Table Of ContentBirding Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and
Kenya’s northern coast
John H. Fanshawe
Resume:LacotenordduKenyaoffred’excellenteschancesd’observerlesoiseauxetjouitd’unaccesfacile
d’EuropealavillecoheredeMombasa.Danslapresentecommunication,laforetd’Arabuko-Sokokeainsi
que plusieurs autre sites, comme Mida Creek et l’embouchure de la riviere Sabaki, son decrits et
accompagnesdenotessurlafaqondes’yrendre. Desdetailssupplementairessurunnombred’especes
etdegroupesd’especesraressontegalementfournis.
W
ithsomeofthemostaccessibleaccommodation careful,andwatchyourrearmirrorfortheapproachof
in East Africa, and cheap package deals and coastbuses,whosedriverstreateventhemostcavern-
flights to Mombasa from all over Europe, Kenya’s ousholeswithtotaldisdain.
coastalprovinceoffersoutstandingvaluetothevisiting AlthoughIhavewrittenthispaperwiththespecific
birder. In this article, I concentrate on the purposeofencouragingbirderstovisitthenorthcoast
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest area, including Mida Creek ofKenya, it is worth noting that these sites lie at the
andtheSabakirivermouth,aswellassomeoftheless centreofoneofAfrica'smostpopulartouristdestina-
well-knownsites,likeLakeJilore. Youcanreachallof tions.Breaksathotels,liketheTurtleBayBeachClubin
theseplaceseasilyfromWatamuandMalindi,andthey WatamuandTheDriftwoodClubinMalindi,aregreat
offer rewarding birding in a small area. Birders with family holidays with activities ranging from divingto
more time and moneycantravel inland to the rest of wind-surfing, sailingtodeepseafishing, aswellasall
Kenya’s birding destinations. Many, including Tsavo theothergloriesofatropicalseasideenvironment(ripe
EastNationalParkandtheTaitaHills,arewithinaday's mangoes spring instantly to mind). Hospitality is the
drive. rule and, whatever their age, there will always be
TheopeningofaspectacularbridgespanningKilifi distractions for members ofyour party who are not
Creek,awatercrossingbyferrythatusedtodriveeven keenonbirding!
themostpatienttodespair, nowmeansthatthenorth
coastiswithineasyreachofMombasabycar, matatu Arabuko-Sokoke Forest
or bus. You can drive the distance in less than two AsyoudrivenorthfromKilifi,Arabuko-SokokeForest
hours,allowinggentlebirdingenroutethatguarantees forms a boundary immediately west of the road for
theubiquitousIndianHouseCrowCorvussplendens, almost25km. Standingjust inlandofMidaCreekand
nowinfestingthecoasttothedetrimentofsmallersong thecoastalbeachesofWatamu,itisthelargestremain-
birds, as well as coastal specialities like Zanzibar ing stand of indigenous coastal forest in Kenya,
Euplectesnigroventrisand Black-wingedRedBish- spreadingover372km2.Low-lying,Sokokebarelyrises
opsE.hordeaceus, bothofwhichturnupinroadside above60m. Soilsareoftwoprincipalsorts,whiteand
poolswhich flood inthelongrains, especiallyduring dark red, the former probably alluvial orsea sand in
April,thewettestmonth.Unlikeitswell-markedinland origin,thelatteraninfertilesoilthatstretchesinlandto
cousin, the pale coastal race ofWinding Cisticola Tsavo. The switch from white to red soil is striking,
Cisticolagalactoteshaematocephala is common in a takingplaceoverafewmetres,andcontributingtothe
widerangeofwetanddryhabitats.Keepaneyeoutfor equally abrupt changes in vegetation (see below).
shy Brown-headed Parrots Poicephalus Thereisnopermanentwater,althoughalargeriver,the
cryptoxanthusamongthebaobabstoo,especiallyjust Sabaki,flowstothenorth.Ephemeralpoolsforminthe
southofKilifi. rainsandmayextendtoover2hainexceptionalyears.
To Kilifi, the main road is good and fast and, They form interesting oases in the forest and attract
although there are no well known sites before you crakesandherons, aswellasmigrantwaders.Annual
reach Arabuko-Sokoke and Mida Creek, it is worth a rainfall is dominated by a long rainyseason in April,
little birding time. From Kilifi to Malindi, the road is MayandJune,withmeanannualrainfallrarelyexceed-
pepperedwithpot-holes,somewellcapableofshred- ing 1000mm. The name ofthe forest is derived from
ding a tyre or dislodging an exhaust, so please be Giriama and Sanje words, arabukomeaning place of
Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fanshawe BullABC Vol 1 No2 -79
Sokoke, and so needs
recording.
Some 233 bird species
havebeenobservedinthe
forest, including some of
Kenya’s, and East Africa’s,
most elusive. Seeking out
Sokoke’s special birds
needs time, two or three
daysatleast,andanappre-
ciation that the division of
the forest into three broad
habitattypes(dominatedby
different tree species:
Afzelia Brachystegia and
,
Cynometra),stronglyinflu-
encestheirdistribution.To
see the best range ofspe-
cies, you would need to
spend time in each area.
Crossingtheforestwestto
eastyoucomeacrossthese
habitatsinalphabeticalor-
der,A>B>C,theAfzeliagw-
ing way to Brachystegia
,
andthento Cynometra the
,
lattercoincidingwithadra-
maticchangeofsoilcolour
fromwhitetored.
