November 2014
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Ethiopian Endemics V 30th November to 18th December 2014 & Lalibela Historical Extension th th 26 November to 29 November 2014 Trip report Yellow-breasted Barbet by Wayne Jones Trip report compiled by tour leader Wayne Jones RBT Ethiopian Endemics V Trip Report 2014 2 Our Ethiopian escapade began in the capital of Addis Ababa, a sprawling city of 3,5 million inhabitants set at an altitude of 2,355m. The first day was an arrival day and after everyone’s arrival we conducted various walks around the gardens of our hotel. We saw high elevation species such as the endemic Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher, Abyssinian Woodpecker and Brown- rumped Seedeater, along with Dusky Turtle Dove, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Abyssinian Thrush, Montane White-eye, plenty of Tacazze Sunbirds, Streaky Seedeater and a flock of Slender-billed Starlings excitedly feasting on a flowering tree. The skies overhead were a constant stream of raptors, mostly the ubiquitous Yellow- billed Kite and Hooded Vulture. The next morning we set off on a short flight north to Lalibela for the historical extension. The drive from the airport took us from Acacia-flecked lowlands where we saw White-fronted Black Chat, Yellow-rumped Seedeater, Vinaceous Dove, Speckle-fronted Weaver and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, to the mountains of Lalibela town itself, where we saw the first of many Bearded Vultures. Over the next two days we explored the impressive network of Blue-breasted Bee-eater by Wayne Jones rock-hewn churches in this UNESCO World Heritage Site, culminating in the cross-shaped prism of Bet Giyorgis (Church of St George). Birding was never off the agenda, of course, and we spied White-billed Starling, Tawny Eagle, Mocking Cliff Chat and White-collared Pigeon as we ducked in and out of each holy place. Lunch on one of the days was spent at Ben Abeba, worthy of mention as much for its, um, unusual extra-terrestrial design influence as for the views of Bearded Vultures, Tawny Eagles and Fan-tailed Ravens sailing past almost at eye level! A visit to the mountain-top temple of Asheton Maryam afforded us not only a sensational vista over the countryside but also scintillating views of the endemic Ankober Serin, Little Rock Thrush, Rüppell’s Black Chat and a Lanner Falcon that was troubling a Bearded Vulture. The small grounds of our hotel were equally productive, with Brown Woodland Warbler, Black-winged Lovebird, Hemprich’s Hornbill, Eurasian Hoopoe, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Common Redstart, Red-winged Starling, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Village Weaver and Red-fronted Tinkerbird all being seen with ease. With our short time in Ethiopia’s holiest town up, we headed back to the airport, finding Abyssinian Roller, Hamerkop and Yellow-breasted Barbet along the way. Back in Addis we visited the National Museum – home to the famous Australopithecus remains of Lucy – only to find that it was closed due to some filming taking place. We headed back to our hotel, did a spot of birding in the garden and prepared for the main tour, which Priest at Lalibela by Wayne Jones kicked off the next day. As each set of guests arrived the following day we conducted walks around the hotel gardens, picking up similar species to before as well as Red-billed Firefinch, African Paradise Flycatcher, Montane White-eye and Wattled Ibis. RBT Ethiopian Endemics V Trip Report 2014 3 After this relaxed introduction to the region’s birdlife, our tour began in earnest early the next morning at Lake Chelekcheka. This shallow pan flanked by scores of small crop fields held a wealth of species. Upon disembarking the bus we found Wattled, African Sacred and Hadeda Ibis poking about in a pile of fertiliser. Hundreds of Common Cranes set off in cacophonous glory to forage in surrounding agricultural lands while even more Marabou Storks could be seen covering the far shore. Waterfowl out in the depths included Red-billed Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail and White-faced Whistling Duck, while waders such as Little Stint, Common Sandpiper, Red-throated Pipit, Wood Sandpiper and Black-winged Stilt stuck closer to the shoreline. The scrub lining the tomato fields also gave us sightings of Ethiopian Cisticola, African Citril and, eventually, sensational views of a pair of exquisite Quailfinch. Quailfinch by Wayne Jones Due to construction work our breakfast stop at Lake Bishoftu was less productive than usual, although we did see the endemic Black-winged Lovebird, Speckled Mousebird, Western Marsh Harrier and Grey-backed Camaroptera. At Koka Dam we didn’t even need to climb out the bus before finding our target bird, the blushing Black Crowned Crane. Hamerkop, African Fish Eagle, Western Yellow Wagtail, Grey-backed Fiscal, Saddle-billed Stork, Great Egret and White-winged Tern all featured as supporting acts. A bit further