Nairobi National Park

By Brian Finch:

Mike Davidosn, Jennifer O’Duore and myself met at the Main Entrance to
Nairobi National Park at 6.20am, and were through the gate at 6.30am.
There had not been much rain the two previous nights, but over an inch
had fallen three days before, compounding the accessibility problems
in the Park with many areas away from the main roads very sticky and a
few treacherous.
Water levels had subsided, but in the aftermath the Hippo Pools along
the Mbagathi has been destroyed, all the vegetation on the banks
scoured bare and parts of the track fallen into the river, and a new
small island created! Further up the Mbagathi at Leopard Cliffs, all
the riverine vegetation has suffered the same fate.

We set off for KWS Mess Gardens, on the way there were an Emerald
Cuckoo near the Entrance, and a party of Cabanis  (Placid) Greenbuls
on the short road towards the garden. Whilst they are a common species
in the Kisembe Forest, this was the first time I had encountered them
anywhere east of Nagalomon Dam.

The gardens were quiet, although both Green-backed and Wahlberg’s
Honeybirds were vocal, and for the first time in some six months we
did not hear the lone Black-collared Apalis.

Ivory Burning Site did not produce for us, but Nagalomon was
entertaining with the nesting Black-crowned Night Herons busying
themselves, and many sitting tight on their nests. We counted some
sixty birds, but there might have been more. Interestingly quite a few
immature birds are in the colony, although nothing to do with the
current nesting activity. There were three adult African Darters of
which one was a stunning male.

Taking the back road to Hyena Dam, there were a pair of tame Scaly
Francolins on the track, the African Water Rails were in the swamp,
and a pair of Brown Parrots in the fig tree, which seems to be a
favourite place for them. There was not a lot of activity at Hyena
Dam, but an adult male Little Bittern of the African race payesii was
a nice surprise.

The Run-Off from Hyena Dam was quite an active area. Large numbers of
Jackson’s and Red-collared Widowbirds are in large numbers through
much of the grasslands of the Park. The Jackson’s were bouncing and
singing here. Contrastingly, White-winged are only present in numbers
around the Hippo Pool although we had three at Hyena Dam. There were
three Yellow-crowned Bishops displaying in the typha, but on an early
date there were already fifteen Cardinal Queleas, the males in full
breeding dress.

Along the road to cross the Mokoyeti River we found a Common
Whitethroat which was the only palearctic recorded today apart from
three Barn Swallows.

We took the road to Kingfisher Picnic Site, then the southern road
towards Hippo Pools. Along the way we found a Broad-tailed Grassbird
displaying immediately on the eastern side of the Kisembe Bridge,
there was a Bateleur here also. Closer to Leopard Cliffs there were a
pair of Yellow-billed Oxpeckers at what is probably a nest hole in an
Acacia seyal. Also here was an attractive Pangani Longclaw.

Climbing up towards the Hippo Pools Road, a Waterbuck walking towards
us flushed a Dusky Nightjar out of the grass, but at the walk itself
we only had a Grey-headed Kingfisher and the depressing scene of the
habitat destruction.

On the return we had a nice Shelley’s Francolin on the road, several
Long-billed Pipits which are particularly dark at this time of year
and a Long-crested Eagle back near Nagalomon Dam.

Exiting at 6.15pm we found no one at the gate to exit our cards which
is a royal pain in the backside. The Customer Care people shutting up
shop at 6.00pm is far too early with nearly another hour of daylight
left in the day. Hardly a sincere Customer Care at all!

Mammals were few and far between, the best being a Steinbok near the
Kisembe River Bridge. We did not visit the Athi Basin area however,
and quite likely there are still some in that area.

Another great day in the Park, in spite of restrictions necessitated
by the recent weather activities.

