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Moustached Grass Warbler,an African Warbler of Moist Savanna and Tropical Shrubland.

Photo by Scott Stoner-Eby
Photo by Scott Stoner-Eby

This species is easily encountered while birding moist grassland savanna like Nairobi national park,Masai Mara national reserve,Amboseli and the expansive Tsavo West and Tsavo West. The photo appearing above was taken in Nairobi national park.

Large, unusual brown warbler with a black tail, pale eye, and black “moustache” mark. Found in patches of tall, thick grass within savanna and scrub habitats. Generally skulking, and most often seen when it sits up to sing. The song is a chatty, warbling jumble with a distinctive fast cadence. Similar in overall shape and habitat to Fan-tailed Grassbird, but much larger, with a pale eye and black facial streak.

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Brown Parisoma, Remarkably Plain Brown Warbler found in the canopy of Acacia Trees at Middle or High Elavations.

Photo by Scott Stoner-Eby

Brown Warbler as it is sometimes referred to is Remarkably plain brown warbler whose most outstanding features are a finely speckled throat and a white outer tail. Found in the canopy of acacia trees at middle or high elevations. Slow-moving and inconspicuous. Usually seen singly or in pairs.

We observed this bird last Saturday when Scott and I went birding Nairobi national park for a half a day which was quite successful.Other than the Brown Parisoma which I love always love to watch,we also managed to pick-up species like Hartlaub’s Turaco,Singing Cisticola,African Yellow Warbler,Red-throated Tit and Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike just to name a few.

Other than Nairobi national park,this bird can be seen in Aberdare national park,Western escarpment of the Rift Valley and Masai Mara .Have a remarkable birding week!

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Eastern Grey Plantain-eater,the dominant Turaco around the Lake Region of East Africa.

Photo by Geuseppe Citino

Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Crinifer zonurus,is a huge Turaco found mostly in areas around Lake Victoria and its environs.It is a relatively common and noticeable bird,and unlike their forest counterparts,they lark radiant co lours.Their plumage is overall grey above spotted with brown. The head, erectile crest, neck, and breast are brown streaked with silver. The underparts are whitish, and heavily streaked with brown.Eastern Grey Plantain-eaters have a thick bright yellow bill and show a white wing bar in flight.

In Kenya it is a very easy bird to see around Kisumu city at the shores of Lake Victoria,Ahero rice plantations,Busia,Homabay,Kongolai valley and Migori.

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Greater Painted-snipe, a medium sized,stunningly plumaged shorebird of grassy fields and marshes.

Photo by Joe Aengwo

Males are more colorful or ornamented than females in most, but not all, bird species.The female Greater Painted-snipe is striking compared to the male.This two were photographed at Amboseli national park at Enkongo causeway which is also good for watching Blue-billed and Cape Teal,Southern Pochard,White-backed Duck,Saddle-billed Stork and giant looking Goliath Heron.

Greater Painted-snipe.Photo by Joe Aengwo.

This species can also be found at Mwea rice field,Lake Nakuru national park,Masai Mara and Nairobi national park.

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Fischer’s Turaco (Tauraco fischeri),the Musophagidae family member found a long the East Africa Coast.

Fischer’s Turaco, Photo by Juhani Vilpo

Fischer’s Turaco is a commonly recorded species along the East Africa coast.Birders will surely encountered the species when birding subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest of Arabuko Sokoke forest,Shimba Hills national park and Amani nature reserve located in Eastern Usambara mountains.

Fischer’s turacos have amazing shades of green feathers marked with touches of red and white. Easy to distinguish with its crimson crest, nape, and primaries and inner secondaries. The crest is tipped with black at the tallest part, white on lower portion. The upper parts are green- blue to violet-blue, with lower belly being much darker. The red bill has white lines both above and below the black lore area; bare orbital skin is red and the eyes are brown. The wings are rather short and rounded; tail is long. Turacos are noted for peculiar and unique pigments, giving them their bright green, blue and red feathers.

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White-tailed Ant-Thrush,a fine-looking catch for Kakamega Forest.

