Galana's fourth effort. "Never mind the quality feel the width".

[Zim Girl]

Congratulations on reaching 200 already!

[TonyQ]

Wonderful additions, and I must also vote for the Black Bee-eater. What a stunning bird.

Well done on reaching 200 already.

[Galana]

Thanks for keeping up.

So we now turn south for Bwindi via Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park where we can use the unspent portion of our Park fees provided we exit by noon.

Thus stops for birds were limited as we had a two hour drive at least and the 'road' was decidedly slippy after last night's rain..

Those following @xelas's Trip Report will not be surprised to learn I also managed to find a convenient Swamp or two on the way.

On the first of which it took a while for me to focus on this.

 

211. African Snipe.

 

212. Little Grebe. At another swamp.

 

213. Where a pair of White-faced Whistling Ducks were also raising a brood.

 

214. Black-headed Heron.

Swamps are so good for birds we should have more of them!!

 

Instead we trawled the Savannahs for non existent lions...

215. Hooded Vulture looking for the non existent lion's kill.

 

We left Ishasha and took lunch at the gate.

216. Striped Kingfisher. at our lunch stop.

 

Now a departure from the sequence.

This bird was seen on the Kazinga Channel cruise and I thought I had missed it.

However on sifting my modest haul at home, after my BY list had been numbered, I found it.

So I stuck it in a spare slot vacated by one of my inadvertent duplicates.

So at 217 we have..

 

217. Red-throated BeeEater.

 

Back on track, literally...

218. African Hobby.

And so we arrive in Buhoma and our lodge for the next three nights.

A modest little place  but with all we could ask for including some very attractive bushes which held a variety of birds.

What a well named bird this one is..

219. Black-necked Weavers. Buhoma Forest Lodge.

 

And lots of these:-

220. Bronze Sunbird.

 

So now we are in the 'capital' of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the home to many special birds.

Which all being well I can start displaying next time.

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by Galana
Text amendments.

[xelas]

The birding conditions from our Buhoma lodge balcony were giving us a close-up view of some spectacular birds! Great quality also, @Galana.

No cribbing needed from today's post .

[Dave Williams]

Fabulous selection of birds and agreed, the Black bee-eater is a cracker, never even heard of one before!!

You have set a scorching pace Fred, suggest you slow down otherwise you'll have nothing to do when they lock you in!! I'm just off to buy some paint to do some long overdue decorating so at least I can pass the time watching it dry!!

 

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

you'll have nothing to do when they lock you in!!

Lock me in or lock me up?

Actually being an Island self isolation is already in hand. Anybody coming "from across"  is ordered to self isolate or face prosecution. IF displaying symptoms that means the whole household not just the traveller.Events as famous as the T.T. are cancelled.

But enough of that.

[Galana]

Today's installment from sunny downtown Buhoma.

First morning Jo has gone looking for her cousins in Thrall of the Mountain King so we had lost Emmy too so friend Ivan doubled as our guide.

It is possible to wander into the forest park up to a second gate without having to pay the park fee so that is what we did.

But first we checked the tree at the lodge for anything new.

221. Baglafecht Weaver. In one of its many guises. (Male stuhlmanni)

 

222. McKinnon's Fiscal.

 

Then into the forest..

223. Dusky Blue Flycatcher.

 

224. A distant glimpse along the track of

Crested Guineafowl. But enough is visible, red throat and dark neck to confirm they are the local Verreaux's race of western Uganda.

 

225. Grey-shouldered Robin Chat. A lifer for me on my last visit and this bird was within feet of where I saw it previously.

 

226. Brown-throated Wattle eye. The male has a white-throat simply to confuse old men. Safer to call it "Common Wattle-eye".

 

227. Montane Oriole. Largely displaces the more common African Black-headed at higher altitudes. No doubt that is why they called it Mountain.

The last photo shows clearly how its other name is "Black-tailed Oriole!" If only ALL birding was that simple!!

 

Now we move into EBC territory for two skulkers in quick succession.

228. Bocage's (Grey-green) Bush-shrike. I did see more of it but there is enough on this photo for ID.

 

229. Ludher's Bush-shrike. Not sure why this is 'Laniarius' (Boubou family) and not 'Malacanotus' (True Bush-shrikes.)

Finally yet another Weaver.

230. Let's see now... A weaver with a brown cap. Would that be Brown-capped Weaver? Doh!

The face mask is not as illustrated in most field guides but.....

 

Now to find lunch and maybe Jo.

[Galana]

We got lunch and Jo found us.

We then went back on the trail for more of what Buhoma could offer us.

 

231. Red-rumped Swallows on the wires was a good start.

 

232. White-bellied Negrofinch in the shrubbery and canopy.

 

And the ubiqitous .....

233. White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher which just to confuse us does not have the distinct White-eye In Uganda that it does in Kenya.

 

234. Buff-breasted Apalis was a nice find and unusually co-operative.

 

235. White-tailed Blue Flycatcher is relatively common in Buhoma.

 

236.  Green-chinned Sunbird.

 

237. Dusky Tit lands in the canopy.

 

238. Collared Sunbird.

 

And at the Visitors Centre we found...

239. African Emerald Cuckoo. Juv.

 

Walking back to our lodge Ivan had a special surprise for us.

240. A Wood Owl. Just in a tree overhanging the track. Often seen as a shadow flitting at night but, despite the quality, the best visual I have had of this bird.

 

More to follow.

 

Edited March 21, 2020 by Galana
amendments

[Kitsafari]

the caspian plovers have got to be a top contender for the EBC award. 

