Author: the EANHS

The news of the nonstop return flight of a Common Cuckoo from Kenya to Bangladesh on its way home to Mongolia is one of the highlights of this year’s World Migratory Bird Day. The cuckoo departed from Kenya on April 29, passed through Somalia on May 1, and flew 6,300 kilometers over six and a half days to arrive in Bangladesh on May 6. This shows both the amazing abilities of migratory birds and the effectiveness of technology in helping ornithologists to understand migration patterns.

The cuckoo was named Onon when together with three other Common Cuckoos it was fitted with a transmitter in 2019 by the Mongolia Cuckoo Project. Since June 2019, the project has been giving updates through their website <www.birdingbeijing.com>

The Common Cuckoo left Mongolia in 2019 for Zambia, its wintering grounds. Records of his return journey show that he arrived in Kenya from Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and spent three days in the upper Tana River after which his movement could not be tracked for a week. The next time his movement was picked up was the day he departed from the north eastern part of the country.

Onon flew over Somalia, the Indian Ocean and most of India. From Bangladesh, Onon moved to northeastern India and then to China. By mid-May, the transmitter placed him near Wuhan in Hubei Province in China where he was resting. On May 23, Onon was in Shanxi Province in northern China, still 1,200 km away from Khurkh in northern Mongolia where he was fitted with the transmitter.

Onon is not the only Cuckoo that made headlines. Carlton ΙΙ, another tagged Common Cuckoo, flew 7,500 kilometers from Ivory Coast to England in seven days. The Daily Mail reported that: “Cuckoos normally take two or three weeks to reach the United Kingdom after starting their journeys in the western Africa country of Gabon before stopping in the Ivory Coast. The three-year-old bird becomes the fastest tagged bird to make the trip from Africa to England.”

Since getting tagged by the British Trust for Ornithology in 2018, Carlton has flown over 35,000 Kilometers on his migration between Africa and England.

The World Migratory World Bird Day is celebrated every year in May and October. The day is set aside to raise awareness about migratory birds and to highlight the need for conservation of birds and their habitats. The National Audubon Society – BirdLife in the U.S. – estimates that at least 4,000 species of birds in the world are regular migrants. This represents about 40 per cent of the world’s bird population.

This year’s theme – Birds Connect Our World – was brought to life by the epic journey of these two cuckoos. By tracking their movement and relaying information about their migratory routes, birders were able use technology to appreciate the global linkage created by a single migratory bird. Onon, for instance, crossed through 20 borders connecting 15 different countries at a time the movement of humans within nations has been grounded to a halt following the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus Covid-19.

Some of the widely known hazards faced by migratory birds include high winds, ferocious hailstorms, lengthy sea crossing, thunderstorms and the trapping and killing for their meat. Habitat loss through the conversion of their feeding habitats to human settlement and ill placed infrastructure are some of the emerging bird migration barriers. The online platform created by the two projects offered an opportunity to gather information about the change of routes and the duration of rest taken by the migratory birds. The information will be used to coordinate efforts towards the conservation of some of the ecosystems which are important for the survival of these migratory birds.

The World Migratory Bird Day – a celebration of the wonder of bird migration – coincided with the eBird Global Big Day on 9 May 2020. The eBird Global Big Day is a bird sighting event where birders all over the world observe birds on the same day and submit their observations on the eBird website. Birders from all countries of the world can take part; it’s the peak of bird migration in the northern countries, while tropical countries have a wider diversity of birds. This year, despite most of the world being on lockdown, more than 51,000 people took part in the Big Day and submitted checklists. The top ten countries were all in the Americas, where eBird is well established. Kenya took the leading position in Africa and emerged eleventh in the world, after 85 groups or individuals all over the country recorded 613 bird species.

Mt. Kenya Biodiversity Conservation Group (Mt. Kebio) marked World Migratory Bird Day by holding a birdwatch along a three-kilometre stretch in Burguret. Despite a low turnout, a total of 60 different bird species were sighted.

