Andrew
wibble wibble
Kenya. Part 3 of 7
12-03-03
Location : Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, near Watamu, Kenya.
No one else in the hotel seemed keen to go on the birding trips so we had to stump up the four person minimum fee for a guided walk in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. This is the largest remaining natural coastal forest in the east of Africa made up of three different types of growth. These are a dense Cynometra forest on the higher grounds, an equally dense mixed forest and a thinner Brachystegia forest with smaller shrubs, grasses and plants growing in the under storey.
The mini van collected our guide Jonathan at Nzai on the way. We were told that we would be walking through the mixed forest on a sandy track and I was asked what I would like to see. I simply replied “As many different species of birds as possible!”.
The van departed from the main road and proceeded gingerly down a dark sandy track covered in dense forest. We were looking on the track in the poor light for animals with no luck. However, in my preference we did spot the first birds of the day, many small groups of PETER'S TWINSPOTS fed in the sandy track, fleeing just as the van approached them. These are delightful birds covered in a variety of autumnal colours with a black belly covered in white spots.
The van stopped at a fork in the road with a sign similar to our Forestry Commission signs. Jonathan was amazed to see me come out of the van complete with tripod and scope and recognised me as a ‘proper’ birder. Immediately there were groups of monkeys jumping from tree to tree but they did not really interest me. The track we were going to walk was in a less dense part of the mixed forest with the canopy easily visible. I was full of anticipation and unrealistically expected to clock a hundred birds today. (Forest)
We had not walked far and the second bird on the list was a fantastically iridescent plumaged COLLARED SUNBIRD, small yet spectacular. Jonathan walked off the track listening in a dense thicket and promptly pointed out a black and white TROPICAL BOUBOU that was singing away like mad. In one of the many trees was a flock of BRONZE MANNIKINS and a brilliant BLACK HEADED APALIS preening away that I could easily scope. Lots of AFRICAN PALM SWIFTS and other Swallows were flying high up in the sky. Jonathan took the scope like a pro and trained it on a female EAST COAST BATIS.
Venturing off the track, we were stopped by some activity in the trees and there were plenty of birds that I could catch good views of. These were GREEN BARBETS, CHESTNUT FRONTED HELMET SHRIKES, BLACK BELLIED STARLINGS and several BLACK HEADED ORIOLES.
We returned back to the track and immediately picked up a brilliant YELLOW BELLIED GREENBUL and some fork tailed COMMON DRONGOS above us. The forest was also throwing up a huge assortment of beautiful and intricate butterflies. Very soon Jonathan excitedly gestured me to stick close to him and keenly pointed out some birds which I scoped. The birds were the exquisitely iridescent plumaged endangered AMANI SUNBIRDS and there were four or five males altogether. These are endemic to this forest in all of Africa.
At last I found a big and easy bird all by myself, a CROWNED HORNBILL clumsily moved through the trees and Jonathan explained that it fed on the seed pods of the mahogany tree and large nuts. To the right of the last bird a small group of BLACK BACKED PUFFBACKS chased each other around some small trees. These are black and white Shrikes with red eyes and as the name suggests a mantle like a fluffy lady’s powder puff. I saw a TAMBOURINE DOVE fly over the small gap in the canopy and Jonathan identified it from a hurried sketch.
We came near the end of our walk and it was getting very hot even though it was very early in the morning. In the canopy were one or two CLARKE'S WEAVERS which were very special as they are only found in this forest north of Kilifili. While watching these rarities a large group noisily made it’s way into the same tree and after some identification discussion we agreed unanimously they were BLACK HEADED WEAVERS. The clinchers were the red eyes, black faces and large black bills. It felt very good to be asked for help in identification away from home. (Looking) From the same spot, I pointed out a pair of EURASIAN GOLDEN ORIOLES on a branch further down the track and Jonathan keenly did his finger clicking gesture meaning they were special for here. Coincidentally these were my first Eurasian Golden Orioles.
