A Rocha Kenya
@arochakenya.bsky.social
We are a Christian conservation organisation based in Watamu on the north Kenya coast. As one of 23 A Rocha organisations around the world we focus on biodiversity research, community conservation and environmental education.
A slow night at #nguliaringing - 7 passerine but 13 Euro Nightjars, 2 Plain and the first Slender-tailed for several years. Mist never really came in. Nets down at 5:10. Green Sandpiper calling several times. V quiet otherwise. #birdringing #ngulia #KWS #TsavoWest
November 13, 2025 at 2:45 AM
A slow night at #nguliaringing - 7 passerine but 13 Euro Nightjars, 2 Plain and the first Slender-tailed for several years. Mist never really came in. Nets down at 5:10. Green Sandpiper calling several times. V quiet otherwise. #birdringing #ngulia #KWS #TsavoWest
2a.m. Night nets are up at #nguliaringing for the first time - mist hasn't really come in yet but is threatening to... heavy rain shower at dinner was positive & so long as the buffalo don't come too close we'll catch a few #birds. Plain + Donaldson-Smiths Nightjars already caught. #KWS #ringing
November 12, 2025 at 11:34 PM
2a.m. Night nets are up at #nguliaringing for the first time - mist hasn't really come in yet but is threatening to... heavy rain shower at dinner was positive & so long as the buffalo don't come too close we'll catch a few #birds. Plain + Donaldson-Smiths Nightjars already caught. #KWS #ringing
No true mist overnight, just low cloud but enough to bring down a few migrants for dawn. 119 pals ringed &c.30 Afros. V few Aps as expected, many Sc, quite a few Turkestan Shrikes, 3 Olivaceous Wblrs, Rufous Bush Chat; Af Golden Oriole was the Afro highlight. #nguliaringing #tsavowest #KWS #birds
November 12, 2025 at 9:50 AM
No true mist overnight, just low cloud but enough to bring down a few migrants for dawn. 119 pals ringed &c.30 Afros. V few Aps as expected, many Sc, quite a few Turkestan Shrikes, 3 Olivaceous Wblrs, Rufous Bush Chat; Af Golden Oriole was the Afro highlight. #nguliaringing #tsavowest #KWS #birds
Travelling through Addis last night I was put up in a hotel BUT had my #binoculars confiscated for 'security' reasons! But the endemic Brown-rumped Canary (what a dire name!) was so tame I could just use my phone...! #birds #addBirder #addisababa #birding #airportbirding #Ethiopia
November 10, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Travelling through Addis last night I was put up in a hotel BUT had my #binoculars confiscated for 'security' reasons! But the endemic Brown-rumped Canary (what a dire name!) was so tame I could just use my phone...! #birds #addBirder #addisababa #birding #airportbirding #Ethiopia
The #nguliaringing project has been studying #migrantbirds for >55 years producing what must be one of the leading #bird migration datasets in Africa with >600,000 #birds ringed. We'll be posting daily updates on bsky for those keen to follow the ringing & hopefully in the birds profile #addBirder
November 7, 2025 at 4:04 PM
The #nguliaringing project has been studying #migrantbirds for >55 years producing what must be one of the leading #bird migration datasets in Africa with >600,000 #birds ringed. We'll be posting daily updates on bsky for those keen to follow the ringing & hopefully in the birds profile #addBirder
It's the time of year again when a bunch of ringers descend on #ngulialodge in #tsavowest national park to catch and ring 1000s of migrant #birds on their way south from Europe & Asia to non-breeding grounds in #Africa. We start on 11th Nov for 2 weeks & we'll be posting updates here. #nguliaringing
November 7, 2025 at 3:57 PM
It's the time of year again when a bunch of ringers descend on #ngulialodge in #tsavowest national park to catch and ring 1000s of migrant #birds on their way south from Europe & Asia to non-breeding grounds in #Africa. We start on 11th Nov for 2 weeks & we'll be posting updates here. #nguliaringing
Incoming tide meant fly-by of #waders: 105 Crab-plover, 22 Grey #Plover, 2 Euro Curlew, only 2 Whimbrel so far but a Eu Oystercatcher has clearly stayed the northern summer. 7 Openbill Storks roosting in mangroves is unusual; pair of Mottled Spinetail not common for #ShortBeachBirds
August 16, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Incoming tide meant fly-by of #waders: 105 Crab-plover, 22 Grey #Plover, 2 Euro Curlew, only 2 Whimbrel so far but a Eu Oystercatcher has clearly stayed the northern summer. 7 Openbill Storks roosting in mangroves is unusual; pair of Mottled Spinetail not common for #ShortBeachBirds
Reposted by A Rocha Kenya
Did you know bees and butterflies aren't the only pollinators? 🐝🦋 Beetles, bats, hummingbirds, ants, and even some spiders help plants thrive! 🐜🪲🦇
We work to protect this diversity at the Stenis Tract in Austin, TX, shown in this collage by 2024–25 intern Ian Massey.
