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The following largely unconfirmed records have appeared in recent Bulletins of the African Bird Club and are for information only.

The following reports are from January–June 2010, with additional records from October–December 2009 not mentioned previously. A Madagascar Pond Heron Ardeola idae at Sabaki on 11 February is an unusual record for the season. More than 5,000 White Storks Ciconia ciconia were at Nakuru National Park (=NP) on 20–21 February. A total of 94 Eurasian Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus on Mount Elgon on 7 March is an unusually high count. A first-year Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was on the Magadi road, c.20 km before the lake, in late January; all records of this species are worth reporting given its significant decline. An immature Black-chested Snake Eagle Circaetus pectoralis near Kapcherop, Cherangani, on 24 December, and an Eastern Chanting Goshawk Melierax poliopterus in Nairobi NP on 27 December are unusual records for those areas. A flock of 23 Levant Sparrowhawks Accipiter brevipes was at the Ahero rice scheme on 24 January and an adult male near Mtito Andei on 30 January; this is an unprecedented number of this Accipiter for which there are only c.6 previous records in Kenya. A Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus at Nakuru NP in January was still present on 21 February. Unusual records for February include a female Amur Falcon Falco amurensis at Solio Ranch, Laikipia, on 18th and an Eleonora's Falcon F. eleonorae at Tsavo East NP on 13th. A Grey Kestrel F. ardosiaceus at Nakuru NP on 28 February is a rather easterly record.

A Red-chested Flufftail Sarothrura rufa was reported from Kiboko Bay, Lake Victoria, on 3 May. A Corncrake Crex crex was ringed at the Botanic Gardens,
National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi; this is a rare bird away from the Mara and very few have been ringed in Kenya. A Buff-crested Bustard Eupodotis gindiana
was unusually close to the sea near the salt pans at Kurawa, north of Malindi, on 24 April. Four Eurasian Oystercatchers Himantopus ostralegus stayed at Mida Creek, Watamu, through much of February–April. Unprecedented numbers of Caspian Plovers Charadrius asiaticus were recorded: c.70 west of Siana Springs
in late January and 2,347 together on the Tana River Delta on 15 February; very few were seen in the usual wintering grounds of the Masai Mara. In March, a Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii was seen and a Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatus ringed at Lake Nakuru. Over 1,500 Brown Noddies Anous stolidus were around Whale Island, Watamu, on 16 May; although likely to breed at the site, there is no evidence yet. A huge tern roost, discovered a few years ago at
Sabaki River mouth, contained an estimated 500,000 birds in February. Two Common Black-headed Gulls Larus ridibundus were on a dam near Molo on 2 May; there are few reports away from the Rift Valley lakes.

A Yellowbill Ceuthmocares aereus was seen at Langata, Nairobi, on 19 November—this is a rare species around Nairobi. Single Black Coucals Centropus grillii were reported from Aruba Dam, Tsavo East NP, on 13 February and near Witu Forest, Tana River Delta, on 26 April. A Böhm's Spinetail Neafrapus boehmi at Witu Forest, Tana River Delta, on 26 April is an interesting record, as Arabuko- Sokoke is generally considered to be its northernmost limit. Several
thousand Common Swifts Apus apus were at Sagala, Voi, on 23 January—such large numbers are unexpected at this season. A White-headed Mousebird Colius
leucocephalus at Sagala, Voi, on 24 January was outside its normal range. Eight White-throated Bee-eaters Merops albicollis at Naibor Camp, Masai Mara, on 8 June is an unusual date, whilst >100 Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters M. persicus near Witu, Tana River Delta, on 26 April is a late date. About 20 Madagascar Bee-eaters M. superciliosus were at Sagala, Voi, on 23 January. At least 1,000 European Rollers Coracias garrulus near Voi on 24 January were still present on 13 February.An Usambiro Barbet Trachyphonus darnaudii usambiro west of the
Ngong Hills, Rift Valley, on 14 March is the easternmost report for this taxon so far, whilst one in well watched Nairobi NP on 31 March was new for the park. A Tullberg's Woodpecker Campethera tullbergi in Kakamega Forest on 7 May is an
unusual record for this site.

An immature Red-winged Lark Mirafra hypermetra on a grassy area bordering the beach at Watamu on 23 May was definitely out of place: larks are very rare on the
coast, let alone on the beach front. A pair of Rufous-chested Swallows Cecropis semirufa was nesting in a warthog hole in the Masai Mara, in March; there are relatively few breeding records for this species. In late January, two Bush Pipits
Anthus caffer were observed at Siana Springs. Three Little Greenbuls Andropadus virens south of Kilifi on 1 February are the first records north of Mombasa for many years. Records from Nairobi NP include a small flock of Grey-olive Greenbuls
Phyllastrephus cerviniventris on 25 November (only the third record for the park), a Bare-eyed Thrush Turdus tephronotus on 27 March (first record for Nairobi district) and a Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis on 29 November (second
record for the park). Barred Warblers Sylvia nisoria were reported as extremely abundant—'the most abundant migrant after European Rollers, outnumbering Common Whitethroats S. communis 15 to 1'—at Sagala, Voi, on 24 January. An Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum at Tsavo East NP on 13 February was probably overwintering, which is very unusual in Kenya; one in Nairobi on 13 March is an unusual record for this site. DNA analysis of an unusual Acrocephalus ringed at Ngulia, Tsavo West NP, in December, proved the bird was a hybrid Marsh A. palustris × Blyth's Reed Warbler A. dumetorum. A pair of Yellow-vented Eremomelas Eremomela icteropygialis just outside Sala Gate, Tsavo East NP, on 12 February, is a very southerly record.

