BIRDING & BIRD WATCHING

Amboseli | Tsavo

Day 2. Swara Plains. O/N Acacia Camp A day to relax and wear off jet lag but not without an introduction of the Kenyan birds. The 20,000 acres Swara Plains Conservancy is old wild Africa at its very best: wide open savanna grasslands, tall yellow fever trees, endless views, over 3000 resident population of easy to see game and +270 bird species. The Swara Plains are part of the Tsavo-Amboseli eco-system and with exception of elephants, rhinos and buffaloes all the other plains game found in Tsavo and Amboseli is found here. In this adventure resort you will see big herds of oryx, elands, wildebeests, giraffes, monkeys, hartebeests, zebras, impalas, Grant's and Thompson's gazelles, warthogs and the occasional gerenuk (= giraffe-neck gazelle) in total absence of mass tourism. On our safari we will see Ostrich, Secretary Bird, Crowned Crane, Vulture, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Tawny Eagle and a herd of elands should provide Red-billed Oxpecker perched on their backs. Black Kite, Marabou Stork, Pied Crow and African Palm Swift are also available in the conservancy.

Lake Nakuru

day 3 we will descend from the lodge to the shore of Lake Elementaita. Obviously this place is great for numerous water birds (e.g. African Spoonbill, both species of Flamingos, Pied Kingfisher, Cape Teal...) but the acacia woods along the lake offer a wide range of new bird species e.g. Fish Eagle, Fisher's Lovebird, White-fronted Bee-eater, Lilac-breasted Roller, Klaas's and Red-chested Cuckoo, Grosbeak Weaver... Lake Nakuru our venue for

Day 5,6+7. Lake Baringo. O/N Lake Baringo Country Club After breakfast we head further north to Lake Baringo which without doubt is a one of the most interesting places for bird watching in Kenya because of the different habitats that are found with-in a small radius. There is the fresh water lake with a slight degree of alkalinity, cliffs, open grasslands as well as scattered bushes. Over 400 Kenyan birds species have been recorded in this area. The woodlands by the lake are alive with White-browed Sparrow-Weavers, Jackson's and Red-billed Hornbills, Bristle-crowned Starlings, and the rare Northern Masked Weavers, there are several Hamerkops along the lake shore and with luck we should be able to see their nest, which a pair of Grey Kestrels have adopted as a home. There will be time to relax, enjoy the pool, and walk around the grounds of the lodge on the look out for the resident Spotted Eagle-owls, and Sunbirds such as the Beautiful, Hunter's and the Violet-breasted. Nightjars are common on the lake shores at night and the Hippos graze freely on the lodge's lawn. Overnight is at the Lake Baringo Country Club. While at Baringo our safari detours to Lake Bogoria on

day 7 we will explore the escarpment and surrounding countryside for Hemprich's and Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, White-crested Turaco, Madagascar Bee-eater, Rufous-crowned Roller, Gabar Goshawk, Cliff Chat and Verreaux's Eagle which feeds on the Rock Hyrax. Later on the day we make a boat ride over Lake Baringo, always on the lookout for new species. We will come close to the Goliath Heron, African Fish Eagle, Malachite Kingfisher, plus swimming hippo and crocodiles.

Day 10. To Lake Naivasha + Crescent Island. O/N Sawela Lodge A scenic transfer through the Nandi Hills and the tea rich area of Kericho takes us back to Nakuru and further south to the Lake Naivasha area. Lake Naivasha is a fresh water lake without a known outlet. This is very strange considering that the rivers that feed it are salty. The lake has dense vegetation, which in turn supports a variety of Kenyan species. The area has a count of 350 bird species. We reach the Sawela Lodge, built on the shore of Lake Naivasha, in time for a late lunch where we'll stay for the next two nights. In the afternoon we do a boat ride on the lake, which gives us not only the chance to see numerous Hippos but also a wide variety of fresh water species. We dock on Crescent Island, a peninsula in Lake Naivasha and a haven for both bird watchers and hikers.

Masai Mara | Serengeti

Day 12,13+14. Masai Mara. O/N Mara Leisure Tented Camp or Ashnil Mara Tented Camp We head to the famous Masai Mara National Reserve, which borders Serengeti in Tanzania. With over 450 species recorded, excellent game viewing opportunities, the fascinating Masai culture, Mara is always a grand finale in our tours. In the vast grasslands we expect to see Elephants; the large Cats - Lion, Leopard, and Cheetah; the herd animals - Zebra, Wildebeest, Thompson's and Grant's Gazelles; and specialties like the Hartebeest and the Topi. Expected species are the highly conspicuous Common Ostrich, the small but still conspicuous Cardinal Quelea, Sooty Chat, Ground Hornbill, Open-billed Stork, Temminck's Courser, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse and Denham's Bustard. Lilac-breasted Rollers are common. If we find a kill, we may see six species of vultures all dining together: Egyptian, Hooded, Griffon, Lappet-faced, White-backed and White-headed. It will be a double reward should a Hyena or a Jackal join in the scramble for the kill. In addition we will encounter numerous raptors such as Bateleur, Martial and Tawny Eagles, as well as Pale Chanting Goshawk, Augur Buzzards and Black-chested Snake Eagles. Along the Mara River we'll watch for African Finfoot, Schalow's and Ross' Turaco, Crested Guineafowl, Woodland Kingfisher, Yellow-billed Barbet, Black-billed Weaver, Violet-backed Starling, and perhaps with luck, Pel's Fishing Owl. Any tapping noise on the trees may be indicative of the relatively uncommon Woodpeckers (Golden-tailed and Fine-banded). Hopefully we will be lucky enough to see some of the more difficult to see mammals such as Bat-eared Fox, Hunting Dog, Serval and the delightful Banded Mongoose.