Mfuwe's second year.

[Galana]

Well this post has gone stale again for 10 days but the end is in sight.

After two more sleeps I will be on a plane, I hope, for darkest Africa.

There should be a few more clicks for the taking in Uganda even though I am not undertaking a grand tour but remaining in the Triangle created by Fort Portal-Kisoro- Entebbe.

This is a "Galana Lite" trip for a change. A couple of lifers would be nice and I am taking my camera trap 'just in case' of prowlers.

[michael-ibk]

Oh, off to Uganda, I´m officially jealous! Have a great trip and click away - Alex should be afraid!

[xelas]

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

Have a great trip and click away - Alex should be afraid!

 

I am afraid  ... and in the same time wishing to @Galana more then just a few lifers! 

[TonyQ]

Have a great trip to Uganda - and lots of birds I expect!

[Dave Williams]

Safe journey and good luck on the numbers front! A tad jealous.... actually, extremely jealous!!!!

[PeterHG]

I'm joining the envious crowd. Have a great trip @Galana and come back safely!

[Galana]

Thanks all.

6 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Alex should be afraid!

 

4 hours ago, xelas said:

I am afraid  .

No need to be. Starting from 374 I have a mountain to climb to catch you both but I 'should' make my original set target of 500 for the year.  Whilst Emmy would have us birding from before dawn to Midnight (Owls and Nightjars) I am afraid my concentration flags after about an hour in the forest staring at leaves. I should do well on the EBC stakes though.

I will hopefully re-encounter these two 'mysterious' Weavers that refuse attempts at ID.

#1. Small Mask, Pink legs, Dark eye and clear mantle.

and

2. Much the same but with a light eye. Same swamp!

 

And this?

Such is the fun of birding in Uganda. Check your field guides.

 

Fingers and everything else crossed for some specials. Emmy's Camp is host to 6 Rift Endemics which can usually be seen from my balcony.

[Peter Connan]

Have a safe and incredibly enjoyable trip Sir!

[Galana]

Thank you @Peter Connan and good luck with your searches.

[Zim Girl]

Have a great time in Uganda @Galana and fingers crossed for your lifers.

[Galana]

OMG. It's back up and that mean some work for me and some excruciating boredom for others. I did ask on the PM circular if I could skip this and just post edited highlights but received a firm 'not really'! OK I will get to it after some shopping later today but it will be a litany of some length as Uganda produced some good numbers. It would have done better had I not gone to The Gambia as about 50 ticks from Uganda had already been counted. Add that 50 to the approx 240 I CAN count and you can see what a productive little country Uganda is. Even with only one 'lifer' and four 'new to country' list I still racked up 420 species in four weeks on what for me was just a leisurely wander in the South West and time off for Christmas. One location was a 'failure' and another was rained off but we survived. Checklist available on request for anyone interested.

Uganda is a must do for everyone and I hope to get back myself 'ere long. Happy for some company. I have the car and the guide and the local knowledge.

So to the shops and cancel all other engagements for a while.

My target for the year was stated as 500 in January. and I was happy with that until.......

Edited January 5, 2019 by Galana
Text amendments.

[Dave Williams]

Your decision as to how you want to proceed Fred. I must admit that returning from a trip and posting hundreds of photos can become something of a chore but there again if this miserable weather continues it's something to do.Uganda does sound a very interesting proposition and personally I am far keener to read your trip report but as I also have a couple of trips to Africa planned, watching peoples BY grow can help me prepare for future trip ID's too.

 

[Galana]

Thanks @Dave Williams The photos are no problem apart from quantity as they are all 'done' in order.

As to a trip report that may be harder. I don't normally do trip reports on ST but I will try.

Maybe some text now and again in the BY may help.

As to logistics well with 200+ posting ten a day will still take three weeks so I may have to up the rations at the risk of tedium, EBCs and all.

Here is your starter for Ten.

As I was snapping a Blue-headed Coucal I was photobombed by a UFO. The red-head suggests a Quelea or Pytilia or was it just embarrassed?

[Galana]

Enough..Now for the first batch.

I will put locations but little else to save time.

We start on our first morning at Papyrus Guest House in Entebbe although some shots may be of later birds.

360. Vanga Flycatchers. f and m below. Papyrus GH. Entebbe.

 

361. Scarlet-chested Sunbird. Papyrus GH.

 

362. Northern Grey-headed Sparrow. Papyrus GH.

 

363. Eastern Grey Plantain Eater. Papyrus GH.

 

364. Broadbilled Roller. Swamp on the new Entebbe-Kampala M Way.

 

365. African Pied Wagtail. Fuel Station north of  Kampala.

366. Cinnamon-chested BeeEater. Kibale NP.

 

367. Angola Swallow. Kibale Forest road.

 

368. Grey-backed Cameroptera. Chimpanzee Forest Guest House. Kibale forest.

 

369. Hadada Ibis. Chimpanzee GH. Kibale Forest.

[xelas]

@Galana I am quite sure that you will be allowed to add all of your 2018 birds photos, even if it will took you well into the end of January!

Edited January 5, 2019 by xelas

[TonyQ]

A great start.

We want all of your birds posted!

