ULTIMATE UGANDA 2 22/26 JUNE 2013

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1 Although there are a number of spectacular species to be found in Uganda the Grauer s Broadbill is often considered to be the Holy Grail of the Albertine Rift endemics. This year we enjoyed stupendous views of a pair building their exquisite mossy nest in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. (Nik Borrow) ULTIMATE UGANDA 2 22/26 JUNE 2013 LEADER: NIK BORROW Uganda is famously quoted as being the Pearl of Africa and although Winston Churchill may not have had birders and ecotourists in mind when he awarded the country this title it is most certainly an appropriate one! This is surely an essential destination for any world-travelling bird watcher as it is home to the incredible Shoebill, a good number of Albertine Rift endemics and is an excellent place to see a few otherwise difficult western African forest species. A visit to this friendly and welcoming country also offers a great mammalwatching experience and of course primates in particular with Eastern Gorilla and Chimpanzee at the top of the list. It is not often that the mammals get a mention before the birds, but on this occasion it is apt, as our experiences with the incredible Eastern Gorillas of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest were truly unforgettable! The incomparable Shoebill surrendered to our collective gaze on day one! We embarked on a pitta trek in Kibale National Park and finally found a juvenile Green-breasted Pitta and in the wonderfully named Bwindi 1 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

2 Impenetrable Forest scored enormously with a pair of Grauer s (or African Green) Broadbill building their nest. There were of course numerous other avian highlights, and these included a possible first for Uganda in the shape of Dusky Lark although it now seems that the same or perhaps a different individual had been present in the area a month previously. We enjoyed definitive views of the newly described Willard s Boubou and also won marvellous looks at garrulous Dusky Babblers. A whole host of Albertine Rift endemic species included the superb Ruwenzori Turaco and glittering Purple-breasted Sunbirds whilst other firm favourites included some amazing Pennant-winged Nightjars, the gorgeous Doherty s Bush-shrike and the elusive Lagden s Bush-shrike. Amongst the many other mouth-watering specialities that we saw were Nahan s Partridge, Heuglin s Francolin, Dwarf Bittern, White-backed Night Heron, Mountain Buzzard, Red-chested Flufftail, Black-billed Turaco, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black-shouldered and Ruwenzori Nightjars, Forest Wood-hoopoe, White-thighed Hornbill, Red-faced Barbet, Dwarf and Willcocks s Honeyguides, Tullberg s, Speckle-breasted and Elliot s Woodpeckers, Ruwenzori and Ituri Batises, Jameson s Wattle-eye, Lowland and Mountain Sooty Boubous, Papyrus Gonolek, Petit s Cuckooshrike, Mountain Oriole, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Stripe-breasted Tit, Kakamega, Olive-breasted Mountain, Joyful and White-throated Greenbuls, Yellow-eyed (split from Lesser) Bristlebill, Blue Swallow, White-browed Crombec, Neumann s Warbler, Grauer s Warbler, Red-faced and Uganda Woodland Warblers, Papyrus Yellow Warbler, White-winged and Grauer s Swamp Warblers, Trilling, Chubb s, Carruthers s, Red-pate, Foxy and Long-tailed Cisticolas, Blackfaced Prinia, Ruwenzori Apalis, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Lowland and Mountain Masked Apalises, Chestnut-throated Apalis, Grey-capped Warbler, Scaly-breasted, Puvel s and Mountain Illadopsises, Blacklored Babbler, Ruwenzori Hill Babbler, Stuhlmann s and Sharpe s Starlings, Kivu Ground Thrush, Redthroated Alethe, Eastern Forest Robin, Equatorial Akalat, White-bellied Robin-chat, Archer s Ground Robin, Grey-winged and Blue-shouldered Robin-chats, White-fronted Black Chat, Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher, Silverbird, Chapin s Flycatcher, Grey-headed, Blue-headed, Ruwenzori Double-collared, Regal and Redchested Sunbirds, Shelley s Sparrow, Strange Weaver, Victoria Masked Weaver, Weyns s Weaver, Greyheaded Oliveback, Dusky Crimsonwing, Red-headed Bluebill, Dusky and Brown Twinspots, Kandt s Waxbill, Black-chinned Quailfinch, Western Citril and Papyrus Canary. We recorded a highly impressive 586 species of birds of which all but 11 were seen and 50 species of mammals. The sight of our first Shoebill of the tour catching a fish at Mabamba Swamp set the tour off to a great start! Marsh Widowbirds were seen well the following day as we drove through swamplands to Masindi. (Nik Borrow) Our epic journey around Uganda began in Entebbe and after arrival at the airport we were quickly transported to our comfortable hotel nearby where vibrantly colourful Black-headed Gonoleks, White-browed Robin-chat and gorgeous Red-chested Sunbirds tempted to be a distraction but instead we opted to waste little time here and swiftly gathering up our binoculars and cameras set off for Mabamba Swamp, which was approximately only one hours journey from where we were staying, to search for what was arguably to become the ultimate bird of the tour the enormous and totally unique Shoebill. We arrived at the swamp around lunchtime and our local guide was already busy scouting out the location of the Shoebill for us so that we were taken in our modernized and motorized wooden pirogues straight to the area where the bird was feeding. We arrived just in time to see it catch and swallow an enormous fish before flying off to other hunting grounds. Jewel-like Malachite Kingfishers darted away and chequered Pied Kingfishers hovered 2 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

3 overhead as we wended our way around the creeks of the extensive swamps surrounding Lake Victoria until we found the diminutive Lesser Jacana amongst the more numerous and far larger African Jacanas. As African Marsh Harriers sailed past we noted a distant Saddle-billed Stork and also found Yellow-billed Duck, African Openbill, Marabou Stork, Hadada Ibis, Striated and Purple Herons, Little Egret, Hamerkop and Reed Cormorant. Overhead Black-winged and Yellow-billed Kites and the vociferous African Fish Eagle were all expected but a high-flying White-backed Vulture was more of a surprise. In the dense swampland vegetation Winding Cisticolas and Swamp Flycatcher were prominent and the common weavers were Black-headed and Slender-billed Weavers. Returning to dry land we spent the late afternoon sorting out a few Orange Weavers and Vieillot s Black Weavers from colonies of Village Weavers. Large numbers of White-winged Terns were over the lake including several in fine breeding plumage. We were all exceptionally pleased to find a Blue Swallow back on the non-breeding grounds still in fairly good plumage with some Grey-rumped Swallows amongst the more numerous Lesser Striped, Red-breasted, Mosque, and Angola Swallows. Other species seen during the afternoon included a pair of flushed Scaly Francolin as well as Western Cattle Egret, Black-headed Heron, African Harrier-hawk, Shikra, Lizard Buzzard, Common Kestrel, Red-eyed Dove, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, African Green Pigeon, Eastern Plantain-eater, Diederik Cuckoo, African Palm, Little and White-rumped Swifts, Speckled Mousebird, Broad-billed Roller, Striped, Woodland and African Pygmy Kingfishers, Bluebreasted Bee-eater, Crowned and Black-and-white-casqued Hornbills, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Piapiac, Pied Crow, Dark-capped Bulbul, Yellow-throated Leaflove, Green Crombec, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Whitechinned Prinia, Grey-backed Camaroptera, African Yellow White-eye, Splendid and Rüppell s Starlings, African Thrush, Northern Black Flycatcher, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, Blacknecked Weaver, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Red-billed Firefinch, Bronze Mannikin, Cape and African Pied Wagtails. As a grand finale to the day bizarrely top-knotted Great Blue Turacos were found and a small party of Weyns s Weavers were seen thus rounding our first day off nicely. The next morning a very fine Grey-capped Warbler, Lesser Masked Weaver and pairs of Meyer s Parrots and African Grey Woodpeckers bade us farewell as we left Entebbe and skirted the sprawling city of Kampala noting Speckled Pigeons and Laughing Doves and our first Grey Parrots along the way before reaching the open cultivated countryside that is dominated by open swampland. We made a stop en route at the Luwero swamps where we found the desirable Marsh Widowbird easily whilst another Shoebill circling overhead was a great surprise. A pair of Lesser Moorhen on a lily-covered pool was a very popular discovery. Both Moustached Grass Warbler and Fan-tailed Grassbird showed and we noted the Yellowshouldered form of Yellow-mantled Widowbird as well as Palm-nut Vulture, Black Crake, Blue-headed Coucal, Nubian and Cardinal Woodpeckers, Fork-tailed Drongo, Whistling Cisticola, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Little and Spectacled Weavers, Grey-headed Nigrita and Brimstone Canary. A small breeding colony of Pink-backed Pelicans nearby drew our attention and the journey proved to be good for raptors as well with a good selection that included Western Banded Snake Eagle, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Wahlberg s Eagle, Long-crested Eagle and Grey Kestrel. Black-winged Red Bishops were in breeding plumage and our lunch stop yielded a super Yellow-bellied Hyliota. Other birds seen on the journey included Egyptian Goose, White-browed Coucal, Northern Puffback, Grey-backed Fiscal, African Paradise Flycatcher, White-browed Scrub Robin, House Sparrow and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu. In the late afternoon we birded some open ranch lands and tackled the identification of a range starlings that included Lesser Blue-eared, Bronze-tailed, Purple and Violet-backed Starlings. White-headed Barbets showed well upon the tops of the fig trees and we also managed great looks at the pretty little Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird and yellow-eyed White-shouldered Black Tits. Other species recorded included Helmeted Guineafowl, Blue-naped Mousebird, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Green Wood-hoopoe, African Grey Hornbill, Buff-bellied Warbler, Copper Sunbird, White-browed Sparrow-weaver, Black-bellied Firefinch, Pin-tailed Whydah and Yellow-throated Longclaw. We continued on through Masindi to enter Murchison Falls National Park, greeted by some Abyssinian Ground Hornbills before arriving at Kaniyo Pabidi for an overnight stay. A trio of African Wood Owls kept us up late after dinner and the birds suitably wound up continued to call for much of the night! Kaniyo Pabidi is part of the sprawling Budongo Forest and although most regularly visited by tourists hoping to see chimps, we birders had Puvel s Illadopsis on our minds. Soon after dawn broke our main quarry, the 3 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

