Tag: feature

Bird Ringing in 2021 Nairobi National Museum Gardens

Posted on by the EANHS

Ringing sessions (and training), take place weekly at the Nairobi National Museum grounds. Nature Kenya members and the general public are welcome to come and appreciate birds at close range. 

The passage of migratory Willow Warblers, Garden Warblers, Red-backed Shrikes and Lesser Grey Shrikes was outstanding this year. On one April morning, the Nairobi Ringing Group caught, ringed and released 29 Willow Warblers at the Museum grounds in the heart of Nairobi. 

The Nairobi Ringing Group was started in June 1994 in recognition of the demand for training in the techniques of bird ringing, and monitoring bird distribution and movement around Nairobi. It is a practical and participatory means through which both scientists and bird enthusiasts have been encouraged to support conservation initiatives. The main objective of the group is to recruit and train bird ringers to a high ethical and scientific standard. Trainee bird ringers are drawn from both professional ornithologists and amateur bird watchers who are keen to learn the skills and techniques to be competent and independent in handling and ringing birds. 

With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, ringing activities were put on hold from March last year. Ringing activities slowly resumed in early October 2020. This coincided with the opening of the Michuki Memorial Park, now managed by the Kenya Forest Service, and enjoined to the Museums botanical garden as a single ecosystem. A fence, providing security for birders and the general public recreation area around the Museum, now encloses the park. Since the President declared the site a park, with full protection, we have realized an increase in species diversity and some species have even increased in numbers at our ringing site. 

In a span of five months from October 2020 to March of this year we captured – and released – a total of 241 birds, out of which 47 were recaptures. A total of 33 species were captured and ringed within Nairobi National Museums ground during this time. 

As usual, the most captured species were Baglafecht Weaver (167 individuals), Red-billed Firefinch (144 individuals) and for the first time, Willow Warbler (75 individuals — the highest number of Willow Warblers captured at the Nairobi Museum ringing site). This was followed by Streaky Seedeater (48 individuals) and Northern Olive (Abyssinian) Thrush (37 individuals). Sunbirds are the most species-rich group of birds in the Museum grounds, with eight species captured. None of these have been recaptured at the site. 

Besides Willow Warblers, a good number of other Palearctic warblers were captured from November until May, with many recaptured. These included Marsh Warbler (35 individuals), Blackcap (8 individuals), and Garden Warbler (23 individuals). A Common Rock Thrush was captured for the first time on the Museum grounds. This first year (immature) bird was among early southward migrants. Most (82%) of the migrants were captured in March and April, including three Sedge Warblers, which were all captured in April. Our last migrants were captured in late mid-May. 

Some special Afrotropical species have included Green-backed Honeybird and Lemon Dove. One amazing record was of a Blue-spotted Wood Dove, a species that was not just new for the Museum grounds, but also new for the entire Nairobi region. 

All these success stories, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, show how consistent bird ringing at a common site can provide important ecological information on both local and migratory bird species. 

(We want to express our appreciation for interns at the Museums’ Ornithology Section, who regularly turned out to put up nets in the evening even during rainy days in readiness for the morning’s ringing) 

This article by Titus Imboma and Fleur Ng’weno appears in the current issue of Kenya Birding magazine.

Kamale Nature Reserve

Posted on by the EANHS

Dakatcha Woodland Forest — a safe haven for Kilifi (Clarke’s) Weaver 

The Kamale Nature Reserve is made up of forest and several wetlands. The wetlands provide nesting habitat for the endemic and Endangered Kilifi (Clarke’s) Weaver. 

Other bird species recorded in the reserve include Fischer’s Turaco, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, Great (Black) Sparrowhawk, Chestnut-fronted and Retz’s helmetshrikes, and Eastern Black-headed Oriole. It is also home to the Endangered Golden-rumped Sengi (elephant shrew), and there have been field signs of buffalo. Through working closely with scientists from the National Museums of Kenya the local community has identified varieties of edible mushrooms. The mushrooms are now harvested for local consumption, and for sale to the tourist hotels in Malindi. 

The local Dakatcha Woodland Conservation Group oversees and monitors the reserve on an ongoing basis and, where necessary, moves to mitigate illegal activities, like charcoal burning. Plans are underway to develop a site management plan, which will guide species conservation and day-to-day management of the nature reserve. 

The land was purchased by Nature Kenya with financial support from the World Land Trust, African Bird Club (ABC), RESOLVE, and DANIDA/Civil Society in Development. 

This article by Edwin Utumbi appears in the current issue of Kenya Birding magazine. 

Role of culture in the sustainable management of Mijikenda Kaya forests

Posted on by the EANHS

Kaya forests (Ma–Kaya) are found in coastal Kenya, along a strip that is approximately 50 km wide x 300 km long. They are residual areas of once extensive, lowland forest that are relatively small in size, ranging from 10 to 400 ha. There are currently 42 Kaya forests found in the counties of Kwale, Mombasa and Kilifi that are regarded as sacred by the Mijikenda community.

 All Kaya forests bear a rich history or tradition of settlement. The word Kaya means home in most Mijikenda dialects. All ‘true’ Kaya forests once contained hidden fortified villages where the Mijikenda took refuge from their enemies when they first migrated to the region. These citadels are thought of as the resting places of their ancestors and still bear marks of human activity, particularly clearings and paths that have cultural and historical significance.

Some communities still bury their dead and perform various other traditional rituals and ceremonies in Kaya forests. For example, at the beginning of the Mijikenda year, before the rainy season, Kaya elders go to the shrines in these forests to pray for rainfall and to pray over their crop seeds.

