Kenya

The Ultimate Wildlife Tour

A Greentours Trip Report

9th October to 27th October 2004

Leader – Ian Green

Day 1 October 9th Arrival

It took just twenty five minutes from Nairobi Airport into town and the Boulevard Hotel where we settled in for the night.

Day 2 October 10th To Nakuru

Out front of the reception were the ubiquitous Black Kites and there was a Gymnogene soaring in the bright blue sky. An immature Great Sparrowhawk had flown by during breakfast. Bronze and Variable Sunbirds visited flowering trees and the former had a nest right above the reception.

Soon we were on our way. Less than an hour into the journey and we stopped by a large pond at Limuru. Pink-backed Pelicans sailed across water’s populated by many Yellow-billed Ducks and Red-billed Teal. A scattering of herons and egrets were joined by a couple of African Spoonbills and Yellow-billed Stork. At the back of the pond were two male Maccoa Ducks and in the middle a Southern Pochard. Nearer at hand a pair of Blacksmith Plovers constantly bullied a persevering pair of Three-banded Plovers – hardly a fair contest! Augur Buzzards and a pair of Lanner Falcons soared overhead. We found a chameleon clinging tightly to a Leonotis stem. This delightful beast, complete with miniature ‘triceratops’ headguard and a stubby little beard was none other that Von Höhnel’s Chameleon, a species endemic to the Kenyan Highlands though rather common at Limuru according the fieldguide!

The pleasant rolling landscape was more than 2300m above sea level though there was little indication that this was so until suddenly the Great Rift Valley appeared below the road. A view point was stopped at (there are many!) and we admired the huge vistas below and in front of us including the 3000m high Longonot Volcano. Then it was past Naivasha and down into The Rift Valley and through lovely Yellow-bark Acacia woodlands. As these thinned out and were replaced by drier thornbush scrub the animals started to appear. First were roadside Zebra but before long we were spotting Grant’s Gazelle’s and Warthogs and several troupes of Olive Baboons were only one pyramid seller away from being roadside fruit hawkers.

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We arrived at Nakuru before one o’clock and with gate formalities swiftly over were down at the Lion Hill Lodge in a few minutes. A quick perusal of our rooms (and the grounds) and it was in for an impressively varied buffet lunch. There was time for an hour or so’s relaxation or potter around the grounds. The latter activity yielded sightings of many birds including Klaas’s Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Rattling Cisticola, Lesser Blue-eared Glossy Starling, Purple Grenadier and Hildebrandt’s Starling. There were even a few butterflies with African Golden Arab the commonest.

We set off for the afternoon drive at three-thirty, Ben taking us slowly around the north side of the lake, visiting it at regular intervals and then spending the last hour before dark amongst the marvels on the west shore. We passed several Impala, a stunning Noble Swallowtail and plenty of birds before stopping after just ten minutes by the lakeshore and getting out for a potter. This was a marvellous spot. Herds of distant Buffalo had Waterbuck and eventually Zebra, Giraffe and White Rhinoceros in front of them. Around a thousand flamingoes were split more or less evenly between Lessers and Greaters. White Pelicans showed off their breeding finery and a flock of Glossy Ibis shone in the sun. Hammerkops, Wood Sandpipers and Snipe flew up out of the reedy fringes and there were also Ruff, Squacco Heron, a lone Maribou Stork and an assortment of egrets to enjoy. We stopped off at a couple of shoreside sites after this with more of the same. Additional highlights included distant Eland and closer at hand Long-crested Eagle. The final hour was blissful as we witnessed one of nature’s great spectacles – hundreds of thousands of flamingoes in a tight group stretching along the lakeshore and these perfectly lit with the sun behind us and deep blue sky beyond the rift’s walls - superb! There was even the added bonus of a number of Fish Eagles all sat along the shore all with recently caught flamingoes to eat. Maribou Storks were already moving in to help with the disposal of the bodies and so too were a number of efficient-looking Grey-headed Gulls. There were numerous waders down here including such delights as Kittlitz’s Sandplover, Temminck’s Stints and Avocet, but it was the larger birds, the storks, pelicans and flamingoes, that stole the show. The closely cropped grassland all around us was dotted with herbivores. Buffalo were numerous and Thomson’s Gazelle’s hardly less so. Zebra too were everywhere. Grant’s Gazelles numbered much fewer. Three mother calf pairs of White Rhinoceros grazed serenely and allowed tremendously close approach.

Eventually we just had to leave as the sun was going down – half an hour back to the lodge then a fine dinner to finish a fabulous day.

Day 3 October 11th Nakuru

The morning was fine and sunny though we were still shaded from the sun as we took our 6.15 tea and coffee and snacks in the restaurant. Ben took us out the gate at spot on six-thirty. It was still decidedly chilly under the acacias and not much was moving so we headed straight round the lake to somewhere warmer!

We visited the lakeshore where a spring emerged from the woodland’s edge. The slightly warm water steamed in the early morning cool and the stately Waterbuck sat in the grass looked decidedly ethereal. In front of us was a bunch of busy birds! A large group of White Pelicans were stamping their feet (surely not the cool?) whilst waders such as Ruff, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilts scurried hither and thither. In the channel several Pied Kingfishers put on a

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show of precision fishing. Further down a bunch of ducks swam animatedly about – mostly Hottentot Teal but also a few Shoveler and Common Teal. The only birds not joining in the hustle and bustle were still lethargic Cattle Egrets!

We drove on, taking a back route near to the town’s sewage works which abuts the park’s fence. It was most strange to look out over the manicured grass ridges between ponds and see herds of Waterbuck and a happy-looking Hippo! We stopped by some argumentative Green Wood-Hoopoes and then by a flock of Helmeted Guineafowl. Zebra and Impala were passed before we regained the lakeshore at the same fabulous spot we’d ended up at the night before. Hippo Harry in a posh landcruiser complete with clients in matching hats stayed inside their vehicle and as they left they paused by us to warn us of the dangerous bull Buffalo across the (very!) deep stream in front of us. They drove off and the buffalo promptly turned round and sat down amongst several thousand White Pelicans! It was really an extraordinary number of pelicans – there were so many that it was difficult to see the hundreds of thousands of flamingoes beyond! We walked along the stream edge enjoying the chance to photograph the many Maribous who barely managed to stir themselves as we approached. A lovely Malachite Kingfisher allowed us good views and down by the shore were numerous wading birds and gulls. Fish Eagles called resonantly from the tall acacias behind and in the grassland between were Plain’s Zebra, Grant’s and Thompson’s Gazelles, lots of Buffalo and a few White Rhinoceros. We ignored the closest of these to approach a wonderful group of four – two mothers and two babies, the youngest perhaps two years. This one was rudely disturbed from its restful posed and so it went and suckled at mum. The other’s came closer, the largest standing proud on a little mound – it really was an impressive sight with Nakuru’s natural majesty behind. Around a dozen Red-billed Oxpeckers had forsaken the large herd of Buffalo as they walked past and had taken up station on the rhinos. Yellow Wagtails kept an eye on anything they might disturb and in the very sort grassland we found Yellow-throated Longclaw, Red-capped Lark, Zitting Cisticola and a Pectoral-Patch Cisticola, the latter giving a pretty good impersonation of a mouse! It was time to go and so we circled the lake to the lodge but inevitably there were stops – a Long- crested Eagle here or a Red-chested Cuckoo there!

Beakfast was of course attacked with gusto – and a varied and tasty selection there was too! Most of us were straight out again on a walk round the grounds. There had been so many birds along the main track as we drove back that we were keen to see what was in the trees and we weren’t disappointed! A quick visit to the bird table where Speke’s Weaver and Yellow Bishop had joined the normal throng and then we were on the lawn below the pool. A White-browed Robinchat sat beside the small stream. Above there was plenty of action as a pair of magnificent Verreaux’s Eagles soared over the lodge being harassed by an Augur Buzzard, this dwarfed by the eagles. Even rarer than the eagles, much more so in fact, was the unlikely sight of at least two Fawn-breasted Waxbills in the trees above the stream. An adult (male? – with the reddish vent patch) and an immature sat side by side, the adult having the pale grey head, white throat, red rump and most distinctively a bright entirely red bill. This species is normally an uncommon bird of the western Kenyan shamba country. Bizarrely, later in the morning, the rather similar Yellow-bellied Waxbill was seen drinking by the stream! We moved down to the bottom of the lodge’s property where a little bird party consisted of just about double figures of Paradise Flycatchers, Black Cuckoo-Shrike and Black-headed Oriole. The butterflies were starting to emerge now and we started finding the tiny African Babul Blue along the cut vegetation by the fence and the first of the bright African Golden Arabs flew past. Soon Round-winged Orange-tips were on the wing too. The beautiful Purple-tip was attracted to flowers further round the fence and here we also saw the elegant Caper

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White. Birdlife continued to be prolific. One tree produced Dusky and Spotted Flycatchers as well as Red-faced Crombec whilst overhead a group of Maribou Storks followed a single Rüppell’s Griffon Vulture. A Tawny Eagle brought up the rear and Long-crested Eagle was seen too.

In the afternoon Ben drove us down to the southern end of the lake. Almost the first stop we made was for a Leopard that was disappearing so quickly into the thick bush that only half of us saw it and then only for a couple of seconds! No matter, there was still plenty to see. A tree further down the track held a group of seven Black and White Colobus Monkeys, these with a tiny youngster who peered down at us. A teenager lay on a branch resting its head and scratching its tummy. Long- crested Eagles, Augur Buzzards, Common Buzzard, Osprey and male Pallid Harrier all featured in the next half an hour. Out on the grassy plain at the lake’s end were plenty of animals. Thompson’s Gazelles and Impala were frequent as were Plain’s Zebra and there was a picturesque group of Giraffe. White Rhinoceros were seen several times during the afternoon bringing the daily count up to somewhere around fifteen. By the lakeshore were immense numbers of Lesser Flamingoes, this time with the Greaters getting barely a look-in. There were also White Pelicans everywhere and several groups of these allowed very close approach. One little party of African Spoonbills, Sacred Ibis and Yellow-billed Storks was ‘watched over’ by lugubrious Marabous. There were waders and Grey-headed Gulls, Yellow Wagtails and Plain-backed Pipits, and of course African Fish Eagles, one of which afforded some fine photographic opportunities. Harriers were prominent with Montagu’s and Marsh and at least two African Marsh Harriers. There were dark clouds descending from the Aberdares but in the west the sun shone strongly lighting up the throngs of pink flamingoes. This made for a tremendous scene against the backdrop of candelabra-euphorbia-clad hillsides and thundery looking sky.

Eventually it was time to return to the lodge where we tried not to overindulge at the evening buffet – difficult! A brief look at the little stream revealed the tiny cinnamon and green frogs that were making metallic tink sounds. In the bottom pond we found a Plumbeous Centipede-eater. A snake – and a tiny one at that - which poked its head out from between lily pads.

Day 4 October 12th To Kakamega

We started the day with a two hour ‘game drive’ around the northern end of the lake. This was basically a relaxed look at a couple of lake side spots and a chance to soak up the atmosphere amongst the hordes of flamingoes and pelicans. At the first spot a little group of picturesque Buffalo were just leaving as we rolled up. There were Waterbuck and plenty of White Pelicans and a rich assortment of waterbirds that included new species such as African Jacana, Cape Teal, Black-tailed Godwit and a very unsure-of-itself Lesser Black-backed Gull – perhaps the company was a little exotic! A Malachite Kingfisher came very close and the Pied Kingfishers actively fished the little stream. Further round we pulled up in front of a wall of thousands (could there have been tens of thousands? – they are big birds though) of White Pelicans with a pink expanse of flamingoes behind them. An awesome sight. Several Maribou Storks barely bothered to get out of the way as we sauntered amongst all this on foot. A Thomson’s Gazelle kept a wary eye on us but grazed contentedly just thirty metres away. There was an assortment of waders and gulls and terns by the waterside and inland all sorts of game – Nakuru really is a happening place.

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We hurried back for breakfast and then left just a touch later than the planned nine-thirty. Short stops for a very photogenic Long-crested Eagle and a magnificent Leopard Tortoise barely delayed us and we pulled up outside the main gate to put the roof down. Gill got out and within a minute had found us a superb Pearl-spotted Owlet which we and another passing group of tourists enjoyed greatly. A male Golden Oriole appeared briefly and there were great views of iridescent Rüppell’s Glossy Starlings. We were just about to get back in when an African Cuckoo appeared.

Then it was into Nakuru to stock up on drinks for Kakamega and on across the Rift to the Mau Highlands. The vegetation as one starts to rise up the Rift is particularly attractive with the plentiful ‘tree-euphorbias’ joined by the red-flowered Erythinia abyssinica. Then it was up into the highlands and eventually to the tea growing areas around Kericho where we stopped for lunch at the famous Tea Hotel. While we waited for the food we took a quick potter in the garden where Bronze and Variable Sunbird were joined by White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher and Cape Robinchat. A magnificent four-foot tall Eulophia orchid flowered in a tub by the front entrance. Below the garden the tea of the former Brooke Bond estate stretched out before us.

After lunch we descended to the damp lowlands around Kisumu. The landscape now became one of smallholdings of maize and sugar cane, tea and vegetables. The soil was clearly fertile and the result was a dense population of humankind, particularly along the road. Kisumu was a hive of activity and it was somewhat of a relief to be out on the Kakamega road. We left the main road before town and took a dirt road through various villages, Shinyalu being the largest. We were greeted very courteously (as ever) at the Rondu Retreat and were settled into our rooms by five. After a fine cup of tea and cold drinks on the verandah of our lovely bungalow we set off for a jaunt round the garden. Birdlife was plentiful with the most noticeable being the large and noisy Black and White Casqued Hornbills which were always within earshot. Even larger and beautifully coloured were the Great Blue Turacos and these gave a raucous chorus not long before dark. Stuhlmann’s Starlings were numerous in the tree tops and Grey-throated Barbets were seen from time to time. A single Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird gave us good views and a female Cardinal Woodpecker rather less so. A pair of cute Chubb’s Cisticolas sat in a bush just off the verandah and loud bubbling chorus presaged the arrival of a pair of aptly-named Joyful Greenbuls. Other birds of note were Grey-headed Negrofinch, White-throated Bee-eaters, Green-throated Sunbird and a superb Snowy-headed Robinchat. A large troupe of Blue Monkeys wound their way through the grounds some coming low enough for us to get a really good look at them.

As darkness fell a thunderstorm passed overhead but it was over by the time we went to enjoy the Rondu’s excellent dinner.

Day 5 October 13th Kakamega – Rondu, Zimmerman Grid and Pumphouse Track

We awoke to the raucous rantings of Black and White Casqued Hornbills flying overhead and to the deep froggy croakings of Great Blue Turacos in the forest surrounding the Rondu. We spent an hour and a half pottering around the grounds as the cool morning warmed up nicely in a sunny blue sky. The Rondu’s gardens are really quite wonderful with perfectly kept lawns dotted with forest giants and the occasional introduced showy ornamental tree whose attractions are not lost on the local

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sunbirds. There are a number of these and this morning we saw just Bronze, Olive-bellied and Collared. In the forest edge we spotted Grey-winged Ground Robin and in the tallest trees were plenty of both Cinnamon-breasted and White-throated Bee-eaters. Grey-throated Barbets, Stuhlmann’s Starlings and Green Pigeons also occupied these higher echelons. A large group of Blue Monkeys sauntered quietly through the gardens right by our bungalow and we had superb views of the rather pretty Red-legged Sun Squirrels. Probably best bird of the morning was the pair of Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrikes or perhaps could have been the dark phase African Goshawk that circled overhead.

After a rather fine breakfast (how would you like your egg sir?) we were off to pick up Wilberforce and have our first experience of the Zimmerman Grid. Just a mile from the Rondu this is the forest that abuts the research station. First Wilberforce showed us round some bandas that his KEEP project are building funded by the UNDP. They certainly looked like they were going to be nice to stay in and the emphasis on local materials and builders and of reduction in impact on the forest were very impressive. A Brown-chested Alethe was rather nice too!

Then we were into the Zimmerman Grid. It took seconds for Wilberforce to conjure up a Blue- shouldered Robinchat that most got brief views of and then a minute later one of the forest’s most beautiful birds was found – the Blue-headed Bee-eater. In fact we saw four of these beautiful birds this morning. There was plentiful song and luckily Wilberforce knew what was making it. Our first greenbuls would no doubt of caused much head-scratching had it not been for his knowledge of them. A small party of Cabanis’s was rapidly followed by a Shelley’s Greenbul behaving in a typically woodpecker-like way. Later there was Ansorge’s too. Lesser Honeyguide, Square-tailed Drongo and the rare regional endemic Turner’s Eremomela were all seen and there were groups of monkeys too – all three species were seen during the morning with Blue Monkeys seen particularly well and Black and White Colobus throwing themselves about. Only Red-tailed gave us poor views. There were plenty more birds. Wilberforce spotted a lovely Jameson’s Wattle-eye in the undergrowth and an Equatorial Akalat went unusually far above it to a perch before dropping to its more normal altitude. A party of Dusky Tits high in a tree were joined by a superb Red-headed Malimbe and lower down we saw Brown-eared Woodpecker and the strangely-named Pink-footed Puffback. Uganda Woodland Warblers were common, a single Red-chested Cuckoo posed and there were even a couple of Great Blue Turacos. Wilberforce always informed us in a quiet voice what delights he had found but occasionally we found it difficult to hear exactly what he said and so those unfamiliar with local bird names wondered about Red-headed Malindis or Duck-backed Weavers!

Butterflies gained in number as the morning wore and by the time we emerged for lunch at almost one they were everywhere. One of the finest sights was the Forest Pearl Charaxes which gained enough confidence in us to return regularly to its perch. This spot was also home to Neptis laeta and earlier we’d seen the closely related Streaked Sailor. Catuna crithea and Brown Pansy were common as were various skippers including Celaenorrhinus proximus and the Brown Forest Sylph. The huge Lormier’s Emperor Swallowtail was a fine sight and we also saw the Mother-of-Pearl. There were a number of Acraeas including the mostly see-through quirinalis and the large yellow jodutta. Dainty ‘flip-flops’ were common, the little one being Leptosia nupta and the larger one Leptosia hybrida.

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We dropped Wilberforce off at his house and then drove back the two kilometres through the forest. We stopped to check out what butterflies might be mud-puddling and were pleased to find Lormier’s Emperor, Narrow Green-banded and Broad Blue-banded Swallowtails joined by Calypso White at some salts. A little further along and a midden of what was probably African Civet dung proved very attractive to Charaxes with three species willing to fight anyone for the stuff – these being one of the ‘black’ charaxes, Green-edged Charaxes and a deep blue Charaxes, one of a bunch of closely related species such as tiridates. The pretty falcate winged Acraea perenna was also here.