4 illadopsis could be heard singing and fortunately we found the birds quickly with a pair showing extremely well for us down to a few feet away. We then explored the network of trails that lead into the superb rainforest with its magnificent mahogany and ironwood trees. As usual the birding was relatively slow going. Birds could be heard easily enough, but seeing them was a different matter! Invisible kingfishers called from the canopy and Fire-crested Alethes whistled from the undergrowth but a pretty Eastern Forest Robin showed extremely well and we also got good views of Black-billed Turaco, Narina Trogon and White-thighed Hornbill. A canopy Thick-billed Honeyguide was a little more furtive and we also managed views of Tambourine Dove, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Chestnut Wattle-eye, White-throated Greenbul, Fraser s Rufous Thrush and Grey-headed and Little Green Sunbirds. The striking White-headed Barbet (left) showed well en route to Masindi. A male Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike (centre) flaunted itself in the grounds of our lodge in Murchison Falls National Park and a singing male Brown-rumped Bunting (right) was seen nearby. (Nik Borrow) After lunch we continued on through the park dodging the biting jaws of fearsome Tsetse flies. We called in at Sambiya River Lodge briefly to drop off our bags where we were rewarded with excellent views of a spectacular pair of Red-shouldered Cuckooshrikes as pretty White-headed Saw-wings dipped and glided around us before continuing on up to the top of the falls. The slow drive in our open topped landcruiser enabled us to see the striking White-crested Turaco and our first stunning Red-throated Bee-eaters. A Brown-backed Woodpecker was a good find and a range of other bush country birds were seen including Bateleur, African Goshawk, Vinaceous Dove, Black-billed Wood Dove, Spot-flanked Barbet, Greater Honeyguide, Western Black-headed Batis, Singing Cisticola, Croaking Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Sooty Chat, Pale Flycatcher, Grey Tit-flycatcher, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Yellow-fronted Canary and Cabanis s Bunting. At the thunderous falls themselves we watched in awe as the huge volume of water surged through the narrow ravine and over the edge of the falls. A few Rock Pratincoles rested on the rocks and Wire-tailed Swallows were seen. We waited patiently for dusk and the expected emergence of hundreds and thousands of bats. A Grey Kestrel did likewise but when dusk arrived the skies remained empty, as the bats had apparently deserted en masse. A badly timed rain shower threatened and the drive back in the dark was totally devoid of nightjars, owls or indeed even a mammal! For the second year running the usual numbers of Pennant-winged Nightjars were strangely absent and one wonders if the drop in sightings is significant or it is merely bad timing? The next morning before breakfast we drove out before it was light and fared much better with the errant Pennant-winged Nightjars enjoying great views of several birds that included some well-endowed males. We also caught up with Uganda Grass Hare and a pair of Long-tailed Nightjars was seen. The activity around the lodge early in the morning gave us a singing male Brown-rumped Bunting, Black Cuckoo and luckily a 4 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

5 pair of Brown Twinspot. During the next two days we explored the park on both the south and north banks and by boat along the river. The south bank is for the most part heavily vegetated with shrubs and trees and tall grasses whilst the north bank comprises short grasslands, rolling hills and open Borassus Palm-studded grasslands inhabited by large herds of game that include numerous Uganda Kob, stately Rothschild s Giraffes, some adorned with Yellow-billed Oxpeckers and many Sudan Oribi and Lelwel Hartebeest. We spent much of our time searching out the specialties of the park and were rewarded with excitable Redwinged Grey Warblers in the riverine scrub and Red-winged Warbler in the scrubby savanna. Sublime Silverbirds were easy to see and several attractive Shelley s Sparrows and a male White-fronted Black Chat were found in the areas of whistling thorn. The colourful little Foxy Cisticola allowed good views and we found some Heuglin s Francolins after a bit of a struggle but perhaps the best bird was the elusive Dusky Babbler with which we struggled for several days before getting excellent views at the final attempt. A male Shelley s Sparrow (left), the elusive Dusky Babbler (centre) and the sublime Silverbird (right) were some of the star attractions in Murchison Falls National Park. (Nik Borrow) A boat trip on a rainy morning took us downstream towards the delta and for the first time in our experience we actually missed the Shoebill at this locality! Fortunately we had already seen two individuals so the loss was not so great but nonetheless it was a sobering thought that we could have missed it completely! We laid the blame on high water levels but it remains to be seen if this will be a continuing trend. A few large Nile Crocodiles and numerous Hippopotamuses wallowed in the shallows, Wire-tailed Swallows skimmed low across the waters as we made our way downstream, past Senegal Thick-knees, huge numbers of Pied Kingfishers, majestic Goliath Herons, small numbers of African Darters and even a Giant Kingfisher. A White-crowned Lapwing and an Allen s Gallinule were sighted and other waterside birds included Whitefaced Whistling Duck, Knob-billed Duck, Spur-winged and Egyptian Geese, Little Bittern, Squacco and Grey Herons, Great and Intermediate Egrets, Western Osprey, Long-toed and Spur-winged Lapwings, Greyheaded Gull and Whiskered Tern, On the short grass plains of the north bank we hunted out some spiky-crested Black-headed Lapwings and hundreds of Piapiacs. We admired the colours of Swallow-tailed and Northern Carmine Bee-eaters and breeding plumaged Northern Red Bishops. Uganda s National Bird the impressive Grey Crowned Crane was seen for the first time and a pair of Red-necked Falcons was flushed off their prey. Raptors were well represented in the park and we added African Cuckoo-hawk, Black-chested Snake Eagle and Tawny and Martial Eagles to the list. We faced the challenge of a confusing array of cisticolas head on and managed to identify Red-faced, Rattling, Short-winged, and Zitting Cisticolas. Whilst other species seen during our stay included Crested Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, Spotted Thick-knee, African Wattled Lapwing, Greater Painted Snipe, Mourning Collared Dove, Red-headed Lovebird, Senegal Coucal, Blue Malkoha, Levaillant s and Jacobin Cuckoos, Black-billed Barbet, Lesser Honeyguide, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Marsh and Black-crowned Tchagras, Yellow-billed Shrike, Flappet Lark, Barn Swallow, Northern Crombec, Little Rush Warbler, Brown Babbler, Snowy-crowned Robin Chat, Spotted Palm Thrush, Collared, Green-headed and Beautiful Sunbirds, Speckle-fronted, Thick-billed, Vitelline Masked and Red-headed Weavers, Bar-breasted Firefinch, Black-rumped Waxbill, Black-faced Quailfinch and African and Plain-backed Pipits. 5 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

6 Reluctantly we departed the park and the idyllically situated Nile Safari Lodge with its delicious meals and notching up a Black Scimitarbill along the way we made our way through cultivation and open scrub where we found the rather dowdy White-rumped Seedeater and large numbers of Red-billed Quelea and a Cardinal Quelea in breeding plumage. Crossing the flat plains around Buliisa we discovered a Bruce s Green Pigeon in one of the large fig trees and enjoyed watching a Black-faced Waxbill building its nest. A solitary Greater Blue-eared Starling seemed a little out of place whilst more expected species included Brown Snake Eagle, Red-chested Cuckoo, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Holub s Golden Weaver, Black-crowned Waxbill and Village Indigobird. On the Butiaba Escarpment we found a family of Mocking Cliff Chats as well as African Hawk Eagle, White-crested Helmetshrike and Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting before our day ended at the bustling little town of Masindi, which was to be our base for the next three nights. The attractively coloured Foxy Cisticola (left) allowed some great looks on the Butiaba escarpment. The discovery of a pair of Ituri Batis (right) at their nest was a great find in the Budongo Forest. (Nik Borrow) We had two full days in which to explore the bird rich Budongo Forest and we concentrated on two separate areas. The first day we found ourselves in the forest at Busingiro. As always in these high forests the birding is a challenge but we connected with our first target very quickly, the diminutive Ituri Batis that piped out its high-pitched calls over the forest from the tops of the huge trees. Indeed we also found the nest and managed to photograph the pair presumably incubating the eggs. In the undergrowth both Scaly-breasted and Brown Illadopsis were seen although the views were fleeting whilst inside the forest we struggled to see Nahan s Partridge due to the thick cover. A Chocolate-backed Kingfisher was heard piping its far-reaching calls from the canopy and luckily we quickly got to grips with the bird itself. Of the more conspicuous birds we saw a small flock of distinctive wing-flicking Spotted Greenbuls and showy Yellow-crested Woodpeckers. The desirable African Dwarf Kingfisher sat and posed for a short time, lovely Rufous-crowned Eremomelas delighted, perky Chestnut-capped Flycatchers flitted about, fanning their chestnut tails as they went and Yellow-browed and Olive-green Camaropteras and were finally persuaded to show themselves. A Lemonbellied Crombec kept to the canopy over which a noisy Blue-throated Roller displayed and a cacophony of barbets including Yellow-throated and Speckled Tinkerbirds and Yellow-spotted and Yellow-billed Barbets, pooped, squeaked and trilled above us. We were also introduced to a confusing array of similar looking greenbuls but managed to identify Slender-billed, Little, Little Grey, Plain, Yellow-whiskered and Red-tailed Greenbuls. Other birds included Black Sparrowhawk, Afep Pigeon, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Redtailed Bristlebill, Green Hylia, Buff-throated Apalis, Ashy and Sooty Flycatchers, Grey-throated Tit-flycatcher and Blue-throated Brown, Olive and Superb Sunbirds. At the end of the day a White-spotted Flufftail was persuaded to show at a nearby pond that lured Sabine s Spinetails down to drink. 6 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

