NDEGE WETU: A Tribute to the Birds of Kenya (Part 2 – I Am NOT A Bad Omen)
Several of Kenya’s birds have myths and legends associated with them. Some good, some bad. Of all birds that have superstitious beliefs linked to them in Kenya, owls are probably the most famous (or rather the most infamous) group. This is because they are regarded as bad omens or signs...
Why The Nairobi National Park Bird List Is One Of The Longest In Africa
In my previous blog post, I described a day of birding in Nairobi National Park in which a few friends and I jointly recorded 213 bird species in the park. I also mentioned that, despite it being a great number, it is fairly average by the park’s standards. This is...
NDEGE WETU: A Tribute to the Birds of Kenya (Part 4 – A Name that Says A Lot)
There are many birds in Kenya with interesting names. A name might describe a bird’s appearance, behavior, call/song, habitat or location where it is found. Of all the birds found in Kenya, one stands out to me as having the most legendary name of all. It’s a bird with a...
Birding From Home – The Eccentric African Harrier-Hawk
The Birding From Home series will keep you entertained as you stay at home. Here are some interesting facts about the rather unusual African Harrier Hawk!
Birding From Home – Global Big Day, May 2020
Yesterday, 09 May 2020, was eBird’s Global Big Day. A day when birders from around the world do their best to see as many species as possible in 24 hours. The total number of bird species seen in each country is then tallied to see which country got the most...
Bird Mapping Expedition to the Masai Mara, Trans Mara and Lake Victoria Basin!
I recently led an incredible 11-day bird mapping expedition for the Kenya Bird Map project in south-western Kenya, where we recorded over 300 bird species. Have a look at the photographic report I’ve put together, where I share the highlights of the trip: Trip Report. To be notified of future...
NDEGE WETU: A Tribute to the Birds of Kenya (Part 12 – Unconventional Parents)
When you think of birds raising their young, you probably think of something like this: parents build a nest, they lay their eggs, the eggs hatch, chicks are fed until they grow up and they finally leave their parents to make their own way in the world. That’s true for...
Peacocks and Picathartes: Reflections on Africa’s birdlife – Book Review
This book by Rupert Watson has been nothing but a joy to read. Watson explains in the preface that it is a book about the birds that are “quintessentially African”, and that the aim is to expand the interest of the reader in Africa’s birdlife by both informing and entertaining....