Tag: Sokoke pipit

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Encountering the Globally-endangered Sokoke Pipit is the highlight of any Birding Trip to Arabuko Sokoke Forest.

Photo@Joe Aengwo

I went back to Arabuko Sokoke forest last week again and it was the first time we explored the forest without the guidance of David Ngala.Like they say good teachers leave good students behind,we were guided by David colleague Willy Gombe who I must admit did exceptionally well in helping us track and photograph the Sokoke pipit and other highly sort after species like the Sokoke Scops Owl,East Coast Akalat,Gorgeous Bush-shrike,Little-yellow Flycatcher,Red-capped Robin-chat, Bat Hawk, Chesnut-fronted Helmet-shrike,Forest Batis, Plain-backed and Amani Sun Sunbird.

Photo@Joe Aengwo

The Arabuko-Sokoke forest is the largest relic of a formerly larger contiguous East African coastal forest. It forms part of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal forest ecoregion which is a global biodiversity hotspot with considerable species endemism. Despite such conservation significance, the forest is undergoing rapid modification and habitat loss mainly from anthropogenic pressures, with negative impacts on sensitive species such as the Sokoke Pipit ( Anthus sokokensis ), one of the globally-endangered birds

Photo@Joe Aengwo

The weather at the coast when we were there was not very friendly to birding,it was really cloudy and rainy, though we kept on with our birding taking break here and there to shelter from the rain when it gets heavy. Overall, I think we did well considering the small challenges we faced that was not within our control.

Photo@Joe Aengwo

Photo@Joe Aengwo
Bird of the Week

Amani sunbird (Anthreptes pallidigaster)

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Photo@Moses Kandie

 

The Amani Sunbird is classified as Endangered (EN), considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. This elusive bird if found in Coastal subtropical moist lowland forest especially in Arabuko Sokoke in north coast of Kenya and Eastern Usambara mountains in Tanzania.
Adult male has glossy blue-green head, throat and upper breast. Upperparts are iridescent dark purplish blue-green on upper back, scapulars and upperwing coverts. Lower back and rump are blackish. Short tail and uppertail coverts are glossy purplish-blue. Underparts are greyish-white, with orange-red feathers on upper flanks. Underwings are white. The black bill is down-curved. Eyes are dark brown
You have a high chance of watching this species which is confined to a few remnant Brachystegia woodlands. They prefer the high canopy trees and a lot of patience is advised before you enjoy a great view of this beautiful bird.

Bird of the Week

Moorland Francolin (Francolinus psilolaemus)

Moorland Francolin (Francolinus psilolaemus)

Photo@Stratton Hatfield

Moorland Francolin is a species restricted to montane forest habitat. In Kenya it can only be recorded in the moorland of Aberdare,Mt.Kenya, Mt.Elgon and Mau escarpment National park. They are often seen in small groups of families.Shelly’s Francolin which is similar species prefer low altitudes.The above photo was taken on Mt.Kenya.

Bird of the Week

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.