UGANDA 2020 - A TALE OF 7 SPECIALS

[Galana]

2 hours ago, xelas said:

That 4hrs 59 min were total driving time from Mweya to Buhoma.

It used to be possible too. I would allow four hours Buhoma to Katanguru bridge and could beat it. (if it had not rained.) Now it is a full day as you discovered. We took 6.30 Jacana to Buhoma, discounting our time in Ishasha for lions and lunch. Well make that just lunch.

But that's for another day.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Galana
Additional updated comment.

[kittykat23uk]

What lions?! 

[xelas]

26 minutes ago, kittykat23uk said:

What lions?! 

 

Tree-climbing lions 

[Zim Girl]

Really enjoying this report from all of you.  We stayed at Jacana Lodge way back in 2006 also looking for lions in the Ishahsa sector and then did the boat cruise on the Kazinga channel as well as looking for chimps in Kyambura gorge.

[xelas]

QENP ISHASHA SECTOR / 17THFeb

 

 

Ishasha is world renown for its population of tree-huggers … sorry, of tree climbing lions. And since the shortest way to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is on a gravel/clay road that is passing through it, it was a no-brainer to spend a morning in there.

 

However, sometimes Mother Nature throws in spades, and sometimes in tea spoons. This time it was a tea spoon time.

 

But first about the road. Gravel/clay type of road which was not in the best of condition even on a dry day. A few days later, in Bwindi, we have met some travellers who were forced to drive the long way around as the heavy tropical rain has turned this road into an impassable sticky and slippery trap. 

 

 

 

 

As it goes through the park itself, one can have some good sightings even if not entering through park gates. Not us. An occasional elephant, and curious Red-tailed monkeys. 

 

SCHMIDT’S RED-TAILED MONKEY

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

Never mind, once inside the park it will get better, was my thought (or pray). It did not. Not only the driving became more difficult on tracks that sometimes ceased to exist, also wildlife sightings were few and far apart as raindrops in Namibia. And such few and far apart were also other vehicles, so asking if they have spotted a lion, on the tree or below it, was futile. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even vultures were having a bad day, I think.

 

HOODED VULTURE: "Nothing on the left!"

 

WHITE-BACKED VULTURE: "Nothing on the right!"

 

PALM-NUT VULTURE: "Sorry guys, no food for us no sights for you."

 

 

Our lunch break was at the Ishasha gate on our way out of the park. While lunch was same quality at least birds have took pity of us, and some good ones came to pose.

 

WOODLAND KINGFISHER

 

AFRICAN HOBBY

 

Obviously tree-climbing lions are not one of the Specials mentioned in the title of this report. I’ll be back, once said someone with a heavy accent. Me too.

[kittykat23uk]

Whoah whoah whoah!!! I haven't even posted anything from jacana yet! 

[xelas]

I am so sorry, Jo. They are pushing me from all sides! I will took a break tomorrow.

Edited March 26, 2020 by xelas

[kittykat23uk]

Thanks, it just disrupts the flow if you post more than one day at a time and then I have to play catch up. Then everything gets out of sequence. 

[TonyQ]

9 hours ago, Zim Girl said:

.  We stayed at Jacana Lodge way back in 2006 also looking for lions in the Ishahsa sector and then did the boat cruise on the Kazinga channel as well as looking for chimps in Kyambura gorge.

We were in Ishasa, Kazinga boat trip and Kyamburu gorge in 2005!

 

Great report with beautiful photos. A real pleasure.

[Galana]

13 hours ago, kittykat23uk said:

What lions?! 

These....Don't tell me you were asleep in the back again? It must be all those early starts.

 

5 hours ago, xelas said:

wildlife sightings were few and far apart as raindrops in Namibia

Love this. Poetic eloquence from someone for whom English is not his first language deserves respect.

 

Right. The map.

Jacana to Ishasha Gate. Where we turned in and followed the dotted lines to seek lions. To be shown on the next map later. How much later??

 

Only a few photos to augment Alex's.

The elephant..

Blocked shot.

 

That's better! Emmy has now been pushed onto the floor..(only kidding! all I do is 'grunt' and he knows what to do.)

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater.

 

That seems to be all for now. This Report is taking longer than the bloody trip!

To Jacana  posted Wednesday 9.32.