After a wet night that had turned Langata Road into a flowing river, Mike Davidson, Fleur Ng’Weno, Jennifer Oduore, Karen Plumbe and myself met at the Main Entrance to Nairobi National Park at 6.30am. The overnight rain confined us to the north, as the roads were too muddy and treacherous to venture to the southern portion of the Park. In fact we confined ourself to KWS Mess Gardens, Ivory Burning Site, Hyena Dam from the front road as the back road impassable, Nagalomon Dam, Karen Primary School Dam and Eland Hollow which is a small proportion of the Park. We were out through the Main Entrance at 3.30pm, having recorded nearly 150 species. On the descent road there was a Common Buzzard drying out in the beautiful sunny morning light. Our first call was Nagalomon Dam, this was the first time that I have ever seen it, the drift just before the Causeway was a flowing river but not too deep to negotiate, Nagalomon Dam has lost its reed-bed, there only being a metre wide fringe along the shoreline, and the water level was very high turning the Mokoyeti River into a raging torrent. There were over forty Black-crowned Night-Herons incorporating just slightly fewer immatures sitting in the trees along the bank where they were accompanied by a Great Egret and male and female Darters. In the far corner were a pair of Spotted Thick-knees which had probably been washed out from a normal day roost, and were at the edge of the water. Along the causeway was a Pygmy Kingfisher, which may or may not have been related to a pair at Ivory Burning Site later, and the dam also had a Giant Kingfisher. From here we visited KWS Mess, but it was surprisingly quiet, Scaly Francolins were making a lot of noise, the Black-collared Apalis was also very vocal, there were a couple of Spotted Flycatchers and Garden Warblers but no other palearctics, a pair of Pale Flycatchers were on the front lawn. On exiting through the gate there was a male Crowned Eagle not ten metres from us, and quite indifferent to our presence. It was perched three metres above the ground, and intently scanning the ground below it. We drove past it and away, leaving it still searching the ground. On to Ivory Burning Site, and there was Kilimanjaro with a good blob of snow on the flanks, and crystal clear. An Emerald Cuckoo was singing in the adjacent woodland, Eurasian Bee-eaters were somewhere up there, but could not be seen, a Wahlberg’s Honeybird was in the central Acacia gerardii, which were also attracting warblers. Garden Warblers voices were all through the scrub, large numbers must have been in the Park, but they were the only sylvid recorded, there were quite a few Willow Warblers and more than a couple of Olivaceous Warblers. Also there was a visiting White-browed Sparrow-Weaver and African Firefinches calling from cover. Next we went to Hyena Dam, on the way there were still Whinchats present, and we had four today, another Spotted Flycatcher, the first of twenty-five Red-backed Shrikes, first of ten Lesser Grey Shrikes and all three Widowbirds in full breeding dress. The dam was quiet, with a young Fish Eagle, Yellow-billed Egret and three Wood Sandpipers. The excitement here was when the young Fish Eagle swooped down on a Hadada, and the other Hadadas came in to mob the eagle, but in vain. From here we left for the Main Gate to deposit Fleur, after a pair of Yellow-bellied Waxbills along the road, we then went round to Eland Hollow the long way round. There was a Shelley’s Francolin moving like a chameleon across the road on the way, and a Secretarybird by the road edge, and at the dam was a young male Darter, a pair of Red-billed Teal, a pair of Bateleurs, three Sand Martin with a steady stream of Barn Swallows, and at Karen PS Dam a pair of very still Spotted Thick-knees. Returning to the Main Gate there was an adult Fish Eagle along the Mokoyeti, and amongst a group of Little and Palm Swifts mixed in with Barn, Red-rumped and Lesser Striped Swallows were two birds that resembled Pallid Swifts. It was a very nice day with so much to see and in such crystal clear conditions, and confortable climate. Mammals were obviously further southwards as we did not see too much of interest, the usual Hippos were at Nagalomon and Hyena Dams, and we had a lioness not far from Karen Primary School. On the return we encountered another lioness walking along the road, and followed the animal slowly for about a kilometre not wanting to disturb it by trying to pass it. We were rewarded for this, as in the last half kilometre she starting calling a double grunt, and I thought that there was a likelihood she might be calling cubs. Then two four to five month old cubs emerged from the grass, and just in front of us we witnessed the greeting ceremony, playing, and drinking as a family, out of a road puddle. It was all just so magical, needless to say there was a lot of digitising taking place.