Photo by Juhani Vilpo

Kakamega forest is the only remnant of tropical rain forest in Kenya.Its diversity in birds and butterflies is mind boggling.I am sure botanist and other biologist will have a great time here.Kakamega’s avifauna is unique not only nationally,but continentally. Several species have isolated, relict populations here, including Ansorge’s Greenbul,Blue-headed Bee-eater,Chapins’ Flycatcher and Turner’s Eremomela ,which are absent from all or nearly all of the superficially similar mid-elevation forests in Uganda.

White-tailed Ant-Thrush is a rare but regular in Kakamega forest both in the southern section(Isecheno) and northern part(Bhuyangu).There are also records of the species from Nandi south forest.Enjoy and keep birding!.

Bird of the Week, Bird Photography, Bird watching

White-chinned Prinia also kown as White-chinned Warbler (Schistolais leucopogon)

Photo By Juhani Vilpo

White-chinned Prinia is one of the two species found in Kakamega tropical rain forest,the other one frequently recorded there is Banded Prinia.Both species are found in thick understory of forest,overgrown cultivation,and edge habitats.This species has unusual broad-tailed with a white throat,it is also important to note the black cheek and white in the outer rectrices.

Usually the species is found in small very actives groups always continuously moving inside the vegetation cover exposing themselves once in a while.When the birds are singing,they clearly line-up on an exposed horizontally lying branches proving excellent opportunities for photography.

In Kenya the species is only found the remnant patches of tropical rain forest of Kakamega and South Nandi,both in Western Kenya.

Bird of the Week, Bird Photography, Bird watching, Conservation

Blue-headed Bee-eater(Merops muelleri).

Photo By Mario Liebshner

Bee-eaters are beautiful birds to observe in the field, but the exhilaration among birders on sighting of a Blue-headed bee-eater is remarkable .Really attractive Bee-eater. This species is strictly restricted only to Kakamega and South Nandi Forest in Kenya. However, other isolated populations of this species are found in West Africa as well.

This brilliantly colored Bee-eater can be encountered on any birding walks around Kakamega forest with some efforts, local guides will be of great help, although you can really run into it with some luck.

Photo By Mario Liebschner

Usually Bee-eaters are gregarious, but not Blue-headed Bee-eater, I have not recorded more than three individuals at a go. They are arboreal birds that perch on exposed branches.

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The Gregarious Helmetshrikes!.

Retz’s Helmetshrike.Photo by Frans Buiter

Nothing is more rewarding like encountering a group helmet’s shrikes on any birding trip in Kenya,they are beautiful birds to watch with their unique crest signature mark.In Kenya ,you can find four species of this group;White-crested,Grey-crested,Chestnut-fronted and Retz’s Helmetshrike. Most of this species are gregarious and fly around in a group of 6 to around 50 individuals.

Grey-crested Helmetshrike.Photo by Joe Aengwo

White-crested Helmetshrike is widespread and can easily be seen in any habitat in Kenya ranging from the Tsavos,Samburu,Baringo and Kongolai escarpment in West Pokot.Grey-crested  Helmetshrike is an East African endemic and found areas around Crater Lake and Hell’s National park in Naivasha area,Masai Mara and the Serengeti national park.They are strictly restricted to acacia and leleswa bush habitat.

White-crested Helmetshrike.Photo by Joe Aengwo.

Retz’s Helmetshrike  is quite stunning to watch with its bright red bill and eye wattles and yellow eyes contrasting with is darker body appearances , this is common but rarely seen along the Kenyan and Tanzania coastline and extending upcountry to areas around Kibwezi, Makindu and Chyulu Hills.Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike is mostly restricted to coastal areas and easily picked up in Arabuko Sokoke forest.

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Papyrus Gonolek,the thunderous fellow in the reeds.

Papyrus Gonolek,photo@Joe Aengwo

A medium-size Bush-shrike that inhabit the papyrus vegetation around Lake Victoria and the extensive Yala swamp in Western Kenya.The sexes are similar; the crown is dull yellow, the head, upper parts, wings and tail are black apart from a broad white bar on the wings.The breast and upper belly are vivid orange-crimson, and the lower belly whitish.

Photo@Joe Aengwo

This species can difficult to observe as prefers lurking among the vegetation and only flying occasionally, usually a short distance over water to another patch of papyrus. Its presence can often be detected by its calls, which consist of brief whistles and grating tearing sounds.

The photo above was taken in June at shores of Kisumu town ,the Kenyan part of Lake Victoria.Gorgeous bird to watch!.