SOUTH KENYA BIRDING SAFARI
2-19 November 2007 and 19 November - 6 December 2007
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Day |
Agenda
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1
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Leave the US.
Evening international flight from the US to Europe in coordination
with
BIRD TREKS.
Last year's European stopover was in Amsterdam. Your
night will be spent over the Atlantic Ocean.
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2
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Fly to Nairobi.
Depart the European city on a morning flight to arrive in Nairobi that
evening. You will be picked up at the Nairobi Airport by Steven and
the driver for transfer to our first hotel. The night will be spent in
the Hotel Pan Afric.
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3
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Welcome to the Masai Mara!
After breakfast we will transfer to nearby Wilson Airport for the
short but spectacular flight into the famed Rift Valley and the Masai
Mara Game Reserve, a great way to start any African safari! We will
be met by our fine driver(s) with their pop-top vans for our transfer
from the airstrip to the lodge. En route watch for Common Zebra,
Warthog, Grant's and Thomson's Gazelles, and Banded
Mongoose. On the lodge grounds live troops of both
Red-tailed and Blue Monkeys. Dinner and night at the
beautiful Kichwa Tembo Luxury Tented Camp.
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Everyone gets a window seat and a 360-degree view through the pop-up
roof in the safari van. Oh yes, and a Giraffe.
--Kevin Easley
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4
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Northern Carmine Bee-eater--WOW!
--Steven Easley
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We will start the day by birding the grounds of the
lodge and the escarpment above. Spectacular species to watch for
include Schalow's and Ross's Turacos, Common
Scimitarbill, Narina Trogon, Usambiro Barbet,
Red-throated Wryneck, Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, and
Violet-backed Starling. Raptors rising in the valley by
mid-morning may include Martial and Tawny Eagles,
Ovambo and Great Sparrowhawks, and the unique
Bateleur. After breakfast and again in the afternoon we will go
into the Mara Game Reserve where we will no doubt have sightings of
Olive Baboon, Masai Giraffe, Cape Buffalo,
Impala, Grant's and Thomson's Gazelles,
Topi, and Eland amongst a stellar group of birds which
may include Masai Ostrich, Red-necked and Coqui
Francolin, Secretarybird, a variety of raptors,
Southern Ground Hornbill, rollers, bee-eaters,
and cisticolas!!! Dinner and night again at the Kichwa Tembo
Luxury Tented Camp.
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5
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Today we will leave early for a full day game drive,
taking in the western and southern sections of the Mara. This is
always a memorable journey filled with some astounding wildlife
viewing. Along with the many kinds of antelope, watch for
Cheetah, Lion, Spotted Hyena, Bat-eared
Fox, Black-backed Jackal, and the rare Black Rhino.
Birds to watch for include bustards, six species of
vultures, Martial Eagle, Black-breasted
Snake-Eagle, Woodland Kingfisher, Sooty Chat,
Rosy-throated Longclaw, and cisticolas!!! We will stop
along the Mara River at the aptly named Hippo Pools to enjoy the
rumblings of these huge, mostly aquatic beasts. Watch for the
colorful Mwanza Rock Agama Lizard along the rocks near the
river. Continuing through the southern plains of the park watch for
larger concentrations of White-bearded Gnu (Wildebeest) as they
group together for protection from predators. We will eventually come
to our tented lodge located in a forested section in the southeast
sector of the park. Dinner and night at the Mara Sarova Luxury Tented
Camp.
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6
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This area of the Mara has one of the highest
concentrations of Lion in all of Africa. During our morning
game drive we will have an excellent chance to see several of these
awesome creatures. Birds along the way may include the Bare-faced
Go-away-bird, hornbills, more vultures and
raptors, Rufous-chested Swallow, and the local
White-tailed Lark. We will leave by late morning, exiting the
park to bird an area that has been good for Temminck's Courser,
Grey Kestrel, Red-capped Lark, Long-tailed (Magpie)
Shrike, and sometimes Grey-crested Helmetshrike. As we
drive toward the eastern edge of the Rift Valley, watch in the dwarf
acacia plains for Kori Bustard, Greater Kestrel,
Rufous-crowned Roller, and Capped and Schalow's
Wheatears. Once out of the valley we will come to Limuru Pond in
the highlands where we will search out such rarities as
White-backed and Maccoa Ducks. We will skirt the city
of Nairobi and eventually arrive back where we started, the Hotel Pan
Afric. Dinner and night at Hotel Pan Afric.