During the lunch break Banded Prinia, Black-billed Weaver and Black-collared Apalis were all seen.

In the afternoon we met up with Wilberforce and were given a guided tour of KEEP (Kakamega Environmental Education Project). Wilberforce has been founder and guiding light for this ambitious project and it is a great credit to him that it has got this far. The effort’s they were making to both inform the local population of what a important forest they have and of how they could reduce their impact on it was impressive. Then we moved down the pumphouse track. Slender- billed Greenbul, Blue-headed Bee-eater and Blue Flycatcher were among the best birds. A Green- banded Swallowtail had just met its end at the hands of a crab spider perched on a convolvulus and so we borrowed the very fresh specimen for some photography before returning it to the spider. There were balls of crickets, hairy caterpillars descending from on high and some fine flowers including a tall blue sage, the lovely Black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata) and a pretty little white flower vaguely reminiscent of a violet. Unfortunately it started to rain so we backtracked up to the KEEP office and rested under the trees for a while. As dusk approached Wilberforce took us off into the forest not far from his house. Our aim was a hole in a tree where we hoped a Lord Derby’s Flying Squirrel was going to emerge as it got darker. But it got darker and darker and no squirrel so we had to return to the landcruiser and head off to the Rondu. Shining the torches into the forest as we drove worked well when some very bright eyeshine came back at us. Whatever this was moved off rapidly once we’d stopped the vehicle but instead we found another animal. This proved to be a Potto which curled itself up in a ball holding on to a branch with all four feet in almost the same position. We watched it like this for a while through the telescope (with John’s powerful magilite lighting it up). Eventually it uncoiled and very slowly and deliberately moved off into the thick foliage – superb!

Day 6 October 14th Ikuywa Stream and Shitia Stream

A perfect sunny morning which is just what you want down at the Ikuywa Stream, just 4km on down the track from Rondu, as it brings out the birds and butterflies and this spot has quite a diversity of both. We spent three and a half hours there and were never more than three hundred metres from the bridge!

As soon as we’d stepped out of the landcruiser new birds started appearing. There was the unusual peachy-washed Lüdher’s Bush-shrike, the fabulous shimmering jewel of a Northern Double- collared Sunbird and the immaculate lines of the White-bellied Negro-finch. A beautiful pair of Black-crowned Waxbills appeared in the roadside The Tithonia diversifolia a large yellow daisy that offered plenty of cover. Dark-backed and Brown-capped Weavers both appeared and there were Shelley’s and Cabanis’s Greenbuls too. Overhead Common Buzzards suddenly appeared in

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droves – at one point there must have been twenty or so in the air together. Towards the bridge we found White-chinned Prinias, Chubb’s Cisticolas and a Red-headed Bluebill made the briefest of appearances. By now butterflies were already numerous though they were mostly the one species – the Chief. This danaid occurs here in amazing numbers.

From the bridge we watched a pair of beautiful Black-throated Apalises apparently building a nest of moss and lichen in a tree overhanging the stream. East of the bridge there were Joyful Greenbuls, a Red-chested Cuckoo and overhead plenty of Black and White Casqued Hornbills. Up a side track we saw African Blue Flycatcher, Grey-throated Barbets, Brown-throated Wattle-eye and Yellow- billed Barbet. We filtered back down to the bridge as the butterflies were by now getting quite diverse. Though the Chiefs still outnumbered everything else two to one there were now another thirty or so species represented. Light azure Cambridge Vagrants flew past whilst the Calypso White joined the lovely African Map on streamside mud. The most beautiful of the whites here was undoubtedly the blue, white and black (and with a touch of yellow) Raffray’s White. The stunning Blue Mother-of-Pearl dropped in, as did a couple of Papilio bromius and a single Green-banded Swallowtail. What we thought was Zoroaster’s Swallowtails looked more like Papilio cynorta, but Larsen says that they should be the former in Kenya! Bright orange African Leopards (butterflies!) clubbed together on patches of dung. There were numerous blues. Lang’s Short-tailed Blue (Common Zebra Blue) was a slightly familiar face amongst them and most striking was Uranothauma heritsia. Commonest were Anthenes and the little pierrot Tuxentius margaritaeus. Acraeas were represented here by Acraea perenna and little else though up the track there were many, most being the pretty little yellow Acraea disjuncta. A large acraea-mimic sat on a roadside bush – the beautiful Pseudacraea boisduvalii. Sailors too eschewed the mud-puddling and the perhaps half a dozen or so species were seen and some are listed at the back! Just before we got back to the Rondu a Blue-spotted Wood-Dove appeared in a roadside bush.

We were back at the Rondu at a very civilized quarter to twelve. Rain set in briefly but thereafter the sun returned so everyone had a chance to have a good look round the Rondu’s lovely grounds or along the pond circuit below – John found an African Pygmy Kingfisher on the edge of the garden. I went down the Yala Trail for some time and saw many butterflies including several Charaxes – one being the intricately marked Charaxes etesipe. As well as the impressive Bebearia sophus there were three more ‘foresters’. The greeny-blue Euphaedra preussi was represented by a single butterfly and so too the blue King Forester, but no less than three shimmering deep crimson-purple- blue Rattray’s Foresters were seen. At the opposite end of the spectrum there were numerous bushbrown species here! Birds included the stunning Ross’s Turaco, many Great Blue Turacos, Black-collared Apalises and a Red-chested Cuckoo. We’d already been seeing the green-flowered terrestrial orchid Habenaria malacophylla in the Zimmerman Grid and elsewhere and down here was the lovely yellow and brown orchid Eulophia streptopetala – another ground-dwelling species. A huge mixed troupe of Black and White Colobus and Blue Monkeys came up the stream valley and ended up in the garden – some apparently walking around the lawns and posing for photographs!

In the later afternoon Wilberforce took us to the Shitia River. Here we enjoyed a few butterflies including Acraea poggei and a Spialia skipper as well as the magnificent Lormier’s Emperor Swallowtail. A blue and green damsefly with scarlet legs was quite a sight! Two Hadadas perched obligingly in the sun. Other birds included both Little and Toro Olive Greenbuls, Red-headed Bluebills, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds, Grey-headed Negro-finch and, bizarrely, a Garden Warbler.

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We headed for Lirandu Hill only for rain to divert us to the Ikuywa Stream once again. Crested Guineafowl was the best bird down in this area! Then it was back to the Rondu for dinner.

Nightwalks proved productive tonight. I saw a probable Dwarf Epauletted Fruit-bat hanging upside down before dinner and afterwards had the good fortune to run across Servaline Genet and African Palm Civet, both producing good views.

Day 7 October 15th Sioport and Lake Victoria

An action packed day started very early – we were on the road by 06.45. An hour and a bit later and we pulled up by the River Nzoia just outside Mumias. The immaculate little Rock (White-collared) Pratincoles were indeed sat upon rocks in the fast-flowing river, but as they weren’t doing much we concentrated our attention elsewhere. The area by the river was covered in a shrubbery of lantana, cassias and assorted composites and this proved attractive to the beautiful Red-chested Sunbird. This is really a jewel amongst the sunbird family! Winding Cisticola, Yellow-fronted Canaries and Common Waxbills enjoyed the cover too. On the wires were Angolan and Striped Swallows and on the corner of a building sat a Striped Kingfisher. A perky little Pin-tailed Whydah displayed vigorously to an attentive female. Butterflies included the Little Commodore and the Marsh Commodore.

Next we moved an hour towards the lake and stopped by a little ‘village’ pond near to Wilberforce’s family home. Immediately a spectacular Banded Snake-Eagle was seen perched in a tree. Black-backed Puffback, more Red-chested Sunbirds and a superb Woodland Kingfisher were in the tree tops and a White-browed Coucal was doing some strange upside-down posing at the base of a tree. Above the lotus were Holub’s Golden Weavers constructing their nests – everywhere we went today there were weavers building away! Dragonflies were numerous and included a strongly banded species and a pretty little red damselfly. Butterflies were still enjoying the sunshine with Mother-of-Pearl offering itself up to the cameras and also Yellow Pansy, Soldier Commodore and the rare and little-known (in Kenya) Precis coelestina (now five out of the day’s seven pansy species). A spikey blue flowered Blepharus like species flowered in the margins of the pond and clambering through the vegetation was a brilliant red-flowered species which looked somewhere between a bindweed and a tobacco and seems to have been the former – Ipomoea hederifolia.

Next stop not far up the road was at some fishponds which were new to us. A little walk round them yielded some good birds. In the reeds was a large colony of Yellow-backed Weavers and also one pair of Compact Weavers, A Grosbeak Weaver and Baglafecht Weavers were also present. Blue- headed Tree Agamas were on tree boughs and so too was an Emerald Spotted Wood-Dove. Prize for best bird here and possibly best of the day was a Black-billed Barbet.

Half an hour later we sighted the lake amidst a sea of papyrus and moments later were in the large village of Sioport. We took lunch under trees in the local health centre’s grounds where bird highlights were Marico Sunbird, Woodland Kingfisher and two brilliant Black-headed Gonoleks. It was still sunny and therefore hot as we walked down the track to the lake. We stopped on a little bluff to get an overview of the bay and the papyrus beds. A little smallholding by the papyrus gave us a few birds to look at – Marsh Tchagra and Papyrus Gonolek were sadly leader-only birds here but there was also Fan-tailed Widowbirds and once again the brilliant Red-chested Sunbird. Then

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we took the main track down to the jetty just two hundred metres distant. It was a hive of activity as little dhows were coming in and being ‘taken-down’ and it was wash day and clothes were being washed and laid out to dry along the track. A man came up and welcomed us (they don’t get many foreign visitors here) and said he owned the place and that we could wander at will. We started to encounter some more of the papyrus endemics we sought here. Best was probably the half dozen or so Northern Brown-throated Weavers right by, on, and under, the jetty itself. Swamp Flycatchers, Papyrus Canary and Carruther’s Cisticola were all pretty good too. A Montagu’s Harrier flew over as we walked back up the road to look at the land-papyrus interface again. Here Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird and Rüppell’s Long-tailed Glossy Starling were birds of the land and displaying Fan- tailed Widowbirds, out-of-plumage Black Bishops and pretty Black-rumped Waxbills were birds of the edge area.

We started back at 3pm. Barely out of Sioport we stopped to look at White-browed Sparrow Weavers and Golden-backed Weavers. A few miles on we stopped by a dam. Only Jacanas, Moorhens, Purple Heron and Pied Kingfisher were on the water but the surroundings held some good birds. Two Long-crested Eagles were a fine sight, and very close. Bronze Manakins were nesting up the telegraph poles. Copper Sunbirds were noted and so too a Babbler of some sort. The rare Hartlaub’s Marsh Widowbird was ‘scoped in the distance.

Last stop of the day was about half way back where a large flock of European Bee-eaters on wires caused us to pull up. These were joined by a Striped Kingfisher, Angolan Swallows and a Lizard Buzzard. Then it was time for the long haul back to Kakamega and the Rondu which we reached just before official dinner time (7pm).

Day 8 October 16th Kakamega – Yala River Circuit and Rondu

A relaxed start this morning as we left for the Yala River at eight. Little-used tracks took us down to forest edge passing an odd looking raptor en route. It seemed to have a buzzard like dark bill with yellow cere, pinkish legs, a medium-short tail which probably had one large white band across the centre and a head with a distinct pale creamy supercilium – what was it? We though we’d disturbed the same bird on the way back at lunchtime but this turned out to be a Honey Buzzard!

We parked amid the Guava which formed the main natural vegetation of the secondary forest growth here – there was a distinct odour-de-Guava in the air. From the edge the forest doesn’t look particularly special but it only takes a hundred metres inside before you realise you are in a really special forest. Yala is just about untouched with all the forest giants still here and the characteristic multi-layer vegetation of primary rainforest. The tallest trees here are up around the 80m mark and it would have been a waste of time looking for a flock of warblers in the top of these! The understorey too was richly varied with an abundance of ferns, creepers and shrubs not seen in the Zimmerman Grid. As ever with such forest the birdlife may have been varied too but you had first to find it. Luckily of course we had Wilberforce to do this. It took a while but he duly produced the gorgeous Bar-tailed Trogon – a pair came and sat over our heads. Both Little and Little Grey Greenbuls were seen along with Slender-billed and several that defied identification. Wilberforce also produced a Yellowbill on the edge of a grassy glade. There was however one big bird party which came through just about the time we reached the river. The fore-runners were a band of Dusky Tits and these were followed by a cackling group of White-headed Wood-Hoopoes and

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some Red-headed Malimbes, both doing their woodpecker impressions. Dark-backed Weavers, Olive Sunbird and both male and female Pink-footed Puffbacks were seen. A fine adult Oriole Finch was seen in the canopy and down at ground level a couple of Red-tailed Bristlebills put in an appearance.

Butterflies were on fine form though it took a while for them to get going. One of the first we saw was the hoped for Hobart’s Red Glider, a butterfly that is just red – nothing else, just red! We were to see three or four during the morning. The larger golden Lurid Glider was more common, most sitting at about head height on the pathside dracaenas. Every few yards we flushed yet another Catuna crithea and forest-floor nymphalids were really the speciality here. The striking Rattray’s Forester was seen regularly and there were a few each of both King Forester and Euphaedra preussi as well. The blue-shot Euriphene ribensis was down by the river and green female and red-purple male Bebearia sophus were not uncommon. Pale Harma theobene sat upon leaves as did the Painted Empress, which as the book says , never got within ten metres of the ground! Flying around the large logs which stuck out into the fast flowing and large River Yala were orange female Blue- spot Pansies. There were Acraeas too – the large Acraea elgonensis flew around the clearing and both Acraeas and a large blue Charaxes found Audrey of great interest! Charaxes etesipe was attracted to some dung and we saw the White-banded Charaxes on the forest edge. There were even a few swallowtails, whites, blues, browns and skippers too! One of the ‘browns’ was largely white – Ypthima albida. One of the whites was largely blue – the Cambridge Vagrant. And one of the normally black and white sailors was a distinct pale blue and black and went by the unlikely name of Pseudoneptis bugandensis. Even the moths got in on the act with a wonderful leaf mimic and a striking bright orange, black and white day-flying moth.

The forest was very beautiful and housed all manner of intricate life. The insects were bewildering and the fungi were good too – various brackets, a great tuft of what looked like a sulphur tuft, an elegant group of something very close to Honey Fungus, and something really quite bizarre looking like a white tassel on a black stalk!

Sadly we had to leave all this finery and go back to the Rondu for lunch. Still as alternatives go… In the afternoon we all elected to do our own thing. There was a general wandering around the grounds, a bit of photography here and there and two lucky people got to see a White-spotted Flufftail along a stream. I went down the Yala trail – highlights were butterflies such as Hypolimnas anthedon, Aterica galene, Blue Salamis, Eurytela hiarbus and an Evening Brown. Birds included Green Sunbird, Little Greenbul, Banded Prinia and Pettit’s Cuckoo-shrike. A genet was seen on the way back!

Day 9 October 17th Kakamega and Saiwa Swamp

A decidedly relaxed start to the day saw us breakfasted and packed with twenty minutes to go to the departure time of eight thirty. So we left early – unheard of! We picked up Wilberforce and drove into Kakamega town for a spot of water and torch shopping. It was Sunday and people everywhere in their best clothes – and on their way to church.

We drove north a few miles to the National Park entrance and thence to the foot of Buyangu Hill. Bird song was prolific hereabouts and was largely greenbul in origin. Slender and Cabanis’s

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Greenbuls were visible here. We walked up the hill seeing a number of plants of interest. As well as various Melastomaceae including a dwarf pale pink species no more than an inch high there was a bright lemon yellow Convolvulus, several nice composites and a lovely ground-flowering pink ginger. On top if the hill was a tower platform which we ascended to admire the view out over the forest. Though it stretched many a mile in each direction we could see to the edge of it thus making us realise that though 25,000 hectares sounds a lot it is miniscule on the grand scale. Kakamega deserves all the protection it can get. On the plus side it was evident that large areas of previously clear-felled forest were already well into the secondary forest stage and on their way to true forest – I had last stood on this hill ten years previously and these were open grassland then! Needless to say there were a few birds about. Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters hawked from some planted pines and the sky had a liberal scattering of hirundines and swifts. The latter included Mottled and European and the former House Martin and Mosque Swallow as well as both roughwings. A spectacular Crowned Eagle cruised past and sped away over the tree-tops.

On the way down we passed through some fine forest where the trees were often impressive and quite old especially the ‘Elgon Olives’ and the figs, one of which Wilberforce posed for pictures against. A lively Dusky Crested Flycatcher was seen here and where the path and track joined was Thick-billed Honeyguide and some Red-tailed Monkeys. Larger butterflies along this section included female Black-tipped Diadem, Lormier’s Emperor Swallowtail and Green-banded Swallowtail.

We next looked at a trail where butterflies continued to be good. Now it was the turn of the forest floor Nymphalids with Common and Rattray’s Foresters a frequent sight as well as a few King Foresters. Birds were relatively few though we did manage to see Cameroon Sombre Greenbul, Square-tailed Drongo and African Hill Babbler before reaching the main track again where Black and White Colobus, Black and Rufous Warblers, Ducky Crested Flycatcher (again!) and Buff- spotted Woodpecker delayed our progress to the picnic by the park entrance. Here we said goodbye to Wilberforce and turned northwards to Kitale and thence to Saiwa Swamp.

Variable and Northern Double-collared Sunbirds were in the acacias en route to the walkway across the swamp. Once out on this we were soon enjoying the little wet ‘raspberries’ of the rather endearing Little Rush Warblers. Holub’s Golden Weavers were nesting over the stream, a Marsh Tchagra perched atop bulrushes some way off and several Dusky Flycatchers perched on the walkway and nearby trees. Beautiful little Black-crowned Waxbills and noisy Chubb’s Cisticolas were here too. Though quiet in the afternoon in the wooded parts Saiwa still managed to produce Black-collared and Grey Apalises, two superb Blue-headed Coucals, Paradise Flycatchers by the bucket load and a Klaas’s Cuckoo. Once on platform four we scanned the wetland – to little immediate effect. Just a few Grosbeak Weavers, a Long-tailed Cormorant, and two Yellow-billed Storks. Then two Grey Crowned Cranes appeared shortly to be followed by their tiny youngsters. Then behind them a Sitatunga. Then another – both were females. Later they both swam across the channels before disappearing almost completely into the vegetation. Birdlife was very good with two more Grey Crowned Cranes flying in and landing (albeit out of sight) in the tree right next to us, a Yellow-billed Duck and chicks on the water, and an assortment of small birds that included a pair of Red-collared Widowbirds, African Reed Warbler and Common Waxbills. Eventually it was time to head back to the landcruiser and thence to Barnley’s some twenty five minutes away where we arrived just after dark.

