Kenya Birding Issue 11 by Nature Kenya Publications

Kenya Birding THE NATURE KENYA MAGAZINE ISSUE 11, 2017

REDISCOVER MAU EBURU A long-forgotten forest in the Rift Valley having birds with western affinities

MEET DALE ZIMMERMAN The lead author and illustrator of the field guide ‘Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania’ chats about his work and life

NEW IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS Find out why Mutitu forest and Mumoni forest are recognised as key biodiversity areas 6 164001 728005

Kenya Birding © Nature Kenya August 2017 Issue 11 Kenya Birding is a publication of Nature Kenya, the East Africa Natural History Society and is free to members of Nature Kenya. Printing is made possible by advertising and projects. Front Cover: Heuglin’s Coursers by Lorenzo Barelli Special Mention: Bird Photographer Peter Usher Managing Editor Catherine G. Ngarachu Assisting Editor Darcy Ogada Advertising Co-ordinators: Gloria Waswa, Norman Kiboi Printed Offset Litho by Colourprint Ltd. NATURE KENYA CONTACTS For enquiries, contributions and advertising write to: Nature Kenya, the East Africa Natural History Society National Museums, Museum Hill P.O. Box 44486, GPO, 00100 Nairobi Kenya Tel: (+254) (0) 20 3537568 or (0)780 149200 office@naturekenya.org www.naturekenya.org NATURE KENYA ECO-RESOURCE CENTRES - Mount Kenya, next to Bantu Lodge - Kinangop Reserve, North Kinangop - North Coast, Gede office - South Nandi Kobujoi Eco-resource Centre - KENVO resource centre in Lari - Taita Eco-resource centre, Taita Hills Thank you to all the photographers who very kindly shared and gave permission to use their images for publication. We are also very grateful to the authors and other contributors for their invaluable support. All copyright for material appearing in this publication belongs to Nature Kenya and/ or the photographer/ author. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher Nature Kenya. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the publisher. ABOUT NATURE KENYA Nature Kenya (the East Africa Natural History Society) is a non-profit conservation organization. Established in 1909 it works to promote the understanding and conservation of nature.

For Kenya, for birding You may have noticed that Kenya Birding is now in a new size and the front cover is updated — I hope you like it. We’d like to go further and welcome new contributors. Let us know if you have any interesting ideas (write to office@ naturekenya.org). Meanwhile in this election year, let us not forget to press for a brighter future for sites, birds and people. Darcy Ogada and Martin Odino’s telling of a recent raptor survey (pg.19) captures, in one region, many of the conservation challenges faced in many places in the country today. The incredible landscapes and wildlife we have are worth making an effort to protect long into the future, but it all hinges on what we do today. That is one reason why we celebrate conservation successes, especially when they involve novel approaches like those being implemented in Homa Bay, where issues of population, health and the environment (pg.26) are brought together, or when new sites that are important for biodiversity are brought into the limelight (pg.18). For the birding we love, go to the review of Mount Eburu by Gordon Boy (pg.32), who has also produced a new Visitor Guide to this often forgotten forested mountain. Peter Usher takes a break from his usual Urban Birding segment to take us birding from a rather unusual angle (pg.24) Also, make sure you don’t miss Fleur Ng’weno’s interview with Dale A. Zimmerman the lead author and illustrator of the field guide we love and know so well, Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania (pg.22). Catherine Ngarachu, Managing Editor PS: I’ve also been looking forward to telling you about my book “50 Top Birding Sites in Kenya”. It is will be part of the Struik Nature collection and it is due out in July 2017. A big thank you to the many friends and fellow birders who generously furnished fantastic photos, helped review the individual sites, and gave guidance. I was hugely relieved to see the end of this three-year project, as it had become when it finally went to print. But funnily enough, I now wait with great excitement to see it come back to me — but in print — Hallelujah!

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COMMENTS FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

contents

4 Restoring the Mount Kenya forest

MAIL DROP Mount Kenya. Photo by Peter Steward.

10 SNAPSHOT

NEWS

15 Control of House Crow 19 Mutitu and Mumoni hill forests - new Important Bird Areas 22 Royal Town Planning Award

SPECIES

23 Fantastic Memories amid Concern over Kenya’s Enchanting Far North

FEATURED

“Water costs do not include catchment management and restoration,” says Paul Matiku

26 Fleur Ng’weno’s interview with Dale A. Zimmerman 28 Birding with an angle

SAVING BIRD AREAS

30 Building champions in conservation The Population Health Environment approach 31 Give to save the Taita Apalis 32 Protection of pristine papyrus crucial for survival of key wildlife species 33 Buy Papyrus & Palm-leaf Gifts 34 Birding in Yala with up-and-coming tour guides 35 Safeguarding Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

26 “The eye is always the last thing that I paint,” says Dale Zimmerman lead author and illustrator of Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania

WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS

36 Mau Eburu birding rediscovered 39 Birding in Kenya’s North West 2

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Peter Usher shows fishing and birding can be complementary

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mail drop

comments

RESTORING

THE MOUNT KENYA FOREST Paul Matiku

Executive Director, Nature Kenya

NATURE CONSERVATION IS REAL — it is not politics. The

A BAD SITUATION GETTING WORSE

But despite the vital role the mountain plays in the environment and for our economy, we see Mount Kenya undergoing serious deforestation. Surrounding landscapes are increasingly degraded, erosion is high, and the water quantity and quality is reducing. The effects of the degradation are felt by many and include increased siltation of dams, increasing water treatment costs, and acute and frequent water shortages for industry and domestic use. Also, low water levels in dams during the dry seasons make power rationing necessary. At the moment there is no equity in the distribution of forest protection and restoration costs. Neighbouring communities represented by Community Forest Associations are trying their best, with limited funding. Downstream users are not contributing enough and water is mostly thought of as a free

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choices we make have consequences. For example, Mount Kenya, a key pillar of Kenya’s Vision 2030 provides fresh drinking water for over 2 million people. The mountain also makes it possible for us to generate more than one-third of Kenya’s electricity from the hydropower stations of the Seven Forks Scheme (Gitaru, Kamburu, Kindaruma, Masinga and Kiambere dams) along the Tana River. The total area for crops in the Tana watershed in 2011 was about 1.0 million ha. The irrigation potential is estimated to be around 132,000 ha, of which 64,425 ha are irrigated already. So Mount Kenya provides food, electricity, jobs and drinking water for millions of Kenyans.

Many of these sightings first appeared on KENYABIRDSNET an email list-serve where local subscribers post interesting bird sightings, observations of unusual bird behaviour, and news about birding activities in the country. To join, go to Yahoo Groups, ask for Kenyabirdsnet and follow instructions. You may need to get a Yahoo address in order to join.

commodity. Water costs do not include catchment management and restoration.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIPS

In 2016 we were able to enlarge our actions to address the environmental deterioration of Mount Kenya. We developed a business case for the restoration of the Mount Kenya Forest. Its main goal is to win highlevel commitment and support from the business sector, for their financial contributions to halt forest loss, restore degraded areas and promote sustainable production. I’m glad to say that the Kenya Breweries Limited has pledged to support Nature Kenya and Community Forest Associations. Also, Vivo Energy have promised to continue their support for the Lungs for Kenya Golf Tournament in 2017 to raise funds to restore Mount Kenya Forest. The Serena hotels have also pledged to work with Nature Kenya. (On how to help visit www.naturekenya.org) For more see page 8

Greater Frigatebird at Jumba, North Coast 15 November 2016

A Greater Frigatebird was ‘patrolling’ the beach of Jumba Ruins, slowly flying the length of the beach 3 times before proceeding south. Doris V. Schaule

Black-headed Gull seen at Hyena Dam 19 December 2016

I was lucky to be at Hyena Dam for a fleeting sight of a first winter Black-headed Gull on Hyena Dam in Nairobi National Park. I am informed this species is not listed in the Nairobi National Park bird checklist and that it is a new species for the park. James Kashangaki

We saw a Red-footed Booby at the salt pans north of Gongoni (together with Ann Robertson, Catherine Ngarachu, Deborah Goodhart, Pauline and Elio Balletto).

A rare sighting of Redfooted Booby 2 November 2016

Sightings in the northern suburbs of Nairobi I moved to Nairobi about a year ago and have done much of my birding close to where I work and live, in and around the northern suburbs of Garden Estate, Thindigua and Marurui. I found a large wetland to the right of the Northern Bypass Road, as you travel from Runda Estate and cross the Kiambu Road. There is a small acacia tree here where Speke’s Weavers nest, and where I found Red-collared Widowbird and African Citril. Two Grey Crowned Crane have been spotted with young. If you continue on the bypass, go around the Windsor roundabout and go for 2.7km you’ll come to the busy Marurui bus stage. On a tall eucalyptus tree seen after you turn left towards Marurui Primary School, I found a colony of Village Weavers and a Pied Crow nest. Lizard Buzzard scan for prey from the electric wires along the road. About half way to the school is a football field that seasonally becomes

We were slowly making our way around the ponds looking at the Lesser Flamingos that have taken up residency here, when we noticed this somewhat strange bird. It landed on an electricity transformer at a saltpan intersection and spent some time there looking rather confused. Red-footed Booby are normally found far out at sea and rarely seen on land.

