EAUHS Gufeno VWum* 30 Numb* 3. 0*(* WOO 
L.Tu 
d 
MEMBERS FIF.LI) 
TO KOOBI J, 
IK-24 APR 
for the Wei Wei valley, a half hour 
For me. the trip proper’ started as 
we took the short-cur from the Iten 
road to Kapenguria. We stopped at a 
Police post to ascertain the way. and 
spotted a Blue Flycatcher among 
some flame trees. We then descended 
thi ma|cstic Munch pass through the 
Cherengani Hills 
Marie h Pass Field Studies Centre, 
where we were to spend the night, is 
at rhe bottom of the escarpment, in 
an area studded with trees, bordering 
a wide river bed which trickled water 
thinly down off rhe mountain. Simple 
bands* dotted the area; university 
studenrs worked quietly on benches 
under the trees A giant Kingfisher 
flew back and forth along the river 
bank and a brief bird-walk revealed 
RuppcH's Kong-tailed Starling, the 
Double-root tied Barbel, and the 
flashy Gonolck 
Wednesday set the standard of our 
early-morning wake-up calls, never 
later than 6:00 a m. A quick scramble 
for breakfast, and inrn J-whecI drives 
away Luscious mango trees 
harboured colonics of chattering 
Violet-backed Starlings We walked 
a hot dusty trail meandering upwards 
alongside a tumbling stream. I 
caught sight of the white phase of the 
Paradise Flycatcher flitting ghost- 
like through the hushes. Up an. I 
up. ..hotter and hotter A small rapid 
and refreshing pool were too 
tempting and soon most of us were 
enjoying the cool water We ambled 
back, gating up in awe at the 
rainbow, ringing the sun in a perfect 
circle: sure sign of rain. 
After a late lunch. Fleur Ng'wenn 
arrived, bringing the news that there 
was only one convoy to Lodwar the 
following morning at 6:00 a m. 
Our bird lisr grew mightily with 
Fleur urniind . and I was mildly 
rcproachcd for not recording each 
bird at every location As I 
remembered. Fleur diligently 
recorded the Common Bulbul for 
Marie It and Wei Wei 
On an evening walk, we learned 
about the local medicinal use of 
various plants. 