Members of the South Nandi Biodiversity Conservation Group (SONABIC) marked the day by holding a birdwatch in Chepkong’ony area in the South Nandi Forest. A total of 60 bird species were recorded by the 14 members who participated.

Friends of Kinangop Plateau organised a birdwatch and a bird talk about bird migration at the Friends of Kinangop Plateau Resource Centre. The 22 participants were divided into four groups to allow them to cover the different habitats – grasslands and water bodies -which characterise Kinangop area. A total of 118 bird species were recorded.

Down at the Coast, members of the Mida Creek Conservation and Awareness Group celebrated World Migratory Bird Day with a birdwatch along the shores of the Indian Ocean and areas adjacent to the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. A total of 54 bird species were sighted among them Mangrove Kingfisher (an intra-African migrant), Yellow-throated Longclaw and Collared Palm Thrush.

Coffee is one of Kenya’s mainstay cash crops. Its contribution to the economy as a major foreign exchange earner and source of income cannot be understated. However, recent research by the Kenya Coffee Research Institute reveals that climate change has caused shifts in rainfall and temperature regimes distorting the health and productivity of Kenya’s ‘Black Gold’. The report also projects that the conditions will worsen and areas suitable for coffee growing will reduce drastically if remedial steps are not taken.

It is from this background that Nature Kenya and Rainforest Alliance/UTZ Program jointly designed a program to promote mainstreaming of climate-smart agriculture and ecosystem-based practices for the coffee sector value chain. Rainforest Alliance/UTZ program is a Netherlands-based certification program that is famed for coming up with sustainable farming techniques for coffee, tea, cocoa and hazelnut farmers around the world.

The mainstreaming program is meant to customize some of the strategies applied in climate-smart farming to suit the needs in the coffee sector. Mainstreaming ensures that farming practices adapt and mitigate to meet the prevailing changing climatic conditions while improving productivity. The target was stakeholders in the coffee sector nationally, and in five coffee growing counties of Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Murang’a. Other who were roped into the program include farmers’ representatives, coffee society leaders and extension service providers.

In the coffee sector value chain, climate change poses great risk to all stakeholders, but especially to farmers at the estates and smallholder level. There is still a major capacity gap on climate-smart agriculture, sustainable environmental practices and mitigation and adaptation measures towards climate change. To date, many smallholder farmers continue to follow environmentally harmful practices like cutting down trees, slashing and burning plant biomass, poor tillage practices, poor management of coffee processing by-products and the degradation of forests and riparian areas. The other major setbacks include an increase in the prevalence of pests and diseases and natural calamities such as landslides and drought. There is also a significant reduction of land suitable for coffee production.

The objectives of the program are to sensitize sector players on climate change policy and legal framework applicable to the coffee sector; the risks of climate change on coffee production and the entire value chain; and to educate them about the best practices of climate-smart agriculture and ecosystem-based adaptation opportunities that can be explored. Some of the identified applicable climate-smart interventions in the coffee sector include terracing, water harvesting and reduced burning of farm residue. Changing crop varieties, crop rotation, inter-cropping with nitrogen fixing legumes, and use of organic fertilizers are some of the practices that, if adopted, can improve soil health. Increasing agroforestry to increase shading, and reducing deforestation while increasing reforestation of riparian areas can also sustainably create resilience for climate change in coffee growing zones.

Coffee farmers are encouraged to engage in sustainable alternative livelihoods activities as a coping mechanism. The ventures include beekeeping, fish farming and chicken enterprise targeting improved local breeds. Farmers can make charcoal briquettes from coffee husks which can be used by farmers’ households and the surplus sold. There are environmental and health benefits realized with the use of charcoal briquettes coupled with energy saving stoves key among them being avoided deforestation, reduced inhalation of smoke and, women and children are saved time spent looking for fuelwood.

These low-cost strategies are designed to help smallholder farmers mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. Currently, Kenya’s annual coffee production stands at 40,000 metric tons. The World Coffee Research believes that implementation of climate-smart agriculture strategies in the coffee sector can improve farmers’ productivity by 45 per cent. When properly implemented, climate-smart agriculture has been known to increase productivity and support higher incomes for farmers, while reducing carbon emissions and equipping farmers with necessary skills to adapt.

