Birdwatching trip report - Kenya

Introduction

This report covers a birding trip taken to Kenya, covering sites north of Nairobi. The group consisted of myself, my wife Linda, 8 year-old son Brent, my brother Richard & his girlfriend Ann-Marie. This was our first trip to East Africa, but had birded Africa previously in South Africa (twice) and the Gambia. We were initially going to arrange a completely independent trip, but found that hiring a minibus & driver was not much more expensive, and the thought of somebody else with local knowledge, doing the driving was very tempting. We eventually booked the vehicle through Anthony W. Raphael of Birding and Beyond Safaris, who also pre-booked most of our accommodation and provided very useful advice & site information. Our driver, James, proved to be a very experienced safari driver and had a good knowledge of the sites we visited, as well as being good company.

Transport

We hired a safari minibus for the duration of the trip; this is a minibus where the roof lifts up to allow the passengers to stand. This is extremely useful for birding and mammal watching in the National Parks. The vehicle capacity was about 10 passengers (but realistically about 7 plus baggage) so it proved to be very spacious and comfortable for the 5 of us.

Health

No problems - we all took either Larium or Doxycycline anti-malarials, Brent had to take Larium as Doxy. is not suitable for children.

Food

Food was generally very good even for vegetarians, with most meals being taken in the hotels.

At the Kakamega forest we had to cook our own meals, but cooking utensils & firewood were provided at both sites. At the mount Kenya met. station all food was provided & cooked by the guides, as part of the package.

Weather

We visited Kenya during the "mini" wet season, but this had little effect on the birding, although it made some areas difficult to drive and stopped the vehicle driving up Mount Kenya to the Met. Station.

We were unable to get to a couple of sites around Siaport, Lake Victoria, due to the poor road conditions.

Books & Tapes

Trip reports: The following 2 reports proved to be very useful:

Bird watching in Kenya Feb/March 1995 by Mike Hunter
Birding in Kenya (1980 to 83) by Steve Whitehouse

Site Guides: Where to watch birds in Africa - Nigel Wheatley, published by Helm - Invaluable.

Field Guides: Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa - Terry Stephenson & John Fanshawe, published by T& A D Poyser. This had only been recently published and proved to be an excellent field guide. The format of having the text and range map opposite the illustration is very useful.

Birds of Kenya & Northern Tanzania - Zimmerman, Turner and Pearson published by Helm. A good guide, but I preferred the East African guide.

The Kingdom Field Guide to African Mammals (Poyser) - very good.

Sound guides: African bird sounds volume 2, 11 CD set , with target species transferred to tape

Costs

The "Safari" cost USD 5,350, which was split between the 5 of us. This included the vehicle & driver plus all running costs, most accommodation and food at the hotels and the cost of the Mount Kenya trip (4WD, guide & food).

National park & site costs:

Hells Gate N.P. USD 15$ per person
Lake Nakuru USD 27$ per person
Kakemega approx KSh 100sh per day per group plus guide tips.
Saiwa Swamp N.P. USD 15$ per person.
Thomson's Falls KSh 100sh.
Mount Kenya N.P. USD 15$ per person.
Samburu N.P. USD 27$ per person.
Nairobi N.P. USD 20$ per person.

Flights, booked with Sabina through Trail finders cost £ 419 from Manchester (incl Airport Taxes). We had to transfer to Swiss Air at the last minute, due to Sabina going into liquidation.

Accommodation

Lake Naivasha Hotel - Expensive @ £60.00 per room B&B, very comfortable with easy access to the Lake.

Stem Hotel - Just before Nakuru on road from Lake Navasha, B&B included in the package price. A little shabby but clean and comfortable. Swimming pool.

Sunset Hotel - Kazumu. Half Board included in the package price. Used by bird tour companies. Good standard hotel. Swimming pool.

Golf Hotel - Kakamega. Half Board included in the package price. Used by bird tour companies. Good standard hotel. Swimming pool.

Isechenco Guest House - Kakamega Forest. Self-Catering included in the package price. A row of wooden chalets on stilts in the middle of forest. Very basic but excellent. Cooked on open fire.

Udos Bandas - Kakamega Forest. Self-catering included in the package price. Several thatched bandas of various sizes. Good clean accommodation. Cooked on open fire. Pit toilets.

