Bishangari Lodge

A very enjoyable day was spent birding the forested trails of Bishangari Eco-Lodge. I was lucky to get a view of a singing Red-capped Robin-Chat as I left my bungalow in the grounds to meet the rest of the group for our dawn meet-up. Once we had all assembled, and right on time the first of several Yellow-fronted Parrots flew into the trees at the edge of the lake and looked superb in the scope. Out on the lake our first Gull-billed Tern was nice, but a flyby from what looked like a Baltic Gull was pretty good too.

Following a decent breakfast with the best porridge so far we walked the trails and our route this morning gave us Tambourine Dove, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, excellent views of Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Double-toothed and Banded Barbets, Green-backed Honeybird, and a couple of African Olive Pigeons as well. 

Silvery-cheeked Hornbill

We had a particularly fine close view of a Silvery-cheeked Hornbill at its nesting hole, with Hadada Ibis perched high up in the trees as well. We walked out across a field, where Northern Carmine Bee-eaters were perched on several prominent posts, to reach the larger forest which was rather quiet. 

Northern Carmine Bee-eater glowing in the sunshine

That was until a roving canopy flock appeared in a huge tree right in front of us and we saw a female Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Mountain Thrush, more barbets, and a couple of Narina Trogons. Cool!

Narina Trogon

So we finished by 11.30am and walked back to the open restaurant and had a nice lunch, before settling into the comfy chairs and watching the surrounding acacias and bird baths. A couple of Lemon Doves gave point-blank views and were much too close to photograph. Then a flock of Red-cheeked Cordon-bleus and Red-billed Firefinches appeared, and that seemed to prompt more birds into the area. A pair of Black-headed Batis were next, followed by a gang of White-rumped Babblers, Little Weaver, Common Redstart, Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Red-faced Crombecs, then a blaze of black and white in a longish tail flew right past us and landed nearby. This proved to be a stunning Scaly-throated Honeyguide which promptly flew down onto a bare bush right above one of the bird baths and lingered just long enough for me to fire off a couple of shots. Stunning! 

Scaly-throated Honeyguide

Right after this bird had flown off, a superb Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike appeared in the acacia right next to us as well. And all of this had taken place whilst we sipped excellent coffee from our comfy chairs at the edge of the dining area. Decadent or what! During lunchtime some of the group also saw a Scaly Francolin as well. I must make note of the numerous Olive Baboons present here, some of the males being particularly large and impressive specimens….

Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike

We had to drag ourselves away to walk the trails again, but our afternoon session was a little quieter so we watched the Northern Carmine Bee-eaters again, found a Rattling Cisticola, had close-ups of Crested Francolin, Beautiful Sunbird, Black-winged Lovebird, flocks of Ruppell’s, Greater Blue-eared and Red-winged Starlings, and a male Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike before entering the large forest. 

Crested Francolin

We found more trogons, a flyover Ruppell’s Vulture and many of the same birds as this morning but couldn’t locate any Green Twinspots, although I’m sure I heard one calling from a boggy area. So we walked back to the lodge, getting a close flyover form a couple of Pink-backed Pelicans before we enjoyed some cool beers and watched the sunset. 

Goodbye to the South...

A long travelling day as we drove north, but despite the interminable roadworks that should make this such an easier journey over the next year or two, we still pulled out some good birds. Beginning with a flock of Mottled Swifts overhead at breakfast, we followed this up with our first Bare-faced Go-Away-Birds, and best of all a pair of Wattled Cranes in a field beside the busy road. Some fine breeding-plumaged Red-collared Widowbirds were also classy….

We eventually reached the fine eco-lodge Bishangari late in the day and tucked into peppered steak and cold beers before settling into the best rooms of the tour… Can’t wait to see what’s around…

Great birds in the bush!

We hit the bush country south of Yabello, played a blinder and enjoyed a thoroughly rewarding morning’s birding. Driving along the main road a quick stop for the localised endemic Stresemann’s Bushcrow was superb and we also saw D’Arnaud’s Barbet, a singing Spotted Palm Thrush, and a flock of Rufous Chatterers. 

D-Arnaud's Barbet

Spotted Palm Thrush

Stresemann's Bushcrow - only found in this area of Ethiopia...

Further on several Ruppell’s Vultures were feasting on some dead donkeys in a ditch beside the road….

