Kenya 2024
25 Jan – 11 Feb 2024
Reticulated giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in Laikipia, 31st Jan 2024.
Thirteen master’s students from the University of Helsinki (UH) traveled to Kenya for the field course “Human-Wildlife Conflicts in East Africa.” Over twelve days, we explored different regions of the country, interviewing various communities to understand their experiences and perspectives on large mammals and birds. The course was supervised by Iñaki Abella and Dr. Pablo Manzano from Asociación Bio+, Dr. Mar Cabeza from UH, and local researcher Kimani Ndũng’ũ.
Aina (from Otus Wildlife Tours) and I were the only students traveling from outside Finland. As our first time in Kenya, we coordinated our journey with our own agendas and interests, making the most of stopovers in Qatar (read the trip report here) and extending our trip before and after the course. Our project focused on olive baboons as potential conflict drivers, but we also explored local wildlife encounters and engaged with the rich environmental knowledge of the communities as often as we could. This report, therefore, doesn’t cover detailed locations or logistics, as many of our sightings — especially birds — were spontaneous, rather than part of a planned itinerary. Instead, this serves as an archive of memories of such an awesome experience.
The journey unfolded in five distinct stages. We began with the first extension during the pre-course days around Nairobi. As we acclimated to birdwatching in Africa, we encountered highlights such as white-backed duck and Kikuyu white-eye.
Once the lectures started, the course was divided in three parts. The first stage took place at Mpala Research Camp in Laikipia county, home to Kenya’s highest densities of mammals. Cracking encounters with African wild dogs, Grévy’s zebras, and Kori’s bustards were remarkable. Then we moved on to lake Naivasha area, where hippos have become a big problem for local communities. Staying in Kenya Wildlife Service and Training Institute (KWSTI), we connected with numerous raptors and wetland species in the area. The last leg of the course happened in Mara, where the Maasai showed us their connection to lions, and where we enjoyed specialties like the bateleur and the secretarybird among thousands of ungulates.
For our last few days, Aina and I decided to explore a different part of Kenya, taking a short flight from Nairobi to Malindi on the Indian Ocean coast. Following recommendations from our professors, we camped at the Mwamba Field Study Center, run by A Rocha Kenya. This area allowed us to delve into the rich biodiversity of the forests and tidal mudflats around Watamu, where we encountered gems such as the Sokoke scops-owl, crab-plover, and golden-rumped sengi.
Itinerary
Extension: Nairobi (25 – 26 Jan) Stay in Wildebeest Eco Camp. Excursion to Karura Forest (26 Jan).
Stage 1: Laikipia (27 – 31 Jan) Stay at Mpala Research Camp. Excursion to Mt Mukenya and Ilpolei baboon project (29 Jan). Interviewing women from local community in Lekiji (30 Jan).
Stage 2: Naivasha (1 – 2 Feb) Stay at Kenya Wildlife Service and Training Institute (KWSTI). Interviewing locals and boat tour in lake Oloiden (2 Feb).
Stage 3: Mara (3 – 7 Feb) Stay at Kileleoni Guest House. Interviewing Maasai communities. Game drives in Maasai Mara NR (6 Feb).
Extension: Watamu (8 – 11 Feb) Stay at Mwamba research area (A Rocha Kenya). Visits to Arabuko Sokoke NP (9 Feb) and Mida Creek (10 Feb).
Nairobi Extension Day 1 Thursday 25th January 2024
Aina and I arrive early to Jomo Kenyatta airport. While we wait for our transfer, we get the hang on the first bird species. Little swifts, African palm swifts, red-throated crag-martins, African sacred ibis, and African pied wagtails are all first glimpsed above our heads. Pied crows, speckled pigeons, common bulbuls, and the stunning superb starlings are abundant, and we connect with the only red-winged starlings of the trip.
The road south of Nairobi borders the fences of Nairobi National Park. While we did not have time to visit, we connect with a long-tailed fiscal, a flock of helmeted guineafowl roosting on a tree, and the majestic gray crowned-crane.
Friends at the restaurant terrace, 26 Jan 2024
Wildebeest Eco Camp
Dreamy accommodation in Karen area in Nairobi with aset of bungalows and tents, pool, restaurant and a large garden (see here).
The gardens of Wildebeest Eco Lodge are a true oasis. Despite our long journey, we spent hours energetically strolling through the vegetation of this haven, while we wait for our lodge tent to be ready for check-in. The central lagoon by the pool and the restaurant held a couple of smart malachite kingfishers posing for us, several grosbeak weavers caring of their chicks, spectacled weavers working on their nests, and dusky turtle-doves coming for a sip. The rocks around the pool seemed to be foraging grounds for a couple of Cape robin-chats.
The grassy area next to the pool was the feeding area of several hadada ibis, whose scream surprised us before becoming a usual sound during our days in Kenya. White-browed sparrow-weavers usually fed on the grass, too. The vegetation closeby held white-eyed slaty-flycatcher, willow warbler, and Baglafecht weaver, as well as a roop of vervet monkeys.
North from the pool up the lawn, we would stay in a tent with room for around 10 people under the shade of thick vegetation. The trees around there held white-bellied tit, several Rüppell’s robin-chats, and the only cardinal woodpecker of the trip. Abyssinian thrush became a usual sight there.
The chill out area by the pool is surrounded by flowering bushes. Good numbers of amethyst sunbirds, variable sunbirds, bronze sunbirds, and northern double-collared sunbirds fight for their territories, showing their impressive colors and providing a great show as we dipped our feet in the water. A gray-capped warbler was seen after following its song from these bushes, where several speckled mousebirds seemed to play hide-and-seek.
Between the pool and the reception area, some Acacias served as a more open perch for other species. The first spot-flanked barbet, chinspot batis, and cinnamon-breasted bee-eaters were soon spotted on the trees. Other specialties included the only sights of brown parisoma, buff-bellied warbler, and a stunning adult Klaas’s cuckoo feeding a youngster. A scarlet-chested sunbird seemed to like a bush closer to the reception, and a blue monkey was seen on the area as well.
Once the tent was ready, a long nap transported us to night time. After a light dinner, a quick walk around resulted in a couple of Jackson’s chameleons on the spotlight, sleeping in a bush on the roadside inside the camp. We were embraced by the sounds of the African night and quickly fell asleep again.
Nairobi Extension Day 2 Friday 26th January 2024
An early walk before breakfast around the gardens of Wildebeest Eco Camp yielded good views of some of the species seen yesterday, perhaps highlighting a confident speckled mousebird. New additions included a loud green-backed camaroptera singing around the Acacia area and a red-eyed dove drinking in the lake. Yellow-billed kites soared up in the sky as we had breakfast.
Soon enough, we were surprised to see all our friends from Finland coming to the restaurant after ouching down and checking in. After keeping up with each other’s trips, most of us joined our adventure of the day and we all soon waited for our Ubers at he entrance of the lodge.
Friends walking the forest paths, 26 Jan 2024
Karura forest
Urban forest in Nairobi with over 1000 ha featuring ponds, waterfalls, caves, and different vegetation types (see here).
After a long traffic jam while crossing Nairobi city center during which marabou storks and yellow-billed kites were abundant, we arrived to the gates of Karura forest. The green heart of Nairobi proved to be a wonderful place to connect with local specialties. The lily ponds hosted several white-backed duck families, along with black-headed herons, little grebes, lesser swamp warblers, and red-faced cisticolas. The diversity of butterflies in the prairies around the lakes was equally impressive. Overhead, a steppe buzzard and a mixed flock of black sawwing, red-throated crag-martin, and lesser striped swallows circled.
Looking for birds within the forest was more challenging. On our way to the waterfalls inside the forest, I merely connected with a handful of species, mainly in the clearings and more open areas. These sights include spectacled weavers, bronze sunbirds, or African dusky flycatchers. By the scenic creek, a couple of mountain wagtails were a welcome surprise. In a highlight of the day, we spotted several suni, a small forest-dwelling antelope, moving through the woods.
On the way back from the waterfalls, I followed a mixed-species flock and was rewarded with views of a slender-billed greenbul and a Kikuyu white-eye — the only Kenya endemic bird we saw on this trip! At a picnic area, a family of Egyptian geese foraged the lawn.
Back at camp, we enjoyed a quick dip in the pool, surrounded by the constant display of sunbirds and weavers in the garden. European bee-eaters flew overhead. After dinner, we managed to find the Jackson’s chameleon pair again along with our classmates, and found several Kilimanjaro mustard baboon spiders (quite large tarantulas!) and African common toads.
Riverine vegetation dominated by yellow fever trees (Vachellia xanthophloea) from our tent in Mpala river camp, 29 Jan 2024.
Laikipia Day 1 Saturday 27th January 2024
A rushed morning packing up now that the tents were full with our newcoming classmates, we had breakfast and jumped into our cars after meeting our course professors Mar Cabeza, Pablo Manzano and Iñaki Abella. No much to note in Wildebeest Eco Camp, where I only added several European bee-eaters as novelties to the list.
The long journey ahead served as the first opportunity to connect with African mammals for the first time. As we got into savannah in Laikipia county, warthogs, plains zebras, impalas, and reticulated giraffes caused great impression among us.
Friends looking at Grévy’s zebras from the camp, 28 Jan 2024
Mpala Research Camp
Research facility located in a very large ranch in Laikipia, with different camps — we stayed at the river camp —, an airstrip, lecture rooms, labs, and other facilities surrounded by savannah (see here).
We checked-in in the wonderful river camp of Mpala Research Camp. Two-bed tents were available for us, and a central big en served as he headquarters, lecture room, and dining area for some days. The lawn around the central tent was the foraging ground for Rüpell’s starlings, white-browed sparrow-weavers, and several wire-tailed swallows hunting insects for its youngsters, and crag-martins entered the main tent while we were having the security instructions by Mpala camp staff. Von der Decken’s hornbills and northern red-billed hornbills would become usual, inquisitive visitors to the lawn.
All tents were lined up parallel to the river, and Aina and I rushed to choose one with great views to the other side. From our tent, we could see vervet monkey troops, greater blue-eared starlings, fork-tailed drongos, and different large mammals approaching the river for a sip. Egyptian geese, three-banded plovers, and common sandpiper visited the river stretch too. The Acacia trees around the tents hosted mountain gray woodpeckers, ring-necked doves, green-backed camaroptera, chinspot batis, African black-headed orioles, southern black-flycatchers, spotted morning-thrushes, common waxbills, red-billed firefinches, smart African paradise-flycatchers, and the always present Günther’s dik-diks. Under the sink of the toilet, a pair of lesser striped swallows had built a nest.
In the afternoon, we visited the airstrip inside Mpala and installed photo-trapping cameras for monitoring wildlife remotely. A reticulated giraffe showed up some Acacia trees behind me as I installed mine. Meanwhile, Nubian woodpecker, numerous speckle-fronted weavers, white-fronted scrub-robin, white-bellied go-away-birds, and cut-throats were seen in the area.
The night set and the temperature dropped. A nice dinner with friends and a short walk around the camp resulted in spotting yellow-winged bats and a buffalo in the riverbank in front of our tent. A white-bellied go-away-bird slept in a tree between our tent and the toilet, where a couple of approachable Senegal bushbabies would treat us with their acrobatics.
A new, 2024 edition of the @helsinkiuni course on Human-Wildlife Conflict in Kenya started yesterday at Mpala Research Center with the collaboration of @BC3Research and @bio_mas, to learn about real issues in the field. pic.twitter.com/Ws9PHAgrqZ
— GCC Group (@GCCGtweet) January 28, 2024
Laikipia Day 2 Sunday 28th January 2024
A morning walk in a sandy area down the river served as an animal track identification workshop — we learned to recognize the tracks of hippos, lions, hyenas, impalas, dik-diks, elephants, mongooses, and giraffes, and managed o see some of them. Red-billed oxpeckers roamed in the backs of reticulated giraffes and African savannah elephants. New morning additions include Meyer’s parrot and red-chested cuckoo.
We spent the day around camp working in plant identification and developing questionnaires for our focus groups and interviews with locals on the following days, and writing our memories. I managed to see new birds seen at the camp during breaks, such as Rüppell’s vulture, crimson-rumped waxbill, and emerald-spotted wood-dove. An exciting visitor was a Grévy’s zebra approaching the river on the bank opposite to our camp — while we had seen them in the plains, having one of these zebras visiting the camp was great, as this very rare species has less left than 2500 individuals left globally! An afternoon game drive helped us enjoy connecting with different mammal species again, as well as six crowned lapwings and a distant male Kori bustard.