We are living in extraordinary times. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everyone and everything everywhere. The Kenya Government has given directives to help reduce the spread. Nairobi, Kilifi, Mombasa and Kwale Counties are locked-in. Social distancing and face masks are a must. Gatherings are not allowed. Cashless business transactions are encouraged.

 Nature Kenya management, staff and Executive Committee hope you all remain safe at this time of coronavirus danger. Nature Kenya is abiding by the government directives. Some activities have had to be postponed, while other work continues.

1. Members will receive an electronic version of the Nature Net until further notice.
2. The Membership office and shop is closed until further notice. Membership recruitment and renewal however continues. Visit http://naturekenya.org/support/membership/ and use cashless payment options such as M-Pesa or credit/debit cards. Your membership cards will be processed and mailed to you. As long as the main office remains open part of the time, members may also buy Arabuko-Sokoke honey. Pay by M-pesa and arrange to collect the honey.
3. The 110^th Annual General Meeting was postponed until further notice.
4. The ‘Lungs for Kenya’ Charity Golf Tournament 2020 was re-scheduled for Friday, October 2^nd, 2020 at the Karen Country Club.
5. The EANHS library and museum galleries and sites remain closed until further notice.
6. The Wednesday Morning Birdwalks, other field trips and monthly talks have been suspended until further notice. You will be informed as soon as they resume.

OFFICE OPERATIONS

At the Nature Kenya office, technical staff are optionally working from home, and support staff are on paid leave. With the Nairobi metropolitan area locked-in, staff cannot travel outside Nairobi. In April 2020, technical staff were busy with desktop tasks including writing donor reports and data analysis. Staff also provided comments to planning processes including the draft Nairobi National Park Management Plan and the control of desert locusts. With fewer field operations, staff were able to put more time into proposal writing targeting institutional donors and global philanthropists.

SITE ACTION DELIVERY

Field staff are present at site level: Yala Swamp, Mt Kenya, Taita Hills, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Dakatcha Woodland, Tana Delta, Maasai Mara and Amboseli landscapes. Staff in the field are liaising with technical staff in Nairobi to deliver site actions that do not require gatherings.

• In the Maasai Mara and Amboseli landscapes, 65 village vulture volunteers are coordinating with four Nature Kenya vulture liaison officers to monitor and report wildlife poisoning followed by site decontamination to prevent the poisoning of vultures that feed on carcasses.
• In the Tana Delta, staff and the Tana Delta Conservation Network (TDCN) are completing a Community Livelihoods and Learning centre.
• In Arabuko-Sokoke Forest three Community Forest Associations are completing ecological monitoring along 47 transects.
• In Dakatcha Woodland, a cutline along the borders of the 1,310-acre Clarke’s Weaver nature reserve purchased by Nature Kenya in 2019-2020 is underway.
• In Mt Kenya, CFAs were very active with tree planting during the rainy season, replacing dead trees and weeding. Kabaru and Hombe CFAs planted 40,000 seedlings of indigenous trees. Replacement of dead seedlings and weeding around seedlings was undertaken by CFAs in Chuka, Ruthumbi, Kabaru, Wanjerere, Ntimaka, Hombe and Njukiiri. A total of 15,546 new trees were planted to replace dead seedlings and weeding for 74,909 young trees was done.
• In Yala Swamp, the local people are completing a Community Conservation Areas Management Plan and construction of a bulking centre for nature based products in Siaya Town. Here 122 farmers have planted cereal crops; 16 farmers have vegetable nurseries (kales, black nightshade, coriander and capsicum); and 25 farmers have planted soya and vegetables. Some 11,352 indigenous tree seedlings were planted in the lower River Yala; 15ha of degraded papyrus planted in Yala Swamp; and a poultry rearing unit with capacity for 400 chickens constructed.
• Common bird monitoring was done by three Site Support Groups: Dakatcha Woodland Conservation Group, Yala Ecosystem SSG and Mt. Kenya Biodiversity Conservation Group.

