Author: John Mwacharo

Local communities join push to list Yala Swamp as a Ramsar Site

Posted on by John Mwacharo

By Vivian Wasike

Nestled between Lake Victoria and the winding Yala and Nzoia rivers, the Yala Swamp is a natural treasure of immense ecological and cultural importance. It is home to a rich variety of wildlife and provides essential resources for local communities. However, the swamp faces growing threats from agricultural expansion, land grabbing, mining pollution, and papyrus habitat destruction. To protect their vital wetland, local communities have now joined the push to have Yala Swamp listed as a Ramsar Site – a wetland of international importance. This global recognition would promote Yala Swamp’s conservation and ensure the sustainable use of its resources.

Located on the northeastern shore of Lake Victoria, Yala Swamp is the largest papyrus wetland in Kenya and is crucial to the lake’s survival. The swamp is an important carbon sink that contributes to global climate regulation. It filters the water of rivers flowing into the lake, trapping silt and agrochemicals.

For the local communities, Yala Swamp is more than just a wetland – it is a lifeline. Residents depend on it for clean water, fishing, papyrus for thatching, and irrigation during droughts. “The swamp plays a critical role in our lives,” says Ayiro Lwala, a resident of Yimbo. “It provides us with food, water, and materials for shelter.”

Unfortunately, the conversion of the swamp for agricultural use and other human activities has degraded large parts of it. In 2022, the National Land Commission approved the allocation of 6,764 ha of Yala Swamp to Lake Agro Ltd. to establish a sugarcane plantation. Local communities protested the controversial allocation and went to court to object to it.

The communities believe that the swamp’s designation as a Ramsar Site would provide a framework for its sustainable management, balancing conservation with their needs. It would also open doors to funding and technical support, enabling sustainable ventures like climate-smart agriculture, fish farming, eco-tourism and beekeeping to thrive. These nature-based enterprises have the potential to support conservation while improving livelihoods.

“With the right support, communities can play a key role in protecting Yala Swamp for future generations,” adds Ayiro.

Moreover, the Ramsar recognition is envisaged to elevate Yala Swamp’s global profile, fostering a sense of pride and responsibility among residents.

With support from Nature Kenya, local Site Support Groups (SSGs) in Bunyala, Yimbo, Upper Yala, and Kanyaboli are fronting efforts to secure Ramsar recognition for Yala Swamp. The groups have held awareness campaigns, capacity-building workshops, and community-led initiatives, which have been crucial in mobilizing public support. A notable milestone of their efforts has been the drafting of a “No Objection” letter by local communities, signalling a strong public backing for the Ramsar listing process.

“Our push to have Yala Swamp listed as a Ramsar site is more than just an environmental effort. It is a commitment to a future where nature and people thrive together,” notes David Omany, a community leader from the Upper Yala Site Support Group.

Yala Swamp is a vital refuge for a diverse range of wildlife, making it one of Kenya’s most significant ecosystems. It shelters two endangered Cichlid fish that are extinct in Lake Victoria and represents one of the few remaining habitats for the Sitatunga, a rare swamp-dwelling antelope. The wetland is also home to large flocks of waterbirds, visiting migratory species like the Barn Swallow, Sedge Warbler, and Osprey, as well as threatened papyrus specialist birds like the Papyrus Gonolek and Papyrus Yellow Warbler. It is recognised as both a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) and an Important Bird Area (IBA). Without appropriate protection, however, this rich biodiversity remains at risk. Its designation as a Ramsar Site would provide the essential framework to safeguard its wildlife and ensure its future survival.