A group of Hinde's Babblers Turdoides hindei was discovered in a valley 34 km south-east of Machakos on 23 January; this is a new site for this Kenyan endemic. Boubous photographed and tape recorded on Manda Island, Lamu, in April appear to be black-morph Erlanger's Boubous Laniarius erlangeri; if accepted it will be a new species for Kenya - hitherto it was considered to be a southern Somalia endemic. Three House Crows Corvus splendens at Maungu, Voi, are among the furthest inland records of this invasive species and an indication of its massive increase since the control programme ceased in late 2004. A Fischer's Starling Spreo fischeri at Ol Kejo bridge, Magadi Road near Olorgesailie, on 31 March is one of the few (the first?) records for the Rift Valley. Groups of Magpie Starlings Speculipastor bicolor were present at Sagala, Voi, on 23 January—this species is recorded this far south only every few years; two on Mpala Ranch on 10 February is a very westerly record. A pair of Sharpe's Starlings Cinnyricinclus sharpii was feeding nestlings in South Marmarnet Forest, Nyahururu, on 11 March. An adult male Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps at the entrance of Nairobi NP on 27 December was only the second record for the park. A small Rufous-tailed Weaver Histurgops ruficaudus colony of seven nests with begging young and one recently fledged juvenile were found at the Mara River, Masai Mara, on 14 April; this species was only recently added to the Kenya list and this is the first reported breeding. In March, the second record of Straw-tailed Whydah Vidua fischeri in Nairobi NP was made when a male was observed. A briefly seen Somali Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza poliopleura on the western outskirts of Nairobi on 17 October is a new species for the city.

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The following reports are from July–December 2009, with additional records from April–June 2009 not mentioned previously. Several White-tailed Tropicbirds Phaethon lepturus were seen off Kiwaiyu, north of Lamu, in early November; this species is probably more common than reports suggest, due to the lack of observers at sea. A Eurasian Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus was at Lake Baringo Club on 18 April—this species is uncommon in the Rift Valley; two were observed in Kakamega Forest on 22–23 September and a third near Kisumu on 25 September—it is normally only occasional in western Kenya. An Ovampo Sparrowhawk Accipiter ovampensis, a scarce species in Kenya,was seen at Kichwa Tembo, Masai Mara, on 25 April. An adult female Eurasian Sparrowhawk A. nisus was photographed in Tsavo West National Park on 17 November; this probably overlooked species is only recorded every few years. In 2009, there were several records of Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus in Nairobi, where it is normally rare.

Displaying Red-winged Francolins Francolinus levaillantii were observed on the Keekorok road, Masai Mara, on 26 April; this is the first record in Kenya for over 20 years. Two juvenile Allen’s Gallinules Porphyrio alleni on a pond at Nguu Tatu, Mombasa, on 15 August, are suggestive of breeding. A Baillon’s Crake Porzana pusilla was at Sukari Dam, Brookside Dairies, Thika, on 23 September; this species is very rarely recorded in Kenya. A Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus on the beach at Watamu, on 5–6 November, is the first record there for many years. A Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus was photographed near Lukenya, Machakos, on 15 November; this is the first record in Kenya for many years. FourMadagascar Pratincoles Glareola ocularis at Sabaki on 4 April is an early date. A flock of c.50 Caspian Plovers Charadrius asiaticus at Aruba, Tsavo East NP, on 16 September, is an unusually high number for eastern Kenya. A Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii at Lake Jilore, Malindi, on 5 April, is noteworthy as there are relatively few coastal records.

Seven Namaqua Doves Oena capensis in Nairobi NP on 20 June suggest a local influx to an area where the species is rare. Also in Nairobi NP, a Thick-billed Cuckoo Pachycoccyx audeberti was seen on 3 May (second inland record) and an immature Eurasian Cuckoo Cuculus canorus on 21 September (an early date). An adult Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops was ringed at Lions Bluff, Lumo Conservancy, Taita, on 21 November. Another late record is a Forbes-Watson's Swift Apus berliozi at Arabuko-Sokoke on 4 April. On 4 August, a Bar-tailed Trogon Apaloderma vittatum was photographed in Masai Mara, where the species is rarely recorded.

Friedmann’s Larks Mirafra pulpa were reported in Shaba National Reserve on 15 April (three) and in Tsavo West NP on 20 November (at least three singing). If accepted, two Greater Short-toed Larks Calandrella brachydactyla behind Turtle Bay Beach Club, Watamu, on 5 November, will be the third record for Kenya. A Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica of the Palearctic race rufula was ringed at Ngulia, Tsavo West NP, on 19 December; this will be the first record of this race for East Africa, if accepted. A Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava of the white-headed race leucocephala was seen on Solio Ranch on 16 April—this race is very uncommon in Kenya; an adult flava-type in Nairobi NP on 13 September was very early. Three Sharpe’s Longclaws Macronyx sharpei were observed in grasslands 11 km west of Molo near the Mau Forest, on the western escarpment, on 16 August; this endemic is mostly reported from the highlands east of the Rift. A Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus ringed at Ngulia, Tsavo West NP, on 20 December, is only the 12th to be ringed there since 1969, during which time almost half a million birds have been ringed at this well-known site. An adult female Whinchat Saxicola rubetra stayed in Nairobi NP from 20 June to 28 August; it is unusual for this species to over-summer.

An Acrocephalus ringed at Ngulia, Tsavo West NP, on 17 December had all the features of Blyth’s Reed Warbler A. dumetorum; blood samples are being analysed and if the results and the description are accepted, this will be the first record for Africa. Further noteworthy records from Nairobi NP include a Grey Penduline Tit Anthoscopus caroli on 13 November (possibly the first since 1971), a Red-billed Buffalo Weaver Bubalornis niger on 20 June, a Blue-capped Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus cyanocephalus on 13 September (first record) and a Somali Bunting Emberiza poliopleura on 14 August (second record). Two or three pairs of Blue-capped Cordon-bleus were found atop the Limuru-Mai Mahiu escarpment, at 2,200 m; perhaps the birds were driven there by the drought, as it is very unusual for this species to occur at this altitude.

