Kenya Birds

Editors' note: This article is based on J. H. Burrell's birdwatching in and around Embu from January 1974 to October 1982. Why are we publishing information that is nearly two decades 'out-of-date'? In part because it may help to focus attention on a part of Kenya that has been largely neglected by birdwatchers; also because much of the 'gen' may still be useful and valid: and because we would like to know what changes have taken place since 1982. For that reason too, we are listing the bird species in more detail than usual (for obvious reasons these records are unchecked!). If anyone does visit the sites described here, please write and let us know what you find in terms of habitat, routes and bird species... and we'll publish the details in future issues.

The Siakago Road

From the Isaac Walton Inn drive down to Embu town and turn left at the Shell Garage along the Kitui/Siakago road. At a point approx. 6 km from your start the Kitui road branches right - keep straight on for Siakago. From now on anything might turn up if you stop to check for it on either side of the road, but two very good areas are to be found as follows:

These are rich sites at which more than 195 species have been recorded. Some of the more notable ones include Peregrine, African Hobby, European Hobby, Common Kestrel, Wahlberg's Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, Shelley's Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, African Cuckoo, European Cuckoo, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Black-and-white Cuckoo, Levaillant's Cuckoo, Violet-crested Turaco, Brown Parrot, Brown-headed Kingfisher, Violet Wood-hoopoe, Bearded Woodpecker, Scarce Swift, Horus Swift, Tree Pipit, Hinde's Babbler, Olivaceous Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Upcher's Warbler, Wood Warbler, Moustached Warbler, Green-capped Eremomela, Tiny Cisticola, Siffling Cisticola, White-headed Saw-wing, White-crested Helmet-shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, European Golden Oriole, African Golden Oriole, Marico Sunbird, Mouse-coloured and African Penduline Tits, African Firefinch, Paradise Whydah, and Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah. Editors' Note: this last species was recorded from Meru District in the 1940's, but there are no recent records from Kenya! - time to look again?

The Kitui Road

Along the Kitui road from the turn-off the species are generally similar, but with some notable additions such as Scaly Chatterer and Steel-blue and Straw-tailed Whydahs.

The Dams

From the Isaac Walton, a journey of about 53 km along the Kitui road will take you to Kamburu Dam. At the dam itself, park first on the Embu side and walk round the bush to the left and the foreshore to the right. Then park on the dam itself to can the spillway to the left. Finally cross the dam, park on the right and scan the bush and foreshore to the right. As well as the bush birds to be seen on the Siakago and Kitui roads, numerous waterbirds are likely including the two cormorants, Little, Yellow-billed and Great Egrets, Woolly-necked Stork, Water Dikkop and Giant Kingfisher.

Continuing towards Kitui for a couple of kilometres, a sharp left turn takes you to Kindaruma. Stop at the first bridge over a large dry watercourse to look for Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, Bare-eyed Thrush and Black-bellied Sunbird. Along the shoreline before Kindaruma Dam itself is reached there is usually a variety of waterbirds, including Three-banded and Spurwing Plover and (in season) numerous migrant waders. Osprey has also been recorded here. Notable birds in the scrub and bush include Banded Snake Eagle, Golden-breasted Starling and Northern Grey Tit.

Irangi Forest

From the Isaac Walton again, drive away from Embu on the Meru road. About 6 km travel will bring you to the small village of Mutindori. On the left a well defined murram road leads to St. Marks Teacher Training College. Follow this road towards the mountain, passing the college, Manyatta and Mianjakoma Tea Factories and finally reaching the Irangi Forest barrier. One can park here and explore on foot, or find a forest worker to open the barrier so you can drive a few kilometres into the forest. Numerous tracks and trails in the forest itself merit investigation. A full day is recommended for really good results: an early start can be very exciting if there has been some overnight rain during a dry spell. Interesting birdwatching can be guaranteed, but interesting sightings can be slow and few and far between until one comes across mixed bird parties. The forest holds and excellent selection of highland forest and stream-side birds, including Ayre's Hawk-Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Mountain Buzzard, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, Bar-tailed Trogon, Fine-banded Woodpecker, Mountain Wagtail, Mountain Greenbul, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Black-throated Apalis, Black-headed Apalis, Brown Woodland Warbler, African Hill Babbler, Hunter's Cisticola, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Montane Oriole, Kenrick's Starling, Waller's Starling, Olive Sunbird, Brown-capped Weaver, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Abyssinian Crimson-wing, Thick-billed Seed-eater and Grey-headed Negro-finch.

