Kenya part 1 - Aberdare NP, 3-5 September 2026

In early September I travelled to Kenya. My primary reason was to participate in the Global BirdLife Partnership Meeting in Nairobi. However, with the amazing birding available in Kenya, I had to extend my trip by a few days for dedicated birding. I chose two destinations, not too distant from Nairobi, and where birding on foot is possible at some sections - Aberdares NP, and Mt. Kenya NP. This trip was really more about birds than mammals, unusually for E Africa. I had planned this trip together with my friend Gergo Halmos, director of MME (BirdLife Hungary). We used the services of Cisticola Tours, managed by Washington Wachira, another good friend. I strongly recommend Cisticola for your birding needs in Kenya.

Our driver and local guide, Jack, picked us up from the airport, and we set off birding immediately. It was Gergo's first visit to E Africa, so every Superb Starling and Northern Fiscal perched on a roadside wire was new and exciting for him, which reminded me how fantastic are common, roadside birds in Kenya. Our first birding stop was at Manguo wetland, on the outskirts of Nairobi. We saw there the expected selection of wetland birds, with some quality offered by a distant Maccoa Duck. Sad to see the wetland decimated by the expansion of the adjacent highway.

From there we started climbing up to the Aberdare ridge. A random stop by the Naivasha-Kinangop junction reminded me who much I love countryside birding in E Africa. So many birds, so much fun.

African Thrush

Cape Robin-Chat

Red-fronted Barbet

White-fronted Bee-eater

On the way to Aberdare NP, we stopped at Kinangop plateau. Our guide Jack is originally from there, and knows so much about the wildlife and conservation of this unique region. The main reason to visit the globally Endangered Sharpe's Longclaw. This rare pipit is found only in few grassland patches in in the Kenya highlands. Kkinangop plateau is probably the most famous place to track this bird down. It took a little bit of searching but thanks to Jack's knowledge and field skills, we found a pair and enjoyed great views. They were breeding (carrying food), so we left them in peace very quickly.

Sharpe's Longclaw

This is the breeding habitat of Sharpe's Longclaw. Grazing is crucial for the pipit. However, even this site where we saw them isn't protected. Note the new development in the back left, a new fence ahead of some construction, destroying about a third of the available habitat at this site. Scary.

From there we climbed up to Aberdare NP, which we entered at Mutubio Gate. We spent two nights inside the national park: one night in The Ark, the second night in Cedar Retreat Lodge. Both lodges were great, though birding along the walking trail by the Cedar Retreat Lodge was better. Much of the birding was spent high up in the alpine zone, over 3500 m asl. Bird density and diversity aren't huge up there, but we were looking for some special species. Aberdare Cisticola is an endemic, confined to the Aberdare NP and another small highland area further west in Kenya, Mau Narok Molo grasslands. The weather was pretty tough when we searched for it, with rain and cold wind, but eventually we found a few. Awesome little bird.

Aberdare Cisticola

Aberdare Cisticola habitat in brighter weather

Sadly we failed to find the Elgon Francolin, a highly range-restricted bird. We did see a few Red-tufted Sunbirds, but I didn't get a proper photo - only this distant shot of a male:

And these poor photos of a female:

Another range-restricted species that we enjoyed great views of was Jackson's Francolin. They are found also in slightly lower elevations. From up-close they display a splendid plumage. 

A fascinating bird we saw was a potentially undescribed martin sp. It looks superficially like Plain Martin, but has a distinctly pale center of the throat. It breeds very high up on the Aberdares, at 3200 m. We saw them well but failed to get a photo. I did take a photo of their active nests.

Forest birding in lower elevations was spectacular. I really enjoyed it. So many cool birds.

Hartlaub's Turaco

Crowned Eagle

Sharpe's Starling - so smart

Eastern Double-collared Sunbird

Hunter's Cisticolas were everywhere

Moustached Tinkerbird - so tiny!

Best bird in the world - Brown Woodland-Warbler

Rameron Pigeon

Yellow-crowned Canaries

Malachite Sunbird - simply brilliant

How many Silvery-cheeked Hornbills can you count on this fruiting tree?

We didn't see too many mammals. Giant Forest Hogs were cool.

Plains Zebras up in the mountains

Next destination - Mt. Kenya. Stay tuned!