Alakara Hotel - Kitale. B&B included in the package price. Shabby noisy hotel in the middle of Kitale. Good restaurant.

Roberts Camp - Lake Barringo. Self-Catering. Stayed in excellent bandas. Camp next door to Lake Barringo Club where swimming pool can be used for 200 shillings per day.

Naromoru River Lodge - Half Board included in the package price. Used by bird tour companies. Excellent accommodation and food plus swimming pool. ahl@africaonline.co.ke

Met Station - c/o Naromoru River Lodge, Mt Kenya. Wooden dorm type chalets very basic with pit toilets. Food provided and cooked by hire staff.

Samburu Lodge - Samburu Game reserve, Full Board included in package price. Used by tour companies, excellent standard excellent pool.

Wajee Bungalows - Wajee Camp Nature Reserve. Pre booked bandas but upgraded to bungalow at an extra 1000 shillings. Basic but clean and comfortable.

Blue Posts Thika - Near Kieni Forest. Half Board included in package price. Good standard hotel.

Paradise Hotel - Centre of Niarobi. Clean and comfortable, cost 2600 shillings for triple and 2100 shillings for a double.

Contacts

James N Mbugua (Driver) Tel 0733719847, E-mail mgachere@yahoo.com
Anthony W Raphael of Birding and Beyond Safaris, Tel +255 744 286058
Fax +255 27254411, E-mail birdingtripstz@yahoo.com or tours@tanzaniabirding.com

Web site www.tanzaniabirding.com

Itinerary

10/11 Am: Arrived Nairobi at 06.45, met Anthony and our driver James. Drove to Naivasha, with a short stop at Limuru Pond.Pm : Birded around hotel grounds and lake shore.Highlights: Limuru Pond - White-headed Duck. Naivasha- Fischers and Yellow-collared Lovebirds (Plus hybrids?), Sharpes Pied babbler.

11/11 Am: Birded around grounds before going into Hells Gate N.P.Pm: Drove the 70Km to Nakuru stopping briefly to view Lake Elmenteita from the road. Spent the evening birding along the road to the South of the N.P.Highlights: Hells Gate - Hildebrants Francolin, Schalow's Wheatear. On route - Adnims Stork, Lake Elmenteita - Lesser Flamingos

12/11 Am: Spent the morning in Lake Nakuru N.P.Pm: Spent the afternoon travelling to Kisumu, briefly calling into a site for Sharpes Pipit, arriving at the hotel at dusk. Nakuru to Kisumu 200Km which look 3 hours Highlights: Nakuru - Grey-rumped Swallow & Mocking Cliff-chat. On route - Sharpes Pipit & African Openbill.

13/11 Am: Early morning spent around the hotel grounds & nearby gardens, before moving to Hippo Point after breakfast.Pm: Journey to Kakamaga. Birded an area of fields & wet grassland to the West of Mumias bridge before moving to Mumias bridge. The evening was spent around the hotel grounds.Highlights: Hippo point - Carruther's Cisticola, Black-billed Barbet, Marsh Tchagra & Black-headed Gonolek. Mumias area - Blue-breasted Bee-eater & Rock Pratincole. Golf Hotel - Ross's Turaco & Red-headed lovebird.

14/11 Am: Early am around the hotel grounds, before driving to Isecheno.Pm: Spent the afternoon and evening birding the Zimmerman grid.Highlights: Isecheno - Blue-headed Bee-eater, Turners Eremomelia, Uganda Woodland Warbler.

15/11 Am: The morning was spent birding around Isecheno.Pm : Drove to Buyangu and spent the afternoon and evening birding near the Bandas. Highlights: Isecheno - Great Blue Turaco, Petit's Cuckoo shrike, Grey-green Bush-shrike, Red-headed Malimbe,Buyangu - Crested Guineafowl, Blue-shouldered Robinchat.

16/11 Am: The morning was spent birding around Buyangu.Pm: Drove for 2.5 hours to Kitale and booked into the hotel, the late afternoon was spent around Saiaw Swamp.Highlights: Buyangu - Purple-throated Cuckooshrike. Saiwa Swamp - Blue-headed Coucal, Double-toothed Barbet, Chubb's Cisticola & Grey Winged Robinchat (RS only)

17/11 Am: Early morning was spent around Saiwa Swamp before returning to the hotel for breakfast and the 5-hour journey to Lake Baringo.Pm: The afternoon & evening was spent around the grounds of Roberts Camp & the adjoining Hotel.Highlights: Saiwa Swamp - Grey-winged Robinchat (for MS)Lake Baringo - Bristle-crowned Staring & Northern Masked Weaver.