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The following reports are from January - June 2009. Two Masked Boobies Sula dactylatra were seen 20 km off Watamu on 26 February, whilst an immature Greater Frigatebird Fregata minor was at Watamu beach on 18 May.

Two Dwarf Bitterns Ixobrychus sturmi were at Nairobi National Park (=NP) on 6 May, whilst a dark Dimorphic Egret Egretta dimorpha was with Little Egrets E. garzetta at Magadi on 1 June. Three Abdim’s Storks Ciconia abdimii near Ramisi, south of Mombasa, on 15 January is an unusual record for the coast. A count of 2,200 Glossy Ibises Plegadis falcinellus going to roost in the Tana River Delta on 30 March led to an estimate of c.10,000 birds roosting at the site, illustrating once again the importance of this threatened wetland.

A male Common Teal Anas crecca in breeding plumage was at Hippo Camp, Naivasha, on 15 January. An immature African Cuckoo Hawk Aviceda cuculoides was observed in Nairobi NP on 8 June. Bat Hawks Macheiramphus alcinus were seen around Nairobi on 15 January and 5 February; this species is not frequently seen here. An immature Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus was in Nairobi NP on 23 February; the species has become increasingly rare and this is probably one of the first records for the park in several years. A probable Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus was observed in Nairobi NP on 18 January and another on 29th; records of this species are still being examined by the East African Rarities Committee. An African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus was noted at Mwea ricefields on 17 January; the species has become significantly rarer over the past few decades in Kenya. A Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus flying over Westlands, Nairobi, on 20 February is an unusual record. A Secretary Bird Sagittarius serpentarius on Mt Kenya at 3,300 m, in March, seems a very high-altitude record. An adult male Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus was observed in Nairobi NP on 9 May; there are fewer than ten records of this species in Kenya. African Hobbies F. cuvierii, uncommon in the central highlands, were noted in Nairobi NP on 6 May and at Blue Posts Inn, Thika, on 13 February; one was also on the coast, at Kilifi, where it is very rare, on 11 April.

A Corncrake Crex crex on Mbagathi Ridge, Karen, on 12 April, is an unusual record for Nairobi. A Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius was in Nairobi NP on 5 February and a Lesser Sand Plover C. mongolus on Lake Oloidien, Naivasha, on 15 January. Temminck’s Stints Calidris temminckii were seen in Nairobi NP on 1 January (one) and at Dandora Sewage Works on 14 January (two)—this is never a common species, especially away from the Rift Valley; seven together at Hippo Camp, Naivasha, on 15 January is an unusually high number; two more were at Mwea rice fields on 17 January. Two Slender-billed Gulls Larus genei were at Sabaki River mouth on 1 June; this species is only reported from Kenya every few years.

A pair of Meyer’s Parrots Poicephalus meyeri was investigating a possible nest hole in Nairobi NP on 20 June. A Ross’s Turaco Musophaga rossae at Loldia Farm, Naivasha, on 8 April and possibly the same bird at Elsamere on 22 April had probably come down from the now heavily disturbed Mau forest. One of the easternmost records in Kenya for Bare-faced Go-away Bird Corythaixoides personatus was made on 24 January at Sampu Camp, Nguruman Mts. Rare records for Nairobi NP involved a Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus on 8 June and a Verreaux’s Eagle Owl Bubo lacteus on 1 January. A Pel’s Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli was photographed in the Tana River Delta on 1 April; this species is rarely reported in Kenya. An African Pygmy Kingfisher Ceyx pictus ringed at Watamu in July 2007, was retrapped on 31 March - an early date. A Friedmann’s Lark Mirafra pulpa was heard at Maktao Gate, Tsavo West NP, on 6 April. The same species was also found in Shaba National Park on 17 May 2009, on which date the endemic Williams’s Lark M. williamsi was also present at the same site. Collared Lark M. collaris was photographed and sound-recorded near Haberswein, near the Somali border, on 28 May; this appears to be the first record in Kenya since 1967. A male Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark Eremopterix leucotis was found near Mwea ricefields on 17 January - an odd place for this arid-country species.

Two White Wagtails Motacilla alba were at Dandora Sewage Works on 14 January. Four pairs of Bush Pipits Anthus caffer were encountered in the Ulu Hills on 7 February; a high density for this scarce species. A Golden Pipit Tmetothylacus tenellus at Laikipia in January – February is unusual for this area. A male Irania Irania gutturalis in Nairobi NP on 11 January was joined by three more on 18 January and stayed until 2 March - this is a rare species around Nairobi. Common Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis was seen at Watamu on 30 March and 2 April; this species was formerly common along the north coast, but has become scarce in the past ten years.

A Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus in Nairobi NP on 9 February is a rather unusual date. A Basra Reed Warbler A. griseldis was at Kilifi on 10 April; whilst it must be present along the coast this species is rarely reported from there. Two Olive-tree Warblers Hippolais olivetorum were found in Nairobi NP on 2 March; an unusual species around Nairobi, especially so early in the spring. An Icterine Warbler H. icterina was seen at Nairobi Golf Course on 14 March; this is a rare species anywhere in Kenya and possibly only the second in Nairobi for c.15 years. In Nairobi NP, an adult Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria was recorded on 4 January - there has been only one other record since the 1970s around Nairobi; on 24 March, two were ringed at Watamu, the first there since 1999.