By Brian Finch:

Mike Davidson, Fleur Ng’Weno, Jennifer Oduore, Karen Plumbe and myself met at the Main Gate to Nairobi National Park at 6.50am having had some traffic difficulties. We were expediently processed and through the gate on the hour. It has been dry for a while now, and the Park is showing the signs of dehydration. There is still much grass, but all the green has gone and it looks sunburnt. The dams are still in fine condition, but the muddy margins are now appearing. Although cool in the mornings it has been of late warm at night, and quite hot during the day. Today was not hot, but a strong wind. Four of us stayed in the Park, and did not leave until 7.00pm having been checked out on entry. The evening was very spectacular and the traffic was moving well and we were not held up.

Our first call was KWS Mess gardens. Some five Blackcaps were coming in to a fruiting tree we have to identify (Strychnos is suspected), and there were two Nightingales in the hedge. The Black-collared Apalis was still present but recently has been calling from inside the Army Camp. There was a Suni on the lawn. From here we went to Ivory Burning Site which has been quiet this year, and yet used to be so interesting, with a host of good sightings. Today we were not disappointed, a male Pallid Harrier flew through, as strangely did a Secretarybird. We had seven different Secretarybirds today, they are obviously doing very well in the Park. Long may it continue. In the bushes were one Nightingale, and singles of Common Whitethroat, Olivaceous Warbler and Marsh Warbler. There was another Acrocephalus singing a sub-song that was thought to be an Eurasian Reed Warbler. There were a number of Red-collared Widowbirds around, some of which are already sporting red collars. There was another Acro singing softly and intermittently when we visited Nagalomon Dam, this was thought to be a Marsh Warbler but was not seen. There were two very impressive Crocodiles being visited by three Green Sandpipers and a couple of pushy Egyptian Geese, a pair of Orange-breasted Waxbills flew by without stopping and a Fan-tailed Grassbird was singing from a corner near the Mokoyeti River. Instead of circling back to Hyena Dam, we continued into the Kisembe Valley along the beautiful forested stream. On the way there was another Acro singing, thought to be a Marsh, and this was seen and confirmed. The immature Bateleur was circling with the first rising White-backed Vultures, a dark Booted Eagle was soaring over a clearing, a near adult Lesser Spotted Eagle came over us near Langata Gate, some ten Bee-eaters fed over the dam which had a Little Grebe with chick, and Moorhens also had a family. The old drinking pond that should be attractive to many Sylvia warblers and other birds, just had a pair of Little Grebes. There is far too much water around for this to be a magnet this year. We circled round back to the main gate to drop Fleur off, and an immature Fish Eagle had arrived on Nagalomon Dam.

After leaving the gate we took the back road to Hyena Dam, the Crowned Cranes were taking good care of their two chicks, and not seeming too worried about the diving Yellow-billed Kites which soon gave up. Out first of six Whichats were here, and a couple of Banded Martin were over the little swamp. Hyena Dam was quiet but we were much later than usual, there were three Wood Sandpipers and African Water Rail which refused to show themselves. There was a reasonable sized Crocodile hauled out on the bank. A Great Egret, which looks small and I believe has been visiting us for many years, was also there. The Run-Off was dry and did not produce anything, and the inside road to Eland Hollow was also very quiet. At this dam there were a pair of Spur-winged Geese, our only Red-billed Teal of the day, a Yellow-billed Egret, four more Wood Sandpipers, a Common Greenshank starting to show some attractive patterning, and the pair of Spotted Thick-knees were on their usual territory. Heading off to Karen Primary School  Dam we had a male Lesser Kestrel on a bush, and at the dam which was spectacular for bathing Zebra, the drinking Barn Swallow had a Sand Martin accompanying them.