We work to protect this diversity at the Stenis Tract in Austin, TX, shown in this collage by 2024–25 intern Ian Massey.
July 22, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Did you know bees and butterflies aren't the only pollinators? 🐝🦋 Beetles, bats, hummingbirds, ants, and even some spiders help plants thrive! 🐜🪲🦇
We work to protect this diversity at the Stenis Tract in Austin, TX, shown in this collage by 2024–25 intern Ian Massey.
We work to protect this diversity at the Stenis Tract in Austin, TX, shown in this collage by 2024–25 intern Ian Massey.
The #tern colony on Whale Island in #Watamu marine national park has picked up in activity. We visited to count nests and estimated 600 Roseate Tern nests. No other species nesting but 50 Lesser & 92 Brown Noddy counted + 8 Sooty Tern. Caught & ringed 5 Brown Noddy w hand held net - stunning #birds
July 30, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Quieter morning for #ShortBeachBirds - high tide so few #waders other than flock of 13 Greenshank and 50 Crab-plovers flushed from roost around the headland. A lone Great Sparrowhawk crossed the creek low over the water & the Roseate Terns have built up to c.3000 over Whale Island. #birds #birding
July 25, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Quieter morning for #ShortBeachBirds - high tide so few #waders other than flock of 13 Greenshank and 50 Crab-plovers flushed from roost around the headland. A lone Great Sparrowhawk crossed the creek low over the water & the Roseate Terns have built up to c.3000 over Whale Island. #birds #birding
Fairly quiet for #ShortBeachBirds though Striped Kingfisher calling from across the creek + tern colony on Whale Island still active - Roseates & Brown Noddy visible thru the scope. 1st Woolly-necked Stork in a few weeks. Timing not good for wader flyby. #birds #terns #birding #watamu #waders
July 19, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Has been a privilege to host a group of #biology & #environmental #science students from @harvard.edu at the A Rocha centre here in #Watamu. Stimulating conversations, questions, mature observations & being authentic have defined them - karibu tena! Welcome back! #fieldstudies #university
June 17, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Has been a privilege to host a group of #biology & #environmental #science students from @harvard.edu at the A Rocha centre here in #Watamu. Stimulating conversations, questions, mature observations & being authentic have defined them - karibu tena! Welcome back! #fieldstudies #university
Stunning morning at Short Beach in #Watamu & once again surprises... 16 Yellow-billed Egret (v infrequent here), a Black Heron doing his umbrella trick, 15 Reed Cormorant & a new species for here, a Northern Crombec in the salicornia beside me! #ShortBeachBirds #birds #birding #atlassing
June 7, 2025 at 4:23 AM
Stunning morning at Short Beach in #Watamu & once again surprises... 16 Yellow-billed Egret (v infrequent here), a Black Heron doing his umbrella trick, 15 Reed Cormorant & a new species for here, a Northern Crombec in the salicornia beside me! #ShortBeachBirds #birds #birding #atlassing
Back at Short Beach after being away - few waders but 16 Black-hdd Heron & 23 Cattle Egret passing north & nicel posing Hadeda - but biggest surprise was a Slate-coloured Boubou in the bush. My 1st record for Watamu! #ShortBeachBirds #rarity #birds #birding #watamu #MidaCreek
May 28, 2025 at 4:13 AM
Back at Short Beach after being away - few waders but 16 Black-hdd Heron & 23 Cattle Egret passing north & nicel posing Hadeda - but biggest surprise was a Slate-coloured Boubou in the bush. My 1st record for Watamu! #ShortBeachBirds #rarity #birds #birding #watamu #MidaCreek
