Deposits for Science

 In mid-September, Dr John Banks from the Washington State University arrived at Mwamba with three students: Maria, Heather and Jason. Maria and Heather were back for their second Kenyan adventure, returning with John to the Kenyan coast to undertake two research projects in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest (ASF). The first project was study of the relationship between the abundance of arthropods and the diet of the globally threatened East Coast Akalat. To do so Colin, Albert and a bunch of keen volunteers set up mist nets to catch this rare bird. Across two sites and over four early mornings, we caught a total of eight Akalats, seven of which were obliging enough to leave a fecal sample in the bird bag. These important small parcels were collected in vials and sent to Nairobi for DNA analysis. Initial examination of the deposits under a microscope revealed clear evidence of insect exoskeleton.

Whilst we were busy catching birds in the nets and taking their measurements, the Banks team was using pitfall traps to survey the insects that live in the Akalat’s habitat. Many hours were spent back at Mwamba sorting the bugs and identifying the many species they caught. We are now awaiting the results of the DNA analysis to know whether bugs caught in the pit fall traps were represented in the Akalats’ diet.

The remaining few days were spent developing methodology for an elephant population survey in the ASF. Once again excrement proved to be of much scientific interest, as presence of these very shy elephants is usually only evidenced by the disturbed vegetation and the piles of dung they leave behind. Funding permitting, John hopes to return next year to collaborate with ARK and KWS in a full study of the elephant population (the first in over 10 years).

To everything: Tern, Tern, Tern.

Since arriving at Mwamba, Anna and I have been party to five expeditions to Whale Island, a protected island about 2 km of the coast in the Watamu Marine National Park. It is home to colonies of three Tern species: the Roseate Tern, the Brown Noddy Tern and the Sooty Tern. The Roseate and Sooty Terns breed on this small island. Since 2006, ARK has been surveying the nests and ringing Tern chicks with the aim of gaining more information about this population. Tragically in 2009, rats made their way onto the island and wiped out all the young Terns. The rats have since been exterminated, allowing the Terns to return and rear young once more. There are an estimated 1,500 breeding pair on the island, the vast majority of which are Roseate Terns.

 The Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) manages the National Park and kindly transport us over to the island on their boat. Once on the island we divide up into several raiding parties, scale the jagged rock face and catch as many chicks as you can in 20 minutes so as not to disturb the nesting for too long. Once you have run out of bird bags you carefully climb down the rock to the beach below. Because the chicks are still growing, only their species and ring number were recorded before the chicks were returned to the area they came from. For the penultimate voyage we set up a couple of mist nets that yielded 13 adult Roseate Terns.


Last week was our final trip. There were only about 150 adults and 3 chicks left on the island. On the boat ride in we saw a African Fish Eagle perched on one of the ledges. There was plenty of evidence of its feasting at the nesting site. However, the Terns faired much better with the eagle than with the rats of last year.

Over our five trips we ringed 272 Roseate and 9 Sooty Tern chicks. It will be interesting to follow this generation of Tern chicks as they mature and finally return to breed in a few years time.

 Our way back from a successful Whale Island expedition. See Whale Island behind me (and Stanley) in top photo

Crazy Bird Fact:
Sooty Terns are very unique when it comes to seabirds. They don't produce the oily substance that makes seabird’s feathers water resistance. If they were to land on the ocean, they would quickly soak up the water and sink. So instead, they just fly...and fly...and fly some more. The adults won't touch terra firma again until the come back to breed in a couple of years. The next time Sooty chicks we ringed will return to land, I will be well into my 30's. That's right, they will spend 6 to 7 years flying around - even sleeping as they fly! Amazing!

A very Sooty Tern.

Night Ringing, Deserves a Quiet Night

Night Ringing, Deserves a Quiet Night

Towards the end of last month a band of 8 keen beans packed the car for night out on the mud flats of Mida Creek. They left at 5.00pm to set up 162 m of mist nets in the light of day. Just as the light was fading the last net was secured. Anna and I were cooking that night, so I came out later at 8:30 pm to feed the hungry souls waiting for the tide to rise. As the tide rises, the wading birds are pushed closer to shore and ideally right into our strategically place nets. Every hour a small crew head out to check the nets for birds. If left in the nets for too long, the birds can get really tangled and injure themselves.

For the first few hours the birds came were caught in ones and twos but as it hit high tide at 1:50 am we caught 12 in one sweep of the nets. When removing birds from the nets you don't want to scare any uncaught birds nearby so torches are a big no. Thankfully Colin and Albert have magical hands (and eyes), extracting birds with ease in the faint moon light. Once back at base camp, 400 m away, the birds are removed from their bird bags and place in a 'bird tent' as they wait to be processed. The gas lantern is lit, the ringers watered and scribe penciled. The rest of us helpers bring birds one by one to Colin and Albert to be ringed and measured before being taken back to the beach to be released.

 Me and my Little Stint

Once the birds are all done, its time to get a few winks before it's time to check the nets again. After the peak catch around high tide, there is a quiet patch until just before sunrise. During this period, the collectors often returned empty handed. By 4 am, the team was scattered all over the place trying to sleep and keep warm. Unfortunately, it was rather windy at Mida Creek until 3 am. In wind it is more difficult to catch birds as they are more likely to bounce out. The ringing expedition ended at 7 am, as the sun was rising over the mudflats. Everything was crammed back into the car to take the tired birders back to their roosts.

 A month has past and we are soon to venture out again, hopefully without wind this time because night ringing deserves a quiet night.