Now it was time to head south, the vultures were at the drinking pool above Athi Basin, there were nineteen White-backed and nine Ruppell’s, nearby we had just seen a pair of Lappet-faced Vultures.

There were two Northern and two female Pied Wheatears along the top road and a nice Kori Bustard sheltering under a small acacia barely larger than itself. On the track to Athi Dam we found a full adult male Turkestan Shrike this was our only migrant shrike seen today, and a female-type Pallid Harrier was over the grassland. Whilst there was not a huge variety of birds on Athi Dam, the sight was nothing short of amazing. There were 1500 Marabou Storks, amongst these we individually counted 530 White Storks, which must be the largest number ever recorded together in Nairobi, poor Yellow-billed Storks were a  bit left out with only four! The storks surrounded the resident giant Croc who made even the Marabous look so small. Big croc number two was as usual on the island now joined back to the mainland. There was a single adult Pink-backed Pelican, a Great Egret of normal size, an immature Montagu’s Harrier, fifteen Yellow-throated Sandgrouse came in whilst we were there as did six Speckled Pigeon which is hardly a rare species, but I believe all the other records always involve a maximum of one pair. There was a male lutea Yellow Wagtail who had bright breeding plumage underparts but the head was still saying it was winter! In the wader line, there were four Black-winged Stilts, fifteen Spur-winged Plovers, a compact group of thirty Little Stints, but the only other palearctic waders were single Common Greenshank and Green Sandpiper. We had our traditional Carrot Cake on the Causeway, the Black-crowned Night-Heron adult was in his roosting tree, and a Western Marsh Harrier went over without stopping.

We carried on in the direction of the Cheetah Gate road, there was a stunning spring male Pied Wheatear, but our best bird of the day was a species I had never seen before in the Park. By the track was a female Black-faced Sandgrouse which posed for us. There is a historical record, this means over forty years ago but there are no details. On the road towards the Hippo Pools there was another female Pied Wheatear, an adult Fish Eagle along the river and a noisy Pangani Longclaw. Our last bird of note was a male roadside Hartlaub’s Bustard as we climbed up out of the Mbagathi Valley.

As we passed Karen PS Dam on the way back we stopped to look at a Black-headed Heron who had caught an unfortunate Battersby’s Green Snake, this was swallowed with surprising ease.

There was a sprinkling of Barn Swallows but nothing that looked like any passage, and there was evidence that Quail-finch were returning. We were out of the Park at 7.00pm.

It was a great day, nothing in writing can convey the stork spectacle of Athi Dam. This is probably a daily event, and it is necessary to be there at 3.00pm. Presumably the Whites are coming in from the Kitengela.

The game has returned in really impressive force as the dry sets in, Zebras in most impressive numbers, but a group of seventy Wildebeest in the Athi basin is a good number nowadays. None of the special mammal species were seen today, they were all in hiding. Hippos were in Nagalomon, Hyena, Eland Hollow and Athi Dams.

Dear All,
Mike Davidson, Jennifer Oduore, Karen Plumbe and myself met at Nairobi
National Park Main Gate at 6.30am and were soon in the Park. It was an
extremely beautiful morning, although at this time of year the sun
gets up a bit later. There was evidence of recent showers in the north
of the Park, but the south was continuing to dry. In the afternoon it
remained sunny, but out over the Ngong and Kitengela there was a
building haze which culminated in an impressive storm in the evening
with very strong winds and short heavy bursts of rain.

