Uganda & Rwanda

30/06 - 20/07/08

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Blow-by-blow birding account

Sunday 29th June

Away mid-afternoon, and a diverted run to Heathrow via Camberley and god knows where else. Uneventful check-in and an on-time departure, and a not bad flight to Dubai - albeit overnight with almost no sleep....

Monday 30th June

Dubai airport was very busy, but we got away on time at 0830 local, and hopped the three hours or so to Addis Ababa. We stayed on the plane on the tarmac there, and then made the final 90 minute flight in to Entebbe.

Visa formalities were easy, and we soon found our driver to take us the five minutes (via the first decent bird - Long-crested Eagle) to the very quiet, comfortable Boma Guesthouse - perfect! We got organised and variously snoozed and birded from the balcony. Lots of Bulbuls and African Thrushes, plus Black and White Casqued Hornbills, Eastern Grey Plantain-eaters, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Yellow White-eye and the like. We met up with two of the other group members (John H. and John G.) and our leader Ross Goode, plus our local driver, Robert.

Dusk brought a fly-by African Hobby, Angola Swallow and other odds and ends, and dinner brought excellent Tilapia curry. We slept (mostly) very soundly indeed!

Tuesday 1st July

Up at 0545 and a good breakfast (with appallingly sweet muesli), then introductions to the final member of the group, Andy, and away!

Before too long, we had a few brief stops covering species such as Common Wattle-eye, White-headed Saw-wing and Viellot's Black Weaver, before dropping down a side road into a nice patch of papyrus. Here we soon found the ultra specialist Papyrus Gonolek, plus Blue-headed Coucal, African Marsh Harrier, Swamp Flycatcher and only heard White-winged Warbler.

A bit further on, a pair of outrageous Ross's Turacos did their thing, and at lunch we stopped by a bird tower overlooking a promising looking swamp. Big grey bird out in the swamp....no way! Yes way! SHOEBILL on day one! Ultra amazing (if rather distant views) of this incredible beast - what a great start. And it got better, when a much-wanted Saddle-billed Stork flew in. Also here was the scarce Sitatunga antelope, and various commoner African birds, including Meyer's Parrot and Gymnogene, plus an unseasonable Honey-buzzard.

We drove on through dry country bordering Lake Victoria, stopping for some bigger birds such as Grey Crowned-crane (the national bird), Long-toed Lapwing, another Saddle-billed Stork and (rather smaller!) Scarlet-chested Sunbird.

Finally, we turned off the main road and approached Lake Mburo NP, set in dry woodland savannah beside the (relatively) small lake. Just inside the gate, we saw our first mammals of note - Zebra, Impala, Topi and Eland. Birds appeared too - a special target nailed was Brown-chested Lapwing, plus Trilling Cisticola. Once checked in at the Mantana Camp up on the hill, we quickly took the roof off the Land Cruiser, and swiftly headed out on the trails. Our first mega was a certain Rainer Summers and his Rockjumper group - mmmm, what a sighting! Having swapped news, we plunged on, ticking off Spot-flanked Barbet, Black Cuckoo-shrike, Chinspot Batis, various Weavers, Sooty Chat and Black-lored Babbler.

Dusk fell, and we searched rather vainly for Nightjars - just one female Pennant-winged. But we did score with a pair of melanistic Greater Galagoes (and baby!), White-tailed Mongoose and later on, the sounds of African Scops Owl and even Spotted Hyenas whooping at the amazing stars. A late meal, and after a too brief chat with Rainer, we hit the sack.

Wednesday 2nd July

Up before dawn, early breakfast (with a fly-by Square-tailed Nightjar), and away towards the lake. En route, we scored with Green Wood-hoopoe, Black-headed Batis and White-browed Robin-chat and Water Thick-knee - plus Warthogs and Impala galore - but our first proper birding was from the small boat around the papyrus and channel edges. We finally saw our White-winged Warbler (briefly!), as well as Grey-capped Warbler, both Black-crowned and the rather mega White-backed Night-herons, Swamp Flycatcher, a juvenile Allen's Gallinule and lots of hirundines. Evading the Hippoes as we crossed the lake, we headed for the shade of the far side, and very quickly Simon locked on to another of our major targets - AFRICAN FINFOOT! Awesome views of a true crippler - what a great sighting.