From Jacana Thursday 19.20? That does not look like more than one day at a time to me and we are only half way to Buhoma.

"Alex: "Whoa! Speed up there a bit, fuzzbucket."   

[kittykat23uk]

C'mon @Galanayou can't go about posting photos of tree climbing lions when we didn't see them on our trip, it's not allowed. 

[xelas]

3 hours ago, kittykat23uk said:

C'mon @Galanayou can't go about posting photos of tree climbing lions when we didn't see them on our trip, it's not allowed. 

 

C'mon Jo, you should be acquainted with what is called "British humour" = .

And now at least I can envision how tree-climbing lions looks like. In fact they look more like tree-hugging lions .

Edited March 27, 2020 by xelas

[TonyQ]

@xelas they may look like “tree-hugging “ lions, but how did they get up there?

Edited March 27, 2020 by TonyQ

[xelas]

35 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

but how did they get up there?

Parachutting . Also I see only lionesses, no lions. Why so?

Edited March 27, 2020 by xelas

[Galana]

1 hour ago, TonyQ said:

but how did they get up there?

Carefully.

 

59 minutes ago, xelas said:

Also I see only lionesses, no lions. Why so?

Would you want to take your post prandial nap with the rest of the family?

 

Damn. Look what you made me do.

I have posted more lions when Jo said I couldn't!

 

Out of general interest for @xelas and @kittykat23uk That tree is on the main road and is where we drove to and turned around after leaving the Queen Elizabeth Gate as we started the final drive to Buhoma where I hope this report is heading soon!.

Out of general interest the Ishasha river is the border with DRC. 3km further west and you would need another Visa and possibly a flack jacket.

[Galana]

May I be permitted to say a bit about Ishasha sector and what else there is to do there while we are stalled? It is more than just Arboreal cats. I like it a lot for the birding.

Here is a map from the excellent booklet "Where to watch birds in Uganda" by Jon Rossoux & Marco Sacci.

Our route in was by the main gate just after the Ntungwe river shown as a bridge. Our trip (more or less the Southern Circuit) barely scratched the surface of this large part of QENP and sadly most visitors do much the same in their desire to find the Tree-climbing Lions which prefer the fig trees around that area.

NB. It is thought that they only climb to avoid the heat and flies and are rarely seen before around 14.00 but no harm in trying.

But the sector itself is more than a few lions. The riparian woods along the Ishasha river hold many birds and hippo and you can almost touch the west bank which is actually in The Democratic Republic of Congo for added frisson. All the usual game animals are to be found in the Savannah including elephant and topi and Giant Forest Hogs. Serval in the long grass hunting Francolin and Spurfowl.  If time permits a few days here are very worthwhile. Just look at the network of tracks shown on this map which are never crowded. Away from the fig trees you may never see another vehicle.

By far my favourite bit is the long drive up to Lake Edward flats which despite the name is not an urban housing estate but the normal flat grasslands that border any sheet of water. Quite like one finds around the coast of Europe. And just like there, the place is home to myriads of waders and 'shorebirds' with the added benefit that there is no daily tide to contend with. As well as 'resident ' birds it is a haven for many migrants too. Truly you can expect almost anything to make an appearance. On one visit I saw Golden Plover with which I am quite familiar and thought nothing about it. I 'called' them and took a photo or two and we drove on. Later at lunch Emmy was checking his Field Guide with a puzzled expression and when asked why, he said he could not find the bird I called. "Was I sure ?"   "They are not in my book as being here in Uganda."

But I had a photo and so we set off back to see if I could find them again, which we did. and I took more photos.

Pacific Golden Plover are now on the Ugandan Official list courtesy of Emmy and I. They have since been seen by others too.

The drive up to Lake Edward passes through more savannah and bush and repays the time to get there so do try it. Just don't go there if too wet as there are some very dodgy parts after recent rain.

In addition to the Wildernes Camp by the river Ntungwe, Cassins Flycatcher are visible from the bar, camping sites are available as well as UWA Bandas. Meals in the Rangers canteen if you ask nicely.

Just outside the park there is a sprinkling of other lodges along the Ntungwe and the area is very bird rich and worth a good look!

Back to you @xelas

[kittykat23uk]

Here are a few videos first from the Mweya area:

 

 

 

 

And finally the close up encounter with the banded mongooses.