I loved the early morning light on this Ruppell's Vulture

Upon arrival at ‘our spot’ well it doesn’t get much better than getting Pringle’s Puffback straight off the bat (although you had to be quick!), and then an excellent run of key birds included Northern Grosbeak Canary, White-bellied Canary, Somali Crombec, Red-naped Bush-Shrike, Gabar Goshawk, Black-capped Social Weaver, Foxy Lark and several Purple Grenadiers. 

Foxy Lark

Northern Grosbeak Canary

Probably the best bird was a Heuglin's Courser that scuttled out form a bush right in front of me and then walked across the trail and literally froze just 5 metres in front of us. Wow! 

Heuglin's Courser - just look at the intricate plumage

We also saw Red-faced Crombec, Banded Parisoma, Grey Wren-Warbler, Martial Eagle, more bushcrows, Bare-eyed Thrush, African Grey Flycatcher, Pygmy Batis, Acacia Tit, Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit, and a delightful pair of Brubru.

Brubru - one of my favourite birds

Our last stop of the morning was good for Pygmy Falcon, Pale Prinia and White-browed Scrub-Robin.

Pygmy Falcon

Following a siesta we set out at 3pm and returned to the Soda Plains where Great Spotted Cuckoo (for some), Short-tailed Lark, and best of all a pair of White-bellied Bustards were seen. 

Short-tailed Lark

White-bellied Bustard at dusk

Another Secretarybird walking between the acacias and right in front of small village was quite atmospheric, as was a few Somali Ostriches. 

Secretarybird was a popular find...

And so was this Somali Ostrich 

We waited until dusk and then took a back-track across the plain where we spotlighted 2 African Wild Cats. Driving back towards Yabello we made a couple of stops, the first of which only had a distant calling Northern White-faced Scops-Owl. The second one resulted in a Donaldson-Smith’s Nightjar. Wow! The drive back was eventful with a Genet spotlighted, adding to the Abyssinian Hare we had seen earlier.

I must admit the beer and even the spaghetti bolognese tasted so much better tonight – and that’s saying something!

The Long Drive to Yabello...

This has to be one of the great birding travel days, as we drove from Negelle to Yabello through excellent habitat all the way. We clocked up so many new trip birds today, and it is hard to sum up how things went. Anyway, spotlighting a Dusky (Sombre) Nightjar was a good start and to be followed by 2 Spotted Hyenas was also pretty decent. As it became light it was apparent that there were going to be lots of birds along the road so our first couple of stop notched up a few Violet-backed Starlings, followed by Shelley’s Starlings, Lesser Striped Swallow, Marico Sunbird, Striped Kingfisher and the fantastic Golden-breasted Starling.

The amazing Golden-breasted Starling, plus a few Shelley's Starlings

Golden-breasted Starling

The unpaved road was in pretty good condition and we could speed along at certain intervals but when we did pass something interesting it always resulted in good birds. So we followed on with African Grey Hornbill, Red-and-yellow Barbet perched on a termite mound and a Yellow-necked Spurfowl calling from on top of a tree of all places. 

Typical pose of a Red-and-yellow Barbet

Von der Decken's Hornbill

A posing Yellow-necked Spurfowl

Whilst our drivers prepared breakfast we came across a flock consisting of Black-throated Barbet, Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit, Violet-backed Sunbird, several Abyssinian Scimitarbills, Brown-tailed (Yellow-breasted) Apalis, and a little later our first Grey Wren-Warbler.

Black-throated Barbet

Continuing our journey, a Pygmy Falcon was nice, followed by Buff-crested Bustard, and best of all a White-winged Dove. Upon arrival at the Dawa River we were lucky and quickly found Juba Weaver as the temperature was soaring. A short walk along the river gave us Lesser Masked and Chestnut Weavers, Pygmy Batis and Hunter’s Sunbird.

The rare African White-winged Dove

Great views of Bateleur on our journey

Never get tired of seeing this majestic raptor...

The long drive continued through several small villages and in one we saw our first Blue-naped Mousebird. 

Bare-eyed Thrush

More new birds followed, with flocks of Vulturine Guineafowl becoming increasingly common, Banded Parisoma, Chestnut Sparrow, White-browed Scrub-Robin, Bateleur, Alpine Swift, Bare-eyed Thrush, Straw-tailed Whydah and at the Soda Plains 7 Abdim’s Storks, and Somali Fiscal. Lots of Grant’s Gazelles and Gerenuks here also.