Kenya is usually associated with the great migration and other charismatic megafauna, such as the big cats, the cape buffalo, African rhino and others, but with nearly 1200 species of birds it is a bird watcher's delight. I was visiting this region nearly 15 years after my last trip to Tanzania, and was looking forward to an opportunity to both discover new birds but also take better pictures of the birds I saw last time. I wasn't disappointed.
Sunday, 3rd November, 2024
Kenya - 2024
Amboseli
Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchellus)
The jacaranda tree in our hotel was in full bloom and this Beautiful Sunbird, among various other sunbird species, was having a feast.
Crowned Lapwing (Vanellus coronatus)
Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)
This Hadada Ibis foraging around in our lodge seemed fairly comfortable with humans and allowed me to get close enough to get a high quality picture.
Long-toed Lapwing (Vanellus crassirostris)
Hildebrandt's Starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti)
Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
Helmeted Guineafowl are fairly common everywhere in the countryside in East Africa.
Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus)
Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
The male...
...and the female.
Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus)
Hunter's Sunbird (Chalcomitra hunteri)
This immature Hunter's Sunbird was jostling for territory with other sunbirds on the Jacaranda tree in our lodge.
Tropical Boubou (Laniarius major)
White-bellied Go-away-bird (Crinifer leucogaster)
These raucous birds were busy foraging in the afternoon sun inside our lodge's premises.
African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
Yellow-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus)
African Spoonbill (Platalea alba)
Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala)
Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus)
Fischer's Sparrow-lark (Eremopterix leucopareia)
Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus)
Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum)
Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Rattling Cisticola (Cisticola chiniana)
Two-banded Courser (Rhinoptilus africanus)
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
Naivasha
African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
Black Crake (Zapornia flavirostra)
Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maximus)
Long-tailed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus)
Speckled Dove (Streptopelia chinensis)
White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax lucidus)
Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis)
Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus)
Elementeita
Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis)
Kenya Rufous Sparrow (Passer rufocinctus)
White-browed Sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser mahali)
Winding Cisticola (Cisticola marginatus)
Yellow-collared Lovebird (Agapornis personatus)
Nakuru
African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)
African Harrier-hawk (Polyboroides typus)
Augur Buzzard (Buteo augur)
African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus)
African Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis)
Black-headed Oriole (Oriolus larvatus)
Cape Teal (Anas capensis)
Cliff Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris)
Collared Pratincole (Glareola pratincola)
Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)
Eastern Grey Woodpecker (Dendropicos spodocephalus)
Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath)
Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus)
Grey-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides)
Kittlitz's Plover (Charadrius pecuarius)
Yellow-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus africanus)
Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori)
Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus)
Plain-backed Pipit (Anthus leucophrys)
Red-capped Lark (Calandrella cinerea)
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus)
Red-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis afer)
Red-winged Starling (Onychognathus morio)
Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea)
Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis)
Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)
Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides)
Three-banded Plover (Charadrius tricollaris)
White-browed Coucal (Centropus superciliosus)
White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides)
Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis)
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)
Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis)
Maasai Mara
Purple Grenadier (Uraeginthus ianthinogaster)
Secretary Bird (Sagittarius serpentarius)
Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos)
Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)
Little Bee-eater (Merops pusillus)
Grey-headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala)
Rüppell's Starling (Lamprotornis purpuroptera)
Sooty Chat (Myrmecocichla nigra)
Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvinae leadbeateri)
Spur-winged Lapwing (Vanellus spinosus)
Taita Fiscal (Lanius dorsalis)
Wattled Starling (Creatophora cinerea)
Yellow-fronted Canary (Crithagra mozambica)
Yellow-throated Longclaw (Macronyx croceus)