18/11 Am: pre-dawn walk to the nearby cliffs, returning to Robrts Camp late morning.Pm: The afternoon was spent birding the nearby scrub, enlisting the help of local "guides" for Courser, Owl and Nightjar. Highlights: Cliffs - Hemprich's Hornbill, Pallid Honeyguide & Brown-tailed Chat, Roberts Camp area- Heuglins Courser, White-faced Scops owl & Slender- tailed Nightjar

19/11 Birded around Lake Baringo first thing, before departing for the Naromoru river lodge, calling in on Thompson's Falls en-route. In the afternoon we took a short cut, along a dirt road, across the plains to the lodge, but managed to get the vehicle stuck. We spent about 3 hours, unsuccessfully, trying to free the vehicle from a muddy pot hole until, fortunately, a Landrover came by which managed to tow us out. Highlights: Thompson's Falls - Cinnamon Chester Bee-eater, Tinkling Cisticola, Tacazze & Golden Winged Sunbirds.Short cut across plains - White & Black bellied Bustards, Red-footed Falcon, & 100's of Lesser Kestrels.

20/11 Am: Spent the early morning around the grounds of the river lodge, before departing for Mount Kenya in the hotel 4WD vehicle. The vehicle was not allowed to drive to the meteorological station, due to the wet & slippery condition of the road, instead it dropped us of at the entrance to the National Park. Pm: Walked from the entrance gates to the Meteorological station, a 4 hour walk of about 8 Kms. Highlights: Naro Moru - Hartlubs Turaco & Red-fronted Parrot.Mt Kenya- Mountain Greenbul, Moorland Chat, Brown Woodland Warbler & Mountain Yellow Warbler.

21/11 Early morning was spent birding around the Met. Station.After breakfast we walked up to the high altitude moorland, returning to the met. station late afternoon. Highlights: Jackson's Francolin & Cinnamon Bracken Warbler. Richard had Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, a couple of hours walk above the tree line.

22/11 Am: Walked back down to the Entrance gates where we met the vehicle, which took us back to the Naro Moru river lodge where we had lunch.Drove the 4.5-hour journey to Samburu, with a short stop near Isiolo for Boran Cisticola.We arrived at Samburu at approx. 16.00 and spent the last few hours of daylight exploring the reserve.Highlights: Mk Kenya - Abysinian Ground-thrush. Journey - Jackson's Widowbird, Boran Cisticola. Samburu - Kori Bustard, Senegal Courser, Golden Pipit & Vulturine Guinea fowl. Cheetah & Leopard.

23/11 Spent the whole day around Samburu.Highlights: Pygmy Falcon, Harlequin Quail, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Yellow vented Eremomelia, Pygmy Batis, & White-faced Mousebird

24/11 Am: After an early breakfast we left Samburu and headed to Wajee Camp which took 6 hours, This site had been recommended for Hinde's Pied Babbler, an extremely localised endemic Pm: Birded around Wajee Camp, & the nature trail, where we were accompanied by the resident guide.Highlights: Samburu - Somali OstrichWajee Camp - Hinde's Pied Babbler

25/11 Am: Early morning was spent birding around the grounds, before departing for an area of Paddy fields which were on route to the Blue Posts Hotel . (Wajee to Blue Posts took 3 hours including the stop at the paddy fields) Pm: Booked into the hotel before moving on to Keini Forest, a couple of hours drive away. James, our driver was not happy with us visiting this site as it has a reputation for theft & car jacking. We spent a couple of hours in the forest before departing well before dark. We did not spend enough time at this site, which showed a lot of potential.Highlights: Paddies - White-winged Widow birdKieni Forest - White-browed Crombec & Black-tailed Oriole.

26/11 Early morning around the hotel grounds before moving on to Nairobi National Park. The journey from Blue Posts to Nairobi N.P. took 2 hours, through rush hour traffic.Highlights: Nairobi N.P. - Black Rhino, Pengani Longclaw, Northen pied Babbler & Red-throated Tit.

