Uganda Highlights 30th May to 10th June 2019 (12 days) Trip Report Shoebill by Daniel Keith Danckwerts Tour Leader: Daniel Keith Danckwerts Trip Report – RBL Uganda - Highlights 2019 2 Tour Summary This new shortened itinerary, covering only the best birding sites across Uganda in just 12 days, culminated in a bird list of 430 species which included many of Africa’s most sought after birds (including a staggering 21 Albertine Rift endemics). Our two most enjoyable sightings were of the beyond mythical Green- breasted Pitta – walk-away views, after a gruelling 6-hour search – and a nesting pair of Grauer’s Broadbill! Other notable species were the impressive Shoebill (3 individuals seen), Papyrus and Black-headed Gonoleks, all three of the realistic Albertine endemic sunbirds (Purple-breasted, Blue- headed, and Regal), Neumann’s Warbler, Red-throated and Fire-crested Alethes, the recently split Willard’s and Mountain (Albertine) Sooty Boubous, White-spotted Flufftail, Ruwenzori Nightjar, Handsome Francolin, Bar-tailed Trogon, the impossible Dusky and Barred Long-tailed Cuckoos, Dwarf Honeyguide, both Uganda and Red-faced Woodland Warblers, Lowland and Mountain Masked Apalises, Nahan’s Partridge and many, many more. Uganda is also the capital of primate diversity in Africa. Species we encountered were the magical Eastern Gorilla and Chimpanzee, Guereza, Central African Red Colobus, the endemic Ugandan Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Olive Baboon, Blue Monkey, and the difficult L’Hoest’s Monkey. Other notable species included Kob, African Elephant, Hippopotamus, African Buffalo, Yellow-backed and Black- fronted Duikers, and Ishasha’s (the southern section of Queen Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo by Daniel Elizabeth National Park) famous tree-climbing Lions. Uganda Keith Danckwerts really is ‘the Pearl of Africa.’ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Tour in Detail Uganda is arguably one of Africa’s top birdwatching and game viewing destinations, supporting such a high biodiversity and natural beauty that Winston Churchill wrote “For magnificence, for variety of form and colour, for profusion of brilliant life — bird, insect, reptile, beast — for vast scale — Uganda is truly ‘the Pearl of Africa’.” Needless to say, one could absolutely smell the excitement in the air as we met at our hotel in Entebbe for an introductory dinner. It was then straight to bed for everyone, though I think few of us managed a full night’s Papyrus Gonolek by Daniel Keith Danckwerts sleep given the levels of excitement! We were up bright and early the following morning for the first official day of the tour. We trucked out through the Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to Uganda Trip Report – RBL Uganda - Highlights 2019 3 bustling outer suburbs of Entebbe and into the community lands where endless villages parted, only to accommodate dense plantain and banana plantations. It was in these areas that we added our first bird species to the tour list: Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill, African Openbill, Woodland, and Striped Kingfishers, Eastern Plantain Eater, and the impressive Great Blue Turaco. Arriving at the Mabamba Swamp, we quickly explored a small area of grassland and mesic savannah. Here we found Fan-tailed Widowbird, the jewel-like Red- headed Lovebird, Yellow-throated Longclaw, African Marsh Harrier, Grey-headed Gull, and the sweet-singing Rufous-naped Lark. We boarded a pair of traditional fishing boats and worked our way towards the centre of the swamp, situated along the very edge of the expansive Lake Victoria. Here, we had a special date planned with a very special bird. It was, of course, the Shoebill – arguably one of the most impressive and pre-historic looking birds in the world. It took longer than Chimpanzee by Daniel Keith Danckwerts expected but we were eventually rewarded with point-blank views of one bird standing motionless at the edge of the swamp, and an additional two individuals seen flying over our boats and landing somewhere deep in the papyrus. Other notable species included the uncommon and nomadic Weyns’s Weaver, Papyrus Gonolek, Goliath and Purple Herons, African Jacana, Palm-nut Vulture, and Swamp Flycatcher. Happy with our success, we returned to shore and immediately transferred to a favourite lunch spot. Here we enjoyed daytime sightings of a Bat Hawk, as well as Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill and Yellow- rumped Tinkerbird. With a fair distance still to travel, we loaded up again and navigated the crazy Kampala traffic sighting Hooded Vulture and the grotesque Marabou Stork in the city centre. Once we reached the open road again, it was straight through to the Luweero Swamp where we found the uncommon (Hartlaub’s) Marsh and Yellow-mantled Widowbirds. Continuing onwards, we sighted several Dark Chanting Goshawks and Long-crested Eagles by the roadside. Kafu Ranches was the next scheduled stop. This renowned site is fantastic for White-crested Turaco – arguably African Skimmer by Daniel Keith Danckwerts the most beautiful member