The swamp is a kilometer from
Kikuyu Town in Kiambu County, It was named Old Lake during colonial times
but local Kikuyu people corrupted the phrase to Ondiri. Ondiri swamp serves as an underground outlet to Lake Naivasha and that makes it a perennial bog. According to
hydrologists, the swamp, which stands on a 30-hectare piece of land, is 10
kilometers deep. Birdlife is prolific on a good day you may record over 70
species from water birds such as Common Moorhen,
Common Moorhen
Black Crake, Little Bittern,
Kingfishers, Herons, Water Rails, and other terrestrial species
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
Story of a
woman, we met at the swamp who lives in Kikuyu town, she says she is terrified
of the Ondiri Swamp. She says
her mother told her and her many brothers and sisters a story when they were
kids, that a cow stumbled into the swamp and got stuck in the mud. Some people
tried to pull the cow out, but when it came free some enormous creature had
bitten off half of it. The people decided to eat what was left but all of them
got very sick and some of them died.
Hope the story is not actually true but that the legend of the terrible creature of the
swamp (probably not a Hippo) lives on, it might be conservation's best hope!
Grey-capped Warbler
A bird-watching group
The swamp has its natural uniqueness. It is the only quaking bog (wet spongy and shaky ground that has no foundation) in the country and is the second deepest wetland on the continent after another in Doula, Cameroon. Ondiri
Swamp is also a recreation joint as people, especially couples, walk along the
breath-taking area enjoying the serenity of the place
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