Threekeyaccesspoints
exist, allleadingwestfrom
the main Mombasa Road,
andalllyingsouthofGede
village. One km south of
Gede Forest Station is the
MapofArabuko-SokokeForest
LeplandeforetdArabuko-Sokoke Gedewalkingtrail; asmall
shaded car park gives
accesstotwoshorttrailsin
thinelephants,andso&o&ereferringtothedenseshady thewettest Afzeliaforest.Thisisanexcellentareafor
thicketstypicaloftheredsoil.Thelighter,airiervegeta- alltheAfzeliabirds.Waytothesouth,22kmfromGede
tionofthewhitesoiliscalledsosoni. ForestStation,istheKararachatrackwhich,afterathin
AkilometresouthofGedevillageliestheentrance beltofratherpoorAfzeliaforest,giveswaytoexcellent
toGedeForestStation,headquartersofboththeForest Brachystegia woodland, and access to a system of
DepartmentandtheKenyaWildlifeService,jointforest tracks that leads deep into Sokoke, tracks that finally
managers, and coastal office ofthe Kenya Forest Re- reach the nyari or view point, which offers an out-
,
searchInstitute,which maintainsabankofseedscol- standingplacefromwheretolookoutovertheforest
lectedinSokoke.Youwillfindtreeswiththeirscientific canopytowards theIndianOcean. This area isworth
namesinitialledinlargewhiteletters,eg.A.c.forAfzelia exploringifyouhavetimebut,forthepurposesofthis
cuanzensis, throughout the forest. A visit to Gede account,Iintendtoconcentrateontheso-calledMida,
ForestStationisessentialforyoutoregisteryourselfin orNatureReservetrack,whichenterstheforest3.8km
the tourist records. Please take the time to drop in, southoftheforeststation. InKenya,tenpercentofall
whetheryouaretakingaguideornot(moreofguides natural forest is set aside as strict nature reserve, but
below).Whilstitmayseemlikeaninconvenience,your there is no obvious way ofdistinguishing the nature
visit is a critical support for the moves to conserve reserve on the ground in Sokoke. Well-worked, the
80 - BullABC Vol 1 No2 Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fanshawe
Mida track, and those that branch from it, has the theeveningbringsanotherpeakofactivity,butitdoes
potentialtoofferallthekeyforestbirdspecies. notcomparewiththemorningand,unlessyouareon
Forthefirstkilometre,theMidatrackpassesthrough yourwayintosearchforscopsowls,youarebetteroff
heavilydegradedforestwithlittleornocanopy. Early birdingatMidaorSabakiforwaders,gullsandterns.
inthemorning,literallyatfirstlight,orafterheavyrain, Seasonality: Sokokeisinterestingallyearround,
thetrackmayyieldSpottedGround-thrush Turdus butitishardesttobirdinthediyseason,withlittlerain
fischeriand perhaps a partyofCrestedGuineafowl fallingfromDecembertoMarch.Severalofthespecies,
Gutteraedouardidryingout. Onmostdays,however, notably Spotted Ground-thrush, Red-capped
youshouldpassontothefirstjunctionatonekilometre. RobinChatCossyphanatalensisandthenear-mystical
HeretheroadswingsrighttowardsJilore,butitisworth
driving straight ahead since the habitat quality im-
provesatonce.YouaresooningoodAfzeliaforest,the
trackbecomingatunneloverwhichmaturetreecano-
pies form a roof. After a further 2.1km, the forest
suddenlychangesintoBrachystegiawoodland, and it
isherethatyouwillfindthebestearlymorningbirding,
leavingareturntothecooloftheAfzeliaforlater.
Pressing on through the Brachystegia eventually
leadsoneto Cynometraforest, butonlyafteranother
fivekilometres,andsoitisreallybettertoreturntothe
junction close to the main road and rejoin the track
towardsjiloreForestStation.ThispassesthroughAfzelia,
thenBrachystegiaand,afterashortclimb,leadsdown
intoCynometraforestwiththewhitesoilgivingwayto
redatthebottomofaslightescarpment.Anumberof
sidetracksleadoffintoallthreehabitattypesandare AfricanPittaPittaangolensis
worth exploring. Some of the Cynometra forest is byCraigRobson
degradedbut, becauseitisthemostaccessibleofthis African Pitta Pitta angolensis are intra-African mi-
habitattype,andsupportsagoodpopulationofSokoke grantsandabsentduringthedryseason.Theyreturnin
ScopsOwlsOtusireneae,itdefinitelyneedsinvestiga- the long rains that start in earnest in April and last
tion. throughMay andJune, finallygivingwaytosporadic
Walking orslow-drivingthe roads andtracks can showersuntiltheshortrainsinOctoberandNovember.
yieldarangeofbirdsandmammals.Itisworthstopping Intruth, myA>B>Cvegetation classificationis an
at corners and scanning far ahead, taking special ac- oversimplificationbut,fromabirdingpointofview, it
count of dips and damp places, where Peter’s doesmakesensesincethethreehabitatsofferdifferent
Twinspots Hypargos niveoguttatus like to forage. birds and opportunities for watching. I give below
SokokePipitAnthussokokensisisararespeciesthat generalnotesoneachtype,followedbydetailednotes
regularlyventuresontowell-shadedtracks.Ittypically onsomeofthemoredifficultspeciesattheend.Thisis
flies up into the middle storeybefore dropping back notacomprehensivetreatment,butIhopethatitgives
onto the forest floor to resume foraging. aflavourofthebirdingavailable inSokoke.
