Another transfer day, we drove through some spectacular scenery as we climbed away from the valley. At a comfort stop near the highest point an Amethyst Sunbird was nectaring at the top of a tree, revealing a jewel like throat. A Greater Blue-eared Starling shone with sparking iridescence in the sunshine and a white morph African Paradise Flycatcher added some interest to the break. Some large overflying swifts were identified by Alex, our guide, as Nyanza Swift, but only the two of us saw these.
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| Greater Blue-eared Starling |
We continued on, arriving at our next base, the Rondo Christian retreat centre in time for lunch. Once replete, we congregated in the garden for an exploration of the forest and gardens. In a large tree within the grounds, a Crowned Eagle stood guard over a large chick perched just outside the nest. A Brown-capped Warbler foraged along the branch of a nearby tree and an Olive backed Sunbird fed in a flowering shrub. A local guide met us here and we split into two groups for the forest walk. Unfortunately our group were relatively unsuccessful in finding anything of interest, although the other group fared much better.
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| Brown-capped Weaver (juvenile) |
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| Crowned Eagle |
A walk along the road outside the hotel proved more fruitful, with a bonanza of bird activity in the trees. A good variety of species included Klass’ Cuckoo, Grey-throated Barbet, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye and Bocage’s Bushshrike and African Blue Flycatcher. Most noteworthy were Black and White Casqued Hornbills roosting together. Both Black and White-headed Saw-wing hawked over the tea plantation.
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| Black and White Casqued Hornbill |
Monkeys were plentiful around the treetops and we had good views of both Colobus and Blue Monkeys.
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| Blue Monkey |
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| Colobus Monkey |
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