At night, we grabbed some thermal cameras and jumped into the cars again, with loud speakers installed on top of them. We learned the methodology of hyena calling stations, and connected with a number of spotted hyenas and at least a striped hyena. Besides, we could see the shapes of warthogs, zebras, hippos, and other wildlife thanks to our gear. On the way back, a more-than-likely Verreaux’s eagle-owl flew next to the car as it drove, but he hour was late and stopping and looking for it was not in the agenda, so ID is inconclusive.
Laikipia Day 3 Monday 29th January 2024
A morning game drive set the tone of the day, as spending a full-day in the field resulted in numerous memorable wildlife encounters. While driving Mpala ranch, one of the highlights seen were a first pair of common ostrich roaming along with a herd of East African oryx. Looking at the largest extant bird next to such a magnificent antelope I did not expect to see was an experience. Other morning savannah treats included straw-tailed whydah, white-bellied go-away-bird, Namaqua dove, tawny eagle, and two martial eagles up the river close to the camp.
Friends looking at kudus from Mukenya slopes, 29 Jan 2024
Mount Mukenya
Elevation within Mpala ranch (around 1820 m), some 200 m over the savannah plains around, mostly covered by dry scrub (see here).
The hike to Mt Mukenya was quite straightforward and refreshing, even if our 16-people group was constantly accompanied by four rangers holding guns and other staff to ensure our safety. A pretty shocking picture. The op of the rock provided Lion King-like views of the savannah plains, from where we could see elephants, giraffes, impalas, baboons, and many other large species from distance. On the way up, a rock hyrax, an augur buzzard, a Eurasian kestrel, and a large eagle pointed out by a ranger as a possible Verreaux’s eagle were seen. Once up the hill, there was a pied wheatear and several rufous-tailed rock-thrushes. On the way down, and while some rangers showed up how to light up a fire with mere branches and stones, several fan-tailed ravens showed up.
We stopped to learn about the whistling thorn (Vachellia drepanolobium) bushes and their close relationship with ants, and visited several herbivore-exclusion fences. These stops helped me connect with sentinel lark, lesser masked-weaver, Fischer’s sparrow-lark, and Hildebrandt’s starling. Back in the camp for lunch, I finally managed to spot two species that pretty much everyone had seen around by then: the striped ground squirrel and the beautiful African paradise-flycatcher. I also managed to shoot the bush hyraxes that are always chilling in the stone wall at the checkpoint in Mpala.
Baboons and friends, 29 Jan 2024
Ilpolei
Village in Laikipia where baboons were relocated after becoming a serious issue in the context of human-wildlife conflict. A project is currently monitoring the population daily (see here).
We reached the olive baboon troop of Ilpolei late in the afternoon after over three hours driving. For Aina and I, this was the first close contact with the species we focused our interest on during the course. Project staff monitors the movements of the troop daily, and are familiar with each individual of the troop, with over 150 baboons. We heard stories of the behavior and social status of some of the individuals that moved next to us: youngsters on top of their mothers, juvenile females, alpha males… The baboons, meanwhile, were heading up a hill where the steep slopes would keep them safe overnight once the sun set. What an experience.
The journey ack was not less productive. We connected with our first lions, with our car surrounded by a group of several individuals in the middle of the night. The views were awesome, as the lions approached our car, seemingly try to hide and ambush some prey to no avail. Additionally, we got good views of a grayish eagle-owl in the dark before reaching camp.
Laikipia Day 4 Tuesday 30th January 2024
The morning starts extremely early as the possibility to spot a very sought-after species in Mpala raises. While we drive the ranch and meet researchers on the species on our way, we did not manage to spot the pack of African wild dogs we looked for. The game drive lead us to new spots, including a pond in a red soil area where mammals and birds drank. Numerous black-faced sandgrouse, crowned lapwings, greater blue-eared starlings, and a Namaqua dove were some highlights.
The day was mostly spent around camp, where we joined talks from different local and international researchers. While I was shooting the local family of wire-tailed swallows, I spotted four mosque swallows on a tree next to the main tent. In the afternoon, several birds were added to the camp list: red-headed weaver, yellow-spotted bush-sparrow, white-bellied canary, lesser honeyguide, and yellow-necked spurfowl. The usual northern red-billed hornbills, Von der Decken’s hornbills, and African paradise-flycatchers showed up too.
The main task of the day consisted on visiting Lekiji, where a women-led agriculture project has recently started as an alternative to herding. We conducted focus groups and interviews for the first time, and encountered many challenges that we discussed in the bonfire later at night. Getting to know this community and their initiative was a close contact with reality, after days in the comfort of the research camp. Besides, on the way there we connected with three gerenuks, perhaps my favorite antelope, which obliged while feeding on Acacia trees standing on their rear legs.
Laikipia Day 5 Wednesday 31st January 2024
The last full day in Mpala starts again before dawn. Again, we would try to locate the pack of African wild dogs that have been followed the last days in the area. As we got into the bush, numerous mammal and bird species came into view. The pond area we visited yesterday produced a Marico sunbird, a D’Arnaud’s barbet, four blue-naped mousebirds, several tawny eagles, and a flock of white-rumped shrikes. Ring-necked doves, laughing doves, and northern wheatears are relatively abundant.
Temperature rose as the sun went up, and we barely lost hope after hours of game driving. However, our skilled drivers jumped down the car at some point to check out some fresh tracks on the trail sand. Less than five minutes later, the car stopped on a dime. A fine African wild dog posed for us for some seconds in a clearing among the Acacia bushes. It was part of the pack, out of which we picked males and females displaying their intricate fur patterns. A beauty of an animal that apparently had never been shown before on the previous editions of this course. I had goosebumps while seeing them after days of hearing about their exiguous world population and their impressive life history traits. The dogs lied in watch for some prey at some point, but when they might have tried hunting, we lost them in the vegetation after a prolonged, fantastic view.
Back in the camp, I joined the course teachers and rangers to install a carcass for monitoring scavengers with trail cameras, as my prospective PhD thesis project uses this methodology extensively. While we prepared the bait, the martial eagles seen previously up the river showed up, and were joined by an impressive adult African hawk-eagle calling and soaring.
The routine walks around the vegetation in the camp during breaks between lectures resulted in usual suspects such as southern black-flycatchers, African paradise-flycatchers, Günther’s dik-diks and vervet monkeys, but also new species: a black cuckooshrike and a flock of over fifteen village indigobirds. A quick trip to the airstrip to rerieve the trail cameras produced good numbers of gray-capped social-weavers.
In the afternoon, we were joined by local bird expert Wilson Ndĩritũ and headed to a black cotton soil area looking for nests of secretarybirds. While none of them were active and most were lost to elephants, we did connect with other impressive wildlife. A common ostrich, several yellow-necked spurfowl, a white-bellied bustard, an eastern chanting-goshawk, and the magnificent show of a displaying Kori bustard under he golden lights right before sunset. We enjoyed local stories abou different animals told by Wilson as the sun set.
After dinner back at camp, we sat at the bonfire in groups and roleplayed different agents and stakeholders to address a practical issue found on the field here in Kenya. The carcass set to attract hyenas was relatively close to the camp and some people could hear hyenas over night. Eventually, both striped hyenas and spotted hyenas overlapped in carcass visits and even fought! A rarely recorded interaction (see the video embedded). An additional visitor was a radio-tracked African wild dog, par of the pack seen in the morning.
Few minutes later, a new actor enters the stage. A spotted hyena starts fighting the striped hyena off. The video shows the reaction of the latter: raised fur in the back, ears down. It may induce a wrong size perception, as the spotted hyena is larger and hence victorious. pic.twitter.com/281A21iViu
— GCC Group (@GCCGtweet) February 7, 2024
While we were unaware of the fuss taking place next door at the carcass, the starry night kept Aina and I entertained from the zip door of our lodge tent. Before falling asleep, we heard an African barn owl, which was also heard again in the middle of the night from inside the tent.
Detail of plains zebra (Equus quagga) fur, 31s Jan 2024
Naivasha Day 1 Thursday 1st February 2024
We departed early from the dreamy Mpala river camp. Our vehicles drive us across Laikipia while a big part of the group sleeps. I try to keep an eye out in the savanna and manage to see numerous big mammals, and numerous fences. We are starting to understand that, while fences are in theory meant to separate wildlife from people, in practice they are most effective at isolating people from people, and generate intense human-human conflict.
Mt Kilimanjaro at the background of the fences, 1 Feb 2024
Fences in Rugutu
Close to Ol Pejeta conservancy in Laikipia, this fenced area is managed by Space for Giants. Different measures are taken to avoid elephants and other wildlife crossing the fences. The density of mammals in Laikipia hinders the success of these measures.
We gathered in the gate of a fenced area in Rugutu managed by Space for Giants, a conservationist company aiming at mitigating conflictive interactions between elephants and humans while bringing social and economic value to local communities. Several workers showed us the electric installation that makes the fence work, and we discussed about the good and the evil. We visited a nearby point where the fence is recurrently dodged by wildlife. My friend Mihika Sen has worked in these very fences for her fantastic thesis project about elephant and human coexistence in Kenya, and seeing the magnitude of fences across Laikipia in person made us understand the scale of the issue.
Moving some kilometers in different directions becomes interesting in these latitudes. Without leaving Laikipia, birds that I haven’t managed to see in Mpala become quite numerous in the Acacia trees of the few places we stop by during the fence lecture — Speke’s weavers, village weavers, or Kenya rufous sparrows are some examples. Others seem widespread instead, like the superb starling.
The long journey goes through different ecosystems. Black cotton soils have been widely used for agriculture for a large stretch of road — in these area I spot a black-winged kite, pied crows, and Egyptian geese. A lunch stop in Thompson Falls results in some intense touting from local shop owners. However, eleven wattled starlings sitting on a tall tree are a highly welcome add-up.
Towards Naivasha, the landscape changes again. Groves of endemic Euphorbia bussei in the higher areas flanked open woodlands (where we could find some Maasai giraffes) and extensions of flower farms — which has lately become the main economic activity in Naivasha. This economic switch has caused many people lose their livelihoods. Depression, drug addiction, and subsistence jobs that give room to new conflictive interactions with large mammals are challenges that many locals in Naivasha face today, as we would learn in this stage of the course.
Friend warthog foraging in front of our rooms, 2 Feb 2024
Kenya Wildlife Service and Training Institute (KWSTI)
University campus where different jobs and fields related to working with wildlife can be studied. The campus has sports areas, gardens, accommodation, classrooms, and many other facilities (see here).
A quick stroll in the KWSTI facilities after check-in was quite productive. Several Kenya rufous sparrows, brimstone canaries, streaky seedeaters, and purple grenadiers were noted in the vegetation. On wires and cables, white-fronted bee-eaters and red-throated crag-martins rested. One of the buildings was constantly visited by a flock of several Nyanza swifts.
We shared the rest of the day with local students. KWSTI facilities educate on different field job matters, and we got to know current and future professionals of National Parks in Kenya. We went through the photo-trapping material from our first days in Mpala together, and walked around campus quite close to impalas, elands, warthogs, and other creatures that roamed the facilities. On a quick outing after dinner, Aina and I were warned to run carefully back inside as buffalos roamed around at night.
Naivasha Day 2 Friday 2nd February 2024
The course was not focused on birds whatsoever but this had been the most birdy day of the course. We visited a satellite lake of Naivasha, where Asociación Bio+ has launched a conservation project involving local men and women that have lately switched their livelihoods into unlicensed fishing. Their life-long knowledge of the area proved suitable to work as ecotourism guides for birdwatching tours along the lake.
Friends looking for birds and hippos, 2 Feb 2024
Lake Oloiden
Small lake satellite to Lake Naivasha, formerly and periodically alkaline, but currently with important numbers of hippos and African fish-eagles after water levels connected the two lakes. (see here).
Lake Oloiden water level is high during our visit, and it was connected to the waters of lake Naivasha. The lake has traditionally been isolated, with periodical fluctuations, being hipersaline through evaporation and bearing a limited population of fish but plenty flamingos. This change has opened the possibility for people to fish in Oloiden, but has also brought an important number of territorial hippos. The locals explain these facts while surrounded by hamerkops, marabou storks, gull-billed terns, pink-backed pelicans, and hippos watching us from the water. Closer to the shore, I spotted a giant kingfisher and a yellow-billed egret.