7 The following day we were back in the woods, this time to a stretch that is known as the Royal Mile. The new birds were now getting few and far between and the bird activity was painfully slow. We struggled with a Red-capped Robin Chat but fared better with a chance sighting of Willcocks s Honeyguide and it was almost a miracle that the diminutive Uganda Woodland Warbler was spotted high in the canopy! The fight with Nahan s Partridge continued and was ultimately won with everyone successfully registering the birds on their retinas and subsequently the coveted tick was inscribed onto their lists. Other species sighted included Crested Guineafowl, African Emerald Cuckoo, Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Jameson s Wattle-eye, Western Black-headed Oriole, Dusky Tit, Grey Longbill, Fraser s Forest Flycatcher and White-breasted Nigrita. The next day was mainly a long travel day to Kibale Forest but we first had some time by some of Uganda s many swamps. In the surrounding cultivation we found the charming Grey-headed Oliveback along with other granivorous birds including Compact Weaver, Red-collared Widowbird, Red-headed Quelea and African Firefinch. The habitat also held Brown-backed Scrub Robin and Marico Sunbird whilst in the swamps themselves our battle to get views of White-winged Swamp Warbler and Papyrus Gonolek began. Along the journey we noted Northern Fiscal, African Blue Flycatcher and Baglafecht Weaver before eventually reaching the forest itself in good time for some really excellent late afternoon roadside birding. We soon managed to locate the two main targets of Lowland Masked Apalis and Joyful Greenbul. Noisy and excitable Chubb s Cisticolas were in the undergrowth, some distant Black Bee-eaters were perched up and we had far better views of perched Blue-throated Rollers whilst some crazy-looking Grey-throated Barbets with their rhinoceros nasal-tufts amazed us. Purple-headed and Stuhlmann s Starlings were found and a large bird party kept us busy with a number of other goodies such as White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, African Shrike-flycatcher, Pink-footed Puffback, Petit s Cuckooshrike, Grey-chinned and Greenthroated Sunbirds, Yellow-mantled and Dark-backed Weavers and Red-headed Malimbe. We then continued through tea estates that held African Stonechat, to our lodge, for a two nights stay in their comfortable and spacious stone bandas that are beautifully and extremely conveniently situated on the very edge of the Kibale National Park itself. Lowland Masked Apalis (left) was very easy to see in Kibale Forest but we had to work much harder in order to see this juvenile Greenbreasted Pitta (right). (Nik Borrow) We had to be up well before dawn in order to increase our chances of finding the elusive Green-breasted Pitta, a species that normally prefers to call at first light. Our guide led us through the darkness into the sleeping forest that still had not yet stirred and in the pitch black we waited and fruitlessly strained our ears to catch the sound of the frog-like blip of the pitta. Gradually the inhabitants of the forest were waking up and the dawn chorus began. However from the pitta itself we heard nothing and as the birds were apparently not displaying there was little else to do but walk the trails through their territories in our quest and hope for the best. With all of our attention focussed on the quest for the pitta very few other species were noted but Brown-chested Alethe was new for the list. By nine o clock there was still no sight or sound of our quarry and so we decided to turn our attention towards Kibale s other star attraction Chimpanzee. 7 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

8 Kibale Forest has surely got to be THE place to see Chimpanzee as it now boasts of at least a 90% hit rate chance of seeing members of their habituated troops. Leaving the pitta territories behind we were taken into the heart of a group of chimps that currently numbers around 120 individuals and soon found ourselves face to face with a small gathering in a clearing created by a fallen tree. We eyed each other wondering what would happen next but the chimps ignored us and carried on with their grooming and other business while we looked on amazed. In the background we could hear other members of the troop sending their farreaching and bloodcurdling cries, whoops and screams deep into the forest. It was all in all an overwhelming experience and for the most part the birds were temporarily forgotten. We had even given up on the pitta or at least almost but as we were walking back for lunch a message came in over the radio that one of the other party of chimp trekkers had stumbled across a pitta. Within minutes we had found them and then moments later the pitta hopped into view. It was a recently fledged bird and we were able to follow it through the forest as it was feeding ahead of us apparently undisturbed by our attentions. Eventually it flew off and we left it in peace, all of us eternally grateful for this stroke of luck! In the afternoon we returned to the forest and found a pair of African Black Duck on a small river along with Mountain Wagtail and a pair of nest-building Cassin s Flycatchers. Alpine Swifts were overhead and we also added Streaky-throated Barbet and Brown-eared Woodpecker to the list and enjoyed some more quality time with the Chimpanzees! We enjoyed a most intimate encounter with some of the habituated Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest. (Nik Borrow) The next morning we embarked on a lengthy walk around Bigodi Wetland that produced a number of interesting species. Crested Ross s Turacos and Black-and-white Shrike-flycatchers were impressive additions to the list. A Grey-winged Robin-chat kept to the shadows unlike a showy Bocage s Bushshrike and Dusky-blue Flycatcher. The colourful male Black Bishop was admired and the weedy fields also held Blackand-white Mannikin. A couple of Speckle-breasted Woodpeckers was a good find and everyone was pleased to see a Shining-blue Kingfisher sat quietly by the stream. After lunch we set off for Queen Elizabeth National Park and a completely new set of birds. We paused briefly at the equator for the obligatory tourist shots before reaching the open savannas of Queen Elizabeth National Park where we spent the next couple of nights in the sumptuous Mweya Lodge. We found plenty of Red-necked Spurfowl along the way, Southern Red Bishops in breeding plumage, Rufous-naped Lark, Black-lored Babbler and a few Lesser Flamingos on the huge crater-lake as we made our way into the park. Once inside the entrance we were pleased to find some Olive Bee-eaters as well as Senegal Lapwing, Green-winged Pytilia and Golden-breasted Bunting. During our time spent in Queen Elizabeth we explored the extensive savannas, acacia woodland and waterways both in our sturdy landcruiser and by boat. Our luxurious accommodation overlooked the Kazinga Channel and the grounds held glorious Red-chested Sunbirds, tame Swamp Flycatchers and numerous Black-headed and Slenderbilled Weavers that also joined us at lunch-time. As always our day began early and we took with us a picnic breakfast and set out in the early morning halflight spotting a Square-tailed Nightjar before heading through the open grasslands where Black Coucals were very much in evidence and after some searching, African Crakes were seen by the roadsides between 8 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

9 the numerous Red-necked Spurfowls and Flappet Larks. Hawking over the dry grasslands were a few Banded Martins and Crowned Lapwing, Kittlitz s Plover, Collared Pratincole, Little Bee-eater and Redcapped Lark were found out on the plains. A solitary Lappet-faced Vulture was seen over a huge bush-fire that was raging and the burnt ground had attracted some Temminck s Coursers. Something more of a surprise was a Swamp Nightjar flushed out by the side of the track in broad daylight and a Dwarf Bittern flying past that ultimately landed in the top of a bush. To rival this there was the fantastic experience of an afternoon boat trip on the Kazinga Channel that offered excellent wildlife viewing and plenty of photographic opportunities for waterside birds that included a sizeable flock of African Skimmers. As usual there were amazing numbers of Pied Kingfishers catching and carrying fish everywhere. A large congregation of Whitebreasted Cormorants was gathered and there were smaller numbers of Great white Pelicans, Yellow-billed Stork, Water Thick-knee, Black-winged Stilt, Common Greenshank and a solitary Goliath Heron. Over the waters were Brown-throated Martins and along the reedy edges Lesser Swamp Warbler. Added on to this were some excellent encounters with African Savanna Elephants, Lake Chad Buffalo a few Nile Crocodiles and more and more hippos. African Crakes (left) proved easy to see in Queen Elizabeth National Park. A daytime Swamp Nightjar (centre) was a real bonus and a pair of Kittlitz s Plovers allowed close-up views (right) (Nik Borrow) What was perhaps Uganda s first record of Dusky Lark (left) and the stunning Papyrus Gonolek were seen well in Queen Elizabeth National Park (right) (Nik Borrow) Leaving Mweya Lodge the next day we had not gone far before a strange looking bird by the side of the road caused us to stop the car and we were amazed to see a Dusky Lark walking ahead of us. This record is probably the first for Uganda although we have since learned that either this or a different individual was seen nearby a month or so earlier. In the papyrus along the Kazinga Channel we enjoyed wonderful views of the colourful Papyrus Gonolek and the less impressive Carruthers s Cisticola. We then embarked on a long game drive that took us towards and through the Ishasha sector of the park where our main targets were both Trilling and Stout Cisticolas but we also added Common Scimitarbill, Arrow-marked Babbler, Wattled Starling, Purple-banded Sunbird and Black-chinned Quailfinch. We reached our destination of Buhoma on 9 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

10 the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest at the end of the day and settled into our comfortable and welcoming lodge with rooms that overlooked the valley and the impressive steep forested slopes beyond. We had arrived at the wonderfully named Impenetrable Forest with the promise of its selection of fascinating Albertine Rift endemics and other exciting forest birds. So named because of the steepness of the hillsides, rather than the density of the vegetation, this beautiful forest dates back to before the Pleistocene ice age, which makes it at over 25,000 years old, one of the most biologically diverse in Africa. Buhoma is one of the most well known areas for gorilla trekking and we had all opted to go in search of our close cousins. Of course we were wondering just how easy (or difficult depending on how you view your halffilled glass) it was going to be to see these gentle giants! This year our group was split as we had permits to visit Rushegura or R group that is currently comprised of 19 members and Habinyanja or H group that is currently comprised of 18 members after the lengthy briefing session we set off in different directions. It was the luck of the draw as the gorillas move daily but those of us visiting R group had to trek about 20 minutes compared with a drive and more than twice the distance for H group. However the pace was always geared to that of the slowest member of the group and expert guides, guards and trackers ensured the safety of all. Approximately 880 mountain Gorillas have survived the ravages of modern times and a population of about 400 animals is believed to inhabit Bwindi itself. Patiently our guides and trackers led us deeper amongst the troop thus introducing us to the various family members and revealing an ever-moving somewhat theatrical tableau, at times carefully peeling the vegetation away from the animals. It is difficult to describe ones actual feelings whilst spending time amongst these great apes for the single hour allowed but as always the emotional experience more than compensated for any physical discomfort or hardship that was required! Although these habituated troops sometimes do object to human presence, mostly we found them either oblivious to our attentions or, in the case of the youngsters, a little too curious for their own good and we were able to watch them at rest and play. However for the most part, all these marvellous creatures were intent on doing was sleeping or packing more food into their already distended stomachs! The hour whizzed by and sadly in the end it was time to leave. The memories of our encounter with the Eastern Gorillas will last a lifetime! (Nik Borrow) The taxonomy of the mountain Gorillas has been hotly debated in recent decades. Most taxonomists seem to agree now on two species of Gorilla, Western Lowland Gorilla (G. gorilla) and Eastern Gorilla (G. beringei). The eastern group includes both the Eastern Lowland Gorilla (G. beringei graueri) and two mountain populations of the nominate form G. b. beringei. The Bwindi population is at the centre of the argument and has been suggested to form a third subspecies G. beringei bwindi. It has been claimed that 10 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

