Download Full Tour Report 295kb - Birdquest

Hyaena and Blotched Genet. When dawn broke we were up and ready for the montane specialities
to show themselves. By breakfast, we had seen a good many birds from the roof of the lodge. It was a
bumper year for starlings, and we found both Kenrick’s and Waller’s without difficulty and, more
unusually, also several Sharpe’s. But the biggest surprise was a pair of Abbott’s Starlings which
appeared to be attending a nest-hole right opposite the lodge. After breakfast, a walk in the forest
produced some notable sightings including great views of Hartlaub’s Turacos, White-headed Wood-
Hoopoes, Fine-banded Woodpecker, two pairs of White-starred Robins and a juvenile, a splendid
Brown-chested Alethe, Black-throated Apalis, White-browed Crombec, White-tailed Crested
Flycatcher, a nuthatch-like Brown-capped Weaver, and a stunning Oriole-Finch. We birded slowly
down the road from the Mountain Lodge, adding Narina Trogon, White-eared Barbet, and Purplethroated
and Grey Cuckoo Shrikes. Overhead we saw both Crowned and Wahlberg’s Eagles. The
delightful gardens at Naro Moru provided a refreshing break on our journey north, with several more
sunbirds including Tacazze, and incredibly close-up views of two African Harrier-Hawks.
Moving away from the highlands, the adjoining reserves of Samburu and Buffalo Springs were a big
contrast, not least the dry, hot weather! Here we found a wide selection of new species for the trip
and plenty of big mammals. Raptors were in evidence as always, and during our two days we saw no
fewer than 24 species, including frequent Bateleurs, a huge Martial Eagle, Palm-nut Vulture, a pair of
Verreaux’s Eagles, elegant Secretary Birds, and several pairs of diminutive Pygmy Falcons. Somali
Ostriches performed well, a variety of bustards and sandgrouse were found close to the track and the
gorgeous Golden-breasted Starlings put on a vivid display for us this year. There were many other
highlights but the lines of Vulturine Guineafowl making their way to water, the pastel-coloured
Somali Bee-eaters and ‘blood-stained’ Rosy-patched Bush Shrikes all take some beating. Herds of
African Elephants, upright Gerenuks and finely-striped Grevy’s Zebras never fail to delight, but it was
the big cats which almost stole the show. A Leopard visited the bait at night across the river from our
lodge on two nights, and during the day we found both Cheetah (twice) and Lion. We actually
managed to see all three big cats in a single day, which is not something that happens very often.
Returning to the highlands, we drove up the lower slopes of Mount Kenya once again. Finally, we
found plenty of showy Golden-winged Sunbirds, plus a distant Mountain Buzzard and an Ayres’s
Hawk Eagle, as well as an unexpected Red-throated Wryneck. Later we found a roosting Cape Eagle
Owl in a quarry, and a flock of Slender-billed Starlings at Thomson’s Falls. Eventually we reached
Lake Nakuru in the Rift Valley. Here the shimmering flocks of hundreds of thousands of flamingos
provided an unforgettable spectacle while squadrons of pelicans flew in and out with great regularity.
There were waders, ducks and terns to sift through along the shoreline, while the surrounding acacia
woodland added a number of new species such as Hildebrandt’s Francolin, Scaly-throated
Honeyguide and a party of the very localized Grey-crested Helmet Shrikes. An African Cuckoo-Hawk
was a surprise find, as was an early-morning pride of Lions which we had to ourselves. Amongst the
many mammals around the lake, we found both White and Black Rhinos.
After a stop for Black-headed Plover and White-fronted Bee-eater, we reached Lake Baringo. The
hotel gardens were very birdy as always, with gaudy Red and Yellow Barbets nesting in the termite
towers and a host of weavers at the bird table. The lake itself was infested with crocodiles and
wallowing hippos, while stunning Yellow-crowned Bishops buzzed around the edges. A visit to
Baringo is not complete without a visit to the cliffs and here we found White-faced Scops Owl, and
both Black-and-white and Great Spotted Cuckoos amongst the usual specialities. Nearby, we were
shown a splendid pair of roosting Spotted Eagle Owls, and in the bushy areas several other nocturnal
species including Spotted Thick-knee, Heuglin’s Courser and Slender-tailed Nightjar – all seen during
the day.
The journey to the Mara took us through Kericho, and here we found African Black Duck, an obliging
Cinnamon Bracken Warbler and several gorgeous Abyssinian Crimsonwings. There were also a
2 Birdquest: The Best of Kenya 2005