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A sleepy Lion cub . . . z z z
--Steven Easley
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7
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We'll get an early start heading west out of Nairobi
with stops en route that could produce Gabar Goshawk,
Meyer's Parrot, African Grey-headed Woodpecker,
Red-throated Tit, Banded and Brown Parisoma, and
several species of colorful starlings, among others.
Continuing south we will make a short side trip to the Athi Plains to
look for Yellow-throated Sandgrouse and Athi Short-toed
Lark. Further south we will come to the Kenya/Tanzania border
town of Namanga, rich in Masai culture. Here we will head east on
dirt road to Amboseli National Park located at the foot of Mount
Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in all of Africa. The entrance road
can be very birdy with hornbills, barbets including the
stunning Red-and-yellow, sunbirds, and various
finches. Lesser Kudu and Fringe-eared Oryx can
sometimes be spotted amongst the brushy vegetation leading into the
park. Watch for groups of the diminutive Dwarf Mongoose near
the large termite mounds. Amboseli is a combination of permanent
spring-fed marshes surrounded by grassy plains and very dry dusty
plains. We will be staying at the beautiful Ol Tukai Lodge
overlooking one of these permanent marshes. At some point during our
stay we should have great views of snow-covered Mount Kilimanjaro, an
African classic.
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8
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African Elephants are incredible creatures.
--Wayne Easley
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We will have all day to explore this diverse park. The
marshes are the most intriguing of the habitats in Amboseli and here
we will look for Saddle-billed Stork, African Jacana,
Greater Painted-Snipe, herons, egrets,
shorebirds, kingfishers, and raptors associated
with this habitat. The grassy, dry plains hold some unique birds such
as Two-banded Courser, Hartlaub's Bustard, various
larks, and Pangani Longclaw. In the wooded areas we
will look for Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, African Hoopoe, the
highly localized Taveta Golden Weaver, and many more.
Elephants can be seen throughout the day moving in caravans to
and from their water holes. Other mammals include Yellow
Baboon, Waterbuck, Bohor Reedbuck, Marsh
Mongoose, Masai Giraffe, Spotted Hyena,
Black-backed Jackal, Serval Cat, Cheetah, and
Lion. Dinner and night at Ol Tukai Lodge.
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9
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We will have a few hours this morning to enjoy
Amboseli before we leave for Tsavo West. As the habitat changes so
will the birds. Tsavo is mostly thornbush habitat with limited water.
Birds to look for on the game drive include Vulturine
Guineafowl, African Hawk-Eagle, Buff-crested
Bustard, Pearl-spotted Owlet, White Helmetshrike,
Bare-eyed Thrush, and the beautiful Golden-breasted
Starling. Mammals can be difficult to spot but watch for the
Lions of Tsavo, Elephant covered in red mud, Cape
Buffalo, Common Zebra, Lesser Kudu, the tiny
Kirk's Dikdik, and Rock Hyrax and Klipspringer
near the rocky ledges. Our lodge has a water hole where many of these
mammals come to drink in the evening. We have seen Freckled
and Slender-tailed Nightjars and African Scops-Owl on
the grounds at night as well. Dinner and night at Kiliguni Lodge.
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10
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We will have all day to explore Tsavo West National
Park. One of the highlights will be a visit to the crystal clear
Mzima Springs. Here you can watch Hippos gracefully swim about
while Black-faced Vervets swing from the trees. Birding is
excellent with possibilities such as Water Thick-Knee,
African Darter, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Greater
and Lesser Honeyguides, Northern Brownbul, a variety of
sunbirds including Black-bellied and the newly split
Tsavo Sunbird, and Red-headed Weaver. In other areas we
will search for African Pygmy Falcon, Abyssinian
Scimitarbill, Red-winged Lark, the local Pringle's
Puffback, Pygmy Batis, Tiny Cisticola, and Somali
Golden-breasted Bunting. We will return to Kiliguni Lodge for the
night and another chance for nocturnal birds.