Violet-backed Starling Breeding in Kakuzi, Murang’a County

Posted on by John Mwacharo

By Simon Odhiambo

On Sunday, 26th January, John Gitiri and visitors stopped by Kakuzi for a little birding. As we walked, out of nowhere, I spotted a male and a female Violet-backed Starling flying past. The birds flew towards an Acrocarpus tree and the male landed and crawled into a hole in one of the dry branches of the tree. Later in the day, excited and armed with my camera, I observed the male and female fly in and out of the nest hole, each time with a beak full of caterpillars. This looked like a busy feeding exercise. On every 6th or 7th visit to the nest hole, the male would come out with a beak-full of solid bird dropping and fly away with it, I guess for safe disposal.  Initially it was the male doing the nest sanitation and just before I concluded that this was his role, the female interfered with my line of thought by flying out with a beak-full of droppings.  I continue observing the nest at least once each day as I am interested in documenting the fledglings and finding out if this is another successful breeding of Violet-backed Starling in Kenya.

Tana Delta Birds, Communities and Conservation

Posted on by John Mwacharo

By Justus M. Munywoki

At Lake Mbililo in Kenya’s Tana River Delta, birds of all shapes, sizes, and colours are out, filling the air with their calls.  Amid the symphony of bird calls, a trained community guide leads colleagues on a data collection mission. Their goal? To monitor the hundreds of bird species in the wetland, particularly waterbirds. This data collection exercise is part of the community-driven initiatives to safeguard the Tana Delta ecosystems that sustain biodiversity. Resident and migratory birds such as Grey-headed Kingfishers, Cattle Egrets, Gull-billed Terns and Common Greenshanks frequent the lake and other such wetlands to feed and breed, making the Delta an attractive destination for bird enthusiasts.

The expansive Tana River Delta, which spans more than 160,000 hectares along the country’s north-eastern coastline in Tana River and Lamu Counties, is a designated Ramsar site (a wetland of international importance). The Delta is also a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) with a diverse range of habitats that attract birds from all over the world, from riverine forests and flooded grasslands to mangroves, intertidal zones, and open beaches.

One of the most outstanding aspects of bird monitoring exercises, like Lake Mbililo’s, is the active participation of local communities. Conservationists work closely with residents to raise awareness about the importance of migratory birds and their habitats. This grassroots engagement promotes a sense of ownership and pride among local people, mobilizing them to protect their environment.

Bird monitoring in the Tana River Delta is not just counting birds. Birds serve as vital indicators of habitat conditions and the impacts of climate change. By observing trends in bird populations and distribution, conservationists can detect early signs of environmental stress, such as habitat degradation or shifting climate patterns, and act to address these challenges.

Birdwatching is a great hobby, and a good entry to environmental awareness. Local communities actively conduct bird counts and identify potential birdwatching areas. This engagement contributes to sustainability, as trained community monitors educate others, fostering a cycle of knowledge and environmental stewardship.

“Raising awareness about bird monitoring is critical in garnering local support to protect the Tana River Delta ecosystem. When communities are involved, conservation becomes a shared responsibility,” says Yona Makondeni from the Tana Delta Conservation Network, the Nature Kenya Site Support Group for the Delta.

The monitoring process is innovative yet simple. In the last waterbird count conducted in February 2024 in Tana, 2,220 individual birds were recorded using the mobile app eBird, which allowed participants to document every bird they saw or heard. They created a digital checklist, which was then uploaded to the app’s global database in real-time. This user-friendly approach has revolutionised bird monitoring at the Delta, making it accessible to both experts and community members.

KBA in Focus: Mida Creek, Whale Island and the Malindi-Watamu Coast

Posted on by John Mwacharo

At Kenya’s North Coast in Kilifi County lie three sites that form one Key Biodiversity Area (KBA): Mida Creek, Whale Island, and the Malindi-Watamu Coast. This KBA is part of the Malindi-Watamu-Arabuko-Sokoke UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is also part of the broader Malindi and Watamu Marine national parks and reserves, a protected area along the Indian Ocean coastline. The ecosystem is an important coastal wetland consisting of mangrove forests, mudflats, beaches, seagrass beds, and coral reefs, including coral outcrops such as Whale Island. It serves as a stopover for migratory birds along the Asian–East African Flyway that rely on the mudflats and exposed reefs as critical feeding grounds. It supports numerous bird species, including sea terns that regularly nest on Whale Island.

