrowhawk, Red-tailed Chat, Trilling and Rock-loving Cisticolas, Pale Wren Warbler, Green-capped Eremomela and Yellow-bellied Hyliota. There was a Black Coucal in mainly breeding plumage near Oloololo Gate, where the major surprise for the Mara was in the form of a House Martin, a couple of Rufous-bellied Herons on the Serena oxbows, a Banded Snake Eagle at the nearby Hippo Pools and an aggressive pair of Wood Owls in Kichwa. The flowering shrubs around the rondavels had their usual resident Purple-banded Sunbirds (also in the Sabaringo Valley).
The following day we visited Musiara Swamp which had an assortment of interesting herons, eight Woolly-necked Storks and a dozen Open-billed Storks. In the forest along the Mara River was a very responsive Golden-tailed Woodpecker (which came in to allow itself to be digitized), and also the unconvincing-split Grey-headed Woodpeckers were here. At the Musiara airfield pit there were 12 Madagascar Squacco Herons, and a nearby low tree had a Saddle-billed Stork with two young in the nest.
Returning to Nairobi, we realized on seeing Yellow-billed Kites again that the only birds we had ever encountered on the tour were in Nairobi. The bird is a definite regular migrant and may be absent from Kenya in this season – that fact being concealed by the omnipresence of the resident city birds, who know when they are onto a good thing and have forsaken the urge to migrate.
Once again the tour was a great success, with 510 species seen. In fact, there were only two species heard on the trip that were never visible – which is quite remarkable in itself. The mammals were spectacular, with 61 species being seen, and there were also 19 reptiles and 115 species of butterflies. For birds, nowhere on this planet is there such a variety, including some of the world’s most impressive in color, size and shape – and so eager to be seen. Other countries may boast larger lists, but what percentage of species recorded would be seen so well? It is not necessary to reiterate that Kenya is untouchable in terms of wildlife biomass…so I won’t!
Brian Finch
Updated: February 2008