On the way to KWS Mess gardens we had an Emerald Cuckoo, and a few
Yellow-bellied Waxbills and Black-and-White Mannikins, whilst in the
gardens were much the usual few Nightingales, six or so Blackcaps, a
Garden Warbler, the Eurasian Reed Warbler still in the hedge, but
little was moving in the trees. Slipping down to Ivory Burning Site
there was a party of African Firefinches along the road, and at the
site an Olivaceous Warbler and a Garden Warbler. Eurasian Bee-eaters
were calling but remained hidden, later seen over Nagalomon Dam. Here
the Great Reed Warbler was still singing along the edge, and
Three-banded Plovers were mating. A female Darter was sitting in the
trees overhanging the dam, and a Wood Sandpiper was in the shallows.
The Broad-tailed Grassbird was calling from the grassland in this
corner, a regular site. A really nice surprise was an immature
Bateleur, many years since I have seen one in the Park. The usual
adults were met with in the course of the day. On the back road to
Hyena Dam we had Red-collared Widowbirds in non-breeding plumage but
males with long tails, these were to be our only widowbirds today.
There was a Common Buzzard at last, along here, but the real surprise
was a White-bellied Go-Away Bird feeding in the bushes, the first in
the north of the Park, whilst in the southern parts they are resident.
The African Water Rails were in residence at the marsh, and at Hyena
Dam we had twenty-six Wood Sandpipers and a couple of Green, a female
Yellow Wagtail and a Sedge Warbler. The first of seven Whinchats was
here as well. An adult Purple Heron which had been there all the time
suddenly stepped into view. The run-off was not too exciting, but
there was an Isabelline Shrike, and heading out to Eland Hollow we
found a Greenshank and two Rosy-breasted Longclaws, whilst at the dam
another eight Wood Sandpipers, a pair of Red-billed Teal and a pair of
Spotted Thick-knees. There were another three Spotted Thick-knees at
Karen Primary School Dam but nothing else apart from an incubating
Crowned Crane hidden in the sedges and out first of three Northern
Wheatears. Continuing south we found a solitary male Lesser Kestrel.
Above Athi Dam we had singles of Isabelline, and a female Pied
Wheatear, and both Isabelline and Turkestan Shrikes. Also there were
Long-billed Pipits feeding flying young. Athi Dam itself was rewarding
with two adult Pink-backed Pelican, eleven White Stork, a female
Pallid Harrier, a Fish Eagle was calling that we did not actually see,
a young Steppe Eagle, another very large and very black eagle that is
being looked into, a single Black-winged Stilt, no less than
thirty-two Spur-winged Plover that were matched in number by
Blacksmiths, twenty Kittlitz’s and a delightful Little Ringed Plover,
a Park rarity, ten Little Stint and four Greenshank. Two Speckled
Pigeons were along the edge, a Black-and-White Cuckoo was in the
acacias, a solitary lutea Yellow Wagtail along the edge. The fourteen
foot Crocodile has returned to the dam once again but now is fifteen
foot! Along the causeway we had an adult Black-crowned Night-Heron
roosting and single Willow and Olivaceous Warblers. There were good
numbers of Barn Swallows feeding in the Park. From here we left to
return as we for reasons of other commitments we had to be out of the
gate at 4.00pm which we achieved. The only other bird of interest were
ten Greater Blue-eared Starlings at Kingfisher where we had our final
coffee in the Park.
During the day we had only visited KWS Garden, Ivory Burning Site, and
most of the major dams and the grassland in between. We had not birded
the riverine, Cheetah Gate, Hippo Pools or the highland forest, and we
still left the Park with 176 species recorded. Had we have stayed the
entire day, the last two hours being an interesting time in the Park,
we would have sailed well over 200, likely over 220 with all of the
common residents not visited today.

Mammals were not in high numbers except in the Athi Basin. There were
three Suni at KWS garden, four White Rhinos on the way to Eland
Hollow, but nothing unusual otherwise. Hippos were in Nagalomon, Hyena
and Eland Hollow Dams.

It was good to see the Park returning to former glory, and such a good
variety of migrants at long last.