Well-chuffed, we made our way back up the hill on foot with our armed guard, via a stupidly habituated Warthog, and finally found our big target bird - the near-endemic Red-faced Barbet. After coffee back at the camp, it was nearly 1100, and time to burn rubber - we had a long way to go and an 1800 deadline at the Rwanda border!

We made a very few stops on the way (for some goodies like Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Mackinnon's Fiscal, Chubb's Cisticola, Bronze Sunbird, White-fronted Black Chat and White-eyed Slaty-flycatcher - and lunch), but time was getting on and the road, though beautiful, was degrading. Nerves were fraying a little as 1700 passed, and the border was nowhere in site. Finally, on the flanks of one of the great Virunga volcanoes, we saw the huts and barriers - it was 1747! Actually, it turned out we had had until 1900 - but we didn't know that, and it was with relief that we completed the paperwork and entered Rwanda.

The sun was soon down, and we drove some 40km further on good but pedestrian-infested roads, finally arriving at Gorilla's Nest Lodge at about 2000 - or 1900 Rwandan time. Unutterably excited, we ate another late meal, and crashed out in the rather cool montane night.

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Thursday 3rd July

The big day finally arrived - Julia's birthday as well! We arrived at the Gorilla Centre at 0700 for a briefing from our guide, Fidele, and got teamed up with two Hong Kong Chinese women and a French-Vietnamese woman - all were encouragingly small! Robert drove us up to the trailhead up the mountain, and we set off in convoy, with our two armed guards - Ross stayed behind. After about an hour through rocky potato fields, we finally reached the forest border - a rough-hewn wall of lava blocks.

Inside, the forest was very special - masses of lichens, ferns and mosses, a rather European-feeling flora (docks, nettles, Alchemilla etc.) - but also Giant Lobelias and some massive rainforest trees. The trail got steeper and tougher as we plodded on, heading uphill for a further two hours, climbing 800m to 3100m altitude. Finally, we met up with the advance trackers, dumped our bags, and were led up an incredibly steep slope, which had no trail whatsoever.

And there, quietly, at the top, we connected. We were face to face with a family of Mountain Gorillas - mostly females, a couple of small babies and an incredibly impressive 200kg silverback male. The experience was genuinely awe-inspiring - can you really call these creatures animals? To look them in the eye, and reassure each other with soft sighs, to watch them munching happily on celery and goose-grass - what an experience. We were often within just a few feet of them - and we got mock-charged by the male at one point!

After an hour of clambering about and sliding through the gorilla's habitat/lunch, we moved back down the hill, saying goodbye to this incredible family. There were some birds to be seen up here, of course - Cape Robin-chat, Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, Red-faced Woodland Warbler and Archer's Robin-chat for instance, plus Mountain Buzzard, African Goshawk and Martial Eagle overhead.

Happy but very tired, we slogged back down the hill, and on aching knees made the final descent back through the fields to the van. There, Fidele presented us with our certificates (!), and Simon bought the carved walking stick, decorated with gorillas that she used on the trek, for Julia as her birthday present. Utterly knackered, we drove back for a couple of hours off - and just in time, as a big storm started rumbling up the valley, and it's still raining now at 2100. We did manage to find African Dusky Flycatcher, and also sorted out a potentially very major storage card/external hard drive photography issue which presented itself.....oh dear and phew!

What a day - what a day....

Friday 4th July

A cold night, but beautifully clear in the morning. After a regulation breakfast, we ticked off Mountain Thrush and White-necked Raven in the car-park, and then headed off shortly after 0700, back towards the Rwanda/Uganda border. Crossing was unhassly, and we chugged merrily northwards into Uganda once more. Birds were few and far between - but the scenery of steep, terraced hillsides covered in sorghum and potatoes was spectacular.