A couple of boats guide us through Oloiden. Large flocks of barn swallows and plain martins sit on dead branches. Waterfowl are less diverse than I expected, but Egyptian geese are abundant. Pairs of the stunning African fish-eagle sit every few trees apart where there is the world’s highest density of the species. Gray-headed gulls, African jacanas, pied kingfishers, and malachite kingfishers are also present.
As we sail through the shore, an incredible number of pierid butterflies fly in all directions, providing a dreamy image. Plains zebras, Maasai giraffes, waterbucks, vervet monkeys, and impalas are noted. A corner of the lake held a colony of common pelicans, close to which there were several white-bellied cormorants, reed cormorants, and two impressive saddle-billed storks. A single lesser flamingo sat in the shore in very bad shape, as so did another individual in the very middle of the lake where we also saw a red-knobbed coot.
The connecting area between lakes Oloiden and Naivasha was particularly full of birds. Yellow-billed stork, goliath heron, gray heron, great egret, black crake, African sacred ibis, ospreys, and western marsh harriers foraged in the area, and a distant white-backed vulture flew over. Even mammals were plentiful, highlighting the silhouettes Maasai giraffes as part of the landscape, and the hippos that had been abundant throughout the trip.
After the productive outing, we spend some time interviewing the locals about their take on how things are changing in Naivasha area, and their new livelihoods. Fishing was new to most of them, and had put many on risk. Most had close people who had experienced conflictive encounters with hippos, in some cases ending up in fatalities.
After this wonderful experience, we move on to a close location where a different conservaion project is taking place. A wildlife rescue center focuses on healing, rearing, and breeding raptors — most of which are extremely endangered.
Friend marabou staying in the center, 2 Feb 2024
Naivasha Raptor Center
Rescue and breeding center of diurnal and nocturnal raptors and other scavengers, located in Kilimandege Sanctuary. Visits are possible during outreach activities (see here).
Naivasha Raptor Center director Shiv Kapila introduced us to their facilities and showed us their daily tasks and the birds they kept at the moment. Some of them would be seen during the trip — Rüppell’s griffon, white-backed vulture, African wood owl, black goshawk, or augur buzzard. As we also had the chance to enter some cages, it was the first time being up close to a big raptor for many.
The Kilimandege Sanctuary area where the center is located was quite diverse. A photogenic augur buzzard obliged — a declining species due to new metal poles being installed across Kenya. African hoopoe, Northern anteater-chat, hamerkop, willow warbler, and greater blue-eared starling are also seen in the entrance area. Close to a Verreaux’s eagle-owl cage, a yellow-breasted apalis showed up.
Inside area of Sopa Lodge, 2 Feb 2024
Sopa Lodge
Chain hotel with a bucolic vibe and a large garden overlooking the shores of lake Naivasha and its wildlife (see here).
A quick stop at Sopa Lodge serves us as a recess on a very intense day. We share thoughts about the differences we had found on our interviews in Laikipia and here in Naivasha. The course pace is quite fast and the learning curve steep, but these days in Naivasha would serve as a break to get some of the lost sleep out in the bush and prepare for what was to come.
Drinks and chats were enjoyed in the garden of the lodge in front of lake Naivasha shore. Baglafecht weavers, white-browed robin-chats, yellow-rumped tinkerbirds, or white-browed coucals were seen in the trees around us. The terrace overlooks a lawn in front of the lake: plains zebras, blacksmith lapwings, lilac-breasted rollers, green woodhoopoes, southern black-flycatchers, and hadada ibises are some of the wildlife seen there. Some mantled guerezas sat quietly at the top of a tree. Several lovebirds seen are apparently not genuine wild birds, but escaped hybrids.
Detail of Maasai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) fur, 2nd Feb 2024
Mara Day 1 Saturday 3rd February 2024
Before leaving KWSTI, a morning walk provided good views of African red-rumped swallow, northern gray-headed sparrow, a family group of African gray flycatcher, and several yellow-billed kites on a same tree as morning highlights. White-fronted bee-eaters, wire-tailed swallows, brimstone canaries, and impalas obliged with great close looks.
Once again on the road, off southwest to a new area of Kenya. On the way, I noted a couple of Cape crows and a group of over 25 Abdim’s storks. On some tiny puddle next to the road, two gray crowned-cranes foraged with cattle egrets and Egyptian geese.
A midday lunch in the middle of the road brought the attention of a group of Maasai kids who joined us. The presence of Maasai became evident, as large groups of cattle could be seen in the fields. The fences were also very present. On these fences, I spotted the first (of many to come) pin-tailed whydah males displaying — an image I dreamed of witnessing in the wild when I first learned about these tiny creatures in some old book back home as a kid.
Friends walking around Maasai bomas next to our guest house, 5 Feb 2024
Kileleoni Guest House
Our accommodation during our stay in Mara, located in he savannah of Mara North and surrounded by Maasai communities (see here).
We check-in in Kileleoni Guest House for the following days. The rest of the day is meant for reading and summarizing wildlife reports and research papers for some presentations we do at night. Wildebeest and zebras walk relatively close to the guest house fences. A walk around the garden provides great looks of bronze sunbird, golden-breasted bunting, spot-flanked barbet, and a group of red-billed oxpeckers that behave oddly, perching on the roof tiles every now and then instead of the back of some large herbivore.
The night comes and we set off to sleep after a session of presentations of our papers read over the day. Some people camping out in the garden had an awful night, with loud spotted hyenas calling and wandering in the fences, quite close to their tents.
Mara Day 2 Sunday 4th February 2024
A slow morning in terms of birds and mind. We hiked the interesting slopes of Mt Kileleoni following the fresh path opened by an elephant ahead of us and interpreted the flora in the area: camphor trees, sandalwood and other relevant plants could be found there, but no notable birds. In the camp, I took some time to wash clothes, go through my pictures, write some lines, and take some proper pictures of the birds of the garden: purple grenadier, common bulbul, pied crow, and two raptors flying overhead together: a steppe buzzard and an augur buzzard. A young bateleur showed up too.
We entered the Maasai community next to our accommodation, where we also aimed at carrying out our focus groups and interviews about perceptions of human-wildlife conflicts. We were greeted by music and dances, and were shown a face of these villages that is now becoming more and more widespread: that of tourism. Locals understood we were tourists and were surprised that we carried notebooks and not cameras with us, but proceeded to tell their fairytale-like stories aimed at captivating foreigners. After the whole tourist visit, we all managed to communicate and understand each other’s purpose better and it all ended in a fun anecdote. Unsurprisingly, we noted how the stories we were told during the tourist-oriented visit were full of adornments and quite distant from what we could hear when we addressed our questions. Maasai communities have reinvented their livelihood recently but still hold important pride of their identity and social dynamics, and current times do not make them any distant from living in close contact by wildlife.
The community chief joined us for a couple of game drives. The most attractive one happened at night, when we connected with numerous eastern springhares and several spotted thick-knees.
Mara Day 3 Monday 5th February 2024
The morning started with a game drive around Mara North plains along with the guide that joined us yesterday for the night drive. Thomson’s gazelles and Grant’s gazelles are abundant, and we approach a reticulated giraffe. Bird highlights include a close encounter with a lappet-faced vulture, several pallid harriers, a steppe eagle, Jackson’s widowbirds, displaying pin-tailed whydahs, a helmeted guineafowl, and a puddle where gray crowned-cranes and vitelline masked-weavers foraged.
On our way back to the guest house, we visited the bomas by the guest house where Maasai herders keep their cattle safe overnight. We go through different boma types, made out of wood and wires. Moving the bomas periodically brings a dynamism to the ecosystem relatively similar to that of large herbivore migrations. Forsging the dung for insects, I noted several western yellow wagtails, an African pied wagtail, and a wattled starling. Flying over, two lappet-faced vultures and a young bateleur passed by.
There is always some nice smell coming from the kitchen at Kileleoni guest house. As we waited for lunch, I observed a northern fiscal feeding its youngster, and several superb starlings and greater blue-eared starlings in the garden.
Later in the afternoon we drove south to Talek, right at the border with Maasai Mara National Reserve. Along the way, Mwanza flat-headed gock agamas are very common in a stretch of the road, as so are displaying Fischer’s whydahs. New birds noted on the road include a silverbird, several red-cheeked cordonbleus, and capped wheatears.
Down in Talek, a group of local women and men joined us for a focus group about their takes of different policies regarding herding and land protection, and their perceptions and knowledge of wildlife. We sat on the ground and talked, surrounded by tens of marabou storks and a flock of birds that might have been magpie shrikes. Looking at the group dynamics was enjoyable, given that they were husband and wives and friends among them, and we had become better interviewers and observers by then.
Mara Day 4 Tuesday 6th February 2024
The last field day of the course takes place in a dream location. Once again, we hop onto our two cars very early and drive south from our accommodation. Along the way, lilac-breasted roller, capped wheatear, and straw-tailed whydah are spotted, as well as a group of banded mongoose and two pairs of black-backed jackals — interestingly, two individuals were in bad shape and seemed to follow the other two, more fit.
Friends and elephants looking at one another, 6 Feb 2024
Maasai Mara National Reserve
The quintessential savannah ecosystem in Kenya. It is connected with Serengeti and Ngorongoro in Tanzania, hosting the largest annual migration of the world of wildebeest and zebras (see here).
Talek gate area is a hub for locals trying to sell souvenirs to tourists. Little swifts nest on the gate itself and several white-browed bee-eaters, Hildebrandt’s starlings, plain martins, and crag-martins were seen around.
The other side of the gate seemed a completely different world. Vast plains and hills of green and yellow covered beyond the reach of the sight, with the only exception of very few Acacia trees here and there, and an unimaginable density of dark dots, large mammals that foraged in the distance. Herds of elephants, buffalos, topis, kongonis, wildebeest, and zebras that we would approach as we drove through the plains.
The Talek area produced good views of Kori bustards, common ostrich, and gray crowned-crane, as well as most of the above-mentioned herbivores. We glimpsed a secretarybird in the distance that was unfortunately missed by the other car. Finally! What a bird.
Montagu’s harriers and pallid harriers cut the sky above the grass. Bateleurs soared in pairs, and solitary lappet-faced vulture and hooded vulture were also seen over the grassland plains. Within the grass, fan-tailed widowbirds and different cisticolas were readily seen.
A group of cars queueing somewhere close to an Acacia tree was a sign of a big cat. While we waited in line, we saw white-winged widowbird, gray-backed fiscals, and several waterbirds in a pond including green sandpiper, wood sandpiper, wattled lapwing, and white-faced whistling-duck. The amount of cars swarming around the animals made some feel uneasy, concerned about animal welfare. Just for the record, the pack of sixteen lions under the tree sleeped completely unbothered by our presence.
Driving through the plains for the whole day produced incredible landscapes and close encounters with many species. Lilac-breasted roller, gray kestrel, rufous-naped lark, and plain-backed pipit were seen up close. As we approached two lions mating, we were shown a spotted eagle-owl roosting on a bush — an uncommon species in Maasai Mara.
The lunch stop was awesome, in an area chose by our drivers after driving around all the trees in order to make sure no big cat hid under the shadow. An awesome diversity of beetles, butterflies, and hoverflies roamed around. Winding cisticola and African gray flycatcher sat on the tree above us. All around, a massive herd of elephants walked together — we spent some time recognizing their sex and age, and just admiring them.
Later we approached the Mara river crossing area, famous in wildlife documentaries. Wildebeest, zebras, hippos, and crocodiles were all present, but this is not the time of the year when the dramatic migration takes place. In fact, even if we had seen tens of wildebeest, most of them now forage in the other side of the river — we couldn’t picture in our minds the density of wildebeest the other half of the year.
Driving around that area, a spotted hyena sleeps in the open on the trail side. Spur-winged lapwings, stout cisticola, and little bee-eaters were seen in the crossing area. A common sandpiper walked funnily on top of the hippo backs.
The drive back was enjoyable too. It was sad leaving Maasai Mara, especially knowing that we missed many specialties (leopard, cheetah, ground-hornbill…). But close encounters with awesome species and incredible landscapes compensated. The last lights produced a Temminck’s courser on the road back to Mara North, and perhaps the most beautiful sunset of the trip was the end of a wonderful day.
Mara Day 6 Wednesday 7th February 2024
A long day on the road was used for sleeping and writing some memories by many. The journey allowed us to stop in places where the tectonic activity of the Rift Valley has recently broken the road. The geological activity of the area makes these events relatively usual, impacting the road network of the country. Another nice stop was the escarpment close to Nairobi, where one gets to understand the shape of the Rift Valley, standing from a forested side and overlooking the valley plains and the Aberdare range.