Golden-rumped Elephant-shrew Rhynchocyon
chrysopygusandSuniNeotragusmoschatus,aswellas Afzelia
Yellow Baboon Papio cyanocephalus and Sykes’ Thefirstforestthatoneencounters, Afzelia, is dense,
Monkeys Cercopithecus albogularis, are mammals diverse,andformsabeltoflushhabitatwhichiscool,
thatyoucanoftenseeontheroads,especiallyearlyin andwherethebirdstendtobecomeactiveslightlylater
the morning. Watch forbirds crossing ahead aswell, in the morning than in the Brachystegia woodland.
since it is often the first evidence one sees ofmixed Birdstolookforheretendtobeshyandshade-loving,
speciesflocks. often inthelowormiddlecanopy. Despitetheirloud
Time of day: Like most African birding sites, calls, many species are hard to find in the tangles:
Sokoke is best early in the morning, from sunrise at Crested Flycatcher Trochocercus cyanomelas,
about06.00h,untilaround09.00h,afterwhichtimebird Fischer’sPhyllastrephusfischeriandTinyGreenbul
activitytendstofall away. Thecoastheatsupquickly P. debilis, Forest Batis Satis mixta, and Olive
and,althoughyoucanfindbirdsthroughouttheday,it Nectarinia olivacea and Plain-backed Sunbird
isworthgettingintotheforestatfirstlight.Thecoolof Anthreptesreichenowi.ItisthebestareaforEastCoast
Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fanshawe BullABC Vol 1 No2- 81
Akalat Sheppardia gunningi which, like Green Lybiustorquatusalsostilloccurhere,oftenclosetothe
Tinkerbird Pogoniulussimplex, is notoriouslycryp- ephemeral pools deep in the forest. Less commonly,
tic. These species rarely invade the Brachystegia so Amethyst Sunbird Nectarinia amethystina
, ,
you have to find them in the Afzelia. Sokoke Pipit Lead-coloured Flycatcher Myioparus plumbeus,
occursatreasonable densities, butisslightlyeasierto which has a distinctive trilling phone-like call, and
locate in the more open Brachystegia. Mixed bird Green-cappedEremomela Eremomelascotops, can
flocks will yield several species together, including allbefoundinthe Brachystegia.
LittleYellowFlycatchersErythrocercusholochlorus Birdersarewellawareofthevalueofseekingout
or Black-headed Apalises Apalis melanocephala mixedspeciesflocksinforests, sincetheycanoften
(which occur in the low and middle canopies in all provide views ofa number ofspecies together. Two
three forest types), and perhaps attracting Ashy hypothesesesareusuallysuggestedtoexplainthephe-
Muscicapa caerulescens and Paradise Flycatchers nomenon:improvedfeedingopportunitiesasthepro-
Terpsiphone viridis. The Afzelia is the best area for gressing flock flushes insects, or because of better
Fischer’s Turaco Tauracofischeri but beware fol- predatordetection,withnumerouspairsofeyeswatch-
,
lowing up calls since they can carrya long way and, ingoutforraptorslikeGreatSparrowhawkAccipiter
despite their size and obvious colourfulness, turacos melanoleucus and African Goshawk A. tachiro. In
tendtoberathershy, andskilledatblending intothe the Brachystegia, flocks build around two species of
background. helmet-shrike, Chestnut-fronted Prionops
Impressiveanttrailsareaparticularfeatureofforest scopifons,acoastalspecialityandbyfarthecommoner
like Sokoke, especially after heavy rain. If you are bird, andRetz’s P. retziwhichoccurs insmallgroups
careful, they can yield shy species like the migrant ofbetweenfiveandeightindividuals,andseemsshyer.
Red-capped Robin Chat, and residents like The Chestnut-fronted Helmet-shrikes appear to
Red-tailedAnt-thrushNeocossyphusrufus, Eastern manipulatethepresenceofotherbirdsbycalling,their
Bearded Scrub Robin Cercotrichas quadrivirgata noisytrillingdrawinginotherspeciesfromallaround.
andEastCoastAkalat. Well-establishedribbontrails
where the ants - known as siafu- are simplymoving
fromAto B, are less productive than feeding parties,
where they move on a broad front flushing lots of
insects.Asmanyas20-30birdsmaygatherandyoumay
berewardedwithgoodviewssimplybysittingquietly
nearby. The larger soldier ants have a very powerful
bite,andanuncannycapacitytoseekoutatenderspot
before using it, so a circumspect watch ofthe trail’s
progressiswellworthmaintaining!
Brachystegia
Brachystegiawoodland is the most open habitat and
the easiest to bird. Where the woodland has been
degraded,itformsapatchworkoftreestandsandopen
glades. Thetree Brachystegiaspiciformisdominates;
likemostspeciesintheforest, itisdeciduous. Itsheds
itsleavesannuallyandburstsintonew, reddishleafin
therains, acolourwhichsoongiveswaytoa delicate
grey-green. The canopy is the key habitat here, sup-
porting a range of special birds, notably Clarke’s Clarke’sWeaverPloceusgolandi
WeaverPloceusgolandi, thediminutiveAmaniSun- byMartinWoodcock
bird Anthreptespallidigaster and East Coast Batis Followers include Dark-backed Weaver Ploceus
Batts soror, which replaces the Forest Batis of the bicolor Scimitarbill Pboeniculuscyanomelas, Little
,
Afzeliaand Cynometraforest.Thisisthebestplaceto SpottedCampetheracailliautiiandMombasaWood-
find Mombasa Woodpecker Campethera peckers, Green Wood-hoopoe Pboeniculus
momhassica, (onlyrecentlysplit fromGolden-tailed purpureus, Crowned Hornbill Tockus
C. ahingoni), and Green Barbet Buccanodon alboterminatus, Black-headed Oriolus larvatusand
olivaceum,with itsdistinctivefar-carrying tok-tok-tok. themigrantAfricanGoldenOrioleO.auratus(there
A few pairs of the striking Black-collared Barbet areafewrecordsoftherareGreen-headedOrioleO.