Just as we were about to return back to the van, a noise in a dense thicket thrilled Jonathan and after a keen search we only just made out the faint shape of a MOMBASSA WOODPECKER.
On the return walk, a greyish bird alighted on the tiny green shoots of a bush and I easily identified it straight away as a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER even though I have not seen many of these. This plain bird is special for this forest. However, it soon paled into insignificance as a long tailed AFRICAN PARADISE FLYCATCHER promptly flew in it’s wake. This is a blue headed and breasted bird with white wings and a very long set of white tail streamers.
A bit nearer the van, there was a very confiding tiny bird with a large name, a GREY BACK CAMARAOPTERA. An EMERALD SPOTTED WOOD DOVE put in a last minute appearance, flying over the canopy clearing near the waiting taxi van. I did not get the one hundred birds but I was very happy with the twenty five specials I observed.
Back in the hotel grounds, I was baffled to see HOUSE SPARROWS by the bar side ponds and took consolation in them being rare here. After a relaxing afternoon I attempted my second seawatch of the holiday and I started with a bang as an OSPREY soared close over our heads to the point and circled a few time before disappearing inland like the Wahlberg’s Eagle did yesterday. It was not long before I switched my attention to the large group of terns over the waves and I managed to identify more species than I did yesterday. I clocked SAUNDER'S TERNS, WHISKERED TERNS, BRIDLED TERNS, GREATER CRESTED TERNS and a few GULL BILLED TERNS. The latter three came close to the shoreline giving splendid views through my scope. Two new gulls also flew close inshore and they were a pair of SOOTY GULLS and a second winter HEUGLIN'S GULL.
Above the point and overhead were plenty of AFRICAN PALM SWIFTS, BARN SWALLOWS and a couple of stumpy tailed BOHM'S SPINETAILS. This rounded off a very full day’s birding giving a final day total of thirty seven species keeping me on target for a holiday list of a hundred species. I really enjoyed being in the company of a very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and affable guide.
12-03-03
Location : Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, near Watamu, Kenya.
No one else in the hotel seemed keen to go on the birding trips so we had to stump up the four person minimum fee for a guided walk in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. This is the largest remaining natural coastal forest in the east of Africa made up of three different types of growth. These are a dense Cynometra forest on the higher grounds, an equally dense mixed forest and a thinner Brachystegia forest with smaller shrubs, grasses and plants growing in the under storey.
The mini van collected our guide Jonathan at Nzai on the way. We were told that we would be walking through the mixed forest on a sandy track and I was asked what I would like to see. I simply replied “As many different species of birds as possible!”.
The van departed from the main road and proceeded gingerly down a dark sandy track covered in dense forest. We were looking on the track in the poor light for animals with no luck. However, in my preference we did spot the first birds of the day, many small groups of PETER'S TWINSPOTS fed in the sandy track, fleeing just as the van approached them. These are delightful birds covered in a variety of autumnal colours with a black belly covered in white spots.
The van stopped at a fork in the road with a sign similar to our Forestry Commission signs. Jonathan was amazed to see me come out of the van complete with tripod and scope and recognised me as a ‘proper’ birder. Immediately there were groups of monkeys jumping from tree to tree but they did not really interest me. The track we were going to walk was in a less dense part of the mixed forest with the canopy easily visible. I was full of anticipation and unrealistically expected to clock a hundred birds today. (Forest)
We had not walked far and the second bird on the list was a fantastically iridescent plumaged COLLARED SUNBIRD, small yet spectacular. Jonathan walked off the track listening in a dense thicket and promptly pointed out a black and white TROPICAL BOUBOU that was singing away like mad. In one of the many trees was a flock of BRONZE MANNIKINS and a brilliant BLACK HEADED APALIS preening away that I could easily scope. Lots of AFRICAN PALM SWIFTS and other Swallows were flying high up in the sky. Jonathan took the scope like a pro and trained it on a female EAST COAST BATIS.