Several hours and a couple of stops later, we made it back to Wildebeest Eco Camp at dusk. As our last day together, we shared the whole afternoon and evening with teachers and classmates. We enjoyed drinks and dinner together while discussing about circumstances of working in field science abroad, trying to apply our takes on social and cultural aspects learned on this course — understanding once again that things are never black or white.
Whole group looking at a male kori bustard displaying next to our car at Mpala ranch in Laikipia, 31st Jan 2024.
Watamu Day 1 Thursday 8th February 2024
Aina and I checked-out and left Wildebeest Eco Camp at some point in the morning after parting from the group. Sharing all those days together had surely been a pleasure. An Uber brought us to Nairobi Wilson Airport for our flight to Malindi, down by the Indian Ocean. The short flight was a show of scenic savanna and coral reef water views. We landed just after midday and grabbed a tuk-tuk to our accommodation. The last leg of the trip had just started.
We set a sleeping tent in the headquarters of A Rocha, a Christian environmental organization working on conservation, environmental education, and sustainable agriculture placed near Watamu, in a forest patch next to Garoda beach called Mwamba research area. While our beliefs do not align with those of the organization, this was not a problem to join A Rocha and fit into its welcoming community of volunteers, homestay customers, and scientists. Being able to camp safely, having a range of options for accommodation, and sharing delicious “family dinners” included in the stay fee were some of the pros why I would recommend staying here. The cons depend on one’s budget — tuk-tuks and motorbikes to and from Mwamba Research area are very expensive in relation to distances, mostly because A Rocha staff promotes fair job conditions for drivers that are not respected elsewhere (no room for haggling!).
House crows and Sykes’s monkeys watched inquisitively as we set the camp, so we made sure the tent was properly closed before leaving. Even a Nile monitor showed up close to the tent. We craved walking through the shore, so we walked down the path to the beach — as one customer said, a route of only 1:40 minutes!
Low tide at Garoda beach, 11 Feb 2024
Garoda Beach
White sand beach south of Watamu whose waters belong to Watamu Marine National Park. Low tides provide extensive idal pools and exposed rocks hosting a myriad of marine wildlife (see here).
Garoda beach is simply spectacular. Even if we arrived at high tide, the dreamy combination of white sand and deep blue water was breathtaking. Tourists walked down the beach and pied kingfishers perched on the boats. Ethiopian swallows were regularly seen over the beach, as so were gull-billed terns and lesser crested terns.
We walked south to the Mida Creek mouth, where a massive flock of birds flying low over the ocean was visible in the distance at a certain point, when the reflection of the descending sun allowed. Hundreds of waders flew back and forth from their roosting site, on a sandy shore flanked by impregnable rock walls that make the little beach unaccessible during high tide. We climbed some pointy rocks to get distant views of the flock once birds sat: hundreds of crab-plovers and greater sand-plovers, along with several whimbrels, bar-tailed godwits and gull-billed terns. An incredible show with the main character being one of my favorite birds, the crab-plover, belonging to a monotypic family and a personal lifer. Pied kingfishers hovered around and African palm swifts were also present.
After walking back to A Rocha, we got some motorbikes drive us to town to get some cash and explore Watamu, a western tourist-centered coastal town. We headed back to A Rocha for a family dinner with the people staying at the community, and then called it a day. Ghost crabs foraged everywhere: inside the toilets and the living room, on the paths, and all around our camp. Their little legs walking over leaf litter plus the extreme heat and humidity at night made sleeping difficult.
Watamu Day 2 Friday 9th February 2024
Our course professors shared some contacts with us to prearrange a walking tour on the nearby National Park. We connected with Jonathan Mwachongo from Arabuko Walking Safari, a very knowledgeable guide we strongly recommend. We arranged a half-day tour with a list of species that was almost completely satisfied, even if the half-day ended up being full day! A tuk-tuk came to pick us up in A Rocha still in the dark.
Male elephant crossing the path, 9 Feb 2024
Arabuko Sokoke National Park
The largest patch of East African Coastal Forest left in Kenya, hosting an important number of endemic fauna and flora (see here).
Jonathan received us at Arabuko Sokoke NP headquarters and soon magic starts. After a quick introduction and paying for the park fee (600 KSH, 4.3 EUR per person), we get into the forest. Around the main office, three African wood-owls rest on top of a tree. Soon after, we spot the first ashy flycatchers and black-bellied starlings of the day. A golden-rumped sengi, a diurnal elephant-shrew mainly restricted to Arabuko Sokoke coastal forest, forages quietly — we would see four of them along the day, rabbit-sized creatures running under the vegetation.
There are three main forest types in Arabuko Sokoke. The beginning of our walk took place in mixed forest, a diverse formation of tall trees and dense vegetation. Here we connected with several green barbets, European golden orioles and African black-headed orioles. A side path brought us to a thick area where we got brief views of the skulky eastern nicator, as well as a pair of the extremely range-restricted Amani sunbird associated to several collared sunbirds.
An open forest area provided an opportunity to connect with distant birds. White-throated bee-eaters, striped kingfisher, Dodson’s bulbul, spotted flycatchers, black-backed puffback, pale batis, and black-and-white mannikin are some of the species we spotted, plus lizard buzzard heard. On a different area with similar habitat configuration, we heard Fischer’s turacos close to their nest and, while waiting for them to show up (they never did!), an African goshawk carrying a prey flies fast over us at close distance.
Things got very interesting when we got into a thicker forest after the open area — perhaps the most rainforest-like birding of the whole trip. We bumped into several mixed-species flocks, and Jonathan paid great effort to help us connect with all the species within them. Yellow flycatchers seemed pretty abundant in the flocks, and we struggled to photograph them due to their skulky, very active behavior — like most of the species seen in this area. Short-tailed batis, African crested flycatcher, black-headed apalis, plain-backed sunbird, olive sunbird, sombre greenbul, tiny greenbul, and Fischer’s greenbul were also part of the flocks. Even a black goshawk made a quick appearance. The intensity felt when surrounded by one of those flocks contrasted with the calmness during the rest of the walk. A male dark-backed weaver flew over the trail and we soon spotted a nest hanging from a branch over the path. Monospecific flocks of chestnut-fronted helmetshrike provided good views at times. The loud calls of red bush squirrels and the noises from jumping Sykes’s monkeys made them evident.
Although trucks and cars crossed the roads of the park often, we walked during the whole day. A considerable part of the trails are open enough to let the scorching sun in, and the torrid temperatures made us feel exhausted during most of the 25 km route. Walking allowed us to connect with over 50 species, but things got very intense at a certain point in the thick forest, when big noises came from merely few meters right from us in the forest. A lone male savanna elephant aimed to cross the road as we walked next to the point where it foraged unnoticed. A quick adrenaline shoot made us three run away further up the trail and hide in some distant bushes, between laughs of surprise and relief. Savanna elephants are uncommon in the park and Jonathan informed us that this rarely happens — I never expected to ever run away from one, but it all turned into a funny, adventurous anecdote.
At some point we reached the second forest type in Arabuko Sokoke, the Brachystegia woodland. This stretch was long and sunny, and we had a hard time keeping up. Most birds noticed were only heard, including tambourine dove, white-browed coucal, European bee-eater, Zanzibar boubou, and scaly babbler.
The Brachystegia woodlands grow over white soils whereas the third forest type, the low-height Cynometria thicket, grows in red soils. The abrupt change in the soil composition creates seasonal lagoons. One of them, the Elephant swamp, is located between the trail and the forest edge. Several knob-billed ducks and family groups of white-faced whistling-ducks sat on the wet grassland around the lake. African jacanas, wood sandpipers, hadada ibises, black-headed heron, and gray herons were also present.
Getting into the Cynometria thicket was a relief as the highlight of the tour only lives in this forest type, over 10 km away from the park gate. At our arrival, Jonathan manages to spot a calling green tinkerbird which provides obliging views, unlike a Mombasa woodpecker that I missed for a second. We keep on walking for a good couple of kms, entering the forest at different points. Eastern nicators and Zanzibar boubous could be heard in the woods.
In one of the pit stops, Jonathan spotted a roosting pair of Sokoke scops-owl, one orange morph and the other gray morph. This beautiful tiny owl has most of its global population living in this Cynometria forest patch. Very little is known about their biology — although Brachylaena trees provide numerous holes (favored by other scops-owl species), Jonathan explains how the nest of this species has never been documented. We rush to take tens of pictures of this picturesque pair sitting deep in the vegetation from a distance, trying to avoid unnecessary stress, and soon leave. At that point, the walk felt completely worth it.
Satisfied after finding the owls, we headed back along a different trail, less sunny but still long and perhaps less eventful than the morning, with some chestnut-fronted helmetshrikes and fork-tailed drongos seen. Fresh elephant dung was visited by many colorful butterflies, but its presence made the next encounter obvious. The same male savanna elephant happened to be again next to this different path, but this time we noticed it at a point when we couldn’t continue walking the path safely. Jonathan suggested entering into the thickness on the other side of the path and creeping through ahead, keeping a safe distance from where we thought the elephant was and hoping it wouldn’t mind us. Hesitating but with no other options, we followed his fast and skillful pace through the vegetation. After several intense minutes and a couple of wounds from piercing branches, we left the forest safe and sound.
The last stretch of road produced a flyover juvenile martial eagle displaying its cracking pied looks. Not too far, a brown-morph European honey-buzzard was an unexpected addition. A yellow-billed kite was another raptor seen right before reaching a different park gate where the tuk-tuk driver waited for us.
After an awesome day of birdwatching, we call it a day as soon as we reach camp. A deserved shower and a delicious dinner later, we walk down the beach at night for some stargazing.
Watamu Day 3 Saturday 10th February 2024
We shared breakfast in the morning with several Danish women who have spent every winter here for the last decade and share experiences and suggestions. They tell us how they sight guitarfish and sharks on their walks along the beach during low tide in the morning. Today we have different plans, but we’ll give it a shot tomorrow. A Rocha staff called a tuk-tuk for us to a new place.
Aina walking over the boardwalk, 10 Feb 2024
Mida Creek
Mangrove forest around the sandy and muddy banks of a river mouth, hosting numerous waders (see here).
There is a visitors area at the entrance of Mida Creek where locals play kickball. From this point, a trail of boardwalks over the mangrove woodland starts. Numerous crabs display on the muddy sand everywhere. Little swifts and African palm swifts fly over. Flocks of speckled mousebirds and European bee-eaters are also noted. A fork-tailed drongo and a black-backed puffback reveal themselves in a mangrove tree.
The boardwalk arrives to a hide overlooking the tidal mudflats. The diversity of waders foraging for food is astonishing. Tens of crab-plovers, greater sand-plovers, common ringed-plovers, black-bellied plovers, and little stints can be seen at close distance from the hide. Among them, there are several Tibetan sand-plovers, curlews, Terek sandpipers, common greenshanks, curlew sandpipers, and sanderlings. Winter-plumage gull-billed terns are also quite numerous.
Farther away, lesser crested terns fly up and down the river, where several fishermen worked. Several yellow-billed kites flew over, as so did a palm-nut vulture, one of the target birds of the trip that came rather unexpectedly. In the distant border of the shore, three African sacred ibises, a little egret, and two Eurasian oystercatchers (an uncommon visitor in Kenya!) forage together. On the other side of the river, once we get closer, I scope a white-fronted plover on the shore of tthe other side of the creek, another uncommon species. Besides birds, we managed to tell apart four species of fiddler crabs (thanks to iNaturalist fellows), and found numerous giant mangrove whelk snails (Terebralia palustris), mangrove upsidedown jellyfish (Cassiopea andromeda), and starfish (Astropecten sp.).
We share some snacks in a closed restaurant in a still house part of the boardwalk. After stopping a couple of motorbike riders and making it back to A Rocha, we spend the rest of the day writing on our notebooks and chilling in the camp, surrounded by house crows and Sykes’s monkeys.
Watamu Day 4 Sunday 11th February 2024
The last day in Kenya starts with a gorgeous sunrise in Garoda beach. Three Saunder’s/little terns fly at distance, hindering identification. Flocks of tens of whimbrels fly in different directions inside the ocean, and the usual Ethiopian swallows fly around too. Pied kingfishers and lesser crested terns fly close to the shore looking for fish, and I notice a great crested tern among them. Five white-throated bee-eaters display on the trees bordering the sandy shore in the access to Mwamba research area, providing a show. We still get good views of some new birds on the way back in the bush including golden palm weaver and bronze mannikin, as well as a male amethyst sunbird, a red-billed firefinch, and a couple of Dodson’s bulbuls.
