13th February 2007  Nairobi to Mountain Lodge, via Blue Post

After fighting our way through the chaos that is Nairobi rush hour traffic, some 45 minutes later we were pulling into the grounds of the Blue Post Hotel, Thika. Here, a gentle hour's birding along the river just below Chania Water Falls gave us Brown-hooded Kingfisher and Grey-olive Greenbul. Although Trumpeter Hornbill eluded us we did see Spot-flanked Barbet, Black-throated Wattle eye, Amethyst's Sunbird and Spur-winged Goose.

Before setting off on the long drive to Mountain Lodge and Mount Kenya we stopped briefly just up the road from the Blue Post Hotel to view a small roadside pool. This was the only chance of the trip to see African Golden Weaver and fortunately the birds duly obliged, as did Grosbeak Weaver, Goliath Heron and Plain Martin. A further brief stop gave us Yellow-billed Duck and African Jacana and after arriving at Mountain Lodge we took a mid-afternoon lunch.

We spent the rest of the day watching the watering hole from the roof top viewing area. Birds around the water included Cape, Grey and African Pied Wagtails, a very obliging Marabou, Egyptian Goose and Green Sandpiper. There was also plenty to look at along the nearby forest edge with the pick of the birds being White-browed Crombec, Silver-cheeked and Crowned Hornbills, Montane White-eye, Slaty Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Crowned Eagle, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Dusky Turtle Dove, Hartlaub's Turaco, Sharpe's and Kenrick's Starlings and a pair of Verreaux's Eagle Owls. Finally an hour or two sat watching from our rooms after dark produced a few new mammals, such as Spotted Hyena, White-tailed, Marsh and Slender Mongoose.

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