Mida Creek

Mida is a large tidal creek behind Watamu, fringed with mangroves of several species and opening onto mudflats at low tide that draw enormous numbers of waders: crab plovers, greater and lesser sand plovers, whimbrel, terns and thousands of migrants from Europe and Asia between November and March, making it one of the most important shorebird sites on the East African coast. A wooden boardwalk on stilts runs out over the water to a platform, best walked at high tide when the mangroves are flooded, and canoe and dhow trips go into the channels. The creek is managed with heavy community involvement, and the boardwalk, guiding and a floating restaurant are run by local groups, with income going into conservation and village projects. Sunset from the boardwalk is a fixture of the Watamu visit.

The landscape

• The stilted boardwalk - a walkway out over the mangroves and water.
• Migrant waders - large flocks on the mudflats from November to March.
• Mangrove channels - canoe and dhow trips into the creek.
• Community projects - guiding, restoration and the boardwalk run locally.

When to go

November to March for the migrant birds, which is the ornithological reason to come. Tide times matter more than season for the boardwalk: high tide floods the mangroves, low tide exposes the feeding flats. Sunset is the popular slot.

Good to know

Timing with the tide is essential and visitors who arrive at the wrong state of tide see much less. Mosquitoes are serious around dusk. The boardwalk is wooden, exposed and hot at midday. Fees are collected by several community groups and can feel piecemeal.

Nearby

Watamu and its marine park are adjacent; Gede ruins and Arabuko-Sokoke lie inland.

Key facts