We had a full day in Magamba Forest Reserve in the West Usambara Mountains, and boy were we looking forward to it. There’s a whole bunch of key species to target and if I’m being honest, everyone felt a little daunted at our chances of nailing them all. I mean, it took 10 attempts at seeing Spot-throat and it wasn’t until nearly 5pm that we finally succeeded, but you simply have to persevere with these birds. Anyway, our day started with a 5.30am breakfast followed by a 35 minute drive back up towards the Old Sawmill Trail, stopping along the way to bird a good section of forest and we were rewarded with a Black Sparrowhawk, African Goshawk, great views of African Tailorbird (although I much prefer the alternative name of Red-capped Forest Warbler), Yellow-streaked Greenbul, White-starred Robin, Olive Sunbird and several Usambara Double-collared Sunbirds.
Once we reached the trail a quick scan of the lake revealed a pair of African Black Ducks, but we didn’t stop too long to admire the not-so-delightful qualities of them! Once inside the forest we quickly picked up a pair of Usambara Akalats, belying their skulking reputation by showing rather well and higher up the conifers than everyone was expecting. The trail started to climb steadily and we continued with a Fulleborn’s Boubou for a couple of us, Black-headed Apalis, Forest (Dark-backed) Weaver, and a couple Black-fronted Bushshrikes in the canopy. Our first of 11 attempts at Spot-throat resulted in a bird calling back at us but never showing. So we tried a couple more times along the trail (well three more actually) before retracing our steps and seeing White-tailed Crested Flycatcher and Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler.
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| Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler |
Once out on the main track we spent a while scanning for Usambara Weaver and when Abdul heard one we managed great views of female perched in a tall conifer before being enticed to fly into the tree right next to us.
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| I managed a phonescoped image of Usambara Weaver |
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| Usambara Thrush |
Lunch at the picnic site was enlivened by a pair of White-necked Ravens waiting eagerly for any scraps. From here we drove back down the road, stopping to scope a Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater. The same spot also held several Southern Citrils, and yet more Usambara Double-collared Sunbirds. By now it was mid-afternoon and we drove to a different section of Magamba Forest that had several great trails leading into this superb forest. A Tambourine Dove was spotted on the main track as we pulled up at the first trail, and this led to another bunch of decent sightings beginning with an Olive Woodpecker, Shelley’s and Cabanis’s (Placid) Greenbuls, and better yet a diminutive Mountain Tiny Greenbul – a very difficult bird to find. We spent a while trying to get photos of a Forest (Short-tailed) Batis, which we duly did, saw another White-tailed Crested Flycatcher and another Forest (Dark-backed ) Weaver.
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| Forest (Short-tailed) Batis |
Several more futile attempts were made at seeing a Spot-throat, and despite us hearing a few they never came in to playback. So we headed to another trail that led steeply downhill and on this, our 10th attempt at Spot-throat, we were treated to one fully out in the open next to and then on a large fallen tree for maybe 30 seconds before it disappeared. Wow, what simply stunning bird! Unfortunately, one of our group spectacularly failed to see it and we did make an 11thattempt at seeing one in a different location but nothing showed. And that was our day, oh apart from spotlighting a pair of African Wood Owls in the lodge gardens before dinner and then enjoying some Safari beers. What a great day!
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