By BRIAN FINCH:

Nigel Hunter and myself spent the day in NNP, arriving at 6.45am. The day was overcast but mild, this degenerated quickly to drizzle and unseasonally cold! There was a Willow Warbler singing in the car-park at the Main Entrance (the only other individual recorded was one at Hippo Pools, and this constituted all the migrant warbler presence NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 18th November 2012 for the day). At the KWS Mess garden we were amazed to see two Nightingales feeding amongst tin cans and cardboard packets on the rubbish-tip, sharing this with two Egyptian Mongooses. There were no other interesting species to be seen, although two Banded Martins flying over the area seemed to be leaving the Park. At Ivory Burning Site we found a Eurasian Hobby but nothing else, and Nagalomon Dam had no Night-Herons where they were on Monday, although ten could be seen at the back of the dam. Otherwise a few Green Sandpipers, the Booted Eagle seen on Monday with the missing primaries, and a Fan-tailed Grassbird singing from the adjacent grassland. Along the back road the African Water Rails were calling (and also from Hyena Dam), but the only observation of mild interest was a Red-billed Teal (the only wildfowl seen today that was not an Egyptian Goose). Nothing was happening at Hyena Dam, there were ten Wood Sandpipers, and the African Jacana still present, a few Barn Swallows and that was it. On the run-off we had the first Common Snipe of the season, a couple of Whinchat, Red-collared and Jackson’s Widowbirds were in breeding plumage. There were a dozen Eurasian Bee-eaters along the Mokoyeti River and a pair of the only Lesser Striped Swallows of the day, whilst Eland Hollow produced a Ruff, a female type plumaged Montagu’s Harrier, a young male Pallid Harrier, another Whinchat and a Sand Martin. In the grasslands were a couple of Rosy-breasted Longclaws, whilst the Karen Primary School Dam produced nothing. The grasslands from here onwards were quite dull, but five Chandler’s Reedbuck were on their usual territory, where there was a Long-billed Pipit and a couple of Parasitic Weavers. There was also a single Hartlaub’s Bustard. Some Ostriches had young, and the plains game were in good numbers. At the Vulture-washing pits above Athi Basin there was a Greenshank and a Short-tailed Lark which dropped to the ground and was never relocated. Athi Dam was attracting birds along the northern shore, the most surprising being a concentration of 25 Spur-winged Plovers and a single young bird, which is an amazing number for the Park. Blacksmith were in similar numbers, and Kittlitz’s Plovers also much the same. With the waders were seven Common Ringed Plovers. Also two Common Greenshank, a Wood Sandpiper, a Ruff, a dozen Little Stints and eight Black-winged Stilts. Other birds included a Glossy Ibis with three African Spoonbills, and a young Eurasian Marsh Harrier. A surprise find was six African Silverbills on the causeway, this is hardly a drought year. There was nothing of interest on cutting through towards the Cheetah Gate road, but then came the great surprise of finding a pair of African Silverbills fashioning the interior of an old Vitelline Masked Weaver nest, and joined by a third bird. I had no idea that they used other birds nest for their own, but there it is in print in Zimmermann & Turner….. “usually uses old weaver nests for breeding!” Most surprising that this species is now breeding in Nairobi! Another three kilometres along the road we found another party of eight birds. At Cheetah Gate towards the river, we added a few of the dry country species such as Marico Sunbird, Speckle-fronted Weavers, Lesser Masked singing and in full breeding plumage, and some extravert Black-faced Waxbills sitting on a fence. At the ex-Orange Tower site there was an adult female Eurasian Golden Oriole and a noisy Banded Parisoma. The Rhino Circuit was not too birdy but did provide the only Spotted Flycatcher for the day, and along the road towards Hippo Pools was a stunning Pangani Longclaw, two Northern Wheatears and an adult Turkestan (phoenicuroides) Shrike. There was a party of thirty Red-billed Quelea in non-breeding dress also. Hippo Pools was quiet, the only Common Sandpiper of the day was here though! Recent floods have again wreaked havoc, with very many felled trees in the river. There was a party of Crimson-rumped Waxbills that contained a pair of Black-faced with an immature that showed a pale crown. Near Kingfisher were two Northern Wheatears, and a Nairobi Pipit close towards Langata Gate where we exited… more on that incident later! Several other species deserve mention, there were up to eight Black-shouldered Kites seen during the day scattered over most of the Park, this is a high number in recent times. There also appeared to be many White-backed Vultures, but with them ranging over the Park there is a high probability of duplication, but they did appear to be in good numbers. There were three Lappet-faced Vultures seen also. In incredible numbers through much of the scrub in the Park were Purple Grenadiers, we conservatively had eighty birds during the course of the day. Where on earth have they come from? Another surprise were the Cinnamon-chested Buntings, they were all along the roadside in singles to threes and probably amounted to fifty during the course of the day. I have said this before, the buntings do not nest anywhere in the Park, the only one ever heard was singing from the rocky barren hill on the Kitengela side of the Hippo Pools, so they must surely be migrants. Maybe from the Middle East where they are a migrant breeder, this almost makes them palearctics! It would be good to have some more knowledge of the species movements in East Africa, or anywhere in fact. Rufous Sparrows are a common bird in the Park, usually pairs and small groups around acacias. A flock of fifty feeding on the grass strewn rocks at Karen Primary School Dam was a surprising number, after this we became aware of very many more Rufous Sparrows over much of the area. Whilst we are conditioned to noticing the arrivals of known migrants, we don’t take the same interest in the comings and goings of the Afrotropicals, and what brings about these temporary local incursions. We arrived at the Langata Gate at 6.07pm. The KWS ranger explained that the gate closed at 6.00pm and the lady had gone home. We would have to come back tomorrow to have our cards exited. Nigel went back today and we hope has successfully exited the cards… we shall see! This brings several things to comment about; why have the hours been reduced back to 6.00pm when especially for mammal watchers, the animals are active and the chances of seeing something special, greatly improved? Why are the cards not exited at the point of entry as they always were in the past. There is a tented camp in NNP now, and there will be people overnight, obviously but why should this result in a penalisation to the “day tripper” resulting in less hours in the Park and a reduced chance of seeing something really worthwhile…. And why we are at it, why has the area next to Kingfisher Picnic Site been ploughed up and planted with seedlings, making it look like a vegetable garden!

