Bigodi Swamp, (Kibale Forest, Aug 2010)

11 Aug: Birding Bigodi (Wetland Sanctuary) Swamp with local guide Julius 15:25 - 18:30

Boardwalk in Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

We started the walk down the main road to start of the actual trail and got pleasantly distracted by some White-throated Bee-eaters with an immature, a new addition to our trip list. There was also the obligatory Vieillot's Black Weaver colony and Speckled Mousebirds with young, Red-billed Firefinches, Yellow-backed Weavers (P. melanocephalus), Common Bulbul, Grey-headed Sparrows, Red-faced Cisticola and a couple of White-headed Saw-wings.

Onto the trail and along the forest we also encountered our 1st primates for the walk, Black & White Colobus and a little further on some Grey-cheeked Mangabey. The birds were oddly only showing themselves in singles this time and we got Green-headed and Olive-bellied Sunbirds, African Thrush, African Shrike Flycatcher (female), Green Pigeon, Great Blue Turaco, Little Greenbul, Purple-headed Starling and a flyover by an African Grey Parrot.

Great Blue Turaco

Into the more forested areas Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher turned up, Black-necked Weaver, African Blue Flycatcher and we heard Grey-crowned Crane (in the distance over the open areas), Papyrus Gonolek (an individual revealed itself later), Green-backed Camaroptera and Tambourine Dove. With open areas on our left and forest and swamp on the right we had a good array of species although flycatcher species were plentiful with Dusky Blue and Cassin's Grey Flycatchers alternating with the African Blue and Red-bellied Paradise Flycatchers. Great Blue Turaco and Black & White Casqued Hornbills were suddenly all over the shop but Buff-throated Apalis, Snowy-crowned Robin-chat and Brown-crowned Tchagra did get their moment on stage.

Wetland view from viewing platform

The area around the viewing platform wasn't overly active but we added Double-toothed Barbet, Pied Wagtail and Bronze Mannikins. From here we went onto the boardwalk that leads through the swampy areas, also where we eventually got a view of Papyrus Gonolek and an even better close view of Yellow-billed Barbet. White-spotted Flufftails were calling but eluded us - this is fast becoming my bogey bird.

On the far side as we made our way back to the sanctuary office, there was Woodland Kingfisher, more Great Blue Turaco, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater and Western Nicator. A pair of Crowned Hornbills was our last sighting although a Red-chested Cuckoo was still calling its heart out. I would love to come back to Bigodi again but do a long morning walk starting just before first light - there just has to be some awesome birds hiding in here.

Black & White Casqued Hornbills

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.

Syderstone & Sculthorpe, July 2010 - Norfolk (UK)

Chaffinch (female) at Sculthorpe Moors
A few days in Norfolk is always rewarding as far as birding goes, whether one visits one of the many excellent reserves or not. My visit was no different and actually got some more "common" European & British birds onto my list that have been conspicuous in their absence. During the visit I stayed in the village of Syderstone which has some great 'walks' around the village and is also has about 10-15 reserves in a 10 mile radius.

The garden in Syderstone produced my 1st lifer with a Song Thrush stuffing itself with cherries, in competition with 2-3 Blackbirds though. A juvenile European Robin was great to see which I'd not seen before, only adults up till then. Swifts were plentiful and at least 5 of them I suspect were nesting nearby as they came through low in the mornings and evenings with their distinctive screams. Other birds seen in the garden; Chaffinch, Gold and Greenfinches, Magpie, Wood Pigeon and Collared Dove. Individuals of House Martin and Barn Swallow showed up once as well.

Song Thrush in cherry tree

The fields behind the church in the village turned out to be great for Skylarks, as pointed out before they appeared, by a friendly resident. I managed to get a recording of the display call and even a reasonable record shot of it in flight. Whilst watching this, a Grey Partridge appeared in the path ahead of me - another lifer! A road out the other side of the village produced brief views of a Wren.

The visit to Sculthorpe Moors Nature Reserve was even more rewarding and even though a small reserve, I think it has great potential when visited a few times. My walk here started on a high note with the amazing Golden Pheasant, a brief but good view. Great Tits were at the feeding station and Chiffchaffs were calling all over. A quick and partial photo I got was later confirmed as Dunnock. Walking further along the boardwalks, another friendly birder pointed that they had seen a Tawny Owl and gave directions - I found it, pretty well hidden but unmistakable; a lifer and making up for missing it in London.

