Tarangire National Park

What a day and I barely know where to begin! We spent the entire day in Tarangire NP and it was hell. I mean there were far too many birds and animals, most of them too close to photograph with my 300mm lense. Just Hell…! Of course I’m joking. We began by birding the track from our lodge to the entrance gate seeing Purple Roller and Cardinal Woodpecker, before a bunch of birds came in to the owlet tape – Abyssinian White-eye (now split as Southern Scrub White-eye apparently), Vitelline and Lesser Masked Weavers and other previously seen species. Moving in to the park things began slowly until we picked up a pair of Abyssinian Scimitarbills in some large Acacias, followed by Red-and-yellow Barbet, Banded Parisoma, a perched Bateleur, Bare-faced Go-away-Bird, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Steppe Eagle, several perched White-backed Vultures, our first Silverbird, some European Bee-eaters, Yellow-collared Lovebird and numerous Ashy Starlings. 

Bare-faced Go-away-bird

Lilac-breasted Roller

Von der Decken's Hornbill

All this was along the same stretch of track before we drove higher where our first Common Ostriches were seen, plus Orange-bellied Parrots, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Northern Pied Babbler, Mottled Spinetail, Von Der Decken’s Hornbill, a flock of Eastern Paradise-Whydahs, and Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling. Once we descended towards the plains we had an incredible vista below of us of typical African savannah with African Elephants (and we’d already had some incredibly close encounters), Plains Zebra, African Buffalo and Blue Wildebeest. But 4 Temminck’s Coursers were also very nice and a confiding pair of Southern Ground-Hornbills also. At a bridge over the Tarangire River we spent an enjoyable half an hour watching beautiful Grey-headed Kingfishers, Black Crake, Water Thick-Knee and others. 

Water Thick-knee

Moving on, and amazingly we came across another jeep watching a sleeping Leopard in an Acacia some distance away, but a very nice sighting so early in the trip.

We got to the picnic site overlooking Silale Swamp just in time to connect with a heavy rainshower. James found a Chameleon and we enjoyed close flybys from numerous Collared Pratincoles. After we’d eaten we followed the dry swamp, trying to find some water and along the way found an adult and a large grown juvenile Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl. 

Verreaux's Eagle Owl

At some narrow water margins we had 3 Saddle-billed Storks, Black Stork, Spur-winged Goose, Bearded Woodpecker, had a brief view of an African Wild Cat, African Rock Python, African Marsh Harrier and a Black-bellied Bustard. 

Saddle-billed Stork

Across the swamp were herds of Wildebeest, Elephants, Bohor Reedbuck etc. But by now we were very late, like 4.30pm and had to be out of the park by 6pm so retraced our steps. It was  a madcap race to get out of the park but we had to stop for seconds of the Leopard in a closer tree. Wow! It just stared balefully at us as we clicked away. 

Leopard......

Coqui Francolin

And a little further on a pair of Coqui Francolins were also much appreciated. What a day!

Lariboro Plains - Tarangire Simba Lodge

Left early and drove to Lariboro Plains, some 70 minutes from the lodge, passing through yet more rain. Upon arrival at the vast plains the weather was kind to us and it was quite warm and clear and our first scan revealed Kori Bustard, Capped Wheatear, Grassland Pipit, Lesser Black-winged Lapwing, Kenya Rufous Sparrow, and a few Horus Swifts amongst a huge congregation of Common Swifts. After meeting up with our Maasai guides we drove out into the plains, but not before nailing a Southern Grosbeak Canary singing from on top of an Acacia and watching a singing Foxy Lark. We parked up and scoped an Eastern Chanting Goshawk and noted some White-rumped Swifts passing over. Amazingly, we picked up our main target species, Beesley’s Lark very quickly thanks to James and then spent the next 2 hours getting better and better views of this rare species, whilst searching for our other target birds. 

Beesley's Lark

A Short-tailed Lark was next, followed by Red-capped Lark but it took a while before we found Athi Short-toed Lark. It was a great experience to be able to watch these birds through the scopes. Other species seen included a cracking male Pallid Harrier, Secretarybird, Gabar Goshawk, a flock of European Bee-eaters and a Steppe Eagle. Once everyone was assembled back at the vehicles a scarce Fischer’s Starling appeared and then a Gorgeous (split from Beautiful) Sunbird was seen. 

Fischer's Starling

We then spent the next 4 hours driving to our next base at Tarangire, but made a comfort stop along the way. Of course I played the owlet call and an amazing number of species appeared: a real Pearl-spotted Owlet, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird, Tiny Cisticola, White-browed Scrub-Robin, Slate-coloured Boubou, Fork-tailed Drongo, White-bellied and Yellow-fronted Canary, Green-winged Pytilia, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Red-faced Crombec, and finally a Little Sparrowhawk was drawn to the commotion. Wow!

Pearl-spotted Owlet

As we left the tarmac and followed the dirt track to the lodge we aw our first Ashy Starlings, a Black-chested snake-Eagle and some other commoner birds, but we were on a mission for a two o’clock lunch. Well, we reached the lodge which was pretty secluded and found lunch was naturally late as the staff didn’t seem to be expecting us, so we made the best of things and scanned from the verandah that overlooked a drinking pool and typical ‘bush country’. 

D'Arnaud's Barbet

From here we saw a D’Arnaud’s Barbet visiting a nest hole beside the swimming pool, a few endemic Yellow-collared Lovebirds, White-billed Buffalo-Weaver, flocks of Wattled Starlings and a  Brown Snake-eagle. 

