Kihingami Wetland Sanctuary (Kibale Forest, Uganda)

7 Aug; Guided walk in and around Kihingami Swamp. (Local guide - Alex and student Moses) 07:30 - 13:15

Kihingami Wetland Sanctuary is a community-based project and located adjacent to Kibali Forest at the Sebitoli area. The local guides are trained with backing from Kaberole Tours in Fort Portal who also initiated the project. A walk through part of a village and agriculture brings one to patches of forest and closed woodland after which crosses the swamp area.

Our walk toward the 1st patch of forest produced a few of the more "common" species like Green-headed Sunbird, Western Citril (with nesting material), Tawny-flanked Prinia, Brimstone Canary, Violet-backed Starling, Holub's Golden Weaver, Great Blue Turaco, Black-crowned and Common Waxbills we hadn't seen yet on the trip. The African Blue Flycatcher was a huge bonus and we had reasonable albeit a bit distant views of it.

Reaching the 1st forest patch was like a veritable bird rush-hour starting with Green Hylia, Luhder's Bush-shrike, Red-bellied Paradise-flycatcher, Grey-headed Nigrita, Western Nicator, Grey-winged Robin-chat (ID on photo by Callan Cohen - thanks a lot), Red-headed Bluebill and an ever elusive calling White-spotted Flufftail.

Crossing over the swamp and through the papyrus, a White-winged Warbler responded to playback but refused point blank to show itself. Going into another stretch of forest produced cracking views of Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, something which doesn't happen often - well, has never happened to me before this. This was just after some good views of Masked Apalis and an elusive Black-faced Rufous Warbler. We tracked the latter down eventually and got some good views followed by quick glimpses of Lizard Buzzard.

Leaving this area and walking back through the tea plantation which is bordered by some good forest trees; we came across a little sunbird party with Collared, Olive-bellied and Green-throated Sunbirds. A Long-crested Eagle lazily floating in the afternoon wind rounded up a pleasant morning's birding even though the birds weren't in the mood for posing for photos as opposed to the insects who were much more obliging.