Ducks Deluxe
The cache, a small cylindrical tablet camo-pot, is hidden behind some twigs under the corner where two large flattish rock slabs meet, some 5m to the side of the top of some mini-falls and 3-4m off the river side of the trail along the Getathuru River in the southernmost part of the forest.
To reach the cache (refer to trails map in the Gallery or download a Google Earth file of the trails here): after paying the forest entrance fee, from the Parking at the Karura Forest entrance (Gate A) to the east off Limuru road @ S 01 14.826 E 36 49.021 head back out of the gate and down to the main road. Cross this busy road (carefully!) and pick up the access track to the Sigiria Forest a short distance north @ S 01 14.993 E 36 48.931 follow this down a short distance and across the stream to the Sigiria Forest Gate @ S 01 14.804 E 36 48.901 close to the trailhead at Junction 54. From here head left SW along the trail starting just behind the gate hut to J69 passing cache GC587YZ Sigiria Forest #8: Flycatcher Finery on the way. Turn left here and continue along, down & across the river footbridge, passing near the location of cache GC56J9Q Sigiria Forest #6: Getathuru Riverside to J70 then upwards and onwards to J75 straight on to J76 and down to the cache location along the riverside trail passing another cache GC58821 Sigiria Forest #9: Hornbill Haven en route.
Forest Entry Fees (free parking)
Open from 06h00-18h00
Citizen (adult/child): Kshs 100/40
Resident: Kshs 200/100
Non-Resident: Kshs 600/300
Permission to place the cache was kindly granted by the Director of the Kenya Forest Service
Not far from the cache location, I was excited to spot for the first time ever a pair of handsome African Black Ducks (Anas sparsa leucostigma)
standing on a rock on the river bank - they moved off upstream after a couple of minutes once they detected my presence.
This is a large sooty-black river duck (56cm, 22") with variable bold white spots on the back and rump, a pale pink & blackish bill, and yellow feet. In flight and often on water the upper wing shows a blue-green patch (speculum) narrowly bordered with black and white.
It is genetically closest to the mallard group, but shows some peculiarities in its behavior and plumage.
Singles, pairs and family parties are shy and found on well-wooded streams and fast-flowing rivers (at higher levels in open pools and streams) in highlands 1500-4250m, but may wander lower. Its voice is a harsh low-pitched clipped quacking (listen here to a female with 7 fledglings swimming together) . It feeds by dabbling, head-dipping or up-ending to take prey from below stones in strong currents.
See gallery for distribution map. It is a river specialist, rarely straying away from rivers and streams. It is sedentary, staying mostly in the same place its whole life.
Its diet is not well known, but it is thought to eat more invertebrates than it does plants.
It is monogamous, and a territorial solitary nester. Courtship is quite elaborate, with neck biting, diving, and various other displays.
The female builds the nest, which is a deep bowl made of grass or other plant matter, lined with down and placed near water normally 2m away, surrounded by either grass, tangled roots or a hollow stump.. It lays 4-11 eggs, which are incubated for 28-32 days by the female. She normally leaves the nest for about an hour two times daily, to join the male in feeding, preening and bathing. The ducklings are cared for by their mother, who is always alert for predators. The chicks can usually can fly at 77 days old, after which they become independent.
The African black duck is not threatened, but because it is a river specialist it is probably at risk from dam-building.
See here for a good video of the ducks swimming and leaving the water.