Kathleen Bisset

a wetland. It attracts waterbirds like Yellow-billed Duck, Little Grebe, herons, Great White and Yellow-billed Egret and Hamerkop. Instead of travelling east off the Windsor roundabout, you can go north to the main entrance of the extensive Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club resort. Ask here for permission to go birding around the coffee farm, which is down Kigwa Ridge road. You’ll have to turn back about 100m and turn left into Kigwa Ridge road. Go past a water pump and soon you’ll be alongside a coffee plantation with a few surrounding exotic trees. Here is the best place to look for species like White-headed Barbet, Tropical Boubou, Red-faced and Singing Cisticola, Red-faced Crombec and flying up above Augur Buzzard. Other birds seen at the lake and natural forest of the resort include African Black Duck, Lemon Dove, greenbuls, Grey-capped, Lesser Swamp and Darkcapped Yellow Warblers and Rüppell’s Robin Chat.

Jonathan Mwachongo

Jonathan is the resident bird guide at Windsor

Sightings in Tsavo East and Tsavo West 11 December 2016

Every time I visit Tsavo, especially at this time of year when after a bit of rain the place is looking spectacular, I wonder why I don’t go there more often. Tsavo East though was only just starting to green up and there were no whydahs or widowbirds in breeding plumage. On the first of three days in Tsavo East, it appeared like we had the whole park to ourselves. Every bush top seemed occupied by a Eurasian Roller, surely thousands of them, just resting or hawking insects. The general direction of their migration seemed more east than anything else and there were not many left 24 hours later. The following day, after an hour of really heavy afternoon rain we came out of our tents to find a flock of 200-300 Amur Falcons wheeling overhead and grabbing termites. In the evening I found my first Scaly Chatterer. On our way to Sala Gate the next morning, beside the spectacular Galana River, there were at least six Grasshopper Buzzards. They are not birds with which I was readily familiar but in flight and in habit, actually unmistakable. On the way back from the coast I stopped in Tsavo West to experience and hopefully help with the annual bird ringing at Ngulia Lodge. Mist obliged and Sprossers, Marsh Warblers and Common Whitethroats dominated the catch, spiced up by a Eurasian Scops Owl, a Eurasian Nightjar and Basra Reed Warblers. Afrotropical birds, mostly in the daytime nets, included Common Buttonquail, Jameson’s Firefinch and Gambaga Flycatcher. On a drive in the park, it was interesting to find all three of our guineafowl species on a 5km stretch of road just below the lodge. Rupert Watson

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10 Red-necked Phalaropes & Bat Hawk - Lake Bogoria and nearby cliffs 18 January 2017

Roger Smith, Francis Cherutich, Ben Mugambi and I had a total of 10 Rednecked Phalarope at Lake Bogoria. I was not expecting phalaropes at that location and at first my brain refused to accept it. But the black eye patch, semi-streaked dark gray mantle and the otherwise pale plumage made me conclude that they were indeed Rednecked Phalarope!

Hinde’s Babbler. Photos by Peter Usher ©N. Dias

Hinde’s Babbler at the University of Nairobi Kabete campus 26 February 2017

The 10 phalaropes were scattered around among the usual shorebirds, which were all quite skittish and did not allow for one to approach closely (outside the vehicle). The level of harassment by local children is abundantly obvious and between them and the goats and dogs roaming the place, it looks to be a sad state of affairs at Bogoria today. On the way back to Tumbili Cliff Lodge, Francis spotted a Bat Hawk chasing bats near the southern end of the Baringo cliffs. We lost it in the dimming light when it went below the cliffs. Then a couple of minutes later Roger spotted it again and we enjoyed decent looks for a few seconds. Nathan Dias

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David Guarnieri and I heard babbler-like calls above the dam at the eastern end of the University farm, at around 7:30 a.m. We found two Hinde’s Babblers in bushy habitat. A third bird appeared to be deeper within the scrub, but it remained unseen. This record appears to be at the extreme southern end of this species’ range. Also of note, both Montane and Abyssinian White-eyes were seen in an area of replanted indigenous trees at the western end of the dam.

Simon Carter

This sighting by Simon Carter and David Guarnieri was the first sighting of an endemic bird in the capital Nairobi! Within 2 weeks (on 8 March 2017) the Nature Kenya Wednesday Morning Birdwalk also visited the field station. They too got very clear and close-up views of 3 Hinde’s Babblers. This time though, they were seen at the edge of a coffee plantation about 2km away from the first sighting. Hinde’s Babbler is a bird of the drier fringes of the central Kenya highlands. The dry conditions this year may have therefore encouraged the babblers to expand their range. The closest to Nairobi that this species had previously been recorded was at Paradise Lost, located in Kiambu — a single individual seen by Nature Kenya on 20 July 2016.

Sidney Shema

Sunbird City 26 April 2017

While atlassing the Kijabe pentad yesterday I had an experience I don’t recall having had before — in about just 20 minutes I saw no less than eight species of sunbird in one tree: Variable, Bronze, Tacazze, Collared, Amethyst, Green-headed, Northern Double-collared and Malachite. A ninth, an Eastern Double-collared was in the same tree as the others this morning and last week I had Golden-winged as well. I’ve also just

mail drop added a tenth to the list, a Scarletchested Sunbird. Amazingly the tree was not an indigenous tree as might be expected but a Eucalyptus in full flower. There were also White-fronted and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, weavers, bulbuls, sparrows, whiteeyes and a lone Willow Warbler in the same tree (oh, and a nest with a large chick of an African Harrier Hawk which had an adult Great Sparrowhawk visit and sit there for a good 30 minutes...).

Will unusual bird sightings become more frequent? Kenya, for the most part has an equitable climate. It is forged by monsoon winds and the metronomic progression of the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) as it responds to the annual tilting of the planet. It is also locally modified by mountains, forests and lakes, particularly by Lake Victoria, resulting in our four seasons: two wet, a long and short rainy season, and two dry, one of which is warm and the other cool. The global oceans also influence the weather and periodic changes in the thermal structure of the seas induce significant variations in what is considered normal weather. The Indian Ocean Dipole and the Pacific Ocean’s El Niño are well known in this regard. Indeed, it was a strong El Niño event in the latter part of 2016 and the beginning of 2017 that created havoc in the global weather, including severe drought in Ethiopia, Somalia and most of southern Africa. The El Niño effect in Kenya is not so easily classified. Previous events, like that of 1997-8 resulted in exceptional rainfall with floods and destruction. At the same time, countries north and south of Kenya were wracked by severe drought. The November 2016 short rains in Kenya were average or wetter in Central and Western Kenya. However, Northern and Eastern Kenya had minimal rainfall and the following dry season of December 2016 through March 2017 has been exceptionally hot and dry throughout the country leading to severe

At the beginning of the month at the Fundamentals of Ornithology course held at Elsamere in Naivasha there were very few sunbirds - I think there was just one record of Variable in the whole week (normally very common there), a handful of Bronze and that was pretty much it for sunbirds. Presumably with the very dry conditions they’ve moved up to higher elevations...

Colin Jackson

drought conditions almost everywhere. A normal dry season has periodic rainy intervals — in 2017 there were almost none. Drought leads to disputes among ranchers and herders over limited grazing and to confrontation between farmers and game migrating in desperate search of food. But what of birds? Kenya lies squarely on the migratory route of hundreds of species fleeing the cold winters of Europe and Asia in search of feeding and resting grounds in eastern and southern Africa. And local birds? How do they respond to severe climatic changes? Unlike land animals they are not constrained by fences and settlements. Sightings of ‘out-of-range’ birds are not uncommon in any season, but this year birders are regularly encountering dry-country birds in the cooler forested highlands where they would normally not be seen. In Nairobi these have included: Black-faced Waxbill in the Ngong forest and Hinde’s Babbler in the western suburbs (see Maildrop sighting report). Climate is changing everywhere because of fossil fuel burning and altered land-use, including deforestation. Species will have to adapt to survive. How Kenya’s environment will alter with climate is impossible to predict. However, the best guess is that in addition to getting warmer, droughts and floods will become more extreme. Like other vulnerable creatures, birds will be compelled to explore locations beyond their traditional range. We may soon be recording unusual bird sightings more than ever before. Peter Usher KENYA BIRDING 11

continued from page 4

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2016 Nature Kenya and our partners have also been developing the idea of a ‘Green’ Industrial Park in Tana River County. It is envisioned that an industrial park committed to supporting sustainable nature-based enterprises will catalyse a market for sustainably produced food and products and create jobs, while protecting biodiversity areas. In the Tana Delta, the County Government of Lamu approved the award-winning Land Use Plan and Strategic Environmental Assessment. The LUP provides a framework for sustainable land management. (Go to pg. 22 to see more about the award) In the Yala Swamp the counties of Siaya and Busia are involved in Land Use Planning for Yala Swamp. Also, the local community groups in Yala have identified areas to be conserved for biodiversity and tourism, and have welcomed the introduction of fishponds and weaving of papyrus products as sustainable incomegenerating activities.