Njikiini Forest

From the Isaac Walton take the main Nairobi road out of Embu and across the Rupengazi Bridge. On climbing the hill which bears left, look out for a murram turn to the right where there are a few small shops. Proceed straight towards the mountain, following two undulating 'S' bends left to right. On approaching the third of these, you will notice a small patch of natural forest on your left as the road bends left; on the right is cleared pine trees, straight ahead is swamp and natural forest. On the edges one can see Brown-backed Scrub Robin, Rüppell's Robin-chat and Blue-headed Coucal. One has to walk through the forest as there are few well-defined paths. Keep the swamp to your left and press on and up to meet a small stream; follow this to the right, and cross the stream by logs to enter a glade. Paths from this lead to pine forest, but by always bearing left one will eventually reach murram tracks and the main road, coming back round in a circle to one's car - recommended only for the intrepid and energetic! The birds are harder to see than at Irangi, fewer in number, and similar in composition. Notable species here are Lemon Dove, Narina Trogon, Eastern Honeybird and Red-headed Bluebill. It is a pity that this largely unexplored and mysterious forest is so difficult to access as it must contain some rarities. Once by chance, when lost, I found a small lake and swamp area inside thick forest but could not reach the water's edge - since then I have been unable to rediscover it!

Castle Forest

Drive from Embu on the Nairobi road and at Samson's corner (about 12 km from town) turn sharp right on the Sagana road. Proceed for about 5 km and just before Kutus take the right-hand tar road to Kirinyaga. About 6 km along this bear left onto murram and proceed on a rough road past Kabare Girls' School straight on to the forest (about 32 km from the tar in total). Continue into the forest for a few kilometres until the 'castle' is reached. Park and look around. The birds are similar to a combination of those found at Njikiini and Irangi but do include some additional species, such as Red-headed Parrot, Sharpe's and Abbott's Starlings, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Taccazze Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill and Yellow-crowned Canary.

The Town

A variety of birds can be seen in and around the town centre, a useful viewing spot being the patio of the cafe at the back of the town hall. Around the treed area of the Provincial/District offices is a good spot to see Slender-billed Chestnut-winged Starlings.

The Isaac Walton

The gardens of the Isaac Walton hotel just out of town on the Meru road, with their variety of flowers, plants, bushes and trees, attract a variety of birds. With a little effort a reasonably relaxed day can yield up to 50 species. Some notable species on the list include Little Sparrowhawk, Scaly-throated Honeyguide and Garden Warbler.

Kangaru School

About 1.5 km up the hill from the hotel is the large compound of Kangaru School with it's farm land, coffee shamba and indigenous forest and bush together with some fine jacaranda and eucalyptus trees. Turn right onto murram at the 'Staff Houses' sign then right again at the signpost and park off the lane. Walk down the lane, explore the school nature trail (on the left) cross the small stream, and proceed to the right through scattered bush into more open country. A stony outcrop affords a lovely view of Mbeere lands stretching out below and into the distance. Retracing one's steps, one comes back to a murram path (you will have crossed it on the outward journey). If you go left up the hill you reach the D.D.C. houses on your right and have parkland, a nice pond and agricultural plots (on the Agricultural Research Station land) on you left. Winding Cisticola and African Water Rail occur at the pond. Follow the road to the tar and turn right to reach the Kangaru road to the right. Alternatively turn right at the murram road mentioned, go up the hill and then left through the playing fields, bush, edge of forest and coffee, returning in a circle back to the road where the car is parked nearby. The staff houses' gardens are good for birds as well. Interesting species here include Bat Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, Scaly Francolin, African Wood Owl, Montane Nightjar, Lesser Honeyguide, Wahlberg's Honeybird, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Grey-Olive Greenbul and Red-faced Cisticola.

Agricultural Institute Farm Ponds

Opposite the entrance to the D.D.C. and Kangaru Staff house road, both on the right, is a murram road to the left, with farm entrances on the right hand. Inside are two ponds with a good variety of waterbirds, including African Darter, Purple Herons, Common Squacco and Black-crowned Night Herons, Black Crake and African Reed Warbler.

Close to 400 species have been recorded in the general Embu area, though some of these are decidedly unusual. The variety of habitats makes this a rich birdwatching site, and well worth exploring - especially with visits at different times of year.

embu