The Best of Ethiopia

The Best of Ethiopia Naturetrek Tour Report 9 - 27 February 2018 Ethiopian Oriole Gelada Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse Water hole Report and images compiled by Simon Tonkin Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: info@naturetrek.co.uk W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report The Best of Ethiopia Tour participants: Simon Tonkin (leader) and Melkamu Alemu (Local guide) With 12 Naturetrek Clients Summary Journeying through the ancient lands of Ethiopia we witnessed the myriad of habitats and the special species that inhabit these regions, from Ethiopian Wolves and Bale Monkeys, Blue-winged Geese and Rouget´s Rails to munching Hirax, soaring Verreaux´s Eagles and squabbling Geladas. Add to this the daily scenery, the magnificent local cuisine and the eye-popping traditional coffee, which ensured we were wide awake to marvel at the unbelievable scenes that poured out of this land on a daily basis! Day 1 Friday 9th February Today saw us catch our flight to Ethiopia. We had a relaxed and comfortable flight thanks to excellent service from Ethiopian Airlines. Day 2 Saturday 10th February Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, we immediately negotiated the complexities of the airport and the rather chaotic visa system (which provided us with great amusement!). We met up with local guide Melkamu and we were soon on our way with our driver through the bustling streets of Addis. Upon arrival at the Ghion hotel we went to get some food but not before being immediately distracted by a Black Sparrowhawk perched just outside the window. Even the grounds of this inner-city hotel provided feeding grounds for endemic Wattled Ibis, whilst Brown-rumped and Streaky Seedeaters drunk at the birdbath and Mountain Thrush hopped around the bushes. It was clear our Ethiopian adventure had well and truly begun as we got to grips with these new species tallying up fast. Now we had to get our short internal flight to Bahir Dar. Upon arrival, and once we had freshened-up, we went on our first proper African bush walk around the Blue Nile falls. We encountered some delightful species here - even on the rough track to our destination we found a tree full of Marabou Storks - rather alluring, maybe a bit grim but certainly not ugly! We spotted the rare Egyptian Vulture (recently downgraded from Critically Endangered to Endangered by the IUCN). Interestingly the yellow pigment in the adult face coloration is obtained from carotenoid pigments derived from eating herbivore faeces! A Dark Chanting Goshawk obliged us by providing full views atop an Acacia tree, whilst Yellow-billed Kites were seemingly omnipresent. The harrowing but beautiful calls (and views) of African Fish Eagle rang out. Also in the Acacia was a Striped Kingfisher whilst further on a Woodland Kingfisher added to our Kingfisher tally. Two wonderful and very large Silvery-cheeked Hornbills flew past us and gave us great views in the setting sun whilst we scored our second endemic - a very cute Black-winged Lovebird! Two striking Mocking Cliff-chats danced around us in the gorge below as we crossed the suspension bridge across the river. © Naturetrek July 18 1 The Best of Ethiopia Tour Report A Grey-backed Camaroptera skulked in the bushes at the end of our walk and after passing by some Grivet Monkeys we loaded up into the bus for the short journey back to our hotel. Day 3 Sunday 11th February This morning, following breakfast accompanied by Montane White-eyes, we headed out by boat across Lake Tana. We drifted past Hippopotamus at a respectful distance but they gave us wonderful views in the morning light. African Fish Eagles again called overhead and White-winged Terns skimmed the water´s surface. We encountered Caspian Tern and Baltic Gull on the way to the Zege Peninsula and to the monastery of Mariam. Around the monastery Melkamu expertly picked out a White-cheeked Turaco - a sought-after species for many. We enjoyed stunning views in the telescope. Some of us decided to have a respectful wander in the chapel guided by Melkamu while some of us decided to linger with the Turaco and Tacazze Sunbirds! Before boarding the boat, we encountered a Gambian Sun Squirrel which provided a variety of taxonomic questions for us to find the answers for. On the journey back we observed in excess of 80 Northern Carmine Bee-eaters. We headed back to our hotel for lunch after which we were able to explore the grounds and nearby wetlands. On the wetlands various species could be found including Spur-winged Goose and Knob-billed Duck, being delicately side-stepped by African Jacana. We also found a very compact and beautiful Pygmy Goose - a delightful array of colours in miniature form! Among the Sacred Ibis we picked