Addis Ababa, Gafersa Reservoir & Debre Zeit

Friday 21st

After a good and early start from Winchester at about 1500 we checked in in very good time, and met up with our band of six other Naturetrekkers. Away just a bit late at 2145, and a pretty ropey overnight flight to Addis Ababa, arriving shortly after 0800.

Saturday 22nd

We quickly met up with our guide, Yilma, and drove the very short distance to the Lalibela Hotel, just near the airport. Once checked in, we had an hour's rest or so, but at around 1000, we headed out for our first excursion, out to the west of Addis, expertly driven by our chauffeur, Andreas. A few stops en route turned up a good variety of upland species, including several Abyssinian endemics and near-endemics. The latter were such very special birds as Thick-billed Raven, Wattled Ibis, Brown-rumped Seedeater, Black-headed Siskin, White-collared Pigeon, Groundscraper Thrush, Botta's Wheatear and Hill Chat, ably supported by African and Red-throated Pipits, Black-winged Plover, Augur Buzzard, Lanner Falcon, Tawny Eagle and various others.

At Gafersa Reservoir itself, we added the endemic Blue-winged Goose, plus Ethiopian Cisticola, more Wattled Ibis, Sacred Ibis, masses of Egyptian Geese, Teal and Little Grebes, and a good sprinkling of ducks, waders and waterbirds, the highlights being Marsh Sandpiper and African Spoonbill. Sadly, perhaps the best bird of the site was seen by just one of the group - an Abysinnian Longclaw, identified retrospectively from digital photographs! Non-avian highlights on our excursion included some Unstriped Grass-rats, several spectacular butterflies and dragonflies, and the stunning (and poisonous) Solanum, Sodom Apple.

By mid-afternoon, we were all flagging somewhat after our overnight flight, and Yilma took pity on us and returned us to the hotel via a couple of stops for Mountain Thrush, more Thick-billed Ravens and some Hooded Vultures. An hour or two snoozing for most of us (or a bit of extra birding, rewarded by Abyssinian Woodpecker and Tacazze Sunbird for Ian and Sally!), and we were ready for an early meal (doubly serenaded by some intrusive "easy-listening" music on one side, and Liverpool v Portsmouth on SkySports on the other!). But, well fed and very tired, we all crawled off to bed by about 2100, our first day in Ethiopia complete.

Sunday 23rd

Up at 0600, and a quick look around the hotel filled that Tacazze Sunbird shaped gap in our trip list. But it was soon time to stuff our faces at breakfast, and hit the road for our first 'proper' destination, Awash National Park. However, the Addis Ababa conurbation had one more special bird for us - a pair of the endemic White-winged Cliff-chats on wires just outside the city. This was highly likely to be our only chance for these stunners!

Swiftly onwards, we stopped near Debre Zeit at Lake Hora, an old crater lake, and enjoyed a bird-packed hour or two in the shade of the mature trees lining the banks. Among the many highlights were Rufous-necked Wryneck, Black-crowned Tchagra, Black-winged Lovebird, Grey-headed Batis, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, and Black-billed Barbets calling noisily almost all the time. There were lots of commoner birds too, from the stunning African Fish-eagle and Pink-backed Pelican, right down the size-scale to Red-knobbed Coot, Speckled Mousebird, Abyssinian White-eye, Hunter's Sunbird, Tawny-flanked Prinia, African Thrush and Spectacled Weaver.

Continue to Awash NP