11 these are not mountain gorillas at all on morphological and ecological grounds. Mitochondrial DNA research however reveals the Bwindi and Virunga populations to be indistinguishable. Both groups returned from the gorillas around lunchtime and eager and willing we all returned to the forest but this time in search of birds. We spent the rest of this and the whole of the following day trying to hunt out the specialties which wasn t easy because the forest was cool, damp and rather quiet and some dismay set in as the lack of activity and general absence of birdsong was apparent and we pondered on whether birds were either nesting or in post-breeding mode. However despite this problem and the slow birding pace we still managed to notch up a great selection of the specials. The recently described Willard s Sooty Boubou was found and the distinguishing blue-grey eye was noted. Smart Red-throated Alethes were seen well and Equatorial Akalats and White-bellied Robin Chat were teased out of the shadows. We saw the supposedly rare Chapin s Flycatcher, a number of endearingly cute Red-faced Woodland Warblers and we had marvellous views of the brilliantly coloured Purple-breasted Sunbird. One of the more difficult birds of the Bwindi forests is the peculiar little Neumann s or Short-tailed Warbler but unfortunately we didn t hear a single squeak from this sneaky little bird and it was only Nik who saw one creep in silently to playback. Ansorge s Greenbul, a species first discovered in the country during BirdQuest s 2001 Uganda tour was seen and also present were Kakamega (split from Shelley s) and Cabanis s Greenbuls. A super male Manycoloured Bushshrike showed well as did the striking Lühder s Bushshrike. Black-faced Rufous Warblers and Pale-breasted and Mountain Illadopsises crept through the undergrowth whilst in the tangles we also found the diminutive White-browed Crombec to marvel at. Other species recorded during our time here included Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Cassin s Honeybird, Elliot s Woodpecker, Mountain Oriole, Western Nicator, Black Saw-wing, Black-throated Apalis, Grey Apalis, Narrow-tailed Starling, White-eyed Slaty (lacking white eyes here) and African Dusky Flycatchers, Grey-chinned (Green), Bronzy and Northern Double-collared Sunbirds, Black-billed and Brown-capped Weavers and Streaky and Thick-billed Seedeaters. The sighting of a couple of Bush Pigs on the path ahead of us was also extremely exciting. Our next short journey took us from the lower part of the forest at Buhoma to the higher areas around Ruhija. We had plenty to look for on the way and the day was a mixture of walk, bird and drive. We began in the swampy and cultivated areas not too far from Buhoma itself and in the weedy fields we discovered Yellow Bishop, Western Citril, Black-throated Canary and Mackinnon s Shrike. The amazing cries of Tropical Boubous echoed through the valleys and colourful Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, Augur Buzzard, African Olive Pigeon and a fine Red-throated Wryneck were all seen. In a suitably accessible swamp we even managed to coerce a male Red-chested Flufftail into view. A male Dusky Twinspot (left) allowed good views near Ruhija and the jewel-like Regal Sunbird (right) was much admired. (Nik Borrow) At the neck section of the park we reacquainted ourselves with a number of familiar forest species and added Black-faced Prinia to the list but then sadly cloud and mist rolled in and rain started to fall. We drove on to higher levels and fortunately conditions improved enough for us to search for the often-elusive Dusky 11 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

12 Twinspot which as luck would have it Livingstone located for us very quickly indeed as it happened to be right next to where he had parked the car! We continued onto Ruhija where the air was cooler and we began to find some of the higher-level specialities of the Impenetrable Forest. Stripe-breasted Tits showed well, Chestnut-throated Apalises trilled from the treetops and delicate White-tailed Blue Flycatchers and the attractive Mountain Masked Apalis enchanted as we watched the intriguingly named Strange Weaver and the drop dead gorgeous Regal Sunbird. Noting the differences between Ruwenzori and Chinspot Batises we remarked upon how attractive the Olive-breasted Greenbuls were and also sought out Tullberg s (Finebanded) Woodpecker, Slender-billed Starling and Yellow-bellied Waxbill. There was no sign of the hoped for Ruwenzori Nightjar on this damp evening and as the temperature dropped dramatically we settled into our comfortable lodge at Ruhija with its panoramic views and rested up for a good nights sleep to prepare for the long hike the next day. The main reason for coming to Ruhija was to trek up and down and up and down and up and finally down, down and down to the Mubwindi Swamp where some major targets occur. It was a dull morning but dry and although cloudy the views over the forest and swamp were superb. We eventually made it down to the bottom following a recently maintained trail and there was no sign of elephants that had been present several days earlier. It was with some relief that we knew they were not around on this day otherwise the walk would not have been possible! During our descent we saw wing-flicking and tail-pumping Yellowstreaked Greenbuls and the pretty Ruwenzorii (or Collared) Apalis as well as our first Archer s Ground Robin. The area around the swamp is prime habitat for the rarely seen Grauer s (or African Green) Broadbill, which we always hope to see, but the truth is that this charismatic species can easily be missed. Our local guide had found a new nest some days earlier and so we were hoping that the birds were still there. Upon arrival we were immediately lucky as both the male and the female were busy putting the finishing touches to their exquisite mossy, domed nest and we were able to watch these charismatic birds for as long as we wished. We were told that this was the second attempt of the season and were shown the remains of the first nest. More Albertine Rift endemics were discovered nearby in the form of Blue-headed Sunbird and the poorly named Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher (complete with pale cream eyes!). Western Tinkerbird (left) allowed close up views at Ruhija and we did well to find the unobtrusive Papyrus Canary (right) near Lake Bunyonyi. (Nik Borrow) Our next target, the skulking Grauer s Swamp Warbler, was to be found in the swamp itself but they were secretive and it took some time before we all had satisfactory views. Our only Sharpe s Starling of the trip was seen in the swamp where we also found Kandt s Waxbill. With both of the main target birds securely tucked under our belts we could enjoy a relaxed return walk along a longer but less steep trail back. A distant Cassin s Hawk Eagle soared overhead and other species seen during the afternoon included Abyssinian Thrush, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Dwarf Honeyguide, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Cinnamon Bracken and Evergreen Forest Warblers, Waller s Starling, White-starred Robin and Yellow-crowned Canary. As night fell a male Ruwenzori Nightjar performed well by flying all around us. 12 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

13 The following morning we continued birding in the Ruhija area and turned our attention to the birds to be found in the bamboo zone. It was actually very frustrating because species such as Handsome Francolin and Doherty s Bushshrike were only heard and it wasn t until the very last moment that we managed to prise a family of Grauer s Warblers from their hiding place. However both an attractive Western Green Tinkerbird and an Olive Woodpecker showed extremely well but our time had run out. It was time to move on as we had a long journey ahead of us and also an important stop to make en route. Near Lake Bunyonyi we stopped at a very productive area of degraded papyrus swamp. It was somehow comforting to see that the drainage and spread of the potato fields have stabilised now. There is significant regeneration of the papyrus and the site is looking in far less of a sorry state than it was two years ago. Our main quarry here was the inexplicably localised Papyrus Yellow Warbler but it took no time at all to get close views of this inexplicably rare and somewhat unusual warbler in the papyrus. The equally mysterious weavers that we presume to be the form known as Victoria Masked Weaver were also found here and we also had great views of the localised Papyrus Canary. We also noted Red-rumped Swallow, Greater Swamp Warbler and Common Waxbill. We then continued onto Kisoro ticking off Hottentot Teal, Little Grebe, Red-knobbed Coot, and White-necked Raven and Rock Martin along the way. A Ruwenzori Nightjar with its chick (left) was a wonderful find at Mgahinga and this fantastic Lagden s Bushshrike (right) also put on a great show!. (Nik Borrow) Mgahinga National Park in a truly very beautiful setting under the shadow of the volcanoes is situated right on the borders with Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda and has now become firmly established as a regular destination on the BirdQuest itinerary. Walking over the regenerating heathland in the fresh morning air, we admired the scenery with the towering cones of three impressive volcanoes dominating the skyline. In glorious surroundings we found the glittering Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbird along with the deeply coloured igneiventris race of Variable Sunbird and Dusky Turtle Dove. The bushshrikes proved to be lively and vocal this morning and at long last the stunning Doherty s Bushshrike was coaxed out from dense bracken and into the open for good views. A Mountain Sooty Boubou obliged but pride of place went to the wonderful Lagden s Bushshrike that sat up and posed hooting mournfully at us. Perhaps the most special birds that we saw came in the shape of the incredible Ruwenzori Turaco. We heard the strange cries echoing around us in the still air before we saw the first bird but when we did it was simply a Wow! of delight. The incredible combination of colours was a joy to behold and we spent a long time watching these beauties a must-see bird if you are a turaco fan! However it was also hard to beat the discovery of a Ruwenzori Nightjar guarding its chick! Our walk took us up to the bottom of the impressive Sabinyo Gorge and on the way Dusky Crimsonwings were glimpsed, a Mountain Buzzard flew over and we saw perched Lemon Doves and White-tailed Crested Flycatcher. We ate our picnic lunch and then descended through some eerie stands of seemingly lifeless bamboo where a Kivu Ground Thrush played hard to get and we 13 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