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Day 10 October 18th Saiwa Swamp and journey to Baringo

After early tea and coffee we were off to Saiwa. A local bird guide came with us and proved invaluable with his ability to put a name to any sound in the swamp. One of the funniest sounds was obvious as soon as we set foot on the main causeway – Little Rush Warblers again. We more or less hotfooted it down to platform number four again stopping briefly for African Goshawk, a little group of Mountain Illadopsis, a superb male Black-throated Wattle-eye and a Grey-winged Ground Robin. Up on the platform Maurice immediately spotted a female Sitatunga but this soon melted into the swamp, another one later appearing even more briefly. A couple of Hadadas posed on a nearby dead tree and below us were African Reed Warbler and Common Waxbills. Grosbeak and Holub’s Golden Weavers were again noticeable and so too were the pair of Red-collared Widowbirds and single Fan-tailed Widowbird that we’d seen the night before.

We heard de Brazza’s Monkeys further along. An initial sighting of a Blue Monkey proved a red herring and soon we were watching a somewhat elusive troupe of the beautiful De Brazza’s Monkey low in the tree across the swamp from us. Eventually several youngsters came out in full view before the striking male with his white moustache and cream forehead finally posed for us. Whilst searching for these we’d heard otters and as we walked back along the track we heard them again and this time were lucky enough to see them well. It was two animals – either a pair or more likely a mother with an old cub – and the little one came out onto a dead branch to eat a little fish. The larger animal kept coming halfway up to check on progress before emerging fully itself. They then moved off along a narrow channel and as this was right towards the platform we again climbed the stairs and sure enough, five minutes later, the Spot-necked Otters came by. On the way back to the car we saw Crowned Hornbills, many Paradise Flycatchers, a pair of Cardinal Woodpeckers, Cabanis’s Greenbuls and Tambourine Dove. There was an extraordinarily strong smell of honey at one point along the track but we couldn’t locate the source. As we walked back to the carpark we noticed many Common Buzzards overhead. Numbers increased rapidly until there were constantly many passing overhead – for around half and hour they went over at the rate of at least 70 a minute and were still going strong as we left! There was even a couple of Steppe Eagles amongst them.

Back at Barnley’s we managed to take five minutes to make it five metres from vehicle to breakfast room door (Barnley’s sitting room!) before two very beautiful birds were pointed out in quick succession. A pair of Western Violet-backed Sunbirds were a fine sight as the male displayed vigorously and then four vibrant blue and red Ross’s Turacos. After breakfast it was the turn of the perhaps even more spectacular Double-toothed Barbets.

The journey to Baringo is quite a long one though the six hours was punctuated by several stops and a relaxed lunch at the fabulous Kerio Valley Viewpoint at Iten. The Kerio Valley is a nice easy to understand ‘rift’ – in fact a branch of the Great Rift itself. The drops are stupendous and the views from Iten are amazing. It seemed churlish to glance sideways at a few birds – but then White- Necked Raven, Cliffchat and Red-winged Starling are a pretty good selection. There was even a bunch of Rock Hyraxes perched on a giant boulder.

Other stops en route offered Cape Rook, Spur-winged Plover, a couple of lovely Namaqua Doves, Augur Buzzard and Pygmy Falcon. The narrow and deep canyon of the Kerio River had fisherman perched precariously half way down it.

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Once we’d settled into the rooms at the Baringo Club there was still half an hour’s light left so we went down to the jetty. A croc sat there just a few metres away, immobile. Groups of starlings, small finches and weavers flew hurriedly past as out on the water groups of Glossy Ibis did the same. Night Heron flew past too. White-billed Buffalo Weavers occupied a little acacia and down by the shore a Great White Egret was dwarfed by a Goliath Heron flying past. As dusk fell nightjars started to appear – numbers quickly built up. There were both Gabon and Slender-tailed Nightjars hawking back and forth.

Day 11 October 19th Baringo and Bogoria

For half the group the day started early with a trip up to the cliffs. We drove straight to the ‘carpark’ and started scouring the cliffs. As groups of Bristle-crowned Starlings flew along the cliffside we looked at Brown-tailed Rock-chats and then both Lesser and Vitelline Masked Weavers. A pair of Lanner Falcons perched on trees poking out of the cliffs and during the next hour we had good views of them. A Dark Chanting Goshawk flew out and landed in a nearby acacia. There was plenty of small birdlife along the rocky slopes. Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird., Beautiful Sunbirds, the beautiful Green-winged Pytilia and the diminutive Northern Crombec were amongst the species seen.

Then we drove off down an almost non-existent track into light acacia woodland along a valley. At a stop we were whisked towards a tree and sure enough there was a superb Greyish (Spotted) Eagle Owl perched under the shade. After a minute or two admiring this we had a very quick look at an Upcher’s Warbler then it was over to the nightjar field. This was fantastic. There were perhaps a dozen birds on the ground – some we flushed without realising they were there but we managed a good look at the rest on the ground. There were both Slender-tailed and Gabon Nightjars and then there was an all dark one and another with a single white side-of-neck patch and white on wings but not tail when it took off – Plain Nightjar? A few hundred metres away we looked for a courser. After enjoying fine views of a Nubian Woodpecker we had increasingly good views of a surprisingly nervous Heuglin’s Courser – the reason for the nervousness became apparent as a tiny chick was seen – so we beat a hasty retreat.

Back for breakfast and there was time for a brief wander round the garden before embarking on the boat ride. As we pulled out onto the lake Jacanas and Squacco Herons stood upon the water- hyacinth and water-fern fringed vegetation. Wilson the boatman took us close to these and then to both Malachite and Pied Kingfishers. After a Purple Heron had confused your leader briefly we spotted the real thing – the huge Goliath Heron and this we approached closely too. A Long-toed Plover and a Black Crake were seen from this spot. Then Wilson saw something moving just in front of us – a pair of Painted Snipe – though they stayed well hidden after the initial minute or so. Further on we could see a flock of White-faced Whistling Ducks and we had a close look at them before swinging out into the lake and heading out to the island. We’d already bought a couple of fish off a fisherman who’d been standing in the lake as we went past and were out here to throw them to the Fish Eagles, but alas, no eagles! Disappointment soon turned to pleasure as a large flock of the rare Hemprich’s Hornbill squawked their way along the edge of the island. We continued right round the small island stopping again when two Water Dikkops appeared. These allowed us such close approach that if we’d put out a gangplank they could have walked onto the boat. Then Wilson spotted the eagles - both adults and sat up in a tree. Wilson ‘freshened up’ a fish and

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whistled twice to the eagles and lobbed it in the air. Barely had the fish hit the water than the eagle had launched from its treetop lookout into a long shallow dive taking the fish neatly seconds later. Hope the photographs came out. Our attention turned to the other eagle but Wilson had trouble reviving his fish and when he eventually threw it into the water the eagle just ignored it so that was that – one out of two! We headed back to the shore.

The Lake Club’s gardens provided some first class though brief wildlife at lunchtime. Butterflies included the Small Grass Yellow and the pansy Junonia terea whilst birds included Pearl-spotted Owlet, Fischer’s Lovebirds and Red-fronted Barbets.

Then at three it was off to Bogoria though not before admiring the pretty little fruit bats hanging upsidedown under a shady leaf near the entrance. These were Pygmy Epauletted Fruit Bats and each one had a little baby tucked under its wing! Just a shot distance from the entrance and the pink wash on the lake shore revealed flamingos to be present. They were only in their thousands though so nothing as spectacular as at Nakuru. Grant’s Gazelle and a few Zebra and a family of Warthogs were in the background. The scene though was quite something as the massif Rift walls rose a couple of thousand feet behind the lake. We drove on round the lake passing plenty more Warthogs and a good few Gunther’s Dik-diks, those of the ‘inflated nostrils’. A large group of Kenyan students were enjoying the main hot springs so we went on to visit some more. These were fabulous with waters bubbling and hissing and steam rising all around us. A little group of waders seemed to enjoy them too though they had to lift their feet up regularly so hot was the ground! Back at the main springs a veritable geyser was performing and the arc of deep pink Lesser Flamingoes backed by the water of the lake then the rift wall made for an unforgettable scene. There was plenty of animal and birdlife here too with several wader species present as well as a nice group of Crested Francolins and a Striped Ground Squirrel.

To complete an action-packed day we went on a night drive which was not too successful – we managed brief sightings of Dik-dik and Common Genet and better views of Cape/Scrub Hare and very good views of a White-tailed Mongoose

Day 12 October 20th Baringo to Samburu.

It would be churlish to suggest that today was anything other than a long journey – we left at eight and arrived about six-thirty – and there wasn’t too much time for stops on the way either. However there were compensations. The drive down into Nakuru took us through an area dominated by acacia scrub and this grazed by large herds of goats. Plenty of birdlife still though. Then past several huge farms where light aircraft and huge trucks sat outside giant barns – one owned by Moi and one by Jomo Kenyatta’s fourth wife. By one of these we saw the beautiful White-fronted Bee- eater. Then after the posh suburbs of Nakuru we rose steadily to Thomson’s Falls where the air was decidedly cool. We were now at about 7,500 feet and it showed. The falls are spectacular though somewhat diminished by the throng of sellers and general visitors. Mountain Buzzards put on a convincing case for their identification!

Then it was off across the Laikipia Plateau on highland grasslands and low thornscrub with very occasional settlements and huge ranches. Larks, pipits and wagtails were common and we saw two

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Kori Bustards and a group of Shelley’s Francolins. Thomson’s Gazelles were not uncommon and there were a few Zebra and even a Hartebeest which stared impassively back at us.

The Aberdares had been sitting moodily on our right for some time and as we passed these Mount Kenya’s foot came into a view. Of course at this time of day we could expect little more and indeed the upper reaches stayed thoroughly cloud covered. After a brief delay for a puncture we arrived at Kentrout. This little oasis in a well-populated region provided us with both food and wildlife. Indeed we had to defend some of the former from the latter as a group of caudalis race Black and White Colobuses tried to ransack the table. That they were only partially successful was down to the staff who obviously knew their ways! They did however provide numerous wonderful photographic opportunities. There was a single male Syke’s (Blue) Monkey and also a Tree Hyrax that sat at the entrance to its tree hole rather as if someone had used it as a bung! Birds included the stunning Hartlaub’s Turaco, elusive Cinnamon Bracken Warblers and Yellow-whiskered Greenbuls.

We descended the north flank of Mount Kenya into then lowlands. The scene ahead was marvellous with rugged and shapely hills jutting up out of a dry savannah landscape. Numerous birds could have made us stop – Yellow-necked Spurfowl, rollers, bee-eaters etc, but it was an African Hawk Eagle that caused us to pull up first. Minutes later this magnificent raptor was thoroughly eclipsed as a group of four Swallow-tailed Kites bounced through the air as if they needed weights to even keep level. This is normally a bird of the far north and rare at that so this was a fantastic sighting. Soon Vulturine Guineafowl were getting into the act too along with Beisa Oryx, Impala and Grant’s Gazelle.

It was just about dark as we pulled up to the luxurious and totally lovely Samburu Lodge.

Day 13 October 21st Samburu

At dawn we took tea and then spent the next three hours enjoying the fabulous array of birds and animals that is found in Samburu’s gorgeous scenery. Ben took us along the area by the river – first in the drylands parallel to it and then along the river itself. As we drove out Helmeted Guineafowl and Crested Francolins were highly active and vocal. Almost the first animal we saw was a bunch of Bat-eared Foxes – these were clearly on their way back from a hunting trip and they wasted no time in getting on with their journey, bounding playfully round bushes. Impala and Oryx were seen but not closely so it fell to the birds to keep us occupied. Pretty Somali Bee-eaters posed on bushes whilst the ground had a wonderful mix of seed-eating birds. Donaldson-Smith’s Sparrow Weavers were common and so too Grey-headed Sparrows and Pink-breasted Larks. A ‘hoovering party’ of Black-capped Social Weavers proved that the behavioural part of the name was also correct. A Black-faced Sandgrouse was appreciated though not so much as the male Rosy-patched Shrike which sang whistfully from the top of bush before flying down to join his mate. A female Gerenuk wandered across in front of us not stopping to pose for photos. Down towards the river were a group of Buffalo standing amidst the floodplain suaeda and Caralluma, the latter a cactus-like plant with sphaerical heads of ‘black’ flowers and strange bunched seedheads. Dik-diks of the Kirk’s persuasion were common and stayed close enough for photos as did a marvellous group of Impala female and prior to this two males which walked gradually towards us posing neatly whenever someone called ’head-up’! Birds of prey and vultures were a major feature of the morning. Several

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immature Bateleurs flew over but these are but a pale imitation of the magnificent adults one of which sat upon a low tree as its mate flew overhead. As we tried to get close to these two Booted and two Tawny Eagles joined them! Overhead were Griffon, Rüppell’s Griffon and African White- backed Vulture and fly-bys included a ringtail harrier, Harrierhawk and Black-winged Kite. Down on the river itself were Yellow-billed Storks, Egyptian Geese, Nile Crocodiles, Spur-winged Plovers and a few small waders. It was all very varied – there were also Von der Decken’s Hornbills, Red-fronted Warbler, Slate-coloured Boubou, Grey-headed Kingfishers etc etc!

After a quite excellent champagne breakfast where a Palm-nut Vulture flew in and landed on a sand-bar we spent a while walking round the grounds. The Samburu Serena’s grounds are not extensive but with a long river frontage and some fine riverine woodland they offer plenty of good birdwatching and even in the middle of the day Baboons, Vervets and Waterbuck were on the far bank. Two Straw-tailed Whydah’s sat upon a tree opposite and during the walk we encountered some good species such as Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, Golden Oriole, both Hunter’s and Beautiful Sunbirds, Golden Palm and Lesser Masked Weavers and overhead, a White-headed Vulture and an Imperial Eagle. Having seen the Mother-of-Pearl butterfly at Kakamega we now saw the Forest Mother-of-Pearl here and the pretty melon-orange female of Mylothris agathina was seen fluttering about. The gorgeous large flowered birthwort Aristolochia elegans was in flower along the front wall.

After lunch and a break we were off again into the Buffalo Springs half. Though we did see some good birds – Bateleur, Cut-throat, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse etc – this afternoon was more about mammals. After some Waterbuck and guineafowl photography we passed the morning’s group of Bush Hyraxes before joining up with a large group Giraffe. These are of the reticulated type here and very beautiful they are. No less than nineteen were in this group along with some more approaching from further up the hill. Two were actually sat down whilst the rest towered over the flat-topped acacias which dangled with sparrow weaver nests. A Secretary Bird stalked through the grassland coming quite close to the landcruiser and at the same time there were Bateleur, female Pallid Harrier and Black-winged Kite in view. We moved on a little to where a fine male Gerenuk crossed the road and failing to get close to him we found another group – this time two females and a male. As is their wont they started to move off but then the male noticed the other male behind us and all shyness disappeared as he strutted right back past us. After satisfying himself that the other male posed no threat he came back feeling full of himself and immediately checked for receptive- ness amongst his little harem. One was and for the next quarter of a hour he followed her trying and occasionally succeeding in mounting her at regular intervals.

We moved to higher ground and drove for a while looking for zebras with no success though we saw plenty of Impala and a few Grant’s Gazelles as well as a good-sized group of Oryx. Then it was back down to the river for the day’s pièce de resistance. This was a group of ten Lions relaxing on the far bank of the river. There were five adult females and five young cubs. At first these did the usual Lion thing – they relaxed wholeheartedly! But then as dusk approached they decided to cross the river. The females, the pride’s matriach first, nervously tested the water which was really quite shallow – but it was crocodile that they were worried about. They tried a few places before being certain of their route and came easily across but the cubs stayed on the far shore unsure what to do. A couple of the Lionesses came bounding up our side of the bank right between us and another vehicle. One of the lionesses called back to the youngsters and as all the adults had now crossed they decided to throw caution to the wind. They crossed a streamlet to a large log where one of the

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youngsters was surprised when a wagtail was flushed – the little Lion hissing sharply at it. Then it was for the main channel which was about two-thirds a cub depth. They entered the water relatively confidently but panic soon set in and by the time they reached the near shore there was pandemonium! Water was going everywhere and so were the cubs and there was much hissing and crying but moments later they were up the bank and being ‘counted on’ by a lioness who had watched all this impassively from the bank. It was a wonderful experience watching all this and so we sped off for dinner chatting about the little lions’ adventure!

Night time saw me wandering around the grounds with an excellent haul of two White-tailed Mongooses and a superb close-up African Civet.

Day 14 October 22nd Samburu

This morning we went for the breakfast at six-thirty and out at seven-thirty approach and stayed out until lunchtime – five hours! It was a wonderful morning full of highlights and beautiful and sunny virtually throughout – which meant it became really quite hot by eleven – and it was then that the occasional cloud took the edge off it.

We drove out ignoring the flocks of Vulturine Guineafowl and herds of Impala aiming to get well across towards Buffalo Springs. Suddenly there were Elephant footprints in the dust ahead of us and we followed these down to the river where there was indeed a herd of some twenty Elephants feeding amongst the riverine woodland. We spent nearly an hour amongst them, sometimes just a trunks-length away. There were several cows and quite a number of youngsters in the ‘teenage’ bracket. Some of the males amongst these were happy to wag their ears at us in an intimidatory fashion but usually a stern glance from Ben was enough to put them in their place. There were also two well-behaved little babies that followed a cow around – presumably the mother of just one of them as twins are rare. Then there was a very little baby who was a bit of a ‘bull-in-a-china-shop’ sort. At one point he sped off trumpeting loudly with tail flowing behind and ears all a-waggle! Sadly there was one ‘teenage’ Elephant with a broken leg though he seemed to be keeping up OK. Lastly, and usually some distance behind the rest was a large bull. Whilst all this was going on Martial Eagle, Bateleur and Ethiopian Swallows flew overhead.