The local empowerment unit is liaising with Site Support Groups (SSGs) to assess the impact of COVID-19 on sites and livelihoods. However, it is clear that COVID-19 will have a serious negative impact on species, sites and people.

COVID-19 EFFECTS

Already, Kipepeo, the flagship butterfly farming project adjacent to the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, is seriously impacted. Since 1993, local people have been rearing butterfly pupae that are packaged and exported to overseas destinations for live displays in butterfly houses. The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused total closure of these butterfly houses. Exports have completely stopped. Some 800 households who depend on butterfly farming have lost a means of livelihoods. The Arabuko-Sokoke Forest is in danger. If you would like to help, please get in touch.

MOVING FORWARD

Nature Kenya will continue to update you on further developments. Threats remain to species and habitats, and conservation work must go on. Please continue to support Nature Kenya, and to observe and enjoy nature from wherever you are. For any clarification or to report your observation on species and sites, kindly contact us through telephone:

020 3537568, 0780 149200, 0751 624312, 0771 343138 or email: office@naturekenya.org

 

Dr. Paul Matiku,

Executive Director, Nature Kenya – the East Africa Natural History Society

Since the sighting and rescue of the ringed Osprey from Finland in Usalu village, Siaya County, there has been growing interest among local people to learn about birdwatching and the birds found in the Yala Swamp Ecosystem. Aspiring birders and nature enthusiasts hope to tap into the unexploited potential of bird-tourism as a way of diversifying income streams for community members who rely on the Yala Swamp Ecosystem for their livelihood.

In response, Nature Kenya with funding from the Darwin Initiative, supported an on-site training in bird identification for the Yala Ecosystem Site Support Group (YESSG). The training brought together 38 participants – 27 men, and 11 women – from the four cluster sites of Upper Yala, Yimbo and Kanyaboli in Siaya county and Bunyala in Busia county. The two-day training focused on how to identify common and uncommon bird species using sight and sound and how to distinguish resident birds from migrant birds.

The training took the participants on birdwatching excursions to the scenic Rawalo hills in Upper Yala, the spectacular Dhogoye causeway at the mouth of river Yala, Lake Kanyaboli and Bunyala Irrigation Scheme, places where birds flock all year round. The outings offered the birders a practical opportunity to enhance their skills on how to use binoculars to scan for birds across large open expanses, how to minimize disturbance and maximize bird observation time, how to use field guide books, and recognizing songs and other types of bird calls. They were also able to observe bird behaviour including feeding, flocking and predation. During the bird walks, Nature Kenya staff and   seven trainers trained in Ornithology trained bird mentors  freely offered  the participants lessons on adaptations of birds to their preferred habitats, how to use bird calls to discover what other wildlife is around and, interpreting bird behaviour.

There were plenty of birds to keep the birders enthralled. Over 118 bird species were recorded in Rawalo hills including the Hartlaub’s and Ross’s Turacos.  Forty one bird species were sighted in Yimbo including Osprey and Gabar Goshawk. Another 70 bird species were recorded in Kanyaboli including papyrus endemics – Carruthers’ Cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek and White-winged Swamp Warbler.  Birders also spotted a Palm-nut Vulture in Kanyaboli which is an uncommon species in the area.

A total of 69 bird species were recorded in Bunyala including  Collared Pratincole and Giant Kingfisher which are uncommon there. Some of the bird enthusiasts extended the excursions into the late evenings while on the lookout for nightjars and the mythical nocturnal owls.

The birders acquired skills in bird monitoring through bird survey techniques including common bird monitoring and waterfowl counts. They gained understanding on why birds are often seen as a good measure of the health of the environment. Upon their return to their clusters, they will help Nature Kenya to conduct bird surveys within their localities.

The relaxed outdoor atmosphere for training was acknowledged by the trainees as most appropriate for learning and offered a suitable platform for them to practice their new found skills. Mentorship of the birders and tour guides is ongoing to enhance their capacity to exploit the future avi tourism opportunities within the Yala Swamp complex while contributing to conservation through biodiversity monitoring.