14 heard a Bamboo Warbler that frustratingly refused to show. The last birds of the day turned out to be a glorious Malachite Sunbird in full breeding plumage and a Cape Robin Chat before our time in the far southwest finally run out. It was a long haul to Lake Mburo and into a different world from where we had been for the past week, it being a thorn-bush haven surrounded by grazing land for the ridiculously large-horned Ankole Cattle. On the way we saw Horus and African Black Swifts and we arrived in time for some afternoon birding with one of the very first birds that we saw on arrival being the much hoped for Red-faced Barbet. During our short stay new birds that we saw included Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Green-backed Woodpecker, Brubru, Black Cuckooshrike, Black-headed Oriole, White-winged Black Tit and Long-tailed Cisticola whilst mammals included some Common Zebra and Impala. As dusk fell a noisy Black-shouldered Nightjar was seen. The following morning a boat trip on the lake delivered a pair of White-backed Night Herons and allowed us to get extra close to an obliging African Finfoot for amazingly prolonged views. One wonders if these are the only habituated finfoots in the whole of Africa because they seem to ignore the boat entirely. These marvellous birds brought the main tour to a close and while half of the group made their way back to Entebbe the rest of us continued to the town of Jinja dominated by the Owen Falls hydroelectric dam that supposedly overlooks the source of the Nile discovered by Speke and Grant in As reliable as ever! The African Finfoots of Lake Mburo (left). We were lucky to obtain such wonderful views of the Yellow-eyed Bristlebill (right) in Mabira Forest. (Nik Borrow) The next day we visited the remnants of Mabira Forest that is sadly rather degraded and was recently seriously threatened by a proposed government backed expansion of the sterile sugar cane plantations that surround it. A fierce protest in which several people died has saved this leafy haven at least for the time being. It therefore continues to provide a refuge for a number of interesting species and during our productive time here we managed to find some very special birds as well as reacquainting ourselves with a number of widespread forest species. We enticed Lowland Sooty Boubou into view quite quickly and obtained remarkable views of a Blue-shouldered Robin Chat. Species such as Klaas s Cuckoo and Bluebreasted Kingfisher had up till now simply been disembodied voices but today popped into view. Velvetmantled Drongos and White-throated Bee-eater frequented the treetops and overhead a long overdue Crowned Eagle displayed. We enjoyed clear views of Red-headed Bluebill and Purple-throated Cuckooshrike and caught up with better views of Grey-headed Sunbird. It wasn t until the end of the day that we finally connected with the skulking Yellow-eyed Bristlebill out in the open for a change and we had great views of a family of Forest Wood-hoopoes. Next we embarked on a long drive northeastwards to the distant town of Soroti taking in a rather southerly singing Red-pate Cisticola en route. Our main reason visiting this once dangerous region which had been out of bounds for so long was for a chance to see Uganda s only endemic bird, the little known Fox s Weaver. Mysteriously there have been no published breeding records since 1996 when 47 nests were counted. We had seen the bird on our previous three visits but those short views have always been by chance so we were all wondering how we would fare this year. Despite searches by land and boat over the next day and a half we failed miserably. We found a distant Shoebill and good numbers of Allen s Gallinule, 14 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

15 Lesser Moorhen, Lesser Jacana and a single African Swamphen as well as species such as Fulvous Whistling Duck, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Red-billed Oxpecker, Golden-backed Weaver and Yellow-crowned Bishop. However the tour ended with a whimper rather than a bang but the long drive back to Entebbe produced the final new bird of the trip an Abyssinian Roller in the middle of Soroti town! It had surely been an amazing trip with so many memories to cherish! Uganda is the proud owner of an extensive network of well-managed parks and reserves which contain a wide range of habitats: high to low altitude rain forests, vast open wetlands, thorn-bush and dry savannahs. The country boasts a bird list of over 1000 species, as well as large numbers of big game and wonderful facilities for unrivalled primate watching, making this one of the most outstanding eco-destinations anywhere in the world. All of these natural wonders are complemented by the extremely high standard of comfortable accommodation that is now available (and is improving every year). The people are friendly and helpful and in particular thanks to Livingstone, our hardworking driver/guide who really made our tour a holiday to remember. Uganda s National bird the Grey Crowned Crane. (Nik Borrow) 15 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

16 Stunning Red-chested Sunbirds, endemic to the Lake Victoria basin are easy to see in Uganda. (Nik Borrow) SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE TOUR Species which were heard but not seen are indicated by the symbol (H). Species which were only recorded by the leader are indicated by the symbol (LO). Species which were not personally recorded by the leader are indicated by the symbol (NL). Species marked with the diamond symbol ( ) are either endemic to the country or local region or considered special birds for some other reason (e.g. it is only seen on one or two Birdquest tours; it is difficult to see across all or most of its range; the local form is endemic or restricted-range and may in future be treated as a full species). Conservation threat categories and information are taken from Threatened Birds of the World, BirdLife International s magnificent book on the sad status of the rarest 10% of the world s avifauna, and updates on the BirdLife website: E = Endangered, V = Vulnerable, NT = Near Threatened, DD = Data Deficient. Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris A common bird in suitable habitat. Crested Guineafowl Guttera pucherani Seen by some in Budongo Forest. Nahan s Francolin Ptilopanchus nahani (E) Sightings in Budongo Forests. See Note. Coqui Francolin Peliperdix coqui (H,NL) Jaap heard 1 in Lake Mburo NP. See Note. Crested Francolin Dendroperdix sephaena A noisy francolin easy to see in Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo NPs. Scaly Francolin Pternistis squamatus 2 flushed near Mabamba Swamp and heard at Masindi. Heuglin s Francolin Pternistis icterorhynchus Seen well in Murchison Falls NP. See Note. Handsome Francolin Pternistis nobilis (H) Only heard in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Red-necked Spurfowl Pternistis afer Common and easy to see in Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata Seen in Murchison Falls NP, Queen Elizabeth NP and Soroti,. Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor Small numbers leaving Mburo and again at Lake Bisina. 16 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

17 Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis Small numbers in Murchison Falls N, near Mburo and Soroti. Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos 1 in Murchison Falls NP. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca Common in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NP. African Black Duck Anas sparsa A pair in Kibale NP. Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata Mabamba, Bunyonyi and Lake Mburo NP. Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota 7 en route to Kisoro. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 4 en route to Kisoro. Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor (NT) 35 in Queen Elizabeth NP. Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis Small numbers in Queen Elizabeth NP and a colony at Mbale. African Openbill (A Open-billed Stork) Anastomus lamelligerus Common and widespread. Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis Widespread sightings in suitable habitat. Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumenifer Common and widespread. African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus Small numbers were seen at widespread locations. See Note. Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash Common and widespread. See Note. Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus The resident race payesii, Murchison Falls NP and Soroti area. Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii 1 Queen Elizabeth NP. White-backed Night Heron Gorsachius leuconotus A apir Lake Mburo NP. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 1 en route to Soroti. Striated Heron (Green-backed H) Butorides striata Widespread in small numbers. Squacco Heron (Common S H) Ardeola ralloides Most numerous at Lake Bisina. See Note. Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Widespread. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Small numbers Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls NPs and Bisina. Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala Common and widespread. Goliath Heron Ardea goliath Small numbers Queen Elizabeth, Murchison Falls and Mburo NPs. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Small numbers in appropriate habitat. Great Egret Ardea alba Widespread in small numbers. Intermediate Egret (Yellow-billed E) Egretta intermedia 1 in Queen Elizabeth NP Little Egret Egretta garzetta This familiar species was observed at various wetlands throughout the country. Hamerkop Scopus umbretta Common and widespread. Shoebill (Whale-headed Stork) Balaeniceps rex (V) 1 Mabamba, 1 Luwero, 1 Mburo NP and 1 Lake Bisina. Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus 5 Queen Elizabeth NP. Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens Widespread sightings, some breeding colonies. Reed Cormorant (Long-tailed C) Microcarbo africanus Widespread with 5,000+ at Murchison Falls NP. White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax lucidus c.200 on the Kazinga Channel, Queen Elizabeth NP. African Darter Anhinga rufa Small numbers Murchison Falls NP Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus Singletons in Murchison Falls NP and Budongo Forest. African Cuckoo-hawk Aviceda cuculoides 2 in Murchison Falls NP. Black-winged Kite (B-shouldered K) Elanus caeruleus Small numbers were seen at widespread locations. Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptius Small numbers were seen at widespread locations. African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer Commonly seen in appropriate habitat. Palm-nut Vulture (Vulturine Fish Eagle) Gypohierax angolensis Seen at widespread locations. White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus (E) 1 over Mabamba and in Murchison & Queen Elizabeth NPs. See Note. Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotus (V) 1 in Queen Elizabeth NP. Black-chested Snake Eagle Circaetus pectoralis Singletons in Murchison, Queen Elizabeth & Mburo NPs. Brown Snake Eagle Circaetus cinereus 3 widespread sightings. Western Banded Snake Eagle Circaetus cinerascens 3 sightings in the Masindi area & 1 Queen Elizabeth NP. Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus (NT) Seen in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. See Note. African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus Small numbers in appropriate habitat. African Harrier-hawk (Gymnogene) Polyboroides typus Commonly seen and widespread. See Note. Dark Chanting Goshawk Melierax metabates Small numbers in the Murchison area. African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro Singletons at Murchison Falls NP and Buhoma. Shikra Accipiter badius Widespread sightings. Black Sparrowhawk (Great S) Accipiter melanoleucus 3 sightings from Budongo to Kibale. Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus A number of widespread sightings particularly by roadsides. 17 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

18 Mountain Buzzard Buteo oreophilus 1 at Mgahinga. Augur Buzzard Buteo augur Sightings mainly from Bwindi to Mgahinga. See Note. Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax Singletons at Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo NPs. Cassin s Hawk-eagle Aquila africana 1 distant bird over Mubwindi Swamp. See Note. African Hawk-eagle Aquila spilogaster A pair and a juvenile over the Butiaba escarpment. Wahlberg s Eagle Hieraaetus wahlbergi 3 sightings en route to Murchison & at Queen Elizabeth NP. See Note. Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus 2 in Murchison Falls area. Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis A regularly met with roadside bird with an impressive hairdo! Crowned Eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus Heard in Budongo and seen over Mabira Forest. Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus 1 of the distinctive local race rufescens en route to Murchison. Grey Kestrel Falco ardosiaceus Widespread sightings in appropriate habitat. Red-necked Falcon Falco chicquera A pair in Queen Elizabeth NP. Black-bellied Bustard Eupodotis melanogaster Singletons in Murchison Falls NP and at Bisina. White-spotted Flufftail Sarothrura pulchra Sightings in Budongo Forest. Red-chested Flufftail Sarothrura rufa 1 near Buhoma. African Finfoot Podica senegalensis A male seen well on Lake Mburo. African Rail (A Water R) Rallus caerulescens (H) Heard near Lake Bunyonyi. African Crake Crex egregia Small numbers in Queen Elizabeth NP. Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra Easily seen in appropriate habitat. African Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis 1 on Lake Bisina. Allen s Gallinule Porphyrio alleni 1 in Murchison Falls NP and easily seen at Lake Bisina. See Note. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 1 seen as we left Lake Mburo. Lesser Moorhens were easily seen at Lake Bisina. (Nik Borrow) Lesser Moorhen Gallinula angulata A pair at Luwero but easily seen at Lake Bisina. Red-knobbed Coot (Crested C) Fulica cristata 10 seen en route to Mgahinga. Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum (E) Plenty of great sightings of this superb species. See Note. Senegal Thick-knee Burhinus senegalensis Easy to see in Murchison Falls NP. Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus Easily seen in Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Spotted Thick-knee (S Dikkop) Burhinus capensis 2 in Murchison Falls NP. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 2 in Queen Elizabeth NP. Long-toed Lapwing Vanellus crassirostris Easily seen in appropriate habitat but numbers lower than usual. Spur-winged Lapwing Vanellus spinosus Easily seen in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs and 1 at Bisina. Black-headed Lapwing (B-h Plover) Vanellus tectus Small numbers in Murchison Falls NP. White-crowned Lapwing (W-headed Plover) Vanellus albiceps 1 in flight in Murchison Falls NP. 18 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