82 -BullABC Vol 1 No2 Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fansbawe
,
chlorocephalus) and less often, Yellow-bellied Brachylaenabuillensisforthecarvingtrade,hasmodi-
Greenbul Chlorocichlaflaviventris, NicatorNicator fied large swathes ofSokoke and many ofthe birds,
chloris and Narina’s Trogon Apaloderma narina. especiallyintheBrachystegiaand Cynometra,arenot
When they are in the forest, Clarke’s Weavers (see trueforestspecies.
below)regularlyjointheseflocks,swellingnumbersto
Otherwildlife:visitorstoSokokeshouldlookoutfor
hundreds.
severalremarkablemammals.Thereareasmallnumber
Cynometra ofAfricanElephantsLoxodontaafricana probably
,
Thisforestissodense, thatbirdingisbestconfinedto fewerthanahundred,butoffargreaterinterestarethe
seeking those species that cannot be found in the elephant-shrews, both Golden-rumped (largely
Afzeliaand Brachystegia. The scops owl is the main confinedtothewhitesoilareaandmostcommoninthe
target(seespeciesaccountsbelow),butdaytimebird- wetter Afzelia forest), and Four-toed Petrodomus
ing can bring an opportunity to see the day-glo tetradactylus (generally on red soil, nocturnal and
Four-coloured Bush-shrike Malaconotus mainlyseenduringscopsowlforays).Golden-rumped
quadricolor.Likesomanybush-shrikes,itscapacityto Elephant-shrew is endemicto the Sokoke area and
skulk,evenatclosequarters,isamazing;soitisalways an excellent lifermammal. There are twospectacular
tempting to resort to a tape. Its clarion call, which rufous-red squirrels that are worth looking out for:
Newman1 describeswellas kong-kong-koit, isdistinc- Red-bellied Coast Squirrel Funisciurus palliatus
tive and a characteristic sound ofthe Cynometra al- and Red-legged Sun Squirrel Heliosciurus
though individuals will slur the call, and they hav,e a rufobrachium. The latter is more brightly coloured,
notablerangeofnear-catarrhalclicksandwheezesas morecommonandhasaratherbird-likechippingcall,
well. The Cynometra is also full ofTinyGreenbuls whichcancause confusion!
andCrestedFlycatchers,butthereallydenseunder- SmallantelopesincludeSuniandduikersofwhich
growth always makes it easier to locate them in the one, Ader’sDuiker Cephalophusadersi, is confined
Afzelia. toSokokeandZanzibar. Therearethreeprimatespe-
SeveralspeciesinSokokerespondtoplayback,but cies, YellowBaboon, Sykes’ and VervetMonkeys
please remember that birds, such as Barred Owlet Cercopithecusaethiops,and,atnight,thereisalwaysa
Glaucidium capense, do so because theybelieve the chance of bush-babies or galagos, which call very
taped calls tobe froma territorial intruder. Excessive loudly. Twospeciesoccur:thelargeGarnett’sGalago
useofplaybackinSokokehasdrivensomeowletsoff Galago garnetti and smaller Zanzibar Galago G.
well-established territories. Regular or loud tape-use zanzibaricus. NightdrivescanalsoyieldWhite-tailed
createsreal problemsandshouldneverbeexploited. Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda Blotched Genet
The forest is degraded in many areas, so Genettatigrina, AfricanCivet Civ,ettaafricana, and
bush-specieslikeBlack-backedPuffbackDryoscopus evenCaracalFeliscaracalonthe redsoil.
cubla, Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul Andropadus
importunus, CommonBulbulPycnonotusbarbatus Guides: Taking a guide intothe forest atSokoke can
and Mouse-coloured Sunbird Nectarinia ueroxii help in a number of ways, not least by saving time
locatingthebestpatchesofthethreehabitattypesfor
have invaded. Selectivefellingofhardwoodtreeslike
birding.GuidesarebasedatCedeForestStationandin
Afzelia cuanzenis for building and furniture, and
Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fanshawe BullABC Vol 1 No2-83
someoftheWatamuHotels(notablyTurtleBayBeach
Club). MostexperiencedamongthemisDavidNgala,
whohasmadehisreputationleadingpeopletoseethe
SokokeScopsOwl. You can findDavid at Gede; he
has an outstanding knowledge of all the birds of
Arabuko-Sokokeandtheircalls.
Gede Ruins
GedeRuins,thesiteofanoldArabtown, canprovide
excellentbirding,butlacksthevarietyandmanyofthe
species found in Sokoke. The ruins lie about one
kilometre from Gede village and are well signposted
from opposite the mosque on the Watamu road. It is
worthvisitingveryearlyinthemorning,bothtoescape
thecrowdsofsightseers,whichpileinduringtherestof
theday,andbecausetheforestseemsdrainedofbirds
andbirdsongwhentheheatsetsin.Onlythedrowsing CrabPloverDromasardeola
tok-tok-tokofGreenBarbetpersists.Anetworkofpaths byCraigRobson
hasbeenclearedandissweptonaregularbasis,soitis Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus and both Great
possible to move quietly, listening for the tell-tale Charadrius leschenaultiiand Mongolian or Lesser
soundsofbirdsforaginginthedrylitter. Sandplovers C. mongolus. Regular rarities include
Once almost guaranteed at Gede, Spotted parties of Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola
Ground-thrush is now hard to find. It may emerge falcinellus, but they are more often seen at Sabaki,
onto the paths at first light (along with Red-capped while vagrants have included Red-necked Stint
Robin Chat and Eastern Bearded Scrub-robin). Calidris ruficollis.