of this endemic African family – and it didn’t take long before we were rewarded with a single bird perched prominently for us. Other interesting species seen were the Western Banded Snake Eagle, White-headed Barbet, Speckled Mousebird, Little Weaver, and aptly named Beautiful Sunbird. We arrived after dark at our destination, the town of Masindi, so we quickly settled in and enjoyed a fabulous dinner. Hundreds of Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to Uganda Trip Report – RBL Uganda - Highlights 2019 4 African Straw-coloured Fruit Bats could be seen (and heard!) flying around our hotel in a fruiting tree. Next day, we drove towards the Royal Mile section of the Budongo Forest. Farm bush en route produced the adorable Black-bellied Firefinch, Heuglin’s Francolin, Red-faced and Whistling Cisticolas, Vieillot’s Black and Compact Weavers, African Yellow Warbler, Red-headed Quelea and a distant pair of Grey Parrots. As we approached the forest, our list grew exponentially. White-thighed Hornbill, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Chocolate-backed and African Pygmy Kingfishers, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, and Purple-headed Starling were just a few of the additions found within the first few minutes. Greenbuls were abundant and we found the Spotted, White- throated, Little, Little Grey, and Yellow- whiskered Greenbuls, as well as the incredibly shy Red-tailed Bristlebill. Throughout the rest of the day, we slowly notched up several other great species. The rare Uganda Woodland Warbler and Lemon- Spur-winged Lapwing by Daniel Keith Danckwerts bellied Crombec proved challenging, given the height of the forest canopy, though we eventually found both species feeding lower as part of a mixed-species foraging flock. This particular flock also contained the glistening Red-headed Malimbe, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, Ituri Batis, and Dusky Tit. In a different section of the forest, we found a responsive pair of Nahan’s Partridge. A long game of tug-o- war eventually had the male running in circles in the middle of the trail giving rare unobstructed views. A small stream nearby also held the diminutive African Dwarf Kingfisher – Africa’s smallest kingfisher measuring just 8cm between bill and tail – as well Blue-breasted Kingfisher. We chanced our luck with a calling Blue-shouldered Robin-chat and White-spotted Flufftail but were only successful in getting glimpses of the latter. A mixed flock then passed overhead, containing Spotted Greenbul, Crested Malimbe, Narina Trogon, and both Grey-headed and White-breasted Nigritas. The Royal Mile also gave us several interesting primate species including a pair of Chimpanzee, the Red-tailed and Blue Monkeys, and Olive Baboon. A superb Green-breasted Pitta by Daniel Keith Danckwerts introduction to the birds and mammals of the central African rainforest! We returned to Masindi for the evening, where we enjoyed yet another delicious traditional dinner, followed by a much-appreciated early night. The next day was a long travel day, as we slowly made our way south towards Kibale Forest National Park. The drive took the better part of the entire day, broken by several short birding stops. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t in our favour, but we persevered nonetheless and came away with several great birds. Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to Uganda Trip Report – RBL Uganda - Highlights 2019 5 The first stop was in the Murro area where we easily found our main target – the simply gorgeous Brown Twinspot. We watched a male as it fed along the main track, then flew into some dense shrubbery where it called at length. Here we also sighted White-chinned Prinia, Red-headed Quelea, Black Bishop, Black Cuckoo (including both the gabonensis and clamosus subspecies), Fawn-breasted Waxbill, and Black-crowned Waxbill. Carrying on further still, a quick roadside stop gave us Black-and-white Shrike Flycatcher and Black-and-white Mannikin. We eventually arrived in the Sebitole section of the Kibale Forest National Park. An hour in this area gave us the localised Lowland Masked Apalis, Joyful Greenbul, Black- throated Apalis, Petit’s Cuckooshrike, Cassin’s Honeybird, and White-chinned Tree-climbing Lion by Daniel Keith Danckwerts Prinia. After what seemed like forever, we eventually arrived at our gorgeous lodge in Kibale National Park in the late afternoon and sighted both Bronzy Sunbird and Yellow-bellied Waxbill as we were checking in. We made sure to have an early night given that the following day was the earliest start of the tour. We were up and walking into the heart of the Kibale Forest before dawn the following morning, in search of the mythical Green-breasted Pitta. Until about 10 years ago, this rare species was only known from a few sporadic sightings at sites in and around the Congo Basin and, until 2005, the species was widely regarded as the least known and most difficult Pitta in the world. Then, in 2005, a group of chimpanzee trackers stumbled upon a pair of pittas in a deep, dark section of the Kibale Forest.