Nature Kenya’s work is based on science, action and partnerships — we call it connecting nature and people. More specifically we empower communities. We promote conservation with development. We link livelihoods with biodiversity conservation. We restore habitats and monitor biodiversity. We educate and advocate for a sustainable future. Paradise Flycatchers by Kiama Kamau

In the Taita Hills, Nature Kenya has been successful in leasing land for the conservation and protection of Taita Apalis. The apalis is on the verge of extinction with only an estimated 150 individuals remaining in the wild, in the Taita Hills. Site Support Groups in Dakatcha Woodland continued to protect the forest and Clarke’s Weaver breeding sites — these breeding sites occur nowhere else in the world. Butterfly farming in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest continues to benefit local people who through the ArabukoSokoke Forest Adjacent Dwellers Association (ASFADA) are championing the protection of the forest. They were successful in stopping oil and gas exploration inside the forest. The Nairobi National Park was saved from outright destruction when the government listened to stakeholders asking to re-route the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). The best option was for the government to avoid going through the park altogether, but instead the current route was decided. This SGR route and overpass design goes through the grassland savannah in the southern part of the park and is less destructive than their initial proposal. Nairobi National Park remains a place for excellent birding. Our habitats and species face many challenges, but with commitment, dedication and the support of members, much can be achieved. 8

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Kenya Breweries Limited is supporting the rehabilitation of degraded Mt. Kenya ecosystem by planting 100,000 indigenous trees for sustainable water flows from Mt. Kenya forest. Nature Kenya seeks strategic commitment and support from the business sector to enhance the quantity and quality of water flowing from Mt. Kenya.

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snapshot A SWISS BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER IN KENYA Lorenzo Barelli FOR FOUR YEARS, from 2010 to 2014, I had the great fortune to live and reside in the beautiful country of Kenya. During this time, I took up bird photography and soon became quite addicted. The result is that to date I have taken photographs of 725 bird species (including 8 endemics) and co-authored the book Wings of Kenya with fellow birders and bird photographers, Jacques Pitteloud and Sammy Mugo. The book published in June 2014, features 750 species of birds photographed in Kenya. Looking back, I travelled to many fabulous places around the country â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from the sea to the warm sands of northern deserts and from the cold trout-filled rivers of the mountains to the lakes. My trips gave me opportunities both for extraordinary photographs and for meeting local people, in their personal and professional capacities. I am very honored to have been able to live in a country that will always remain in my heart and where I will always return with great pleasure. In my opinion, some of the most intriguing birds are those that are nocturnal or active at twilight. Of these, I managed to photograph 9 species of owls, 5 species of nightjars, and 3 species of coursers. Here are a few for you.

SLENDER-TAILED NIGHTJAR

SOKOKE SCOPS OWL A sighting that is impossible to forget was of the endangered Sokoke Scops Owl in Arabuko Sokoke Forest. Led by a superb guide, David Ngala, we managed to find a pair with a young one. The peculiarity of these individuals was that one was gray, the other brown, and the juvenile was orange. KENYA BIRDING 11

PEL’S FISHING OWL “... I’m sure that seeing Pel’s Fishing Owl is high on almost everyone’s list of dream birds that they’ve never seen before ...” http://safaritalk.net/ topic/12279-best-place-tosee-a-pels-fishing-owl/ First place in the hit parade of these shots is definitely the Pel’s Fishing Owl that I managed to photograph in Meru National Park. A magnificent night bird with rusty-brown plumage (paler and streaked below) and dark eyes, attentive to our every move. I still remember the day we spotted him, when my friend (and ornithological guide) Sammy Mugo cried tears of joy. He spotted the fishing owl’s unmistakable silhouette on a tree branch along the Rojaweru River inside the park. It had been his dream since childhood to see this owl.

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snapshot At Lake Baringo it is possible to find a large concentration of nocturnal birds. Accompanied by Sammy Mugo and with the help of the expert local guide Wilson Tiren, I was able to photograph African Scops Owl, Northern White-faced Scops Owl, Spotted Eagle Owl, Grayish Eagle Owl, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet and Slender-tailed Nightjar. In Baringo I also got one of my favourite photos, that of the Heuglin’s Courser (it features on the cover of this issue)

AFRICAN SCOPS OWL

GRAYISH EAGLE OWL

MONTANE NIGHTJAR

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Ph.: @carlosmangoa

Your Lifetime Ticket to the Theater of Nature From the Great White Pelican breeding grounds in the western end of the lake to the Tropical Boubou in the festooned riverine galleries to the beautiful Golden-breasted Bunting and to the distinct flamingos, Soysambu Conservancy boasts a diverse range of bird species that makes this a bird-watching paradise. With Lake Elmenteita boasting approximately 450 bird species, rest assured you will be spoiled for choice.

Three day experience where we will visit three different habitats

DAY 1 WETLAND HABITAT The birding experience starts with a walk from the northern shoreline crossing over the mouth of River Mbaruk that will bring you up close and personal to the water fowls. Lunch will be served at The Rock picnic site. The afternoon will involve a visit to the pelicans’ breeding grounds on the western end of the lake, followed by a drive down to the southern part, to enjoy and laze away at the hot springs for the entire afternoon.

DAY 2 WOODLAND AND FOREST HABITAT The walk starts from the camp and takes you into the nearby Acacia woodlands. Don’t let the grazing impala distract you. The forest offers festooned riverine galleries - learn the bird calls here that are key to their identifications. A picnic lunch will await you by the western edge of the forest.

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KENYA BIRDING 11

DAY 3 GRASSLAND HABITAT The expansive grassland habitat dominates the western part of the Conservancy. A drive takes you past the Soysambu Conservancy main office where the birding experience begins. Spend the morning looking for grass dwelling and nesting species, such as the Fawn–coloured Lark (Mirafra africanoides), Grassland Pipit (Anthus cinnamomeus), and Yellow Bishop (Euplectes capensis). A picnic lunch on the western end of the plains will be served before proceeding to the great plains that border Lake Nakuru for the rest of the afternoon.

news

HOUSE CROW CONTROL How exactly the House Crow came to be a resident bird on the East African coast is a mystery. But it has been so successful here, it is now the most recognisable bird at the coast, where it is found in abundance in places where people have settled. In appearance, it is a medium-sized bird that is largely black with a greyish neck and breast. The large number of House Crows creates a number of problems and there is a lot of talk about controlling their numbers. Comments from Colin Jackson, National Director, A Rocha Kenya and Research Associate, National Museums of Kenya, on the Indian House Crow

WHAT IS THE BEST MEANS OF CONTROL FOR HOUSE CROW POPULATIONS? Traps, egg collection, and nest destruction are different options. They have an impact on crow numbers, but in reality given the large numbers of House Crows, they only scratch the surface. The best means of sustained low-level control is by careful poisoning (following an initial intensive phase) using a highly specialised poison, called Starlicide. Starlicide was developed for killing European Starlings in the U.S. where they are an alien pest much the same as House Crows are here. It only affects the bird eating it directly (anything eating the dead bird is unaffected as the poison is metabolised fast and completely before the bird dies).

WHY IS THE HOUSE CROW CONSIDERED A MENACE? As with most exotic, introduced species, the House Crow has created a number of problems, both in local natural ecosystems and for human communities: a) The House Crow is an extremely voracious bird and predates the nests of other smaller birds, eating the eggs and young, and destroying the nest. This has led to the decline in the diversity of indigenous birds in many areas. They also predate on small reptiles and mammals. b) House Crows specifically harass and mob a wide variety of birds for no apparent reason other than to cause distress. I have personally seen a House Crow chase a Crab-plover (having no food for the crow to steal, nor was it a threat to it) off the beach in Watamu and continue to mob it for 2-300 metres across the water. The crow was apparently simply being a bully. c) House Crows, sometimes working in teams, will take eggs and chicks of free-range poultry and attack new-born kids and calves. They also feed on germinating maize, sorghum and other crops. d) House Crows will often carry rubbish some distance from the rubbish dump to eat it. This spreads decomposing rubbish, which clearly increases the risk of spreading disease. Furthermore, considerable ‘guano’ can build up from droppings below the crow’s roosting and breeding sites, which carries a risk of disease for humans. House Crows have been shown to be carriers of up to eight human parasites. e) House Crows make a lot of noise, which for many is significant ‘noise pollution’. House Crows are extremely bold and f) smart and will happily steal food off the plate of someone eating in an outdoor restaurant. This has become a major problem for hotels and restaurants in those areas at the coast where crows have increased to very high numbers. It has also forced small businesses, such as kiosks trying to sell foodstuff on the streets, to close down for the same reason. KENYA BIRDING 11

House Crow. Photo by Peter Usher

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THAT BRINGING DOWN WILL BIRDERS BE EXPECTED TO HELP OUT OR THE NUMBER OF HOUSE CROWS IS POSSIBLE? GET INVOLVED? Yes, with an intense initial period of poisoning and trapping followed by a long-term, sustained, lowlevel control programme, it is definitely possible. We proved this in Watamu and Malindi where between 1998 and 2005 we reduced and maintained House Crow numbers to around 5-6 in Watamu and 25-30 in Malindi (with higher peaks only after the breeding season).

WILL IT TAKE A VERY LONG TIME OR INCUR HIGH COSTS BEFORE WE SEE SIMILAR RESULTS AGAIN? The poison is not cheap, but then you only need a few kilos to be able to kill many thousands of crows. Within a few months of coordinated poisoning, one would definitely see a difference.

