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The Best of Ethiopia

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The Best of Ethiopia The Best of Ethiopia Naturetrek Tour Report 7th – 25th February 2020 Gelada Abyssinian Ground-thrush Ethiopian Black-headed Oriole Grivet Monkey Tour report compiled by Simon Tonkin, images by Adam Dudley and Jane Dixon Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report The Best of Ethiopia Tour participants: Simon Tonkin and Abiy Dagne (tour leaders and naturalists) eleven Naturetrek clients Summary We discovered the best of Ethiopia - a truly amazing country which gave us memories of intimate views of the varied and amazing nature from mountains, forests, wetlands and plains. The group sat alongside Geladas and listening to their conversations whilst watching their mutual grooming, as Lammergeiers flew overhead and Moorland Chats become our new friends. In the Bale Mountains we enjoyed the sleek beauty of the Ethiopian Wolf - the rarest canid - while Wattled Cranes wandered past and endemic Blue-winged Geese occupied the mountain pools. Ethiopian endemic and near endemic birds were seemingly everywhere! We enjoyed Spot-breasted Lapwings, Ethiopian Orioles, Abyssinian Catbirds, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Black-winged Lovebirds and Abyssinian Longclaw to name but a few. Ethiopia is a place of beautiful and unique contrasts, habitats, nature, food and culture. Day 1 & 2 Friday 7th & Saturday 8th February We started our adventure on various flights from the UK, US and Australia, converging on Addis Ababa, where we met with local guide Abiy. After a pause for breakfast at a nearby hotel, and taking the time to spot Speckled Mousebird, Abyssinian Thrush, Dusky Turtle Dove and Swainson´s Sparrow, we met with the rest of the group and boarded our plane for the short hop to Dahir Bar. Arriving at our lovely lakeside hotel in time for lunch, we had our first opportunity to try Ethiopia´s famous injera pancakes, which were served with and used to mop up shiro, a tasty chickpea curry. After some time to rest, refresh and unpack, we went for a wander around the hotel´s sumptuous verdant grounds. Here we started to see our first endemic and exciting East African birds, including Black-winged Lovebird, Rüppell´s Robin Chat and Bruce´s Green Pigeon. There was much to see amongst the trees and flowering plants, such as Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Ethiopian Oriole, Black-billed and Double-toothed Barbets, Baglafecht Weaver and Nubian Woodpecker. Splashes of vibrant colour were added by Scarlet-chested, Tacazze and Variable Sunbird. We took a stroll to the edge of the nearby marshes. In the soft late afternoon light, we enjoyed African Jacana, Squacco Heron, Intermediate Egret, Black Crake and many Black-headed Yellow Wagtails amongst the low- intensity rice paddies. In the scrub and woodland in between, were Blue-breasted Bee-eaters, which gave fantastic views, Red-faced Crombec, Blue-headed Coucal and Grey Kestrel. A fantastic first taste of Ethiopia´s avian delights! Followed by a second chance to sample its culinary ones! © Naturetrek June 20 1 Tour Report The Best of Ethiopia Day 3 Sunday 9th February Today we headed out early morning, onto the still waters of Lake Tana. With a surface area of over 3000 square kilometres, this huge body of water is Ethiopia´s largest lake and the source of the Blue Nile. We first spent some time in a quiet, reed-fringed area. Here we found many roosting African Fish Eagles of various age classes, African Darter and Long-tailed Cormorant, as well as Spur-winged and Egyptian Goose, Knob-billed Duck, and a couple of delightful Pygmy Geese. In the lakeside trees, there was a simply spectacular Northern Carmine Bee-eater roost. Many hirundines were already active, including Barn Swallow, Sand, Brown-Throated and Banded Martins. Lurking in the shallows were family groups of Common Hippopotamus. Our boat took us to an island in the lake which housed a monastery. Still in use, the beautifully-preserved interior of this simple structure featured brightly-coloured artwork depicting bible scenes in the area´s own inimitable style. Outside we could see clearly the inhabitants of an African Fish Eagle nest above us! An African Paradise Flycatcher put on a great show for us while an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler sang from the trees. We came across Speckled Weavers and delicately-coloured Lemon Doves among the many singing Red-eyed Doves. Out on the water were islands that were actually made of Great White Pelicans! White-winged Black and Caspian Terns drifted by. On a small island where many Long-tailed Cormorants were nesting, we could see two Water Monitor Lizards patrolling the detritus below. Arriving at a second island, we wended our way up through little handicraft stalls to a monastery where is kept a replica of the Ark of the Covenant. As well as admiring it, we