Neil Gray Birds

I had such success on my first birding trip to Kenya in late September 2010, that I planned a follow-up for October 2012. Again the trip was planned and all accommodation and transport bookings made for me by Moses Kandie (http://www.birdwatchingexpress.net), whom I contacted via the BirdingPals website - http://www.birdingpal.org - and had made the first trip the success that it was.

The trip he put together this time had as the primary birding locations the Masai Mara, Thomson's Falls, Mount Kenya and Samburu (one-time home of George and Joy Adamson and the legendary lioness Elsa). En route between these locations we were able to bird the Nanyuki-Naro Moru-Nyeri area, in particular the Mukurwe-ini valley home of the vulnerable Hinde's Babbler, and a reliable site for the East African sub-species of the Cape Eagle-Owl, known locally as Mackinder's Owl. The vehicle used was again a 4WD Toyota "Kombi" with a safari roof allowing you to stand up fully and have an uninterrupted 360 deg view.

My final list for the 8-night trip was 345 species including 76 lifers and boosting my Kenya total to 510 species. Bird highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the vulnerable Hinde's Babble, seen mainly because of Moses' close contact with locals who monitor the location of this and other sought-after species such as Mackinder's Owl.

Before you visit any new birding venue I am sure you study the relevant bird guides and form an opinion as to which species you would most like to see - usually simply because they are particularly colourful birds. I certainly came up trumps with some of my "wish list", such as Vulturine Guineafowl, Golden-breasted Starling, Rosy-patched Bush-shrike, Black-collared Apalis, Grey-headed Nigrita and probably the most unexpected sighting of the trip a displaying Golden Pipit.

Venue highlight was definitely the Samburu National Reserve and the contiguous Buffalo Springs NR, where I also had some great mammal sightings such as Reticulated Giraffe, Gerenuk and Oryx.

Moses Kandie can also be contacted by cellphone on either +254 72 2420699 or +254 72 2273866.