AfricanPittaisveryrarely,ifever,nowseen.Theruins Finding the best place to watch birds is not easy,
are good for Fischer’s Turaco and the two large althoughthecreekcanbeapproachedfromthewater
species of hornbill: Silvery-cheeked Bycanistes orbyland.ThebestwayinisoppositetheMida-Jilore
brevis and Trumpeter B. bucinator, both of which track barrier to the Forest, 6.8 km south of the
callvariationsonathemeofstrangledgoatsandcrying Gede-Watamu road junction. You can drive or walk
babies. Silvery-cheekedareoftenseen inthemature down a track through Eucalyptustrees, a Forest De-
Casuarinatrees along the coast at Watamu. There is partmentplantation,for150m,thenturnleftfor400m,
alsoanestofPalm-nutVultureGypohieraxangolensis andrightagain. Ifyou followthe fairlystraight sandy
inthetallesttreeinthemainsquare. Itisworthvisiting roadforabout800mthiswillleadyoutotheedgeofthe
Gede (the mins are interesting too!) but not at the creek. The tracks are passable to four-wheel drive
expenseofa morning inthemainforest. vehicles,evenintherains,butmaybecomeinaccessi-
bletonormalvehicles.Thisisthebestareaforwaders,
Mida Creek
especiallyonanincomingtide,asthewaterpushesthe
Mida Creek is the most important site for wintering birds closerand closerto the mangroves fringing the
shorebirdsontheKenyacoast. Some5000birdsregu- creek. The mangroves form an excellent natural hide
larly shelter on the sand banks along the side ofthe andyoucangetveryclosetothebirdsifyouarepatient.
creek,particularlyitsinnerreaches.Itprovidesagood Thecreekishometofishermenwhoareentitledtofish
opportunitytoobserveawiderangeofwaders,includ- there, using traditional methods. Security is normally
ing the extraordinary Crab Plover Dramasardeola. good,butyoushouldtakecareandlockcarsandhide
Carmine Bee-eaters Merops nubicus (the northern valuablesor,ifpossible,leavesomeonewatchingover
racenubicusisnowsplitfromthesouthernnubicoides, yourvehicle.
whichreachesTanzaniaasamigrant)onceroostedin Seaapproachesmeanhiringaboatfromoneofthe
the mangroves, in large numbers, from Septemberto hotelsinWatamu,orjoininganorganisedtrip.Contact
March, but they are present now in smallernumbers, Ocean Sports or Turtle Bay Beach Club for details.
andshouldbewatchedoutforthroughoutthearea. Travelling by boat, you can approach a number of
CrabPloverisundoubtedlythebirdtosee.Flocks speciesveryclosely, includingBlackHeronsEgretta
ofseveralhundredbuildupinMidaCreekattheheight ardesiaca.Youwillnormallybeabletoseetidetables
of the northern winter, from August to April. Large displayed inthefoyersofthecoasthotels, oryoucan
numbers of commoner waders include delights like buycopiesfrom manyoftheMalindishops.
84 -BullABC Vol 1 No2 Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fansbawe
Sabaki River theMalindi-Tsavoroadwhich,justbeyondJiloreForest
Another outstanding area for shorebirds, terns and Station,bendstothetherightanddescendssteeplyto
gulls is the mouth of the Sabaki River. You can ap- crossthevalleywhichcontainsthelake,welltotheleft,
proachthisalongthebeachfromMalindi,aboutatwo well to the left. Since the lake varies seasonally in
hourwalkfrombelowtheGolfClub,oralongtheLamu extent,itishardtogiveaccuratedirectionsonthebest
Road:theriverbridgeissixkilometresnorthofMalindi. ways in. You can approach from the far side of the
From the bridge there are two options, walking sea- valleyhavingparkedinJiloreSecondarySchool,which
wards on the north or south bank of the river, and perchesontheridgeabovethelake.Alternatively,you
always the risk that roosts will be on the wrong side canfollowtheforest’seasternboundary,drivingstraight
when you get there! Low tide exposes wet sand and on where theTsavo Road bends steeply downtothe
mud on the southern shore, and this attracts large right.Thelakeisthenbelowtheforestboundarytothe
numbersoffeedingwaders;Itendedtovisitthatside. rightandcanbereachedbyoneofthemanycattleand
Visitingwiththe afternoonsun behindyou can bring goat tracks that lead down - a good one slopes off
outstanding lighting conditions, but it is important to 3.2kmfromtheJiloreroad.Someareclosertotheshore
leave enoughtimetogetback toyourvehicle before andmore open than others, but it isworthstruggling
dark. It is also worth wearing a hat and taking some the short distance (less than 1km) which then brings
watertodrink,sincethereisnoshadenearthebirds.It you to this potentially bird-filled lake. The lake is
isbesttodealwithsecuritybytakingsomeonewithyou shallowandfringedbymarshvegetationwhenwater
towatchoveravehicle.Youcanalsoparkclosertothe levelsarehigh,butitcandryoutcompletelyand,when
barrier,justoverthebridge,andaskthepolicethereto this happens, people plant maize, tomatoes and
mindyourcar.ThescrubbyhabitatenrouteXotheriver tobaccoonthevalleyfloor.Simplyscanningtheshore
mouth can yield interesting birds such as Scaly turns up plenty of interesting birds, but it is worth
Babbler Turdoides squamulatus, Yellowbill investigating the numerous small bays that may hold
Ceuthmochares aereus and Fire-fronted Bishop skulkers such as Painted Snipe Rostratula
Euplectes diadematus. benghalensis.
Largeflocks ofgulls andternsbuildup atSabaki, The range ofwaterbirds occurring obviously de-
especially in the winter. Look out for, among others, pends on lake levels, but species like Open-billed
White-cheeked Tern Sterna repressa, Caspian S. Stork Anastomus lamelligerus, Saddle-billed Stork
caspia Roseate S. dougallii which often breeds on Ephippiorhyncus senegalensis, African Spoonbill
Whale,Island, opposite the m,outh ofMida Creek, in Platalea alba Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
,
JulyandAugust, CrestedS. bergii,LesserCrestedS. andAllen’sGallinulePorphyrioalienihaveallbeen
bengalensis, Bridled S. anaethetus and Sooty S. observed. Bee-eaters flight over the lake with large
fuscata as well as the vagrant, Sandwich S. numbers of Madagascar Merops superciliosus,
,
sandvicensis, Terns. Both Saunder’s Little Tern Carmine and White-throated M. albicollis some-
Sternaalbifronssaundersi, which is probablyagood timespresenttogether. Youcanreachthelakeeasily
species, andWhite-wingedBlackTerns Chlidonias from the forest, simply follow the main Mida-Jilore
leucopterus can be common and Gull-billed Terns track until it joins the Tsavo road, l6km from the
Gelochelidon niloticaoccurinSabakiandMida. Both Malindiroadentrance,andthenturnlefttowardsTsavo.
mm
Co on (or Brown) Anousstolidusand less com- Another300mandtheroaddropssteeplytocrossthe
mon LesserNoddies A. tenuirostrisoccur offshore. valleycontaining the lake. When it is full, LakeJilore
Largenumbersofshorebirdsarealwayspresentin offers concentrations of birds that provide a really
winter,withSabakibeingthebestsiteforBroad-billed excellentevening’shireling.