DOESN’T THE POISON AFFECT OTHER DOMESTIC OR WILD ANIMALS? Yes, if they get an opportunity to consume it, though less so for mammals than for birds (Starlicide is specifically an avicide). Extreme care has to be taken to ensure that only House Crows take the poisoned bait. 16

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Yes! Coast birders (or those on holiday at the coast) can get involved in the Kenya Bird Map project by doing repeated and frequent bird mapping using the full protocol (a minimum of two hours birding over five days, listing all species observed in the order of encounter). Data submitted regularly and over time will allow us to get a very good look at the changes, not just crow abundance and distribution along the coast, but also the abundance and occurrence of other indigenous bird species. We expect that as House Crows are controlled and reduced, then species that had previously been depleted, outcompeted or predated will increase. It is hard work and very expensive to do detailed surveys of birds and crows for long enough to really show these changes. BUT, with enough birders taking part in the Kenya Bird Map and submitting regular lists, this information can be easily generated. For more info on the Kenya Bird Map project visit kenyabirdmap.adu.org.za

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WHAT’S IN AN ACRONYM? An Important Bird Area (IBA) is an area recognized as being a globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. These sites are small enough to be entirely conserved and differ in their character, habitat or ornithological importance from the surrounding habitat. For a site to qualify as an IBA it has to qualify in one of the following globally agreed criteria:

Ayres’s Hawk Eagle by Peter Usher

• it should hold a significant number of a globally threatened species (these species are often classified as Critical, Endangered and Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List); • it should hold a significant number of a restricted range species whose breeding area defines an Endemic Bird Area;

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• it should hold a significant component of a group of species whose distribution is largely or wholly confined to one biome, or • it should hold congregatory bird species. An Endemic Bird Area (EBA) is defined as an area, which encompasses the overlapping breeding ranges of restricted-range species, such that the complete ranges of two or more restrictedrange species are entirely included within the boundary of the EBA. This does not necessarily mean that the complete ranges of all of an EBA’s restricted-range species are entirely included within the boundary of that single EBA, as some species may be shared between EBAs.

Mutitu and Mumoni hill forests Two new Important Bird Areas for Kenya

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Fred Barasa IN 1999 KENYAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S Important Bird Areas directory of 60 sites was published. Between 2011 and 2015, five new sites were added to the list: Kwenia, Lake Olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;bolosat, Boni and Dodori forest, Ol Ari Nyiro and Hellsgate National Park. In 2016, the county of Kitui and Nature Kenya partnered on a project that aimed at establishing tourist sites, with birds being a major attraction. Mutito forest and Mumoni forest were considered based on previous research and new surveys that were undertaken. Lesser Kestrel by Brian Small

About the sites

Mutitu and Mumoni hill forests are gazetted dry land indigenous forests with some small pockets of exotic plantations within Kitui County. These hills have a rich diversity and abundance of birds as well as other wildlife. They include 45 species of hepertofauna, 88 species of butterflies, 19 land snails, 748 species of vascular plants, 19 small and 24 medium to large mammals that have been documented (Malonza, P.K., Muasya, A.M., Lange, C., Webala, P., Mulwa, R.K., Wasonga, D. V., Mwachala, G., Malombe, I., Muasya, J., Kirika, P., Malaki, P. (2006) Biodiversity Assessment in Dryland Hilltops of Kitui and Mwingi Districts.Research programme on Sustainable Dryland Biodiversity. NMK.). Both sites have more than 200 bird species recorded with a higher diversity in the warmer low lands. On successfully completing the IBA qualifying process Mutitu forest and Mumoni forest were recognised as IBAs. This brought the total number of IBAs in Kenya to 67 by the end of 2016. Fred is the Conservation Monitoring and Climate Change Coordinator, Nature Kenya cpo@naturekenya.org continued on page 22 KENYA BIRDING 11

lets go birding

KITUI COUNTY

Welcome to Kitui, a county richly endowed with enourmous tourism potential. Comprised of natural, cultural and historical attractions, Kitui County is spectacular for many reasons: birdwatching, camping, hiking, game safaris, to mention but a few. Many bird species make their home in Kitui, including the endemic Hinde’s Babbler, the powerful Crowned Eagle, the striking Goldenbreasted Starling and the vocally talented Rüppell’s Robin Chat. This variety of our county’s feathery occupants reflect the diversity of the landscapes they inhabit, from forested hills and valleys to acacia savannahs. I invite you to grab your binoculars and a pair of comfortable walking shoes, and prepare to spot some of our flighty friends at one of these diverse birding destinations. Dr. Julius Malombe Governor, Kitui County

Hinde’s Babbler

itui County offers a rich array of birding opportunities in its many wildlife refuges and natural areas. Whether its the Mutito and Mumoni hills gazetted forest reserves - also designated as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas(IBAs), or the game filled Mwingi and South Kitui National Reserves, there’s so much to see and explore for birdwatchers. With the Kenyan endemic Hinde’s Babbler and the Near Threatened Southern Banded Snake Eagle among others, Kitui is home to a striking variety of bird species. Over 200 have been identified! Popular birds found in Kitui include starlings, eagles, weavers, hornbills, and barbets. From the thickets, grasslands and acacia savannah to breathtaking valleys the incredible array of habitats creates a nearly endless bird watching experience in Kitui.

KITUI BIRDING HOTSPOTS

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters

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Mumoni Hill Forest Mutito Hill Forest Gaikuyu Hill Forest Yatta Plateau Nzambani Rock Kiambere Dam Wakivondo Dam Nuu Hills Tsavo East National Park Mwingi National Reserve South Kitui National Reserve Endau Hill Kalundu Dam Kanyonyoo Wildlife Conservancy

Mwingi National Reserve

Mumoni Hill Forest Reserve Gaikuyu Hill Forest Kiambere Dam

Nuu Hills Mutito Hill Forest Endau Hill Wakivondo Dam Nzambani Rock

over

Von der Decken’s Hornbill

South Kitui National

200 recorded

Mutomo Hill Reserve Muthaa Hill Yatta Plateau

Tsavo East National Park

species

PHOTOS CREDITS: PETER USHER, PETE STEWARD AND DAVE CURTIS

Martial Eagle

Crested Francolins with Yellow-necked Spurfowl

BIRDS TO LOOK OUT FOR Southern Banded Snake Eagle Pallid Harrier Martial Eagle Hinde’s Babbler Ayres’s Hawk Eagle Martial Eagle Crowned Eagle Red-billed Oxpecker Yellow-necked Spurfowl Eastern Chanting Goshawk African Orange-bellied Parrot White-bellied Go-away-bird Von der Decken’s Hornbill

D’Arnaud’s Barbet Red-and-yellow Barbet Rosy-patched Bushshrike Rufous Chatterer Abyssinian White-eye Golden-breasted Starling African Bare-eyed Thrush Straw-tailed Whydah Hartlaub’s Turaco Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater Rüppell’s Robin Chat Baglafecht Weaver Northern Brownbul

KENYARed-and-yellow BIRDING 11 Barbet21

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Birds of Mutitu and Mumoni Hill forests GLOBALLY-THREATENED SPECIES

Southern Banded Snake Eagle Near Threatened Pallid Harrier Near Threatened Martial Eagle Vulnerable Hinde’s Babbler (Endemic) Vulnerable

REGIONALLY-THREATENED SPECIES Ayres’s Hawk Eagle Martial Eagle Vulnerable Crowned Eagle Red-billed Oxpecker

RESTRICTED–RANGE SPECIES Hinde’s Babbler (Endemic) Vulnerable SOMALI MASAI BIOME Yellow-necked Spurfowl Eastern Chanting Goshawk African Orange-bellied Parrot White-bellied Go-away-bird Von der Decken’s Hornbill D’Arnaud’s Barbet Red-and-yellow Barbet Rosy-patched Bushshrike Rufous Chatterer Hinde’s Babbler (Endemic) Vulnerable

Abyssinian White-eye Golden-breasted Starling African Bare-eyed Thrush Straw-tailed Whydah AFROTROPICAL HIGHLAND SPECIES Hartlaub’s Turaco Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater Rüppell’s Robin Chat Baglafecht Weaver EAST AFRICAN COAST Southern Banded Snake Eagle Near Threatened Northern Brownbul

KENYA WINS

Royal Town Planning Award FOR PLANNING EXCELLENCE

THE TANA RIVER DELTA Land Use Plan and Strategic Environmental Assessment scooped the International Award for Planning Excellence during the 2016 Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence ceremony held in London on 5th May 2016. “This outstanding entry strongly addressed all of the criteria and the judges were impressed by the entry’s ability to draw inspiration from other planning projects and tailor them to the unique situation. In doing this they have left a legacy for future planners in the area,” said Roisin Wilmott, RTPI awards adviser The Land Use Plan recommendations were developed through analysis of current trends and future scenarios. Its implementation will contribute towards the availability and accessibility of high quality water, improved and sustainable livelihoods, security, equity

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and enhanced biodiversity conservation, including the constitutionally envisaged 10% tree cover. Sarah Sanders, at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (BirdLife in the UK) said, “This award demonstrates it is possible to achieve a balance between conservation and development through careful planning. We trust Tana will be an example to other ecosystems in Kenya and throughout Africa”. The Land Use Plan for Tana Delta was developed through a collaborative effort and it was informed by the Strategic Environmental Assessment report for the area – an in-depth analysis of existing socio-economic and environmental conditions

Photo below: (Left to right) Paul Matiku, Helen Byron, Peter Nelson and Sarah Sanders receiving the award at the ceremony in May 2016

within the Delta and the River Tana catchment. It was the first time in Kenya, and in Africa, that a Strategic Environmental Assessment informed a Land Use Plan. Kenya beat seven other finalists from Africa, America and Asia to scoop the award. For more info contact: Serah Munguti advocacy@naturekenya.org

species

Fantastic Memories amid Concern over Kenya’s Enchanting Far North

Darcy Ogada Photos by Martin Odino WE SET OUT FOR NORTHERN KENYA in May last year when the area was awash in floodwaters, clearly the worst of times to be traveling into a place whose roads are notoriously treacherous at the best of times. Two vehicles, two drivers, three raptor recorders, one homeguard for 14 days of surveys. Our aim was to count raptors, all of those that we could see from our vehicle windows. Counting raptors from a moving vehicle is really the only method to quickly assess their numbers over such a vast area. An area whose list of pending large-scale developments reads like an 8-year old’s list to Santa Claus — long and growing. Damming of the Omo River, the Lamu Port Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPPSET) project, oil extraction, the largest wind farm in sub-Saharan Africa, multiple high voltage power lines, and a dam called Crocodile Jaws.