Terrace view from A Rocha, 11 Feb 2024
Mwamba research area
Forest patch in Garoda beach, Watamu where research activities are carried out. It is managed by A Rocha Kenya, a Christian environmental organization working on conservation, environmental education, and sustainable agriculture (see here).
Somehow we stayed mostly around the headquarters area during our stay in A Rocha, and we missed the science outreach activities that are carried out on other days of the week. Therefore, we walk by ourselves towards the forest patch of Mwamba research area. Mist nets and an observation point up a building are found on the way. We merely manage to spot some fork-tailed drongos and Dodson’s bulbuls, and hear white-browed coucal, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, and northern red-fronted tinkerbird — the last two with a surprisingly elusive behavior. A collared sunbird and an olive sunbird seen at camp add up to this list. The Nile monitor is again next to the tent…
The final stroll in Watamu brought us again to Garoda beach after a delicious breakfast. The sun is unforgiving and we end up burning our skin. However, the tide is at its lowest point, and the ocean unveils a labyrinth of tidal pools and rocks, all hides, trails, and paths for marine wildlife. A myriad of anemones, cowries, shells, urchins, and tiny fish of different patterns and colors kept our minds occupied as we observed them for hours. The highlights were a large day octopus (Octopus cyanea), numerous brilliant flatworms (Pseudoceros scintillatus) and lagoon brittlestars (Ophiocoma scolopendrina), and our first-ever elasmobranchs: two blue-spotted ribbontail rays (Taeniura lymma) and a blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus). Note that these waters belong to Malindi Marine National Park, so one cannot enter them without a permit — we spotted these creatures wading the water up to our knees.
Once we made it to the south tip of Garoda beach, the unaccessible beach where the waders roost at dusk is where we turn around. A fantastic osprey came from that area, flying carefully in search for preys at few meters above our heads. Pretty much the last bird of the trip, an old friend of mine revealing itself better than ever, flying close to us and in the same direction that our steps for some 15 minutes.
A tuk-tuk brought us to Malindi airport just after our last Kenyan dinner, shared with locals and people from around the world who have learned to love this country after living here for months or years. A short flight to Nairobi Wilson airport and a transfer to Jomo Kenyatta later, we would finish this journey. This course has opened so many doors in our minds, as we got to share experiences, perceptions, and thoughts about many different aspects of life. Education at its finest. The 274 bird species and many other wildlife enjoyed and identified during this odyssey are overshadowed by the landscapes, flavours and scents, the learning outcomes, the warmth of people, and the quality time spent with friends focused on learning the ways of humankind. While this report lacks logistic details of many of the places visited and might not be too useful, I am glad I have shaped this archive of memories of mine.
Family photo of the course members in Maasai Mara, 6th Feb 2024 (@ Iñaki Abella)
Systematic list of species
Birds
1. Common ostrich (Struthio camelus)
Some individuals seen in pairs in Mpala on 29th and 31st Jan, and in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
2. White-faced whistling-duck (Dendrocygna viduata)
Several adults in a pond in Maasai Mara NR with lapwings and other waders on 6th Feb. A group of a dozen birds (adults and juveniles) in a pond in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
3. White-backed duck (Thalassornis leuconotus)
Two pairs with ducklings in the lily pond of Karura forest on 26th Jan.
4. Knob-billed duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos)
Two adults and three juveniles in a pond in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
5. Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
The most common waterfowl during the trip. Pairs with grown goslings in Karura forest recreational areas on 26th Jan. Big groups in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb. Sporadically found in open areas close to small ponds in the savanna and on the road.
6. Helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
A group found on top of an Acacia on the way to Wildebeest Eco Camp inside the fence of Nairobi NP on 25th Jan. Distant calls heard in the moist savanna in Ilpolei (north of Mpala) at dusk. Few individuals seen in the Mara North area on different dates.
7. Vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum)
Different groups on 27th Jan in the airstrip of Mpala, where they are subject of behavioral and social studies.
8. Yellow-necked spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus)
One individual heard and seen in Mpala campsite on 30th Jan. A group of four seen at dusk in the Mpala plains on 1st Feb.
9. Lesser flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor)
Two individuals in bad shape in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb. Big groups visit the area when the waters are alkaline due to isolation of Lake Oloiden from Lake Naivasha.
10. Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Some individuals in the lily pond of Karura forest on 26th Jan.
11. Feral pigeon (Columba livia domestica)
Wiorldwide introduced but rather uncommon in Kenyan urban settlements, where its niche is covered by native speckled pigeon. Four individuals flying over in Garoda beach on 8th Feb.
12. Speckled pigeon (Columba guinea)
Most individuals seen in cities, from the car: Nairobi, including Jomo Kenyatta airport, and Naivasha. Five individuals sitting on the poles of a wooden boma at. dawn in Kileleoni on 3rd Feb.
13. Dusky turtle-dove (Streptopelia lugens)
Several individuals come to the pond of Wildebeest Eco Camp in Nairobi to drink and bath on different dates. One bird in Karura forest on 26th Jan.
14. Red-eyed dove (Streptopelia semitorquata)
Lone individuals seen in Wildebeest Eco Camp, Mpala plains, and KWSTI Naivasha on different dates.
15. Ring-necked dove (Streptopelia capicola)
Particularly common in Mpala, where seen almost every day. Also seen in KWSTI Naivasha on 5th Feb.
16. Laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)
Quite common during the day game drives in Mpala. Heard and seen from the campsite on most days during our stay in Mpala.
17. Emerald-spotted wood-dove (Turtur chalcospilos)
Heard daily from the Mpala campsite but only seen on one occasion on 29th Jan. Heard and seen in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb and Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
18. Tambourine dove (Turtur tympanistria)
Only heard in of Arabuko Sokoke NP on 10th Feb, as several individuals called from different spots in the forest.
19. Namaqua dove (Oena capensis)
Individuals and pairs flushed from the roadside in few occasions during the game drives in Mpala on different dates.
20. Black-faced sandgrouse (Pterocles decoratus)
Eight individuals coming to drink in a pond in Mpala next to a ranch on 30th Jan.
21. Kori bustard (Ardeotis kori)
Three individuals seen in different dates in Mpala, including a lone male displaying on 31st Jan. Two individuals seen in Maasai Mara NP on 6th Feb, including an extremely tame bird in bad shape.
22. White-bellied bustard (Eupodotis senegalensis)
One individual in a game drive in Mpala on 31st Jan. Part of the group saw a displaying male in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
23. Fischer’s turaco (Tauraco fischeri)
Heard calls of individuals in a nest close to the trail in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
24. White-bellied go-away-bird (Crinifer leucogaster)
Present in Mpala, where several birds were seen daily, including an individual roosting in an Acacia in the campsite at night on 28th Jan.
25. White-browed coucal (Centropus superciliosus)
Several birds heard in the forested areas around Lake Oloiden, including one seen in Sopa Lodge on 2nd Feb. Few individuals heard in Arabuko Sokoke NP on Feb 9th and Mwamba research area on 11th Feb.
26. Klaas’s cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas)
An adult feeding a young bird in a big Acacia tree in Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan.
27. Red-chested cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius)
Two individuals heard and seen around the Mpala campsite on 28th Jan.
28. Nyanza swift (Apus niansae)
Over a dozen of individuals flying over our accomodation and visiting holes in the buildings of KWSTI Naivasha throughout our stay.
29. Little swift (Apus affinis)
Very common in different places, including urban settlements (e.g., Jomo Kenyatta airport, Naivasha…) and seen on different dates. Some pairs nest in the Talek gate of Maasai Mara NR.
30. White-rumped swift (Apus caffer)
A small group flying over Mpala campsite on 31st Jan. Half a dozen flying over Talek plains in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
31. African palm swift (Cypsiurus parvus)
Few individuals seen in areas with palm trees on different dates, including Karura forest, Arabuko Sokoke NP, Mida Creek…
32. Eurasian moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)
One bird at the lily pond of Karura forest on 26th Jan.
33. Red-knobbed coot (Fulica cristata)
A single bird in the open water of Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb.
34. Black crake (Zapornia flavirostra)
Two individuals seen in the water lilies of the area connecting lakes Oloiden and Naivasha on 2nd Feb.
35. Gray crowned-crane (Balearica regulorum)
Small groups seen on the road close to Nairobi, Laikipia, and Nakuru on different dates. A small flock past the Talek gate in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
36. Spotted thick-knee (Burhinus capensis)
Four individuals spotted during a night game. drive on 4th Feb in North Mara. Local women report good numbers of this species in the grass fields around Lekiji community in Laikipia.
37. Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Two distant individuals with sacred ibis in the shore of Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
38. Black-bellied plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
An important number of young and winter plumage birds resting in the south tip of Garoda beach in Watamu at dusk on 8th Feb. Great concentrations in Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
39. Common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
About a dozen scattered among the waders of Mida Creek on 10th Feb. Small groups during the mornings in Garoda beach on different dates.
40. Three-banded plover (Charadrius tricollaris)
An individual in a small sandy shore down the river by Mpala campsite on Jan 28th. One individual in a small puddle in the plains of Mara North on 4th Feb, and another one in a small wet area in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
41. Blacksmith lapwing (Vanellus armatus)
Two individuals in the front lawn of Sopa Lodge on 2nd Feb.
42. Spur-winged lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)
Three birds in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
43. Crowned lapwing (Vanellus coronatus)
Different small groups in the Mpala plains and in Mara North on different dates — some seen at night during game drives.
44. Wattled lapwing (Vanellus senegallus)
One bird in a small pond in Maasai Mara NR along with whistling-ducks on 6th Feb.
46. Tibetan sand-plover (Anarhynchus atrifrons)
Half a dozen individuals among the waders in Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
46. Greater sand-plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii)
Hundreds roosting at dusk at the south tip of Garoda beach on 8th Feb along with other waders. Numerous among the waders of the muds in Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
47. White-fronted plover (Anarhynchus marginatus)
A distant individual spotted on the opposite side of the Mida Creek from the visitors center on 10th Feb.
48. African jacana (Actophilornis africanus)
Several birds seen in the water lily-covered area of Lake Oloiden, and some birds flying over the water, on 2nd Feb.
49. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Very numerous in flocks flying south (towards the creek) from Garoda beach at dawn on several days. Few birds roosting in a numerous wader mix flock in the southern tip of the beach on 8th Feb. Half a dozen of birds in Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
50. Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata)
Two individuals roosting in a waders mixed flock on Garoda beach on 8th Feb. Several birds in Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
51. Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica)
A single individual spotted roosting in a mixed wader flock at the south tip of Garoda beach on 8th Feb.
52. Terek sandpiper (Xenus cinereus)
Three birds roosting at dusk in Garoda beach south tip on 8th Feb. About eight birds among the waders feeding on the mud flats of Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
53. Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Individuals seen in several wetlands visited in Kenya interior on different dates. An individual walking on top of hippos in the Mara River on 6th Feb.
54. Green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)
One bird in a creek crossing in Mara North on 5th Feb. One individual in a puddle in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
55. Wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
One individual in a puddle in Maasai Mara NR with other waterbirds on 6th Feb. Three birds in a pond in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
56. Common greenshank (Tringa nebularia)
Some individuals feeding on mud flats of Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
57. Curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
Small groups seen in the mud flats of Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
58. Sanderling (Calidris alba)
At least two individuals roosting in a large waders flock in the south end of Garoda beach on 8th Feb.
59. Little stint (Calidris minuta)
Quite abundant in the mud flats of Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
60. Crab-plover (Dromas ardeola)
Hundreds flew back and forth and roosted at the south end of Garoda beach on Feb 8th. Several dozens hunting crabs in Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
61. Temminck’s courser (Cursorius temminckii)
A single individual spotted at sunset on the road between Talek (Maasai Mara NR) and Mara North on 6th Feb.
62. Gray-hooded gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)
Several individuals seen from the boat and shore in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb.
63. Gull-billed tern (Gelochelidon nilotica)
Quite abundant in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb; Garoda beach on different dates; and Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
64. Lesser crested tern (Thalasseus bengalensis)
Some birds fishing along the shore in the coast of Garoda beach on different dates, and Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
65. Great crested tern (Thalasseus bergii)
One individual seen flying relatively close to the shore in Garoda beach on 11th Feb.
66. Abdim’s stork (Ciconia abdimii)
A fairly large group, of over 25 birds, in a small pond off the road between Narok and Mara North on 3rd Feb.