We did make a prolonged stop at a patch of forest at Achuya, birding from the wide dirt road and seeing lots (and lots!) of great birds in the forest canopy - despite the occasional container truck! It's hard to avoid a list of drool-worthy birds - Albertine Rift endemics were Regal and Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbirds, Collared and Mountain Masked Apalises, the truly amazing Doherty's Bush-shrike, Stripe-breasted Tit, Dwarf Honeyguide, Strange Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, Mountain Oriole, Ruwenzori Batis and Red-faced Woodland Warbler, plus other really special birds like White-browed Crombec, Mountain and Yellow-whiskered Greenbuls, African Emerald Cuckoo and Olive Woodpecker. Mammal interest was provided by numerous Grey-cheeked Mangabeys.

It was really great - but then the rain came, and we beat a retreat to the van, for the long drive up to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve, and the Ruhiza camp. The road was very dodgy at times, with much slipping and sliding beside sheer drops, but we eventually got into the forest, and the rain relented enough for us to get out and do some birding! We had a Handsome Francolin on the track, plus both Great Blue and Black-billed Turacos, Stripe-breasted Tit, Olive Pigeon and Black-and-white Casqued Hornbill. But the biscuit (despite the turacos) was well and truly taken by the finding of Caecilians on the road - two sadly squashed, but two thoroughly alive and duly rescued. As John put it, not just a species tick, but a whole ORDER tick! Massive!

We finally reached the surprisingly unbasic forest camp - and after settling in to our four-dorms, we had a truly excellent meal - stunning sorrel soup, then veggie curry and fresh green vegetables - no eggs or cheese in sight!

As I write this, the fire is crackling, and the rain is still pattering on the tin roof - so it's never as bad as it sounds, in both senses!

Saturday 5th July

And as predicted, we woke to clear skies and no wind - things were looking good - except for poor John G., who had spent the night awake and puking! But he SO wanted the star (possible) bird for today that he soldiered on (and got steadily better over the day as a whole. At 0700, we drove the short distance down the track to the main forest station, met up with our guide, Medi, and set off on an initially undulating, and then downright steep descent through excellent forest.

We began well, with Golden-breasted Bunting, Grey-throated Barbet, Grey Cuckooshrike, Green-headed Sunbird, White-chinned Prinia, Chestnut-throated Apalis (at last, after hearing it non-stop for two days!), Dwarf Honeyguide and a nice party of White-headed Wood-hoopoes. Lower down, we saw Waller's Starling, Black-throated Apalis, White-tailed Blue-flycatcher, and a very close Archer's Robin-chat (yet another Albertine endemic), but the star bird was yet to come - John's resilience was about to be rewarded!

Medi gave the shout - AFRICAN GREEN BROADBILL! One of the rarest and most sought-after of all African birds, right here in front of us! Not one, but a pair, and we found not one, not two but three nests - weirdly, they seemed to be dismantling at least one of them and developing the third....must look that up in HBW when I get home! Moreover, it was a simply gorgeous little bird to see - success!

But we weren't done yet - we descended even further (700m drop in total) to the swamp at the bottom of the valley - and fairly swiftly saw our two targets. Carruther's Cisticola was quite easy, but after an initial showing for Simon only, the Grauer's Rush-warbler proved a lot trickier - we eventually got decent views when a startled Reedbuck flushed one for us! A Cassin's Hawk-eagle soared overhead, and some people saw Least Honeyguide too.

After another good packed lunch, it was time to take a deep breath and start the long slog back up the hill - it was pretty tough going at times! but several top birds kept us more than amused - notably Bar-tailed Trogon, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Mountain Yellow Warbler and Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher - and we did finally see a couple of Yellow-streaked Greenbuls! After a brief shower, the sun came out, and we got back to camp at about 1630 for well-deserved showers and a little rest in the beautiful evening light.

Rainer and crew turned up once more (it looks like we'll be following them round Uganda from here on in!), and both groups had the same bright idea of exploring a side track down the road. We did considerably better than them, scoring with another Cassin's Hawk-eagle, Elliot's (sp?) Woodpecker, White-collared Oliveback (a lifer for everyone, including Ross) and a brief, untickable Grauer's Warbler. What is it with Mr Grauer and his impossible-to-see warblers?

Dodging a troop of baboons, we made our way back for another excellent meal (tilapia this time), and then a pretty unsuccessful nightwalk - we heard African Wood Owl, but had no success at all with Montane (or Ruwenzori) Nightjar. Never mind - what a great day it's been!