African Swallow-tailed Kite.

Brilliant and beautiful

Clearly, if you haven’t experienced the unspoiled beauty of this region, the adage ‘it’s never too late’ doesn’t apply, soon it will be too late! We needed data. We needed to know how many raptors were still in this region, where were they numerous, where had they disappeared, what about the mammals, the reptiles, and the other creepy crawlies? Besides the development, what were the other threats to wildlife? When developers come knocking they are impatient, you need data, and you need it like yesterday. Data is an important weapon against wanton development where environmental sustainability is an afterthought. From the Mathews Range west to the Ndotos, ah Mama Mia! Brilliant and beautiful. Ngurunit is hands down the most picturesque village I’ve ever visited in Kenya. Simply stunning. The ‘Horr’ in South Horr is only two syllables short of horrible. What a misnomer, go there, you’ll see. continued on next page KENYA BIRDING 11

Huri Hills. You feel the presence of the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project far before you see it. The road is as smooth as an airport runway. Well before you can see anything, askaris at checkpoints stop and question vehicles using the main road. You wouldn’t be amiss in thinking you’ve entered a military barracks. Then it appears from around the bend. Huge white turbines rise from the rocks in this otherwise desolate landscape. They were not yet functional, but the pace of construction assured they would be roaring to life in no time.

more elegant than the emaciated golden jackal that would not have been out of place at the Dandora dump site in Nairobi. Its protruding hip bones appearing to be a mere clothes hanger for something formerly called fur. We pinned our hopes on the park — Sibiloi loomed.

I’m sure I’d be interested and enthralled by the scale of the project that is bringing supposedly ‘green energy’ to the country, if I didn’t know better. Poorly placed wind turbines kill an estimated 13-39 million birds and bats each year, and this one reeked of the slaughter to come. Now acutely aware of the reality transforming this region, we silently drove on.

Glorified cow pasture

The Jade Sea, the alternative name of Lake Turkana, is not a misnomer. Although the Jade Sea of Mars might be more fitting. There is no sand along this sea, there’s no soil either, just rocks, an endless vista of rocks. It’s difficult to imagine a landscape more foreign and more hostile to our human sense of comfort. You wonder about and have immediate sympathy for every human being you see. How do you survive here?

Yet aerial surveys by the then game department during the 1960s and 70s indicate that ungulates along this stretch of northern Turkana numbered more than 8,000. Ouch! Clearly, we’d been duped. This was no longer a park, it was a glorified cow pasture. We conversed with the locals to better understand the lack of wildlife and they told a story fit for a Hollywood action drama. Invasions, fighting and drive-by shootings (of wildlife). Despairing, we drove on. Illeret produced some beautiful regional specialties like Northern Carmine Bee-eaters, Magpie Starlings, and Abyssinian Roller. What it didn’t produce was any raptors other than kites.

We rumbled along the lakeshore eager to spot our first northern specialist raptors. Then over a gentle rocky hill, a smallish white raptor appeared circling just overhead. It didn’t take long before its long forked tail gave away its identity as our first African Swallow-tailed Kite. This arid land specialist is an intra-African migrant that is more typical of the northern tropics, but a population is known to breed at Lake Turkana. We drove many more kilometres, seeing very few raptors or much else. A handful of Grant’s gazelles appeared far

KENYA BIRDING 11

Our first clue of what was to come were the goats that replaced the gazelles at the national park entrance. The landscape was lush, the livestock was copious, and the wildlife were remnants. After traveling 100 kilometres inside the park we had seen five Grant’s gazelle, four dik diks and three golden jackal.

The likely reason for this only emerged during postsurvey conversations with long-term residents who told of the slaughter of wildlife using automatic weapons. Not surprisingly, once the native prey species were decimated, the hyenas turned to eating livestock, and the locals turned to using cattle dip insecticides as very effective poison. As the hyenas went the way of the dinosaurs, so

Wind Turbines in Turkana. did the scavenging vultures, Tawny Eagles and Bateleurs. Along the drive to North Horr someone yelled, ‘Fox!!!!!’ We flew out the doors before the vehicle stopped. We burst out of the vehicle from all sides scrambling for a glimpse of this far northern specialist, the Fox Kestrel. I fumbled for my camera while it made one quick pass overhead and just like that it was gone. The only enduring mental image was of its beautiful chesnut-coloured tail. It felt like what I envisage of Scotland as we approached the Huri Hills. The only thing out of place were the dry-land specialist donkeys and camels grazing amongst the rolling green hills. The thick morning fog further cemented my thoughts. When we began to see Augur Buzzards and Black-shouldered Kites — I had flashbacks of being in Central Province. These species are not found in the lowlands and the last time we saw any on our trip was near Mount Kenya. Clearly the Huri Hills is a very unique place, being surrounded on all sides by desert. It is also along the flyway (for raptors at least) to the aptly named Mega Escarpment in southern Ethiopia. This gigantic wall of rock erupts for many kilometres along the border and is surely one of the region’s unspoken natural wonders. Think potential UNESCO World Heritage site, for its spectacular magnitude and importance to all manner of cliff-dwelling creatures. From our perspective, it is arguably one the most important sites in Africa for critically endangered Rüppell’s Vultures and is probably equally important for endangered Egyptian Vultures, and near threatened Bearded Vultures,

not to mention a throng of other cliff-breeding birds like eagles and swifts. It dwarfs Mt Forolle on the Kenyan side of the border. The road to Moyale was a revelation. If your perception of this area is largely based on frequent negative media reports, as mine was, then it’s difficult to imagine how beautiful this area is, particularly in its electric green state due to the copious recent rains. The forests along the road to Moyale looked simply enchanting. Hill upon hill adorned with a shaggy green coat of native trees. However, the bountiful supply of charcoal at every village spoke of the threats to these fragile ecosystems. We were well-informed by a number of locals that there is no cooking gas for sale in Moyale. The markets overflowed with huge pieces of wood for sale, if the trees could talk they’d certainly be screaming. Reaching Moyale signified all the changes that have happened in the once remote Northern Frontier District, as it was called in the colonial times. The far north has become accessible and this is bringing rapid change to the region. Unfortunately, human greed in relation to development projects casts doubt on whether the local people will benefit from any of them. Darcy particularly thanks Ian Parker and Eric Ness for conversations that contributed to this article. This article was originally published in Swara.

KENYA BIRDING 11

Dale A. Zimmerman

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talks with Fleur Ng’weno and gives us rare insight into his design and paintings for the book Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania and of his life “Did you bring Zimmerman?” is a question often heard on birding outings. It refers, of course, to the book Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania by Dale A. Zimmerman, Donald A. Turner and David J. Pearson. Last year, I had the privilege to interview the real Zimmerman – the lead author and illustrator of this birding essential. When their guidebook hit the shops in 1996, it was a revelation for us bird watchers. For many years we had struggled with books that only featured some of the birds, and none of the migrants, as it was assumed that bird watchers came from elsewhere. Now at last here was a book with all the birds of Kenya, and only the birds of Kenya (plus some northern Tanzanian specialties on a separate page).And the illustrations were fabulous, including the hard-tosee birds of the western forests that we had only imagined before– greenbuls, illadopses, and wattleeyes. Dale Zimmerman explained some of the forethought, study and skill that went into creating these illustrations. He was familiar with the birds, having seen many of them in their natural habitat over the course of 20 years of field work in Kenya, particularly in Kakamega Forest. He had trained under the outstanding American ornithologist and artist George Miksch Sutton, and was able to make his bird paintings extraordinarily lifelike.

KENYA BIRDING 11

Dale Zimmerman with Edwin Selempo at Kakamega Forest

“The eye is always the last thing that I paint,” he says, “with that little white dot that makes the bird come to life. The dot is not painted. It is the paper behind the painting.” Today many bird books are illustrated with photographs, which are naturally life-like. But photographs capture a bird in a moment of time – with a particular attitude, angle and lighting. A painting, in contrast, tries to capture the quintessential bird – how it looks most of the time, under most conditions. The most difficult part, Zimmerman explains, was designing each plate or page of paintings. Today, we can use a computer to move and re-size an image, but when Zimmerman started painting for the book in 1985, computers were in their infancy. Each plate had to be imagined, designed

The guidebook plate of Bulbul, Bristlebill, Leaf-love, larger Greenbuls and Nicator.

and then painted. Which birds would be grouped together? How would they be arranged? For accuracy, Zimmerman used study skins from many museums for reference, as well as photographs and field sketches. Capturing that quintessential bird is particularly difficult with birds that have iridescent plumages – where the structure of the feathers reflect light at different angles. A friend recalls that Zimmerman had to remember the lighting he used, and just how he held or positioned a bird skin, to capture the same iridescence over several painting sessions. Dale Zimmerman designed the 124 plates in Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania, and painted nearly 80 of them, including all the passerine birds. However he developed eye problems, and two other skilled bird artists, Ian Willis and H. Douglas Pratt, completed the non-passerines.