On 10th October, Mike Davidson, Fleur Ng’Weno, Karen Plumbe and myself spent the day in Nairobi National Park. We were through the gate at 6.30am, and because of the experience yesterday decided to spend all of our time in the northern portions of the Park. We set off for Ivory Burning Site, and found an small Aquila Eagle perched in the crown of a small tree. Though much hidden, it was possible to see quite profuse spotting and whitish tipping to the primaries. Unfortunately as we got closer the bird flew off and disappeared into the croton forest. We tried to locate it, as it was a Spotted Eagle sp (although most likely a juvenile Lesser Spotted), by driving on the roads surrounding the forest alongside the Army Barracks. We failed to relocate the bird, but did find no less than five Suni along this road! Continuing on to Ivory Burning Site, there were quite a number of birds present, that included a dozen Violet-backed Starlings, but no migrants. The only bird of any remote interest along the back road to Hyena Dam were a pair of Greater Blue-eared Starlings, and eight Wood Sadpipers on a marsh area, with one Green Sandpiper. The Dam was very quiet, but the weather was cold and miserable, and the clouds decidedly threatening. On the other side of the causeway were one each of Great and Yellow-billed Egret, six more Wood and three more Green Sandpipers and a couple of Sand Martins with Plain Martins and Barn Swallows. We continued on the road around the run-off finding a White-tailed Lark on the road, the same Spotted Flycatcher in the same solitary tree as yesterday, and ten Orange-breasted Waxbills. We drove into the run-off basin and the rain started. There was a remarkable association of three male Whinchats on the edge of the typha. Returning to Hyena Dam after the rain had ceased we found along the edge a pair of Swamphens busily feeding a chick, (a good breeding record for the Park), and in the same place an African Water Rail, African Jacana and Yellow-billed Duck, also a Yellow Wagtail flew over without stopping. Whilst a little further were four male Jackson’s Widowbirds in full breeding plumage, with one female. From here we made a circuit to the east, circling back around to Hyena Dam then across to Nagalomon Dam where we found nothing of interest. We went down the west side of the Mokoyiet, across the river and down towards Karen Primary School Dam on the inside road. In this portion we were seeing plenty of birds, but nothing of note. There were a few Eurasian Bee-eaters along the river, whilst the inside road produced little but a Rosy-breasted Longclaw. Rather than turning down to Karen PS Dam, we continued to Eland Hollow. This had water, and was attractive to waders, there were fifteen Wood, Six Green Sandpipers and five Little Stints, but more importantly there were a pair of Black-winged Stilts building a nest, and smoothing the scrape with their bodies whilst adding small items of vegetation. This will be a new breeding species for Nairobi, and we hope to see chicks soon. Also there was a Lilac-breasted Roller in the surrounding Whistling Thorn, and a single Sand Martin with the Barn Swallows present. Karen Dam had nothing, even yesterdays Little Grebe had departed. From here we took the road across towards Maasai Gate, and just before the junction 18B, had a singing Zanzibar Greenbul, which was a new site for the species which appears to continue its spread in the Nairobi area. There was nothing of note until arriving at the Kingfisher Picnic Site area, where we had three Northern and two Isabelline Wheatears, and yesterdays female Whinchat and twenty-three Grey-headed Silverbills. Before entering Kisembe Forest an attractive Booted Eagle passed over, and whilst waiting for the Madagascar Pond Heron to appear (which it didn’t) on the dam near Langata Gate, in the pouring rain an amazing sight of over five-hundred Violet-backed Starlings irrupted from the trees and flew off. Along the Kisembe River we found the seasons first Black Stork, a rather wet immature sitting in a tree, and in the same place a damp Bateleur on the branch where they used to nest. We continued to the Main Entrance, and departed at 3.30pm having had a very good day, and in spite of the showers for most of the day, there were breaks of clear weather, and our spirits were never dampened.