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Sunday 6th July

We both slept incredibly well - perhaps too well! But it was up at 0600 as usual, and away after yet another (probably temporary) farewell to Rainer et al. We birded the school track once again, and although it was very quiet, we did connect with Grauer's Warbler (a real skulker) and the even harder Mountain Illadopsis, plus a few other bits and bobs.

We then drove back down the hill a little, trying desperately (but ultimately unsuccessfully) for Crimsonwings and Dusky Twinspot. We did, however, find the completely stunning Luehder's Bush-shrike, plus Yellow-billed Barbet, East African Swee Waxbill and stacks of Baboons.

Onwards down the hill for the short but very slow journey to Buhoma, further north in the Bwindi NP. We stopped for lunch by a small bridge at "The Neck", a small area of forest in a sea of cultivation - good stuff! Pink-footed Puffback, Red-headed Malimbe, Black-necked Weaver, White-throated Greenbul, Dusky Tit, Great Blue Turaco, Western Bronze-naped Pigeon and more besides. The heavens then proceeded to open, and we drove through torrential rain on ever more slippery clay roads - but we finally arrived.

After checking in at Lake Kitandara Bwindi Camp (two king-size beds in a tent!), the rain stopped, and we set out for a short walk on the NP access road. Following Great Sparrowhawk and Green-headed Sunbird, John G. struck gold - a whole troop of Gorillas crossed the road, not 50 yards from the Park HQ! Most of us saw just the last one or two disappearing into the jungle - what a fluke!

Slightly less exciting, but nevertheless cool, we saw a Buff-spotted Woodpecker, plus White-tailed Blue Flycatcher and various other passerines. But down by a hotel building site, we hit a real bird rush - shades of South America! Red-headed Bluebill, Black-necked and Black-billed Weavers, Bocage's and Luehder's Bush-shrikes, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Brown-capped Tchagra, White-chinned Prinia and more - an awesome little ten minutes!

Again, the rain began, and we retreated for battery and personal recharging. I write this in the hotel bar, accompanied by the sound of the staff unwinding on a Sunday evening, and much enjoyment emanating from the knocking-shop over the road. Aaahhh.....Africa!

Monday 7th July

Oh dear - Julia was struck down with horrific D&V - nothing more to say except there was no question of her sallying forth.... So Simon had to go it alone.

We met up with our guide, Levy, and set off at 0715, heading up the main track in the Buhoma valley. We progressed very, very slowly, of course - it took us a full nine hours to reach our furthest point - read on to find out how long it took to come back! Birds came in dribs and drabs, and then painfully slowly, as is usual in a tropical forest, of course. The quality was very high, but views were often frustratingly brief or poor or high up and neck-breaking (or all three), as is usual in a tropical forest, of course.

We scored with some very special birds - Black Bee-eater, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Red-throated Alethe, Equatorial Akalat, White-tailed Ant-thrush, White-bellied Robin-chat, the endemic Short-tailed (or Neumann's) Warbler, Red-tailed, Bocage's, Slender-billed, Honeyguide, Little, Yellow-throated and Yellow-streaked Greenbuls, Eastern Yellowbill (or Green Malkoha), Scarce Swift, Banded Prinia, Grey Apalis, Buff-spotted, Yellow-crested and Elliott's Woodpeckers, Dwarf Honeyguide, Yellow-spotted and Grey-throated Barbets, Grey-headed and Green Sunbirds (plus untickable views of Blue-headed) and a heard only Red-chested Owlet.

By mid-afternoon, the rain was getting quite bad again, and Simon decided Julia would need some moral support - so he hiked back with Andy. The walk that had taken nine hours up took just 45 minutes down - including quick stops for the odd bird, l'Hoest's Monkey and Black-fronted Duiker.

Julia was much better by early evening (thank goodness), although her day had been (in her words) "a bit biblical"! She skipped dinner - very sensibly.

