Papyrus Gonolek (Laniarius mufumbiri)

Photo@Moses Kandie
Photo@Moses Kandie

When we started our journey at the shore of Lake Victoria in such for the seldom Papyrus Gonolek with Titus who was our boat man, we didn’t expect to have such a luck!!we were all surprised after a few minute of calling back its call, the bird made an impressive show off for a cool 1 minute. This is how such a photo was taken. In Kenya, this bird is mostly seen in the extensive shores of Lake Victoria. For this one, we were at hippo point side. But you have an equal chances of seeing it in Sio port too.
The Papyrus Gonolek is similar to the black headed Gonolek but with a bright-yellow cap complementing her crimson breast, and white bar on the black wing.The bird has specialized habitat requirements, being restricted to papyrus swamps.Papyrus Gonolek is not yet a threatened spicies but she has become rare due to habitat loss and pollution.

November 2013 and January 2014 Scheduled Birding Trip to North and Western Kenya Birding Trip

This 17 days trip will take you to Nairobi, Mt. Kenya region,Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Lake Baringo, Kakamega, Lake Victoria, Masai Mara and Lake Naivasha. Some of the highlight species expected on the this include;Turner’s Eremomela, Abbot’s Starling, and Sharpes’s Longclaw, Rufous-bellied Heron,Allen’s Gallinule, Hartlaub’s Bustard, White-crested, Great Blue and Black-billed Turaco, White-faced Scops Owl, Gambaga Flycatcher and Boran Cisticola

Taita Apalis (Apalis fuscigularis)

photo@Michael Sammut

Taita Apalis (Apalis fuscigularis), a Critically Endangered bird endemic to patches of natural forest in the Taita Hills of Southern Kenya. The entire world range of the Taita Apalis is less than 500 ha (5 km²).

The Taita Hills of South Eastern Kenya are the northernmost reach of the Eastern Arc, one of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots (Mittermeier et al. 2004). Human impact is strong in the Taita, where deforestation hits 95% or more (Rogo & Oguge, 2000). The Taita are one of the key sites for biodiversity conservation in Kenya, with numerous endemic plants, vertebrates and invertebrates.