Kenya’s birds are only one part of Dale Zimmerman’s wide range of interests and accomplishments. He is an all-round naturalist – botanist, ornithologist, entomologist – and a gifted artist and celebrated teacher. Passionate about nature since his youth, he has studied nature all over the world, often in the company of his wife Marian, herself an accomplished botanist and ornithologist. Zimmerman is coauthor and co-illustrator of Birds of New Guinea, and at Western New Mexico University, where he taught for many years and headed the Biology Department, there is a herbarium named after him.

Reminiscences of East African Birding. And last year he came back to Kenya at last, for two safaris with Edwin Selempo – himself an artist as well as a bird guide – of Origins Safaris, the company founded as East African Ornithological Safaris by his coauthor, Don Turner. Now aged 89, Dale Zimmerman seemed fit and energetic, mentoring a new generation of naturalists as Professor Emeritus, and concerned about the future of birds in Kenya at a time of expanding population and economy. He continues to inspire us.

In 2015, following a heart attack and the passing of his wife, Dale published Turaco Country:

FUNDAMENTALS OF ORNITHOLOGY

A CERTIFICATE COURSE

FOR BIRD GUIDES AND BIRDERS At the Centre for Education in Sustainability, Elsamere, Naivasha A joint course by the Ornithology Section of the National Museums of Kenya, Nature Kenya (the EANHS), Tropical Biology Association and A Rocha Kenya

WHO CAN ATTEND? The course is most ideal for professional and amateur bird guides & birdwatchers and bird enthusiasts. The course introduces participants to birding in a variety of habitats — wetlands, grasslands, savannahs and forests — around Lake Naivasha.

The guidebook plate of Glossy Starlings

Participants gain skills in field birding as well as a good understanding of the biology of birds from seasoned trainers.

Fees are about KSh 56,000/= for Kenyans; US$ 680 for nonKenyans. They cover: 8 nights, full board • transfers to and from Naivasha • field outings • Tuition & course materials. Enquire for April 2018 at: foo@naturekenya.org

Saunders’s Terns by Edwin Selempo

KENYA BIRDING 11

BIRDING WITH AN

ANGLE

Peter Usher

I AM A BIRDER or more accurately a bird photographer, and in addition, I fish. Come the weekend I pack my camera and a picnic lunch alongside a set of fishing rods and tackle, and head out of Nairobi. If my destination is a lake, pond or dam rather than a river, I also carry, in the car trunk, an inflatable boat, electric engine and a set of oars. Kenya is an angler’s paradise. Tilapia, catfish and giant Nile Perch supplemented by introduced trout, bass and carp provide the fisherman with a variety of quarries requiring the employment of specialized fishing techniques. But this is not an article about fishing, rather how seamlessly birding and fishing go together especially when I am in a boat.

KENYA BIRDING 11

Patience is the virtue that every good angler possesses. There can be instances of wild activity with fish in a feeding frenzy but, more often there are long quiet periods where floats don’t bob, lures are ignored and the fanciest artificial fly deftly cast to a dozing trout elicits no interest. Yet, while the creel remains empty, there is still much to observe. Plants, butterflies, monkeys and other forest animals are frequently seen by the water’s edge. Otters, Coypu and even a snake can suddenly appear at the boat’s side. On Rift Valley lakes, it is possible to share the water with pods of hippo and basking crocodiles that eye the intruding angler with wary contemplation and, the angler is hoping, with mutual respect. It was an unexpected and welcome revelation to find that birds are far more tolerant of me in a boat than they are of me standing on the river bank or walking a forest path. My inflatable has a low profile, its electric engine virtually silent even at full power, and when drifting, as it mostly is in fishing mode, elicits a surprising measure of acceptance from birds. Fellow fishermen, herons and kingfishers, for example, remain focussed on their catch rather than on my boat drifting by.

featured Yes, fishing and bird photography go well together. Hours without a bite are still rewarded by the nature around you and furnish opportunities for really special photos — like when I captured a close-up image of the Blue-headed Coucal that slinks in the undergrowth of my local pond (where the guidebooks suggest it is least likely to be found).

Fishing on Lake Turkana and Peter Usher with a very nice catch of Nile Perch

If there are drawbacks, then it is the fact that water and cameras do not go well together. Rainfall often improves the fishing experience; it does little good to the lens lying on the damp floorboards. And if you have ever successfully negotiated a situation where you have a camera in one hand, a rod in the other, a mug of scalding coffee between your knees when a big fish strikes, then you are a better angler than me!

Bird Photos: Reed Cormorant, Mountain Wagtail and Blue-headed Coucal. Photos by Peter Usher

Sometimes I can approach within almost touching distance of a bird before it is startled enough to fly. Swifts, swallows and martins flash and dip into the water within a metre of the boat. Cormorants dive and surface close enough for me to observe their eye colour and I wonder why the green-eyed Great Cormorant is so different to its red-eyed cousin, the Reed Cormorant. Holub’s Golden Weaver building intricate nests overhanging the water seem oblivious to their aquatic observer. I’ve seen wagtails (Mountain, Cape and the ubiquitous African Pied) feed on insects among lily-pads while iridescent sunbirds continue in their nectar-gathering activity untroubled by me being only metres away, camera and lens in hand. Normally eagles and buzzards glide silently overhead. But, on one occasion, at Lake Naivasha, an African Fish Eagle stooped to snatch a Largemouth Bass I was playing. The eagle carried it upward 20 metres, together with my line, before deftly removing the fish from the lure and flying away!

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Building

champions in conservation

The first Site Support Groups were established in 1993. Through the 23 SSG, now in place, Nature Kenya has engaged over 100,000 households countrywide in environmental awareness and education, designation and management of community conservation areas, habitat restoration through tree planting, and the promotion of energy saving devices. This partnership has paid off. For instance, the capacity of the Friends of Kinangop Plateau, one of the pioneer SSGs, has grown to a point where they are consulted in any important decisions within Nyandarua County. The Kijabe Environment Volunteers (KENVO) who work to conserve the globally important Kikuyu Escarpment forests have, in a span of 10 years, planted 1 million trees in the forests, including 60,000 trees along the river and 20,000 trees in schools. To enhance community support for conservation, Nature Kenya has also initiated various naturebased enterprises, including

beekeeping, fish farming, tour guiding, wool spinning, papyrus products and tree nurseries with financial support from our partners. These activities offer an additional source of income to community members and help to reduce the pressure on natural resources. Naturebased enterprises play a major role in transforming the view of communities, who then look to their environment as a resource that can be conserved and sustainably exploited. Community participation in conservation has been well received at the grassroots and the SSG approach has gained momentum as the most effective and efficient way of building champions in conservation. As stewards of their environment, the future of environmental conservation is largely in the hands of the communities living adjacent to or within key sites and habitats. By Charles Kiama

Charles is the Nature Kenya Conservation Officer for Local Empowerment

Site Support Groups are local champions. They are groups that exist to educate people, advocate for nature, and monitor biodiversity at their sites. SSGs provide a mechanism for local community involvement when dealing with the government on development issues. Groups also work with the wider community to gain support for the protection of Important Bird Areas. 30

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homa bay Population Health Environment (PHE) approach to conservation Communities face complex and interconnected environmental, health and population-related challenges. The Health of People and Environment in Lake Victoria Basin Project (HoPE LVB) supports peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right to sexual and reproductive health care, while simultaneously attempting to improve the declining state of the environment around the Lake Victoria Basin. The project is being implemented at selected sites in both Uganda and Kenya (work in Kenya is by Pathfinder International and Nature Kenya). The project aims to improve peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quality of life by offering voluntary family planning and sexual reproductive health services for young people. It enables the provision of safe water and sanitation to prevent communicable diseases, as well as providing maternal, neonatal and child healthcare. It works to protect conservation areas and promotes better farming and fishing practices, as well as environmental management. The first phase of the HoPE LVB project involved developing and testing an implementation model to see if it could be both locally sustained, as well as replicated in neighbouring areas. During the first phase, we noted that maternal and child health improved. The number of unintended pregnancies reduced and communities learned

saving bird areas

in my village on health and improving their incomes. Besides my Community Health Volunteer role, I have started a community organisation that runs its activities based on the PHE approach. We have a tree nursery, do bee-keeping and table banking (group savings and loans). We also promote women’s access to antenatal care and encourage men to be involved in family planning.”