Heading onwards we encountered a bachelor group of Elephants – six quite old males – heading in a line towards Buffalo Springs. Lilac-breasted Roller and Violet Wood-Hoopoes were here too. We continued on towards the spring noting an abundance of large cat tracks in the sand – all three species were represented but no sign of the owners. As we neared the arid area that surrounds Buffalo Springs we found ourselves in the midst of a wonderful assortment of game. Firstly there was a single male Grevy’s Zebra – a striking animal with neat narrow stripes, a white belly and oddly-large hairy ears. And very solidly-built too. We pulled up next to half a dozen Somali Ostriches which included two males and looking straight through them we could see several Giraffes, a herd of Impala and a couple of Oryx. In fact there were very many Oryx but most were ahead of us and heading down to the river with a small group of Grevy’s Zebras. There were plenty of Impala and even more Grant’s Gazelles which were abundant here. We pulled up by a group of half a dozen Giraffes which were peering over bushes on a rise above us with a bright blue sky for a background. We turned our attention to birds briefly as a lovely pair of Black-cheeked Waxbills appeared. Then there were more Oryx, more Ostriches and even the odd Gerenuk. Marabous and

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vultures were starting to mount up in the sky and so we followed their movements to an Impala carcass. A Black-backed Jackal stood by the same but moved off as we arrived. More about the vultures later …

We turned back towards the spring and parked up. A group of Grevy’s Zebra were coming in to drink – but there was something wrong – there was already a male there! This was too much for the male following a female with a calf – he charged and the two males ran off at high speed. It was an impressive sight. He returned almost immediately having successfully removed the other from the waterhole. No such luck with a bunch of his cousins though – a group of about twenty Plain’s Zebra had arrived to join the Waterbuck already there.

Superb Starlings, White-browed Sparrow Weavers and White-headed Buffalo Weavers all posed magnificently for the camera here – practically feeding from the hand. A fine male Marico Sunbird appeared and by the water were Green-backed Heron, Squacco Heron, Wood and Green Sandpipers. Just before we left a mixed group of Fischer’s Sparrowlarks, Red-billed Queleas and Chestnut Weavers flew in to drink.

Driving back across the arid grassland we spotted a couple of fine looking Secretary Birds and on the road itself two superb Somali Coursers. The dead Impala was humming with activity. Three Tawny Eagles circled above it and a fourth sat amongst the many vultures – one pair had a nest in a nearby tree. The vultures had already made short work of the carcass and several Lappet-faced Vultures were zonked out in the grass having already gorged themselves. Now was the time for the Rüppell’s Griffons and African White-backed to eat and they squabbled at the carcass. Later would come Hooded and White-headed and we’d already seen these circling overhead. A Black Stork circled overhead as we stopped to enjoy a few more animals and so too did Black-chested Snake- Eagle and Steppe Eagle – where-ever one looked there were vultures or eagles in the air! To cap a fine morning for raptors we saw a Pale Chanting Goshawk sat in a tree.

Water Dikkop and Green-backed Heron were seen along the river during the lunch break and Yellow-billed Hornbill in the trees along the bank.

In the afternoon we visited the Samburu side of the river for the first time. This side is more hilly and wooded and very beautiful. It was certainly full of birds and we were soon amongst them. A male Purple Grenadier caused us to stop only to find that the bush two metres from the landcruiser door held a male Rosy-patched Shrike which after hopping out and having a quick run around returned to the bush and posed gloriously on the top. Several Black-capped Social Weavers and a Somali Golden-breasted Bunting were here too. We’d only gone a few yards when a Pale Chanting Goshawk caused us to pull up and take some more photographs. Just down the road a mixed flock of Parrot-billed Sparrows and Red-billed Buffalo-Weavers was just the precursor to several Fisher’s Starlings and the truly glorious Golden-breasted Starling. Words can barely describe this shimmering masterpiece – the yellow is pure as yellow can be, the back, head and breast a mix of the most iridescent purples and greens and all on such a shapely bird! Hornbills were only marginally less abundant than gamebirds. Yellow-billed and Von der Decken’s were seen several times and Red-billed Hornbills were abundant. Crested Francolins, Yellow-necked Spurfowl and both Helmeted and Vulturine Guineafowl were everywhere and only the choicest photo stops were taken. It was while doing the latter that we encountered the afternoon’s ‘main event’. A bunch of Elephants suddenly came between some trees, clearly agitated. They jogged past us flapping their

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ears – the guineafowl scattering before their great feet – and then circled back round into the trees. Then there was a trumpeting and a commotion and they burst out in a different direction. But this time something was going the opposite way – a Lioness. We moved in to take a look and there were two Lionesses, one with rather bloody front paws – an indication that they’d made a kill. The Elephants continued to come and go, rather like a bunch of troublemakers in a town centre on a Saturday afternoon – the Lions sometimes having to get out of the way – they certainly had respect for the Elephants. One of the Lionesses wandered over to the river edge and we followed noting a Buffalo below and a Bateleur above. She returned to the other but we’d noticed several Elephants including some youngsters drinking in the shallows. We tried to photograph these but the troublemakers kept getting in the way and in any case we’d now spotted the Lion cubs so we went to see them. We pulled up just four metres from them and the Lioness who was clearly looking after them. She gazed back us, slightly interested at first before relaxing. The sun came out again catching one of the cubs in the open so they all retreated to the shaded side of the bush. One of the cubs rubbed itself affectionately against its mother’s muzzle just like a domestic kitten.

We drove off up a valley but soon had to overtake a couple of Elephants also striding purposefully up the valley. Then another Lion. We decided to take a break from all this and do a spot of birdwatching up side valleys – Blue-capped Cordon-bleu, several Pygmy Falcons, a Wahlberg’s Eagle, and a superb party of Orange-bellied Parrots the result. As we dropped back towards the river we were suddenly confronted by a spectacle of game! In fact it resembled some kind of show where all the species came together and passed us on a conveyor belt. Oryx looked dwarfed with Giraffes for background but decidedly more sturdy when with Grant’s Gazelles. It was a large bachelor herd of Giraffes and several were indulging in a spot of neck wrestling. There were even a Grevy’s Zebra, several Gerenuk and a few Kirk’s Dik-diks. A trumpeting heralded a large group of Elephants. These kept coming – in all probably close to a hundred animals in two groups. They were quite noisy and we could hear one or more pushing over a tree in the distance! Dusk was approaching so we headed back to base passing Unstriped Ground Squirrels and hordes of francolins and guineafowl on the way.

Ian’s nightwalk produced yet more different animals – this time Black-backed Jackal, Nile Crocodile and Yellow-winged Bat.

Day 15 October 23rd Samburu

We took breakfast and then left at seven-thirty for what turned out to be a marathon morning in the bush – we were all keen to stay out and did so until quarter past one! Ben took us across the river into the Samburu section where we took the track to a viewpoint. This meant we were well away from other tourists. Indeed we didn’t see any even in the distance once we’d turned on to this track for the next three to four hours! Animal life was a bit sparse on the ground on this route with just a couple of Giraffes, some Impala, a couple of Gerenuk and a couple of Buffalo, though Kirk’s Dik- diks were very common. However we did see some of the smaller mammals with a couple of good groups of Dwarf Mongooses and several Unstriped Ground Squirrels. Whilst we were watching the former a small cat leapt for cover – we got barely a glimpse – though it seemed to be a Serval.

The views as we rose up the side of one of Samburu’s characteristic rocky ridges were quite wonderful though cloud early on meant they weren’t as photogenic as they might have been – the

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sun came out later though. We could see down over the Ewaso N’giro whose sinuous course was marked by a line of tall acacias and Doum Palms. In all directions hills of various sizes and abruptness made for a spectacular scene. The birdlife was exceptionally good and though we’d been in Samburu for two and a bit days and had already added around sixty-five new species for the trip new species kept on appearing regularly this morning. One of the first was a female Buff-crested Bustard and we later saw another two as well as two very fine Kori Bustards which were well photographed. A male Pringle’s Puffback was good to see and so too Rufous-crowned Roller and Abyssinian Scimitarbill. Speckle-fronted Weavers were amongst a host of passerines – Black- capped Social Weavers were very common as were Pink-breasted Larks. Hornbills were abundant and included a good number of Yellow-billed – these showing the bizarre pink-violet throat patch.

The first viewpoint was overlooked by Bush Hyraxes and inhabited by Black-throated Barbets, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbirds (with a nest), Northern Crombec and Red-backed Scrub-Robin. More new birds included a Black Cuckoo, Fawn-coloured Lark and the uncommon Northern Grosbeak-Canary. Red-backed Shrike and Rock Thrush reminded us of home. Pale Chanting Goshawks were common this morning. We must have seen about ten with a group of three display- flighting and one rather ‘off-the-wall’ individual hopping around a bush in a really crazy fashion – just a few metres from the vehicle. A couple of Gabar Goshawks were seen at the nest and there were Bateleurs, Tawny Eagles, Buzzards and even a Brown Snake-Eagle. Best though was a fantastic Martial Eagle which sat close to us in a tree and allowed a good quarter of an hours photography.

Up on a second rocky outcrop we enjoyed Red-headed Rock Agamas and Five-lined Skinks. Two Fan-tailed Ravens flew over as we scanned the floodplain below. There was plenty of game to be seen so we moved on down starting with Grevy’s Zebras and the as usual rather uncooperative Oryx. Impala and Grant’s Gazelle were numerous and in the open grassland we also saw distant Somali Ostriches. A Swallow-tailed Kite flew over and later we saw another three. Down in the river were Elephants and some Warthog which ran off covered in mud. Giraffes were there too and we watched them undertake the tricky operation of getting their heads all the way down to the water! We followed the river’s course back along towards the lodge stopping to photograph some Little Bee-eaters and we also managed some photos of the beautiful Golden-breasted Starling before hungry and by now a little warm we rolled up at the lodge nearly six hours after we’d gone out!

A very brief wander round the grounds at lunchtime produced two Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrikes, a Tree Skink and a little mouse that was drinking from a running tap in the vegetable garden that was also providing an admirable bath for many Lesser Masked, Chestnut and Black-headed Weavers.

Ben again took us over the river for the evening session. We explored a few convoluted tracks on the lower hillsides to start with. A couple of trees had no less than ten White-bellied Go-away Birds in it looking rather silly all sat out on top. A White-bellied Canary was our first here. Further round we came across some Buffalo which made good photographic subjects while overhead we were treated to a masterful display of flying by two Verreaux’s Eagles. They managed to keep tight formation even at high speed and at one point actually grappled talons though this lasted only a second. There were a few Gerenuk about and one stood on his hind legs, ramrod straight, to get at some higher leaves – it was the first one close enough and in the open that we’d been able to photograph doing this characteristic ‘Gerenuk thing’.

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Now we reached the river and spent the rest of the evening exploring a maze of narrow tracks through the Doum Palms, African Sausage Trees and Acacias. Golden Orioles flew hither and thither – there seemed to have been quite an arrival today. We watched as Vervets played on the riverbank and Waterbuck drank out in the middle. A Crocodile snatched at some thing in the water below us. A group of Rufous Chatterers chased off a White-browed Coucal. Impala were here and there and there were many pairs of Kirk’s Dik-diks. A young Bateleur posed well – its turquoise cere a most unusual colour in a raptor. There were more Pale Chanters and Black-winged Kites and quite a number of vultures sat in the trees. We found a Kori Bustard out in the open then went on to find a group of Oryx that actually allowed us to get within just metres of them! There was a fine sunset with hills behind and Doum Palms to the fore and then it was time to get back to the lodge.

Ian’s night time perambulations yielded Common Genet, Slit-faced Bat and Verreaux’s Eagle Owl.

Day 16 October 24th Samburu, Naro Moru & Mountain Lodge, Mt Kenya

We left Samburu Serena at seven-thirty and took a short game drive en route to the entrance. Game in fact was rather thin on the ground – Impala, Dik-diks and Giraffe were about all we saw apart from the usual riverside Waterbuck and a couple of Gerenuk. Birdlife was rather better though. Having seen some Northern Brownbuls at the lodge entrance we now found some more as well as a White-browed Coucal being chased off by a posse of Rufous Chatterers. A superb Martial Eagle flew off before we could get photos and this was rather the pattern of the morning as far as photography went. Nevertheless we saw some good birds including a stunning red male Red- headed Weaver. Soon enough it was time to head for the gate which we arrived almost exactly on schedule at nine, the last time during the day that we’d be on schedule of course.

We made only a couple more brief stops before Isiolo for Straw-tailed Whydah, Cut-throats, Fischer’s Sparrowlarks and some very different looking Unstriped Ground Squirrels. The other side of town Ben pulled us up for a fabulous flock of ten Fischer’s Lovebirds gaudily decorating a tree top. There was also Striped Kingfisher, Silverbills and a Black-headed Oriole here.

We stopped for tea at the Naro Moru Lodge at midday. An hour could hardly do the place justice especially as we’d hit perfect sunbird time. All the bottlebushes were in flower but the Jacarandas were so popular that the former were almost completely ignored. We saw a staggering total of eight sunbird species here making eleven for the day! Commonest and possibly most beautiful were Eastern Double-collared Sunbirds with plenty of Collared for company. Amethyst was new and particularly stunning in the strong sunlight. Bronze was familiar but not so the large Taccaze of which we saw about five. A single male Variable Sunbird appeared and most amazing of all was a male Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird. This almost foot long species is metallic green with a long drooping tail and as it flew off its scarlet tufts were clearly visible. This is normally a species of the high moorlands that reach from 3000m upwards on the mountain. Lastly there was Green-headed Sunbird. We had our first encounters with Montane White-eyes in the beautiful Mountain Olives that lined the stream, these with elegant white flowered epiphytic orchids (Cyrtorchis arcuata). Purple Grenadiers, Grey Apalis and African Golden-breasted Bunting were all seen before we left.

Our drive took us along grasslands where we saw Long-tailed Widowbirds, Secretary Bird, Hobby and White-bellied Bustard. Then up into managed forests and thence into the primary montane

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forests that rise upwards from the Mountain Lodge. We pulled up to find a couple of Bushbuck around the salt lick/water hole and these were soon joined by some Waterbuck. David, a local guide, pointed out Scaly Francolins as we walked to the reception. Around the water hole we spotted Yellow-crowned Canaries, Mountain Wagtails, Hunter’s Cisticola, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Grey-capped Warbler and Mountain Yellow Warbler. During lunch a superb male Oriole Finch posed in the shrubbery. A Slender Mongoose appeared wandering off past a male Blue Monkey that was coming in. Meanwhile we were seeing Streaky Seed-eaters, a Fish Eagle, a Sooty Falcon flypast and Kenrick’s Starling. As evening approached several Red-fronted Parrots flew past. Bushbuck numbers were up a little by now and the first Buffalo were coming in. A pair of Verreaux’s Eagle Owls appeared and sat side by side on a branch waiting for darkness. Two Marsh Mongeese came out for scraps left them before going off for a walk. A little later two White-tailed Mongeese came in to have a look around. After dinner two Blotched Genets, one of them a partially melanistic animal, came in to feed, and later in the night John saw our only Spotted Hyaena of the tour.

Day 17 October 25th Mountain Lodge, Mount Kenya

The day started with rain so we had to be content with looking out over the waterhole where there seemed an almost continual procession of Buffalo. At one point, when the rain was at its heaviest, thirty-five Buffalo stood absolutely still about the waterhole. There were also comings and goings from Bushbuck and Waterbuck and the Egyptian Geese saga continued with repeated seeing-offs of the itinerant bird.

We took breakfast at eight by which time the rain had stopped and we met up with David, the local naturalist, at nine. He told us it would rain and recommended wellies and long waterproof coats (both provided by the lodge). We started by having a quick look for the tiny Suni Antelope and David soon rustled up very good views of a couple animals. Then it was into the forest with an armed ranger too! We walked slowly as there was plenty of bird song in the trees not least the ‘telephone ‘brnnng brnnng’ of the Chestnut-throated Apalis a bird that we heard most of the morning but failed to get a good look at. However there were plenty of birds we did see well. Black-headed and Grey Apalises, Grey-capped Warbler, some extremely confiding Mountain Greenbuls, African Hill Babblers, a White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Brown Woodland Warbler, both Moustached Green and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird.and a gorgeous adult White-starred Forest Robin. Ian F spotted a Narina’s Trogon – a gorgeous male who sat out in the open for us. There was Silvery-cheeked Hornbill and a Hartlaub’s Turaco high in the trees, and lots of Montane White-eyes too and a single Grey Cuckoo-Shrike. David was a mine of information on the plants, knowing most of the names, both local and latin, and also the local uses for them. A yellow-flowered Kalanchoe was used for rheumatism and other plants for diarrhoea and as anti-coagulents. Amongst the many magnificent trees we saw he showed as a strangler fig (Ficus thonningii) which is locally a ‘holy tree’. If there has been an illness then a goat is sacrificed at the base of the tree and half of it burnt, the smoke talking to the gods in the tree and the other half is laced up on the tree and if it is gone the next day then the gods are happy and one’ll recover. If you walk seven times round the tree you’ll change sex and if you pee on it you’ll go crazy! We saw little motorways of Safari Ants crossing the trail and up in the trees the large nests of ‘cocktail ants’. These are used locally to stitch wounds – the soldiers held at the wound so that their pincers bite into both sides of the wound and then the ant is decapitated and the pincers lock tight! The formic acid on the mandibles also acts as

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an antiseptic. Ferns were everywhere, both on the ground and on the trees. Bracken looked rather different from home though was the same species but otherwise there was an abundance of aspleniums.

A few Waterbuck were seen and Black and White Colobus too and the odd Bushbuck scurried off through the undergrowth though one sat happily chewing the cud as David talked to us. Suddenly we came across a series of cut logs upturned as little tables and a giant log as a seat and there were cups on each table! We were served tea and coffee and something a little stronger to keep us going. Marvellous!

After this rather incongruous interruption we moved on, almost immediately becoming embroiled in a bird party. Montane Oriole, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Thick-billed Seed-eater were all watched before we spotted the fabulous Emerald Cuckoo. Past some lovely bright pink Impatiens and a single plant of Arisaema bequaertii (was mildbraedii) not yet quite open we encountered more birds. Chin-spot Batis was joined by a pair of Blue-mantled Crested Flycatchers. Then it started to rain. It got harder and harder and so there was nothing for it but to walk back to the lodge. The fifteen minutes it took gave an illustrations of just how wet it can be here. However we’d had the best part of four hours out on the walk already and had only covered two-thirds of the two kilometres so we would have had to get a move on to get back in time for another huge lunch!

