Heading South

On the road by 5.30am and drove in darkness back towards Addis Ababa and then got through the city without too many hold-ups. Our crazy schedule meant we got down to a cracking hotel overlooking Debre Zeit Crater for breakfast. From the veranda we could overlook a scrub and acacia covered slope down to the lake which was very scenic. There were lots of birds moving around in the morning sunshine and one of the first was possibly the best one of the day, in the shape of several Blue-breasted Bee-eaters perched up nearby. I was surprised to see this Erckel’s Francolin perched below us, whilst species such as Abyssinian White-eye, African Paradise-Flycatcher and African Dusky Flycatcher were more expected. More familiar wintering birds such as Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Blackcap were also a welcome sight. Overhead, African Fish Eagle, Marabou Stork, Pink-backed Pelican, Booted Eagle and Osprey were noted. And a fine breakfast was also much appreciated!

Blue-breasted Bee-eater

Erckel's Francolin

It was just a short drive to the Cheleklaka Wetlands, a vast lake area with tall grasses and scrub and out on the water we saw Maccoa Duck, Comb Duck, Spur-winged Goose and both Fulvous and White-faced Whistling-ducks. 

Cheleklaka Wetlands

A couple of Black Crowned Cranes were nice, whilst Lesser Flamingo and African Spoonbill were rather distant. A few waders were seen such as Temminck’s Stint, Wood, Green and Marsh Sandpipers, and there were also Hamerkop, Steppe Eagle, Yellow-billed Stork, Sacred Ibis, Squacco Heron, Ethiopian Swallow and a couple of flyover Common Cranes. Leaving here we stopped abruptly further down the main road when an Eastern Imperial Eagle flew over and there was also Wire-tailed Swallows here and a low flying immature Steppe Eagle. More roadside stops gave us Long-crested Eagle, Saddle-billed Stork and at Koka Dam numerous African Fish Eagles and 40+ Hamerkops.

African Fish Eagle

Steppe Eagle

Finally we reached Ziway for lunch around 1pm and had a great Spaghetti Bolognese sat in the shade watching lots of birds visiting a fruiting tree next to us. We began with Hemprich’s Hornbill, Klaas’s Cuckoo, and Beautiful Sunbird followed by Red-faced Crombec, Black-headed Batis, Buff-bellied Warbler, White-browed Sparrow-weaver and an all too brief ‘acro’ warbler that disappeared before we could nail it.

Black-headed Batis

Hemprich's Hornbill

Just around the corner was Lake Ziway and an amazing experience with 100’s of White Pelicans, Marabou Storks and a whole bunch of other ibis, egrets and others within touching distance. 

Lake Ziway

We also had Pied, Malachite and Woodland Kingfishers, Ruppell’s Starling, Lesser Moorhen, Glossy Ibis and a few African Pygmy Goose. 

White Pelicans at Lake Ziway

Marabou Stork

White Pelican

Dragging ourselves away from here we drove down the main road but didn’t get far before a pair of Abyssinian Ground Hornbills were seen right beside the road, and as we watched them also found Von Der Decken’s and Northern Red-billed Hornbills, Hadada Ibis, 4 Northern White-crowned Shrikes, Rufous-crowned Roller, plus a low flying White-rumped Swift. 

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

By the time we pulled into a superb lodge at Hawassa we had seen 143 species today. Not too shabby huh?

Ethiopia - Debre Libanos and Sululta Plain

Following a reasonably comfortable 8 hour overnight flight we touched down in Addis Ababa (2640m) at 6.40am and then undertook the tedious immigration and customs procedures before meeting up with our local guide and driver. We drove straight out of the city and headed up to the Sululta Plain stopping for breakfast at a roadside hotel. There was a small garden here and we were very surprised to notch up a number of species here with such goodies as African Citril, Mountain Thrush, Tacazze Sunbird, Brown-rumped and Streaky Seedeaters, Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling and many Swainson’s Sparrows. Overhead there was a constant stream of Yellow-billed Kites, Hooded Vultures, a few Ruppell’s and White-backed Vultures, plus the first of 5 Lammergeiers to be seen today. 