Considered extirpated in Kenya only a few years ago, Black-backed Cisticola Cisticola eximius seems to have made a comeback in Masai Mara, where it was again observed on 4 January. Three Pale Flycatchers Bradornis pallidus of the race bafirawari (sometimes named Wahjier Grey Flycatcher) were photographed near the Somali border on 28 May; this taxon had not been recorded for over 80 years. A flock of Brown Babblers Turdoides plebejus at the Ewaso Nyira River, just south of Sabuk Lodge, on 29 January, was unusually far east. A flock of six Hinde’s Babblers T.hindei was observed in Ol Donyo Sabuk NP on 1 May. A male Beautiful Sunbird Cinnyris pulchellus in full breeding plumage was seen in Nairobi NP on 2 March, whilst two were at Gigiri on 11 March; this dry-country species is only occasionally reported from Nairobi. Four Cardinal Queleas Quelea cardinalis in Nairobi NP on 8 June is another unusual species around Nairobi. Black Bishops Euplectes gierowii were seen at Shompole Lodge, Nguruman Mts, on 25 January (one) and 1 June (two); this southern population is not reported annually. Also at Shompole Lodge, a Fire-fronted Bishop E. diadematus was seen on 1 June. In Nairobi NP, up to 23 African Silverbills Lonchura cantans were seen on 4 January, with more there in February; there is just one previous record of this species for the area. Somali Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza poliopleura was recorded at Langata in early January and in Nairobi NP on 9 February; this is a new species for Nairobi.

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The following records are from June - December 2008. A pair of Great Crested Grebes Podiceps cristatus was observed at Manguo Pond, Limuru, on 25 October; this species was formerly far more common. Unusually high numbers of Little
Grebes Tachybaptus ruficollis were counted at Lake Nakuru, with over 1,000 on 10-23 November and an estimated 5,000 on 13 December. Dwarf Bitterns Ixobrychus sturmii were reported from 10 km south of Olorgosailie on the Lake Magadi road on 16 June (one), Splash Waterworld, Nairobi, on 12 November (two) and Ngulia, Tsavo West National Park (=NP), on 29 November (one). Six  Madagascar Pond Herons Ardeola idae were at Musiara Swamp, Masai Mara, on 1 July; there were 19 at this site in 2007. A subadult Rufous-bellied Heron A. rufiventris, a rare bird east of the Rift Valley, was found at Amboseli on 16 November. A Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber roseus was noted at Nairobi NP on 12 December; this is not a common sight on the plains south of Nairobi. An unusual record was a male Northern Pintail Anas acuta on Lake Nakuru on 24 June.

An African Cuckoo Hawk Aviceda cuculoides was observed at Karen, Nairobi, on 19 July, whilst two adults and a juvenile were at Tigoni on 29 November; there are only a couple of previous breeding records in Kenya. European Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus were reported from Nairobi NP on 18 October and from Chyulu
Gate, Tsavo West NP, on 15 November. A subadult Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis at Nairobi NP on 18 October is the first for Nairobi district. An adult
Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus at Musiara Swamp, Masai Mara, on 25 November was a good record for a species that is now rare throughout its range. A Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus was seen over the Dida Galgalu Desert in November; there are increasing numbers of records of this vulture in the
region. A Black Kite Milvus migrans of the nominate subspecies at Lake Nakuru on 27 June was present unusually late. An Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca was at Nairobi NP on 29 October. A Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo along the Kakamega - Kisumu road on 28 June is a surprise sighting at this time of year; a single at Nairobi NP on 5 October is an early record. A perched adult Sooty Falcon F. concolor was observed in Shaba Game Reserve on 3 November; two more were on the move with other falcons including Lesser Kestrels F. neumanni
and Eurasian Hobbies over Marsabit on 5 November.

An adult African Crake Crex egregia with a small chick was seen at Ahero Rice Scheme on 29 June; this is an interesting breeding record for this relatively little- reported species. An adult male Heuglin’s Bustard Neotis heuglinii was found in Tsavo East NP in November. An immature Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni stayed at Lake Nakuru from 7 November until at least 23 November; this is a rare bird in Kenya. A single Madagascar Pratincole G. ocularis was at Nguu Tatu, Mombasa, on 20 September; this species is more frequently seen in the Malindi area. A Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius at Nairobi NP on 12 December is unusual at this site. For the third consecutive year there were no November records of Caspian Plovers C. asiaticus in the Masai Mara or Amboseli, areas that in previous years held substantial numbers. In the Pemba Channel three Red-necked Phalaropes Phalaropus lobatus were seen on 23 November. Unusual June records include Common Greenshanks Tringa nebularia on 18 June (two at Nairobi National Park), Green Sandpipers T. ochropus on 17 June (one roosting on a pool at Mountain Lodge), 23 June (one at Amboseli) and 24 June (two at Naro Moru), and a Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus on 26 June (at Lake Baringo). A Slender-billed Gull L. genei first reported at Lake Nakuru on 23 November was still present on 13 December. Also there was an African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris on 10 November.

A pair of Black-billed Turacos Tauraco schuettii was seen in Kakamega Forest in November; this is rare bird in Kenya these days. A black-morph Jacobin Cuckoo Clamator jacobinus was at Nairobi NP on 5 October; this cuckoo is not
frequently recorded at this site. Nine Marsh Owls Asio capensis together were observed at Masai Mara on 14 September. Birds resembling Forbes-Watson’s Swift Apus berliozi were seen flying low over Sokoke Forest on 20 November. A Least Honeyguide Indicator exilis was recorded at Kichwa Tembo Camp on 2 July.

The enigmatic Friedmann’s Lark Mirafra pulpa was seen in Shaba Game Reserve on 3 November and at Saltlick Lodge, Taita Hills, on 1 December. An impressive roost of over 200 Banded Martins Riparia cincta was found in rank grass at Nairobi NP on 12 November. A Grey-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga was near the Oloololo Gate, Masai Mara, on 30 June; this is a scarce species in the Mara. A Bush Pipit Anthus caffer was at Lukenya, near Machakos - an usual location and date for this uncommon bird. A Grey-olive Greenbul Phyllastrephus cerviniventris at Tsavo West NP on 20 June constitutes a new location for this species.