on, yells from the back of the bus brought us to a screeching halt, which successfully attracted the attention of the local children – not that much escapes their attention anyway. We hopped out and admired a group of four stately Abyssinian Hornbills. One posed obligingly atop a termite mound as Eastern Grey Woodpecker and a Grey Kestrel also vied for some binocular time. Later on the shoreline and surrounds of Lake Ziway yielded an incredible number of great birds including Hottentot Teal, Marsh Sandpiper, Double-toothed Barbet, Little Ringed Plover, Woodland and Malachite Kingfishers, Glossy Ibis, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Knob-billed Duck, Common Snipe, Black Crake, Black-headed Gull, Fulvous Duck and a feeding frenzy of Great White Pelicans and Marabou Storks. The day was getting on so we decided to continue to Awassa without stops, but broke this commitment when we came upon a large grouping of vultures – Rüppell’s, White-backed and Hooded – attending a strong-smelling carcass close to the road. The following day began with a stroll to nearby Lake Awassa that finished off in the hotel grounds. Highlights included African Pygmy Goose, Blue-headed Coucal, a very friendly White-browed Robin-Chat, Red-faced Cisticola, Lesser Swamp Warbler, more Black-winged Lovebirds, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, White-breasted Cormorant, African Thrush, Little Weaver, Black-billed Barbet, Eastern Grey Woodpecker, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Black- billed Wood Hoopoe and the “cryptic bark- Guereza Colobuses by Wayne Jones poking bird” triumvirate: Red-throated Wryneck, Eurasian Wryneck and African Spotted Creeper within minutes of each other. Plus we had close encounters – thankfully only of the first kind – with an Olive Baboon, Grivet Monkeys and velvet-faced Guereza Colobuses before hitting the road. A quick detour in Shashemene allowed good views of one of Ethiopia’s most impressive endemics, the hulking Thick-billed Raven. The steady decrease in the bus’s speed told us we were gaining altitude again as we headed towards Dodola. Flat maize fields dotted with huge fig trees gave way to a hilly beige patchwork of wheatfields and ever- RBT Ethiopian Endemics V Trip Report 2014 4 diminishing grassland. A stop at one of these remaining grassy tracts produced Abyssinian Longclaw, the “if-it-stands-any-more-upright-it’ll-topple-over-backwards” Moorland Chat, White-necked Pigeon, Green Sandpiper, White Wagtail, White-collared Pigeon and distant views of Blue-winged Goose. Everyone was introduced to the concept of the miraculously hidden Ethiopian restaurant/hotel in Dodola (always tucked away in plain view!) where we had a delicious meal of traditional njera and tibs along with spaghetti and sauce, the latter a legacy of Italy’s occupation of Ethiopia during the twentieth century. After lunch we climbed higher still, so high that we encountered a flock of around 25 Red-billed Choughs, a species only encountered at alpine altitudes. A little further on, and with the eager assistance of knowledgeable – and protective – locals, we saw Cape Eagle-Owl from quite close. A small ephemeral waterbody down the hill yielded improved sightings of Blue- winged Goose and Common Snipe. Soon we had entered the Bale Mountains National Park, through which the main road passes. Common Warthog, endemic Mountain Nyala, Bohor Reedbuck and Rouget’s Rail all showed nicely. At the park headquarters in Dinsho we enlisted some local expertise to find the big prize: Abyssinian Owl. Just in time too! It started to shower just as the last camera battery ran out so we bundled into the bus and drove to Goba, our base for the next Cape Eagle-Owl by Wayne Jones three nights. The following day was devoted to exploring the Sanetti Plateau and the expansive Harenna Forest on the far side. While climbing up to the highest all-weather road in Africa we made a stop at the Juniper Forest on the plateau’s lower slopes. Although unusually quiet bird-wise, we did have sumptuous views of an Abyssinian Ground Thrush, fleeting glimpses of Brown Woodland Warbler and, eventually, good scope views of the endemic White-backed Black Tit. A little higher still and we started encountering Chestnut-naped Francolin, Rouget’s Rail, Thekla Lark, Ethiopian Siskin, both dark and light morph Augur Buzzards, Groundscraper Thrush and, very excitingly, a Caracal lying on a roadside boulder. The weather on top of the 4,000m high plateau was initially very misty, yet still allowed for excellent sightings of Ethiopian Wolf, Steppe Eagle, Abyssinian Longclaw, Wattled Crane, Starck’s Hare, Spot- breasted Lapwing, Ruddy Shelduck, Green Sandpiper and Giant Root-rat. Our journey down into Harenna Forest came to a standstill when we got stuck attempting a series of ever- worsening muddy troughs in the road. After some hair-raising moments, blocking the traffic for the better part of an hour and getting our hands well and truly dirty we managed to tow the bus out.