Salaita Hill - Squirrels, Parrots & Lovebirds

10TH OCTOBER 2008

A three-day weekend provided the opportunity to venture further afield than usual, and we chose a camping holiday in Salaita, Taveta District, over 450kms south of Nairobi.

Departing on Friday morning, we used the Nairobi-Machakos-Kola-Wote-Makindu-Voi route, which is longer but more scenic than the more commonly used Nairobi-Makindu-Voi route for the first leg of our journey. A leisurely drive saw us arrive at Voi in the early afternoon, where we stopped for fuel and a tasty roast chicken lunch. The last 100km leg of the journey is the Voi-Mwatate-Taveta road which branches off the Nairobi-Mombasa highway and heads due west, bisecting the Tsavo West national park. The 20km Voi-Mwatate section of this road is tarmac, but the rest isn’t: a vehicle with high ground clearance and robust suspension (4x4, tour van, etc) is recommended.

Our destination was Mr. Shoko’s farm at Salaita Hill, about 10kms east of Taveta town near the Kenya-Tanzania border. We arrived late afternoon after a bumpy but scenic drive. This semi-arid area is characterised by large baobab trees, acacias, thorn bushes and savannah grass.

The 15-acre farm is mostly undeveloped: only a small part is used for subsistence farming and the rest is rangeland for Mr. Shoko’s goat herd. The area is rich in wildlife, especially birds, and within a few minutes of our arrival we had seen a fork-tailed drongo and superb starling. The farm has stunning line-of-sight views of Mt. Kilimanjaro to the north-west and the Pare Mountains and Lake Jipe to the south-west.

Fork tailed (common) drongo
View of the Pare Mountains

A stunning sunset capped the day and a moonlit night quickly descended.

A Salaita sunset

On Saturday we awoke to the sight of a pair of namaqua doves – the male’s black bib and striking red/yellow bill are unmistakable.

Namaqua doves (male & female)

The rest of the morning was spent in relaxed fashion, watching the birdlife that resides on or visits the farm. A large bucket under a tree serves as the watering point for Mr. Shoko's goats, and provides the focal point for the many birds we saw on the farm. Fischer’s lovebirds, mourning doves, white headed buffalo weaver, African orange-bellied parrot and red-billed quelea were among the species viewed.

Fischer's lovebird

White-headed buffalo weaver

African orange bellied parrot - male & female

Later on, Mr Shoko gave us a guided tour of the farm and its environs, and we took in the sights and sounds of the area. He pointed out the deep erosion gulleys that are a common feature of the area, and informed us that livestock overgrazing was a key factor in this problem – local pastoralists in the area maintain very large herds of cattle.

Scars on the land - erosion gulleys

As we strolled along it became apparent that Salaita Hill is only a short distance from the farm. Imagining the panoramic view from the hilltop, I asked Mr. Shoko if we could climb it. In hushed tones, he revealed a spooky local legend – the Hill is haunted! ‘Salaita’ is an Africanisation of ‘Slaugher Hill’, named for the site of a bloody World War I battle between British and German forces in which many lives were lost. It is said that the ghosts of the dead inhabit the Hill. No climbing, then…

Later, after a drive to the vibrant Taveta town, we settled in for a laid-back afternoon. Interesting sights included squirrel, grey-headed sparrow, lilac breasted roller, pale chanting goshawk, white-bellied go-away bird and yellow spotted petronia.

Cheeky squirrel nibbles on a snack

Yellow spotted petronia

There’s lots of insect life as well, and a dragonfly was obliging enough to pose for a picture.

A dragonfly poses calmly for the camera

A late afternoon stroll on the farm was rewarded with the sight of a Nubian woodpecker, a fitting end to the day’s wildlife viewing.

On Sunday morning, the early risers among us enjoyed the sight of a brilliant savannah sunrise.

A Salaita Sunrise

After a hearty breakfast, as we prepared to break camp, we saw crested francolin and red billed hornbill. When asked about the profusion of birdlife on the farm, Mr. Shoko informed us that we had barely scratched the surface: there were many more species to be seen!

Red-billed hornbill

Out of time, we bid a reluctant adieu to our kind host and embarked on our return journey, a highlight of which was the sight of a male and female pair of Von der Decken’s hornbills.

Von der Decken's hornbill (male)

It was a memorable trip, and one we’ll repeat often. And maybe even work up the nerve to climb that haunted hill…

-Ends-