AVIAN SAFARIS 23 DAY UGANDA BIRDING AND NATURE TOUR ITINERARY Date: July 7 July 29, 2019 Tour Leader: Crammy Wanyama Trip Report and all photos by Crammy Wanyama Black-headed Gonolek a member of the Bush-shrikes family Day 1 – July 7, 2019: Beginning of the tour This tour had uneven arrivals. Two members arrived two days earlier and the six that came in on the night before July 7th, stayed longer; therefore, we had a pre and post- tour to Mabira Forest. For today, we all teamed up and had lunch at our accommodation for the next two nights. This facility has some of the most beautiful gardens around Entebbe; we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon here watching all the birds you would not expect to find around a city garden. Some fascinating ones like the Black-headed Gonolek nested in the garden, White-browed Robin-Chat too did. The trees that surrounded us offered excellent patching spots for the African Hobby. Here we had a Falco patching out in the open for over forty minutes! Superb looks at a Red-chested and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds. The gardens' birdbath attracted African Thrush that reminded the American birders of their American Robin, Yellow- throated Greenbul. Still looking in the trees, we were able to see African Grey Woodpeckers, both Meyer's and Grey Parrot, a pair of Red-headed Lovebirds. While walking around the facility, we got good looks at a flying Shikra and spent ample time with Ross's Turaco that flew back and forth. We had a very lovely Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird on the power lines, Green-backed Camaroptera, a very well sunlit Avian Safaris: Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.aviansafaris.com AVIAN SAFARIS Spectacled Weaver, was added on the Village and Baglafecht Weavers that we had seen earlier and many more. We freshened up and enJoyed our first dinner as a group; we enJoyed the highly praised one was the fresh vegetable curry. After dinner, we tried for a Southern White-faced Owl that did not play ball. The real safari experience Day 2 July 8, 2019: Birding Mabamba Wetland and Entebbe Botanical Gardens Having done the facility gardens the previous day and planning to do the Entebbe Botanical Gardens in the afternoon, we went to Mabamba this morning. Mabamba wetland is an extensive marshy wetland along Lake Victoria; it is characterized by a few micro-habitats that include the famous papyrus, reeds and figs which are a perfect habitat for the primitive Lungfish that the Shoebill favours most. With ease on our way, we saw a couple of Lizard BuzZards, Village Indigo Bird, some African Green Pigeons, Lesser-striped and Mosque Swallows that we saw on arrival to the landing. At Mabamba, we took the boats and focused on finding the Shoebill first. Beautiful birds like the Malachite Kingfisher, Swamp Flycatcher, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Squacco Herron, Grossbeak Weaver, Purple Heron, Madagascar Bee-eater, African Marsh Harrier, African Jacana and Blue-breasted Bee-eater patched by the channel sides thus hard to sail by ignoring their presence, we therefore quickly observed them with all the pleasure. We got to the Shoebill, that was a few feet away from us. This Avian Safaris: Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.aviansafaris.com AVIAN SAFARIS highly-sought-after African endemic has only a few spots where it can be found, and Uganda's places are trendy because of the 80% chances ability. Shoebill Still in the marsh, we saw the big sized Levaillant's Cuckoo, Black Crake and also tried the Papyrus Gonolek and Greater Swamp Warbler that did not show up! The different side of the marsh was great for Weyns's Weaver, Long-toed Lapwing and elusive diminutive Lesser Jacana, Intermediated and Great Egrets, Yellow- billed and White-faced Whistling Ducks. Heading back to the lodge, we stopped for closer views of Lizard BuzZard, White- throated and Little Bee-eater and a Western Citril before we approached a group of roosting Great Blue Turacos, Sooty Chat, a Tawny-flanked Prinia and Marico Sunbird. The Gardens that we did in the afternoon, warmly welcomed us with Lesser Honeyguide, African Grey Woodpecker and excellent weaver observations. We saw very well, the small Orange, Slender-billed, Golden-backed, Vielloit's and Black- headed Weavers, a pair of Water Thick-Knees, Spur-winged Lapwings, Hooded and Palm-nut Vultures, Pink-backed Pelicans, Yellow-throated Greenbul, and quick views of both Black-headed and African Paradise Flycatchers. Our mammals' list on this day saw three species; Mantled Guereza, Varvet Monkeys and Striped Ground Squirrel. Avian Safaris: Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.aviansafaris.com AVIAN SAFARIS Red-chested Cuckoo Above and Red-billed Firefinch Below Day 3 – July 9, 2019: Birding Mpanga Forest and to Lake Mburo National Park. Today we had to bird to a new destination, Lake