27/11 Departed for the UK

Sites Visited

Limuru Pond

Situated about 30Km from Nairobi alongside the A104. If approaching from Nairobi, a minor road on the right just before the lake on the right can give good views over the lake and surrounding marsh.

Lake Naivasha

All our birding was carried out around the grounds of the Lake Naivasha hotel and adjacent lake shore.

Hells Gate N.P.

Situated just south of Lake Naivasha and can be accessed from the road to Fisherman's camp

Lake Nakuru

We entered the park at the main gate, on the south side of Nakuru Town, skirted around the west shore of the lake and drove to the southern shore, which was the most productive for White Rhino.

The track passed below Baboon rocks, a popular view point, this section of, wooded track, produced Cliff Chat. The whole shoreline was fringed with Lesser Flamingos.

Kisumu - Lake Victoria

The best birding around Kisumu is at Hippo point, which is about 1 mile from the Sunset Hotel.

Kakemega - Isecheno

We birded the network of paths known as the Zimmerman Grid, located behind the Rest House and also a circuit to the pumping station, down the path to the main track leading to Shinyalu & back to the Rest House.

Kakamega - Buyangu

All our birding was either around the immediate environs of the campsite or on the track to & from the viewpoint.

Saiwa Swamp

The boardwalk here gives excellent views over the marsh, which was very productive on both our evening and morning visits to the reserve. Several Blue-headed Coucal were seen on both visits, perched on dead trees, which protrude from the marsh. We also birded the woodland on the far side of the boardwalk and it was form this track where we saw several Sitatunga antelope.

Lake Baringo

We stayed at Roberts camp, the camp and the grounds of the Hotel next door proved to be an excellent birding area. We walked to the nearby cliffs, starting off just before dawn and birded the area around the base of the cliffs until late morning. Local guides tout for business in the village & even outside the gates of the camp, these guides are very useful for the Heuglin's Courser & day roosting night birds.

This area held a huge variety of species and supposedly holds (held?) the record for the highest number of species recorded in a day.

Thomson's Falls

A couple of hours were spent here on the way to the Naro Moru River Lodge. We birded from the falls viewpoint & an area of marshland both between the falls and the main road and on the far side of the main road.

Mount Kenya

The Naro Moru River Lodge was used as a base to cover Mount Kenya. We pre-booked a two-night stay at the meteorological Station. The hotel provided: transport to/from the National Park gates, guide/cook and porters. We originally arranged for the vehicle to take us all the way to the Met. Station, but the road was closed due to the heavy rains. This proved to be advantageous, as the walk provided excellent birding. We spent the full day on the mountain birding the area from the met. Station, to the open "Moorland" just above the area of giant heather.

Accommodation at the Met station is very basic (several shared chalets with bunk beds), it can also be very cold at night, so a good sleeping bag is recommended.

Isiolo

This is the traditional site for Boran Cisticola, which is located on the route to Samburu. Much of the scrub appeared to be in the process of being destroyed.

We found 1+ Boran Cisticola just after we turned left to Isolo (but still on the A2) in area of scrub between the junction and an area of cultivation

Samburu

The vast majority of the birding here was done from the vehicle, driving slowly around the maize of track that crisscross both Samburu & Buffalo Springs reserves.

We also birded the grounds of the hotel complex.

Wajee

As far as we know this is the only know site for Hinde's Pied Babbler. A small group of birds live in the grounds of this small private reserve. The wardens initially insisted that we use a guide to show us the birds, which he did. Once we had paid for the tour, we were then allows to wander freely around the reserve.

Contact details:
Tel (0171) 60359, Fax 60438 or 02 743615 Nairobi.
PO Box 148, Mukurwe-ni, Nyeri, Kenya.

Kieni Forest

Our driver, James was very reluctant to visit this site, as it is notorious for car jacking. We only spent a couple of hours here so did not really give it justice. We parked near a small track leading into to the forest & birded the track for a couple of 100 meters.

Nairobi N.P.

Situated on the outskirts of Nairobi, this is an excellent site to start or finish a trip to Kenya. Most birding was carried out from the vehicle, with a couple of hours on foot around the hippo pools

click here for full trip list

Kenya, November 2001