Uganda Day 13- 130719

Today we travelled to Ruhija (another part of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest) and stopped off at the Neck on the way. Unfortunately the afternoon was a write off due to heavy rain and we spent the afternoon and evening sitting round a log fire trying to keep warm on the Equator!

Ebird list:

Bwindi- Rutendere

The Neck

 Golden-breasted Bunting 

 Tropical Boubou

 Bronze Sunbirds 

 Streaky Seedeater 

 View over the community land and tree plantations outside the forest

Three-horned Cameleon - this individual was seized by our guide from local boys who charge tourists for photographs. We released it in the forest. 

Uganda Day 12, 120719 , Gorillas !

Today was the big trek to find Mountain Gorillas. 15,000 steps up and down a mountain later and we had spent an hour with a group that had moved 4km since the previous evenings nest areas. We surprised the male Silverback who charged our group as we arrived- an unforgettable first encounter with Mountain Gorilla. 

Ebird list HERE

 Young Mountain Gorillas above 

 Female Mountain Gorilla 

 The Silverback of the group 

 View from the top of the mountain over Bwindi Impenetrable Forest 

A few L'Hoest's Monkey were in the car park when we got back to the centre 

Uganda Day Eleven 110709

Spent over 7 hours in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest today trying to find the local forest skulkers.

Ebird lists:

Bwindi- Bohoma

.. and full trip report to follow.

 Red-capped Robin-chat

 Bar-tailed Trogon 

 Red-faced Woodland Warbler 

 Equatorial Akalat

 Black-faced Rufous Warbler

 Dusky-blue Flycatcher

Uganda Day Ten 100719

We started this morning with a pre-dawn night drive and had a Serval! which unfortunately in the panic avoided the camera. The rest of the day was spent travelling 150km through the length of the Queen Elizabeth National Park to arrive in Kibale by the evening. 

 Ebird lists:

Kasenyi Track

Kasenyi Track 2

Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge

Ishasha road

Kishayo

 Red-throated Wryneck 

 Singing Cisticola 

 Stout Cisticola

 Lion (above and below) 

 Square-tailed Nightjar 

 Spotted Hyaena

 Millions of the butterfly Belenois auroa on the journey, literally a blizzard of them over tens and tens of kilometers.

Uganda Day Nine 090719

We birded the road out of Kibale this morning and then made our way to Queen Elizabeth Park for an afternoon boat safari.

Ebird lists:

Kibale Homestay

Kibale Forest NP,

Queen Elizabeth Bush Lodge

Mweya Boat Trip

Queen Elizabeth 2, Chanel track

Full trip report to follow.

 African Skimmers (above and below) 

 Yellow-billed Stork 

 African Spoonbill 

 Marabou

 Black-and-white casqued Hornbill

 Yellow-backed Weaver 

 Verreaux's Eagle Owl 

 African Elephants 

 African Buffalo and Hippo 

 Olive Baboon 

 Red-tailed Monkey 

 Red Colobus 

Red-tailed Monkeys 

Uganda Day Eight 080719

Over 100 species today within walking distance of our lodge at Kibale. The habitat was mainly farm bush with papyrus swamp in the valleys. Amazing to see so many birds in farmland. 

Ebird lists:

Kiahoma Swamp

 Bigodi Swamp

Hornbill Cave, Camp Site

Hornbill Cave, Night birding 

Papyrus Gonelek

Mackinnon's Fiscal 

Bocage's Bush-shrike

Ludher's Bush-shrike

Common Fiscal

Grey-headed Warbler 

White-collared Oliveback 

Yellow-bellied Waxbill

Great Blue Turacos 

White-chinned Prinia

Brimstone Canary

Tawny-flanked Prinia 

 Grey Parrots

 Black-shouldered Nightjar 

African Wood Owl