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11
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During breakfast we can watch the feeding frenzy that
occurs when bread crumbs are put out on the nearby bird tables. After
a final game drive near the lodge we will continue east, adding birds
to our growing list with selected stops. Highly intriguing are the
huge Baobab trees that seem to have an ecosystem all to
themselves. Watch for the local Mottled Spinetail near these
strange trees along with various raptors. By imitating
Pearl-spotted Owlet, we will bring in a host of small birds
including White-winged Scrub-Robins, Brubru, some five
species of colorful sunbirds, and finches like the
Green-winged Pytilia, not to mention an actual Owlet.
Further down we will come to our lodge at the base of the Taita Hills.
This lodge overlooks a waterhole and at night one can watch big game
come to drink. Dinner and night at Taita Salt Lick Lodge.
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12
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This morning we will visit a highly endangered forest
known as the Taita Hills. There are three endemic subspecies found
only here in this dwindling evergreen forest. Further studies are
needed to determine if any of the three deserve full species status.
These three are the Taita (Olive) Thrush that is quite rare,
Taita (Bar-throated) Apalis that is uncommon at best, and
Taita (Montane) White-eye that is fairly common. We had great
views of all three on previous tours. Also watch for Great
Sparrowhawk, African Crowned Eagle, Lemon Dove,
Silvery-cheeked and Trumpeter Hornbills, and
Stripe-cheeked and Placid Greenbuls. In the afternoon
we will drive to Mombasa for our first views of the Indian Ocean.
From Mombasa we will drive south and eventually reach the Shimba Hills
Game Reserve and the peaceful Shimba Hills Lodge. This lodge is
situated in a forest overlooking a water hole complete with its
resident African Fish Eagle. Elephant come to drink at
night, as do the rare Bush Pigs. The lovely Common
Genet usually comes by and the amazing Lesser Galago, or
Bushbaby as it is better known, will even come for scraps at
your table.
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13
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Today we will visit the evergreen forests and grassy
plains of the Shimba Hills Game Reserve. One of the attractions here
is the stately Sable Antelope, the only location in Kenya to
see this spectacular mammal. Also watch for the seemingly lost
Western Colobus Monkey with its isolated population here in
southeast Kenya. Birds are well represented with such coastal
specialties as the stunning Crested Guineafowl, Palmnut
Vulture, Southern Banded Snake-Eagle, Lizard
Buzzard, African Cuckoo Hawk, Green Coucal,
African Wood Owl, Silvery-cheeked and Trumpeter
Hornbills, Eastern Green Tinkerbird, White-eared and
Green Barbets, Flappet Lark, Retz's and
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrikes, Red-tailed Ant-thrush,
Siffling Cisticola, African Golden and Green-headed
Orioles, and possibly the rare Orange-winged Pytilia.
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14
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After some early morning birding in the Shimba Hills
area, we will backtrack through Mombasa, heading north to the small
town of Watamu on the Indian Ocean. A stop en route at Mida Creek
usually turns up several spectacular Crab Plovers, one of the
highlights of the coast! Many migrant shorebirds can be seen
here during low tide as well. In the afternoon we will begin our
birding of the Sokoke Forest with a local guide and friend of ours.
Our target species this evening is the rare and local Sokoke Scops
Owl. It is estimated that the world population of this rare owl
is about 1000 pairs. If we cannot find this jewel in the daytime we
will stay till dusk when they begin to call. We have not missed this
species yet on a tour! Also watch for Fiery-necked Nightjar in
the sandy red soil areas. Dinner and night at Ocean Sports Resort
overlooking the Indian Ocean.
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15 & 16
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We will have the next two days to search out
the specialties of this coastal forest. Some of these birds are very
difficult to see but with patience and persistence we will view many
of them. Some of the less skulking birds include African
Goshawk, Fischer's Turaco, Bohm's Spinetail,
Mangrove Kingfisher, Little Spotted and Mombasa
Woodpeckers, Pale and Forest Batis, Retz's
and Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrikes, Black-headed Apalis,
Ashy Flycatcher, Little Yellow Flycatcher, the local
Clarke's Weaver, and the well-marked Peter's Twinspot.
Skulkers include Thick-billed Cuckoo, the priceless Sokoke
Pipit, East Coast Akalat, Spotted Ground Thrush
(almost mythical in Kenya), Eastern Nicator, Four-colored
Bush-Shrike, Scaly Babbler, and Green Twinspot.