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Tuesday 8th July

Julia much-improved! We birded close to the lodge for an hour or so first thing, and then made a quick (and successful) stop for Rufous-throated Wryneck nearby, before heading off towards Queen Elizabeth NP. We got into the park about late morning, and soon started seeing lots of Topi, Cape Buffalo and especially 100s of Uganda Kob - but only one Elephant so far.

As we watched a Kob lek, complete with fighting males, Andy spied a distant shape, and following it up, it resolved itself, as suspected, into a male Lion - but it was distant! Lunch was taken at a lovely riverside campsite, complete with some 20 or so Hippos of various sizes, and lifers in the form of Cassin's Flycatcher and Western Nicator.

Shortly after lunch, Robert drove us into the bush "proper", and quickly found our number one target - a Lioness up a tree! This famous local habit is actually not often observed, and we thoroughly enjoyed the unusual experience of watching a Lion from below! We later found two more Lionesses up another fig tree, plus African Golden Oriole, African Crake, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Senegal and Wattled Lapwings, Crowned Hornbill, Black-headed Gonolek and various cisticolas! But the scarcest bird of the afternoon was certainly a Madagascar Pond-heron - a bit of a mega.

As dusk crept in, we drove on an increasingly bad road to the north, seeing a couple of stunning Pennant-winged Nightjars, lots of Red-necked Spurfowl, Arrow-marked Babblers and Violet-backed Starlings, plus another African Crake and various bits and bobs alongside the road. At LAST (and much later than planned) we made it to the very plush and busy Mweya Lodge, in time to hang out our washing which didn't dry yesterday (!), bolt down an evening meal, say hello to Rainer et al. yet again, and crash out!

Wednesday 9th July

While QENP is a good-looking bit of African savannah/bush, it has to be recorded that it does not teem with game (or indeed birds) to the same extent as the greater NPs of Kenya. Nevertheless, we saw a good deal today, over two game drives and a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel.

After an annoying delay with our packed breakfasts, we set off in the van, sans roof. The morning produced some smart wet grassland specialists: Black Coucal, Marsh Tchagra, Broad-tailed Warbler and African Moustached Warbler. We didn't manage to find Compact Weaver anywhere, but we did add Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Flappet Lark, Palm-nut Vulture, Common Buttonquail, Crowned Lapwing, White-throated Bee-eater, Copper Sunbird and Kittlitz's Plover - plus two more African Crakes.

After a leisurely lunch and slob-about session by the pool, we boarded the boat with the excellent Janet at 1500, and had a really good couple of hours watching and photographing "nice easy big stuff" - Hippos, Elephants, Buffalo, and lots of birds: African Skimmer was a lifer, but there were also close-up Saddle-billed and Yellow-billed Storks, Squacco Heron, all the Egrets, African Spoonbill, Sacred and Hadada Ibis, White-winged Black and Gull-billed Terns, Grey-headed Gull, Spur-winged and Kittlitz's Plovers, Pied Kingfishers, both Pelicans, both Cormorants and lots of Brown-throated Sand Martins.

Ross then revealed that he was far from well, so the rest of us headed out on a Giant Forest Hog quest with Robert on our own. We didn't find any, but did see stacks of Elephants, Warthogs, Baboons and Vervet Monkeys, plus the commoner bush birds.

Thursday 10th July

We left Mweya shortly after 0730, and made a couple of brief stops at lakes and short grassland sites on the northern fringe of the park, adding a few waders (such as Curlew Sandpiper and Avocet) and Buff-bellied Warbler to the list, but not much else. It was time to head off for Kibale Forest!

The drive was quite long but not too grinding - we arrived at about lunchtime, once again making a rendezvous with Rainer's group and swapping news. Sabine's Spinetails enlivened our picnic, and we also had Rufous-bellied Paradise Flycatcher and Little Green Sunbird there.

After checking in at the very excellent Primate Lodge inside the park, we headed off at about 1500, with our forest guide, Silva. We mooched slowly in the dark forest - as ever in such habitat, birds were very hard to come by! We did eventually see Purple-headed Starling, and we heard White-naped and Afep Pigeons calling. The highlight, however, was mammalian - we found a female Chimpanzee and her well-grown youngster feeding on figs in a massive tree - fantastic! Sadly, there was simply no sign whatsoever of the Green-breasted Pitta....