Sandpiper,withasmanyas60winteringthere.Along
Travelling further north
the beach, and at the edge ofthe dunes south ofthe
river, it is usually easy to find White-fronted Sand Driving further north from Malindi than the Sabaki
Plover Charadrius marginatus and, from March to RiverleadsultimatelytothebanksoftheTana. Local
September, the dunes are full of Madagascar advice should always be sought before travel-
Pratincoles Glareola ocularis. African Skimmer linginthisarea: itisremoteandcanbeveiydanger-
Rynchopsflavirostris may occur and the dunes may ous, despitethefactthattheLamubusesusetheroad
shelterephemeralpoolsthatareworth investigating. severaltimesaday.Thehighlightofonemytripsnorth
tookplaceatthebarrierontheTanaRiverbridgewhere
Lake Jilore a young soldier kindly noted, after my inquiry about
JustinlandfromSokokethereisaremarkableseasonal security,thatIwouldbeallrightifIwasn'tshot. Pretty
expanseofwatercalledLakeJilore.Itcanbeseenfrom reassuring.TheGarsenheronryisaboutthreekilome-
Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fanshawe BullABC Vol 1 No2 - 85
tresdownstreamofthenewTanabridgeonthesouth How to reach the area and where to stay
sideoftheriver; itcanbereachedonlyonfoot. Itwas The area is within 90 minutes drive of the northern
inactive when I visited in 1992, but Borassus Palms outskirtsofMombasa.Takethemainroadthatreaches
alongtheTanaprovidedstunningviewsofRed-necked the southernmost end of Sokoke forest just north of
Falcon Falco chicquera and Morning Thrush Kilifi.Itisaswelltostayinthearea,whichboastsawide
Cichladusaarquata.Theheronryisaboutonekilome- rangeofhotels(atanequallywiderangeofprices) in
trefromtheriveronthefarsideofanoldoxbowlake; bothMalindi andWatamu. Aregularbusservice runs
the nests are low in the trees. Returning from the northandsouthtoMalindi,stoppingatGedevillagefor
heronryandturningbacktowardsMalindi,awayfrom
Watamu, as do colourful and packed matatus(bush
TGaarrasseana,.yJuosut pbaesysonadrtohaedvoinllaygoeuirs laenfottthheart sleeaasdosnatlo taxis).MostbirdtourspreferWatamusinceitisonly15
minutes drive from Sokoke and Mida Creek, and the
lake,ShakaBabo,whichwasheavingwithOpen-billed
hotelsthere,includingHemingways,OceanSportsand
Storks, African Spoonbills and White Pelican
Pelecanus onocrotalus in June 1992, but which is TurtleBayBeachClub,areallbirder-awareandwilling
toprovideearlybreakfasts, packedlunchesandother
sometimesdrainedforagriculture.Withtherainsthere
arenumerousseasonalfreshwaterandsalinepoolsthat requirements.Youcouldalsostayinguesthousesand
provide interesting birding along the northern road. self-catering accommodation and there are plenty of
One bird to look out for is the north-eastern race of restaurantsandcafesinbothplaces.Carhireisavailable
Lilac-breastedRoller Coraciascaudata lortiwhich inMalindiandWatamuandyoucanhirebicyclesbythe
has the lilac restricted to the throat, and which some day in Watamu village. Most hotels have transport
consideragoodspecies. whichyoucanhirebytheday.
Birds like Malindi Pipit Anthus melindae and
Violet-breastedSunbirdNectariniapembaecan be Notes on species and groups of particular
found at Karawa, approximately 65km north of the interest:
Sabaki Riverbridge, through the villages ofMambrui Here are additional notes on the six Red Data Book
and Gongoni. Look for a rusting sign on the right to birdsandsomefurthernotesonspecieswhicharehard
Karawa Industries, anddrive2.8kmintothesaltcom- to see ordistinguish inthe forest.
plex turning right down onto sparselyvegetated salt Sokoke Scops Owl: although recently found in
flats.Thepipitisfoundontheseflats, andthesunbird the Usambaras in northern Tanzania, Sokoke Scops
in the surrounding bush. Much ofthis area is virgin Owl still remains the jewel of a Sokoke visit. Only
birdingterritoryandrarelyvisited,soitwouldbewise discoveredin 1965, itisconfinedtothered-soilforest
toexploreitonlywhenyouhaveexhaustedtheoptions dominated by Cynometra webberi, and nevereasyto
forbirdinginandaroundArabuko-Sokoke. find. Byfarthebestmethodistotakeadvantageofthe
expertise ofDavid Ngala, the resident guide at Gede
Equipment
ForestStation.Visitsinvolveanearlyeveningdriveinto
Binocularswithlowmagnification(7x-or8x-areideal) theforest(ataround 17.45h),followedbyasearchfor
and close focusing are best for forest birding, but a a calling scops owl, with which David establishes a
telescope might provide a good view ofsome ofthe
duet, before leadingbirders into the thickets to spot-
canopytop species likeAmani Sunbird. Scopes are light the bird. The trip may last from one to several
almost essential for Mida Creek, Sabaki River mouth hours,dependingontheeasewithwhichhelocatesa
andLakeJilore. Carryingacompassintheforest, and scopsowl,butitremainsathrillingwayofspendingan
elsewhere, is always wise because it is easy to be eveningbirding.Atthesametime,youmayeasilysee
temptedawayfromthesecurityofpathsbyaninterest- nocturnalmammalslikeFour-toedElephant-shrew
ingcall, andequallyeasytobecomedisorientated. In or White-tailed Mongoose.
