Regular readers will know (because they helped pay for it!) that 10,000 Birds recently set up the “Small African Fellowship for Conservation” which helps fund a young Kenyan researcher called Dominic Kamau Kimani. Dominic (with Luca Borghesio, the Friends of Kinangop Plateau, and Dr Muchai Muchane of the National Museums of Kenya) is trying to find ways to halt the rapid decline of the Endangered Sharpe’s Longclaw - a pipit-like species found only in the highlands around Nairobi and which is now seriously threatened by conversion of its grassland habitat for agriculture and forestry - through survey and education work.

Sharpe’s Longclaw, Kinangop, July 2008. Photo © Charlie Moores

Part of the agreement put in place between Dominic and 10,000 Birds was that Dominic should send us regular updates on his work for publication on the blog - which actually serves three very useful purposes: anyone interested in Sharpe’s Longclaw can read the most current results from survey work available on the internet; anyone can see for themselves what is being done in the field to help conserve this beautiful bird; and 10,000 Birds is quite quickly building up what we think is probably the most easily accessible comprehensive set of data on what is still a largely unknown but highly threatened species. Win-win all round really!

Dominic’s updates don’t of course arrive to any set timetable. The logistics of survey work in remote grasslands and the varied nature of his work precludes that, but he is (and having met him in Kenya I wouldn’t expect anything else from such a thoroughly honourable and professional man) doing his very best to keep us informed as and when he can.

Published below, then, is the latest (unedited) update from Dominic:

Charlie

It’s a little while since I wrote something to you. I have been busy meeting with schools administration and making some arrangement for next term programme of activities.

I have organised a team of patrons committee to work with in my programme, I will be making the list available to you in the near future after our meeting next week. All the same the last two weeks I joined my colleague, Mr. Wamiti in Nyahururu area, for local community guides training.

Members of Nyahururu bird Club, from left: Dominic Kamani (Facilitator), Rukwaro, Mwangi, Wambui- Ranger, Amina, Joseph, Kahura, Karani, Karanja and Wamiti (Team leader). At Lake Ol’ Bolossat Grasslands. 7/11/2008.

Nyahururu bird club members during a bird walk. Dominic (far right)
pointing out a Grassland Pipit in front of the team.

The project is called ‘Bird ringing as an opportunity for research and Training of rural community bird guides’ at Nyahururu Kenya. I was called upon to share my experience on group formation and grassland birds monitoring. The area around Lake Ol’ Bolossat has very unique Grassland similar to those of Kinangop. Research conducted last year by Wamiti and others confirmed the presence of Sharpe’s Longclaw, hence this site was designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA). This Lake is the main study site and our emphasis was on monitoring and conservation of this grasslands and the entire area which is facing a number of threats, the major one being encroachment and cultivation.

There are campaigns for the site to be gazetted as a National Reserve. If this Lake is made a Reserve it will be the only reserve in Kenya to Host the Endangered Sharpe’s Longclaw, when Luka and I visited this lake we were very happy to record some longclaws and we were hopeful that if well protected it could be the best place for the survival of these beautiful but declining birds.
During the training we mainly focused on education but we as well had some field day both in the nearby South Marmanet Forest and Lake O’l Bolossat grasslands, in these areas we had demonstration for the guides whom we believe will take the work further.

Mrs. Jane Maina, and Mr. Kairu with me after a successful meeting
in Nyahururu town. 6th November 2008.

My time in Nyahururu was also very vital since I was able to meet two patrons, Mr. Kair and Mrs. Jane Maina of Gatimu and Nyandarua Secondary Schools respectively. The two teacher are the leaders of Environmental Club patrons, their Association has a membership of more than 90 teacher, who are leading in environmental awareness. Our meeting with them focused on possible ways of doing Sharpe’s Longclaw awareness in their respective areas and schools, this was very positive and they are more than will to work with us.

For sure without the support I am receiving through your blog and the entire team, I would not make it to all this areas. I am very grateful for the effort done by you Luka and Muchai. Just as I promised the readers of 10000birds, I am already in the field doing the work. I’m very hopeful that our work will yield positive fruits.

Once again thank you and I still promise you that I will continue working extra hard to reverse the decline of Longlaw and other biota.

Dominic.

For earlier updates from Dominic and the team please visit:

• Can bloggers make a difference? (Oct 08 2008)
• Recent Survey Results (Nov 08 2008)

So what next? 10,000 Birds has made a long-term commitment to the NGOs in Kenya (in particular the Friends of Kinangop Plateau [FOKP]) to continue our support for the work that’s being done to conserve Sharpe’s Longclaw. As (again) regular readers may remember we’ve been in talks to decide in what form that support would best fit the work that’s being done. Obviously volunteering to help out with the surveys would be nice, but as none of us live in Kenya and have full-time jobs that’s a little impractical (though if the recession continues to bite I for one may have more spare time than I was expecting!)

Weaving wool at the Njabini Wool-spinning workshop

No, what we’re looking at doing - as we’ve mentioned several times in the past - is to fund the production of labels and leaflets for the wonderful and very inspiring Njabini Wool-spinning workshop - a community-based project run by FOKP which directly benefits grassland conservation right in the heart of the Longclaw’s range and which I was privileged to visit in October 2008 (the post I wrote when I got back did seem to strike a chord with many readers, so if you’ve not seen it please do take a look).

When communication is as difficult as it is in this case (many of the interested parties do not have regular access to the internet and to email for instance) it does take time for everyone involved to discuss any future plans, input suggestions, and give their okay - BUT we will be in a position in the next few days to post on the blog what the next step will be…basically, though, we’re hoping that our wonderful readers will help us give some very deserving conservationists in Kenya an early Christmas present by “Chipping In” a dollar or two to a) produce simple labels to attach to the products made at the workshop and b) design and print up information leaflets which will clearly explain the link between wool production, the sale of locally-made woollen products, and the conservation of threatened grasslands.

Simple, effective conservation that genuinely won’t cost very much. Pretty exciting really, don’t you think?