White-bellied Bustard

After lunch and some Blue-capped Cordon-bleu’s we took a short walk into the bush. Another Pearl-spotted Owlet appeared, along with Northern Red-billed and African Grey Hornbills, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Spotting Mourning-Thrush, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, near-endemic Rufous-tailed Weavers, Long-tailed Fiscal, and we ended with a pair of inquisitive White-bellied Bustards.

Another Day in Arusha NP

We had another full day in Arusha National Park and after seriously heavy overnight rain we woke to more mist and rain, which continued through to late morning again. Lovely! But it didn’t stop us seeing a good selection of birds during this time with one of the best birds of the day being our first bird of the day – Broad-tailed Warbler. Moving into the park we took a different route to yesterday and picked up Yellow Bishop, Golden-winged Sunbird, Red-collared Widowbird, Black-backed Puffback, and eventually we nailed Hartlaub’s Turaco, with several good views. 

African Crowned Eagle

An African Crowned Eagle was perched over the road, and other notable sightings included Klaas’s Cuckoo, Olive Sunbird, several African Dusky Flycatchers, Stripe-cheeked Greenbul, Black-headed Apalis, African Black-headed Oriole and Red-faced Cisticola. At a marsh we saw several Taveta Golden Weavers, 2 Hippos, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, African Fish-Eagle, and a Northern Grosbeak-Weaver. 

A distant Taveta Golden Weaver

A family of African Elephants crossed the track in front of us as we returned to the crossroads, having seen a rather confiding Ruppell’s Robin-Chat singing beside our vehicles.

With the weather improving we could head higher up to the crater, and a good decision this turned out to be as a superb Black-fronted Bush-Shrike and a flock of Tanzanian Broad-ringed White-eyes (split form Montane White-eye) appeared. At a large fruiting tree a flock of endemic Kenrick’s Starlings were feeding and as we drove ever higher a perched Long-crested Eagle was spotted, and we had more views of Silvery-cheeked Hornbill as well. 

Red-backed Mannikin

Then we took our picnic lunch at an overlook with superb views across the crater with Red-backed Mannikin, Red-headed Weaver, Taveta Golden Weaver and Golden-tailed Woodpecker performing close by. 

Nice view for lunch

Moving up we visited the highest viewpoint and found an Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle perched nearby. What a cracker! 

Ayres's Hawk-Eagle

So by now it was 4.30pm and we had to leave and drive back to the lodge where a couple of us scoped an African Goshawk in the garden.

Tanzania - Arusha National Park

A quick check of the gardens at first light revealed flocks of Scarce Swifts passing over, along with Brown-breasted and White-eared Barbets, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Black Cuckooshrike, Bronze and Amethyst Sunbirds, and plenty of common Dark-capped Bulbuls. 

After breakfast we headed in our two safari vehicles into Arusha National Park which was just a 

5 minute drive away and a brief stop at the entrance gate produced Singing Cisticola, Cape Robin-Chat, Speke’s Weaver, Chestnut Weaver and the first of many Northern Fiscals. Most of the morning was hampered by rain, which made viewing difficult and reduced bird activity substantially. However, we still managed to pick up lots of birds such as Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Tropical Boubou, Little and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, Trilling Cisticola, African Black-headed Oriole, Black-headed Apalis and Brown-hooded Kingfisher before the rain stopped. 

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Driving through an open area on our way to the Momella Lakes we had point-blank views of several White-fronted Bee-eaters, Long-billed Pipit, Crowned Lapwing, a cracking Pangani Longclaw, and an African Moustached Warbler singing from a bare stump beside the road.

Pangani Longclaw

White-fronted Bee-eater

African Moustached Warbler

Upon reaching the lakes we ate our picnic lunch whilst enjoying views of numerous Southern Pochards, a pair of Maccoa Ducks, a pair of Grey Crowned Cranes, Glossy Ibis, African Harrier Hawk, both Lesser Striped and Mosque Swallows and Winding Cisticola. A nearby muddy margin held Marsh, Wood and Common Sandpipers, and a pair of Ruff, whilst a flock of Pied Avocets were scoped further away. A few Hippopotamus were scoped on an island and a few Red-billed Oxpeckers were sat on them as well. 

Momella Lakes

We then took the route that circled the lakes and found hundreds of Lesser and a few Greater Flamingo’s feeding at the next lake, plus Speckled Mousebird, Spur-winged and Blacksmith’s Lapwings, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Cape Teal, Little Stint, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Cardinal Woodpecker, Rattling Cisticola, Red-knobbed Coot, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Tawny-flanked Prinia and a flock of White-crested Helmetshrikes.  On the way back Taveta Golden Weaver, African Fish Eagle and an all-too-brief flyover Eleonora’s Falcon were also seen. What a day and a good introduction to the amazing array of wildlife on offer in amazing Tanzania.

Australia - The End!

Our final two days in Oz gave us a few more goodies. Most noteably this Bassian Thrush provided amazing views at Minnamurra Falls. A very pleasing sighting and a species we'd thought we had missed - but it's a Zoothera thrush so all the sweeter.

Bassian Thrush

We also found a nice selection of birds at a nearby park...

Crimson Rosella

Galah

Long-billed Corella

On the way to Sydney Airport and our flight back to the UK we called in to the Olympic Park and discovered a flock of Red-necked Avocets - a bird I was very keen to see.

Red-necked Avocet

And there were some close Royal Spoonbills....

Royal Spoonbill

And our final lifer was this Tawny Frogmouth...

Tawny Frogmouth