enjoyed adding some mammals to our list, in the form of Rock Hyrax (soon renamed “Roof Hyrax”!), Gambian Sun Squirrel and Grivet Monkey. Red-winged Starling, Banded Barbet and Yellow-fronted Parrot were also in evidence. We took a gorgeous lunch in a restaurant by the lake, surrounded by Speckled Mousebirds and a Common Fiscal. For the afternoon we headed out right to the very source of the Blue Nile Falls. As we travelled along dusty roads through smaller and smaller villages, we spied Striped Kingfisher, Village Indigobird, Hadada Ibis, Maribou Stork, White-backed and Hooded Vulture, Fan-tailed Raven and Somali Crow. We wandered through pretty, low-intensity agriculture, verdant and productive. Here we found African Citril Finch, Abyssinian Waxbill, Bush Petronia, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, White-rumped Swift, Brown Snake Eagle and Steppe Buzzard. Overlooking the picturesque falls themselves, we could see a flock of Slender-billed Starlings, a Mocking Cliff Chat, and we were thrilled to get our first glimpse of a White-cheeked Turaco! 2 © Naturetrek June 20 Tour Report The Best of Ethiopia Day 4 Monday 10th February At first light, our walk started with a magical view of an Abyssinian Nightjar calling, silhouetted from a tree. We left the hotel grounds and strolled along a lakeside path. Here we got fantastic views of Tacazze Sunbird, Senegal Batis and Brown-throated Wattle-eye. A fisherman in a traditional papyrus canoe was surrounded by a raft of a few dozen Great White Pelicans. As we returned for breakfast, a pair of Violet-backed Starlings showed well in a treetop. We continued our journey north to our next base, in the historic city of Gondar. We soon found ourselves crossing great agricultural plains, with rice fields FULL of Common Cranes. We made a stop to enjoy this spectacle, and also enjoyed seeing Black-headed Heron, Long-legged Buzzard and a stunning Long-crested Snake Eagle perched on a hay pile. We also found two absolutely gorgeous Black-crowned Cranes feeding by the roadside. Wheatears were pretty numerous – we spotted Northern, Red-breasted and Pied Wheatear. Our next stop was near an imposing rocky outcrop, where thermal air currents were starting to develop in the warm mid-morning sun. Overhead soared Rüppell´s, White-backed and Hooded Vultures and a pair of Lanner Falcons. A stunning creamy Augur Buzzard perched nearby and then soared away. We also picked up African Hoopoe and Rock Martin. Now the plains gave way to mountains and low intensity agriculture, where farmers were using cows to thresh grain by walking them in a circle over the harvested crop. A highpoint of the day awaited us in Gondar – an outstanding lunch at the famous Four Sisters restaurant! For the hungry birder, this place has literally everything! The buffet-style lunch featured an enormous selection of traditional Ethiopian dishes – various spiced pulses, meats, fish and salads accompanied by fresh rice and injera (plus tasty “European-style” options for those who preferred). It was washed down with a complimentary honey wine and some amazing Ethiopian coffee – the beans for which were roasted right in front of us. But – thanks to numerous feeders and drinking bowls around the restaurant´s pretty flower-covered terraces – this whole experience was enriched by visits from African Paradise Flycatcher, Tacazze Sunbird, Brown-rumped Seedeater and Abyssinian Thrush! As we sat down, one of the four sisters who run this amazing place rushed through to tell Simon that “your bird is here” – we headed to the drinking bowl to find a White-cheeked Turaco! In the afternoon we explored some of this medieval city´s historic sites. Local guides gave us fascinating insights into the history of the Moorish-style castle and bath house of 17th Century Emperor Fasilides, and the Debre Birhan Selassie Church. The “historic urban birding” was impressive too, yielding endemic White-collared Pigeon, roosting Greyish Eagle Owl and Streaky Seedeater. A leaky tap, nick-named the “tap of dreams” brought in Black-billed Barbet and Abyssinian Oriole. At the church we had our first views of the imposing Thick-billed Ravens. Coming in to roost were Hooded Vultures and a Tawny Eagle and Blue-breasted Bee-eaters We arrived at our luxurious surroundings on the hilltop Goha Hotel in time to be whisked off to see a roosting African Wood Owl! We also caught many Yellow-billed Kites and Hooded Vultures coming in to roost, as well as Red-winged Starlings, Tawny Eagles and a Steppe Eagle. 3 © Naturetrek June 20 Tour Report The Best of Ethiopia Day 5 Tuesday 11th February Today we travelled on again, north to the Simien Mountains. Near the National Park office, we stopped to refresh with a fantastic coffee, and to pick up the park rangers who would accompany us for the entirety of our stay in this most special of National Parks, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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