Venturing off the track, we were stopped by some activity in the trees and there were plenty of birds that I could catch good views of. These were GREEN BARBETS, CHESTNUT FRONTED HELMET SHRIKES, BLACK BELLIED STARLINGS and several BLACK HEADED ORIOLES.
We returned back to the track and immediately picked up a brilliant YELLOW BELLIED GREENBUL and some fork tailed COMMON DRONGOS above us. The forest was also throwing up a huge assortment of beautiful and intricate butterflies. Very soon Jonathan excitedly gestured me to stick close to him and keenly pointed out some birds which I scoped. The birds were the exquisitely iridescent plumaged endangered AMANI SUNBIRDS and there were four or five males altogether. These are endemic to this forest in all of Africa.
At last I found a big and easy bird all by myself, a CROWNED HORNBILL clumsily moved through the trees and Jonathan explained that it fed on the seed pods of the mahogany tree and large nuts. To the right of the last bird a small group of BLACK BACKED PUFFBACKS chased each other around some small trees. These are black and white Shrikes with red eyes and as the name suggests a mantle like a fluffy lady’s powder puff. I saw a TAMBOURINE DOVE fly over the small gap in the canopy and Jonathan identified it from a hurried sketch.
We came near the end of our walk and it was getting very hot even though it was very early in the morning. In the canopy were one or two CLARKE'S WEAVERS which were very special as they are only found in this forest north of Kilifili. While watching these rarities a large group noisily made it’s way into the same tree and after some identification discussion we agreed unanimously they were BLACK HEADED WEAVERS. The clinchers were the red eyes, black faces and large black bills. It felt very good to be asked for help in identification away from home. (Looking) From the same spot, I pointed out a pair of EURASIAN GOLDEN ORIOLES on a branch further down the track and Jonathan keenly did his finger clicking gesture meaning they were special for here. Coincidentally these were my first Eurasian Golden Orioles.
Just as we were about to return back to the van, a noise in a dense thicket thrilled Jonathan and after a keen search we only just made out the faint shape of a MOMBASSA WOODPECKER.
On the return walk, a greyish bird alighted on the tiny green shoots of a bush and I easily identified it straight away as a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER even though I have not seen many of these. This plain bird is special for this forest. However, it soon paled into insignificance as a long tailed AFRICAN PARADISE FLYCATCHER promptly flew in it’s wake. This is a blue headed and breasted bird with white wings and a very long set of white tail streamers.
A bit nearer the van, there was a very confiding tiny bird with a large name, a GREY BACK CAMARAOPTERA. An EMERALD SPOTTED WOOD DOVE put in a last minute appearance, flying over the canopy clearing near the waiting taxi van. I did not get the one hundred birds but I was very happy with the twenty five specials I observed.
Back in the hotel grounds, I was baffled to see HOUSE SPARROWS by the bar side ponds and took consolation in them being rare here. After a relaxing afternoon I attempted my second seawatch of the holiday and I started with a bang as an OSPREY soared close over our heads to the point and circled a few time before disappearing inland like the Wahlberg’s Eagle did yesterday. It was not long before I switched my attention to the large group of terns over the waves and I managed to identify more species than I did yesterday. I clocked SAUNDER'S TERNS, WHISKERED TERNS, BRIDLED TERNS, GREATER CRESTED TERNS and a few GULL BILLED TERNS. The latter three came close to the shoreline giving splendid views through my scope. Two new gulls also flew close inshore and they were a pair of SOOTY GULLS and a second winter HEUGLIN'S GULL.
Above the point and overhead were plenty of AFRICAN PALM SWIFTS, BARN SWALLOWS and a couple of stumpy tailed BOHM'S SPINETAILS. This rounded off a very full day’s birding giving a final day total of thirty seven species keeping me on target for a holiday list of a hundred species. I really enjoyed being in the company of a very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and affable guide.
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