Mozambique African Pitta and regional specialities III 11th to 17th December 2017 (7 days)

African Pitta by Hugh Chittenden

The re-emergent central Mozambique region provides a treasure chest of gems, not to mention some of the finest birding in the Southern African sub-region. Classic Miombo and mixed broadleaved forest to sand forest and marshlands, our short trip to central Mozambique is an all-encompassing birding experience. Rockjumper Birding Tours has obtained exclusive access to one of Southern Africa’s most RBL Mozambique – African Pitta Itinerary 2 important birding sites - Coutadas 11 and 12. Situated just south of the Zambezi Delta, these vast expanses of incredibly diverse habitat, Coutadas 11 and 12 are without doubt one of the most reliable sites in Africa to find the mega African Pitta. Combined with an exceptional supporting cast that includes Thick-billed and Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, East Coast Akalat, Livingstone's Flycatcher, Black-and-white (Vanga) Shrike-Flycatcher, White-chested Alethe, Black-headed Apalis, Chestnut- fronted Helmetshrike, both Speckle-throated and Green-backed Woodpeckers, Plain-backed, Western Violet-backed and Neergaard's Sunbird, Red-winged Warbler, Red-throated Twinspot and Lesser Seedcracker, this tour will fully augment even the largest Southern African list. Wetland birding will also be a major feature and we will seek out such specials as Blue Quail, Great Snipe and Locust Finch amongst many other exciting species. Our en-suite tented camp is perfectly situated inside lush forest, putting us in prime position to find African Pitta and other specials right on our door step. We will also spend a day outside the Coutadas targeting the rarely seen Bohm’s Bee-eater along the Zambezi River. While not our prime focus on this tour, the volume of mammals in the Coutadas is quite remarkable nonetheless, spanning the tiny ‘Livingstone’ Suni, through to Africa Elephant, with herds of many thousand African Buffalo and upwards of 150 Sable Antelope roaming the open floodplains and savanna.

TOUR AT A GLANCE…

THE ITINERARY Day 1 Arrival in Beira and charter flight to Coutada 11 or self-drive Days 2 to 4 Birding Coutada 11 Day 5 Coutada 11 to Villa de Senna (Bohm’s Bee-eater) Day 6 Birding Coutada 11 Day 7 Coutada 11 to Beira (charter flight or drive) and final departure

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THE TOUR IN DETAIL…

Day 1: Arrival in Beira and charter flight to Coutada 11 or self-drive. Participants can either drive to Coutada 11, or take a scheduled flight from Johannesburg arriving in Beira just after 13:00. After clearing customs and immigration, a 50-minute charter flight takes you right to our camp in the wilderness of Coutada 11. Here you will be met by your Rockjumper Tour Leader and the camp staff who will look after you over the next five to seven days. This afternoon we shall head out and explore one of the wetlands nearby. These wetlands hold a number of waterfowl; White-faced Whistling and White-backed Ducks, Spur-winged Goose, Hottentot Teal and Collared Pratincole East Coast Akalat by Adam Riley alongside Malachite Kingfisher. However, we shall concentrate on some of the trickier marsh denizens in this area including Blue Quail, Great Snipe, Little & Eurasian Bitterns, Greater Painted-snipe, Black Coucal, Lesser Jacana, Black-winged Red Bishop, Red-headed Quelea and Rufous-bellied Heron. On our return to camp, we will have time to freshen up before gathering at our campfire for a few celebratory drinks preceding our first festive group dinner. Nocturnal activity around camp is likely to encompass African Wood Owl as well as Grant’s Lesser Galago.

Days 2 to 4: Birding Coutada 11. Over the duration of the next three days, our focus shall be centred on locating the elusive and localised African Pitta (previously known as Angola Pitta). Departing early in the morning, we will listen out for this bird’s distinctive display call before tracking down our quarry, most likely located in dense, leafy undergrowth. With some luck, we may be able to watch one of these jewels uninterrupted as it either leaps from a branch in territorial display or hops about the forest floor, flicking over leaves as it searches for an early morning snack. Getting good views of an African Pitta Plain-backed Sunbird by Adam Riley will leave one with an indelible memory of one of the world’s most attractive, and equally difficult species.