theforest,itisworthrememberingtotakeaplasticbag SpottedGround-thrush: this is an intra-African
or two to protect camera lenses and other optical migrantwhichisonlypresentfromMaytoNovember.
equipmentfromdustandsand.Ifyouplanavisitinthe Itisprobablythehardestofthesixspeciestoguarantee,
rains, remember to pack a folding umbrella. For all since the birds hug deep shade and have developed
thesesites, lightweightfootwear,suchastrainers, and skulking to an art form. A lucky few may encounter
equallylightweight longtrousers andshirts are ideal. ground-thrushesveryearlyinthemorning, atthefirst
Wearahatifyouarenotusedtotheheatand,ifyouare moment oflight, when the birdswill forage onforest
planning to walk far from your vehicle, please carry tracks.Alternatively,youcanwalktrailsquietlyinthe
somewaterwithyou.Itiseasytobecomedehydrated. Afzeliaandlistenforbirdsforaginginthedryleaflitter,
86-BullABC Vol 1 No2 Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fanshawe
something Golden-rumped Elephant-shrews do feetorinfrontofavehicle.Theywillflyupintothelow
too, so prepare to keep looking. Simply sitting and storeys,notnormallymorethantwotothreemetresup,
waitinginappropriateshadyhabitatmayyieldaview andcall.Ifyoustandstill,theywilloftendropbackonto
andthefirsttrackintotheforest,theGedewalkingtrail, the litter, andreturn toforagingwiththeirrathercau-
isagoodplacetotryforthisbird. Ithasbecomemuch tious, clockworkprogress.
moredifficulttofindatGedeRuins. Clarke’sWeaver: this is unlikelytobe confused
EastCoastAkalat:anotherskulker,buttheakalat withtheonlyotherweaverseenregularlyintheforest,
is resident all year round, rather more common, and the larger Dark-backedWeaver. Clarke’s is a small
singsonterritorywithasortofrapidrepeatedwarbling. forestweaverusuallyencounteredintheBrachystegia
TheAfzeliawhichleadsinfromthefirstjunctiononthe canopy, sometime hundreds together, and often in
Mida track is good for akalat, but searches there de- mixedspeciesflocks.Groupsarenoisyutteringacon-
mandpatience.Akalatsrespondrapidlytotapeoftheir stantchatterwhichcancarrysomedistance,andflocks
song,soitisvitalthatplaybackisusedverysparingly. over the canopy often utter a distinct sharp chet in
They preferto feed down in the bottom storey often
flight. They are enigmatic and, since their nests have
flightingfromlowperchestograbfoodofftheground.
AmaniSunbird:possiblytheeasiestofthesixRed neverbeenfound, itremains possible, perhapsprob-
DataBookspeciestolocate,thistinysunbirdisusually able,thattheymoveawayfromSokoketobreedduring
found high in the canopy of Brachystegia trees. It thedryseason,atthestartoftheyear.Thebulkofthe
occurs in both primary and degraded forest, but at recordsfallintheperiodAugusttoNovember,butthey
higher densities in the former. Amanis may join the havebeenseeninmostothermonths,anditispossible
mixed species flocks led by LittleYellowFlycatch- that some birds at least remain in the forest all year
ers and Black-headedApalises and draw attention round.
withsharphigh-pitchedcalls.Theyareusuallyfoundin
Notes on groups:
pairs.
SokokePipit:oneofthehardestbirdstofind,the Raptors: including overfliers such as Bateleur
Terathopius ecaudatus 23 species of birds of prey
pipitisthinlydistributedinallthreehabitats,appearing ,
inslightlyhigherdensitieswheretheforestisinprimary havebeenrecorded.SokokeisastrongholdofSouth-
ernBandedSnakeEagleCircaetusfasciolatuswhich
condition. It is a match forthe ground-thrush on the
canbeseenandheardperformingdisplayflightshigh
skulkingfront,butatleastthepipitsrevealtheirwherea-
bouts with a wheezing high-pitched call. They also akrbuokv-ekrtuhke-kaforroeoswt ca(iltl).haBsataHafawrk-caMrarcyihnegirgaumttpuhruasl
have a dipping display flight, performed in a circuit alcinns is rarely seen in Sokoke, but is not uncom-
abovethecanopy,buttheytendtoflytoohightoallow monlyseenoverMidaCreekinthelateafternoonand
good views. Normally birds flush from under your early evening. Although BatHawksare crepuscular,
some, especially younger birds, fly during the day.