 

awesome 200th Bee-eater! hard to beat that landmark with such a stunning beauty. 

 

Keep 'em coming! 

[elefromoz]

@Galana, phew 200 already, I like the Black Chested Snake Eagle, guessing number 2 is a juvenile, they look nothing alike? 

[Galana]

9 minutes ago, elefromoz said:

they look nothing alike? 

A family resemblance perhaps? Immature Raptors often look totally different to the adult plumage. It helps keep the twitchers on their toes!

[xelas]

@Galana checking my database I have #236 as Green-throated Sunbird (Chalcomitra rubescens). Internet search does not show me Green-chinned Sunbird. A typo maybe?

Same comment also for #232: White-breasted Negrofinch (Nigrita fusconotus Fraser) instead of White-bellied Negrofinch??

Edited March 21, 2020 by xelas

[Galana]

5 hours ago, xelas said:

@Galana checking my database I have #236 as Green-throated Sunbird (Chalcomitra rubescens). Internet search does not show me Green-chinned Sunbird. A typo maybe?

Same comment also for #232: White-breasted Negrofinch (Nigrita fusconotus Fraser) instead of White-bellied Negrofinch??

Thanks.  I should employ a proof reader. Throat, chin, breast or belly. Just a matter of degree.

 

[xelas]

8 hours ago, Galana said:

I should employ a proof reader.

Why, am I not good enough?! And FOC. 

[Galana]

This is Big Year so the days may run together sometimes. I know I opted out of one afternoon's session and scored some 'improved' shots of the birds around the Lodge so the order is a little vague to make into a blow by blow account. I recall we opted to sit upstairs in the Visitor Centre and that went well with that lovely Little Sparrowhawk eating breakfast.

I did not  put the prey on my count. Probably some much sought after rarity like Forest Robin.

 

So "today's" batch may not reflect our activity in Buhoma if better quality was obtained later.

241. Black-billed Weaver. Good description but I could think of better.

 

242.Streaky SeedEater. Is that the best they could think of?

 

 

243. Slender-billed Greenbul.

 

244.  Western Black-headed Oriole.

 

245. Mountain Greenbul.

 

246. Grey-throated Barbet.

 

247. Doherty's Bush-shrike. Nice to get a Bush-shrike that will actually come out and sing to you. Emmy has its distinctive call as his Ring tone. His young son also bears the same name!

 

248. Northern Puffback.

 

249. Sharpe's Starling.

 

250. Black Sawwing.

 

That's it for now.

 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Galana
Additional photo.

[TonyQ]

Excellent additions. Great Sparrowhawk pictures.

Sharpe’s Starling is a very attractive bird.

[pedro maia]

Very nice photos of the Little Sparrowhaw.

[Galana]

This travel ban is going to upset the applecart quite a bit for those unlucky enough not to have travelled this year yet. To level the playing field I wonder if @Game Warden would permit us to roll over our 2020 collection into 2021 like airlines are doing?

Meanwhile to mark what may be progress to half my target of 500, or even 25% of a possible 1000 here is #251 of my year todate.

First some tricky views almost into EBC territory and later a product improvement obtained whilst the rest of the team were pursuing a skulker to which I was not privy.

 

I would have used these but later:-

While the others' were otherwise engaged I wandered off and did my own thing.

 

251. Black-billed Turaco. Bwindi Impenetrable.

[xelas]

@Galana the travel year is far from being written off! The Turaco is nice yet I know there are other birds up your sleeve, get them on the table !

[Galana]

16 hours ago, xelas said:

@Galana the travel year is far from being written off! The Turaco is nice yet I know there are other birds up your sleeve, get them on the table !

Well I have just started to unwind my annual trip to the West Scotland and Hebrides so no Corncrakes, Short -eared Owls, and myriad seabirds for me this year.

Ferry companies doing full refund and so far I am just out for accommodation deposits paid.

 

I have heard the story about birds in the hand being worth two in the bush but does that work for them when up my sleeve and on the table? There was one on my table last week-end. I did not count it, I ate it!  Delicious.

(Pinky or Perky's turn on Saturday. Shame about our isolation or you could have had some.)

[Soukous]

29 minutes ago, Galana said:

Ferry companies doing full refund and so far I am just out for accommodation deposits paid.

 

Yes, I am in the same boat (ferry), except that my trip to Mull was next month and had been paid for in full.

Why is it that the only people in the whole World I have encountered so far who are refusing to contemplate refunds are the owners of accommodation in Scotland?

 

[Peter Connan]

Are they not prepared to accept a re-schedule either @Soukous?

[Soukous]

55 minutes ago, Peter Connan said:

Are they not prepared to accept a re-schedule either @Soukous?

 

That is an option but only for a limited period and almost all the dates are already booked. 

[Galana]

@Soukous

Full refunds on Calmac on request so I assume you must mean Accommodation?

 

I have to sympathise but deposits are just that, but are/should be covered by Insurance. Fingers crossed mine are.

I don't think our friends in North Britain are out of step at all from what I have seen on other fora.

 

[Galana]

Sods Law is still working well.

We endure weeks of Storm Tom Dick and Harry and now we get some lovely weather I am 'advised not to go out.

 

Has it come to this?

I will give it a number when I complete my Uganda collection.

 

The only Roller I am likely to see is one with a long handle.

I want to buy  a Paint Roller but my local Hardware shop don't answer the phone!

Edited March 25, 2020 by Galana
Additional updated comment.