Emerging from the forest, we took showers and then enjoyed a simply superb evening meal - very home-cooked. An evening owling attempt did not succeed, but we did see a vast water spider and various other invertebrates, including a rhythmically flashing glow-worm.

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Friday 11th July

0630 breakfast, and then an hour around the camp, trying desperately to see Brown and Scaly-breasted Illadopsis - but failing, despite their persistent songs! We did connect with Chestnut Wattle-eye, Speckled Tinkerbird, Green Crombec and Northern Double-collared Sunbird, however.

At 0800 we had our Chimp briefing, and then followed our guide, Edson, into the forest once again. We did try once more for the Pitta, but alas with no success - but the birding was distinctly better than yesterday - Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Honeyguide Greenbul, Western Black-headed Oriole and best of all, a Scaly-breasted Illadopsis showing very well in the gloom on the forest floor. A Grey-throated Tit-flycatcher just outside the forest was also new.

It turned out to be a difficult Chimp morning for everyone - of the three groups out in the forest, one saw nothing, one saw two very brief shapes in a tree, but our group saw some dozen or so, in the same fruiting tree - a pity we didn't find them on the ground, but it was great to spend half an hour with these incredible "animals" as they munched on fruit, urinated from the tree tops and farted merrily. One even responded in kind to a raspberry from a certain SKW....

We took lunch (superb) at the Lodge, and then had an hour or so of rest, before heading out for Bigodi swamp, a community conservation project just down the road. Alex, one of the top guides there, took us around with his apprentice, Bosco. While it was pretty slow going, and the walk was curtailed somewhat by th arrival of a thunderstorm, we did see some good stuff - the cast was led by a stunning territorial White-spotted Flufftail responding very well to the tape, and supporting species were Grey-winged Robin-chat, Black Bishop, African Blue Flycatcher, Black-and-white Casqued Hornbills, and our best views yet of Great Blue Turacos.

Saturday 12th July

Our first stop was in the northern section of Kibale Forest, where we had a good hour or so watching forest edge species - new ones included Lowland Masked Apalis, Chestnut-winged Starling, Cassin's Spinetail and Bruce's Green Pigeon.

The rest of the day was almost completely taken up by the long journey north to Masindi. We did spend the last hour or two of daylight on the edge of the Budongo Forest Reserve - Chestnut Wattle-eye, African Grey Parrot, Grey Longbill and White-thighed Hornbill were the highlights. We finally checked in to the "rambling" Masindi Hotel, and ate and slept very well indeed.

Sunday 13th July

Up at the ungodly hour of 0500, and off at 0600. We picked up our local guide, Vincent, from his home in Kabango, and sped off to the Budongo Forest. But apparent disaster struck - thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and the heavens opened. Oh dear. We sat in the Landcruiser for almost an hour, until the rain turned to drizzle, and we were able to begin our work on the famous Royal Mile, albeit initially under umbrellas!

This wonderful stretch of forest track between massive mahoganies and ironwoods has the reputation of being East Africa's best forest birding spot, and despite the weather (which did gradually improve), we scored well: Blue-breasted, Chocolate-backed, Pygmy and Dwarf Kingfishers, Brown-eared Woodpeker, Nahan's Francolin (heard), Grey and Yellow Longbills, Chestnut-capped, Fraser's Forest and Lead-coloured Flycatchers, Lemon-bellied Crombeec, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Fraser's Flycatcher-thrush, stunning views of a perched Crowned Eagle, Pale-breasted and Grey-crowned Nigritas, Sabine's and Cassin's Spinetails and the understated but very hard to see Uganda Woodland Warbler (Phylloscopus budongoensis, no less!). Add in stacks of wonderful butterflies, and it ended up being a very good session!

The rain sadly returned late afternoon for a bit, and it got cool, so we left the forest and birded the surrounding farm fields for some 90 minutes. This was exciting! We score with Heuglin's Francolin, Red-collared Widowbird, Blue-headed Coucal, Brown Twinspot, Black and Black-crowned Red Bishops, Whistling Cisticola, and (after a very significant chase!) Red-faced Cisticola.

