MRJ Does Uganda - a travel blog

[MRJ]

What a genuinely awesome experience to watch a shoebill hunt! They're one my personal favorite species that I've been lucky enough to see both at San Diego (sadly now gone) and Tampa (where my ZC avatar was taken), but getting to observe one in the wild sounds exhilarating. Color me red with envy!

Out of curiosity, what was the other galago species you saw? I know we're just getting started, but it has been a wonderful report so far.

Thomas's dwarf galago. They and the dusky were the only species present. We did just miss out on a giant pouched rat and an anomaluras.

 

[MRJ]

Envious of Crested Guineafowl, and of Galagos, neither of which I have seen; but I did get Lesser Jacana and Striped Crake in Mabamba!

I have seen the Lesser Jacana in Botswana, and while we did not get the striped crake, we did get good views of the black crake.

 

[MRJ]

Day 4

We spent the day in the Pian-Obe Wildlife Reserve. The reserve is located on black soil plains which in the wet season would make everything very muddy. Local farmers exist by planting quick growing crops such as tomatoes which can be planted at the end of the wet seasons and harvested before the soil dries out. The plains themselves extend many miles to the south.

Our first game drive went from 7am to noon. We were accompanied with a guide from the wildlife authority, who was armed with a AK-47, because there had been cattle rustling in the area. Apparently the rustlers are armed with bows and arrows.

Though the morning we only saw three antelope species but did see a number of giraffe, which were descendants of reintroductions as the original population had been exterminated from the reserve by poachers. Reintroductions were effected when it became obvious that without giraffe the habitat would change from open grasslands to thick scrub.

We did however see an outstanding selection of birds. Surprisingly, they included Fox's weaver. The claim was that as their previous habitat was disturbed birds moved to the reserve. I did see several birds and they seemed to be what I'd expect a Fox's weaver to look like. I'm withholding judgement till I get home and can get further information.

The afternoon drive went from 4 to 7pm, and was pretty quiet for the first hour, due to the heat. As things began to cool off the bird count steadily climbed and we saw our first baboons. It really got going when we picked up a white-crested touraco, which was followed by a stone partridge, purple roller, pallid harrier, another secretary bird, sandgrouse, and finally a family of patas monkeys.

Mammal of the day: patas monkey. Bird of the day: stone partridge, because the belong to the New World quail family. How did they get here?

Accommodation: we stayed at the ranger station, which consisted of a number of buildings both for offices, staff accommodation and visitor accommodation. We are sleeping in one of the more substantial, the "Roan Antelope Nest" which contains six bedrooms, but no lounge or dining spaces. Each bedroom contains a double four-poster bed, a desk and chair and an ensuite.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

, which was followed by a stone partridge, purple roller, pallid harrier, another secretary bird, sandgrouse, and finally a family of patas monkeys.

Very nice - which species of sandgrouse?

 

[Hix]

And which species of antelope?



Hix

 

[MRJ]

And which species of antelope?



Hix

Yesterday - roan, hartebeest and oribi. Full report on Big Year 2023 thread very soon.

 

[MRJ]

Very nice - which species of sandgrouse?

Four-banded.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Four-banded.

Ah, very nice - one of the handful I've seen, although I've only been fortunate enough to see black-bellied in the wild.

 

[MRJ]

Day 5

Today was mostly a travel day, ending up at the base of Mount Morato. We spent a lot of time birding as we went. We also stopped for a time to help recover a car that had left the road.

The country we traveled through was much less densely inhabited than the country south of Pian-Obi, where we passed an almost continuous line of huts and shanties. Here tightly grouped traditional circular wattle and daub thatched huts were spaced out along the road,. At one point I noticed something interesting. Up to now children had either waved or just stared as we went past. After we passed one town the children automatically put their hand out to beg as we went past.

We arrived at Karamoga at 2pm for a late lunch and then a rest period that allowed me to catch up on my list. A short bird walk after local specialties preceded dinner.