Short rain shower at dawn, but tide good for seeing a fly by of several 100 #waders. Stunning views of Crab-plovers & a beaut Euro Oystercatcher - will it stay over the northern summer? Paradise Flycatcher in the bush behind. #ShortBeachBirds #birds #midacreek #watamu
May 2, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Short rain shower at dawn, but tide good for seeing a fly by of several 100 #waders. Stunning views of Crab-plovers & a beaut Euro Oystercatcher - will it stay over the northern summer? Paradise Flycatcher in the bush behind. #ShortBeachBirds #birds #midacreek #watamu
Sometimes fieldwork gets seriously challenged by the weather! Kirao & Martin are in the A Rocha Dakatcha Nature Reserve to place #audiomoth recorders for the Sokoke Scops Owl. 1st day of fieldwork was interrupted by a little rain... #birds #owl #sokokescopsowl #dakatcha #endangeredspecies
April 22, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Sometimes fieldwork gets seriously challenged by the weather! Kirao & Martin are in the A Rocha Dakatcha Nature Reserve to place #audiomoth recorders for the Sokoke Scops Owl. 1st day of fieldwork was interrupted by a little rain... #birds #owl #sokokescopsowl #dakatcha #endangeredspecies
Short Beach at the mouth of #MidaCreek, #Watamu was stunning this morning. Neap tide so no wader flocks but c.30 Lesser Crested Terns & my 1st Greater Crested there for >6 months; migration has been v poor this yr, but did have 2 Willow Warblers - but nothing more. #birds #ShortBeachBirds #birding
April 21, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Short Beach at the mouth of #MidaCreek, #Watamu was stunning this morning. Neap tide so no wader flocks but c.30 Lesser Crested Terns & my 1st Greater Crested there for >6 months; migration has been v poor this yr, but did have 2 Willow Warblers - but nothing more. #birds #ShortBeachBirds #birding
#waterbird count at Mida Creek high tide roost (w young helpers!). Still good numbers & many in stunning breeding plumage. c.500 Grey Plover, 400 Crab-plover, 400 Little Stint, 800-900 Tibetan Sand Plover, 52 Grtr Flamingo; 7 Common Sand & a lone Wood Sand unusual for here #birds #birding #research
April 19, 2025 at 9:01 AM
#waterbird count at Mida Creek high tide roost (w young helpers!). Still good numbers & many in stunning breeding plumage. c.500 Grey Plover, 400 Crab-plover, 400 Little Stint, 800-900 Tibetan Sand Plover, 52 Grtr Flamingo; 7 Common Sand & a lone Wood Sand unusual for here #birds #birding #research
So grateful for support from Eden Wildlife Trust to allow us to secure a 4-acre plot in Sosoni nr our #DakatchaReserve. Huge potential for #tree nursery, #restorativefarming demo, #community centre, staff housing & offices. And check out the UNbelievable #forest #regeneration! Hallelujah!!
April 13, 2025 at 9:47 PM
So grateful for support from Eden Wildlife Trust to allow us to secure a 4-acre plot in Sosoni nr our #DakatchaReserve. Huge potential for #tree nursery, #restorativefarming demo, #community centre, staff housing & offices. And check out the UNbelievable #forest #regeneration! Hallelujah!!
In the nets this morning... a Village Weaver! A common sight across Africa, this iconic bird is known for its intricate woven nests and vibrant yellow plumage. A true symbol of our landscapes.
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#bird_brilliance
#birdringing
#conservation
#wildlifeconservation
#watamu
#kenya
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#bird_brilliance
#birdringing
#conservation
#wildlifeconservation
#watamu
#kenya
April 3, 2025 at 8:37 AM
In the nets this morning... a Village Weaver! A common sight across Africa, this iconic bird is known for its intricate woven nests and vibrant yellow plumage. A true symbol of our landscapes.
.
#bird_brilliance
#birdringing
#conservation
#wildlifeconservation
#watamu
#kenya
.
#bird_brilliance
#birdringing
#conservation
#wildlifeconservation
#watamu
#kenya