Mburo National Park, which is the country’s smallest game pack. However, we did a stop at Mpanga Forest; a small evergreen forest some 30km west of Kampala. On our way here Mpanga, we earned Avian Safaris: Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.aviansafaris.com AVIAN SAFARIS enJoyed superb views of a Papyrus Gonolek pair, Grey-rumped Swallow and White- headed Sawing. Western Nicator In this forest, we aimed at finding the Fire-crested Alethe, African Pied Hornbill, the Western Nicator which we saw and the Green-backed Twinspot which we only heard calling. We managed to get exceptional views of Blue-throated Roller, Yellow- throated Tinkerbird, White-throated Greenbul, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Golden- Crowned Woodpecker, Tambourine Dove, Crowned Hornbill, Blue-throated Brown and Bronze Sunbirds. After Mpanga Forest, we continued to the Equator where we ate our lunch and enJoyed photography poses at 0 latitudes. We proceeded to Lake Mburo National Park, getting Little Swift, Lilac-breasted Roller, Green Wood-hoopoe, African Green Pigeon, fly by Red-headed Lovebirds, a pair of Greeter Blue-eared Starling, Bare- faced Go-Away Bird, Black-lored Babbler, and Grey-crowned Cranes along the way. The newly established Rice farm at Lwera mash, gave us hundreds of Sacred Ibis, Senegal, Wattled and Spur-winged Lapwings, Kittlitz Plover a Single Little Stint and a single African Stone-chat. Ahead at a smaller marsh, we stopped and looked for the Marsh Widowbird which we saw. Our lodge which was adJacent to the park had a very like surrounding habitat! Birds like African Pipit, Blue-napped Mousebird, Violet- backed Starling, Crested and Red-necked Francolin, Ring-necked and Laughing Doves, and the White-browed Cuckoo love it, so we enJoyed easy findings. Day 4 – July 10, 2019: Birding Lake Mburo National Park Avian Safaris: Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.aviansafaris.com AVIAN SAFARIS After the previous day's successful arrival into Lake Mburo National Park areas, we had today to explore its flavours. The morning light arrived amidst sensational whispers of the wild, and in similar conditions, we enJoyed our breakfast. Before finishing breakfast we heard a Freckled Nightjar calling some two hundred meters away, and right away, we walked there and hard views describable as fantastic. Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl We drove to the park headquarters while adding lots of excellent wildlife to our list. We had a very nicely parched Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, Sulpher-breasted Bush-shrike, Common Scimitarbill, Emerald-spotted Wood-dove, Splendid Starling and White- browed Coucal. Our mammal list, today started with Common Eland which is the largest antelope on the African continent, Topi, Common Warthog, Eland, Impala, Waterbuck, 50% of the Giraffes in this park and Maneless Zebra. Our first primary activity was to do a boat ride in search for the African Finfoot, and yes, we were able to see two individuals. The papyrus around Lake Mburo also showed us Carruther's Cisticola, and in the overhanging vegetation, we got super good looks at the African Fish-Eagle, Striated Heron among other birds. From the boat, we slowly birded to our lodge for lunch. This short drive was very productive. At one lovely stop, we chose, had Lilac-breasted Rollers, a pair of Crested Barbet, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Brubru, Red-faced Crombec, Trilling Cisticola, Tawny Eagle and the very uncommon Golden-tailed Woodpecker. Avian Safaris: Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.aviansafaris.com AVIAN SAFARIS A Yellow-billed OXpecker on an African Buffalo After our warm lunch and a siesta, we went for the afternoon to evening drive, this we planned on starting with the diurnal wildlife to nocturnals. Things worked out well, and the day session was filled up with Helmeted Guineafowl, Grey Tit-Flycatcher, Spot-flanked Barbet, Cardinal and Nubian Woodpeckers and a pair of duetting Slate- coloured Boubou. When darkness came in, we switched to spot-lighting mode. Our first Nightjar was the Square-tailed, we went on a found Black-shouldered, a Palm- nut Vulture, White-backed Vulture, Bateleur, a well-camouflaged Silverly Galago and an adorable Cape Hare as it ran ahead of our vehicle. After our day's activities, we sealed it off with three Large-eared Slit-faced Bats. Day 5 – July 11, 2019: Birding to the Albertine Rift When leaving our hotel for the Albertine Rift, we took a few hundred metres stroll, to enJoy the last bit of this woodland and thickets habitat. Walking through this habitat can always reward with a big smile arising from a birder's reasons. A couple of Vervet Monkeys first took all the attention before a pair of Yellow-throated Greenbuls came in a few minutes there was a very nicely sun-lit Red-backed Scrub-Robin, Violet- backed Starlings among others.