Tag: Tsavo East

Bird of the Week, Uncategorized

Golden-winged Sunbird (Nectarinia reichenowi)

Photo@Jacqui Harrington

Golden-winged Sunbird has a bright yellow tail and wings, the shoulders are dark gray, the dark gray extending to the nape and throat, while the head and downturned beak are lighter gray. The tail is long and ends in two long, very narrow parallel feathers.These birds are found in East Africa; Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.Golden-winged sunbirds live in grassland, bamboo thickets, and tropical mountain forest.

In Kenya this species if found in Lake Nakuru and Naivasha,Nyahururu,Mt.Kenya and Aberdare National Park.

Bird of the Week

Buff-crested Bustard (Eupodotis gindiana)

Photo@Raymond Galea.Taken in Samburu National Reserve.

Buff-crested bustards are small in size compared to other species that we have in Kenya. They are cryptically colored to help them blend into their environment. They also are sexually dimorphic. Male buff-crested bustards have an olive colored crown, a black stripe down the front of the neck, and a black chest and belly. The upper feathers contain light orange-brown coloration. The females have brown heads, a much reduced crest, and are buff colored in the throat, chin, and breast area.The buff-crested or crested bustard prefers drier acacia scrub and woodland of northern arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya, especially in regions like Samaburu and Meru National park, Lake Baringo and Bogoria  and further north in areas like Kapedo.

 

 

Bird watching

Joe guided Nigel Marven of Animal Planet on a Kenya Birding Trip

photo@Joe Aengwo

Nigel Marven went Birding in Kenya

When Moses, a colleague of mine informed me that I was to guide a client from England for 8 days birding safaris, I had no idea that my client will torn out to be Nigel Marven, the famous Animal Planet natural history presenter.  We had good time birding together in Kakamega forest, Tugen hills,Lake Baringo, Bogoria, and Nakuru and finally Nairobi National Park. We managed to spot over 300 species of birds and lucky enough, we managed to see most of our sort after species with exception of four or five species.

Bird of the Week

Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis)

Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis)

Photo@Raymond Galea

The adult Long-crested Eagle is overall very dark brown or black, except for white patches at the joint of the wing both above and below, white under-wing coverts spotted with black, a white base to the tail and greyish brown tarsi. The eyes golden to reddish brown, the cere and feet yellow.
Immatures can be distinguished from the adult by the whiter tips of the neck feathers, the less prominent crest, and a generally more mottled appearance. The eyes are dark olive-brown, the feet and cere pale ochre-yellow.

Long-crested Eagle can easily be seen in Kenya thought out Nairobi, Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru National Park,Amboseli, Tsavo East and West National Park.

Bird of the Week

Gabar Goshawk (Micronisus gabar)

Gabar Goshawk (Micronisus gabar)

Photo@Michael Sammut

Gabar Goshawk is smaller than other Goshawks. We can observe two morphs, one grey and one almost black. This melanistic form represents about 6 to 25 % of population. The photo shown above is of a juvenile bird.

In typical grey morph, adult has plain grey upperparts and white rump. Tail is grey, barred with black.Underparts are plain grey on chest. Belly is white, barred with grey. Vent is white. Flight feathers are sooty-grey with very pale grey bars. Tail is white with broad dark grey bars.
Head is grey. Bill is black, with red cere and gape. Eyes are deep dark red. Long bare legs and stocky toes are bright red.

Gabar Goshawk lives in savannahs and semi-arid scrub with scattered trees. It avoids too dense forests and driest deserts. It is rather found in drier thorn savannah, and also along watercourses.In Kenya it is commonly seen in Lake Baringo and Bogoria, Tsavo West and East National and Samburu National Reserve.