I would be interested to see a trip report as well. We must keep you busy

Seriously, I would like to know some detail and f the places you visited.

[Galana]

Thanks all. I shall knock up some form of TR but it may be dry reading.

However throughout this BY tally I will try and inject some detail.

For orienteering purposes I attach a map showing our approximate route. Ignore the times. It took us 25 days.

We have left Entebbe/Kampala and headed west to the next angle.

Under Fort Portal you see a thin road splitting the angle? We are where that road cuts the dark green of Kibale Forest. That is Kanyanchu and we are staying at http://chimpanzeeforestguesthouse.com.    

 

[Galana]

Now for the next ten.

370. Black & White Casqued Hornbill. Kibale Forest.

 

at chimp GH.

371. Grosbeak Weaver.  Females above and male in the swamp.

 

372. Bronze Sunbird.

 

373. Best I could do. African BlueFlycatcher. Chimp GH. Kibale.

 

374. Green-throated Sunbird. Chimpanzee GH Kibale.

 

375. Veillot's Black Weaver. Chimpanzee GH. Kibale.

 

376. Black-capped Waxbill. Chimpanzee GH  Kibale Forest.

 

377. Heuglin's Robin Chat. Chimpanzee GH. Kibale.

 

378. African Pygmy Kingfisher. Seen and photoed in the garden at Chimpanzee GH but this one taken on the old road over the Rwenzoris to Semuliki.  See map above. The long squiggle west of Fort Portal.

 

379. Speckled Mousebird. Chimpanzee GH. Not even gone out birding yet!! Uganda is that  kind of place.

[Kitsafari]

7 hours ago, TonyQ said:

A great start.

We want all of your birds posted!

I would be interested to see a trip report as well. We must keep you busy

Seriously, I would like to know some detail and f the places you visited.

 

 

Me too! what are the places you were in Uganda and the birding and mammal spots (and drinking spots for other more interested pals ) 

 

[Kitsafari]

Love that roller and the hornbill @Galana !

[michael-ibk]

Uganda logicistics by all means please, it´s very much on my mind for 2020.

Edited January 6, 2019 by michael-ibk

[Galana]

8 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

Me too! what are the places you were in Uganda and the birding and mammal spots (and drinking spots

I shall do my best within the text.

 

35 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

Uganda logicistics by all means place, it´s very much on my mind for 2020.

As above and don't go without me.

[Galana]

Thanks for the comments so far and I/we are still in Kibale at the Chimpanzee Guest House. Nice place that I have not stayed at before. I put the Trail Camera out but all I got was the Security guards legs.

All lodgings will/are about to be reviewed on Trip Adviser if that helps.

Next batch of ten.

NB. To save time I will only display one image unless the bird is somehow special.

380. Lesser Striped Swallow. Roof of Chimp GH.

 

381. Yellow-fronted Canary.

 

382. Great Blue Turaco. Gardens of Chimpanzee GH.

I need to get out more! Off to the Forest to bird the main road.

 

383. Mountain Wagtail. Kibale Forest.

 

384. Sooty Flycatcher. Kibale Forest. I hate forests as they are full of trees.

 

385. Black BeeEater. The first image is in Kibale Forest the second at 'the neck' in Bwindi.

 

386. Cassin's Grey Flycatcher. Kibale Forest. Also regularly found at the bridge on the Ruhija track in Bwindi.

 

387. Oops. The best I could do, the only one I saw, Slender-billed Starling. Kibale.

 

388. African Dusky Flycatcher.  Kibale Forest. (Some times very hard to keep track of these little Musicapas.)

 

African Firefinch. Almost everywhere you look.

That's it for now. Destined to remain in Kibale for the next ten too.

[Galana]

Still in Kibale Forest with a half day to Bigodi Swamp.

390. African Green Pigeon. Kibale Forest.

393. Black Bishop. Bigodi Swamp walk. Kibale.

392. Red-knobbed Coot. Seen later at Muko on Lake Bunyoni so out of order.

 

393. Black-winged Red Bishop. Bigodi swamp walk. As called on the walk and in range BUT while posting and re-checking it looks more like Southern Red Bishop with Black face up on the forehead. If so it is a bit north of known range shown. Either way it only counts once.

 

394. Black-headed Heron. Bigodi and Lake Mburo.

 

Long lens from my cottage. Chimpanzee Forest GH. Desperate times. then...

 

Then I wandered down for a closer look. Lake Nyabikere.

Finally got a more acceptable pose from the launch on the Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth NP.

395. Pink-backed Pelican.

Much the same as the next victim.

A smudgy shot on the Bigodi Swamp walk, then

A better pose showing clear field mark such as chestnut patch on flank...

396. McKinnon's Fiscal. Female. Muko Swamp. Lake Bunyoni.

 

No such trouble with the next chap.

397. Yellow-billed Barbet. Bigodi Swamp. Kibale Forest.

 

398, Superb Sunbird. Bigodi Swamp, Kibale.

 

399. Compact Weaver. Bigodi Swamp. Caught nest building and too busy to turn round.

400 tomorrow if wet.

[xelas]

Such beautiful birds, @Galana! Have you already opened the "Uganda Birding Tour" reservations?!