67. Saddle-billed stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis)
Two birds gave spectacular views from the boat in lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb.
68. Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer)
Locally common. Good numbers were seen in Nairobi on Jan 26th, Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb, and especially Talek before entering Maasai Mara NR on 5th and 6th Feb.
69. Yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis)
An individual approached from the boat in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb, and several birds flying over the lake later that day.
70. Long-tailed cormorant (Microcarbo africanus)
Fairly common in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb.
71. White-bellied cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo lucidus)
Numerous in Lake Oloiden, where seen fishing and drying their plumage in groups on 2nd Feb.
72. Great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)
A very large group of over 40 individuals seen in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb.
73. Pink-backed pelican (Pelecanus rufescens)
Several birds were seen solitary or in small groups in Lake Oloiden, especially at the pier, on 2nd Feb.
74. Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
A nest over a yellow-fever Acacia in Mpala, where no birds were seen. Six birds seen in total in Lake Oloiden and Naivasha area on 2nd Feb. Also seen in Mara North plains and in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
75. Little egret (Egretta garzetta)
Some birds in Lake Oloiden fishing at its connection point with lake Naivasha on 2nd Feb. A bird seen on the road on 5th Feb. Small groups seen in Mida Creek and Garoda beach on 10th Feb.
76. Western cattle egret (Ardea ibis)
Good numbers seen among wild game, including wildebeest and buffalos, in Mpala, Mara North and Maasai Mara NR, on different dates.
77. Great egret (Ardea alba)
Present in good numbers in Naivasha area, where most birds were seen in the connection point between Lake Oloiden and Lake Naivasha on 2nd Feb.
78. Yellow-billed egret (Ardea brachyrhyncha)
Two birds fishing on the lilies of the pier of Lake Oloiden along with a great egret on 2nd Feb.
79. Gray heron (Ardea cinerea)
Some individuals seen in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb. A bird in the pond of Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb. One bird fishing on the tidal pools of Garoda beach in Watamu on 11th Feb.
80. Black-headed heron (Ardea melanocephala)
First seen on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta airport. At least one bird in the lily pond of lake Karura on 26th Jan. A bird sits next to a vervet monkey in a dead tree off the Mara River side in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb. An adult and a juvenile fly over in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
81. Goliath heron (Ardea goliath)
One individual seen in Lake Oloiden at its connection point with Lake Naivasha, on 2nd Feb.
82. African sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
Some birds flying over in Nairobi as seen from Jomo Kenyatta airport and from taxi rides across the city. Only one bird in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb. Three distant birds in the mud plains of Mida Creek with oystercatchers on 10th Feb.
83. Hadada ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)
Widespread, seen in different places with a certain moisture level inland Kenya regardless of human presence, including Nairobi, Maasai Mara NR, Mpala campsite, Lake Oloiden, and Arabuko Sokoke NP on different dates.
84. Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius)
A very distant bird around the Talek gate of Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb, after vainly trying to find the species in its territories in Laikipia on days before.
85. Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Three individuals in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb. A cooperative bird fishing in Garoda beach on 11th Feb provided great looks.
86. Black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus)
Two birds seen in croplands on the road in Laikipia on 1st Feb.
87. Palm-nut vulture (Gypohierax angolensis)
One adult flying over the mangrove forest in Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
88. European honey-buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
An intermediate morph bird flying over the forest in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
89. Lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotus)
Several individuals seen flying over our accommodation in Mara North, as well as on game drives in Mara North and Maasai Mara NR on different dates, in some cases quite close.
90. Hooded vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus)
One adult flying over in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
91. White-backed vulture (Gyps africanus)
A bird flying over Lake Oloiden right before entering the boat on 2nd Feb.
92. Rüppell’s griffon (Gyps rueppelli)
Two birds flying over Mpala campsite on 28th Jan.
93. Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus)
A juvenile flying over our accommodation in Mara on 4th Feb. At least three pairs seen in flight in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
94. Martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus)
Two adults seen on different occasions on the yellow-fever Acacia trees next to the river at Mpala campsite and surroundings. A juvenile bird flies over the path in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
95. Tawny eagle (Aquila rapax)
Quite numerous in Laikipia, where seen daily in Mpala and on the road in and out the area.
96. Steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis)
One adult flying in the distance during a game drive in Mara North on Feb 5th.
97. African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster)
A single bird flying close, harassed by a martial eagle, around the Mpala campsite on 31st Jan.
98. Lizard buzzard (Kaupifalco monogrammicus)
A bird heard calling in the forest in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
99. Eastern chanting-goshawk (Melierax poliopterus)
A bird flying into a nearby tree at dusk in Mpala plains on 31st Jan.
100. Western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
At least three different birds spotted in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb.
101. Pallid harrier (Circus macrourus)
We observed birds of different plumages in Mara North and especially Maasai Mara NR on different dates.
102. Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus)
Good looks of a male in Maasai Mara NP on 6th Feb.
103. African goshawk (Accipiter tachiro)
A bird flying over in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb, very close to us over the path and holding a prey.
104. Black goshawk (Accipiter melanoleucus)
One individual calling and seen flying in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
105. Yellow-billed kite (Milvus migrans aegyptius)
The most numerous raptor, seen in different habitats in all the visited regions, including urban areas.
106. African fish-eagle (Ichthyophaga vocifer)
Very numerous in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb, where numerous pairs called in their small territories.
107. Steppe buzzard (Buteo buteo vulpinus)
A bird in Karura forest on 26th Jan. A bird flying with an Augur buzzard in Kileleoni on 4th Feb.
108. Augur buzzard (Buteo augur augur)
Good views in different places and dates: Mpala campsite and plains, Mara North, and the boundaries of Naivasha Raptor Centre.
109. African barn owl (Tyto alba poensis)
A bird heard continuously overnight from 31st Jan to 1st Feb from our tent in Mpala campsite.
110. Sokoke scops-owl (Otus ireneae)
A pair roosting in the vegetation in Arabuko Sokoke NP forest on 9th Feb, one individual of rufous morph and the other showing gray morph.
111. Grayish eagle-owl (Bubo cinerascens)
One bird seen during a night game drive in Mpala on 29th Jan.
112. Spotted eagle-owl (Bubo africanus)
A bird found during daytime roosting in the foliage of a small tree in Maasai Mara NR, where it is uncommon, on 6th Feb.
113. African wood-owl (Strix woodfordii)
Three birds at roosting site around the headquarters of Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
114. Speckled mousebird (Colius striatus)
Quite common in different places and dates. Groups were seen in Mpala campsite, Wildebeest Eco Camp, Mida Creek, and KWSTI.
115. Blue-naped mousebird (Urocolius macrourus)
A group of four birds, including two juveniles, in the shrublands of Mpala on 31st Jan.
116. African hoopoe (Upupa epops africana)
A single bird flies away from the ground in the Naivasha Raptor Center on 2nd Feb.
117. Green woodhoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus)
Several groups seen in Mpala. A group seen in Sopa Lodge of Naivasha on 2nd Feb.
118. Von der Decken’s hornbill (Tockus deckeni)
Present in Mpala area, where seen daily, even at the campsite.
119. Northern red-billed hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus)
Seen daily at Mpala campsite, where it seemed more inquisitive and used to human presence than Von der Decken’s.
120. Malachite kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus)
Two individuals visit the pond in Wildebeest Eco Camp on different days. One bird in flight seen in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb.
121. Striped kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti)
The only ‘non-aquatic’ kingfisher seen in the trip. A bird sitting on a dead tree in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 6th Feb.
122. Giant kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima)
One bird seen from the pier on Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb.
123. Pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)
The most common kingfisher. Good numbers seen fishing in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb and Garoda beach on different dates.
124. White-fronted bee-eater (Merops bullockoides)
Daily seen in the KWSTI Naivasha facilities during our stay. A bird sat in the cables over the Talek gate of Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
125. Little bee-eater (Merops pusillus)
Birds flying on the banks of the Mara River in the wildlife crossing point in Maasai Mara NR, where there is probably a colony, on 6th Feb.
124. Cinnamon-chested bee-eater (Merops oreobates)
Fairly common in Nairobi area, where seen in Wildebeest Eco Camp and surroundings, and in open areas of Karura forest on 26th Jan.
127. White-throated bee-eater (Merops albicollis)
Two very distant birds in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb. Five birds in the trees of Garoda beach at dawn on 11th Feb.
128. European bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Groups were heard as birds flew overhead in different places and dates: Wildebeest Eco Camp, Arabuko Sokoke NP, Mara North, and Mida Creek.
129. Lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudatus)
The national bird of Kenya. Only one bird seen in Mpala plains on 30th Jan. More common around Naivasha, where seen daily. Close up looks in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
130. D’Arnaud’s barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii)
A distant bird on top of a Euphorbia in Mpala area on 31st Jan.
131. Green barbet (Cryptolybia olivacea)
Several birds were heard and seen in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
132. Green tinkerbird (Pogoniulus simplex)
We managed close looks of one bird in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
133. Yellow-rumped tinkerbird (Pogoniulus bilineatus)
A bird seen in Sopa Lodge in Naivasha on 2nd Feb. Calls heard on several occasions in Mwamba research area in Watamu, where one was briefly seen on 11th Feb.
134. Red-fronted tinkerbird (Pogoniulus pusillus)
Several birds heard in Mwamba research area on different occasions.
135. Spot-flanked barbet (Tricholaema lacrymosa)
Good looks of a bird in Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan. A cooperative bird provided great photographic opportunities in the garden of accommodation of Kileleoni on 3rd Feb.
136. Lesser honeyguide (Indicator minor)
One bird seen in the vegetation of Mpala campsite on 30th Jan.
137. Cardinal woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens)
A female around our tent in Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan.
138. Mountain gray woodpecker (Dendropicos spodocephalus)
Seen daily at Mpala campsite, where a pair seemed to have set their territory.
139. Nubian woodpecker (Campethera nubica)
One bird late in the afternoon in Mpala plains on 27th Jan.
140. Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)
One bird in Mount Mukenya on 29th Jan. Distant kestrels seen in Mpala, North Mara, and Maasai Mara NR could not be identified.
141. Gray kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus)
Several individuals seen in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
142. Meyer’s parrot (Poicephalus meyeri)
Two birds seen together in the shrublands of Mpala on 28th Jan.
143. Black cuckooshrike (Campephaga flava)
A female seen in Mpala campsite vegetation on 31st Jan.
144. Eurasian golden oriole (Oriolus oriolus)
Good numbers seen in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
145. African black-headed oriole (Oriolus larvatus)
Seen often among the Acacia trees around Mpala campsite. Quite abundant in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
146. Short-tailed batis (Batis mixta)
A pair seen in the dense understory of Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
147. Chinspot batis (Batis molitor)
Different individuals seen in Wildebeest Eco Camp, Mpala campsite, and Naivasha Raptor Center.
148. Pale batis (Batis soror)
A bird seen in a dead tree in the open with a black-backed puffback and an ashy flycatcher in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
149. Chestnut-fronted helmetshrike (Prionops scopifrons)
Several monospecific groups seen in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
150. Black-backed puffback (Dryoscopus cubla)
A male seen in the open on a dry tree in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb. Good looks of a female in Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
151. Zanzibar boubou (Laniarius sublacteus)
Two individuals heard in the thick forest in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
152. Fork-tailed drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis adsimilis)
Good looks of different birds in Mpala on different dates, Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb; Mida Creek on 10th Feb; and Mwamba research area on 11th Feb.
153. African crested flycatcher (Trochocercus cyanomelas)
One individual seen in a mixed-species flock in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
154. African paradise-flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis)
Good looks of birds in all different plumages, including white-morph and rufous-morph males, throughout our stay in Mpala campsite.
155. Gray-backed fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides)
Fantastic looks of two birds in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
156. Long-tailed fiscal (Lanius cabanisi)
One bird seen from outside the limits of Nairobi NP from the road on 25th Jan.
157. Northern fiscal (Lanius humeralis)
The most abundant shrike, as some were seen from the road throughout our itinerary. Adults fed a juvenile in the garden of our accommodation in Kileleoni throughout our stay.
158. White-rumped shrike (Eurocephalus ruppelli)
Seen on several occasions in Mpala. Four individuals were seen around a tawny eagle with superb starlings on 31st Jan.
159. House crow (Corvus splendens)
An introduced species in Watamu. Seen daily in Mwamba research area and in Watamu town.
160. Cape crow (Corvus capensis)
Two birds on top of a pole on the road past Longonot town towards Nairobi on 3rd Feb.