Exhausted but pretty happy (given the poor weather, we gave ourselves 80% for the day), we trekked home and virtually collapsed into bed.

See photo page here

Monday 14th July

Bastille day, for what it's worth.... We left Masindi good and early, and after ticking off Abyssinian Ground Hornbill on the road, we stopped at Kaniyo Pabidi Forest, where we picked up our guide, Joshua, and trooped off into the trees once again. We very quickly found our major target species, Puvel's Illadopsis, singing cryptically in the low canopy, and had decent views of the bird at this, its only site in East Africa. Apart from that, however, bird interest was limited, with just Green Hylia, Red-headed Malimbe, Fraser's Forest-flycatcher and a few Greenbuls to relieve the quiet. But we did also fluke a couple of fast-moving Chimpanzees on the ground.

After a couple of hours, we emerged to excellent coffee and (believe it or not) chocolate brownies in the visitor centre. Heading on, we entered Murchison Falls NP, and after adding Dusky Babbler and one or two other species, we checked in at Sambiya Lodge, a quiet and pleasant lodge in a small river valley - it was hot today! So we had a couple of hours off (during which Simon slept through White-crested Helmet-shrike - having dipped it last Christmas in Ethiopia....), and then headed out for the 15km drive to Murchison Falls. With thunder and lowering skies, we thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle of the mighty Nile forced through a gap just 6m wide - awesome. The birding was good too - Horus Swift, White-crested Turaco (although we dipped while chasing Dwarf Mongoose....), Tawny Eagle, Gymnogene, Peregrine and Rock Pratincole. At dusk, many thousands of bats emerged from the cliffs, hunted by various of the above raptors, and best of all, a solitary Bat Hawk.

We made our way slowly home on the dirt roads, lamping for wildlife as we went - the mammal highlight was a Zorilla (or Striped Polecat), although our South African friends seemed more excited by their first ever wild African Rabbits.....wow! Birdwise, we had no fewer than three Greyish Eagle-owls, plus four (? five) Nightjar species - Pennant-winged, Square-tailed, Plain, Black-shouldered and Slender-tailed. Simon even managed to dazzle and grab a juvenile of the last species! We got back very late......

Tuesday 15th July

Up at 0530 and away to Paraa ferry (Silverbird, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Spotted Palm-thrush, African Darter etc.) - but then, disaster! The boat had been double-booked, so we had to scrap our planned Shoebill hunt, and head off on the car ferry for a north bank game drive instead. After getting over our initial disappointment, we actually had a very good (if hot) time - Rothschild's Giraffe, Elephants, plenty of Kob and Oribi and even Egyptian Mongoose, plus some good new birds - White-headed Vulture, Cardinal and Red-headed Queleas, Speckle-fronted Weaver, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Foxy Cisticola, White-tailed lark (at last!) - and impressively a pair of soaring Shoebills!

We crossed back over on the 1600 ferry, and slowly birded our way back to the hotel. Ross and John G. gripped us all off by finding Green-backed Eremomela and (humph!) Pel's Fishing Owl in the garden - although we heard the latter calling, we couldn't find it in a later game drive after dinner......you can't win them all, as the French army has been heard to say....

See photo page here

Wednesday 16th July

Again an early start, but this time the boat connection worked! We had a most enjoyable five hour ride going downstream towards Lake Albert, exploring the delta area. Sadly, Shoebills were not forthcoming (good thing we'd seen them before!), but we did add White-faced Whistling-duck, Senegal Thick-knee and a very excellent Giant Kingfisher. There were also stacks of Hippos, plus some enormous Nile Crocodiles (three of them fighting over and rolling a decomposed carcass!) and even a rather tiny (1m) African Rock Python swimming bravely across the river!

After lunch, we headed up to the Falls once again, finally getting good views of White-crested Turaco, and enjoying better views of Rock Pratincole. It was very hot, and Robert's excellent preparation of fresh pineapple at our tea break was very welcome! The group split at this point - Ross and John G. stayed out for bats, and (frustratingly) Black-winged Pratincole (which Simon still needs!), Long-tailed Nightjar and (very grippingly) a Leopard by the roadside. However, we in the breakaway group did pretty well, too - Wahlberg's Eagle, Dark Chanting-goshawk, Red-winged Pytilia, Red-winged Warbler and Yellow-bellied Hyliota were all new for our ever-growing trip list. Sadly, we could not relocate the Pel's Fishing Owl in the camp grounds.