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Our time in the Coutada will not be singularly focussed on African Pitta, for there are many other sought after species to search for here. Further skulkers of high importance include the rarely photographed White-chested Alethe and diminutive East Coast Akalat, while both African Broadbill and Eastern Nicator are commonly heard and easily seen. The mid to upper canopy is where much of the prime action occurs with Black-headed Apalis, Plain-backed Sunbird, Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike, Lowland Tiny Greenbul, Gorgeous Bushshrike, Green Malkoha, Mangrove Kingfisher, Livingstone’s Flycatcher, Narina Trogon, Woodward’s Batis and Pallid Honeyguide all found in or near mixed flocks. African Crowned Eagle move through the forests Livingstone’s Flycatcher by Hugh Chittenden regularly sending both Vervet and Blue (Samango) Monkeys scattering. Seeding grass provides good viewing opportunities for both Red-throated and Green Twinspots, while fruiting trees may contain Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Livingstone’s Turaco and both Brown- headed and Grey-headed Parrots. Blue-spotted Wood Doves are prone to exploding from the trail edge while flocks of Crested Guineafowl keep the diminutive ‘Livingstone’s’ sub-species of Suni and Natal Red Duiker company on the forest floor. We will also visit patches of mature Miombo and mixed broad-leafed woodlands where we hope to encounter Southern Hyliota, Pale Batis, Bearded Scrub Robin, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Speckle-throated and Green-backed Woodpeckers, Miombo Starling, Broad-billed Roller, Red- faced Crombec, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Southern Banded Snake Eagle, African Cuckoo-Hawk and White-breasted Cuckooshrike. Western Violet-backed Sunbird feeds in the woodland canopy and Red-winged Warbler can be located in areas with a grassy understory. Riverine thickets and associated palm savanna often hold Collared Palm Thrush, Short-winged Cisticola and near endemic Lemon-breasted Canary, and with a little luck, we may either find Red-necked Falcon or African Hobby keeping a watchful gaze on proceedings.

During the heat of the day we will keep a watchful eye on the skies for Marabou Stork, European Honey Buzzard, Lappet-faced, White-backed and White-headed Vultures using the thermals to scour the vast landscape for carcasses, while Bateleur are regularly seen operating on their seemingly African Pitta by Adam Riley unstable wings. Bohm’s and Mottled Spinetails are liable to put in an appearance, and we can expect to find Swallow-tailed

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Bee-eater hawking from bare branches.

Coutada 11 from above by Adam Riley Patches of lowland forest will be searched for a multitude of cuckoos including the mega, Thick-billed and Barred Long-tailed, while African, Black, Red-chested and African Emerald are more easily found. The striking Black-and-white (Vanga) Flycatcher is occasionally seen, while the dainty Livingstone’s Flycatcher and Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher are far more frequent. We will also search here for Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Magpie Mannikin, Grey Waxbill, Black-eared Seedeater, Lesser Seedcracker and Eastern Saw-wing (sometimes considered a sub-species of Black Saw-wing) are common overhead. Returning to camp, we pass through open grasslands where we will search for Temminck’s Courser, Red- necked Spurfowl, vulnerable Southern Ground Hornbill, Denham’s and Black- bellied Bustards and the Kirk’s sub- species of Crested Francolin (surely a future armchair tick!). A night excursion may turn up a few nocturnal specials such as Pennant- winged, Square-tailed and Fiery-necked Nightjars or African Barred Owlet. On the mammal front, we may come across some interesting species such as ‘Selous’s’ Zebra which lacks a mane, Common Eland, the rare ‘Lichtenstein’s’ Silvery-cheeked Hornbill by Markus Lilje

Hartebeest and Yellow Baboon.