After lunch we went downhill in the landcruiser for a spot of open country birdwatching. It had rained for a while so it was three-thirty before we got out. We stopped at various spots the most productive of which was an area of roadside ‘ruderals’ with an open grassland beyond. Flocks of Red-collared Widowbirds flew over this and there were Holub’s Golden Weavers and Stout Cisticolas sitting on the bushes. Quail called from the grass. A large flock of Crimson-rumped Waxbills fed in earth by the road and with these were a couple of Africa Citrils, Yellow-bellied Waxbills, African and Red-billed Firefinches – it was quite a colourful flock! Nearby was an African Golden-breasted Bunting and two White-browed Coucals. As we drove up towards the lodge a party of four Egyptian Mongeese crossed the road.

After dinner we went on a night drive doing the three kilometres or so down past the park entrance to the ‘elephant gate’ and a little way into the young plantations thereafter. During the hour and a half we encountered no less than nine species of mammal which must be very good for any night drive. Of course the usual common ‘buck’ were seen with Bushbuck commoner than Waterbuck. In addition Suni Antelope were well represented with half a dozen seen. A single Harvey’s Duiker was well watched – the black lines down its face and black and white tail seen well on a tawny russet coat. A most excellent find was of the Grey Pouched Rat Cricetomys emini which was just a metre or so from the landcruiser and aside from being about 80cm long (half body, half tail) its most striking feature was the large cheeks where it was storing food garnered on its night foray before returning to its den – hence the pouched part of its name. Tree Hyraxes called everywhere – literally – though we never saw them. Montane Nightjar fared rather better as we heard and saw the eye- shine. We saw several Scrub Hares and carnivores were well-represented by one or two Blotched Genets and four White-tailed Mongeese.

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Day 18 October 26th Mountain Lodge and Nairobi National Park.

At five past six an Elephant sauntered down to the waterhole and then walked round to have a drink from the spring before continuing on its way. Otherwise the waterhole was quiet with a few Buffalo, Bushbuck and Waterbuck coming and going and a flock of perhaps fifty Yellow-crowned Canaries. Though not a clear morning there was a great view to be had of Mount Kenya, the majority of the summit clear around six-thirty with light mists swirling around the highest snow and rock. In the shrubbery out back were Ruppell’s Robinchats, White-starred Forest Robin, Mountain Greenbuls, and some Suni. Overhead were Red-fronted Parrots and a female Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon and on top the high trees was a Kenrick’s Starling and a Bearded Woodpecker.

We left a little after nine and headed down the rutted road towards Nyeri. We made a brief stop at the river below the State House and though we only saw Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, Blue Monkeys, Black Cuckoo-shrike and an assortment of common birds the spot clearly looks promising for both Giant Kingfisher and Black Duck – more time in the future!

We traversed the big city and arrived at a busy looking Nairobi National Park gate. In fact this was an illusion for out in the park there were few vehicles – hardly any in fact. It was only the amazing Nairobi skyline and industrial complexes abutting the north side of the park that revealed the proximity of several million people. It really is amazing to have such a fabulous park right next to (literally) a huge city and have it so little visited – it wouldn’t happen in Derbyshire! We drove down through the wooded sector of the park passing a Giraffe, some Baboons and numerous butterflies including several swallowtails and stopped at Impala Viewpoint for our picnic. The tiny Baliochila fragilis (a kind of ‘buff’) butterfly fluttered around the bushes here. Though no game was near at hand there was plenty of it out over the grassy Whistling Acacia-dotted plains below. We could see herds of Zebra and Grant’s Gazelle, a few Ostriches and Giraffe and quite a number of Hartebeest. We drove off towards the river passing numerous ‘little brown jobs’ en route – Nairobi NP is full of them and we weren’t stopping to look today so we passed Stout, Rattling and Pectoral-Patch Cisticolas, Tawny-flanked Prinias, Rufous-naped Bushlarks and assorted others of the genre with barely comment. We soon started to encounter game. There were large numbers of Zebra with plenty of young brownish animals. Some hardly seemed to want to relinquish the road to us. We found the first of several small groups of Eland. These huge antelope are always very elegant though they like to keep a little distance. There were more Giraffe, lots of Impala, the odd Warthog, groups of Thomson’s Gazelles and even a few Wildebeest. We stopped by various groups, some mixed others not, and took photographs from various angles and looked for the classic ‘city skyline in the background, Zebras in the foreground’ shots. John spotted a fine male White- bellied Bustard close to the bus and there were numerous groups of Northern Pied Babblers and noisy Long-tailed Fiscals sat in the acacias. A Striped Ground Squirrel crossed our path. Down by a little stream we saw a brilliant orange and blue male Red-headed Rock Agama posed classically on a ridge-barked tree. Above it was the pretty female and above her the striped Variable Skink. Chin- spot Batis and African Moustached Warbler were seen here.

We moved on to Hippo Pool where we got out for a short walk. Malachite Kingfisher, Long-tailed Cormorant and a whole bunch of Serrated Hinged Terrapins sat on branches in the river. The acacias here were alive with birds. An active party of little Abyssinnian White-eyes party-ed their way through whilst Sulphur-breasted Bush-Shrike was rather more circumspect in its movements. With the latter was a pair of Abyssinnian Scimitarbills, Holub’s Golden Weaver, a superb Red-

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throated Tit and Banded Parisoma. A group of vultures appeared overhead and with these was an immature Steppe Eagle. Ben took us further east and after a brief Giraffe interlude up over rolling wide-open grasslands where the few Whistling Acacias were only a foot or so tall. We stopped by a small lake where a group of shore-side Ostriches fled but a party of Zebra proved more entertaining as they walked into the water and splashed animatedly. Yellow-billed Storks, Pink-backed Pelicans, Blacksmith Plovers and Fish Eagles were along the shore. We drove up through yet more game and soon spotted a couple of bulky grey things ahead. Two Black Rhinos. As we approached they stared at us unsure what we were or what they should do! It was a mother and old-ish calf. Eventually the calf settled down to suckle and so we moved on though not before spotting Pallid Harrier, Pangani Longclaw and a lovely male Hartlaub’s Bustard. We were still searching for Cheetah and your leader thought he’d found one – a cat sitting up in the grass. We stopped and the briefest of binocular views confirmed it to be a cat – but not a Cheetah. It was a Serval and unfortunately by the time we’d all got back up it had ducked into cover, whether because of our sudden movement (we weren’t that close) or the two Warthogs that stormed past it we don’t know. We spent a few minutes waiting for it to reappear but to no avail. Then it was time to leave so we headed for the East Gate and a rather torrid but short journey through the Nairobi rush hour to the Carnivore Restaurant. Here we said goodbye to Audrey as she was off into town to meet friends in the Boulevard and stay for a few days. The rest of us settled into the restaurant and a feast of meat! Rather overfull we headed off to Nairobi Airport and were soon checked-in. The flight as forecast left thirty minutes late but arrived on time in London where we all parted – it was rather cooler here!

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Systematic List Number 1 Mammals

The taxonomy follows the checklist produced by the East African Natural History Society. The number out of 17 indicates the number of days a species was seen – e.g. 7/17 indicates that a species was noted on 7 days during the holiday – this includes the extension.

Itinerary Summary

10th – 12th October Nakuru 12th – 17th October Kakamega including Sioport 17th – 18th October Saiwa Swamp 18th – 20th October Baringo and Bogoria 20th – 24th October Samburu 24th – 26th October Mount Kenya – Mountain Lodge 26th October Nairobi National Park

Little Epauletted Fruit Bat Epomorphus labiatus Either this species or Gambian Epaulleted Fruit Bat Epomorphus gambianus was occasional in the gardens at the Rondu Retreat, Kakamega. 3/17 Pygmy Epauletted Fruit Bat Epomorphus minimus Three mums with babies hanging under a leaf outside the Baringo Club – stunning! Dwarf Epauletted Fruit Bat Micropteropus pusillus ?probably this species roosting near the Rondu, Kakmega Yellow-winged Bat Lavia frons Scattered. 2/17 Slit-faced Bat Nycteris species Noted at Samburu. 1/17 Potto Perodicticus potto 1 just after dark between Isecheno and the Rondu Vervet Monkey Cercopithecus aethiops Widespread. 10/17 Red-tailed Monkey Cercopithecus ascanius Rather scarce at Kakamega this time with just a couple of groups. 2/17 Stuhlmann’s Blue Monkey Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni Common in Kakamega. Either this subspecies or Cercopithecus mitis elgonensis at Saiwa Swamp. 8/17 Syke’s Blue Monkey Cercopithecus mitis albogularis Noted at Kentrout and around the Mountain Lodge, Mount Kenya. 3/17 De Brazza’s Monkey Cercopithecus neglectus A superb group of 6 watched for some time at Saiwa Swamp Olive Baboon Papio anubis Widespread and common except at Kakamega. 10/17 Black and White Colobus Colobus guereza Subspecies ‘occidentalis’ common in the Kakamega area and at Saiwa Swamp and subspecies ‘caudatus’ common on Mount Kenya. 8/17 & 3/17 Black-backed Jackal Canis mesomelas A total of 3 seen at Samburu. 2/17 Bat-eared Fox Otocyon megalotis 3 on the first morning at Samburu Spot-necked Otter Lutra maculicollis 2 at Saiwa Swamp East African Civet Civettictis civetta 1 at night in the lodge at Samburu Small-spotted Genet Genetta genetta 1 on night drive at Baringo and 1 at night at the lodge in Samburu. 2/17

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Servaline Genet Genetta servalina 1 seen well at night between Rondu and Ludanda Hill, Kakamega. A genet seen on the trail from Rondu to Yala just after dusk was either this species or the next. (IG only) Rusty (Large) Spotted Genet Genetta tigrina 2 seen both nights at the Mount Mountain Kenya Lodge – one partially melanistic. 2/17 African Palm Civet Nandinia binotata 1 just outside the Rondu on nightwalk (IG only) Marsh Mongoose Atilax paludinosus 2 each evening/night at the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Dwarf Mongoose Helogale parvula Several family parties seen at Samburu. 4/17 Egyptian Mongoose Herpestes ichneumon 4 almost certainly this species bounded across the road about 4km below the Mountain Lodge Slender Mongoose Helogale sanguineus 1 at Rift Valley Viewpoint before Naivasha and 1 at the Mountain Lodge. 2/17 White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda 1 on night drive at Baringo, 2 in the Samburu Serena Lodge at night and several seen at night around and below the Mountain Lodge. 4/17 Spotted Hyaena Crocuta crocuta 1 at night at the Mountain Lodge (JD) Serval Felis serval The briefest of views of what was almost certainly one in Samburu and also very brief views in Nairobi NP. 2?/17 Lion Panthera leo A total of 16 seen all at Samburu. The best was a pride crossing the river with cubs ‘taking on’ the water! 2/17 Leopard Panthera pardus 1 seen very briefly at Nakuru – literally just its back end! African Elephant Loxodonta africana Locally common in Samburu. Also 1 came to the waterhole at the Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Plain's Zebra Equus burchelli Also known as Burchell's Zebra. Common in Nakuru (and en route to Nakuru) and in Nairobi National Park. Also a few in Samburu. 7/17 Grevy’s Zebra Equus grevyi Max daily count of 25 in Samburu but not seen everyday there. 2/17 Square-lipped (White) Rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum The introduced population at Nakuru seemed to be thriving – max day count of 15. 3/17 Black Rhinoceros Diceros bicornis A mother and baby seen well in Nairobi NP East African Tree Hyrax Dendrohyrax validus 1 seen at Kentrout and heard at and below the Mountain Lodge Yellow-spotted (Bush) Rock Hyrax Heterohyrax brucei Seen at Bogoria and locally in Samburu. 4/17 East African Rock Hyrax Procavia johnstoni Noted on the cliffs at Baringo and also at Bogoria, with the previous species Warthog Phacochoerus africanus Quite common at Nakuru, Nairobi National Park and Bogoria. Few at Samburu. 7/17 Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius Seen daily at Lake Nakuru where max daily count 7. Up to 10 daily at Baringo. 5/17 Giraffe Giraffra camelopardalis Subspecies tippelskirchi’ was seen daily in Nakuru and Nairobi NP. Subspecies ‘reticulata’ was common in Samburu. 7/17 Coke’s Hartebeest Alcelaphus busephalus Common in Nairobi National Park and 1 seen on the Laikipia Plateau. 2/17 Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus Several dozen seen in Nairobi NP Impala Aepyceros melampus Widespread and abundant in all savannah areas. 10/17 Grant's Gazelle Gazella grantii Widespread in all savannah areas. 10/17

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Thomson's Gazelle Gazella thomsonii Locally abundant around Naivasha, Baringo, Bogoria and Nairobi National Park. Also quite common at Nakuru. 6/17 Gerenuk Litocranius walleri Quite common in Samburu – max daily count of about 14. 4/17 African Buffalo Syncerus caffer Widespread – some considerable herds. 9/17 Common Eland Taurotragus oryx A few seen in Nakuru. A few groups in Nairobi National Park. 2/17 Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus A female seen in Nakuru. Rather common at the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge where up to a dozen present at the water hole at any one time. 4/17 Sitatunga Tragelaphus spekii 2 on the first visit and 3 on the second visit to Saiwa Swamp. 2/17 Harvey’s (Red Forest) Duiker Cephalophus harveyi 1 on the Night Drive below the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Oryx Oryx gazella Several impressive groups in Samburu. 4/17 Gunther’s Dik-dik Madoqua guentheri Quite common at Bogoria Kirk's Dik-dik Madoqua kirkii Common in Nakuru and Samburu. 7/17 Suni Neotragus moschatus 5 seen in daylight at the Mountain Lodge and another 6 on the Night Drive below there. 2/17 Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus Common in Nakuru, Samburu and Mount Kenya. 10/17 Red-legged Sun Squirrel Heliosciurus rufobrachium Seen infrequently at Kakamega and Saiwa Swamp. 3/17 Huet's Bush Squirrel Paraxerus ochraceus Quite common around the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Geoffrey’s Ground Squirrel Euxerus erythropus 1 seen near Hot Springs at Bogoria and another seen at Nairobi National Park. 2 very odd looking ground squirrels with bright facial colouration seen at Samburu – species unknown? 2/17 Unstriped Ground Squirrel Xerus rutilus Common in Bogoria and Samburu. 6/17 Grey Pouched Rat Cricetomys emini This fabulous eighty cm long rat was seen on the Night Drive below Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge fully exhibiting its cheeks! Four-striped Grass Mouse Rhabdomys pumilio This distinctive little mouse seen on the road up to the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Gerbil spp Tatera spp 1 at night in the Samburu Lodge by the Zimmerman Grid, Kakamega Crested Porcupine Hystrix cristata Quills noted at Samburu Cape Hare Lepus capensis Common at Baringo and probably this species also seen at Nakuru and at Samburu Northern Scrub Hare Lepus fagani Several below Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17

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Systematic List Number 2 Butterflies

The systematic order adopted here follows that in Larsen's 'Butterflies of Kenya' published by Oxford University Press (1996). It is a composite list including sightings made during the 2003 trip to the same locations. Those species not seen during the 2004 tour are enclosed in [square brackets].

Papilionidae Mocker Swallowtail Papilio dardanus 2003 & 2004 males noted in most locations - locally common Green B'ded Swallowtail Papilio phorcas 2003 & 2004 quite common in the Kakamega area, occasionally elsewhere [Constantine’s SwallowtailPapilio constantinus A dead one on the pumphouse track, Kakamega] Noble Swallowtail Papilio nobilis 2004. A stunning male on the east track at Nakuru Broad Green-banded Swallowtail Papilio bromius Subspecies 'chrapkowskii'. Recorded from Kakamega. This and the next two species require great care in differentiating between the two species Van Someren's Green-banded Swallowtail Papilio interjecta 2003 & 2004 quite common at Kakamega Narrow Green-banded Swallowtail Papilio nireus Nairobi NP entrance. 2004 Nairobi NP! Lormier's Swallowtail Papilio lormieri Subspecies 'crocea'. Several of this spectacular species noted at Kakamega. 2004 seen daily there Citrus Butterfly Papilio demodocus Scattered - noted from Kakamega and Nakuru etc. 2004 Only seen at Baringo Zoroaster Swallowtail Papilio zoroastres Ikuywa, Kakamega. 2004 Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega. Note that these fit the description of Papilio cynorta better but Larsen considers records of cynorta from Kenya to likely be aberrant zoroastres

Pieridae African Emigrant Catopsilia florella Noted in the Masai Mara. 2004 scattered throughout African Clouded Yellow Colias electo Saiwa Swamp. 2004 Nakuru Common Grass Yellow Eurema hecabe Scattered. 2004 widespread Forest Grass Yellow Eurema senegalensis 2003 & 2004 Kakamega Marsh Grass Yellow Eurema hapale 2004 papyrus beds at Sioport Small Grass Yellow Eurema brigitta 2004 Baringo and Samburu Large Vagrant Nepheronia argia 2003 & 2004 Kakamega Blue Vagrant Nepheronia thalassina Scattered. Also known as the Cambridge Vagrant. 2004 Isecheno and Yala, both Kakamega Nepheronia pharis 2004 Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega Orange and Lemon Eronia leda Also known as Autumn Leaf Vagrant. Samburu & Masai Mara Vine Leaf Vagrant Eronia cleodora 2004 Baringo Small Salmon Arab Colotis amatus 2004 Baringo Golden Arab Colotis chrysonome 2003 & 2004 Samburu African Golden Arab Colotis aurigeneus 2003 & 2004 Nakuru [Veined Golden Arab Colotis vesta Masai Mara] Purple-tip Colotis ione 2004 a male at Nakuru [Regal Purple-tip Colotis regina Masai Mara] [Sulphur Orange-tip Colotis eucharis Masai Mara] [Yellow Patch White Colotis halimede Barnley’s and Baringo] Colotis evenina 2004 Baringo Round-winged Orange-tip Colotis euippe 2003 & 2004 Widespread in drier areas Caper White Belenois aurota 2004 common at Nakuru [African Caper Belenois creona Masai Mara]

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Raffray's White Belenois raffrayi Subspecies 'extendens'. 2003 & 2004 Several at Kakamega – Ikuywa [Crawshay’s Caper White Belenois crawshayi Kakamega] Calypso Caper White Belenois calypso Masai Mara. 2004 Rondu and Ikuywa, both Kakamega [Red-edged White Belenois rubrosignata Masai Mara] [False Dotted Border Belenois thysa Masai Mara] [ Dixeia orbona Saiwa Swamp, Baringo and Masai Mara] [Woodland Albatross Appias sylvia Saiwa Swamp] African Wood White Leptosia alcesta Subpsecies 'inalcesta'. Also known as Flip Flop. 2003 & 2004 Scattered – not Kakamega Immaculate Wood-White Leptosia nupta 2003 & 2004 very common in Kakamega Hybrid Wood White Leptosia hybrida Subspecies 'somereni'. 2003 & 2004 quite common at Kakamega Opaque Wood White Leptosia wigginsi 2003 & 2004 Kakamega – scarce – deep forest Eastern Dotted Border Mylothris agathina 2004 Samburu [Rüppell’s Dotted Border Mylothris rueppellii Noted on Mount Kenya] [Yule’s Dotted Border Mylothris yulei Ikuywa, Kakamega]

