21st February 2007  Kakamega to Masai Mara, via Lake Victoria

Up early again for the two-hour drive to Kisumu and the shores of Lake Victoria. The papyrus reedbeds held a number of specialties but we were only able to locate a few of them in the short time available. Great Swamp Warbler and Blue-headed Coucal both gave fleeting glimpses, although we enjoyed much better views of Swamp Flycatcher, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Slender-billed Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver and Northern Brown-throated Weavers. Water Thick-knees were distant and we failed to lure out either White-winged Warbler or Papyrus Gonolek.

Before heading off to the Masai Mara we spent some time working agriculture fields around the town of Alhero. Many of the wet areas appeared to have dried up but with a little bit of perseverance we eventually found a pair of Long-toed Plovers together with Grey-rumped Swallow and Southern Red Bishop.

The road from Alhero to the Masai Mara was very poor indeed and as we cut across country we spent the best part of five hours being bounced around endlessly. Nevertheless, the local school children ensured we enjoyed our most productive waving session of the trip, along with some distant views of Abyssinian Ground Hornbill. We finally reached our destination for the next two nights, Kitchwa Tembo Tented Camp, just as it was getting dark stopping briefly to watch a Spotted Thick-knee in the twilight.

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