 

 

 

[kittykat23uk]

So on the morning of the 16th, before leaving Mweya lodge I took a early morning walk. 

 

P2160047 Scarlet-chested Sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160074 Green-headed Sunbird (Cyanomitra verticalis) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160104 Swamp Flycatcher (Muscicapa aquatica) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

After spending breakfast with the friendly mongooses, it was time to leave, but they waved us off at the gate to the lodge:

 

P2160197  banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

African Fish eagles on the way to Jacana Lodge

 

P2160257 African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

We had a closer view of Martial Eagle

 

P2160302 martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160359 snowy-crowned robin-chat (Cossypha niveicapilla) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160372 Northern Puffback (Dryoscopus gambensis) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160398 chinspot batis (Batis molitor) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160402 Lizard Buzzard (Kaupifalco monogrammicus) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

We had our first views of these beauties:

 

P2160457 Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160508 (2) Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160520 Black Bee-eater (Merops gularis) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

At the lodge we were greeted by some Black an White Colobus

 

P2160524 Black-and-white colobus by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160631 (2) Black-and-white colobus by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160596  pink-backed pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Then of course we had our boat trip, such that it was, the heavens just opened not long into the journey, but hey there was rum, so all was not lost, and the African Fish Eagles performed for us:

 

P2160720 African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2160716 African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

IMG_20200216_172229 by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by kittykat23uk

[Soukous]

nice photos Jo.

[Galana]

21 minutes ago, kittykat23uk said:

P2160359 snowy-crowned robin-chat (Cossypha niveicapilla) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

Well done. That's a new bird for the growing trip list which brings the total to 415. not counting the Winding Cisticola the Lizard Buzzard has caught.

[kittykat23uk]

QENP ISHASHA SECTOR / 17THFeb

 

An nice sunrise to start the day

 

IMG_20200217_070407 by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

We started our drive, I was somewhat alarmed by "Gladys" (the Sat Nav's) directions

 

P2170003 potholes by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Of course we kept birding en route:

 

P2170014 Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush  Neocossyphus fraseri vulpina by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170045 Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Not sure if the ID is right on this next one- some kind of LBJ

P2170066 zitting cisticola or streaked fantail warbler (Cisticola juncidis) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170086 helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170091 Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170111  moustached warbler (Acrocephalus melanopogon) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

IMG_20200217_090922 African Bush elephant by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170230 Wahlberg's eagle (Hieraaetus wahlbergi) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170239 long-toed lapwing (Vanellus crassirostris) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170254 Fork-tailed Drongo  Dicrurus adsimilis fugax; D.a.divaricatus by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170262 hadeda ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170271 White-faced Whistling-Duck  Dendrocygna viduata by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170291 Black-headed Heron  Ardea melanocephala by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

Another LBJ, tentatively identified..

P2170313 Trilling Cisticola (Cisticola woosnami) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

 

P2170330 wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170399 Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170452 (2) palm-nut vulture (Gypohierax angolensis) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

As @xelas mentioned we had lunch on the way out of the park, because of their system of starting the permit on the hour you enter, we could not be inside the park at the best time for the tree-climbing lions to be around. This was a real disappointment as I had expected this to be one of the highlights of the trip and we actually had only a very brief window to look for them at seemingly the wrong time of day. Oh well! it's not like we didn't see any lions on our trip, but I had been hoping for some nice photo opportunities with them. So I would probably recommend allowing two nights in the area if the famous tree-climbing lions are on your list!

 

I did find some bats though, no ID as yet

 

P2170505 Bats sp. by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170532 woodland kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170571 Sooty Chat (Myrmecocichla nigra) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

P2170588 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus) by Jo Dale, on Flickr

 

 

Video to follow..

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by kittykat23uk

[Galana]

49 minutes ago, kittykat23uk said:

P2170313 Greater Swamp-Warbler Acrocephalus rufescens? by Jo Dale, on Flickr

Nope!  It's a Trilling Cisticola.

Nice photos especially the Fraser's Flycatcher Thrush.

Referring back to your earlier post it was nice to see your Mongoose encounter through your lens in video.

 

[kittykat23uk]

@Galana thanks, I've amended the ID. 

 

Final video before we move on:

 

 

[kittykat23uk]

1 hour ago, Soukous said:

nice photos Jo.

Thanks @Soukous