19 Senegal Lapwing (S Plover) Vanellus lugubris Good numbers in Queen Elizabeth NP. Crowned Lapwing (C Plover) Vanellus coronatus 2 in Queen Elizabeth NP. African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegallus Easily seen in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Mburo NPs. Kittlitz s Plover Charadrius pecuarius 3 in Queen Elizabeth NP. See Note. Greater Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis 1 in flight in Murchison Falls NP. Lesser Jacana Microparra capensis 1 at Mabamba Swamp and many more at Lake Bisina. Lesser Jacanas were easily seen at Lake Bisina. (Nik Borrow) African Jacana Actophilornis africanus Easily seen in appropriate habitat. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 1 of these Palearctic migrants in Queen Elizabeth NP. Temminck s Courser Cursorius temminckii 6 in Queen Elizabeth NP. See Note. Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola At least 10 in Queen Elizabeth NP. Rock Pratincole (White-collared P) Glareola nuchalis Just 4 at the top of the falls in Murchison Falls NP. African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris 800 were counted in Queen Elizabeth NP. Grey-headed Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus Small numbers in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida Singletons in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Large numbers of this Palearctic migrant on Lake Victoria. Feral Pigeon (Rock Dove) (feral) Columba livia Feral or table birds only. Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea Seen on urban electric wires and rooftops. Afep Pigeon Columba unicincta Singletons in Budongo and Kibale Forests. See Note. African Olive Pigeon (Rameron P) Columba arquatrix These large pigeons were seen in the higher areas of Bwindi Western Bronze-naped Pigeon Columba iriditorques 1 in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Lemon Dove Columba larvata Seen well in Mgahinga NP. Dusky Turtle Dove Streptopelia lugens Small numbers in Mgahinga NP. Mourning Collared Dove Streptopelia decipiens Common in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls NPs and Soroti. Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata This common and widespread species sings I am a Red-eyed Dove. Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola Mainly southerly overlapping with Vinaceous towards Murchison Falls NP. Vinaceous Dove Streptopelia vinacea The more numerous dove in the north of the country. Best identified by voice. Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis Widespread sightings. Emerald-spotted Wood Dove Turtur chalcospilos A few of these dry country doves were seen in Lake Mburo NP. Black-billed Wood Dove Turtur abyssinicus The common wood dove in the drier habitats of Murchison Falls area. Blue-spotted Wood Dove Turtur afer The common wood dove of moister country and regularly encountered. Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria Commonly encountered but often just in flight. Bruce's Green Pigeon Treron waalia 1 on the Buliisa Plains. See Note. African Green Pigeon Treron calvus Widespread sightings. 19 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

20 Red-headed Lovebird Agapornis pullarius Brief flight views in Murchison Falls and again near Buhoma. Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus (V) Mainly seen in flight over various lowland forests. Meyer s Parrot (Brown P) Poicephalus meyeri Only small numbers in very widespread localities. See Note. Great Blue Turaco Corythaeola cristata Uganda is one of the easiest places in Africa to see this magnificent bird. Black-billed Turaco Tauraco schuettii We enjoyed good views in Budongo and Impenetrable Forests. White-crested Turaco Tauraco leucolophus Good views of 1 in Murchison Falls NP. Ruwenzori Turaco Tauraco johnstoni Excellent views of kivuensis at Mgahinga which lacks the yellow facial skin. Ross s Turaco Musophaga rossae Seen well at Bigodi Wetlands. See Note. Bare-faced Go-away-bird Corythaixoides personata Small numbers in Lake Mburo NP. Eastern Plantain-eater (E Grey P-e) Crinifer zonurus Very common (and noisy) in the lowlands. Senegal Coucal Centropus senegalensis Seen well in the Murchison Falls area. Blue-headed Coucal Centropus monachus Widespread sightings and usually associated more with papyrus. White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus Widespread sightings throughout the savannas. Black Coucal Centropus grillii Birds in breeding plumage in various moist savanna areas. Blue Malkoha (Yellowbill) Ceuthmochares aereus Widespread sightings of single birds. Levaillant s Cuckoo (African Striped C) Clamator levaillantii 5 widespread sightings. See Note. Jacobin Cuckoo (Black-and-white C) Clamator jacobinus 1 in Murchison Falls NP. Diederik Cuckoo (Didric C) Chrysococcyx caprius Commonly seen during the tour. The name is onomatopoeic. Klaas s Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas Heard often but only seen once. See Note. African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus Heard often but only seen a few times. Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo Cercococcyx mechowi Often heard but only seen once. Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo Cercococcyx montanus (H) Only heard in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus Only seen in Murchison Falls NP this year. Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius Heard more often than seen throughout the tour. Northern White-faced Owl Ptilopsis leucotis (H, LO) Heard by Nik at Masindi but we couldn t relocate the bird. Verreaux s Eagle-Owl (Giant E-O) Bubo lacteus (H) Heard at Masindi. See Note. African Wood Owl Strix woodfordii Seen well at Kaniyo Pabidi and briefly at Ruhija. Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum (H) Heard before dawn at Soroti. Black-shouldered Nightjar Caprimulgus nigriscapularis A male seen in Lake Mburo NP. Ruwenzori Nightjar Caprimulgus ruwenzorii First at Ruhija but amazing views of 1 with its chick in Mgahinga NP. Swamp Nightjar Caprimulgus natalensis An incredible sighting of 1 in daylight in Queen Elizabeth NP. Long-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus climacurus A pair seen at night in Murchison Falls NP. Square-tailed Nightjar (Gabon N) Caprimulgus fossii Seen well in Queen Elizabeth NP. Pennant-winged Nightjar Macrodipteryx vexillarius A poor showing but 2 superb males in Murchison Falls NP. Scarce Swift Schoutedenapus myoptilus Seen over Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Sabine s Spinetail Rhaphidura sabini Small numbers over Budongo and Mabira Forests. See Note. African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus Common in suitable habitat and regularly met with in the east. Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba Small numbers over Kibale Forest. African Black Swift Apus barbatus Small numbers seen near Kabale. Little Swift Apus affinis Most often a bridge and town bird (that s where their nesting habitat is!). Horus Swift Apus horus A small breeding colony between Kisoro and Kabale. See note. White-rumped Swift Apus caffer Commonly seen at widespread locations throughout the tour. Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus An abundant and very widespread species noted throughout the tour. Blue-naped Mousebird Urocolius macrourus Common in bush country though often flying by at a rate of knots! Narina Trogon (Narina s T) Apaloderma narina Great views of a male at Kaniyo Pabidi. See Note. Bar-tailed Trogon Apaloderma vittatum Great views in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudatus Small numbers in the Lake Mburo area. Abyssinian Roller Coracias abyssinicus A sighting of this colourful bird in Soroti! Blue-throated Roller Eurystomus gularis A few sightings in Budongo Forest. Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus Widespread sightings but most were seen during the first half of the tour. Chocolate-backed Kingfisher Halcyon badia 1 was scoped in Budongo Forest. Grey-headed Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala Most sightings from Murchison to Queen Elizabeth NPs. Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti Widespread sightings in appropriate habitat. Blue-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon malimbica Heard more often than seen in most forests. 20 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

21 Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis Common and widespread. African Dwarf Kingfisher Ispidina lecontei Seen well in Budongo Forest. African Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta Widespread sightings in small numbers. Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis cristatus Common and easy to see in appropriate habitat. Shining-blue Kingfisher Alcedo quadribrachys Singleton at Bigodi Swamp. Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima 3 sightings in Murchison Falls NP and 1 in Mburo NP. Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Astonishingly numerous in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. Black Bee-eater Merops gularis Sightings in Kibale and Bwindi Impenetrable Forests. Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus Small numbers in Murchison Falls NP. Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus Small numbers in Queen Elizabeth, and Lake Mburo NPs. Blue-breasted Bee-eater Merops variegatus Most common in Queen Elizabeth NP. Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater Merops oreobates Sightings from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to Mgahinga NP. Red-throated Bee-eater Merops bulocki Numerous in Murchison Falls NP. White-throated Bee-eater Merops albicollis Just a few in Mabira Forest. Olive Bee-eater (Madagascar B-e) Merops superciliosus Small numbers in Queen Elizabeth NP. Northern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicus Small numbers of these intra-african migrants in Murchison Falls NP. Forest Wood Hoopoe Phoeniculus castaneiceps 4 together in Mabira Forest. White-headed Wood Hoopoe Phoeniculus bollei Several sightings in Kibale and Bwindi Impenetrable Forests. Green Wood Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus Only seen in Murchison Falls NP. Black Scimitarbill (B Wood-hoopoe) Rhinopomastus aterrimus 1 sightings on the Butiaba escarpment. Common Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas Several seen in Queen Elizabeth NP. Abyssinian Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus minor 2 seen at Lake Bisina. Crowned Hornbill Tockus alboterminatus Widespread sightings in small numbers. African Pied Hornbill Tockus fasciatus Small numbers in Mabira Forest. African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus Common at Lake Mburo NP and in the Murchison area. White-thighed Hornbill Bycanistes albotibialis Small numbers in Budongo Forest. Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill Bycanistes subcylindricus A widespread species and pleasingly numerous. Abyssinian Ground Hornbill Bucorvus abyssinicus Seen well in Murchison Falls NP. The magnificent Abyssinian Ground Hornbill in Murchison Falls National Park (Nik Borrow) Grey-throated Barbet Gymnobucco bonapartei First seen in Kibale Forest and again in the forests of the southwest. Speckled Tinkerbird Pogoniulus scolopaceus More often heard than seen in the lower altitude forests. Western Tinkerbird (W Green T) Pogoniulus coryphaeus Seen well at Ruhija and Mgahinga NP. Yellow-throated Tinkerbird Pogoniulus subsulphureus More often heard than seen in the lower altitude forests. Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus bilineatus Regularly recorded in the higher altitude forests and cultivation. Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus The common tinkerbird of the savannahs and cultivation. 21 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