Accommodation: Karamoga Safari Camp, which is more of a back-packers establishment. We got what are probably the best rooms and they are comfortable enough. Best is an open air dining and lounge area with a bar.

Scene at Piam-Upe I meant to include yesterday,

Car in trouble

 

[MRJ]

OK not sure what is going wrong with images, My apologies.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

OK not sure what is going wrong with images, My apologies.

Think I've fixed the issue for you now!

 

[MRJ]

@Jana and @Hix were interested in the hoofstock situation at Pian-Ute. We saw:

Kongoni (Hartebeest): large numbers, seen a number of times
Roan antelopes: large numbers, seen three times
Waterbuck: Large numbers, seen once.
Eland: Medium numbers, seen twice
Topi: Medium numbers,, seen twice.
Orobi: Seen in pairs, frequently
Bohor reedbuck: single animal seen
Giraffe: About 20 seen on both sides of the road
Warthog:: a singe animal and a group of three seen.
Zebra: not seen.

The animals did not seen perturbed by our presence nor were they confiding. I certainly got better views in Botswana.

 

[MRJ]

Think I've fixed the issue for you now!

Thanks!

 

[MRJ]

Graceful chameleon we moved off the road yesterday. It was a lovely green colour when we first saw it. It mananged to bite me breaking the skin, leaving a tiny wound.

 

[MRJ]

Day 6

Another travel day, starting with birding near Mt Moroto. At the first stop there were some beautiful flame trees in flower.



The country here is drier, and the almost continuous row of residences and businesses (such as they were) that lined the road further south became less frequent. We also noticed herds of camels as well as lots of donkeys.

This is a very poor area, shops have almost nothing in them and people live in traditional thatched huts. There was a lot of roadwork, mostly involving installing culverts, no doubt to make the road all weather. At each worksite there were always people, mostly women and children, breaking rocks to use in construction. Most used hammers, but some were using rocks.

The fact that there were fewer people made birding easier, and we birded continuously over this leg. In all we recorded 66 species. The highlight of the trip was observing colonies of African grass rats, which could be easily seen from the side of the road. The rats were active even in the middle of the day, but of course if observed quickly scurried to the safely of their holes. In all we observed three colonies during our trip.

The only other mammal observed was also a notable one, a mountain reedbuck, which had come down from it's mountain hideout probably for food.

Further north and the landscape became one of rock monuments and rugged ranges, quite beautiful. We arrived at the Kidepo Valley National Park gate just on dusk, and had to drive through the park to get to our lodge. After a lengthy process to get our tickets authorised, we drove on into the park on an unofficial night drive. The park is famed for it's herds of buffaloes, and it was unnerving to see them appear out of the dark. However the drive did record a black-backed jackal (rare in Uganda), a Bunyoro rabbit and Cape hare. Altogether an outstanding day for both mammals and birds.

African grass rat nest burrows

 

[MRJ]

Day 7

Kidepo Valley National Park.

Kidepo Valley is located in the far north-east of Uganda. The National Park is also the most arid and isolated. Our guides tell us that it is rarely visited by tourists, and they tend to only bring birding groups.

For many years the Park was closed to visitors due to trouble along the border with (South) Sudan, Kenya (cattle rustlers) and organizations like the Lord's Resistance Army. Thus visitor facilities are less developed than elsewhere.

Highlight for me were the delightful rock hyrax while I was disappointed to miss the West African crocodile. There was also a very small chance of cheetah, but we actually missed seeing any cats. The park was similar in many ways to Piam -Obe, and they are connected by a series of reserves and wildlife corridors. Kidepo Valley lack roan antelope but gain African buffalo. In fact the park have the highest density of buffalo of any park in Uganda, and the immense herds were a site to behold.

Accommodation: Savannah Lodge, a "tented camp". The tents are permently erected on a concrete slab with small ensuite attached, as well as a small veranda area looking out over the valley. The lodge complex is situated on a hill, and the hill is crowned by the dining and lounge building. The kitchen was very obliging in cooking a birthday cake for Sam, who had just turned 30. The kitchen staff came out banging saucepans and singing Happy Birthday. Sam enjoyed the spectacle but was totally surprised when the cake was placed in front of him.

