Uganda for Bird's Wildlife & Nature - Day 12 - 31st July 2024

The close roaring of African Lions awoke me at 5am and I peered outside but could only see the Waterbuck lounging around the lawn. I wonder how close they were?  Breakfast overlooking the river and then off on our drive through the reserve quickly adding Spotted Plam-Chats that were greeting the morning with their lovely plaintive song. 

Not being to get out was frustrating at times but perfectly understandable! We followed a track down towards the Nile just as the place was coming to life. Olive Baboons yawned high in Acacias and Abyssinian Ground Hornbills were still roosting at a similar height. 

It was another morning of new wonders amongst some of the now more familiar species. Jacobin Cuckoos (like a small Levaillant’s) moved ahead of us and White-browed Coucals and Black-billed Wood-Doves came up off the path and gangs of Green Wood-hoopoes gilded between trees and Nubian and Cardinal Woodpeckers were seen along with both Brown and Black Crowned Tchagras.

Black-billed Wood-Dove - Angie Merrick

Nubian Woodpecker - Angie Merrick

Jacobin Cuckoo - Angie Merrick

Jacobin Cuckoo

Big groups of Piapiacs roamed noisily around and I do love this African Magpie equivalent.  They were not tied to the large grazing animals but you would also see them on the ground and working there way methodically through the grass.

Piapiacs

Piapiacs

Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters fed inches from the truck with the similar Littles flashing their orangey wings and Northern Carmines glowed ridiculous cerise even in the poor light.  This was another of my ‘birds I would like to see’ from my childhood and they did not disappoint.

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Northern Carmine Bee-eater & Speckle-fronted Weaver

Northern Carmine Bee-eater - Angie Merrick

 Black-crowned Tchagra - Angie Merrick

It still feels strange to see Kingfishers well away from water but we found Grey-headed, Striped, Woodland, Pygmy and Malachite hunting as we bumped through and only the Pieds were confined to the marshy margins. 

Being any sort of insect prey item out here is a tough deal and there were plenty of Flycatchers in on the party too with Silverbirds, Swamp, Pale, Northern Blacks and African Grey (like a small Pale). Rattling Cisticola was the commonest species of that tribe that we encountered but there were also Wing-snapping, Zitting and two new ones with Foxy and Black-backed.  Spot-flanked Barbets were frequently seen and we saw several pairs of black and red Black-billed Barbets although they would not let us get close.

Black-billed Barbet - Angie Merrick

Black-billed Barbet - Angie Merrick

Silverbird

African Grey Flycatcher - yes, its is apricot buff

Village, Little and Black-headed Weavers were joined by Northern Red Bishops and there was room to add a few more new ones too with Vitelline Masked, cute Speckle Fronted and chocolate, black and white White-browed Sparrow-Weavers while Shelley’s Sparrow were feeding in a burnt area where Angie once again found a Bustard – this time a large strutting Denham’s.

Shelley’s Sparrow - Angie Merrick

Speckle Fronted Weaver

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Northern Red Bishop

Northern Red Bishop

Denham’s Bustard

There were finches too; mostly Red-billed Firefinch and Cordon-Bleus but Bar-breasted Firefinch and party of Black Rumped Waxbills joined the tally as they fed in the grasses by the river bank.  There were other small birds too with Cinnamon-breasted Buntings, Northern Crombec and flicky Buff-bellied Warblers that are actually more closely related to Cisticolas.

Black Rumped Waxbills - Angie Merrick

Black Rumped Waxbills - Angie Merrick

Down along the marsh fringes there were the usual array of Herons and Egrets with the first Purple Herons since day two and an African Darter, Long-tailed and White-breasted Cormorants were sat up with wings out.

Just before we got to a dusty car park we found a groups of Thick-knees and Plovers and to our delight five Brown-chested Plovers tottered along the parched ground. Senegal in size and structure but with a warm brown front and curious little yellow micro-wattles that looped above the eyes.  This nomadic winterer is, as we had discovered, an incredibly difficult bird to connect with.  The Thick-knees were mostly Senegal and we were checking for the first returning Eurasian with no joy but scored again with a chunky Spotted Thick-knee dozing under a bush.