22 Yellow-spotted Barbet Buccanodon duchaillui The snoring song was heard more than it was seen in the forests. Streaky-throated Barbet Tricholaema [hirsuta] flavipunctata First seen well at Bigodi Swamp. Spot-flanked Barbet Tricholaema lacrymosa Widespread sightings in open country. White-headed Barbet Lybius leucocephalus Seen well on the Kimengo Ranches and Mburo NP. Red-faced Barbet Lybius rubrifacies (NT) 3 were seen well in Lake Mburo NP. Black-billed Barbet Lybius guifsobalito Easy to see in the Murchison Falls and Soroti areas. Double-toothed Barbet Lybius bidentatus Widespread sightings. Yellow-billed Barbet Trachyphonus purpuratus More often heard than seen in the forests. Cassin s Honeybird Prodotiscus insignis 2 sightings in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Dwarf Honeyguide Indicator pumilio (NT) A poor view of a calling bird in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Willcocks s Honeyguide Indicator willcocksi 1 in Budongo and heard in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. See Note. Thick-billed Honeyguide Indicator conirostris 1 seen in Kaniyo Pabidi and heard in Bwindi Impenetrable Forests. Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor 2 sightings in Murchison Falls NP. Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator Sightings in Murchison and Mburo NPs and at Lake Bisina. Red-throated Wryneck Jynx ruficollis Seen well in the Buhoma area. Nubian Woodpecker Campethera nubica Seen in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. Green-backed Woodpecker Campethera cailliautii A pair in Lake Mburo NP. Tullberg s Woodpecker Campethera tullbergi Seen at Ruhija. See Note. Buff-spotted Woodpecker Campethera nivosa 3 sightings in the forests but never easy to see. Brown-eared Woodpecker Campethera caroli Seen in Kibale NP. Speckle-breasted Woodpecker Dendropicos poecilolaemus A great sighting of 2 at Bigodi Wetland. Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens Most sightings were in Murchison Falls NP. Yellow-crested Woodpecker Dendropicos xantholophus Seen well in Budongo Forest. Elliot s Woodpecker Dendropicos elliotii Seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forests. See Note. African Grey Woodpecker Dendropicos goertae A pair in Entebbe and another en route to Jinja. Olive Woodpecker Dendropicos griseocephalus 1 in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Brown-backed Woodpecker Dendropicos obsoletus 2 sightings in Murchison Falls NP. African Broadbill Smithornis capensis (H) Heard distantly in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Grauer s Broadbill Pseudocalyptomena graueri (V) A pair nest building in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. See Note. Green-breasted Pitta Pitta reichenowi After a long search we found a juvenile in Kibale Forest. African Shrike-flycatcher Megabyas flammulatus Seen in Budongo and Bwindi Forests. Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher (Vanga Flycatcher) Bias musicus Several seen at Bigodi Wetlands. Ruwenzori Batis Batis diops Small numbers seen in Bwindi and Mgahinga NPs. Chinspot Batis Batis molitor Small numbers in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Western Black-headed Batis Batis erlangeri Several seen in the Murchison area and Queen Elizabeth NP. Ituri Batis Batis ituriensis A pair at their nest in Budongo Forest. See Note. Chestnut Wattle-eye Platysteira castanea Many sightings in the lower altitude forests. Brown-throated Wattle-eye (Common W-e) Platysteira cyanea Widespread sightings during the main tour. Jameson s Wattle-eye Platysteira jamesoni Brief views in Budongo and Mabira Forests. See Note. White-crested Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus A flock on the Butiaba escarpment. Grey-headed Bushshrike Malaconotus blanchoti 1 seen in Murchison Falls NP. Lagden's Bushshrike Malaconotus lagdeni (NT) Amazing views of 1 in Mgahinga NP. See Note. Many-coloured Bushshrike Chlorophoneus multicolor A male was seen in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Bocage s Bushshrike (Grey-green B S) Chlorophoneus bocagei Seen well in Kibale and Bwindi Forests. See Note. Orange-breasted Bushshrike Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus Seen in Queen Elizabeth NP and heard elsewhere. Doherty s Bushshrike Telophorus dohertyi This gorgeous bird was seen well in Mgahinga NP. See Note. Marsh Tchagra (Blackcap T) Bocagia minuta A few widespread sightings in suitable habitat. Brown-crowned Tchagra (Brown-headed T) Tchagra australis A few widespread sightings. Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus Easy to see in the Murchison and Queen Elizabeth areas. Pink-footed Puffback Dryoscopus angolensis Seen in Kibale and Bwindi Forests. Northern Puffback Dryoscopus gambensis Seen in Murchison Falls NP and the southwest. Lowland Sooty Boubou (S B) Laniarius leucorhynchus 1 seen well in Mabira Forest. Mountain Black Boubou (Montane Sooty B) Laniarius poensis 1 seen in Mgahinga NP. Willard s Sooty Boubou Laniarius willardi Seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. See Note. 22 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

23 Lühder s Bushshrike Laniarius luehderi Seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. See Note. Tropical Boubou Laniarius major Only seen near Buhoma but heard elsewhere. Papyrus Gonolek Laniarius mufumbiri (NT) Very skulking in the papyrus but seen well this year. Black-headed Gonolek Laniarius erythrogaster Especially numerous in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. Brubru Nilaus afer Seen well at Lake Mburo NP. Black Cuckooshrike Campephaga flava 2 in Lake Mburo NP. Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike Campephaga phoenicea First seen well in Murchison Falls NP. Petit s Cuckooshrike Campephaga petiti Small numbers in Kibale and Bwindi Forests. See Note. Purple-throated Cuckooshrike Campephaga quiscalina A pair in Mabira Forest. Yellow-billed Shrike Corvinella corvina 2 seen in Murchison Falls NP. Mackinnon s Fiscal Lanius mackinnoni Small numbers were seen in the southwest. See Note. Grey-backed Fiscal Lanius excubitoroides Common and widespread but absent from the southwest. Northern Fiscal Lanius humeralis Widespread sightings during the main tour. Western Oriole (W Black-headed O) Oriolus brachyrhynchus Seen well in Budongo, Kibale and Mabira Forests. Mountain (Montane) Oriole Oriolus percivali Seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Black-headed Oriole (Eastern B-h O) Oriolus larvatus 1 in Lake Mburo NP. Fork-tailed Drongo (Common D) Dicrurus adsimilis Commonly encountered in the savannahs. Velvet-mantled Drongo Dicrurus coracinus Seen in Mabira Forest. Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone rufiventer Seen well in Kibale Forest. African Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis Widespread sightings. Piapiac Ptilostomus afer Most abundant in the Murchison area. Pied Crow Corvus albus Common and widespread. White-necked Raven (White-naped R) Corvus albicollis Only in the southwest. African Blue Flycatcher Elminia longicauda Widespread sightings of this dainty bird. White-tailed Blue Flycatcher Elminia albicauda Seen well at higher altitudes in the southwest. White-bellied Crested Flycatcher Trochocercus albiventris 1 seen in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. White-tailed Crested Flycatcher Trochocercus albonotata 1 seen in Mgahinga NP. White-shouldered Black Tit Parus guineensis A pair on the Kimengo Ranches. White-winged Black Tit Parus leucomelas A pair in Lake Mburo NP. Dusky Tit Parus funereus Seen in Budongo and Bwindi Impenetrable Forests. Stripe-breasted Tit Parus fasciiventer Several of these Albertine Rift endemics at Ruhija. Western Nicator Nicator chloris Seen in Kibale and Bwindi Impenetrable Forests.See Note. Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana Small numbers in Queen Elizabeth NP. Rufous-naped Larks are common in Queen Elizabeth National Park (Nik Borrow) Flappet Lark Mirafra rufocinnamomea Common in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls NP. Dusky Lark Pinarocorys nigricans An amazing record of 1 in Queen Elizabeth NP on 14/6. Possibly a Ugandan first! Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea Small numbers in Queen Elizabeth NP. 23 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

24 Dark-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor Every day! Kakamega Greenbul Arizelocichla kakamegae Small numbers in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Olive-breasted Mountain Greenbul Arizelocichla kikuyuensis Common in Bwindi and Mgahinga NPs. Slender-billed Greenbul Stelgidillas gracilirostris Easily seen in the forests. Little Greenbul Eurillas virens Common but more often heard than seen in the forests. Little Grey Greenbul Eurillas gracilis Easily seen in Budongo and Mabira Forests. Ansorge s Greenbul Eurillas ansorgei Small numbers in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. See Note. Plain Greenbul (Cameroon Sombre G) Eurillas curvirostris Small numbers in the various forests. Yellow-whiskered Greenbul Eurillas latirostris Easily seen in the forests. Honeyguide Greenbul Baeopogon indicator Sightings in Bwindi and Mabira forests, heard only elsewhere. Spotted Greenbul Ixonotus guttatus A small flock in Budongo Forest. Joyful Greenbul Chlorocichla laetissima A pair seen in Kibale Forest. Yellow-throated Leaflove Atimastillas flavicollis A few of the race pallidigula, sometimes merged with flavicollis. Cabanis s Greenbul Phyllastrephus cabanisi A small group at Buhoma. See Note. White-throated Greenbul Phyllastrephus albigularis Small numbers of these often shy but vocal forest greenbuls. Yellow-streaked Greenbul Phyllastrephus flavostriatus Seen during the walk to Mubwindi Swamp. Red-tailed Bristlebill Bleda syndactylus Often heard but only occasionally seen in the forests. Yellow-eyed Bristlebill Bleda [notatus] ugandae Excellent looks in Mabira Forest. Red-tailed Greenbul Criniger calurus Small numbers seen in Budongo Bwindi and Mabira Forests. White-headed Saw-wing Psalidoprocne albiceps A very common and widespread bird throughout the lower country. Black Saw-wing Psalidoprocne [pristoptera] holomelas Common around Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga NPs Grey-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga 2 were seen near Mabamba Swamp. Brown-throated Martin (Plain M) Riparia paludicola Common on the Kazinga Channel and again at Lake Bisina. Banded Martin Riparia cincta Small numbers in Queen Elizabeth NP. Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica A few lingering Palearctic migrants. Angola Swallow Hirundo angolensis Particularly numerous during the tour. Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii Small numbers in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison Falls NPs. Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea (V) 1 seen at Mabamba Swamp. Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula Small numbers in the south west. Lesser Striped Swallow Cecropis abyssinica Common and widespread. Red-breasted Swallow (Rufous-chested S) Cecropis semirufa Easy to see at Mabamba and Queen Elizabeth NP. Mosque Swallow Cecropis senegalensis Scattered sightings in small numbers. Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica Small numbers in the south west. Moustached Grass Warbler (African M W) Melocichla mentalis Often heard and occasionally seen in grassland. Yellow Longbill Macrosphenus flavicans (H) Heard in Budongo and Mabira Forests. Grey Longbill Macrosphenus concolor Singletons seen in Budongo and Mabira Forests. Northern Crombec Sylvietta brachyura Seen in Murchison Falls NP. Green Crombec Sylvietta virens Often heard and occasionally seen. Lemon-bellied Crombec Sylvietta denti Several sightings in Budongo Forest. White-browed Crombec Sylvietta leucophrys Great views in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Neumann s Warbler (Short-tailed W) Urosphena neumanni (LO) Only Nik caught a glimpse. See Note. Chestnut-capped Flycatcher Erythrocercus mccallii Small numbers were seen in Budongo Forest. Grauer s Warbler Graueria vittata Elusive this year but we finally managed views in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Green Hylia Hylia prasina Often heard and occasionally seen. Red-faced Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus laetus Easy to see this Albertine Rift endemic in Bwindi Forest. Uganda Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus budongoensis 1 was seen in Budongo Forest. Greater Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus rufescens Seen near Lake Bunyonyi and in the north east. Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris Seen along the Kazinga Channel. Mountain Yellow Warbler Iduna similis Small numbers seen in Bwindi and Mgahinga NPs. Papyrus Yellow Warbler Iduna gracilirostris (V) Great views near Lake Bunyonyi. Little Rush Warbler Bradypterus baboecala Seen in Murchison Falls NP. White-winged Warbler Bradypterus carpalis Often heard in swamps but we all managed views. Grauer s Swamp Warbler Bradypterus graueri (E) Brief views of several birds in Mubwindi Swamp. See Note. Cinnamon Bracken Warbler Bradypterus cinnamomeus Brief views in Mgahinga NP. 24 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