Indi on top of a rock outcrop overlooking the park.

 

[MRJ]

Day 8

On route from Kidepo Valley NP to Murchison Falls NP.

With 12 hours travel, this is the longest travel day and I certainly hope it continues to hold that record.

Most birding was done in the buffer zone around Kidepo Valley National Park, so more arid zone birds. The highlight and bird of the day was the black-breasted barbet. The black was offset by a brilliant white/ivory bill and pink undersides (photos I've seen are more red, but in life it was bright pink).

Slowly as we went west the arid zone environment disappeared to be replaced by a more fertile landscape. The odd European-stye house began to appear amongst the wattle-and-daub thatched huts, while stores actually had shelves full of stock. In the arid zone people were so poor they did not have money to buy so stores such as existed did not stock more than a few items. Even the roads began to get better.

Eventually we rounded a corner and over the fence to the left was the Murchison Falls buffer zone with the plains extending to the horizon and to the right streached the immense body of water that is the Albert Nile. Our first animal, an Egyptian mongoose runs out of the buffer zone and across the road in front of us. Soon we come to the junction with the best road in Uganda, the Chinese-built road that runs straight as an arrow across the national park.

The road is elevated and we can see a hippo in a pool, crowned cranes, saddlebill storks with the colours of the Ugandan flag on their beaks, and various other animals below. We come to a barrier and have to go down a dirt track to the ticket office, which is on the old road. Once the process of paying for the tickets is complete (it is always time consuming) we make our way back onto the Chinese road and on towards our lodge.

The plains of Murchison Falls National Park opening up in front of us.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Most birding was done in the buffer zone around Kidepo Valley National Park, so more arid zone birds. The highlight and bird of the day was the black-breasted barbet. The black was offset by a brilliant white/ivory bill and pink undersides (photos I've seen are more red, but in life it was bright pink).

Definitely a bit envious about the barbet!

Also, if you managed to get photographs, that one would be a new species for the gallery.

 

[lintworm]

Day 8

On route from Kidepo Valley NP to Murchison Falls NP.

With 12 hours travel, this is the longest travel day and I certainly hope it continues to hold that record.

Most birding was done in the buffer zone around Kidepo Valley National Park, so more arid zone birds. The highlight and bird of the day was the black-breasted barbet. The black was offset by a brilliant white/ivory bill and pink undersides (photos I've seen are more red, but in life it was bright pink).

Slowly as we went west the arid zone environment disappeared to be replaced by a more fertile landscape. The odd European-stye house began to appear amongst the wattle-and-daub thatched huts, while stores actually had shelves full of stock. In the arid zone people were so poor they did not have money to buy so stores such as existed did not stock more than a few items. Even the roads began to get better.

Eventually we rounded a corner and over the fence to the left was the Murchison Falls buffer zone with the plains extending to the horizon and to the right streached the immense body of water that is the Albert Nile. Our first animal, an Egyptian mongoose runs out of the buffer zone and across the road in front of us. Soon we come to the junction with the best road in Uganda, the Chinese-built road that runs straight as an arrow across the national park.

The road is elevated and we can see a hippo in a pool, crowned cranes, saddlebill storks with the colours of the Ugandan flag on their beaks, and various other animals below. We come to a barrier and have to go down a dirt track to the ticket office, which is on the old road. Once the process of paying for the tickets is complete (it is always time consuming) we make our way back onto the Chinese road and on towards our lodge.

The plains of Murchison Falls National Park opening up in front of us.
View attachment 606322

Is the best road of Uganda also a major highway (in the African sense), in which case it might be a death trap for animals... Wonder whether it has anything to do with the oil mining developments in the same area....

 

[Hix]

What happened to Bird of the Day and Mammal of the Day? We haven't seen them since Day 4.



Hix