We saw large numbers of roan antelope Hippotragus equinus as we entered Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve. This is the only place they are found in Uganda, and the population is isolated from the more extensive populations to the north.
You've been slightly misinformed there; they were and still are present in captivity, albeit in significantly smaller quantities than is the case for other lovebird taxa.
The insect life in Uganda was amazing, but unfortunatly I did not have much time to pay attention to it, so can only include a small sampling. This is the variegated grasshopper Zonocerus variegatus, which also happened to belong to a new Family for me, Pyrgomorphidae. Certaily an attractive animal and worthy of it's other common name, painted grasshopper.
You've been slightly misinformed there; they were and still are present in captivity, albeit in significantly smaller quantities than is the case for other lovebird taxa.
One bird any birdo visiting Africa wants to see is the secretary bird, a very odd looking bird of prey in it's own Family. We only saw them in Pian-Upe, although they are seen (rarely) in some of the other savanna parks. In Pian-Upe we saw them both days. I didn't get any good photos, though.
We saw four species of snake during our trip, but the Central African rock python Python sebae was the only one I managed to photograph. The photos were not that great, I was using an iPhone and trying to get the entire length in. The other species seen were an olive marsh snake Natriciteres olivacea. swimming in the water at the Bigoda Wetlands, a northern stripe-sided sand snake Psammophis sudanensis beside the road south of Murchenson Falls NP, and a very young, very small black mamba Dendroaspis polylepis on the wall behind the python.
You've been slightly misinformed there; they were and still are present in captivity, albeit in significantly smaller quantities than is the case for other lovebird taxa.
….and of course it’s the two races of Black-collared Lovebird that never entered the bird trade, because it seemed impossible to maintain them in captivity. It was suggested that their specialist fig based diet couldn’t be replicated.
Red-faced have at times been imported in large numbers, but were apparently easily stressed and have specialised nesting requirements.
Had not seen this thread until today - I have had an enjoyable evening following your journey through Uganda! Sounds like you had an amazing tour around the Pearl of Africa
Helmeted guineafowl are so ubiquitous that it is easy to forget that there are seven other species in the guineafowl Family. Late in the afternoon of the first day on the road we were approaching the lodge at Mabera Forest when a group of western crested guineafowl made their way across the road in front of us. They were a fair way away, in shade and we were looking at them through the windshield, so photography was difficult. This is the best I have been able to do but at least it gives an impression of these beautiful birds.
Kazinga Channel is famous for it's waterbirds, and this scene is dominated by a great white pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus, with plenty of grey-headed gulls Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus as well as a few other birds in the background.
I became very familiar with impalas Aepyceros melampus during our time in Chobe National Park in Botswana. In Uganda we only saw them in Lake Moboto National Park where several other southern species were also seen, such as southern red bishop and lilac-breasted rollers.
Of course it should have been Lake Mburo where we saw impala, so here is another antelope we saw there, Topi Damaiscus lunatus were far less common, and we only saw a couple of individuals. The only other place we saw them was at Pian-Upe.
Black-fronted duiker, seen on the bird walk at Buhoma. Duikers are difficult to see but the black-fronted seems to be the species most commonly seen. Certainly it was the only species I saw. We saw two of them, and both quickly moved into the forest as soon as they were aware of us, even though we were about 50 metres away.
Woodchat shrike Lanius senator seen in both Kidepo Valley National Park and Murchison Falls National Park. They are migratory and breed in southern Europe, southwest Asia, and north Africa.
Giant forest hog Hylochoerus meinertzhageni observed at an artificial water hole located between our lodge and the Kazinga Channel in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Giant forest hog Hylochoerus meinertzhageni observed at an artificial water hole located between our lodge and the Kazinga Channel in the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Buffalo Safari Lodge, one of the more salubrious, with big rooms, landscaping. swimming pool and great meals. I am pretty sure the waterhole was constructed by the lodge.