Dunnock at Sculthorpe Moors

In one area a Blackcap was singing constantly and eventually it showed itself but not long enough at a time to get a photo. A Water Vole had been seen in the channel nearby but I never got a view of it. A lovely bit of "air-play" commenced with a Sparrowhawk dive bombing an Eurasian Marsh Harrier giving all great views of both. The Marsh Harriers had chicks in a nest nearby which could be viewed on the site webcam. Huge numbers of Starlings seemed to congregating on the adjacent field where a lone Common Pheasant was foraging.

We went for lunch the last day at Sculthorpe Mill, lovely view and good fare as usual. Here I managed ok-ish shots of Grey Wagtail and Spotted Flycatcher (photo left; something else I missed at Sculthorpe Moors). A Wood Pigeon was busy with nesting material nearby and a tiny chick of a Common Moorhen was spotted at one stage. The other notable was a Water Vole leisurely swimming along making up for yet another dip from Sculthorpe Moors.

London Wetland Centre - June 2010 (UK)

One of the views from the Peacock Hide
On 22 June I did a half-day visit to London Wetland Centre and got in just after they opened at around 09:30am. There was a lot of breeding activity going on with Coots, Common Moorhen and Tufted Ducks with chicks. Other immatures recorded were those of Blue Tits and Lapwings. Unfortunately I didn't come across many waders; Starlings were around in huge numbers and I counted at least 10-12 Grey Herons. Below are some photos from the visits and some notes on them.

Some of the other species listed were Black-headed and Common Gulls, Great Tit, Great Crested Grebe, Chaffinch, Little Ringed Plover, Common Tern and Sand Martins. I did however miss out apparently on a Tawny Owl outside the Wetland Centre that was in one of the big trees along the road.

Eurasian Coot

Common Tern hovering

Tufted Duck (male)

European Robin

Common Moorhen

Grey Heron

NW Tanzania - Minziro Forest (2) & Kyaka to Bukoba

The afternoon birding set off at pace with Red-faced Cisticola, Tawny-flanked Prinia and Grey Plantain-eaters. A Black Kite (the migrant - Milvus migrans migrans) was a surprise sighting - what the heck was it still doing here?! Village Weavers added another weaver to the growing list of weavers.

We parked up at the start of the forest proper and started walking, this is also where we encountered the Rhinoceros Viper, a new species record for Tanzania.

If we thought species came thick and fast the previous day, we were about to be challenged. In quick succession, Vanga Flycatcher, African Shrike Flycatcher, Little Greenbul, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Western Olive Sunbird, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Great Blue Turaco and Yellowbill at my 1st gps point.

The next produced Narina Trogon (photo on left), Blue-breasted Kingfisher, White-headed Saw-wing, Rufous Flycatcher-thrush, B&W Casqued Hornbill, Little Green Sunbird and Spotted Greenbul.

Further on we had a stunning view of probably one of the most beautiful sunbirds, a Superb Sunbird - with a female and 2 begging juveniles! Slender-billed Greenbul hung around on the periphery followed by 2 flyovers of White-thighed Hornbill, yet another new species for the country confirmed. Chased off by the barbaric hordes of mozzies at sundown, our last sighting on the way back was a pair of Wattled Lapwings.

Next morning was a relaxing morning as were setting off to Bukoba and wanted to do some more concentrated birding along the way. A lifer presented itself before we left - Splendid Starling! And splendid it was indeed!
Stopping every now and then along the road we got more Afep Pigeon, Purple-banded Sunbird and yet more flocks of the Fan-tailed Widowbird males and their entourages.

Not many new species for our trip list initially but then it got going with African Marsh Harrier females flushing in excess of 100 Red-headed Queleas, Stout, Zitting and Siffling Cisticolas and a pair of White-browed Scrub-robins calling clearly enough to get me a couple of good call recordings. The next stop was to be our highlight of the day!

Parking near a little bridge over a wetland, Grey-capped Warbler and Greater Swamp Warbler were calling like crazy. A pair of Banded Martins perched low nearby but good enough for good views. Yellow-backed Weavers were all over the shop and the a lifer in Orange Weaver - certainly a very aptly named bird with a distinctly orange plumage and not the 'normal' weaver-yellow!

As we were looking at the Orange Weaver, a Papyrus Gonolek (photo on right) popped out less than 2m from us and continued to test our cameras' fitness for awhile. Not to be outdone, Rufous-bellied Heron (photo below) appeared about 5m away! Whoaaa! Showtime! Lilac-breasted Roller, Malachite Kingfisher, Hooded Vulture, Swamp Flycatcher, Marico Sunbird, Northern Brown-throated and Slender-billed Weavers now all vied for our attention.
We spent our evening reminiscing about the last couple of days and trying to work our way through probably the worlds toughest chicken ever which we agreed must've been at least the world's oldest and scrawniest chicken till it met its fate on our plates.