Itinerary:

 After arriving at Nairobi, we head into the highlands, where our various lodge grounds have several montane species, including Red-fronted Parrot, Tacazze Sunbird (and up to 8 others!), Hartlaub’s Turaco, Montane Nightjar, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Giant Kingfisher, Tullberg’s Woodpecker, White-headed Woodhoopoe, Silvery-cheeked and Trumpeter Hornbills, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Hunter’s Cisticola, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Grey-olive Greenbul, Abbott’s, Kenrick’s and Waller’s Starlings. We may have the chance of some high-altitude birding for Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Jackson’s Francolin and Alpine Chat. We can look for the endemic Hinde’s Babbler and Aberdare Cisticola on the slopes of the mountains, and we will traverse Kinangop Plateau, where the endemic Sharpe’s Longclaw and Wing-snapping Cisticola occur.

In between the highlands, we head to Samburu. As well as many raptors, including Pygmy Falcon, we look for Somali Ostrich, Kori and Buff-crested Bustards, Somali Bee-eater, Vulturine Guineafowl, Bare-eyed Thrush, Black-capped Social Weaver, Cut-throat, Red-winged and Pink-breasted Larks, Golden Pipit, and Donaldson-Smith’s Sparrow-weaver. Big game is abundant, with Elephant, Reticulated Giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra and regular Leopards. We also have the opportunity of seeking out the endemic William’s, and Masked Larks.

From here we visit two Rift Valley soda lakes, Nakuru and Elementaita. The nearby fringes of the Aberdares are also home to the endemic Aberdare Cisticola, and the lakes are home to huge gatherings of Lesser Flamingo, and other waterbirds are abundant. We will also look for acacia forest species, including Hildebrandt’s and Coqui Francolins, scarce Grey-crowned Helmet-shrike, Arrow-marked Babbler, and Bearded Woodpecker. Lake Baringo is freshwater, and several restricted-range species occur, including Hemprich’s and Jackson’s Hornbills, Heuglin’s Courser, Brown-tailed Rock Chat, Northern Grey Tit, Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit, Beautiful Sunbird, Bristle-crowned Starling, Jackson’s Golden-backed, Little and Northern Masked Weavers. Previous tours have found four roosting Owls, Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Spotted Eagle Owl, White-faced Scops Owl and Barn Owl.

After a spectacular drive across the Kerio Valley, stopping to look for Boran Cisticola and Little Rock Thrush, we reach the western plateau. Near Mt. Elgon, we visit Saiwa Swamp, where Blue-headed Coucal, Double-toothed Barbet, Black-throated Wattle-eye, African Shrike Flycatcher, Ross’s Turaco and Splendid Glossy Starling may be found. Kongolei Escarpment has several Kenya scarcities, including Lesser Blue-eared Starling, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Yellow-billed Shrike, Pygmy Batis and White-crested Turaco.

Kakamega Forest holds many rarities, including several Barbets and Woodpeckers, Great Blue Turaco, Narina and Bar-tailed Trogons, Grey Parrot, Blue-headed Bee-eater, Turner’s Eremomela, Bocage’s and Lühder’s Bush-shrikes, Grey-headed and White-breasted Nigritas, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, White-chinned and Banded Prinias, African Broadbill, Chapin’s Flycatcher and a host of Greenbuls. Heading to papyrus-fringed Lake Victoria, we look for Papyrus and Black-headed Gonoleks, Red-faced Lovebird, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Carruther’s Cisticola, Papyrus Canary, White-winged Warbler and the enigmatic Rock Pratincole.

In the Masai Mara, species include Wattled Plover, Red-necked Spurfowl, Rosy-breasted Longclaw, Hildebrandt’s Starling, Sooty Chat and Bare-faced Go-away Bird. Cheetah, Lion and Elephant star on the mammal front.. We will stop on the way back to Nairobi for a recently discovered site for Karamoja Apalis, as well as a pond for White-backed and Maccoa Ducks. Once at Nairobi, we will visit the Lake Magadi Road and its National Park, excellent for Bustards, Larks and Cisticolas, as well as Steel-blue, Straw-tailed and Paradise Whydah, a distinctive Pringle’s Puffback race, Northern Pied Babbler, Red-throated Tit and the newly-described Nairobi Pipit.

Heading coastwards, we travel via Tsavo, where we seek out the elusive Red-naped Bush-shrike, Golden-breasted Starling, Taveta Golden Weaver and Tsavo Purple-banded Sunbird, and Taita Hills, famous for its endemic eponymous Thrush, White-eye and Apalis. The final few days will be spent in varied coastal habitats, including; Sokoke Forest, for the endemic Clarke`s Weaver, Sokoke Scops Owl, Amani and Plain-backed Sunbirds, Fischer’s Turaco, Black-bellied Starling, East Coast Akalat and Sokoke Pipit; and Mida Creek and Sabaki Rivermouth, for waders and terns. Species here include Crab Plover, Saunder’s, Swift and Lesser Crested Terns, Malindi Pipit, Zanzibar Red Bishop, Mangrove Kingfisher, African Skimmer and Madagascar Pratincole. Little Sparrowhawk (Tina Mistry)