out three Yellow-billed Storks and two Hadada Ibis. We also found a perched raptor which revealed itself to be a Western Banded Snake Eagle, which provided scope-filling views and an opportunity to try our hands at phone-scoping. After walking the short distance back to the main hotel grounds we had great views of African Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird and Double-toothed Barbet, ending a delightful day in the field. Day 4 Monday 12th February Today saw us on the Bahir Dar to Gondar road. Our first stop was some rice fields that still held on to some over-wintering Common Cranes and a single White Stork. We also found some Woolly-necked Storks resting in a tree and a tiny Black-winged Kite hunting by the road. Stopping at Tara Gedam or “Devils Finger” provided us with great views of White-backed Vulture, Rüppell's Vulture and Hooded Vulture with up to 30 Tawny Eagles being encountered throughout the area. Pied and Isabelline Wheatears flitted among the rocks and fields. We then spotted a Lanner Falcon, which was joined by its mate swooping overhead. As our attentions turned elsewhere we spotted amongst the boulders a near- endemic in the form of Rüppell's Black Chat which soon multiplied into five individuals. After drawing some attention from the local kids, who Adele kindly loaned the use of her binoculars, we headed out once again on the road towards Gondar. 2 © Naturetrek July 18 The Best of Ethiopia Tour Report Arriving in Gondar we lunched at the fabulous Four Sisters - here four sisters lavishly provide local food of spicy lentil, bean and meat in the form of wat served on injera - a large sourdough flatbread made of fermented teff flour. Some of us become injera-junkies after this and the local food was so much better than local attempts at western cuisine. The grounds of the Four Sisters offers pretty good birding too! Village and Baglafecht Weavers noisily drink at the hosepipe while Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu Finch and Red-billed Firefinch scurry around at your feet picking up the spilt crumbs! In the trees overhead, African Paradise Flycatchers trail their long tails in flight and Scarlet- chested and Variable Sunbirds provide ornate splashes of colour. Following lunch we visited the grounds of Guzara castle. Here, whilst looking at the White-coloured Pigeons and Bruce’s Green Pigeons, Melkamu picked out a day-roosting Greyish Eagle Owl. We then visited the Fasilides Baptism baths. This palace is connected by a charming bridge with stone arches and the bridge could be withdrawn in times of conflict. It is not known whether the pool surrounding the palace was for baptismal ceremonies or simply as a swimming pool - perhaps it had a dual purpose? In addition to this interesting historical site it also hosts the best avian water tap in Gonder, apparently! So we were keen to check out Melkamu’s bold claim. The first bird to appear at the tap was an endemic in the form of Black-winged Lovebird! It was swiftly followed by another endemic! A new one for us - the stunning Ethopian Oriole! However we still declared Melkamu´s claim to be false. As Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Dusky Turtle Dove, and Great Blue-eared Glossy Starling came to this single dripping tap for a drink we thought surely this was the best dripping tap in the history of dripping taps!! Following this dripping-tastic avian delight we headed up to the Goha Hotel which overlooks Gonder. Here we found beautiful Thick-billed Ravens feeding right next to the pool and skies full of Yellow-billed Kites as they came into roost in poolside Eucalyptus trees. However the real stars came in the form of both Steppe and Tawny Eagles which provided great joy for the raptorphiles but also an identification challenge and a superb learning experience at close hand. Day 5 Tuesday 13th February During breakfast, a Mocking Cliff-chat decided to join us inside the Goha Hotel - this bird had decided it wasn’t going to face the outside when it can pick over some breakfast leftovers with hardly any energy expended. Meanwhile the numbers of Tawny and Steppe Eagle were again evident drifting around the outskirts of the city as we looked down upon it and them. On route, stopping at a roadside escarpment, we observed up to four individual Lammergeiers and to be honest they pretty much stole the show as they drifted around right in front of us, giving what has to be the best views ever of Lammergeier! Impossible to beat, and impossible to focus cameras on, they were that close! We climbed further up into our next ‘zone’ in the Simien Mountains - upon arrival here we immediately checked in with a troop of Geladas - the only surviving primate that grazes.

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