Lycaenidae Tetrahanis ilma 2004 Yala, Kakamega Baliochila fragilis 2004 Impala Lookout, Nairobi NP [ Argyrocheila inundifera Ikuywa, Kakamega] Uranothauma heritsea Yala, Kakamega. 2004 Yala, Kakamega [ Uranothauma delatorum Ikuywa, Kakamega] [ Uranothauma falkensteini Ikuywa, Kakamega] [ Anthene ligures Ikuywa, Kakamega] Anthene lioides 2004 Isecheno, Kakamega Spotted Ciliate Blue Anthene larydas 2004 common in Kakamega Common Zebra Blue Leptotes pirithous 2004 common in Kakamega area and Baringo Tuxentius margaritaceus 2003 & 2004 Ikuywa, Kakamega [ Tuxentius cretosus Ikuywa, Kakamega] Peculiar Giant Cupid Lepidochrysops peculiaris Ikuywa, Kakamega] Tiny Grass Blue Zizula hylax 2003 & 2004 grass verges at Kakamega African Babul Blue Azanus jesous 2004 common at Nakuru

Riodinidae Neave's Judy Abisara neavi Quite common in Kakamega. 2004 foot of Buyangu Hill, ] Kakamega

Libytheidae African Snout Libythea labdaca Nominate?? 2003 & 2004 common in Kakamega

Nymphalidae Common Tiger Danaus chrysippus Kakamega. 2004 scattered [African Blue Tiger Tirumala petiverana Isecheno, Kakamega] Beautiful Tiger Tirumala formosa Noted from the pumphouse track, Kakamega. 2004 Ikuywa and Mudango Trail, both Kakamega [Friar Amauris niavius Not uncommon at Kakamega] Chief Amauris echeria Isecheno, Kakamega. 2004 abundant Kakamega Amauris albimaculata Isecheno, Kakamega. 2004 scarce Kakamega ‘evening brown’ sp Gnophodes sp 2004 Yala, Kakamega Bicyclus mandanes Pumphouse Track, Kakamega. 2004 widespread in Kakamega [Jeffrey’s Bushbrown Bicyclus jefferyi Pumphouse Track, Kakamega] Bicyclus mollitia 2004 Yala, Kakamega Bicyclus golo Pumphouse Track, Kakamega. 2004 deep forest, Kakamega

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Dentate Bushbrown Bicyclus dentatus Pumphouse Track, Kakamega. 2004 Mudango Trail, Kakamega Bicyclus buea Pumphouse Track, Kakamega. 2004 Mudango Trail, Kkamega Bicyclus sophrosyne 2004 Isecheno, Kakamega Common Three-ring Ypthima asterope 2003 & 2004 Kakamega Silver Ringlet Ypthima albida 2004 scattered in Kakamega Pearl Charxes Charaxes varanes 2004 Rondu, Kakamega Forest Pearl Charaxes Charaxes fulvescens Ikuywa, Kakamega. 2004 Isecheno, Kakamega Green-veined Charaxes Charaxes candiope Saiwa Swamp where common. 2004 road near theRondu, Kakamega White-barred Charaxes Charaxes brutus 2004 in the guava plantations by Yala, Kakamega [Black-bordered Charaxes Charaxes pollux Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega] [Powder Blue Charaxes Charaxes pythodoris Ikuywa, Kakamega] The ‘blue spot charaxes’ were seen several times in 2004 in Kakamega but identification was not certain so one or more of Charaxes’ tiridates, bipunctatus and numenes was present. There were also several sightings of unidentified ‘small black charaxes’ there Savannah Charaxes Charaxes etesipe 2004 quite common in Kakamega area Euriphene ribensis 2004 the Mudango Trail, Kakamega Bebearia sophus 2004 quite common in Yala, Kakamega, also a few on trails below Rondu, also Kakamega Common Forester Euphaedra medon 2004. Mudango Trail, Kakamega. The least common of the Kakamega foresters! King Forester Euphaedra rex Ikuywa, Kakamega. 2004 Scattered throughout Kakamega Euphaedra preussi 2004 rather common in Yala and below the Rondu, Kakamega Rattray’s Forester Euphaedra rattrayi 2004 this glorious butterfly was quite common in Yala, below the Rondu and especially along the Mudango Trail, all Kakamega Harma theobene Saiwa Swamp. 2004 Yala, Kakamega Lurid Glider Cymothoe lurida Isecheno and Ikuywa, Kakamega. 2004 Yala, Kakamega Hobart’s Red Glider Cymothoe hobarti 2004 several in Yala, Kakamega – totally scarlet! Forest Glade Nymph Aterica galene Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega. 2004 Scattered in Kakamega Catuna crithea Subspecies 'conjuncta'. Isecheno and Isecheno, Kakamega. 2004 widespread Kakamega Blue Sailor Pseudoneptis bugandensis 2004 common in Yala, Kakamega [False Wanderer Pseudacraea eurytus Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega] False Chief (Diadem) Pseudacraea lucretia 2004 Yala, Kakamega Trimen’s False Acraea Pseudacraea boisduvalii 2004 A stunning male ‘scoped by the Ikuywa Stream Neptis metella 2004 Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega Neptis laeta 2004 Isecheno, Kakamega [ Neptis nicobule Ikuywa, Kakamega] Streaked Sailor Neptis melicerta 2004 locally quite common in Kakamega Carcasson’s Str’ked Sailor Neptis carcassoni 2004 Yala, Kakamega [Woodward’s Sailor Neptis woodwardi Ikuywa, Kakamega] [ Sallya umbrina ?probably this species at the Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega] [ Sallya garega Ikuywa, Kakamega] [Natal Tree Nymph Sallya natalensis Saiwa Swamp] African Map Butterfly Cyrestis camillus Quite common at the Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega. 2004 Roads and Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega [Golden Piper Eurytela dryope Saiwa Swamp] Pied Piper Eurytela hiarbas Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega. 2004 trails below the Rondu, Kakamega [African Castor Ariadne enotrea Yala, Kakamega] [Danaid Eggfly Hypolimnas misippus Also known as the Diadem. Noted from Nakuru and Kakamega] Variable Eggfly Hypolimnas anthedon Ikuywa, Kakamega. 2004 Yala, Kakamega Black-tipped Diadem Hypolimnas monteironis Subspecies 'major'. Kakamega – Rondu House. 2004 female at foot of Buyango Hill, Kakamega Blue Mother-of-Pearl Salamis temora 2004 Ikuywa Stream on both visits, trails below Rondu and also Shitia River, all Kakamega

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Forest Mother-of-Pearl Salamis parhassus 2003 & 2004 not uncommon at Kakamega Clouded Mother-of-Pearl Salamis anacardii 2004 common at Samburu Blue Pansy Junonia orithya Subspecies 'madagascariensis'. Noted at Samburu. 2004 Baringo Dark Blue Pansy Junonia oenone Widespread. Noted at Nakuru, Kakamega and Mt Kenya. 2004 Sioport Yellow Pansy Junonia hierta Subspecies 'cebrene'. Scattered. 2004 Baringo Little Commodore Junonia sophia Subspecies 'infracta'. 2003 & 2004 widespread. Both colour forms noted in the Yala area at Kakamega Brown Pansy Junonia stygia Subspecies ' gregoria'. 2003 & 2004 common at Kakamega Soldier Commodore Junonia terea Subspecies 'elgiva'. Noted at Nakuru and Kakamega. 2004 scattered throughout wooded areas [Gaudy Commodore Precis octavia Subspecies 'sesamus'. Noted at Saiwa Swamp] Precis coelestina 2004 seen near Mumias – a rare species in Kenya Marsh Commodore Precis ceryne 2004 between Mumias and Sioport near fishfarms [Painted Lady Cynthia cardui Near Kitale!] Black and Orange Vanessula milca Subspecies 'latifasciata'. 2003 & 2004 Kakamega [Abyssinian Admiral Antanartia abyssinica Kentrout] African Leopard Fritillary Phalanta eurytus Noted from the Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega. 2004 scattered in Kakamega Acraea perenna 2004 scattered in Kakamega [ Acraea anacreon Saiwa Swamp] Acraea jodutta 2004 Isecheno, Kakamega [Orange Acraea Acraea eponina Baringo] [Penelope's Acraea Acraea penelope Subspecies 'vitrea'. Kakamega] Acraea quirinalis 2003 & 2004 Isecheno and Yala, Kakamega [Ansorge’s Acraea Acraea ansorgei Saiwa Swamp] Acraea disjuncta 2004 very common at the Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega [ Acraea semivitrea Several noted at various localities in Kakamega] [ Acraea pharsalus Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega] Acraea leucographa 2004 this distinctive species was mud-puddling on the road between Isecheno and the Rondu, Kakamega Pogge’s Wanderer Acraea poggei 2004 noted from trails below the Rondu, Shitia River and Yala areas of Kakamega Acraea elgonense 2004 similar to previous species. Noted at Yala, Kakamega

Hesperidae One Pip Policeman Coeliades anchises 2004 Samburu [ Eagris lucetia Isecheno, Kakamega] Celaenorrhinus galanus 2003 & 2004 Isecheno, Kakamega Celaenorrhinus proxima 2004 Isecheno, Kakamega Yellow Forest Sylph Ceratrichia flava Subspecies ‘semlikensis’. 2004 common at Isecheno, Rondu etc, Kakamega Brown Forest Sylph Ceratrichia brunnea 2004 Isecheno, Kakamega

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Systematic List Number 3 Birds

The systematic order adopted here follows that in a checklist of the birds of Kenya published by the East African Natural History Society. Some names have been updated using Zimmerman et al's Birds of Kenya. The number out of 17 indicates the number of days a species was seen – e.g. 7/17 indicates that a species was noted on 7 days during the holiday (this includes the extension).

Itinerary Summary

10th – 12th October Nakuru 12th – 17th October Kakamega including Sioport 17th – 18th October Saiwa Swamp 18th – 20th October Baringo and Bogoria 20th – 24th October Samburu 24th – 26th October Mount Kenya – Mountain Lodge 26th October Nairobi National Park

Masai Ostrich Struthio camelus masaicus This and the next treated as separate species by some. A female at Baringo and 50+ in Nairobi NP. 2/17 Somali Ostrich Struthio (c.) molybdophanes 30+ at Samburu. 2/17 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Limuru Pond, Nakuru and near Iten. 4/17 White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus Impressive numbers. 2000+ at Nakuru. 3/17 Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens 3+ flew past Limuru Pond, 2 at Nakuru, 1 at Isiolo and 4 at Nairobi NP. 4/17 Greater Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Small numbers recorded at Nakuru (ssp lucidus) 1/17 Long-tailed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus Scattered throughout. 7/17 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Widespread singles in suitable habitat 7/17 Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala More abundant than Grey in same locations 10/17 Goliath Heron Ardea goliath 3 near the Baringo Club. 2/17 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 2 at Saiwa Swamp and 1 at Baringo 2/17 Great White Egret Casmerodius alba Scattered throughout. 10/17 Yellow-Billed Egret Mesophoyx intermedia AKA Intermediate Egret - Only at Nakuru and Baringo 5/17 Little Egret Egretta garzetta Localised at Nakuru – 1 at Samburu. 4/17 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Widespread – not in Kakamega and not daily in Samburu 8/17 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Scattered. 4/17 Green-backed Heron Butorides striatus 1 at Nakuru and 3 at Samburu. 3/17 Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 4 at Baringo and 1 at Samburu. 3/17 Hamerkop Scopus umbretta Widespread and reasonably common 10/17 Black Stork Ciconia nigra 1 over Buffalo Springs, Samburu Maribou Leptoptilus crumeniferus Widespread and common except Kakamega 12/17 Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis Widespread in suitable habitat 12/17 Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopica Widespread in suitable habitat 6/17 Hadada Bostrychia hagedash Widespread. Subspecies brevirostris 16/17 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Several large groups at Nakuru & Baringo 5/17 African Spoonbill Platalea alba Good numbers at Nakuru & recorded Baringo, Samburu, Limuru and Nairobi NP. 6/17 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Common at Nakuru and a few at Bogoria 4/17 Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor Less than a million at Nakuru and a few tens of thousands at Bogoria! – 5/17 Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa 2 males at Limuru Pond Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma A female at Limuru Pond

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Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata Common at Limuru Pond, a family at Saiwa Swamp on both visits and also seen in Nairobi NP. 4/17 Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota Noted from Limuru Pond and Nakuru 3/17 Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhynchos Limuru Pond, Nakuru and Nairobi NP. 4/17 Cape Teal (Wigeon) Anas capensis A soda specialist. 3 at Nakuru and 2 at Bogoria. 2/17 Shoveler Anas clypeata Only noted at Nakuru. 2/17 Teal Anas crecca Only seen at Nakuru. 1/17 White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata Nakuru and Nairobi NP. 3/17 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus Widespread and quite common near water – 11/17 Secretary Bird Sagittarius serpentarius Almost daily at Samburu and also 2 in Nairobi NP. Total of ten birds seen. 4/17 Rüppell's Vulture Gyps rueppellii 1 over Nakuru, a total of at least 25 at Samburu and quite common in Nairobi NP. 5/17 African White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus Quite common in Samburu and Nairobi NP. 5/17 Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos trachiliotus 4 near Buffalo Springs, Samburu and 1 in Nairobi NP. 2/17 White-headed Vulture Trigonoceps occipitalis A total of 5 at Samburu. 3/17 Hooded Vulture Neophron monachus Oddly uncommon? Just 2 seen in Samburu – 2/17 Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis Singles daily by the lodge at Samburu. 4/17 Lanner Falco biarmicus 2 over Limuru Pond and 2 at Samburu. 2/17 Hobby Falco subbuteo At least 4 above and below the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 4/17 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 1 at Samburu Sooty Falcon Falco concolor 1 seen well from the viewing platform at the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Taita Falcon Falco fasciinucha 1 seen well above the river at Samburu and one probably the same bird the next day Pygmy Falcon Polihierax semitorquatus 2 near Baringo and daily at Samburu. Max count 10+. 5/17 Black Kite Milvus migrans Widespread and locally abundant – 10/17 Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus Scattered throughout. 7/17 Verreaux's Eagle Aquila verreauxi 2 over Lion Hill Nakuru and 2 displaying and formation flying over Samburu. 2/17 Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax 1 at Nakuru and quite common in Samburu. 5/17 Wahlberg's Eagle Aquila wahlbergi 3 at Samburu. 2/17 Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Immatures on 2 days at Samburu. 2/17 Steppe Eagle Aquila nepalensis 2 over Saiwa Swamp, 3 at Samburu and 1 at Nairobi NP. 3/17 Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus Singles three times at Samburu. 3/17 Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus 1 seen from Buyango Hill, Kakamega Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis Widespread - noted in most locations – 11/17 Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus A nice surprise was 1 west of Mumias Bl’k-chested Snake-Eagle Circaetus pectoralis 2 at Samburu – 2/17 Brown Snake-Eagle Circaetus cinereus 1 at Samburu Banded Snake-Eagle Circaetus cinerascens 1 by pond east of Sioport Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus Up to 10 daily at Samburu. 4/17 Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer Widespread near water. 8/17 Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Widespread. A passage of about 70 a minute heading south over Saiwa Swamp was a spectacular movement and was still going on half an hour after it started. 11/17 Augur Buzzard Buteo auger Common in Nakuru and rift area. 7/17 Mountain Buzzard Buteo tachardus A pair at Thomson’s Falls convinced us of their identity! Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus 5 at Samburu. 2/17 African Hawk Eagle Hieraaetus spilogastor 1 trackside as we entered Samburu

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Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus 1 en route to the Yala Reserve, Kakamega Great Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucos An immature at breakfast at the Boulevard Hotel in Nairobi! 1 seen briefly at Saiwa Swamp was almost certainly this species (there was a nest there) and 1 en route to the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro A dark phase adult circled over the Rondu Retreat. 1 at Saiwa Swamp. 2/17 Gabar Goshawk Micronisus gabar 2 at Samburu by a nest and 1 in Nairobi NP. 2/17 Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax poliopterus Common at Samburu. Max daily count 10+. 3/17 Dark Chanting Goshawk Melierax metabates 3 at Baringo Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus Scattered throughout. 5/17 Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus Widely scattered. 4/17 Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus Noted at Nakuru, Baringo and near Isiolo. 3/17 African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus 2 seen well at southern end of Lake Nakuru Harrier Hawk Polyboroides radiatus Scattered throughout. 6/17 Osprey Pandion haliaetus 1 at Nakuru Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum Scattered throughout. 5/17 Crested Francolin Francolinus sephaena One group at Bogoria and very common at Samburu. 5/17 Hildebrandt's Francolin Francolinus hildebrandti Several at Nakuru (G & IF) Red-winged Francolin Francolinus levaillantii ?almost certainly this species flushed from the path near hide 4 in Saiwa Swamp Shelley’s Francolin Francolinus shelleyi Several on the Laikipia Plateau Scaly Francolin Francolinus squamatus 5 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Yellow-necked Spurfowl Francolinus leucoscepus Very common at Samburu and Nairobi NP. 6/17 Quail Coturnix coturnix Heard below Mountain Lodge Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris Common in savannah areas. 8/17 Vulturine Guineafowl Acryllium vulturinum Common at Samburu – 5/17 White-spotted Pygmy Crake Sarothura pulchra A female seen below the Rondu Retreat (G & IF) Black Crake Limnocorax flavirostra 1 at Nakuru and several at Baringo. 2/17 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Limuru Pond and at the dam east of Sioport. 2/17 Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata Limuru Pond and 1 at Bogoria. 2/17 Kori Bustard Otis kori 2 on the Laikipia Plateau and 5 in Samburu. 4/17 White-bellied Bustard Eupodotis senegalensis A male south of Nanyuki and a male in Nairobi NP. 2/17 Crested Bustard Eupodotis ruficrista 3 in Samburu. 1/17 Hartlaub’s Bustard Eupodotis hartlaubii A male in Nairobi NP Denham’s Bustard Neotis denhami A superb male in Masai Mara Jacana Actophilornis africanus Noted at Nakuru, the dam east of Sioport, common at Baringo and a few in Nairobi NP. 4/17 Painted Snipe Rostratula bengalensis Male and female pointed out by Wilson on the boat trip on Baringo Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Several at Nakuru and Baringo – 5/17 Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Noted at Nakuru and Baringo. 2/17 Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus 2 on the island at Baringo and singles twice in Samburu. 3/17 Somali Courser Cursorius somalicus 2 near Buffalo Springs at Samburu Heuglin's Courser Rhinoptilus cinctus 3 including a tiny chick at Baringo. 1/17 White-collared Pratincole Glareola nuchalis 3 on rocks in the river at Mumias – 1/17 Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius Scattered. 3/17 Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula Scattered. 3/17 Kittlitz's Sandplover Charadrius pecuarius Several at Nakuru and 1 at Bogoria – 2/17 Three-Banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris A pair at Limuru Pond, several at Nakuru and at Bogoria. 2/17 Lesser Sandplover Charadrius mongolicus 1 at Bogoria Blacksmith Plover Vanellus armatus A few seen daily at Nakuru and in Nairobi NP. 4/17

