Wondo Genet

Wednesday 26th

We headed onwards shortly after noon, and reached Shashemene for a late lunch. We're all eating too much! The short drive up to Wondo Genet (just 16km) was dusty and uneventful, and we finally reached the resort hotel, with its bizarre 'space capsule' dining pod and bar. But our rooms were just fine, and we took a well-earned siesta for an hour, before venturing out, to be greeted at once by a troupe of Black-and-White Colobus Monkeys in a huge Jacaranda tree!

A short exploration of the gardens and the area around the swimming pool produced a welter of top birds, including several of the target species for this site - Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, White-cheeked Turaco, Ethiopian Oriole, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher, Thick-billed Raven, Crowned Eagle, Variable and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, Northern Puffback, Rueppell's Robin-chat, Olive Pigeon and Blue-spotted Wood-dove. We did have to do some slightly dodgy scrambling along the river, however, and heave our way up a very steep and dusty track! But it was worth it.

Dinner followed at 1930, complete with rather excellent pancakes.

Thursday 27th

An early start for a quick look around the garden (Double-toothed Barbet, Tacazze Sunbird, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Thick-billed Raven, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill), and then breakfast (pre-ordered) at 0700. By 0720, we were away and up the steep hill behind the hotel, in search of forest and montane birds.

We were not disappointed. Although the actual numbers were low, the quality was superb: Wattled Ibis in a cleared area started us off, and we followed up with numerous Ethiopian Orioles, a flock of Mottled Swifts, followed by some Alpine Swifts later on, single Red-shouldered and Grey Cuckoo-shrikes, Banded Barbet, Brown Woodland Warbler, Verreaux's Eagle, Little Sparrowhawk, several White-cheeked Turacos and Rueppell's Robin-chats, Olive Pigeon, Tambourine and Lemon Doves and (for many of us the highlight) a Spotted Creeper on a mature tree. Competing with the latter for the 'bird of the morning' prize was a stunning Abyssinian Ground-thrush which first skulked, and then obligingly hopped about on the path! Add in Mountain Buzzard and a small party of Sharpe's Starlings, and we were all pretty happy!

By late morning, it was getting rather quiet, so we descended, checked a Narina Trogon site, fruitlessly, and returned for a three hour siesta at the hotel. Simon was actually feeling rather unwell and crashed out for most of that time!

Mid-afternoon, we hit the hills once more, and this time, the young lads we had hired as scouts came up trumps: they found a stunning male Narina Trogon in a patch of exotic pines! What a superb bird - and yet another montane speciality of Wondo Genet.

Other bits and pieces this afternoon included Common Wattle-eye, Dusky and Abyssininan Slaty Flycatchers once more, a roosting Tawny Eagle in the hotel garden and more good views of Black Saw-wing - plus a big flock of House Martins!

Friday 28th

Our last day in the hills, and a few of us made yet another ascent of the mountain (as it were) in search of our last remaining speciality. We did find it, but sadly the views were poor: a single Half-collared Kingfisher on a spring-fed pool. A reasonable selection of other species, including Tambourine and Lemon Doves and Ethiopian Oriole made it an enjoyable way to finish our time in Wondo Genet.