ETHIOPIA OCTOBER 30 - NOVEMBER 17, 2020 Comprising much of the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is a poorly known but very beautiful country unlike any other part of the continent. On this new tour, you will discover that Ethiopia is culturally, scenically, and historically unique, and possesses a treasure trove of natural history wonders. Ethiopia, once synonymous with famine and desert, is actually dominated by a lush, fertile highland plateau occasionally referred to as “The Roof of Africa.” Ethiopia is an ancient land, home to lush highland forests, vast savannas, acacia thorn-scrub, the magnificent Ethiopian Rift Valley, and some of Africa’s highest mountains. Of the more than 850 species of birds recorded in the country, 37 either are endemic or near- endemic (the second largest total for any African country), among which are a number of captivating range-restricted species such as Rouget’s Rail, Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco, and the peculiar Stresemann’s Bush-Crow. In addition to its tremendous birdlife, Ethiopia hosts an impressive list of mammals including such remarkable endemics as Gelada Baboon, Mountain Nyala, and Ethiopian (Simien) Wolf. Our itinerary is designed with birds and other wildlife in mind, yet also offers a look at a broad slice of the country and its fascinating landscapes. We expect to encounter 400-500 bird species, and will make a special effort to locate as many of the endemic birds and mammals as possible. Enhancing the allure, this trip will operate in the boreal autumn when the diversity of the resident avifauna is augmented by the presence of large numbers of Palearctic migrants. And thanks to a culture that does not hunt or harm the wildlife, much of what we see will be very confiding, offering photographers a bevy of exciting opportunities. Over the last decade, Ethiopia’s infrastructure has improved markedly. We will utilize comfortable buses and four-wheel-drive vehicles throughout the tour. Such vehicles provide great flexibility to the program and the opportunity to go off-road should we need or feel the inclination. The quality of accommodations has improved greatly and we will stay at several new hotels and lodges, allowing for a much more comfortable and enjoyable travel experience. We can’t predict everything we will see and experience, nor can we predict the wonderful surprises that await, yet we are certain that this, our inaugural tour to Ethiopia, will contain many unforgettable highlights. October 30-31, Days 1-2: Travel to Addis Ababa. Direct flights from the United States to Ethiopia depart from Washington Dulles International Airport (airport code IAD) to Addis Ababa (Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, airport code ADD), arriving early morning on Day 2. Please note that direct flights are also available into Addis Ababa from such European gateways as London, Paris and Frankfurt. Ethiopia, Page 2 Upon clearing customs and gathering luggage, you will be met by our ground agent and transferred to our hotel, an attractive facility surrounded by bird-rich gardens. Those wishing to minimize the risk of misconnecting with the group, or to have time to relax before the tour begins, should consider arriving Addis Ababa a day or two early. Upon request, the VENT office will be happy to assist with any additional lodging arrangements. On October 31, we will gather in the hotel lobby in the late morning for an introductory briefing and lunch followed by some easy birding on the grounds of the Ghion hotel. The extensive gardens here can offer productive birding, with the impressive Thick-billed Raven (possibly our first endemic), Nyanza Swift, Abyssinian Slaty-Flycatcher, Tacazze Sunbird among many other species. Addis Ababa is located at an elevation of about 7,500 feet, so it may take a day or two to adjust to the elevation. NIGHT (Day 1): In Flight (Day 2): TBA Hotel, Addis Ababa November 1, Day 3: Menagesha National Forest; Gefersa Reservoir. Today we will head about an hour’s drive from the capital to Menagesha National Forest for our first chance to encounter endemic birds of the highland forest habitat-type. We will explore stands of juniper trees to look for endemic Abyssinian Catbird, White-backed Black-Tit and Abyssinian Woodpecker. If we are lucky, we might even see the secretive Abyssinian Ground- Thrush or the rare Yellow-fronted Parrot. Commoner species of the area are White-cheeked Turaco, Banded Barbet, Ethiopian Black-headed Oriole, Rueppell’s Robin-Chat, Brown Woodland-Warbler, Abyssinian Slaty- Flycatcher, and Broad-ringed (Montane) White-eye. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the swampy vegetation of Gefersa Reservoir, some 12 miles west of the capital. This site supports a high number of waterbirds, among them Blue-winged Goose, an attractive but irregular visitor. Other endemics found in the area are White-collared Pigeon, Abyssinian Longclaw, Abyssinian Slaty- Flycatcher, Black-headed Siskin, Brown-rumped Seedeater, and, from time to time, Wattled Ibis and Rouget’s Rail. Augur Buzzard, African Hobby, and African Black and Yellow-billed ducks are seen here as well. NIGHT: TBA Hotel, Addis Ababa November 2, Day 4: Sululta Plains and Debre Libanos. Our safari begins in earnest this morning as we drive over the Entoto Mountains. Naturally, we will stop to admire the spectacular views of Addis Ababa that the road affords before continuing out into the Sululta Plains. The extensive, heavily populated Sululta Plains are a mosaic of traditional pasture-lands, hay meadows, and grain fields, peppered with many small tarns and marshes. Such a diversity of habitats attracts a fine selection of waterbirds and open-country species. Among the many possibilities are the localized Spot-breasted Lapwing, Abyssinian Longclaw, Red-chested Swallow, and White-winged Cliff- Chat. This high-altitude country is host to small “tukul” villages of thatched-roof, earthen-walled houses that are typical of pastoral dwellings in Ethiopia and here dot the landscape, often with robed horsemen riding across the plains tending their livestock. Along the way, marshy areas and drier grasslands should provide our first Ethiopia, Page 3 opportunity to see such endemics as Wattled Ibis and Blue-winged Goose (whose nearest relative and ecological counterpart is the Andean Goose of South America) feeding along the water’s edge. Other specialties include Rouget’s Rails and Abyssinian Longclaws skulking in the wet grass while flocks of White-collared Pigeons and Black-headed Siskins decorate the telephone wires. Other interesting species we may encounter today include Little Grebe; Gray Heron; Sacred Ibis; Egyptian Goose; African Black and Yellow-billed ducks; White-backed Vulture; Augur and Common buzzards; Red-knobbed Coot; Three-banded and Black- winged Lapwing; Speckled Pigeon; Dusky Turtle-Dove and Red-eyed Dove; Nyanza Swift; Speckled Mousebird; European Bee-eater; Western Yellow Wagtail; African (Grassland) Pipit; Red-rumped Swallow; Red-throated Pipit; Gray Wagtail; Common Bulbul; Erlanger’s Lark; Short-crested Lark; Red-breasted, Northern, Pied, Isabelline and Abyssinian wheatears; Moorland (Abyssinian) Chat; Mountain Thrush; Groundscraper Thrush; Winding (Ethiopian) and Pectoral-patch cisticolas; Common Fiscal; Pied Crow; Cape Rook; Red-billed Oxpecker; Greater Blue-eared Starling; Tacazze Sunbird; Swainson’s Sparrow; Baglafecht Weaver; Yellow Bishop; Red-collared Widowbird; Common Waxbill; Brown-rumped and Streaky seedeaters; African Citril; and Ortolan Bunting. Later, we reach Debre Libanos, perched on the lip of a massive and spectacular gorge (a branch of the Blue Nile drainage system). The precipitous cliffs here are home to the impressive Gelada Baboon and we should encounter a troop of these handsome primates as they forage along the cliff tops. Among the birds we can expect to see are Erckel’s Francolin; Black-winged Lovebird; Banded Barbet; Rueppell’s Chat; White-winged Cliff-Chat; White- billed Starling; and Ethiopian Black-headed Oriole; as well as the spectacular Lammergeier (often sailing past at close range); Rueppell’s Griffon; Steppe, Tawny and Verreaux’s eagles; Eurasian Kestrel; Lanner and Peregrine falcons; the near-endemic White-cheeked Turaco; Mottled Swift; Blue-breasted Bee-eater; Hemprich’s Hornbill; Common House and Rock martins; Long-billed and Tree pipits; Little Rock-Thrush; Rueppell’s Robin-Chat; Mocking Cliff-Chat; Singing and Stout cisticolas; African Paradise-Flycatcher; Broad-ringed (Montane) White- eye; Northern Puffback; Fan-tailed Raven; Red-winged Starling; Village Indigobird; Pin-tailed Whydah; Red- billed Firefinch; and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting. NIGHT: TBA Hotel, Addis Ababa November 3, Day 5: South into the Ethiopian Rift Valley. This morning we will make an early start and head south through the Ethiopian Rift Valley, one of the geologic wonders of the earth. Here, tectonic forces are literally pulling the ground apart, causing a fracture, or “rift,” within the continental plate that overlays the earth’s mantle. As the rift has widened over the millennia, the result is an elongated basin lined on either side by steep-walled mountains. Beyond the Rift Valley’s fascinating geologic features, it is thronged with magnificent bird-rich lakes. Over the next days we will explore the best of these lakes and the surrounding arid savannas and patches of indigenous forest. We will be birding along the main road and turning off at several of the lakes along the way. The numbers of birds can be quite overwhelming, and whether you are an “old hand” in Africa or if this is your first time on the continent, you will undoubtedly be impressed by the spectacle. The opportunities for photography are plentiful and this is a great tour for those big lenses. Most likely, our first birding stop will be at Lake Chelelektu. This is a small, shallow lake lined with marsh and mudflats and supports surprisingly large numbers of birds. In particular, it is an excellent site for migrant ducks and waders.