There are a number of cultural beliefs and practices of the Mijikenda that have helped conserve Kaya forests:

  • Kaya shrines are only accessible to bonafide Kaya elders. Trespassers risk inviting the wrath of ancestral spirits, thereby deterring would-be poachers, illegal grazing and firewood collection.
  • Local community members are afraid of damaging any part of Kaya forests for fear of being summoned, grilled and reprimanded by the elders. The elders are looked upon with trepidation for being able to curse or expel a defiant individual from the clan.
  • Mijikenda communities also hold mentoring sessions (known as dhome) for young men and women in Kaya forests. Here, life skills are taught to youth transitioning from childhood to adulthood and these include teachings on the wise-use and management of natural resources.
  • For curing diseases, local communities are still very dependent on medicinal herbs, havested in Kaya forests.
  • Income-generating activities like cultural dancing and tours are also incentives for the conservation of Kaya forests.
  • Big trees mark the boundaries of Kaya forests, and felling them is prohibited. There’s a belief that bad luck will befall anyone who dares to cut down such a tree.

Kaya forests continue to be conserved by communities, and they play an increasingly important role in the protection of coastal birds, such as, Fischer’s Turaco, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, African Golden Oriole, Plain-backed and Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbirds, Sokoke Pipit, and Spotted Ground Thrush.

Examples of Kaya forests: Kaya Chonyi Forest Reserve and Kaya Jibana Forest Reserve in Kilifi County, Kaya Kwale and Kaya Bombo in Kwale, and Kaya Shonda in Mombasa County.

This article by Gibson Kitsao Mwatete appears in the current issue of Kenya Birding magazine. 

Golfers and businesses come together to support Mount Kenya forest restoration

Posted on by the EANHS

Golfers and businesses converged at the Karen Country Club on Friday, July 23rd, for the 11th Nature Kenya charity golf tournament. The event, under the Lungs for Kenya banner, raised KSh. 2.2 million for the restoration of Mount Kenya forest. 

 

A total of 142 golfers participated in the one-day tournament that had seen several postponements due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Africa Data Centers were the lead sponsors of the event. Vivo Energy Kenya and Kenya Breweries were the silver sponsors, Platinum Credit double bronze sponsors and Knight Frank bronze sponsors. Williamson Tea, Prime Bank, Syngenta. NCBA Bank, Nedbank Kenya, DT Dobie Kenya, Kenya Forest Service and Boskovic Air Charters were hole sponsors.

 

Several business entities and individuals also supported the fundraiser with auction and raffles items. They included Basecamp Explorer Group, Angama Mara, Royal Mara, Skyward Express, Safarilink, Hemmingways Collection, Serena Hotels, Matbronze Wildlife Art, Elewana Collection, San Valencia Restaurants, Travellers Beach Hotel, Davis and Shirtliff, Cookswell, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, DT Dobie Kenya, Salma and Andy Watt, Alex Duncanson and Andrew Kamiti. We say a big ‘thank you’ to all our sponsors.

Sharpe’s Longclaw survey

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A Sharpe’s Longclaw survey recently conducted by a group of volunteers in Kinangop grasslands indicates the Endangered bird’s habitat is still under threat from human activity. Friends of Kinangop Plateau (FoKP), a Nature Kenya site support group (SSG), conducted the study between April and May this year. The study covered four locations in Kinangop, namely Magumu/Nyakio, Njambini, Engineer and Murungaru.

Bird experts from BirdLife International assisted the volunteers in the study, which had identified 24 farms as suitable habitats for the grassland specialist Sharpe’s Longclaw.

Various data was captured and recorded during the survey. It included: the number of Sharpe’s Longclaw individuals observed, their breeding status, GPS coordinates of the areas visited, habitat quality as per the requirements of the target species, among others. Other bird species observed were also noted. A total of 286 Sharpe’s Longclaw individuals were recorded during the survey.

Sharpe’s Longclaw depends on tussock grass that grows in Kinangop. The grass species grows in clumps or tufts and thrives in dry highland habitats. The bird uses tussock grass to feed, nest, and protect itself from predators when threatened.

The Kinangop grasslands are one of the three main areas where Sharpe’s Longclaw, a bird endemic to Kenya, is found. Mau Narok and Timau grasslands are the other two areas. In Kinangop, the bird’s range is mostly restricted to privately owned grasslands.

The study noted that loss of the tussock grass habitat due to land-use conversion for farming and woodlot establishment is a leading contributor to the Sharpe’s Longclaw population decline. Over 12 newly converted private grasslands were recorded in the course of the survey. Overgrazing was also observed as a contributor to tussock grass habitat degradation.

To mitigate the threats, FoKP proposes the strengthening of grassland and species conservation knowledge and the capacity of private landowners and managers in Kinangop. Other recommendations include the annual monitoring of the Sharpe’s Longclaw in Kinangop, Mau Narok and Timau grasslands, and conducting a nationwide survey for the species after every five years.

Volunteers who participated in the survey also took time to create community awareness on habitat conservation. The interaction between FoKP members and bird experts also served to sharpen the SSG’s monitoring skills.

Nature Kenya is working closely with FoKP to promote the conservation of Sharpe’s Longclaw and its habitat in Kinangop. In 2010, Nature Kenya secured the purchase of 20 hectares of land at the Kinangop Grasslands Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) to protect the Endangered bird’s habitat.