Depending on water levels we may have an opportunity to see the
gorgeous African Pygmy Goose. Mammals of interest in this area
include the Four-toed Elephant-Shrew, the endangered and
bizarre Golden-rumped Elephant-Shrew, Caracal Cat, and
Common Genet. On the lodge grounds watch for nesting Golden
Palm Weavers and Grey Sunbirds around the flowering trees.
Dinner and night at Ocean Sports Resort in Watamu.
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17
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Our final day in Kenya will begin with early morning
birding at the Sabaki River mouth looking for specialties like
Sooty Gull, Saunder's Tern, White-fronted Plover,
Zanzibar Red Bishop, and Village Indigobird, along with
a host of others. Our last official target bird of the trip will be
the rare and local Malindi Pipit at a location where we had it
on our previous tours - we will still need a bit of luck! We will
then say goodbye to the coast, going to the nearby Malindi Airport for
our short flight to Nairobi. We will have our final dinner in time to
catch our late flights that evening.
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18
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European stopover. One year we had time for a
few hours of birding and sightseeing in Amsterdam. A few of our life
birds included European Robin, Great Tit, Ring-necked
Parakeet, and Short-toed Tree Creeper. We then depart for
the US to arrive home in the afternoon or evening of the same day.
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Leader:
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Steven L. Easley lived near Nairobi, Kenya for four years. During
that time he had the opportunity to observe over 920 species within
Kenya. He is very knowledgeable of the calls and habits of all Kenyan
birds and enjoys identifying the difficult groups such as cisticolas
and greenbuls. His expertise will be evident from day one. Steven
also works as a guide in Costa Rica through Costa Rica Gateway.
Steven's parents lived in Kenya as missionaries from 1994 to 2000. A
second guide will join Steven if we add a second van.
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Price:
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$4495 per person from Nairobi, based upon double occupancy. Single
accommodations can usually be arranged for an extra fee of
approximately $550 if we are given ample notice. If you request a
roommate but one is not available, you may need to pay part or all of
the single supplement. This is different from our usual policy, but
necessary because of pricing at the Kenya lodges.
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Includes:
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Expert guide service with Steven and resident guides; ground and air
transportation within Kenya, all entrance fees; ALL meals and
lodging for the entire tour. ALL tips are also included in the
tour fee, except for anything that you may wish to give to your tour
leaders.
Does not include the cost of alcoholic beverages, extra drinks during
the day, items of a personal nature, or airfare to Nairobi. Upon
request we will help you obtain the best possible airfare and
coordinate arrivals into Nairobi. Also not included are costs of
passport, visa, and inoculations.
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Deposit:
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An $1100 deposit will assure your reservation on the tour. The
balance is due 15 August 2007. Send your deposit SOON so that
we can secure the least expensive airfare to Nairobi and guarantee
your spot on the tour.
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Extra
Services:
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We offer the services of our exclusive
BIRD TREKS travel agent,
Lori Heathcote, in arranging your air travel. Lori has 21 years
of experience in the travel industry and is a veteran birder. Contact
her through Bailey Travel at 1-800-224-5399, or you can e-mail
lori@baileytravel.com.
By dealing with Lori you have the security of a 24-hour toll-free
telephone number in case of any travel emergency. She can also assist
you with all pre- and post-tour travel plans.
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Refund &
Cancellation
Policy:
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With written notice more than 90 days prior to the first day of the
tour, 100% of your deposit will be refunded, minus a $100 service fee.
With 30-90 days notice, you will receive a 50% refund of the full cost
of the tour. No refund can be made with less than 30 days notice. You
will receive a full refund if you provide a replacement for your spot
on the tour.
No partial refund can be given once a tour begins.
We strongly recommend that you purchase trip
cancellation insurance to protect your investment in case of injury or
illness to you or your family prior to or during a tour. Click on the
following link to Access America or contact
BIRD TREKS for information
on obtaining this coverage.
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Robert M. Schutsky
216 Spring Lane
Peach Bottom, PA 17563
Phone: 717-548-3303
Fax: 717-548-3327
e-mail: info@birdtreks.com
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