Thursday 17th July

After a bit of a walk in the garden (African Reed Warbler), we searched the road either side of the camp entrance - and turned up Levaillant's Cuckoo and Brown-rumped Bunting. We headed north then west, out of the NP and into open scrub country, where stops produced Red-winged Pytilia (mainly for John!), Black-backed Cisticola and Black-billed Barbet. We climbed up the Rift Valley escarpment, and over lunch enjoyed Green-backed Eremomela, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting and Mocking Cliff-chat.

The afternoon was mostly spent in the extremely quiet western part of Budongo Forest, home to the near mythical Ituri Batis. After several hours of searching with little return (Forest Robin was good, mind you), Julia, Simon and Andy headed off for cold drinks in the "nearby" town. 90 minutes later, we returned to find that the "hardcore boys" had seen no birds at all! But they did have a very junior Python cornered for us to see - and about a minute after arrival, our guide (again Vincent) found the Batis! Wild celebration all round (with Cokes), and three African Pied Hornbills promptly flew over. A well-timed withdrawal from the fray...

As night gathered and rain fell once more, we tried a little spot a bit off the main road for Black-shouldered Nightjar - and saw it, albeit quite poorly! We didn't get to Masindi until late - but at least we knew the hotel, and they had indeed found Julia's T-shirt she'd left behind last time.

Friday 18th July

An early start (need it be said?) and then mostly just a travel day, all the way south to Kampala, and then east to Jinja. There, we visited the Bujagali Falls, where we marvelled suitably and watched insane local entrepreneurs throwing themselves down the Falls with a jerry can for flotation.... We then visited the totally arbitrary "Source of the Nile" - the point where Speke spoke and said "here" - but it's just a point on the river downstream of Lake Victoria, with the rapids Speke saw now underwater thanks to the HEP station! Underwhelming!

We finally reached our excellent hotel (Gately on Nile) - although our room was a bit poky. We eventually changed to one of the plush bungalows in the garden, complete with sunken shower unit etc. The food was great, and the gardens were birdy - lowland Sooty Boubou was a lifer, and there was plenty more besides to look at.

We met Fraser Gear and the next Rockjumper tour tonight - they'd only just started and were doing Uganda the other way round - so a long drive for them tomorrow to Masindi.

See photo page here

Saturday 19th July

After about half an hour in the van, we reached Mbira Forest, just west of Jinja. Here we teamed up with our local guide, Abraham, and had yet another rather disappointing three hours on a narrow forest road - I think we've been quite unlucky with some of the forest specials on this trip! We did get Yellow-browed Camaroptera and Weyn's Weaver, and only Julia saw Nahan's Francolin in the forest gloom, but nothing else new showed itself. Had it been our first day, we'd have had a ball - but you do get a bit sick of more flippin' Greenbuls!

And onwards, with Andy somewhat unwell. We reached the Boma Guesthouse in Entebbe at about 1500 - farewell to Robert and the non-stretched Landcruiser! Ross, John, Julia and Simon said their goodbyes to the British boys, and headed out out the Botanic Gardens - Golden-backed Weaver, Ross's Turaco and a few common garden and woodland birds, plus Coke and chips!

We wandered home and enjoyed a final meal together, before the boys retired early ahead of their early flight back to Jo'burg.

Sunday 20th July

Very much a non-birding day! We got up late, had a good hearty breakfast, and then spent a couple of hours at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre - the zoo, basically! Rather few wild things of note, but we did enjoy close up views of three Shoebills, plus Spotted Hyena, White Rhino and various other bits and bobs in not unacceptable enclosures. I have seen a lot worse....

At last, we headed for the airport, and caught our largely uneventful flight home to Heathrow.

An action-packed, wildlife-filled holiday, full of fun, exhaustion, amazing mammals, wonderful birds, late nights, early mornings, steamy forests and dry savannah. Great trip!

See photo page here