Theyare almostimpossibletoguaranteebut, asdusk
approaches, it is worth remembering to keep an eye
out throughout the Watamu to Malindi area. Three
accipiters, GreatSparrowhawk, AfricanGoshawk
and Little SparrowhawkAccipiterminullus, occur,
butonlyAfricanGoshawkis seen regularly. Lizard
BuzzardKaupifalcomonogrammicusis common on
the forest fringe or in the degraded areas. Another
enigmatic species is Cuckoo Falcon Aviceda
cuculoides, which sometimes occurs in reasonable
numbers between May and November. It occupies
dense, forest-edge habitat, but may be seen perched
out in the open on telegraph wires. Don’t be too
surprised ifyou hearAfricanFish-Eagle Haliaeetus
vocifer,sincetheyarecommonatMidaCreek,andvisit
the poolsintheforest, oftensoaringonthermals and
calling high overhead. If the call does appear to be
coming from the forest floor, it is almost certainly a
SpottedGround-thrushTurdusfischeri
mimicking Red-capped Robin-chat.
byMartinWoodcock
Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fanshawe BullABC Vol 1 No2-87
Cuckoos: ifyouarelucky,Thick-billedCuckoo species,iscommonthroughout,drawingattentionwith
Pacchycoccyx audeberti is a real catch in Sokoke itsgaiffcallandsong,andeasilytoldbyitssize,sulphur
where it parasitises Retz’s Helmet-shrike. In the yellow-green breast and underwing, as well as a dis-
short rains (October-November), the cuckoos draw tinct short pale supercilium over its red-brown eye.
attention with buoyant, noisy display flights over the Nicatoriswidespreadbutskulking,althoughtheywill
canopy. In April, European Cuckoos Cuculus foragehighupandcanbeeasilyidentifiedduetotheir
canorus and the similar, but smaller Asian Lesser spotted wing coverts. Two of the remaining three
Cuckoo C. poliocephalus (split from Madagascar species, Fischer’s Greenbul and Tiny Greenbul,
Lesser Cuckoo C. rochii which occurs rarely in are confined to the thickest Afzeliaand Cynometra.
western Kenya) sometimes flood through the forest, Bothhavecreamywhiteeyes,buttheTinyreallyistiny
occuringinabundanceforacoupleofweeksandthen with a greyish head andgreenback and underparts,
disappearing.BewarethestrikinghepaticformofAsian while Fischer’s is uniformly dull-grey brown with a
LesserCuckoowhichisbrickredandquiteashockto slightyellowwashbelow.Theyoccurinsmallparties.
theunwary. Thefinal species, BrownbulPhyllastrephusterrestris
Otherowls andnightjars: BarnOwl Tytoalba isverysimilartoNorthernBrownbul, but isslightly
isnotuncommonatGedeandcanbeseenroostingin larger, hasawinered, ratherthanbrown-red,eyeand
the old wells there. African Wood Owl Ciccaba calls with a rather more level staccato chatter. It is
woodfordiiis also fairly common in both the Afzelia poorly known in the forest and rarely seen in dense
andCynometraforest,buttheotherinterestingspecies areas oftheAfzeliaand Cynometrabelt.
isBarredOwlet,whichisregularintheBrachystegia Othersunbirds:apartfromAmani,therearefive
woodland. Verreaux’s EagleOwlBubolacteusalso other species in descending order of abundance:
occurs at low densities. Fiery-necked Nightjar Collared, Olive, Plain-backed, Amethyst, and
Caprimulguspectoralisis common in the forest, and Mouse-coloured. Like Collared, Olive occurs
may be flushed from leaflitter during the day, but is throughout, butprefersdensecover,Plain-backedis
moreoftenseen ontracks at night, whenitswildand confined mainly to the undisturbed Afzelia and
hauntingcalliseverywhere. Cynometra,whileAmethystoccursatverylowdensi-
Honeyguides: fivespeciesoccurinSokoke,with tiesintheBrachystegia,andMouse-coloured(which
Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor and isreallybestseeninhotelgardens)hasinvadedbadly
Scaly-throatedHoneyguide/.variegatus,beingfairly degradedareas, notablyinthe Cynometra.
easytolocatebytheircallsintheBrachystegiawood-
lands.Lessermakeastaccatorepeatedchip-chip-chip, Records
whileScaly-throatedrepeatsadulltrillwhichascends Please remembertosubmityourobservationstoDon
a scale, most notably at the end. Black-throated Turner, EANHS Ornithological Sub-committee, Box
Honeyguide/. indicatorislesscommon, while both 48019 Nairobi, Kenya (seeBullABC1: 46).
Pallid Honeyguide I. meliphilus and Eastern Acknowledgements
HoneybirdProdotiscuszambesiaearerare.Thelatter
prefersthe dense coverofAfzeliaforest. ThankstomyfriendsandcolleaguesinKenyainclud-
Spinetails and swifts: two spinetails, Boehm’s ingClareFitzGibbon, DavidNgala,AnthonyGithitho,
NeafrapusboehmiandMottle-throatedTelacanthura Ann Robertson, Barbara Simpson,Jonathan Kirui and
ussherioccur,withtheslurredhigh-pitchedscreamsof FrancisCharowho,withmanyothers,madeworkingin
Boehm’soften revealingtheirpresence in small par- and around Arabuko-Sokoke the great experience it
ties above the Brachystegia canopy. The larger was. Thanks also to The Forest Department, Kenya
Mottle-throatedis ofteneasiertoseeawayfrom the Wildlife Service and National Museums ofKenya for
forest and may be seen over hotels in Watamu! support, and to BirdLife International who have pro-
Forbes-Watson’s SwiftApus berlioziis a prize bird videdsupporttoconservationandmanagementinand
andwintersovertheforest,andcanbeseenoverMida aroundtheforestsince 1989-GaryAllportandRichard
CreekfromNovembertoMarch. Webb kindly read and improved early drafts of this
®
Greenbuls: eight species occurwith the distinc- paper.
tive Common Bulbul and Zanzibar Sombre
Reference
Greenbul having invaded parts of the forest, along
with Northern Brownbul Phyllastrephusstrepitans 1. Newman, K. 1991. Birds ofSouthern Africa. 1991
update. London: Collins.
whichoccursinsmallflocksintheBrachystegiawood-
landswhereithasbeendegradedtoformthicketsand 14 Benson Street, Cambridge CB4 3QJ, UK.
glades. Yellow-bellied Greenbul, the largest
88 -BullABC Vol 1 No2 Birding Arabuko-Sokoke: Fanshawe