Ruppell's Griffon Vulture

Just as we were about to get back into the landcruiser, a Moorland Chat flew up onto the telegraph wire right next to us. 

Moorland Chat - a common highland endemic

Once out on the plain and we made our first stop when a little group of endemic Wattled Ibis were spotted beside a small pool. After a nice look at them through the scope we also saw a couple commoner endemics with White-collared Pigeon and Blue-winged Goose showing well, plus Egyptian Goose, Tawny Eagle, Plain Martin and flocks of Yellow Wagtails as well. Our next stop produced yet another endemic, this time a pair of Erlanger’s Larks, followed by Yellow Bishop, male Pin-tailed Whydah, Pied and Isabelline Wheatears. 

Isabelline Wheatear

A few kilometres further on and we stopped rather abruptly when a bunch of vultures were seen feeding on a carcass close to the road. Pride of place was a hulking Lappet-faced Vulture that literally towered over the squabbling Ruppell’s, White-backed and a single tiny Hooded Vulture here. 

Lappet-faced Vulture and a Ruppell's Griffon Vulture

Lappet-faced Vulture towers over the White-backed and Ruppell's Vultures

A Red-breasted Wheatear was then picked up nearby, along with more Erlanger’s and a Thekla Lark as well.

Erlanger's Lark - another endemic

We eventually reached our destination at lunchtime of the Ethio-German Park Hotel which is literally placed right on the edge of a huge escarpment where Fan-tailed Ravens and various raptors come in for great views. Once we had dropped our luggage into our rooms we had a little look around the trees and scrubby bushes in the garden and picked up Stout Cisticola, Ethiopia Boubou, Variable Sunbird, Ruppell’s Robin-chat, a fine Yellow-bellied Waxbill, and a trio of new endemics: White-winged Cliff-chat, Ruppell’s Black Chat and White-billed Starling.

The view from our lodge at Debre Libanos

Debre Libanos

Stout Cisticola

Yellow-bellied Waxbill

 In the late afternoon we drove the short distance to Debre Libanos Monastery, stopping along the way to view our first Gelada Baboons and a spanking Red-collared Widowbird.  The woodland here was pretty good and pride of place went to several White-cheeked Turacos present, although an endemic trio of Banded Barbet, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher and Black-winged Lovebird weren’t too shabby either! 

White-cheeked Turaco

We also had Brown Woodland Warbler, Red-billed Firefinch, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Village Indigobird, Mountain Wagtail and Northern Puffback. Back at the lodge we had better views of White-winged Cliff-chat near the Portuguese Bridge, along with Erckel’s Francolin, Wahlberg’s Eagle,  Mocking Cliff-chat and a huge flock of Nyanza Swifts. Lee was on fire today and to cap off all of his great finds today he also spotted a Golden Jackal to end a great day’s birding.

Gelada Baboon - non bird of the day

Internet is a rare thing over here so there may well be a few day's gap before I can continue the story.......

Cetaceans Galore!

Office work has been getting in the way of posting some photos from our recent whale-watching trip to the Maldives this past week.  So here goes….

Loved this Cuvier’s Beaked Whale that swam right around our safari boat and kept putting its head out of the water to take a look at us.

Cuvier's Beaked Whale

 A pod of 8+ Short-finned Pilot Whales also followed us for quite a while and we had wonderful views.

Short-finned Pilot Whale

 Spinner Dolphins were very common.

Spinner Dolphins

Maldives Update

Have been on a whale-watching trip with Dr Charles Anderson sailing around the Maldives this past week and despite a choppy sea, which is a direct result of the cyclone currently causing such devastation in India, we had a highly successful week. The undoubted highlight was this Persian Shearwater that constitutes the 1^st record for the Maldives – only a shame nobody else on the ship got on to it!

Persian Shearwater - 1st Record for Maldives. Not a great photo but.....

The other ‘biggie’ was a mother and calf of Longman’s Beaked Whale – considered to be the rarest whale in the world at one time.

Longman's Beaked Whale - note the dark vertical band behind the 'melon'.....

The full story will follow soon, to include Whale Shark, snorkelling with Manta Rays and Black-tipped Reef Sharks, Jouanin's Petrel, Tropical Shearwater and a few more cetaceans….