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Day 5: Coutada 11 to Villa de Senna (Bohm’s Bee-eater). Today is primarily dedicated to finding the only known population of Bohm's Bee-eater south of the Zambezi River. We have a long drive ahead of us, travelling north-west through Villa de Senna and beyond in order to reach the prime area for the bee-eater. En route we shall make the occasional birding stop at roadside pans and likely looking woodland, where we may come across Knob-billed Duck, Rufous-bellied Heron and Allen’s Gallinule, Long-toed and White-crowned Lapwings, as well as Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Mourning Collared Dove and even an outside chance of Thrush Nightingale. The diversity of raptors is rather impressive, and this area is unique in hosting all four southern African species of snake-eagle, namely Southern and Western Banded, Brown and Black-chested. We will also be on the lookout for Bateleur, Martial Eagle, White-headed and Hooded Vulture, Dark Chanting Goshawk and Dickinson’s Kestrel. Rank vegetation may turn up Moustached Grass Warbler, Marsh Tchagra and both Short-winged and Rufous-winged Cisticola while both Great and Basra Reed Warblers have been found on previous trips here.

Bohm’s Bee-eater by Keith Valentine Upon reaching our final destination, it should hopefully not take long for us to enjoy superb views of one of Southern Africa’s ultimate, and rarely recorded species, Bohm’s Bee-eater. We can expect something of a bee-eater spectacle Blue-cheeked, European, Little, Southern Carmine and White-fronted are present too. While rather unlikely, this is also the site where southern Africa’s only Red-tailed Shrike was recorded and we will look out for this and other vagrants.

Depending on how much time we have available, we may make further stops returning to our camp. Riverine thickets may provide further sightings of Black-throated Wattle-eye and African Pygmy Kingfisher. We will search sandbars over the large rivers we cross looking for African Skimmer, while Mosque and Grey-rumped Swallows are regular overhead and Southern Brown-throated and Eastern Golden Weavers should be active in associated reed beds.

Day 6: Birding Coutada 11. After yesterday’s exertions, a lie in may be required. Otherwise, we shall head into the surrounding forests and focus on any species of interest that we may be missing. If weather conditions prevented us from heading to Villa de Senna yesterday, then we will head out today instead. White-chested Alethe by Hugh Chittenden

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Day 7: Coutada 11 to Beira (charter flight) and final departure. We will spend our final morning birding around the forests of Coutada 11 in a final attempt to connect with any species we may still be missing or simply desire better views of before returning to camp for breakfast. You will then be transferred to the local airstrip for a chartered flight back to Beira and your connecting flights to Johannesburg or for the long drive back from Coutada 11.

Coutada 11 Tented Safari Camp by Adam Riley

FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS: Tour dates, prices, single supplement rates, approximate flight costs and spaces available for this tour are also displayed on our website.

The tour price includes:  All meals from dinner on day 1 of the tour to breakfast on day 7;  Drinking water and soft drinks during the time at the Coutadas;  All lodgings in our en suite tented camp;  Ground transportation;  All conservation fees; and  All guiding services.

…and excludes:  Any International airfares, taxes and visa costs;  Charter flights to and from Beira;  Alcoholic beverages;  Special gratuities; and  Telephone calls, laundry and items of a personal nature.

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Single Supplement: The single supplement cost for this tour will be charged if you wish to have single accommodation. If RBT cannot provide you with a rooming partner for these nights although you choose to share, the single supplement will become applicable. We will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that a rooming partner is found if you do wish to share.

IMPORTANT NOTES: a) Due to constantly fluctuating exchange rates, we quote our tours in 4 currencies. The tour price is however fixed only in the currency printed in bold (in this case ZAR), and the actual cost in the other currencies listed will be adjusted according to prevailing exchange rates at the time of final invoicing (usually 4 months before the tour.) The same applies to approximate flight and single supplement rates, which are also quoted in the respective fixed currency. b) Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the tour does not have sufficient registration a small party supplement will have to be charged. c) Furthermore, these costs are subject to unforeseen increases in tour related costs and may have to be adjusted as a result. d) Lastly, we may be forced to change or alter the itinerary and / or the designated Rockjumper leader at short or no notice due to unforeseen circumstances; please be aware that we will attempt to adhere as close to the original program as possible.