A public health officer demonstrating how to make a leaky tin (hand washing device) for prevention of water borne diseases. Photo by Rebecca Ikachoi.

what is needed to sustainably manage natural resources at the project sites. So far, more than 700 ‘model’ households are participating in Homa Bay and Siaya counties. Hilda Agandi of the Kogweno

Oriang Community Unit and Chairperson of the We are You Self Help Group says, “I am referred to as a role model in my village. Through HoPE LVB Project, I have acquired many skills that have enabled me to mentor other women

Twenty other community organisations have become involved and will work with the project to build their own capacity to be able to carry out the PHE approach among many more people. One such organization is the Ruma National Park Site Support Group, which has organised meetings on environmental conservation and health issues. By Rebecca Ikachoi

taita hills

Give to

save

Taita Apalis The small remnant forests of the Taita Hills in the southeast of Kenya hold many unique species, including Kenya’s most threatened birds, the critically endangered Taita Apalis and Taita Thrush. You can also find bushbabies, monkeys, duikers, hyraxes, genets and porcupines, and see beautiful butterflies and plants that only exist in the Taita Hills. continued on next page

Taita Hills view. Photo by Catherine Ngarachu KENYA BIRDING 11

However, without our immediate intervention the Taita Apalis could be extinct in as little as 10 years. Purchasing land to create reserves, introducing sustainable livelihoods, and enabling indigenous forest to grow back are some of the the actions that are urgently needed.

yala swamp

Donations can be made online, by cheque, through Mpesa (Paybill no. 100300, Account “Save the Taita Apalis”) or in cash.

Protection of pristine papyrus crucial for survival of key wildlife species

The Taita Hills have dramatic rocky outcrops and indigenous forest fragments, which are framed by densely populated slopes, farms and lush vegetation. Their ancient hilltop forests, panoramic mountain views, mythical history and globally unique biodiversity, will intrigue and inspire you. • Explore hill trails and hike the summits of different peaks for panoramic views • Discover sacred caves and see nationally important historical sites • Stay overnight in Ngangao Camp and wake up to the dawn chorus • Wander in the ancient forests and imagine the Taita of old • Try the local honey • Go on a bird and butterfly walk and try to spy the species unique to the area For a guide contact the Dawida Biodiversity Conservation Group at dabicodawida@yahoo.com

By Gilbay Obunga 32

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Barn Swallows at rest. Photo by Peter Usher

YALA SWAMP IS AN INTERNATIONALLY recognized biodiversity hotspot located on the north-eastern shore of Lake Victoria. Predominantly a papyrus swamp, it is an important habitat supporting a wide diversity of species. In a recent biodiversity survey, three species of cichlid fish that are believed to be extinct in the main Lake Victoria were caught. Bird species that were noted during the survey included Papyrus Gonolek, Carruthers’s Cisticola and Papyrus Yellow Warbler. Of the papyrusspecialist birds, only the Papyrus Canary was not seen or heard during the survey (but it had been previously recorded in 2015 and 2014). Generally, the population sizes of papyrusendemic birds were higher in areas with large swaths of pristine papyrus and in relatively undisturbed habitat. These are areas that are in urgent need of conservation if papyrusdependent species are to breed and survive. Biodiversity surveys have been taking place each year since December 2014. These records of endemic and rare species

have rekindled hope that the ongoing work of habitat restoration in Yala is improving the quality of the swamp and its satellite lakes (Kanyaboli, Namboyo and Sare). The greatest threat to Yala Swamp is draining it for commercial and subsistence agricultural activities. Nature Kenya, in partnership with the National Museums of Kenya and local community members, has been organizing the surveys and is on track in implementing a project that hopes to secure the future of the swamp. Concerted efforts have been put towards collaborative management, advocacy, capacity building, education and awareness of the swamp and its important resources. Among the ongoing initiatives, Nature Kenya is supporting the county governments of Siaya and Busia in the formulation of a land use plan. This will provide a framework for how land within the swamp and the surrounding areas will be used for both the developmental and environmental needs of Yala.

By Emily Mateche

saving bird areas BASKET COOKER MADE FROM PALM-LEAF 780/-

ROUND BASKET TRAY WITH A METAL FRAME 520/-

PAPYRUS REED SPICE BOWL 250/-

FRUIT BOWL WITH A WOODEN FRAME 200/-

BASKET TRAY WITH A METAL FRAME 350/-

s u r y p a P Buy f a e l m l & Pa PALM-LEAF HAND BASKET 200/-

Gifts

WINE BOTTLE BASKET WITH A METAL FRAME 450/-

Made by the community groups around Yala Swamp

Basket weaving done by the Yala communities helps promote the conservation of Yala Swamp. When you purchase one of these basket crafts it helps the communities living adjacent to Yala Swamp to earn an income using environmentally sustainable resources. A selection of these papyrus-based products are available from the Nature Kenya offices at the National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, and at trading centres in the towns of Siaya and Bunyala. Dustbins, baskets, fireless cookers, trays, spice bowls and other products are available. Products are from the Yala Weavers Umbrella group, Olalo Women group from Siaya County and the Budalangi Handicraft and Weavers community-based organisation in Busia County. The initiative is supported by Nature Kenya with funding from the Darwin Initiative, MacArthur foundation and USAID/PREPARED.

Special (and international) orders can be made through Nature Kenya, telephone no. +254 (0) 20 3537568, email office@naturekenya.org or through Adams Adede (Chairperson YAWU) +254 (0) 712 922 144, email: yalaweavers@gmail.com KENYA BIRDING 11

saving bird areas

BIRDING IN YALA WITH UP-AND-COMING TOUR GUIDES

Community members partcipate in monthly birding in Omindo village, Gem Sub County, Siaya. Photo by John Mwacharo TWO YEARS AGO 30 RESIDENTS from around Yala swamp received tour guiding training. Yala Swamp is situated on the north-eastern shore of Lake Victoria in Siaya and Busia counties. Within the swamp are the satellite lakes Kanyaboli, Namboyo and Sare. The swamp has been recognized as an important biodiversity hotspot, especially for papyrus-endemic birds, the nationally threatened Sitatunga antelope, cichlid fish and other wildlife.

Come birding, rock climbing, hiking, biking, camping, take boat rides and nature walks — these are all activities that are possible at Yala Swamp and neighbouring areas. For a guide contact the Yala Ecosystem Site Support Group at yalaecosystemssg@gmail.com “Whichever activity a tourist chooses from the Yala Swamp’s tour menu, be it hiking or boat riding, you will never fail to spot birds, so birders will always have double the pleasure and double the fun!” says one of the trained bird guides, Ibrahim Onyango. Onyango is regularly found birding along the fringes of Lake Kanyaboli, such that the locals identify him as “ja winyo” meaning ‘the person for birds’ in the local Luo language. “I used to be engaged in fishing, but after training I realized that tour guiding can be an alternative income-generating undertaking,” he says. Most of his clients are researchers who are referred to him. “I also receive local tourists even though at times they don’t pay much, but I never turn them down”, says Onyango.

KENYA BIRDING 11

On weekends Onyango mentors a group of between 10-15 schoolchildren from local primary schools in Misori, Hawinga and Gendero villages. He teaches them bird identification skills and talks to them about the importance of birds in the environment. Onyango and another trained tour guide, George Odero, conduct weekly bird walks and submit their records to the Kenya Bird Map project. With a village elder, Ongagra Richard Onjula, they have established a makeshift museum along Kombo Beach, with a collection of artifacts including skeletons of the Shoebill, a bird no longer found within Yala Swamp. “I like the fact that I’m associated with birds, the locals notify me of any event concerning birds. From the arrival of migrants like Barn Swallows, Yellow Wagtails and White Storks, to the sightings of rare species within the locality. This information, to me as a guide, is important knowledge,” says Onyango. Among his plans is to invest in marketing through social media to reach more people. Upstream of Yala, another promising tour guide, Martin Ouma, boasts of guiding over 20 international visitors last year. “I have recorded over 100 bird species since April 2016 and still counting”, says Ouma. He quickly mentions some of the birds he often sights including Great Sparrowhawk, African Pygmy Kingfisher, African Thrush and Southern Black Flycatcher. He recommends Ndanu Falls along the Yala River as a good spot for birders as it is one of the best roosting and feeding sites. “Interestingly, many of the local birders that join me in birding, do so out of curiosity. I offer them the best birding experience that I can, and they love it and get hooked”, says Ouma. He now takes three dedicated birders on bird walks at least once a week.

north coast

SAFEGUARDING

Arabuko-Sokoke forest THIS COASTAL FOREST is the largest of its kind in East Africa. It shelters four globally endangered mammals, six globally endangered birds, many rare plants and butterflies, and it is designated as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. This forest is also the habitat of one of the last populations of elephant on the North Coast of Kenya. The Arabuko-Sokoke forest is entirely fenced, but nonetheless illegal tree felling and smallgame poaching occurs.

One of the three birders, Joseph Wajina, is also keen on cave camping and hiking at Rawalo Hills. The local community considers the hills a sacred place of worship. Ouma points out that the hills are a roosting site for the Spotted Eagle Owl. Ouma also mentors a group of birders from the Olalo Women’s Group and has ardent followers from Ulumbi Primary School and Odera Akang’o University. With the increasing number of upcoming birders, Ouma cites the lack of field guides and binoculars as a major challenge.

To discourage activities like poaching, various enterprises have been set up to help the communities that surround the forest to reach a sustainable level of household income and nutrition. One of these measures has been the introduction of community poultry keeping among 10 women’s groups who have each started with 40 chickens. Other ventures have included beekeeping and butterfly rearing, which have long been successful. Over 2,000 community members have benefited from these businesses.