Although Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris is always the commonest species at the Ngulia Ringing Project, Tsavo West NP, a record 11,938 were ringed in 2008 (or 58.9% of the 20,278 trapped birds), including 1,344 on 28 November, 1,932 on 29th and 1,525 on 30th. There were two retraps, a French bird and a Slovenian one. A Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita responded to playback on the Naro Moru track on 18 November; this is never a common species in this region. A Black-backed Cisticola Cisticola eximius was near Oloololo Gate, Masai Mara, on 24 November; until its rediscovery in Ruma NP a few years ago this species was considered extirpated in Kenya. A Whistling Cisticola C. lateralis was at Mungatsi
on 27 June. A Turner’s Eremomela Eremomela turneri at Shiru Forest, near Kakamega, on 22 October suggests the presence of a ‘new’ population of this Endangered species.

Three Mountain Illadopsises Illadopsis pyrrhoptera were seen in Kakamega on 12 November; this species is rare at this site. A male Olive-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris chloropygius at Kichwa Tembo, Masai Mara, on 1 July constitutes a new species for the Mara. An adult and an immature Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor were observed at Nairobi NP on 23 October, with another adult on 8 November; this is an unprecedented number on southbound migration. On 5 November another Lesser Grey Shrike was seen near Marsabit, slightly outside the range given in Zimmerman et al. (1996. Birds of Kenya and northern Tanzania). Two groups of Grey-crested Helmetshrikes Prionops poliolophus were seen in Lake Nakuru NP; the first was a mixture of apparently pure individuals, hybrids and the cristatus race of White-crested Helmetshrike P. plumatus. The hybrids resembled Grey-crested in size and plumage but had variably coloured crests and sported small eye wattles. The second small group only contained hybrids. A male Sharpe’s Starling Cinnyricinclus sharpii was at Karen Club, Nairobi, on 24 October; there are few records for Nairobi.

Ten Red-billed Buffalo Weavers Bubalornis niger of the isolated population at Ahero Rice Scheme were encountered on 29 June; this species is rarely seen here. The third record for Kenya of Rufous-tailed Weaver Histurgops ruficaudus concerned three birds on the hills behind Mara Sarova Camp, Masai Mara, on 13
November. An adult male Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps, a rare species for Nairobi, was at the main entrance of Nairobi NP on 29 October. Three Parasitic Weavers Anomalospiza imberbis were near Oloololo Gate, Masai Mara, on 24 November; this is never a common species in the Mara. Two Black-cheeked
Waxbills Estrilda charmosyna at Baringo cliffs on 26 June are unusual for this site.

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The following records are from June 2007 - May 2008 unless otherwise stated. At Samburu - Buffalo Springs, a dozen Great White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus flew over the Ewaso Nyiro River on 4 November, with a Pink-backed Pelican P.
rufescens there three days later; these species are uncommon in this arid part of Kenya. A female Common Teal Anas crecca was at Thika settlement ponds on 9 February. A belated record of a Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca at Lake Oloidien, Naivasha, on 20 November 2005 is noteworthy - this is a rare duck in Kenya.

An African Cuckoo Hawk Aviceda cuculoides was seen at Mountain Lodge, Nanyuki, on 19 November. Single African Swallow-tailed Kites Chelictinia riocourii were reported from the Ewaso Nyiro River, Laikipia, on 7 October, and Taita Hills Park, on 2 March; this species is rare in the south- east. A European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus was at Nyaharuru on 21 November. A Shikra Accipiter badius seen at Kasarani in October is possibly the first record for Nairobi since 1972. A pair of Ovampo Sparrowhawks A. ovampensis was hunting at Kichwa
Tembo, Masai Mara, on 10 - 12 November, whilst a Eurasian Sparrowhawk A. nisus, a rarely recorded Palearctic raptor, was at Samburu - Buffalo Springs on 6
November. A Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis at the Sio River, Busia, is an unusual record for western Kenya. About ten Lesser Spotted Eagles Aquila pomarina were reported from the Masai Mara on 10 - 12 November, a single adult from Naivasha on 20 December, and an adult Greater Spotted Eagle A. clanga
and a third- year Eastern Imperial Eagle A. heliaca over Sopa road, Samburu - Buffalo Springs, on 4 November. An immature African Hawk Eagle Hieraaetus spilogaster was in Nairobi National Park (=NP) on 17 April; this species has become much less common in recent years. A dark-morph Booted Eagle H. pennatus at Ahero, Kisumu, was seen on the unusual date of 22 August (possibly
a southern African bird?). More than 200 Lesser Kestrels Falco naumanni
with at least 12 Amur Falcons F. amurensis went to roost at Solio Ranch, Laikipia, on 20 November. The 513th species for Nairobi NP was an African Hobby F. cuvierii on 13 January. A pair of Peregrine Falcons F. peregrinus successfully
raised two young in Nairobi city centre in January - February.

A Corncrake Crex crex was ringed at Ngulia, Tsavo West NP, on 10 December. Adult Allen’s Gallinules Porphyrio alleni with juveniles were seen at Dunga Swamp, Lake Victoria, on 20 June, and in Nguuni Nature Reserve, Mombasa, on 21 January; there are relatively few breeding records in recent years. Two Common Cranes Grus grus at Marula Estate, Naivasha, from 29 December to at least 19 January constitute the second record for Kenya and apparently the first for the Southern Hemisphere. More than 60 Grey Crowned Cranes Balearica regulorum foraging along the Thika road, Nairobi, on 19 September is a large congregation of this bird. A pair of Lesser Jacanas Microparra capensis was seen mating at Ainabkoi swamp, western Kenya, on 20 July. On 27 January, Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus were observed at Sabaki River mouth (three) and Malindi harbour (two). A Chestnut-banded Plover Charadrius pallidus at Nairobi NP on 14 November is the first for the Nairobi area. Three flocks of Pacific Golden Plovers Pluvialis fulva, totalling 182 birds, were seen in the Tana River delta on 5 - 6 February; this species was thought to occur in ones or twos each year in Kenya, an older record of 50 in the delta being considered exceptional. Also there on the same dates, 225 Long-toed Plovers Vanellus crassirostris and 1,565 Spur-winged Plovers V. spinosus were counted. A Great Snipe Gallinago media was flushed from a small wet pan in an otherwise very dry area along Magadi road, in the southern Rift Valley, on 14 January. A Common Redshank Tringa totanus was at Lake Oloidien, Naivasha, on 7 - 9 January.

A Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus in full breeding plumage - a rare sight in Kenya - was found on 30 March. A Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis was
at Lake Elementaita on 9 January; this species is rare inland. Single Sandwich Terns S. sandvicensis were reported from Lake Nakuru on 20 November and the Tana River delta on 6 February. In August - October, Roseate Terns S. dougallii had an estimated 1,350 nests on Whale Island, Watamu, but breeding success was poor due to predation by rats. Also there were c.40 pairs of Sooty Terns S. fuscata and c.1,000 Brown Noddies Anous stolidus; no nest of the latter was found although the birds behaved as if breeding. A pair of African Skimmers Rynchops flavirostris in Nairobi NP on 27 July was new for Nairobi District.

A Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus in the Nairobi suburbs on 10 May was only the fifth record for Nairobi since 1972. At Samburu - Buffalo Springs, two African Cuckoos C. gularis were on territory on 2 - 7 November. A Black Coucal Centropus
grillii was seen in Nairobi NP on 26 July. An adult Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops rescued at sea c.3 km off Watamu on 30 October, recovered, and was ringed and released near Arabuko-Sokoke; how this bird found itself 3 km offshore is a mystery. A Swamp Nightjar Caprimulgus natalensis at Kichwa Tembo in early
January is the first record for Masai Mara, whilst a Narina’s Trogon Apaloderma narina at Ngulia, Tsavo West NP, on 17 December is only the second for this well- watched site. A single Madagascar Bee-eater Merops superciliosus on a power line at Isiolo on 20 January is a rare record this far north-west. Also unusual was
a Northern Carmine Bee-eater M. nubicus over Buffalo Springs on 2 November with another at Naivasha on 19 January. In Nairobi NP, a Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus was seen on 12 April and a Red-and-yellow Barbet Trachyphonus erythrocephalus in late March; both are uncommon in the area. A White-headed Barbet Lybius leucocephalus of the nominate race was found in the
Eremit Valley, Magadi road, on 19 December; this race is normally restricted to westernmost Kenya. Single Pallid Honeyguides Indicator meliphilus were recorded at the Karen Golf Club, Nairobi, on 25 July, and at Kichwa Tembo, Masai Mara, on 11 November.

Two male Friedmann’s Larks Mirafra pulpa on territories in Buffalo Springs on 7 November is one of the few records for this site, although the species occurs in neighbouring Shaba. A pair of Grey-rumped Swallows Pseudhirundo griseopyga in the Masai Mara on 10 July is one of the few records of this species for the area. A Sombre Greenbul Andropadus importunis at Elangata Wuas, Kajiado, on 23 March is a very easterly record, whilst two records of Northern Brownbul Phyllastrephus strepitans, one from Magadi road, in the southern Rift Valley, on 19 December, and another from Nairobi NP on 20 January, are far west for this species; the latter is also a new record for the Nairobi region. Four Grey-olive Greenbuls P. cerviniventris were observed near Kimana Gate, Amboseli NP, on 17 November. A female Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus at Sopa Lodge, Samburu, on 19 January is only the second reported in Kenya for a number of years. In July, a Karamoja Apalis Apalis karamojae was found at Kicheche Bush Camp, Masai Mara; this is a new location in different habitat for a species that was only recently added to the Kenya list. A Gambaga Flycatcher Muscicapa gambagae was mobbing a Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum at Ol Tukai, Amboseli NP, on 18 November. A pair of African Blue Flycatchers Elminia longicauda at Kericho Arboretum on 25 November and a Green-headed Sunbird Cyanomitra verticalis in the Masai Mara on 9 July are unusual records or these sites. On 11 August, an adult and an immature male Violet-breasted Sunbird Cinnyris pembae were seen at Sabaki River mouth; this is a rare visitor from further north. A Taita Fiscal Lanius dorsalis at Nairobi NP on 4 April is rather unusual. Single Lesser Grey Shrikes Lanius minor were reported from Solio Ranch, Laikipia, on 22 November and Vipingo Golf Course, Mombasa, on 28 January; this species is rare on its southward migration. A pair of Pied Crows Corvus albus at Samburu - Buffalo Springs on 4 - 7 November was an unusual record north of Mt. Kenya. Single Magpie Starlings Speculipastor bicolor were at Lake Baringo on 6 June and Samburu - Buffalo Springs on 6 November. A flock of six Rufous-tailed Weavers Histurgops ruficaudus was observed in Masai Mara on 2 May; this species is not on the Kenya list yet, though there was apparently a first record in Masai Mara in 2000. Nine Magpie Mannikins Spermestes fringilloides were along the Adungosi River, western Kenya, on 22 July; there are only 4 - 5 records of this species in Kenya. A record of Cutthroat Finch Amadina fasciata at Splash, Langata, on 26 March is the first for Nairobi since at least 1972. Steel-blue Whydah Vidua hypocherina, seen at Ngulia, Tsavo West NP, on 3 December is new for the site. At Samburu - Buffalo Springs, an adult male Northern Grosbeak Canary Serinus donaldsoni was observed in mid-January.