161. Pied crow (Corvus albus)
Several individuals seen in Nairobi area on different dates. Some birds visited the bomas around our accommodation in Mara early in the mornings.
162. Fan-tailed raven (Corvus rhipidurus)
At least three individuals in Mt Mukenya close to Mpala on 29th Jan.
163. White-bellied tit (Melaniparus albiventris)
A bird near our tent in Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan. Two birds seen in the morning of 3rd Feb in KWSTI Naivasha.
164. Fischer’s sparrow-lark (Eremopterix leucopareia)
Great looks of some birds in Mpala plains on 29th Jan.
165. Fawn-colored lark (Calendulauda africanoides)
Seen and heard in different points of Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
166. Rufous-naped lark (Corypha africana)
Closeup looks in Mara North on different dates and Maasai Mara NR, where the species is quite common, on 6th Feb. Birds seen in Laikipia might actually be sentinel lark (Corypha athi), a taxon split after the trip.
167. Eastern nicator (Nicator gularis)
Singular, very skulking species heard on 9th Feb in Arabuko Sokoke, where we managed brief looks of one bird.
168. Gray-backed camaroptera (Camaroptera brachyura brevicaudata)
Widespread and seen in many locations and dates throughout the trip. Good looks of territorial birds singing in Mpala campsite.
169. Buff-bellied warbler (Phyllolais pulchella)
Two individuals in the trees of Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan.
170. Yellow-breasted apalis (Apalis flavida)
Two birds seen in the Naivasha Raptor Center on 2nd Feb.
171. Black-headed apalis (Apalis melanocephala)
One bird in a mixed flock in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
172. Tawny-flanked prinia (Prinia subflava)
Quite common and seen on different dates. Particularly good views in Karura forest and Mpala campsite.
173. Gray-capped warbler (Eminia lepida)
Two birds singing loud and briefly seen skulking in the gardens of Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan.
174. Red-faced cisticola (Cisticola erythrops)
At least three birds around the lily pond of Karura forest on 26th Jan.
175. Rattling cisticola (Cisticola chiniana)
Quite common, seen in different places and dates inland Kenya. Particularly well seen around Naivasha.
176. Winding cisticola (Cisticola marginatus)
One bird seen in the vegetation of Talek Plains of Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
177. Stout cisticola (Cisticola robustus)
Good looks of one bird in Maasai Mara NR near the Mara river crossing on 6th Feb.
178. Zitting cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
At least one bird in the grasslands of Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
179. Lesser swamp warbler (Acrocephalus gracilirostris)
Birds heard in the lily pond of Karura forest on 26th Jan.
180. White-headed sawwing (Psalidoprocne albiceps)
One bird flying over a creek in Mara North on 5th Feb. Another bird in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
181. Black sawwing (Psalidoprocne pristoptera)
At least one bird flying over the lily lake of Karura forest on 26th Jan.
182. Plain martin (Riparia paludicola)
Widespread and seen well in Naivasha, Mara North, and Maasai Mara NR on different dates.
183. Red-throated rock martin (Ptyonoprogne rufigula)
Several birds were heard and seen in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
184. Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Present in many moist areas and seen on different dates. Especially numerous in Lake Oloiden on 2nd Feb, in big flocks mixed with plain martins.
185. Ethiopian swallow (Hirundo aethiopica)
Good numbers flying over the sea and shore in Garoda beach every day of our stay.
186. Wire-tailed swallow (Hirundo smithii)
Seen in different areas. Fledglings were being fed on top of the tents of Mpala campsite.
187. African red-rumped swallow (Cecropis melanocrissus)
Great views in KSWTI Naivasha in the morning of 3rd Feb. Some red-rumped swallows could belong to the European species (Cecropis daurica).
188. Lesser striped swallow (Cecropis abyssinica)
Widespread and seen on most days. A pair had a nest built under the sink of the toilet at Mpala campsite.
189. Mosque swallow (Cecropis senegalensis)
Four individuals around the tents in Mpala campsite on 30th Jan.
190. Sombre greenbul (Andropadus importunus)
Detected among two mixed flocks in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
191. Slender-billed greenbul (Stelgidillas gracilirostris)
One bird in a mixed flock in Karura forest on 26th Jan.
192. Tiny greenbul (Phyllastrephus debilis)
One individual heard in Arabuko Sokoke NP among a mixed flock on 9th Feb.
193. Fischer’s greenbul (Phyllastrephus fischeri)
Birds spotted in two mixed flocks in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
194.1 Common bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus tricolor)
Very common and widespread inland across Kenya, and seen on most dates even in urban gardens.
194.2 Dodson’s bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus dodsoni)
Seen on different days in Mwamba research area and in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 6th Feb.
195. Willow warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
Wintering birds seen in Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan, Mpala campsite on 31st Jan, and Naivasha Raptor Center on 2nd Feb.
196. Yellow flycatcher (Erythrocercus holochrous)
A monospecific group and some birds in a mixed flock in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
197. Brown parisoma (Curruca lugens)
A bird in the Acacia trees of Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan.
198. Kikuyu white-eye (Zosterops kikuyuensis)
The only bird species endemic to Kenya seen in this trip, localized to the central highlands of the country. A bird seen in a flock mixed with greenbuls in Karura forest on 26th Jan.
199. Scaly babbler (Turdoides squamulata)
A bird heard in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb, pointed out by our guide Jonathan.
200. Red-billed oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)
Seen on many occasions, associated to big herbivore mammals, in all visited places inland Kenya. A group associated to the cattle of the bomas next to our accommodation in Mara sat on the roof and twigs in the garden on occasions.
201. Wattled starling (Creatophora cinerea)
About a dozen on the road before Thomson Falls on 1st Feb. A juvenile bird in the bomas next to our accommodation on 5th Feb.
202. Red-winged starling (Onychognathus morio)
The only two birds seen were spotted right on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta airport on 25th Jan.
203. Black-bellied starling (Notopholia corusca)
Several birds seen in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
204. Hildebrandt’s starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti)
Quite common in Mpala, where seen almost every day. Also seen in the Talek gate of Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
205. Rüppell’s starling (Lamprotornis purpuroptera)
Fledglings exploring their surroundings and being fed by their parents in Mpala campsite provided great looks throughout our stay.
206. Superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus)
Widespread. Good numbers seen every day in all kinds of habitats, including urban areas.
207. Greater blue-eared starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus)
Groups on top of the Acacia trees on the river in the Mpala campsite several days. Also seen in the Naivasha Raptor Center on 2nd Feb and the garden of Kileleoni on 5th Feb.
208. Abyssinian thrush (Turdus abyssinicus)
Seen daily in Wildebeest Eco Camp, and also in Karura forest on 26th Jan.
209. African dusky flycatcher (Muscicapa adusta)
Two birds in Karura forest on 26th Jan.
210. Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
Two birds seen in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
210. African gray flycatcher (Bradornis microrhynchus)
Particularly common in KWSTI Naivasha gardens, where several pairs fed their fledglings throughout our stay. Another family group seen in Mpala on 28th Jan.
212. Ashy flycatcher (Fraseria caerulescens)
Several birds found in different points of Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
213. Silverbird (Melaenornis semipartitus)
A bird on a twig seen on the road between Mara North and Talek on 5th Feb.
214. Southern black-flycatcher (Melaenornis pammelaina)
Great views of a couple seen daily in the vegetation of the Mpala campsite.
215. White-eyed slaty-flycatcher (Melaenornis fischeri)
Individuals seen in Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan; Karura forest on 26th Jan; and Sopa Lodge on 2nd Feb.
216. Red-backed scrub-robin (Cercotrichas leucophrys)
Few individuals in the shrublands of Mpala on different dates.
217. Cape robin-chat (Dessonornis caffer)
A pair seen close to the restaurant of Wildebeest Eco Camp on different dates.
218. Rüppell’s robin-chat (Cossypha semirufa)
A pair skulking in a densely vegetated area of the garden of Wildebeest Eco Camp seen on different dates.
219. White-browed robin-chat (Cossypha heuglini)
A bird seen in Sopa Lodge in Naivasha on 2nd Feb.
220. Spotted morning-thrush (Cichladusa guttata)
Rather shy, seen at few occasions in Mpala campsite on different days.
221. Rufous-tailed rock-thrush (Monticola saxatilis)
Some pairs at the top of Mt Mukenya on 29th Jan. A male seen in the Mpala plains on 30th Jan.
222. Northern anteater-chat (Myrmecocichla aethiops)
One bird seen in the shore of Lake Oloiden and another one in Naivasha Raptor Center, both on 2nd Feb.
223. Northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
A numerous winter visitor, seen in especially good numbers in Mpala plains on different dates.
224. Capped wheatear (Oenanthe pileata)
Sporadic males spotted on the road between Mara North and Talek on 6th Feb.
225. Pied wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka)
Some wintering birds spotted in the Mpala plains on different days.
226. Plain-backed sunbird (Anthreptes reichenowi)
One bird in a mixed-species flock in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
227. Collared sunbird (Hedydipna collaris)
Despite being widespread, we only got good views in Arabuko Sokoke NP and Mwamba research area on the last days of the trip.
228. Amani sunbird (Hedydipna pallidigaster)
A male and a female of this localized endemic seen together close to some collared sunbirds in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
229. Olive sunbird (Cyanomitra olivacea)
Seen in at least two mixed flocks in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb. Views of lone birds in Mwamba research area on 11th Feb.
230. Amethyst sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)
Several birds in the garden on Wildebeest Eco Camp on different days. A male early in the morning between Garoda beach and Mwamba research area on 11th Feb.
231. Scarlet-chested sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis)
Found almost every day in Wildebeest Eco Camp among the trees. A bird roosting at night in the garden of our accommodation in Mara on 4th Feb.
232. Bronze sunbird (Nectarinia kilimensis)
Widespread inland in Kenya and seen on different locations and dates. Especially common in Wildebeest Eco Camp, where good numbers visited the flowers in the garden daily.
233. Northern double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris reichenowi)
Stunning views of several males in the gardens of Wildebeest Eco Camp on all days.
234. Marico sunbird (Cinnyris mariquensis)
A male seen in Mpala plains on 31st Jan.
235. Variable sunbird (Cinnyris venustus)
Quite common in Wildebeest Eco Camp, where good numbers were seen every day in the gardens.
236. Speckle-fronted weaver (Sporopipes frontalis)
Good numbers locally in the scrub of the Mpala airstrip on all days visiting the area.
237. White-browed social-weaver (Plocepasser mahali)
Widespread and very common in different locations. Breeding groups in Wildebeest Eco Camp and Mpala campsite.
238. Gray-headed social-weaver (Pseudonigrita arnaudi)
Flock of about a dozen of birds in the Mpala plains on 31st Jan.
239. Red-headed weaver (Anaplectes rubriceps)
A bird in the Mpala campsite Acacia trees on 30th Jan.
240. Baglafecht weaver (Ploceus baglafecht)
The most widespread weaver. Seen almost every day on different locations.
241. Spectacled weaver (Ploceus ocularis)
Some pairs built their nests on the trees around the pond at Wildebeest Eco Camp. Two birds in Karura forest on 25th Jan.
242. Golden palm weaver (Ploceus bojeri)
A male early in the morning on 11th Jan on the vegetation between Garoda beach and Mwamba research area.
243. Lesser masked-weaver (Ploceus intermedius)
A big flock in Mpala plains during a game drive on 29th Jan.
244. Vitelline masked-weaver (Ploceus vitellinus)
Little numbers seen in the Mpala campsite on different dates.
245. Speke’s weaver (Ploceus spekei)
Different birds nesting on the trees at he gate of an elephant-fenced facility visited on 1st Feb.
246. Village weaver (Ploceus cucullatus)
Good numbers in Mara North and Thomson Falls.
247. Dark-backed weaver (Ploceus bicolor)
A male seen close to a mixed flock in Arabuko Sokoke NP, where a nest was also found, on 9th Feb.
248. White-winged widowbird (Euplectes albonotatus)
A male seen in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
249. Fan-tailed widowbird (Euplectes axillaris)
Fairly common across the grass-covered plains of Maasai Mara NR.
250. Jackson’s widowbird (Euplectes jacksoni)
Two males in different spots on a grassland in North Mara on 5th Feb.
251. Grosbeak weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)
A pair and fledglings seen daily in the pond of Wildebeest Eco Camp.
252. Bronze mannikin (Spermestes cucullata)
A group of about a dozen birds in the vegetation of Garoda beach on 11th Feb.
