Birds often take a back seat to mammals when it comes to popularity but there is one private conservancy that provides visitors with a front row seat to discover, learn and experience birding in an unforgettable way OL Pejeta Conservancy conserves 90,000 acres of savanna and rangeland. Situated between the critically important Aberdare Range and Mount Kenya, the key habitats are found include open Themeda grasslands and Acacia dreponolobium all of which provide habitats for a wide range of birds, including resident species and an ever increasing number of migrants, nomads visitors from: southern Africa, Palaearctic, Malagasy, Oriental, Nearctic, Afrotropical regions as well as housing several endemic and rare birds of the magnificent Laikipia ecosystem
Get your front row seat for a rare opportunity to watch Somali Ostrich display their remarkable dance
The variety of birdlife is enhanced by its visibility. Vibrant Sunbirds flit from tree-to-tree, Weavers build their incredible variety of nests in the open, the Starlings shine, resplendent Widowbirds dance in the air, and bright Turacos are strangely camouflaged in the trees. Kingfishers, Rollers, Bee-eaters, Hornbills, Barbets and Woodpeckers are present in many varieties, and for a greater challenge, the Cisticolas and Greenbuls provide just that. Overhead, the sky is alive with a variety of Swifts and Swallows, and raptors are plentiful. Ground birds include several Bustards, Larks, Pipits and Gamebirds, and the world’s largest bird, the Ostrich.
Best time for bird watching
The early bird is never disappointed
More than 350 recorded species makes the OL Pejeta Conservancy a spectacular birding destination this includes many north Kenya specials. There has been little birding research in the area, so it’s possible there are even more species present. OL Pejeta focus on wildlife watching, so is you don’t have a private vehicle you can book one of their cool open top land cruisers for a birding experience like no other.
Yellow-billed stork
The Laikipia Plateau offers good bird watching throughout the year, but the best time to come is from November to April when the migrants from Europe and North Africa are present. This partly coincides with the Wet season, when many species can be seen in breeding plumage as they are nesting.. The best time for general avifauna viewing is from July to September and January to March, the conservancy has strategic hides, designated birding trails along the river beds and on-site professional bird guides so gear up get your binoculars, spotting scopes and guidebooks for your magical encounter.
Grey heron and his unique umbrella stand
Whether you are an independent birdwatcher, with a group, a bird lover or you only see and hear these creatures around your home, your trip to OL Pejeta and you will definitely fall in love with them. Wake up to the melodious tunes of birds on the trees around your tent if you are staying in the camps. They ensure you understand that you are in Africa, in the wild, and it is important that you get ready in time for the day’s host of adventures.
Kori bustard displaying
These creatures also end your day with their tunes as you watch the sun diving into the horizon from the private veranda of your tented camp,info@olpejetaconservancy.org you may also submit your records to the OL Pejeta Ecological Monitoring Team including photos of birds with rings on their legs to improve the overall monitoring of the environment make a date with OL Pejeta Conservancy at at either www.worldbirds.org/v3/kenya.php or at www.ebird.org/content/ebird as you enjoy up-close encounters with Lions, Rhinos, Elephants, Chimpanzees and other wildlife spectacles that OL Pejeta offers
“For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive. In this century he has to realize that in order to survive he has to protect it.” Jacques-Yves Cousteau Here we celebrate the unsung wildlife heroes in the grassroots doing remarkable work to conserve our wildlife heritage, Get to learn about wildlife from a ranger/ ecologist in Kenya a freelance eco-traveler, experience the diverse cultures and African heritage from the natives and take an adventure to new destinations to learn about rare attractions that are hardly talked about and to top it all up some of the best wildlife photographs that will make you reconnect to your wild side appreciate everything around us and fall in love with the natural world, because “It is not enough to love the natural world; the point is to defend and preserve it.” Edward Abbey
Our wildlife, our responsibility. When it comes to standing up for our wildlife it’s better to be outspoken than unspoken.
I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thanks , I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your site?