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Black-headed Plover Vanellus tectus Several at Bogoria. 1/17 Spur-winged Plover Vanellus spinosus Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu – 7/17 Crowned Plover Vanellus coronatus Noted at Samburu. 3/17 Long-toed Plover Vanellus crassirostris 2 at Baringo Little Stint Calidris minuta Nakuru and Bogoria. 4/17 Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii Nakuru. 1/17 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferrugineus Singles twice at Nakuru and 1 at Bogoria. 3/17 Ruff Philomachus pugnax Several every day at Nakuru. Also at Baringo. 4/17 Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa 1 at Nakuru Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago Several at Nakuru. 1/17 Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis Quite common at Nakuru. 3/17 Greenshank Tringa nebularia Scattered. 5/17 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus Widespread in suitable habitat – 11/17 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Scattered. 6/17 Turnstone Arenaria interpres 2 at Nakuru. 1/17 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Widespread – mostly singles 11/17 Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus A few daily at Nakuru. 1 at Bogoria. 4/17 Lesser Black-Backed Gull Larus fuscus 1 at Nakuru White-Winged Black TernChlidonias leucopterus Nakuru. 3/17 Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus Several noted at Nakuru and Baringo. 4/17 Common Tern Sterna hirundo 2 at Nakuru 1/17 Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Nakuru, Lake Victoria and Baringo. 5/17 Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles exustus 3 at Samburu 1/17 Black-faced Sandgrouse Pterocles decoratus Common in Samburu. 3/17 Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse Pterocles lichtensteinii A pair at Bogoria – the rest Samburu 3/17 Eastern Bronze-Naped Pigeon Columba delegorguei A single female at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Olive Pigeon Columba arquatrix 1 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea Noted on at Baringo, Samburu and Nanyuki areas. 6/17 Feral Pigeon Columba livia Rather uncommon - near habitation 2/17 Green Pigeon Treron australis Kakamega – Rondu. 2/17 Namaqua Dove Oena capensis Common at Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu - 7/17 Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria 2 at Saiwa Swamp and 1 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Blue-spotted Wood Dove Turtur afer 2 near the Rondu, Kakamega and 1 at Saiwa Swamp. 2/17 Emerald-sp'ted W'd Dove Turtur chalcospilos Scattered at Baringo and Samburu – also 2 near Sioport. 5/17 Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata Common & widespread – 13/17 Mourning Dove Streptopelia decipians Locally common at Samburu etc – 6/17 Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola Widespread and locally common – 9/17 Dusky Turtle Dove Streptopelia lugens A couple of small groups at Samburu. 2/17 Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Widespread and common – 12/17 Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus A total of 8 seen near the Rondu, Kakamega. 2/17 Fischer’s Lovebird Agopornis fischeri A pair in the Baringo Lodge and c.10 just south of Isiolo. 2/17 Red-fronted Parrot Poicephalus gulielmi Locally common at Naro Moru & Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Brown Parrot Poicephalus meyeri 1 between Barnley’s and Baringo Orange-bellied Parrot Poicephalus rufiventris Local but almost daily in Samburu – 3/17 White-bellied Go-Away Bird Corythaixoides leucogastor Common at Baringo. Frequent at Samburu - 7/17 Great Blue Turaco Corythaeloa cristata Very obliging at Rondu Retreat & a few elsewhere in Kakamega. 4/17

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Ross's Turaco Musophaga rossae 2 on the Yala River Trail below the Rondu and 3 at Barnley’s. 3/17 Hartlaub's Turaco Tauraco hartlaubi Singles at Kentrout and at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Yellowbill Ceuthmochares aereus 1 on the Yala River trail, Kakamega White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus Widespread. 7/17 Blue-headed Coucal Centropus monachus 2 at Saiwa Swamp African Cuckoo Cuculus gularis 1 at Nakuru Exit! Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius Scattered. All wooded habitats! 4/17 Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus 1 at Samburu Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas Three males seen at Nakuru and a male at Saiwa Swamp. 3/17 Didric Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius A male at Nakuru Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus A fabulous male at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum 1 at Nakuru’s ecit and 1 in the grounds of the Baringo Lodge. 2/17 Verreaux’s Eagle Owl Bubo lacteus 1-2 seen nightly at the Samburu Lodge. 4/17 Grey (Spotted) Eagle Owl Bubo (africanus) cinerascens 1 roosting near the cliffs at Baringo – 1/17 Slender-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus clarus Very common at Baringo where seen at dusk by the lakeshore and roosting in the bush, also at the airstrip. Also common at dusk at Bogoria. 2/17 Gabon Nightjar Caprimulgus fossii As for the above species though slightly less common. 2/17 Montane Nightjar Caprimulgus poliocephalus 2 below Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge on the night drive seen and heard Plain Nightjar Caprimulgus inornatus 1 roosting in the campsite by the Baringo Club and probably with above species in the bush near there. Nightjars looking suspiciously like European Nightjar and Standard-winged Nightjar non-breeding were flushed from the roost near Baringo Club Dusky Nightjar Caprimulgus fraenatus A female seen close to the Samburu Lodge at dusk Scarce Swift Schoutedenapus myoptilus Scattered. 3/17 Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus Mostly Samburu – 7/17 Mottled Swift Apus aequitorialis 2 from Buyangu Hill and noted several times in Samburu. 4/17 Alpine Swift Apus melba 2 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Nyanza Swift Apus niansae Common over Nairobi NP Eurasian Swift Apus apus Widespread. 7/17 Little Swift Apus affinis Widespread and locally abundant – 12/17 Blue-naped Mousebird Urocolius macrourus Common at Baringo and Bogoria & also in Samburu – 6/17 Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus Widespread and common. 16/17 White-headed Mousebird Colius leucocephalus Common in Samburu – 4/17 Narina’s Trogon Apaloderma narina A male by the Mountain Lodge Bar-Tailed Trogon Apaloderma vittatum Male and female along the Yala River track, Kakamega Chestnut-bellied K’gfisher Halycon leucocephala Noted in Sioport area, the rest Baringo and mostly in Samburu. 6/17 Woodland Kingfisher Halycon senegalensis 2 in Sioport area and 1 between Baringo and Samburu. 2/17 Striped Kingfisher Halycon chelicuti Scattered. 3/17 Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta 1 in the garden at the Rondu (JD), 1 at the Baringo Club (IG) and 1 at Samburu. 3/17 Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata Scattered records – 5/17 Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Scattered. 6/17 Blue-headed Bee-eater Merops muelleri 6 in the Zimmerman Grid and Pumphouse Track and 2 in the Yala River Trail, all Kakamega. 2/17

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Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus Locally common, especially at Samburu. 8/17 Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater Merops oriobates Quite common around Kakamega area and at the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge, plus other wooded areas. 9/17 White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides 2 near Kenyatta’s Farm near Nakuru Somali Bee-eater Merops revoilii Common at Samburu – 3/17 White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis Locally common in the Kakamega area. 2/17 Eurasian Bee-eater Merops apiaster Often encountered on roadside wires between sites. - between 75 & 100 en route Kakamega – Saiwa. 6/17 Rufous-crowned Roller Coracias naevia 1 at Samburu Eurasian Roller Coracias garrulus 1 at Samburu Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias cordata Widespread – 9/17 Hoopoe Upupa epops Only subspecies epops seen with certainty. 5/17 White-h'ded Wood-H'poe Phoeniculus bollei c.6 along the Yala River Trail, Kakamega Green Wood-Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus Quite common at Nakuru. Also at Baringo. 3/17 Violet Wood-Hoopoe Phoeniculus damarensis Subspecies granti. Local at Samburu. 2/17 Abyssinian Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus minor 1 at Samburu and 1 in Nairobi NP. 2/17 Black and White Casqued Hornbill Bycanistes subcylindricus Very common in the Kakamega area – 6/17 Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Bycanistes brevis 3 at Kentrout and several around Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 4/17 Crowned Hornbill Tockus alboterminatus 2 at Saiwa Swamp Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus A total of 6 at Samburu. 2/17 Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus flavirostris Samburu only & locally common there. 2/17 Von der Decken's H’bill Tockus deckeni Common at Samburu. 5/17 Jackson's Hornbill Tockus jacksoni Quite common at Baringo. 2/17 Red-billed Hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus Common at Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu – 7/17 Hemprich’s Hornbill Tockus hemprichi 10+ on the island in Lake Baringo Moustached Green Tinkerbird Pogoniulus leucomystax 2 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Red-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus pusillus 1 at Nakuru Yellow-r’ped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus bilineatus Quite common at Kakamega, Saiwa Swamp, Baringo and also at Mountain Lodge. 7/17 Yellow-fr’ted Tinkerbird Pogoniuluschrysoconus 1 at Sioport Yellow-spotted Barbet Buccanodon duchaillui A few at Kakamega. 3/17 Grey-throated Barbet Gymnobucco bonapartei Very common at Kakamega 5/17 Yellow-billed Barbet Trachylaemus purpuratus Just 1 at the Ikuywa stream, Kakamega D'Arnaud's Barbet Trachyphonus darnaudii A few most days Samburu, also at Baringo. 6/17 Red and Yellow Barbet Trachyphonus erythrocephalus Frequent at Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu - 5/17 Red-fronted Barbet Tricholaema diademata 2 at Baringo Black-throated Barbet Tricholaema melanocephala 3+ at Baringo cliffs and 3 at Samburu. 2/17 White-headed Barbet Tricholaema leucocephalus 1 between Baringo and Samburu Black-billed Barbet Tricholaema guifsobalito 1 near fish farm west of Sioport Double-toothed Barbet Lybius bidentatus A pair nesting in Barnley’s garden – 1/17 Thick-billed Honeyguide Indicator conirostris 1 in the Zimmerman Grid and 1 near Buyangu Hill, Kakamega – 2/17 Nubian Woodpecker Campethera nubica Noted at Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu. 3/17 Buff-spotted Woodpecker Campethera nivosa 1 near Udo’s Camp, Kakamega (IG) Brown-eared Woodpecker Campethera caroli 2 in the Zimmerman Grid, Kakamega – 1/17 Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscesens Scattered. 5/17 Bearded Woodpecker Dendropicos namaquus Two at Nakuru and 1 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Grey Woodpecker Dendropicos goertae Nakuru and Samburu. 2/17 Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea 1 at Nakuru Fisher's Sparrowlark Eremopteryx leucopareia Samburu. 2/17 Fawn-coloured Lark Mirafra africanoides 1 at Samburu

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Singing Bush Lark Mirafra cantillans 1 at Samburu Flappet Lark Mirafra rufocinnamomea 1 on the Laikipia Plateau Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana Common in Nairobi NP Pink-breasted Lark Mirafra poecilosterna Very common in Samburu – 4/17 Angola Swallow Hirundo angolensis A few on wires at Mumias bridge – 1/17 Ethiopian Swallow Hirundo aethiopica A few most days at Samburu. 3/17 Eurasian Swallow Hirundo rustica Widespread and common - 16/17 Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii 2 near Sioport Mosque Swallow Hirundo senegalensis Nakuru and Saiwa Swamp. 2/17 Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica Scattered – 5/17 Striped Swallow Hirundo abyssinica Scattered. 3/17 African Rock Martin Hirundo fuligula Noted from Nakuru, Baringo, Samburu & Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 7/17 Banded Martin Riparia cincta Shitia River, Kakamega and Mumias Bridge. 2/17 African Sand Martin Riparia paludicola Nakuru. 1/17 House Martin Delichon urbica Scattered. 2/17 Black Rough-Wing Psalidoprocne holomelas Widespread – 7/17 White-h'ded Rough-Wing Psalidoprocne albiceps Common in Kakamega – 6/17 Plain-backed Pipit Anthus leucophrys Nakuru and near Butula. 2/17 Grassland Pipit Anthus cinnamoneus En route to and near Baringo. 2/17 Golden Pipit Tmetothylacus tenellus 4 at Samburu. 2/17 Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus A single noted at Nakuru and one below the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Pangani Longclaw Macronyx ameliae 2 in Nairobi NP Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis A few around the pool at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava Scattered records – 7/17 African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp Widespread – 12/17 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea 1 below the Rondu Gardens in Kakamega, Black Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga flava Noted daily at Nakuru, a few at Kakamega and a male in Nairobi NP. 6/17 Petit's Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga petiti A fine male at Kakamega Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike Campephaga quiscalina A pair in the Rondu gardens, Kakamega Grey Cuckoo-shrike Coracina caesia 1 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Little Greenbul Andropadus virens Noted by the Shitia River and in Yala, both Kakamega. 2/17 Little Grey Greenbul Andropadus gracilis Yala River trail & Rondu Retreat Kakamega. 1/17 Ansorge's Greenbul Andropadus ansorgei One of the easier ones! Kakamega – several spots. 2/17 Cameroon Sombre Gr'bul Andropadus curvirostris Only seen on the Mudango Trail, Kakamega. 1/17 Slender-billed Greenbul Andropadus gracilirostris Kakamega and Mt Kenya – 4/17 Mountain Greenbul Andropadus tephrolaemus Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge where common. 2/17 Shelley's Greenbul Andropadus masukuensis Reasonably frequent in Kakamega. 2/17 Y'low-whiskered Greenbul Andropadus latirostris Noted in most locations and on most days in Kakamega. Also at Kentrout – 6/17 Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus Widespread and very common 17/17 Joyful Greenbul Chlorocichla laetissima Quite common at Kakamega – garrulous! 3/17 Bristlebill Bleda syndactyla Very skulky. 2 seen well at Yala, Kakamega and 1 at Saiwa Swamp. 2/17 Cabanis's Greenbul Phyllastrephus cabanisi Really quite common in Kakmega and also seen at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. A bird with many names (Placid, Olive Mountain). 5/17 Northern Brownbul Phyllastrephus strepitans Entrance of Samburu Lodge and also by the river a mile downstream. 1/17 Toro Olive Greenbul Phyllastrephus baumanni Several by the Shitia River at Kakamega - a rare species – 1/17

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Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina Recorded at Baringo and Samburu. 4/17 Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Recorded at Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu. 6/17 Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka Baringo and Samburu 3/17 Spotted Morning Thrush Cichladusa guttata Singles at Baringo and a few at Samburu. 4/17 Cliff Chat Thamnolaea cinnammeiventris 2 briefly at Iten (IG) Anteater Chat Mymecocichla aethiops Common Nakuru and some journeys. 4/17 Stonechat Saxicola torquata Subspecies 'axillaris'. Scattered. 3/17 Little Rock Thrush Monticola rufocineria Several in Lion Hill Lodge Nakuru (G & IF). 2/17 Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis An immature at Samburu Brown-tailed Rock Chat Cercomela scotocerca Common on the cliffs at Baringo – 1/17 White-brow'd Scrub-R'bin Cercotrichas leucophrys 'leucoptera' race noted at Baringo and Samburu – 2/17 Brown-chested Alethe Alethe poliocephala Singles twice at Kakamega and 1 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Equatorial Akalat Sheppardia aequatorialis 1 in Isecheno and 1 at Yala, both Kakamega. 2/17 White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata 5+ near the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Grey-winged Gr'nd Robin Sheppardia polioptera A pair resident at stream behind Rondu Retreat & 1 at Saiwa Swamp– 4/17 African Thrush Turdus pelios Quite common in the west (Kakamega) – 6/17 Northern Olive Thrush Turdus abyssinicus Widespread – absent Kakamega – 6/17 Bare-eyed Thrush Turdus tephronotus 2 in Samburu. 1/17 Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra 1 at Kericho Tea House, common near Mt Kenya Lodge. 4/17 Blue-sh'ldered Robin-Chat Cossypha cyanocampta Good views in Zimmerman Grid and in Yala, both Kakamega 2/17 Rüppell's Robin-Chat Cossypha semirufa Several in Mt Kenya area. 3/17 White-browed Robin-Chat Cossypha heuglini Noted Nakuru and Barnley’s. 2/17 Snowy-h'ded Robin-Chat Cossypha niveicapilla Kakamega area - resident in Rondu grounds. Also Saiwa Swamp. 5/17 African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus Singles on both days at Saiwa Swamp. 2/17 Little Rush Warbler Bradypterus baboecola Common both days at Saiwa Swamp. 2/17 Cinnamon Bracken W’bler Bradypterus cinnamoneus 2 at Kentrout and a few near the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Upcher’s Warbler Hippolais languida 1 at Baringo and 1 in Samburu. 2/17 Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais pallida 1 in Samburu African Moustached Warbler Melocichla mentalis 2 in Nairobi NP Uganda W'dland Warbler Phylloscopus budongoensis Quite common in Kakamega. 3/17 Brown Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus umbrovirens 1 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Nakuru Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 1 at Barnley’s Dark-capped Yellow Warbler Chloropeta natalensis 2 in grassland below Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Mountain Yellow Warbler Chloropeta similis Several near Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge – 1/17 Blackcap Sylvia atricapella 3 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Garden Warbler Sylvia borin 1 by the Shitia River, Kakamega! Pectoral-Patch Cisticola Cisticola brunnescens 1 seen crawling like a mouse at Nakuru. Common in Nairobi NP. 2/17 Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Heard at Nakuru Stout Cisticola Cisticola robusta Below Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chinana Noted at Nakuru and Nairobi NP. 3/17 Red-faced Cisticola Cisticola erythrops 1 at Saiwa Swamp Hunter's Cisticola Cisticola hunteri Several near the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Chubb's Cisticola Cisticola chubbi Common at Kakamega and Saiwa Swamp – 4/17 Winding Cisticola Cisticola galactotes Scattered. 3/17 Carruther’s Cisticola Cisticola carruthersi 1 in the papyrus at Sioport Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava Widespread. 6/17