253. Black-and-white mannikin (Spermestes bicolor)
Brief views of a bird in the open area of Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
254. Common waxbill (Estrilda astrild)
A numerous group with mostly young birds seen every day in the vegetation on the riverbank next to our tent in Mara campsite.
255. Crimson-rumped waxbill (Estrilda rhodopyga)
Seen in the vegetation along the river in Mpala campsite on 28th Jan.
256. Cut-throat (Amadina fasciata)
Three birds hidden in an Acacia tree in the plains of Mpala on 27th Jan.
257. Purple grenadier (Granatina ianthinogaster)
Amazing views in the gardens of KWSTI Naivasha and our accommodation in Mara North.
258. Red-cheeked cordonbleu (Uraeginthus bengalus)
Birds seen in the roadside between Mara North and Talek, and in Maasai Mara NR.
259. Red-billed firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala)
Small groups foraged on several occasions in the vegetation of Mpala campsite.
260. Pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura)
Displaying males in the grasslands of Mara North provided a fantastic show on different days.
261. Straw-tailed whydah (Vidua fischeri)
A male in the Mpala plains on 29th Jan. Displaying males and females seen on the road between Talek and Mara North on 5th and 6th Feb.
262. Village indigobird (Vidua chalybeata)
A numerous group of moulting birds in the shrubs of Mpala campsite.. on 31st Jan.
263. House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Introduced in Kenya. Some birds in the pier of Lake Oloiden on 2nd. Feb. A group seen in Garoda beach on 8th Feb.
264. Kenya rufous sparrow (Passer rufocinctus)
Some groups were seen on different.. dates in Mpala plains, KWSTI Naivasha, and Lake Oloiden.
265. Northern gray sparrow (Passer griseus)
Low numbers but good looks in KWSTI Naivasha, our accommodation in Mara, and Maasai Mara NR.
266. Yellow-spotted bush sparrow (Gymnoris pyrgita)
A group seen in the Mpala plains on 30th Jan.
267. Mountain wagtail (Motacilla clara)
Two birds really well seen in the waterfalls of Karura forest on 26th Jan.
268. Western yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava)
Some birds seen in the bomas next to our accommodation in Mara among the cattle on 5th Feb.
269. African pied wagtail (Motacilla aguimp)
Widespread, seen in Nairobi and Naivasha areas almost daily. One bird in the bomas of Mara on 5th Feb.
270. Plain-backed pipit (Anthus leucophrys)
Good looks of different birds during game drives in Mara North and Maasai Mara NR.
271. White-bellied canary (Crithagra dorsostriata)
Good numbers in Mpala plains.
272. Brimstone canary (Crithagra sulphurata)
Good looks of birds in KWSTI Naivasha gardens on several days.
273. Streaky seedeater (Crithagra striolata)
Seen daily in the gardens of KWSTI Naivasha. One bird feeding on fruits on top of a tree in the escarpment on 7th Feb.
274. Golden-breasted bunting (Emberiza flaviventris)
A distant bird in Karura forest lily lake on 26th Jan. Terrific views of a bird in our accommodation of Mara on 3rd Feb.
Mammals
1. Lion (Panthera leo melanochaita)
A group surrounds our car at night on the road to Mpala campsite on 29th Jan. A big group of about 18 rests under a tree in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb, where a couple was seen later.
2. Spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta)
Seen and heard on different nights, including in a hyena calling station in Mpala, in our accommodation in Mara, and in Mpala campsite. Up to three different individuals seen in Maasai Mara NR on daylight, one of them sleeping in the grass.
3. Striped hyaena (Hyaena hyaena)
Seen in the hyaena calling station in Mpala on 28th Jan. Some individuals came to feed on a goat carcass we installed in Mpala and fought with spotted hyaenas.
4. White-tailed mongoose (Ichneumia albicauda)
Seen by some on different dates. I managed good views during a night game drive on 4th Feb in North Mara.
5. Banded mongoose (Mungos mungo)
A group of five seen on the road close Talek on 6th Feb.
6. Black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas)
Quite abundant and seen on different occasions in Mpala and Mara in the open on daylight.
7. African wild dog (Lycaon pictus)
One of the highlights of the trip. After following them for days, we managed terrific views of a pod in Mpala on 31st Jan. An individual visited the goat carcass near our accommodation in Mpala.
8. Bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis)
Seen during a night game drive in Mpala on 30th Jan. Two seen at sunset in Mpala the day later.
9. Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis)
Seen in the slopes of Mt Mukenya on 29th Jan.
10. Bush hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei)
Seen almost daily in Mpala by all the group, as some individuals rested in the rock fence of Mpala headquarters.
11. Savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana)
Several groups seen day and night in Mpala and Mara. In Maasai Mara NR, some groups were very numerous. A male made us ran away from it as it crossed the road close to us in Arabuko Sokoke NP, where it remains in low numbers.
12. Grant’s zebra (Equus quagga boehmi)
Quite widespread. Groups seen all over Laikipia, Nakuru, and Tarok counties.
13. Grévy’s zebra (Equus grevyi)
Very scarce and endangered, endemic to central Kenya and Ethiopia. Some groups seen in Mpala. One individual came close to the campsite on 28th Jan.
14. Common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)
Abundant and seen (almost) daily inland. Good numbers in KWSTI Naivasha, where used to people.
15. Common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)
First two individuals seen out of the water during a night game drive in Mpala, where extensive footprint trails had been found prior to it. Numerous in Lake Oloiden, where it has a conflictive relationship with the human community of the lake. Also seen in Mara River.
16. African buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer)
A very large group far in the distance seen from Mt Kileleoni on 4th Feb. Closer looks in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
17. Common eland (Tragelaphus oryx)
Good views of cows resting in KWSTI Naivasha, and of some groups seen in Mara North and Maasai Mara NR.
18. Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)
A group came close to Mpala campsite on 30th Jan.
19. Suni (Nesotragus moschatus)
Some individuals seen in Karura forest on 26th Jan and in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
20. Harvey’s duiker (Cephalophus harveyi)
Some individuals observed in Karura forest on 26th Jan.
21. Impala (Aepyceros melampus melampus)
Very numerous and seen almost every day inland.
22. Gerenuk (Litocranius walleri)
Exciting views of a group of four on the road to Lekiji in Mpala on 29th Jan.
23. Grant’s gazelle (Nanger granti)
Numerous in Mpala, Naivasha, and Mara area, where seen on many days.
24. Thomson’s gazelle (Eudorcas thomsonii)
Good numbers seen all over the trip, perhaps especially in Mara area.
25. Günther’s dik-dik (Madoqua guentheri)
Small groups among our tents seen daily in Mpala campsite. Abundant in Mpala area.
26. Cavendish’s dik-dik (Madoqua kirkii cavendishi)
Few individuals seen in Mara North. Also present in Naivasha area.
27. Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus)
Numerous in Lake Oloiden and Naivasha area. Also seen on different occasions in Mara area.
28. East African oryx (Oryx beisa)
A group seen in Mpala plains close to giraffes, ostriches, and plains zebras on 29th Jan.
29. Kongoni (Alcelaphus buselaphus cokii)
Close up looks of some individuals in Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
30. Topi (Damaliscus lunatus jimela)
Seen daily in low numbers in Mara North, more numerous inside Maasai Mara NR on 6th Feb.
31. Common wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)
Sedentary individuals with calves in Mara seen on all days of our stay in the area.
32. Reticulated giraffe (Giraffa reticulata)
Seen daily on our stay in Laikipia, providing amazing views.
33. Maasai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi)
Present in the Naivasha and Mara North areas, on different occasions.
34. Northern lesser galago (Galago senegalensis)
Seen almost every night in the Mpala campsite, obtaining great looks around the toilet bushes at night.
35. Olive baboon (Papio anubis)
Groups seen in many of the places visited inland of Kenya. Subject of the conflict Aina and I have observed, involving crop raiding organized by their troops.
36. Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus)
Widespread inland and seen almost daily in most visited areas.
37. Blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis kolbi)
One individual seen in Wildebeest Eco Camp on 25th Jan.
38. Sykes’s monkey (Cercopithecus [mitis] albogularis)
Very numerous in Mwamba research area, seen daily around our tent.
39. Mantled guereza (Colobus guereza)
A group seen on very tall trees from Sopa Lodge in Naivasha on 2nd Feb.
40. African savanna hare (Lepus victoriae)
Seen during night game drives in Mpala and Mara North.
41. Cape hare (Lepus capensis)
Detected mostly early in the morning and before dusk in Mpala area. Also found in trail camera footage.
42. Eastern springhare (Pedetes surdaster)
Good numbers in the Mpala plains at night during a game drive in Mara North on 4th Feb.
43. Striped ground squirrel (Euxerus erythropus)
Seen daily by some group members in the Mpala campsite. I only managed brief looks on 31st Jan.
44. Red bush squirrel (Paraxerus palliatus)
Great looks at some individuals in Arabuko Sokoke NP on 9th Feb.
45. Golden-rumped sengi (Rhynchocyon chrysopygus)
Endemic to Arabuko Sokoke NP and few other coastal forest patches. Several individuals seen throughout the day on 9th Feb.
46. Yellow-winged bat (Lavia frons)
The only confidently identified bat species. Two individuals around the toilets of Mpala campsite on 27th Jan at night.
Reptiles
1. Helmeted terrapin (Pelomedusa subrufa)
Several individuals most likely belonging to this species seen in a puddle in Mara North on 4th Feb.
2. Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus)
An individual seen from Mpala campsite in the river vegetation on 28th Jan. Monitors visited the area next to our tent in Mwamba research area.
3. Common house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia)
Fairly abundant in Mpala campsite, Nairobi, and Watamu, where seen on different buildings during different nights.
4. Kenya dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus keniensis)
Two geckos in the electric installation for the elephant gate we visited in Laikipia on 1st Feb.
5. White-headed dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus mombasicus)
Quite abundant in the facilities of Mwamba research area, where seen daily.
A gecko in the boardwalk of Mida Creek on 10th Feb.
6. Kenyan rock agama (Agama lionotus)
Briefly seen on the road driving around Mpala on several days.
7. Mwanza flat-headed rock agama (Agama mwanzae)
Several lizards seen on the road between Talek and Mara North.
8. Jackson’s chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii)
A male and a pregnant female resting during several nights in a bush of Wildebeest Eco Camp gardens.
9. Jackson’s forest lizard (Adolfus kibonotensis)
Lizards seen in Wildebees Eco Camp and in Karura forest.
10. African striped skink (Trachylepis striata)
Quite abundant in the gardens of Wildebeest Eco Camp.
11. Spotted bush snake (Philothamnus semivariegatus)
A beautiful snake in the grass around our accommodation in Mara on 5th Feb.
12. Sudanese sand snake (Psammophis sudanensis)
Two snakes mating in the Mpala campsite on 28th Jan.
13. Plumbeous centipede-eater (Aparallactus lunulatus)
An individual seen as we hiked up Mt Mukenya on 29th Jan.
14. Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
Few individuals seen in the river crossing of Maasai Mara NR.
Amphibians
1. African common toad (Sclerophrys gutturalis)
A big individual in Wildebeest Eco Camp on 26th January at night. Toads seen in Mara (genus Sclerophrys) could not be identified to species level.
2. Anchieta’s ridged frog (Ptychadena anchietae)
A frog in Wildebeest Eco Camp during the day in Wildebeest Eco Camp on 26th January. Despite frogs being abundant, this is the only confidently identified species.
Lion, 6th Feb
.
Spotted hyaena, 6th Feb
.
African wild dog, 31st Jan
.
Savanna elephant, 6th Feb
.
Grévy’s zebra, 28th Jan
.
Common hippopotamus, 2nd Feb
.
African buffalo, 6th Feb
.
Common eland, 3rd Feb
.
Gerenuk, 29th Jan
.
Grant’s gazelle, 31st Jan
.
Waterbuck, 2nd Feb
.
East African oryx, 29th Jan
.
Kongoni, 6th Feb
.
Reticulated giraffe, 29th Jan
.
Olive baboon, 29th Jan
.
Mantled guereza, 2nd Feb
.
Eastern springhare, 4th Feb
.
Red bush squirrel, 9th Feb
.
Helmeted terrapin, 4th Feb
.
White-headed dwarf gecko, 8th Feb
.
Mwanza flat-headed rock agama, 5th Feb
.
Jackson’s chameleon, 25h Jan
.
Spotted bush snake, 5th Feb
.
Nile crocodile, 6th Feb
.
African common toad, 26th Jan
.