Brown-chested Plover

Brown-chested Plovers - Angie Merrick

Senegal Thick-Knee

Senegal Thick-Knee

Senegal Thick-Knee - Angie Merrick

Spotted Thick-Knee - Angie Merrick

Down at the car park we were pleased to stretch our legs and watch the Spur-winged Plovers running around the feet of the family of Warthogs.  A mother with piglets was snoozing and an adolescent male obviously wanted his mother’s attention but with a new family she was having none of it and impolitely told him to bugger off.

Warthogs.

Spur-winged Plover

African Grey Hornbills flopped across the track with some regularity and we were lucky enough to see Heuglin’s Spurfowl in front of us a couple of times. There were plenty of raptors too with Long-crested and Brown Snake-Eagle, Grey Kestrels and Dark Chanting Goshawks perching up on top surveying for prey while Palm Nut Vultures sat around (I am not quite sure what they actually do!) and a full adult Martial Eagle stared at us with glowing yellow eyes.

Martial Eagle - Angie Merrick

Heuglin’s Spurfowl - Angie Merrick

African Grey Hornbill - Angie Merrick

Dark Chanting Goshawk - Angie Merrick

Long-crested Eagle

Long-crested Eagle

Bataleurs

Grey Kestrel - Angie Merrick

Another was seen circling with, and dwarfing, a Wahlberg’s Eagle and a Tawny Eagle became the third of the trip. A well stripped carcass had Vultures in attendance with various ages of Ruppell’s and White-backs and a couple of small Hoodeds too.

White-backed and Hooded Vultures

Ruppell’s Vultures

White-backed Vultures

Lappet Faced Vulture waiting in the wings

Of course there were mammals too with a big herd of Elephants that crossed either side of the truck and closer views of the same species as the drive in last night.  It was good to get closer views of Oribi and the Hartebeast.  The Rothchild’s Giraffes were particularly obliging and we enquired about the big pale scars on the necks of many.  They were actually caused by the repeated attentions of the Oxpeckers who have a penchant for flesh as well as ticks and mites and return to an opened wound repeatedly to feed.

African Elephant

Oribi 

Oribi 

Oribi 

Ugandan Kob

Ugandan Kob

Rothchild’s Giraffe

Rothchild’s Giraffe

A bull Cape Buffalo got a bit feisty with us and obviously had a head of steam up and needed to vent but he soon stamped off in search of something else to intimidate.  A large heard of Kob suddenly looked alert. We were hopeful of Leopard but nothing was forthcoming until two large black furry Marsh Mongooses undulated into the view and disappeared down an unseen burrow.

Cape Buffalo calf

Cape Buffalo 

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

Patas Monkeys

Luch back at Pakuba saw us joined by Marabous around the pond where a Grey-headed Kingfisher was catching crickets from a light. A brood of shiny Silverbirds followed their parents around and the Spotted Palm-Chats actually came out to feed around the edges where male Pin-tailed Wydahs chased a dowdy female and Speckle-fronted Weavers joined the Cordon-Bleus.

Grey Headed Kingfisher

Marabou

Marabous

Marabou

Finch's Agama

Finch's Agama

Speckle-fronted Weaver

Spotted Palm-Thrush

Pin-tailed Wydah

More House Sparrows!

Silverbird

Banded Groundling sp

A party of Pink-backed Pelicans drifted over and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters circled amongst them while the African Palm Swifts hurtled into their nests at alarming speed.  It was soon time to head out again as we were due to go on our boat ride up the Victoria Nile to Murchison Falls itself. Four Ground-Hornbills were seen on the drive out into ever darkening skies.

Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill - female

It was still dry when we arrived at the south bank at the Parra ferry crossing and we hopped as we headed out with our skipper and guide, Olive that it would stay that way. We cruised slowly up river along the marsh north bank where Hippos bobbed and Nile Crocs watched warily from the banks. African Darters, resplendent in breeding finery were dotted on snags and African Fish Eagles could be heard from both banks. A Goliath Heron nest with well grown youngsters was found and a couple of Striated Herons and Hamerkops were seen. 

Hippo - mum missing an ear like several others

African Darter

African Darter

African Darter

Goliath Heron

Goliath Heron chick

A bay held Egyptian Geese, Woolly-necked and Yellow-billed Storks and a few waders with Kittlitz’s Plover, Black-winged Stilt, Greenshank and our first Ruff. A dark adult Pratincole resolved itself into a Black-winged which was a surprise but this was the only area where it would have been too shallow to approach closer which was frustrating.  Spur-winged and Long-toed Lapwings were seen and a brood of the latter were tucked up underneath their parents belly fluff.

Long-toed Lapwing

Long-toed Lapwing

Long-toed Lapwing

Black-winged Pratincole

Black-winged Pratincole

Water Thick-Knee

Water Thick-Knee - I reckon

A flock of African Skimmers took off and did their thing in swooping synchronicity but there were still no Terns of any sort. 

African Skimmers 

Malachite and Pied Kingfishers were hunting from the overhangs and shared their perches with Red-throated Bee-eaters that glowed despite the impending rain that had lightly begun to fall. An Osprey flew low straight over the boat and Wahlberg’s Eagles crossed the river while a metre long Nile Monitor watched them from a dead stump.

Malachite Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher

Red-throated Bee-eater

Red-throated Bee-eater

Red-throated Bee-eater

Red-throated Bee-eater

Red-throated Bee-eater

Red-throated Bee-eater - end of season colony holes

Red-throated Bee-eater & Malachite Kingfisher

Red-throated Bee-eater

I think this is a Wahlberg's Eagle - just looks a bit pale & patchy

Nile Monitor

Nile Monitor

Nile Crocodile

Nile Crocodile

Nile Crocodile

Someone saw the red flash of wings and we were surprised to see a White Crested Turaco bouncing around alongside us and with a little patience superb views were had of this platinum blond punk. Another tricky bird to find had voluntarily given itself up.

White Crested Turaco

White Crested Turaco

White Crested Turaco

With the rain now becoming heavier we pushed on up-river into the strengthening current and increasingly heavy rain. A stump ahead of us had a small bird perched on top. Surely it could not be a Rock Pratincole?  It was and it just sat there in the deluge let us putter past within just a few metres.  I do like a Pratincole. It took off and circled back to its perch.

Rock Pratincole - the approach

Rock Pratincole - if we had not found this one we would surely have missed out, having not made it to the base of the Falls

Olive now powered us across the Nile and we continued up the south bank passing the marker for the Cessna (PBM 9026) that Ernest Hemmingway crashed in 1954. Hippos surfaced near the bank and Cassin’s Flycatchers now did their thing from the marker post. We pushed on a little further but the current was just too strong and Olive wisely decided that despite still being half a mile from the thundering falls that we should turn round.

The current aided our return in now torrential rain, crashing thunder and blinding lightening and we had a couple of nervous moments when weed clogged the outboard and we had to stop and drift while Olive got us moving again.  

Jules & Rubina - Going out

Coming back

Sound up!

Giant Kingfisher was our one missing target and just before we crossed back once again Olive pulled one out of the bag and despite the rain and now poor light we all were able to watch this monster female surveying the rushing waters below.  I do not think the others were prepared as to how much bigger than a Pied Kingfisher this beast is!

Giant Kingfisher 

By the time we got back we were soaked through despite coats and other offered coverings and Paul waved at us with a cheery smile from the dry and warm truck as we disembarked but it had been a superb trip out.  The journey back was slow with so much water flooding across the roads and filling the drain-away gullies alongside the tarmac.  The animals looked miserable and stood stoically facing into the rain.  The storm followed us back all the way to our rooms and we got wet again scampering across to get to our dinner but at least the Waterbuck were seeking shelter away from the path.