PLEASE NOTE:  The charter flights baggage capacity is restricted, and for this reason we recommend that you do not over-pack. Kindly stick to one 15kg bag and 5kg for hand luggage.  Temperature and humidity in Mozambique can be very high at this time of year. If you suffer easily from heat exposure, please do contact the RBT office for more information.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE DETAILS This tour does not include any airfares. Day 1 is set aside as an arrival day. Please be present in Beira by 14:00 for our onward charter flight to Coutada 11, or if you are driving, please plan to arrive by 15:00 at the camp. The tour will conclude mid-morning on day 7 with a charter flight back to Beira, arriving in time for your onward international flights. The above information in respect of arrivals and departures is a guide only. Precise arrival and departure information will be sent to you in your Tour Confirmation package once the tour has been officially confirmed. If you wish to arrive early and/or depart late and would like assistance in this regard, kindly contact the Rockjumper office.

FLIGHTS Beira Airport, Mozambique (IATA: BEW) is the main port of entry for international flights for this tour. Reliable airlines with the most direct routing for this flight is South African Airways ex Johannesburg. We have the capacity to advise you on the best route according to your preferences, but your local travel agent will best be able to book these flights for you. If you would like further assistance kindly contact the Rockjumper office. However, please DO NOT book your international flights until you have consulted the Rockjumper office for confirmation on the status of the tour.

SELF DRIVE There are 2 main overland routes to reach Coutada 11.

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1. Eastern Zimbabwe is shorter regardless of whether you originate from Johannesburg or Durban. 2. Northern KwaZulu Natal is longer than the above route, but involves only 1 border crossing.

1. Enter Zimbabwe at the Beitbridge border post. Shortly after entering Zimbabwe, turn right onto the A4 and head to Masvingo. Exit Masvingo, heading east on the A9. Just after Birchenough Bridge, turn north on the on A9 counting onwards to Mutare. Exit Zimbabwe and into Mozambique at the Forbes / Nyamapanda border post. Travel east on the EN6 through Manica and Chimoio until you reach the intersection of the EN6 and EN1 at Inchope. Turn left onto the EN1 and head north, passing through Gorongosa. The road will start heading in the north easterly direction towards Caia. Please turn right at the indicated GPS waypoint (Turn Right to Inhamitanga), which is approximately 50km before reaching Caia. This is a dirt road, heading to the small village of Inhamitanga. On exiting the village, there is a well-used dirt road to your left, take this road (EN213) and heading south east for approximately 5km until you reach the entrance to Coutada 12 to your right (GPS Co-ordinates: 18° 14.728'S, 35° 12.130’E). Continue on the main dirt road for approximately 60km, until the airstrip on Coutada 11 comes into view. Turn right at the beginning of the airstrip, driving parallel with the airstrip for 500m, then turn right to the camp.

2. Enter Mozambique via the Kosi Bay / Ponto do Ouro border. Drive north until Maputo. From Maputo continue on the EN1 passing Xai-Xai and Maxixe, before reaching the EN1 / EN6 intersection at Inchope (Left goes to Chimoio, right goes to Beira). Continue north on the EN1 passing through Gorongosa. The road will start heading in the north easterly direction towards Caia. Please turn right at the indicated GPS waypoint (Turn Right to Inhamitanga), which is approximately 50km before reaching Caia. This is a dirt road, heading to the small village of Inhamitanga. On exiting the village, there is a well-used dirt road to your left, take this road (EN213) and heading south east for approximately 5km until you reach the entrance to Coutada 12 to your right (GPS Co-ordinates: 18° 14.728'S, 35° 12.130’E). Continue on the main dirt road for approximately 60km, until the airstrip on Coutada 11 comes into view. Turn right at the beginning of the airstrip, driving parallel with the airstrip for 500m, then turn right to the camp.

Rockjumper Birding Ltd c/o Summit Trust Mauritius Limited Labourdonnais Village Mapou Mauritius Tel (USA & Canada) toll free: 1-888-990-5552 Email: [email protected] Alternative email: [email protected] Website: www.rockjumperbirding.com