Butterfly farmer with catch. Photo by John Mwacharo

Many local people recognise that the forest is a valuable resource for their benefit and volunteer to take part in forest patrols led by the Kenya Forest Service and Kenya Wildlife Service. These patrols have recently included the removal of snares placed illegally to trap animals. Over the past year, they have removed 350 snares, resulting in a marked decline in poaching. By Francis Kagema

Southern Black Flycatcher. Photo by Peter Usher With training and support from Nature Kenya, the bird guides in Yala have formed a community organization called the Yala Community Ecotourism Organization (YACETO). Their vision is “the Yala ecosystem will be one of the leading tourist destinations of choice, especially for birders within the western Kenya region”.

By Emily Mateche KENYA

KENYA BIRDING 11

MAU EBURU BIRDING

Gordon Boy A WALK IN THE MAU EBURU FOREST, near Lake Naivasha, in the heart of Kenya’s central Rift Valley region, can be hugely rewarding, both scenically and for watching birds. It is only now, though, that the attractions of this long-forgotten forest are becoming more widely known. The forest is nestled among the folds of Mount Eburu, a geologically active volcanic massif rising 2,855 m above sea level; that is, some 900 m above adjacent areas on the Rift floor. Spectacular panoramic views then, over Lake Naivasha to the south-east, and over Lakes Elementaita and Nakuru, to the north, contribute to the allure. The forest straddles some extraordinarily rugged terrain, rich in dramatic spectacle. Stupendously deep valleys, cut by mountain streams that cascade over sheer rock-cliffs into narrow gorges festooned with ferns, are among the more exhilarating features. 36

KENYA BIRDING 11

Mountain Yellow Warbler. Photo by Jacques Pitteloud

This rugged topography, by making access difficult for people, has in the past been instrumental in helping to protect the forest, while ensuring that threatened mammals such as the Mountain Bongo – Mau Eburu’s flagship – have been able to survive here.

where to watch birds

Doherty’s Bushshrike. Photo by Peter Steward

THE HABITAT No less spectacular are the forest’s magnificent stands of the tall-growing conifers, Juniperus procera and Podocarpus milanjianus – interspersed, higher up, with thickets of African Mountain Bamboo, Oldeania alpina, and Giant Heather, Erica arborea. A wide belt of closed-canopy broad-leaf forest, almost pristine in places, covers the tumbling upper slopes of Mount Eburu. Conspicuous, among the taller trees found here, are Allophylus abyssinicus, Nuxia congesta, Prunus africana, and Dombeya torrida. Lower down, in degraded habitats near the base of the massif, only scattered trees remain – amid a welter of tangled shrubs, rife with clumps of stinging nettles and other weedy ‘pioneer’ plants. Regenerating Leleshwa/Acacia woodlands are also prominent. In being surrounded by farmlands and settlements, the Mau Eburu Forest is now a biogeographic ‘island’. Historically though, this forest was the easternmost extremity of the Mau Highlands, west of the Rift Valley – which explains why many of the plants and animals marooned here today have western affinities. Blue Monkeys, for instance, while common here, do not occur in forest habitats east of the Rift Valley. Continued on next page

KENYA BIRDING 11

Mau Eburu visitor guide coming soon...

THE BIRDING Likewise, some of the forest’s birds are species with a western, or predominantly western, distribution in Kenya. Examples include the Blue-spotted WoodDove, Yellow-billed Barbet and the Black-billed Weaver. The Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill is another western species that, on its wanderings, visits the forest occasionally.

The good news, for people who may be interested in birding in the Mau Eburu Forest, is that a comprehensive Visitors’ Guide to the area is on the way.

Other, more widely occurring upland forest birds to look out for include: White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Mountain Yellow Warbler, African Hill Babbler, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Brown-chested Alethe, White-starred Robin and Abyssinian

Crimsonwing.

Falcons, both Lanner and Peregrine, also frequent these cliffs, and can sometimes be seen making spectacular diving stoops in pursuit of swifts and other avian prey. A hike in the Mau Eburu Forest, then, offers a rich birding experience. And, Lanner Falcon. Photo by while the forest may not Peter Usher be the exclusive haunt of any range-restricted endemic bird species, it does nevertheless harbour an amazing concentration of upland Kenyan forest birds, in a setting that is at once both scenic and readily accessible. 38

KENYA BIRDING 11

Tacazze Sunbird. Photo by Peter Usher

Often seen, skulking in bushy thickets at the forest’s edge, is Doherty’s Bushshrike, one of Africa’s most striking birds. Here, the orange flowers of the locally abundant herb Leonotis nepetifolia attract some of our region’s most stunning long-tailed sunbirds, including Tacazze, Malachite and Goldenwinged. In open vistas of sky, above clearings, various birds of prey, which nest in the forest, may be seen circling overhead. Mau Eburu’s resident Crowned Eagles, in particular, are often seen – and heard – displaying high above the treetops. Verreaux’s Eagle is another raptor to look out for, soaring over ridgetop cliffs where its hyrax prey abounds.

The MAU EBURU FOREST

The six walking trails presented in the Guide will enable visitors to explore different habitats and places of interest – A VISITORS’ GUIDE within the forest. For each trail, detailed route notes are provided, together with an illustrated overview describing appealing features along the way. Access to the Forest Reserve is described, in a section entitled ‘Getting to Eburu’. And useful information – on road conditions, security, parking, campsites, local guides, admittance fees, and other practicalities – is also provided. The natural history accounts in the Guide provide the most comprehensive synthesis on record of what is known about the flora and fauna and the ecology of the forest. To be published by the Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust, the guidebook – produced with support from the M-PESA Foundation, and presented in association with the Kenya Forest Service and the Kenya Wildlife Service – is expected to be out this year. This publication will be the latest in a series of steps, introduced under the ongoing Eburu Ecosystem Conservation Project, launched in 2012 with the aim of rehabilitating the Mau Eburu Forest. Completion, in 2014, of the conservation fence which now skirts the Reserve has ensured that the forest is now more secure and better protected than ever before. Now, the aim is to build on these conservation gains by encouraging people to visit the forest.

where to watch birds

BIRDING IN KENYA’S NORTH WEST Mount Elgon and the Trans Nzoia region are in the lower west of Kenya’s northwest. Known and visited by few birders this area nevertheless hosts beautiful landscapes and many bird species. Washington Wachira

KONGELAI ESCARPMENT

Location: Travel 35km from Kitale to Makutano town (situated before Kapenguria town) using the A1 and turn-off on the left to drive along the escarpment towards the Suam river (situated 30km northwest of Makutano) Watch out for: Red-chested Flufftail, White-crested Turaco, Broad-billed Roller, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Black-billed Barbet, Double-toothed Barbet, Yellow-billed Shrike, Chubb’s Cisticola, Boran Cisticola, Greenbacked Eremomela, Brown Babbler, Lesser Blue-eared Starling, Bronze-tailed Starling, Purple Starling, Splendid Starling, Chestnutcrowned Sparrow Weaver, Heuglin’s Masked Weaver, Marsh Widowbird and Yellowfronted Canary. North of Mount Elgon is the Kongelai Escarpment. It is a rugged landscape that offers an altitudinal Brown Babbler. Photo by Peter Usher transect from the highland farmlands to the base of the escarpment. The habitat is characterised by dry scrubland and wooded ridges. Large tracts of maize plantations cover parts of the fertile highlands. There are also assorted grasslands and swamps in the area, all of which can be explored. Birding here can be done throughout the day and most birders will take along a packed lunch. An early morning kick-off helps you find many birds feeding near the roads, mostly in the roadside farms. Having a 4x4 vehicle is crucial for the terrain, but a good portion of the birding can be enjoyed on foot. Semi-collared Flycatchers often use this area when wintering in Africa.

Endebess Bluff, Mount Elgon National Park. Photo by Peter Usher

MOUNT ELGON NATIONAL PARK Location: 33km west of Kitale using the Kitale– Suam and C44 roads

Watch out for: Scaly Francolin, African Olive Pigeon, Ross’s Turaco, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, Doherty’s Bushshrike, Pale Flycatcher, Thick-billed Seedeater, and in season Grey Wagtail. In the west lies the mighty Mount Elgon, famous for having one of the widest bases of all freestanding mountains. It is an eroded but dormant volcano, sometimes called “the Mountain of Illusion”. It spans the Kenya-Uganda border and has several peaks, with Wagagai being the highest at 4321m. In 1967 Mount Elgon National Park was established on a 169km2 section of the mountain. While there, take time to explore the Kitum caves, which are excavated by elephants. The park hosts one of the best highland forests and has towering giant Podocarpus trees. The wildlife in the park is also notably trusting and the elusive Bushbuck can come to within a few feet of your vehicle. A recent sighting here of one of Kenya’s rarest birds, Spotted Creeper, certainly raises the profile of the mountain. KENYA BIRDING 11

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The itinerary is designed for the involved naturalist and escorted by professional expert-ornithologist safari guides – as passionate about birding as you are. 13 NIGHTS KENYA

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The Original East African Ornithological Safari is a no-compromise birding safari run by the Turner family since 1963. This itinerary and extension options takes you to most of the region’s IBAs in customised 4WD safari vehicles with guaranteed window seat, open roof hatches and plenty of room for cameras and bags.

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