01/06/2026
A Day Trip to Eburu Forest With Team T**s.
📍Naivasha – Nakuru County
May 2026
The forest rewards those who return, with positive attitude and patience.
It all started with a plan, a shared curiosity, and the desire to encounter some of Kenya's rarest and most sought-after forest birds.
Under the leadership of Edduh and the meticulous logistical planning of Tony, every detail was carefully organized to ensure the day unfolded seamlessly. As guides, birders, photographers, and nature enthusiasts, excitement had been building for days. Then, to my surprise, just ten minutes before my scheduled pick-up time, Mike arrived in a state-of-the-art safari Land Cruiser. The adventure had officially begun.
With the morning still dark and chilly, we wasted no time. We set off toward Naivasha, collecting fellow birders and a group of enthusiastic young students along the way as part of an ongoing mentorship initiative. The atmosphere in the vehicle was filled with anticipation and lively discussions about the species we hoped to encounter.
Our birding began at the lower elevations, where the landscape was already alive with activity. Early sightings included Ring-necked Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Rattling Cisticola, Buff-bellied Warbler, White-ramped Swift, Yellow Bishop, Tropical Boubou, and a pair of Variable Sunbirds. One particularly exciting observation was a colony of Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters at their nesting site.
As we approached the forest, one participant mentioned a wish to see the Golden-winged Sunbird. Not only did we find one, but several! Other species in the area included seedeaters, sparrows, flycatchers, Common Stonechat, and the resident Schalow's Wheatears around the Eburu Centre.
Further along the route, we added Long-crested Eagle, Beautiful Sunbird, and a female Stonechat to our growing checklist.
The forest itself continued to deliver remarkable sightings. Among the highlights were White-bellied Tit, Greater Honeyguide, Kikuyu Highland Greenbul, Hunter's Cisticola, Common Waxbill, Hartlaub's Turaco, and an impressive pair of Black-throated Wattle-eyes, fiercely defending their territory.
Eburu's wildlife is not limited to birds. We were fortunate to encounter two unique forest primates:
• Stuhlmann's Blue Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni) – locally known as Kima
• Mau Forest Guereza (Colobus guereza matschiei) – locally known as Mbega Mweupe
For me personally, the highlight of the trip was finally photographing Doherty's Bushshrike. On my previous visit, I had missed seeing it altogether, let alone capturing an image. Experiences like this remind us that some destinations deserve multiple visits; nature always has something new to reveal.
Other memorable encounters included the White-headed Hoopoe, whose territorial behavior was fascinating to observe, and the elusive Grey Cuckooshrike moving quietly through the forest canopy.
As the day drew to a close, Eburu had one final surprise in store. The forest seemed to offer its own vote of thanks through the songs of a Cinnamon Bracken Warbler and the appearance of the elusive White-starred Robin, bringing the day's adventure to a perfect conclusion.
Eburu, we shall certainly be back.
Michael Muriithi Mtaliiadventures Joel Mwangi