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The following records are from November 2006 - May 2007 unless otherwise stated. A Long-tailed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus in the Masai Mara on 17 February is a very unusual record for this site. On 25 November, only 20 Great White Pelicans Pelecanus onocrotalus were counted at Lake Nakuru, compared to an estimated 150,000 on the same date in 2005. An adult White-backed Night Heron Gorsachius leuconotus was in Nairobi National Park (=NP) on 24 January and a Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus on the Lower Kabete, Nairobi, on 6 December, whilst Dwarf Bitterns I. sturmii were seen at Lake Jilore, Malindi, on 31 January (five), Nginyang, Lake Baringo, on 25 April (four), and Kichwa Tembo, Masai Mara, on 2 May (one). On 16 April, 500 Abdim’s Storks Ciconia abdimii were counted at Ol Tepesi, Magadi Road.

In April, Eurasian Honey Buzzards Pernis apivorus were reported from Ngong Forest, Nairobi, on 4th (one), Shimba Hills on 10th (two) and the Kongelai Escarpment on 27th (a group of six). An African Cuckoo Hawk Aviceda cuculoides was seen at Nguuni, near Mombasa, on 2 December, and a Short-toed Snake Eagle Circaetus gallicus was photographed near Malindi on 12 April. An entirely melanistic adult Ovambo Sparrowhawk Accipiter ovampensis was spotted at Lake Nakuru NP on 23 November; at the Oloololo Escarpment, Masai Mara, and young fledged on 2 May. An adult Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus was along the road near Mweiga on 23 November, whilst a Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga was at Lake Nakuru NP on 25 November and a Saker Falcon Falco cherrug at sewage ponds in Nakuru NP on 23 February. Along the coast, from Likoni, Mombasa, to Sabaki, Eurasian Hobbies F. subbuteo were recorded in twos and threes on 10–21 April. Two adult male Red-footed Falcons F. vespertinus were near Lake Jipe on 14 April; this species is rare in East Africa. Eight Amur Falcons F. amurensis were on the beach at Watamu on 15 April; it is quite unusual to see falcons at the coast and only when weather conditions force them down during migration.

An adult male African Blue Quail Coturnix adansonii was flushed from tall wet grass along a track in the Ndara Plains, Tsavo East NP, on 29 December; there are few records of this species in recent times. Two Buff-spotted Flufftails Sarothrura elegans were calling from a Lantana thicket at Wajee Camp, Kirinyaga, on 18 April. A Corn Crake Crex crex was at Ol Doinyo Sabuk NP on 14 January and Lesser Moorhens Gallinula angulata were found in a suburb of Nairobi on 29 November (one) and at Nginyang, Lake Baringo, on 25 April (two). A Temminck’s Courser Cursorius temminckii at Gongoni, north of Malindi, on 12 April, is an uncommon species for the coastal strip. A single Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni was observed with some Collared Praticoles G. pratincola at Amboseli NP on 19 November; the former is a very uncommon species in Kenya. Three Temminck’s Stints Calidris temminckii were at Hippo Point, Lake Nakuru, on 25 November and a Great Snipe Gallinago media at Nambale, Busia, on 30 April. On 29 March, a Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis was observed at Tudor Creek, Mombasa.

Eight Grey Parrots Psittacus erithacus were seen in Rondo Retreat gardens, Kakamega, on 27 April. A large movement of Common Cuckoos Cuculus canorus occurred over at least central and eastern Kenya from the first week of April to about the 25th; an estimated 1,000 birds moved through in just 3–4 hours at Mida Creek, at the coast, on 21st. Larger numbers of Asian Lesser Cuckoos C. poliocephalus than in most years moved along the coast in mid April. A Black Coucal Centropus grillii was found in Nairobi NP on 15 November; this is far out of range, the nearest records being from the Masai Mara. A pair of African Grass Owls Tyto capensis at a nest with two chicks at Mweiga on 23 April constitutes a rare record for this species. A male Star-spotted Nightjar Caprimulgus stellatus was found dead on the road in Shaba Reserve on 22 April; this species has not previously been confirmed from the area. At Gongoni, north of Malindi, a Nubian Nightjar C. nubicus was found roosting on 12 April; an unusual species on the coast.

A Shining-blue Kingfisher Alcedo quadribrachys was seen at Adungosi, western Kenya, at same site where it was first discovered c10 years ago but has rarely been reported since. A Somali Bee-eater Merops revoilii was seen carrying food, as if breeding, at Maktau gate, Tsavo West NP, on 14 April; an unusual record if it was nesting. A juvenile Green-backed (Eastern) Honeybird Prodotiscus zambesiae was being fed by a pair of Abyssinian White-eyes Zosterops abyssinicus at Nairobi on 29 November.

The little-known Friedmann’s Lark Mirafra pulpa was found to be fairly numerous in Shaba Reserve on 22 April. Twenty Sharpe’s Longclaws Macronyx sharpei counted in a small area, at South Kinangop, on 17 April, constiutes an unusual concentration for this threatened species. A male Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica was at seen Solio Ranch, Liakipia, on 10 December. On 25 February, a Basra Reed Warbler Acrocephalus griseldis was singing at Lake Baringo. Single Common Chiffchaffs Phylloscopus collybita were reported from the Isiolo Junction area, Timau, on 20 February (singing); the Taita Hills on 13 April, and at the Naro Moru entrance to Mt Kenya NP on 19 April. A single Wood Warbler P. sibilatrix was found among Willow Warblers P. trochilus at Serena Hotel, Samburu Game Reserve, on 21 April. A Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus remained at Lake Baringo from 25 November until late December at least. A Purple Starling Lamprotornis purpureus was at the Sio River on 29 April. A Golden-breasted Starling L. (Cosmopsarus) regius 2 km beyond Sultan Hamud on the main Mombasa road, on 16 November, is at the western limit of this species’range.