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White-chinned Prinia Prinia leucopogon Several at the Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega. 1/17 Banded Prinia Prinia bairdii Singles in several locations in Kakamega – 3/17 Red-fronted Warbler Spiloptila rufifrons A few at Baringo and Samburu. 2/17 Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella Barnley’s, Baringo and Kerio Valley. 3/17 Bl'k-faced Rufous W'bler Bathmocercus cerviniventris Seen (or heard) regularly around Kakamega – 4/17 Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida Both forms noted - Nakuru, Baringo, Samburu & Nairobi NP. 5/17 Black-throated Apalis Apalis jacksoni Beautiful! 2 at the Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega Black-collared Apalis Apalis pulchra Noted regularly in Kakamega - 3/17 Grey Apalis Apalis cinerea Common in Saiwa Swamp and at the Lodge Mt Kenya – 4/17 Buff-throated Apalis Apalis rufogularis Zimmerman Grid, Kakamega. 1/17 Black-headed Apalis Apalis melanocephala Noted at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Chestnut-throated Apalis Apalis porphyrolaema Heard for hours at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge but could we get a good look at one? No!! Grey-capped Warbler Eminia lepida Noted daily at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brachyura Widespread and locally common – 14/17 Red-faced Crombec Sylvietta whytii 1 at Nakuru Northern Crombec Sylvietta brachyura 2 at Baringo and singles twice at Samburu. 3/17 Yellow-bellied EremomelaEremomela icteropygialis 1 at Baringo Turner's Eremomela Eremomela turneri Encountered several times in Kakamega - Endangered species – 2/17 Banded Parisoma Parisom boehmi 1 at Hippo Pools, Nairobi NP Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Scattered throughout. 5/17 Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta Widespread – in all wooded habitats. 8/17 Swamp Flycatcher Muscicapa aquatica 3 in papyrus at Sioport, Lake Victoria – 1/17 Southern Black Flycatcher Melaeornis pammelaina Quite common in Samburu NP – 3/17 Northern Black Flycatcher Melaeornis edoloides Encountered occasionally in Kakamega. 2/17 White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher Melaeornis fischeri Noted from every main site, common Nakuru & Kakamega – 11/17 Pale Flycatcher Bradornis pallidus Daily at Samburu. 4/17 Grey Flycatcher Bradornis microrhynchos Noted Baringo only. 1/17 Southern Hyliota Hyliota australis 1 at the Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega – 1/17 Chin-spot Batis Batis molitor Nakuru and Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge area. 5/17 Pygmy Batis Batis perkeo 3 at Baringo. 1/17 Common Wattle-eye Platysteira cyanea Noted in the Rondu, the Zimmerman Grid and at the Ikuywa Stream, all Kakamega. 2/17 Black-throated Wattle-eye Platysteira peltata A male at Saiwa Swamp Jameson's Wattle-eye Dyaphorophyia jamesoni Noted in the Zimmerman Grid, Yala and below the Rondu, all Kakamega. 2/17 Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis Widespread – 8/17 African Blue Flycatcher Elminia longicauda Quite common in Kakamega and at Saiwa Swamp. 5/17 Blue-mantled - Crested Flycatcher Trochocercus cyanomelas Male and female at the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge White-tailed - Crested Flycatcher Trochocercus albonotatus 1 at the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Dusky Crested Flycatcher Trochocercus nigromitratus 1 at Buyango Hill and 1 on the Mudango Trail, both Kakamega. 1/17 Mountain Illadopsis Trichastoma pyrrhopterum 3 at Saiwa Swamp. 1/17 African Hill Babbler Alcippe abyssinica Common around the Mountain Lodge. 2/17 Rufous Chatterer Turdoides rubiginosus Very common at Baringo & Samburu. 6/17 Northern Pied Babbler Turdoides hypoleucas Common in Nairobi NP. 1/17 Arrow-marked Babbler Turdoides jardinii Quite common at Nakuru. 2/17 Brown Babbler Turdoides plebejus Baringo, Bogoria and Isiolo. 3/17 Grey Tit Parus afer Noted near the cliffs at Baringo – 1/17

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Red-throated Tit Parus fringillinus 1 at the Hippo Pools, Nairobi NP White-bellied Tit Parus albiventris 1 by the Shitia River, Kakamega Dusky Tit Parus funereus Quite frequent in Kakamega. 4/17 Variable Sunbird Nectarinia venusta Recorded from most areas. 7/17 Northern Double - Nectarinia preussi Quite common in the Kakamega area, Noted at Collared Sunbird “Kentrout” & Baringo also – 5/17 Eastern Double - Nectarinia mediocris Common at the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Collared Sunbird Red-chested Sunbird Nectarinia erythroceria Several at Mumias and Sioport. 1/17 Black-bellied Sunbird Nectarinia nectarinioides Noted around Samburu – 4/17 Beautiful Sunbird Nectarinia pulchella Common at Baringo – 2/17 Olive Sunbird Nectarinia olivacea Noted from Kakamega difficult to ID – 2/17 Copper Sunbird Nectarinia cuprea Quite common in guava plantations in Kakamega area and also in Mumias and Sioport areas. 2/17 Marico Sunbird Nectarinia mariquensis Noted at Sioport and also males twice in Samburu. 3/17 Tacazze Sunbird Nectarinia tacazze 5+ Naro Moru Lodge grounds – 1/17 Scarlet-tufted – Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia johnstoni Amazingly a male was in the Naro Moru Lodge grounds! Bronze Sunbird Nectarinia kilimensis Widespread and locally common – 12/17 Green-headed Sunbird Nectarinia verticalis Local in Kakamega and two males Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Scarlet-chested Sunbird Nectarinia senegalensis Scattered. 3/17 Hunter's Sunbird Nectarinia hunteri Noted Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu – 3/17 Amethyst Sunbird Nectarinia amethystina Several in the grounds of the Naro Moru Lodge and also seen in Nairobi NP. 2/17 Green-throated Sunbird Nectarinia rubescens 1 in the Rondu Retreat and 1 in the Zimmerman Grid, both Kakamega – 2/17 Collared Sunbird Anthreptes collaris Widespread. 11/17 Green Sunbird Anthreptes rectirostris Noted in the Rondu Retreat, Kakamega. 1/17 Western Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes lonuemarei 2 in the garden at Barnley’s. 1/17 Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird Anthreptes orientalis Common at Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu – 5/17 Abyssinian White-eye Zosterops abyssinica A flock at Hippo Pools, Nairobi NP Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis Common in Kakamega and at Saiwa Swamp. 6/17 Montane White-eye Zosterops poliogastra Subspecies 'kikuyuensis' at Mt Kenya lodge. 2/17 Montane Oriole Oriolus percivali Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 1/17 Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus Scattered throughout except Kakamega. 6/17 Western Black-headed Oriole Oriolus brachyrhynchus 1 at Yala, Kakamega Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus Common in Samburu, othwerwise only a male at Nakuru. 5/17 Rosy-patched Shrike Rhodophoneus cruentus A total of 7 at Samburu. 3/17 Brubru Nilaus afer 1 at Baringo, 1 at Bogoria and 1 at Samburu. 2/17 Black-Backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla A female near Butula Northern Puffback Dryoscopus gambensis Only seen at Nakuru. 2/17 Pringle’s Puffback Dryoscopus pringlii A male at Samburu was a good find Pink-footed Puffback Dryoscopus angolensis A male in the Zimmerman Grid & a pair on the Yala river trail, both Kakamega. 2/17 Brown-headed Tchagra Tchagra australis 1 at Nakuru and 1 near Sioport. 2/17. Amazingly scarce and no Black-headed’s seen at all! Three-streaked Tchagra Tchagra jamesi Several at Samburu. 2/17 Marsh Tchagra Tchagra minuta 1 at Sioport and 1 at Saiwa Swamp. 2/17

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Sulphur-breasted – Bush-Shrike Malaconotus sulfureopectus 2 in the lodge grounds at Samburu and 1 at the Hippo Pools, Nairobi NP. 2/17 Grey-headed Bush-Shrike Malaconotus blanchoti 1 in the lodge grounds at Samburu (IG) Black-headed Gonolek Laniarius barbarus 2 at Sioport near the lunch spot Papyrus Gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri 1 in papyrus beds below Sioport (IG) Lüdher's Bush-Shrike Laniarius luehderi 2 at the Ikuywa Stream and 1 on trails below the Rondu, both Kakamega. 1/17 Tropical Boubou Laniarius ferrugineus Widespread - absent from Samburu - 5/17 Slate-coloured Boubou Laniarius funebris Common at Samburu. Also at Baringo. 5/17 Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio A male at Samburu Red-tailed Shrike Lanius isabellinus 4 in Samburu. 2/17 Taita Fiscal Lanius dorsalis Noted daily at Samburu – 4/17 Grey-backed Fiscal Lanius excubitorius Daily at Nakuru. Otherwise in the west – 4/17 Long-tailed Fiscal Lanius cabanisi Nairobi NP where common Fiscal Lanius collaris Widespread and locally common – 11/17 White-crowned Shrike Eurocephalus rueppellii Common at Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu – 7/17 Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis Widespread and common except in the west – 10/17 Square-tailed Drongo Dicrurus ludwigi Quite common in Kakamega – 4/17 Pied Crow Corvus albus Widespread – rare in Kakamega and Samburu – 10/17 White-necked Raven Corvus albicollis 1 pair around the cliffs at Iten Fan-tailed Raven Corvus rhipidurus 2 in Samburu Cape Rook Corvus capensis Only seen west of Iten Stuhlmann's Starling Poeoptera stuhlmanni Quite common at Kakamega – 4/17 Kenrick's Starling Poeoptera kenricki Singles daily at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Bristle-crowned Starling Onychognathus salvadorii Several groups seen flying along the cliffs at Baringo. 1/17 Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio Noted at Iten and at Baringo. 2/17 Waller’s Chestnut-winged Starling Onychognathus walleri 1 at Kentrout Blue-eared Glossy Starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus Widespread – 7/17 Rüppell's Long-tailed Glossy Starling Lamprotornis purpuropterus Common in Yellowbark Acacia at Nakuru. A few at Sioport! Common at Baringo and Bogoria. 5/17 Splendid Glossy Starling Lamprotornis splendidus A flock came in to roost at Saiwa Swamp Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus Quite common at Nakuru, Baringo, Samburu and Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 10/17 Hildebrandt’s Starling Spreo hildebrandti Common in Masai Mara. 4/17 Superb Starling Spreo superbus Widespread – 11/17 Fisher's Starling Spreo fischeri Locally common in Samburu. 2/17 Magpie Starling Speculipastor bicolor A flock at Baringo Violet-backed Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogastor An immature on trails below the Rondu, Kakamega (IG) Golden-breasted Starling Cosmopsarus unicolor A total of 4 seen at Samburu. 2/17 Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea Large flocks in papyrus at Sioport was a surprise. Common at Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu. 8/17 Grey-headed Sparrow Passer griseus Locally common at Nakuru and in the west. 7/17 Parrot-billed Sparrow Passer gongonensis Common in Samburu. 4/17 House Sparrow Passer domesticus Rather local! 3/17 Rufous Sparrow Passer mottitensis Scattered. 5/17 Chestnut Sparrow Passer eminibey Noted most days Samburu. 4/17 Yellow-spotted Petronia Petronia pyrgita Noted at Baringo cliffs and at Samburu. 2/17 Speckle-fronted Weaver Sporopipes frontalis 2 at Samburu White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali Noted near Sioport. Common at Baringo, Bogoria, Samburu and Nairobi NP. 9/17

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Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser donaldsoni Common at Samburu. 4/17 Black-c'ped Social Weaver Pseudonigrita cabanisi Very common at Samburu. 3/17 White-billed Buffalo-Weaver Bubalornis albirostris Not uncommon at Baringo – 3/17 Red-billed Buffalo-W'ver Bubalornis niger Several at Samburu. 2/17 White-headed Buffalo-Weaver Dinemellia dinemelli Common around Baringo, Bogoria and Samburu. 6/17 Black-headed Weaver Ploceus cucullatus Subpsecies 'bohndorffi' noted at Sioport. Subspecies 'paroptus' common, Baringo and Samburu. Speke's Weaver Ploceus spekei Daily in Nakuru. 3/17 Golden Palm Weaver Plocus bojeri In the lodge grounds at Samburu. 2/17 Holub's Golden Weaver Ploceus xanthops Scattered throughout. 5/17 Northern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus castanops 6+ males in the boats at the lakeward edge of the papyrus, Sioport Yellow-backed Weaver Ploceus melanocephalus Very common in the Mumias, Butula, Sioport area. 1/17 Northern Masked Weaver Ploceus taeniopterus In the reedbed around Lake Baringo – 2/17 Golden-backed Weaver Ploceus jacksoni Male and female at Sioport Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius Noted Baringo. Common in Samburu. 5/17 Vitelline Masked Weaver Ploceus vellatus Noted from Baringo cliffs. 1/17 Chestnut Weaver Ploceus rubiginosus Very common at Baringo and Samburu. 5/17 Little Weaver Ploceus luteolus Only seen at Baringo. 1/17 Slender-billed Weaver Ploceus pelzelni Sioport only – 1/17 Compact Weaver Ploceussuperciliosus 2 at the fish farm east of Sioport. 1/17 Dark-backed Weaver Ploceus bicolor The commonest of the forest weavers at Kakamega. 3/17 Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis Singles at Nakuru, Mumias and Nairobi NP. 3/17 Black-billed Weaver Ploceus melanogastor The reverse plumage weaver Noted from the Rondu Retreat, Ikuywa Stream and Yala, all Kakamega. 3/17 Brown-capped Weaver Ploceus insignis Recorded at several Kakamega localities. Also Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 4/17 Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafacht Widespread and locally very common – 10/17 Red-headed Malimbe Malimbus rubricollis Noted in the Zimmerman Grid and Yala, both Kakamega. 2/17 Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps 3 at Samburu. 1/17 Grosbeak Weaver Amblyospiza albifrons 1 at Shitia River, Kakamega. 1 at the fish farm east of Sioport and large flocks at Saiwa Swamp. 4/17 Long-tailed Widowbird Euplectes progne c.10 between Naro Moru and Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. None with long tails though! 1/17 Red-naped Widowbird Euplectes ardens A pair each day at Saiwa Swamp and 50+ below Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Marsh Widowbird Euplectes hartlaubi 1 at the red brick dam east of Sioport Fan-tailed Widowbird Euplectes axillaris Sioport and Saiwa Swamp. 3/17 Northern Red Bishop Euplectes franciscanus A few in the reedbed around Lake Baringo – 1/17 Black Bishop Euplectes gierowii A flock in the farmland-reedbed interface at Sioport. 1/17 Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis Daily at Nakuru and singles at Saiwa Swamp and Baringo. 5/17 Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea Locally abundant at Baringo and Samburu. 6/17 Grey-headed Negrofinch Nigrita canicapilla Rather uncommon at Kakamega and 2 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 White-br’sted Negrofinch Nigrita fusconata A pair at the Ikuywa Stream, Kakamega. 1/17 Green-winged Pytilia Pytilia melba 3+ near the cliffs at Baringo. 1/17 Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala Widespread. 7/17 Bar-breasted Firefinch Lagonosticta rufopicta Several at the fish ponds east of Sioport – 1/17

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African Firefinch Lagonosticta rubricata 2 at Nakuru. Several east of Sioport, and several in grassland below the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Red-headed Bluebill Spermophaga ruficapilla 3 in the vicinity of the Rondu (all separate!) on the same day, Kakamega. 1/17 Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus bengalus Widespread – 8/17 Blue-capped Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus cyanocephalus Replaced former species in Samburu! 2/17 Purple Grenadier Uraeginthus ianthinogastor Nakuru, Samburu and Naro Moru. 3/17 Waxbill Estrilda astrild East of Sioport, Saiwa Swamp (where common), and in grassland below Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 4/17 Black-rumped Waxbill Estrilda troglodytes A few in the farmland-papyrus interface at Sioport. 1/17 Crimson-rumped Waxbill Estrilda rhodopyga A large flock with other estrildids in grassland below Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 1/17 Fawn-breasted Waxbill Estrilda paludicola Perhaps the oddest record of the trip was 2, one an adult, drinking from the stream below the restaurant at the Lion Hill Lodge, Nakuru. Normally a scarce West Kenyan species Black-cheeked Waxbill Estrilda erythronotus 4 near Buffalo Springs, Samburu – very pretty – 1/17 Black-crowned Waxbill Estrilda atricapilla A real beauty – Locally common Kakamega, Sioport area and Saiwa Swamp. 4/17 Yellow-bellied Waxbill Estrilda melanotis Several in the grasslands below Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge and amazingly 1 in the same place as the Fawn- breasteds at Nakuru! 3/17 Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullata Overlooked! A few scattered records – 5/17 African Silverbill Lonchura cantans Noted in Samburu and also south of Isiolo. 2/17 Grey-headed Silverbill Lonchura griseicapilla Samburu. 1/17 Cut-throat Finch Amadina fasciata Uncommon in Samburu. 3/17 Straw-tailed Whydah Vidua fischeri 2 males atop trees across the river from the lodge Samburu and 2 males north of Isiolo. 2/17 Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura Shitia River area of Kakamega and also Mumias and Sioport. 2/17 Yellow-crowned Canary Serinus canicollis Several coming in to drink at the water hole Mountain Lodge. 3/17 African Citril Serinus citrinelloides Several in the Lion Hill Lodge grounds, Nakuru. Also at Sioport and a few at the Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Papyrus Canary Serinus koliensis 1 in the farmland-papyrus interface, Sioport. 1/17 Yellow-fronted Canary Serinus mozambicus Common in the Sioport area. 1/17 White-bellied Canary Serinus dorsostriatus Amazingly only 1 seen, and that at Samburu. 1/17 Brimstone Canary Serinus sulphuratus At Lion Hill Lodge , Nakuru on the first day and not thereafter! 1/17 Northern Grosbeak Canary Serinus donaldsoni 1 in Samburu in the SW corner of the park is a good record Thick-billed Seed-eater Serinus bertoni 3 at Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge Streaky Seedeater Serinus striolatus Common at Nakuru and at the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 6/17 Oriole Finch Linurgus olivaceus A male in Yala, Kakamega and males on two days at the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 3/17 Somali Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza poliopleura Males twice at Samburu. 2/17 Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris A very tame male at Naro Moru and a male in the grasslands below the Mount Kenya Mountain Lodge. 2/17

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