01 Sep Trip Report – Wild Kenya: Eastern Kenya Endemics (August 12th – 15th, 2024)
Tour Leader: Paul Kungu
Guests: Maren Jensen and family
Overview:
This report outlines the birdwatching tour conducted for Maren Jensen from August 12th to 15th, 2024. The tour aimed to explore some of Kenya’s most biodiverse and endemic regions, including Arabuko Sokoke Forest, Sabaki Estuary, Tsavo East National Park, and the Taita Hills. Our primary objective was to observe and document various bird species, focusing particularly on rare and endemic species unique to these areas. This report details the routes taken, species observed, and the highlights of each day’s excursions, providing a comprehensive overview of our birding adventure.
Day 1: August 12th, 2024 – Arabuko Sokoke Forest
The tour began early at 6:00 am, departing from Turtle Bay Lodge for a short 10-minute drive to the Arabuko Sokoke Forest. Upon arrival, we embarked on a two-to-three-hour walk through the forest, followed by a 20-minute drive to search for owls. We returned to the lodge around 1:30 pm for lunch. At 3:30 pm, we set off again, exploring a different route in the forest, birding for another two and a half hours.
During our walk, we encountered several other animals, including Suni antelopes, Elephant Shrews, Baboons, and Elephants. The bird species observed in the Arabuko Sokoke Forest were numerous, and the day was highlighted by the sighting of the African Pitta.
A Few Bird Species Observed in Arabuko Sokoke Forest:
- White-Faced Whistling-Duck
- Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
- Tambourine Dove
- Fischer’s Turaco
- White-browed Coucal
- Green Malkoha
- Bat-like Spinetail
- African Jacana
- Western Cattle Egret
- Yellow-billed Egret
- Palm-nut Vulture
- Fasciated Snake-Eagle
- Sokoke Scops-Owl
- African Wood-Owl
- Narina Trogon
- Common Scimitarbill
- Trumpeter Hornbill
- Broad-billed Roller
- Green Barbet
- Lesser Honeyguide
- African Pitta (Highlight of the day)
- And many more…
We concluded our birding activities at around 6:20 pm and returned to the lodge for an overnight stay.
(Highlight of the day: African Pitta!)
Day 2: August 13th, 2024 – Sabaki Estuary and Mida Creek
Our second day began at 6:00 am with a 30-minute drive to the Sabaki Estuary. From there, we walked from the main road towards the Indian Ocean, which took about an hour. We spent approximately three hours observing numerous aquatic bird species, some of which required the use of a telescope to identify. Afterward, we returned to the lodge at around 2:00 pm for lunch.
In the afternoon, we took a short 15-minute drive to Mida Creek, where we spent the afternoon birding around the creek. This day was particularly rewarding, with the Golden Pipit being the highlight.
A few Bird Species Observed at Sabaki Estuary and Mida Creek:
- Lesser Flamingo
- Red-eyed Dove
- African Palm Swift
- Black-bellied Plover
- Common Ringed Plover
- Three-banded Plover
- Spur-winged Lapwing
- Tibetan Sand-Plover
- Greater Sand-Plover
- White-fronted Plover
- Eurasian Curlew
- Terek Sandpiper
- Common Sandpiper
- Common Greenshank
- Crab Plover
- And many more…
(Highlight of the day: Golden Pipit)
Day 3: August 14th, 2024 – Tsavo East National Park
The third day of our tour began at 6:00 am as we headed towards Tsavo East National Park. We made several stops along the way to search for birds not typically found within the park. Notable sightings included the Northern Carmine Bee-eater and the Magpie Starling. We arrived at the park’s entrance around 11:00 am, had a brief snack, and continued birding en route to Voi Wildlife Lodge, arriving around 6:45 pm.
In addition to bird species, we encountered a variety of wildlife, such as Elephants, Impalas, Hartebeests, Gazelles, Zebras, Lions, Gerenuks, Cheetahs with cubs, Buffaloes, Dik-diks, and Giraffes.
A Few Bird Species Observed in Tsavo East National Park:
- Egyptian Goose
- Northern Carmine Bee-eater
- Magpie Starling
- Spur-winged Goose
- Vulturine Guineafowl
- Crested Francolin
- Yellow-necked Spurfowl
- Namaqua Dove
- Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
- Heuglin’s Bustard
- Buff-crested Bustard
- White-browed Coucal
- Black-headed Lapwing
- Somali Courser
- Secretarybird
- And many more…
(Highlight of the day: Northern Carmine Bee-eater)
Day 4: August 15th, 2024 – Ngagao Forest and Taita Conservancy
On our final day, we began at 5:45 am, heading towards the Ngagao Forest in the Taita Hills to search for endemic species. We arrived at 6:45 am and embarked on a four-hour walk through the forest. The Taita Apalis, a species endemic to the area, was a notable highlight and took nearly an hour to spot.
After lunch at Taita Wildlife Lodge, we spent the afternoon exploring the Taita Conservancy for another three hours, where we observed additional bird species and other wildlife.
A Few Bird Species Observed in Ngagao Forest and Taita Conservancy:
- Crested Francolin
- Red-eyed Dove
- Hartlaub’s Turaco
- Long-crested Eagle
- Spot-flanked Barbet
- Green-backed Camaroptera
- Taita Apalis (Highlight of the day)
- Taita White-eye
- Taita Thrush
- And many more…
(Highlight of the day: Taita White-eye, Taita Thrush & Taita Apalis)
Conclusion:
The birdwatching tour with Maren Jensen was a resounding success, offering an enriching experience for all participants. Over the course of four days, we explored diverse habitats, from dense forests to coastal estuaries, and documented a remarkable variety of bird species, including several rare and endemic ones. Highlights of the trip included sightings of the African Pitta, Golden Pipit, and Taita Apalis. A total of 188 bird species were recorded during this tour.
The combination of expert guidance, scenic locations, and abundant wildlife made this trip both memorable and educational. We look forward to future excursions that will continue to deepen our appreciation of avian biodiversity.
Total number of species observed:
188
eBird link
https://ebird.org/tripreport/271076
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