Six Rufous-tailed Weavers Histurgops ruficaudata on Koiaki, Masai Mara, on 2 May, perhaps constitute the first record for Kenya of this Tanzanian endemic. At Lower Kabete, Nairobi, 100+ Jackson’s Widowbirds Euplectes jacksoni were counted on 6 December. A pair of Orange-winged Pytilias Pytilia afra was found at Lewa Conservancy, Laikipia, on 9 August 2006 and several birds photographed at Ol Doinyo Sabuk NP on 14 January; this species has not been reported from central Kenya for many decades.

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Records from October - December 2006, from the newly-created Kipini Conservancy, on the coast north of the Tana River, include the following. The last Madagascar Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides was seen on 22 October and the last African Cuckoo Hawk Aviceda cuculoides, a migrant to the coast, on 24 October. A Corn Crake Crex crex was flushed on 10 November; there are few records on the coast. The unusual rains in October - December brought large numbers of African Crakes C. egregia (some breeding), an invasion of Lesser Moorhens Gallinula angulata in flooded grassland on 25 - 26 December and a Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii on 26 December. A group of seven Pacific Golden Plovers Pluvialis fulva paused at a pan on 10 November, and a Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus was feeding on the beach the same day. At least one Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii wintered at a pan in December. Small groups of Forbes-Watson’s Swifts Apus berliozi passed or fed over the area from 1 November to at least 25 December, suggesting some wintered there in the unusually wet weather.

Both Eastern Green Tinkerbird Pogoniulus simplex and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird P. bilineatus were found in forest in the area, confirming they occur further north than previously stated, as well as Pallid Honeyguide Indicator meliphilus (including one singing in a baobab). Malindi Pipits Anthus melindae were very common in the short-grass plains, with numbers probably totalling a few thousand, making Kipini Conservancy the most important area for this globally threatened Kenya endemic. A Black-and-white Flycatcher Bias musicus appeared in a mixed-species flock in a forest patch on 13 October; it was not seen again and the species’ status is unclear, but this is a major range extension. Violet-breasted Sunbirds Cinnyris chalcomelas appeared to be uncommon in the reserve, but were common in flooded thornbush around Garsen, where many were singing, in December. A female Parasitic Weaver Anomalospiza imberbis lurked around two pairs of Tawny-flanked Prinias Prinia subflava on 12 - 19 October; there are very few records from the coast. Other species not mapped for the north coast in Zimmerman et al. (1996, 2001, Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania) include Black Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus, which was widespread in Kipini, and Kurrichane Buttonquail Turnix sylvaticus, found to be common in grassland.

The following records were reported in May-November 2006. A pair of Great Crested Grebes Podiceps cristatus with a juvenile was observed at Molo on 14 October 2006; presumably the same birds were seen in July. A Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii was at the Sabaki River mouth on 9 July and a Madagascar Pond Heron Ardeola idae at Runda Estate, on the northern edge of Nairobi, on 21 June. A white-morph Western Reef Heron Egretta gularis at Mida Creek on 26 November is an unusual record for the area. Also unusual, at least at this season, was the sighting of an adult Beaudouin’s Snake Eagle Circaetus beaudouini at Mumias, western Kenya, in mid-August. A Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina was seen on the late date of 15 May in Shaba National Reserve. An adult Eastern Imperial Eagle A. heliaca flew over Ngulia, Tsavo West National Park, around 27 November. An adult Lesser Jacana Microparra capensis was at Limuru sewage pond in late August; this species is unusual near Nairobi. Two Eurasian Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus at Malindi in late August constitute an early record for this uncommon Palearctic wader. Three Brown-chested Lapwings Vanellus superciliosus were observed near Keekorok Lodge, Maasai Mara, on 22 June. An early Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii was at Lake Naivasha on 14 October. A Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus at Malindi harbour on 30 November was the second this year, after many years without any sightings. At Lake Naivasha, a Common Black-headed Gull L. ridibundus in non-breeding plumage was spotted on 11 August; this constitutes an early date for this species, which 25-30 years ago was hardly recorded in Kenya. An adult Heuglin’s Gull L. heuglini at Lake Naivasha on 14 October was an unusual record for the Rift.

A Bare-faced Go-away Bird Corythaixoides personatus, seen in the first week of August, at Kisumu is also unusual for that area. A Madagascar Lesser Cuckoo Cuculus rochii was reported from Kakamega Forest in mid-August and a Half-collared Kingfisher Alcedo semitorquata from Blue Posts, Thika, in late August; the latter is one of the first records for Kenya in c.20 years. A Wahlberg’s Honeybird Prodotiscus regulus was observed in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest at the end of August and a Golden-tailed Woodpecker Campethera abingoni along the Mutembo River, Kongelai Escarpment.

A Gillett’s Lark Mirafra gilletti, photographed in Samburu National Reserve in mid-August, will be the first record from Kenya for decades, if accepted, and the first away from the extreme north-east of the country. A pair of Angola Swallows Hirundo angolensis seemed to be prospecting for a nest site in Nairobi on 16 October; this species may be spreading east. A new form of pipit ‘Nairobi Pipit’, found in Nairobi National Park a few years ago and part of the Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis complex, is regarded as a distinct species by some. A Lead-coloured Flycatcher Myioparus plumbeus was found nesting in a tree cavity at Lake Baringo on 13 June; there are relatively few nesting records in Kenya. A pair of Abbott’s Starlings Pholia femoralis was seen entering a cavity with nesting material in Gatamaiyu Forest on 5 October. Perhaps these were the same birds that nested here in 2005;

this first breeding record for Kenya was unsuccessful, as the young died when the branch supporting the nest broke. On 14th a female was seen again, but no sign of breeding was observed. A first-year female Chestnut Sparrow Passer eminibey was ringed at Ngulia on 20 November; this species is very rare at the site.

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Last page update 7th January 2011

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