The complex ecological nature of the KBA makes it an outstanding site for coastal and marine wildlife, yet it is along the edges of a busy tourism area.  Marine National Parks and Reserve are important for conserving the fringing reef, the famous coral gardens within the lagoons, and the seagrass beds, with their diverse marine biodiversity. The reefs are popular for snorkelling, diving, and marine research. Mida Creek has important mangrove forests with a high diversity of species, including Ceriops tagal, Rhizophora mucronata, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Avicennia marina and Sonneratia alba. It is a key spawning ground for many fish species.

This remarkable KBA faces several threats, including coastal development, climate change, overfishing, pollution, and a lack of sufficient funds for research. A nuclear power plant has even been proposed next to this outstanding environmental site! Coastal development projects greatly affect the delicate ecosystems in the KBA, such as coral reefs and mangroves. Infrastructural development and tourism activities have been a leading cause of pollution. Mangroves have continuously been cut down for charcoal burning, furniture making, and construction.

The Mida Creek Conservation and Awareness Group, registered in 2004, is one of the local community groups working tirelessly to conserve the KBA. Its activities include awareness creation and advocacy, mangrove planting, beach clean-ups, participating in the annual waterfowl census, and income-generating activities such as beekeeping, ecotourism, and selling mangrove seedlings.

Bird Ringing in Ngulia

Posted on by John Mwacharo

By Aloise Garvey

Do you know that a tiny metal or plastic ring placed on a bird’s leg can unlock incredible secrets about its life? This process, known as bird ringing or bird banding, is a fascinating way researchers learn about birds and how to protect them.

Here’s how it works: a small tag (usually a strip of metal) with a unique code is gently attached to a bird’s tarsus (the part of the leg just above the foot). This tag, now a band or ring on the bird’s leg, helps researchers identify the bird if it’s seen or caught again.

Birds are carefully captured using special mist nets – thin mesh nets with small pockets designed to hold the birds until trained handlers remove them for processing safely. Once ringed, the bird’s species, age, sex, and wing length are recorded. This information helps scientists answer important questions: where do birds go during migration? How long do they live? When do they breed? What’s their health like?

One of the most remarkable bird-ringing sites in the world is right here in Kenya, at Ngulia Safari Lodge in Tsavo West National Park. The Ngulia bird ringing story began in 1969 when on a misty night the lodge’s bright floodlights attracted thousands of birds. Many flew into the lights, while others settled in nearby bushes. Curious about this phenomenon, ornithologists discovered that these were Palearctic birds – migratory birds travelling thousands of kilometres from Europe and Asia to sub-Saharan Africa for the winter. These birds rely on the moon, stars, landmarks, and instincts to guide their epic journeys. But on misty nights, when they reach the hills near the lodge, they become disoriented, and fly towards the lodge’s lights.

Since then, bird enthusiasts and researchers worldwide have gathered at Ngulia annually to ring these extraordinary travellers and witness the awe-inspiring migration. The 2024 Ngulia Annual Bird Ringing event, held from November 24 to December 6, was nothing short of spectacular. A total of 13,328 birds were ringed, including 966 resident birds. An impressive 118 species were recorded, including migratory Eurasian Scops Owl and Corn Crakes and a rare Lesser Cuckoo, and the local, colourful Narina Trogon, charming Eastern Nicators, vibrant African Golden Orioles, and many more.

These birds, with their incredible journeys and dazzling diversity, reveal the wonders of migration and remind us how truly interconnected our world is. Bird ringing isn’t just exciting – it’s crucial. By understanding birds’ migration routes, breeding habits, and survival challenges, researchers can develop strategies to protect them. Events like Ngulia’s Annual Bird Ringing are vital in global bird conservation efforts.

So, the next time you spot a bird in your garden or on a nature walk, remember – it might just be part of an incredible story that spans continents and connects us all.