Pin-tailed Snipe in the Holy City

This morning I paid a visit to the beautiful Pin-tailed Snipe that was found in the Gazelle Valley in Jerusalem two days ago. As it happens so often nowadays, it was photographed by Shmuel Browns, posted on FB, and picked up and identified by the sharp-eyed Yonatan Gordon. This is the first record for Jerusalem, and only the 12th or so in Israel. I last saw one in October 2021.

The Pin-tailed Snipe, a young bird I think with neat pale fringes to all coverts, showed first thing this morning in one of the small wetlands in this wonderful city park right in the middle of Jerusalem. 

It was an overcast morning, so the light wasn't great for photography until I had to leave. However, the bird performed beautifully, foraging continuously, uninterested in the humans in the hide few meters away, so the experience was brilliant. 

Quick ID session - separation from Common Snipe: check the round head, 'open' face with rather unmarked pattern, slightly shorter bill, short tail, narrow mantle braces, and beutiful pattern to the lower scapulars, with even pale fringes on both webs.

This comparative photo was taken from a distance, but it shows well the structural differences between Pin-tailed Snipe (left) and Common Snipe (right). Common Snipe is also on average darker, and has a heavily marked face pattern. Remember that Common Snipe shows considerable variation in overall tones and size.

As snipes do, it was probing nonstop in the mud, and got its face and forehead coated with muck. 

Pulling a tapeworm out of the mud

Check that beautiful mantle pattern

To clean its face, the snipe often used its feet to scrape the mud off.

It was quite timid, often spooked or alarmed by a passing Moorhen or Teal. Sadly it did not spread the tail enough to see the pins.

You can't see me

Bulgaria family holiday

 Last week I was in Bulgaria with my family for a short holiday. We spent a few days in the Rhodopean mountains, and two nights in Sofia the capital. Overall it was a lovely and much fun with the family. The scenery was breathtaking, weather was great - I loved Bulgaria. My birding was limited to early morning sessions before the rest of the family wakes up. My expectations were very high to start with, so altogether birding was fun.

In the Rhodoepan mountains we stayed on the outskirts of a small town named Smolyan. There's nice mixed forest around town, and I enjoyed walking there. Some big cliffs, that helf Yellow-billed Choughs, tower over the town. Black Woodpecker, Northern Nutcraker, many Hawfinches, and a nice mix of migrants made for pleasant birding along forest trails. Marsh Tit and Collared Flycatchers in the garden were sweet too.

Looking down from the top of a cliff

Marsh Tit

We visited the postcard-like Smolyan lakes

And impressive Trigrad Gorge, where I had a Wallcreeper flying across from side to side

The most exciting wildlife experience of the trip was a close encounter with two or three Brown Bears. We sat in a hide waiting for them for four hours (very proud of my family!). Eventually we enjoyed incredible views. However, it was pitch dark, with only super weak illumination that wasn't sufficient for photography. This is the best I could get at ISO 25000. Many thanks to Vladi and Minko for their help in setting this up.

Pamporovo Ski Resort wasn't high-altitude enough for proper alpine species, but the forest there was very nice.

While birding there I had an unusual observation. I spotted a tiny Goldcrest, likely young, dead, stuck to a sticky thistle, Greater Burdock. It probably went after tiny arthropods attracted to the flowers, and ended its fragile life this way. Apparently this happens quite often but I've never seen anything like this before.

European Serin

Habitat shot of Tree Pipit - quite many of them

I enjoyed spending quality time with Willow Tits - smart birds (even in tatty post-breeding plumage)

From Smolyan we returned to Sofia for two nights (one full day). We were greeted by a massive, crazy climate-change-style hail storm that lasted for about 10 minutes just as we were unpacking the car at our accommodation. Insane.

After the storm, the city was clean and shiny and the air was fresh. We enjoyed Sofia very much. It's a fine city.

My final morning birding session was on Vitosha mountain with my friend Ivailo. We had a grand time birding the subalpine zone in lovely habitat and great weather. Ring Ouzels, more Northern nutcrackers, Crossbills,. Thanks to Ivailo for a fun morning.

Two Crossbills

Hello Firecrest!

Northern Nutcrackers - such cool birds

Pristine juvenile Red-backed Shrike

More frosty Willow Tit action

My eBird trip report is here. Thank you Bulgaria, you were kind to us. 

I'm off to my next adventure soon, stay tuned!