Every time you see a lot of mammals, the thought is this is the most I have ever seen in a day. Well today was that, the numbers of plains game towards Karen PS Dam are very impressive, and the numbers near Kingfisher also remarkable. There was a ginger and black maned Lion on the road south from the Hyena Dam run-off towards Karen PC Dam, and two females eyeing a large assemblage of animals near “Lone Tree.” Not far from the Lion was a very large Black Rhino, whilst there were five White Rhino on the road to junction 18B.

Saddle -billed stork

Martial eagle looking bellicose….

Crowned plover

Hadada ibis

White-faced whistling ducks

Superb starling (feeling cold? Or sexy?)

Egyptian geese

Harlaub’s bustard

Photos by WILL KNOCKER:

Brian Finch the NNP afficianado & bird expert has just identified the 529th sp. of bird for NNP.

Above a Crowned eagle with it’s leopard-like talons…..

Kori bustard, the world’s heaviest flying bird…..

Marabou stork which breeds in the city centre & feeds at the city rubbish dump…..

Malachite kingfisher on the Empakasi river….

The park is a major breeding area for Crowned cranes….

Great white pelicans pass through from time to time……..

Hamerkop- a frog-eater, in it’s element……

There are currently large numbers of Helmeted guineafowl in the park after a successful breeding year: food for Martial eagles (2 pairs at least in the park: see next post………)

Story & pics by WILL KNOCKER:

Last sunday I went into the park for my customary’ blog-hunt’ & came across the huge gravel pit that has been dug by the roadbuilders improving the tracks above the Athi Basin.

A large herd of buffaloes had meandered up from the Athi River to the plains above.

They were having a whale of a time….

A family of Crowned cranes were using this new wetland area to forage for food… Brian Finch the birder has just identified his 539th sp. of bird in the park, showing how extraordinarily rich (& unspoilt by man) NNP habitats are……

Cranes or ‘kongoyings’ as they are known in my family, have bred well this year in the first 6 month period of good rain: it now seems set to get drier….

Here comes a black rhino: a male (females nearly always have calves for company….)

Zebras join the melee……

Whilst the rhino hangs out with buffalo chums…..timeless scenes on the African plain…….