25 Evergreen Forest Warbler Bradypterus [lopezi] mariae Excellent views in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Bamboo Warbler Bradypterus alfredi (H) Heard in Mgahinga NP. Fan-tailed Grassbird (F-t Warbler) Schoenicola brevirostris Several widespread sightings during the main tour. Red-faced Cisticola Cisticola erythrops Often heard throughout the tour and occasionally seen. Singing Cisticola Cisticola cantans A few widespread sightings. Whistling Cisticola Cisticola lateralis Seen in the Budongo Forest and Masindi area. Trilling Cisticola Cisticola woosnami Noted in Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Chubb s Cisticola Cisticola chubbi First seen in Kibale Forest and common in the southwest. See Note. Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chiniana Very common in the Murchison Falls area. Winding Cisticola Cisticola marginatus A common and showy cisticola seen frequently in appropriate wet habitats. Carruthers s Cisticola Cisticola carruthersi Mostly associated with papyrus. See Note. Stout Cisticola Cisticola robustus Seen in Queen Elizabeth NP. Croaking Cisticola Cisticola natalensis Numerous in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. Red-pate Cisticola Cisticola ruficeps Present in the Kumi area on 24/6. An apparent southwest range extension. An apparent range extension, we found Red-pate Cisticolas in the same area as last tour. (Nik Borrow) Short-winged Cisticola (Siffling) Cisticola brachypterus Easily seen in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. Foxy Cisticola Cisticola troglodytes Good views were obtained in Murchison Falls NP and on Butiaba escarpment. Long-tailed Cisticola (Tabora C) Cisticola angusticauda 2 seen in Lake Mburo NP. Zitting Cisticola (Fan-tailed C) Cisticola juncidis Easily seen in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava Common and widespread. Black-faced Prinia Prinia melanops This attractive species was seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. White-chinned Prinia Prinia leucopogon Seen well in the Kibale and Bwindi areas. Red-winged Warbler Heliolais erythropterus 1 in the Murchison Falls NP. Ruwenzori Apalis (Collared A) Oreolais ruwenzorii Good views in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Red-winged Grey Warbler Drymocichla incana Seen well in Murchison Falls NP. Buff-bellied Warbler Phyllolais pulchella Sightings in Murchison Falls NP. Yellow-breasted Apalis (Black-breasted A) Apalis flavida Seen well in Murchison Falls NP. Lowland Masked Apalis (M A) Apalis binotata 2 were seen in Kibale Forest. Mountain Masked Apalis (Black-faced A) Apalis personata Easy to see in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Black-throated Apalis Apalis jacksoni Seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Chestnut-throated Apalis Apalis porphyrolaema The warbler with the trim-phone call in Bwindi and Mgahinga NPs. Buff-throated Apalis Apalis rufogularis Numerous opportunities to see this species well in the various forests. Grey Apalis Apalis cinerea Seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Grey-capped Warbler Eminia lepida Often heard and occasionally seen. 25 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

26 Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brevicaudata Common and widespread. Yellow-browed Camaroptera Camaroptera superciliaris Seen in Budongo and Mabira Forests. Olive-green Camaroptera Camaroptera chloronota Seen in Budongo Forest and heard elsewhere. Black-faced Rufous Warbler Bathmocercus rufus Excellent views in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Rufous-crowned Eremomela (Brown-c E) Eremomela badiceps Seen well in Budongo Forest. Scaly-breasted Illadopsis Illadopsis albipectus Seen well in Budongo and Mabira Forests and heard elsewhere. Puvel s Illadopsis Illadopsis puveli Excellent views of a pair at Kaniyo Pabidi. See Note. Pale-breasted Illadopsis Illadopsis rufipennis Seen in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Brown Illadopsis Illadopsis fulvescens Seen in Budongo, Kibale and Mabira Forests. Mountain Illadopsis Illadopsis pyrrhoptera Seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Black-lored Babbler Turdoides sharpei Seen well in Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Dusky Babbler Turdoides tenebrosus Great views of 2 family groups in Murchison Falls NP. Brown Babbler Turdoides plebejus Small numbers were seen in Murchison Falls NP. Arrow-marked Babbler Turdoides jardineii Seen in Queen Elizabeth NP. Ruwenzori Hill Babbler Pseudoalcippe atriceps Small numbers were seen in the forests of the southwest. African Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis Common and widespread throughout the tour. Yellow-bellied Hyliota Hyliota flavigaster 1 seen en route to Masindi. Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea Only seen in Queen Elizabeth NP. Purple-headed Starling Lamprotornis purpureiceps First seen in Kibale Forest. Greater Blue-eared Starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus 1 near Buliisa was the only sighting. Lesser Blue-eared Starling Lamprotornis chloropterus Some large flocks between Murchison and Masindi. Bronze-tailed Starling Lamprotornis chalcurus 4 on the Kimengo Ranches. Splendid Starling Lamprotornis splendidus In Entebbe and Kampala areas but most sightings in Budongo Forest. Purple Starling (P Glossy S) Lamprotornis purpureus Seen well in the Masindi area. Rüppell s Starling (R s Long-tailed S) Lamprotornis purpuropterus Very common and widespread. Violet-backed Starling (Amethyst S) Cinnyricinclus leucogaster Widespread sightings. Slender-billed Starling Onychognathus tenuirostris 2 at Ruhija. Waller s Starling Onychognathus walleri Very few this year and only at Mubwindi Swamp. See Note. Stuhlmann s Starling Poeoptera stuhlmanni Seen in Kibale and Bwindi Impenetrable NPs. See Note. Narrow-tailed Starling Poeoptera lugubris 2 were seen flying over Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Sharpe s Starling Poeoptera sharpii Just 1 at Mubwindi Swamp. See Note. Yellow-billed Oxpecker Buphagus africanus Mainly in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus Associated with cattle in the Soroti area. Red-tailed Ant Thrush Neocossyphus rufus (H) Heard in Budongo Forest. Fraser's Rufous Thrush (Rufous Flycatcher T) Stizorhina fraseri Easily seen in the various forests. See Note. Kivu Ground Thrush Geokichla [piaggiae] tanganjicae (LO) Only Nik saw the vocal bird in Mgahinga NP. See Note. African Thrush Turdus pelios Widespread sightings. Abyssinian Thrush (Mountain T) Turdus abyssinicus Small numbers seen in Bwindi NP. Fire-crested Alethe Alethe castanea Seen in Budongo Forest. Red-throated Alethe Pseudalethe poliophrys Excellent looks in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Brown-chested Alethe Pseudalethe poliocephala 2 brief views in Kibale Forest. White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata Small numbers seen in Bwindi and Mgahinga NPs. Eastern Forest Robin Stiphrornis [erythrothorax] xanthogaster Seen in Budongo and Mabira Forests. Equatorial Akalat Sheppardia aequatorialis Good looks in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. White-bellied Robin-Chat Cossyphicula roberti Good looks in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Archer's Ground Robin Cossypha archeri Seen well in Bwindi and Mgahinga NPs. See Note. Cape Robin-chat Cossypha caffra 2 seen in Mgahinga NP. Grey-winged Robin-chat Cossypha polioptera Seen at Bigodi Wetland and Buhoma. Blue-shouldered Robin-chat Cossypha cyanocampter Seen well in Mabira Forest. White-browed Robin-chat (Heuglin s R) Cossypha heuglini Particularly numerous in Queen Elizabeth NP. Red-capped Robin-chat Cossypha natalensis Seen well at Buhoma and glimpsed in Budongo Forest. Snowy-crowned Robin-chat (S-headed R-c) Cossypha niveicapilla Several opportunities to see this species. Spotted Palm Thrush (S Morning T) Cichladusa guttata Easily seen in the Murchison area. Brown-backed Scrub Robin Erythropygia hartlaubi Seen well in the Masindi area and near Buhoma. 26 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

27 White-browed Scrub Robin Erythropygia leucophrys Sightings in the Murchison Falls area. African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus Easy to see in the southwest. See Note. Sooty Chat Myrmecocichla nigra Easy to see in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. White-fronted Black Chat Pentholaea albifrons A male in Murchison Falls NP. Mocking Cliff Chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris A family group on the Butiaba escarpment. Fraser's Forest Flycatcher (F F) Fraseria ocreata 1 seen in Budongo Forest. White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher Dioptrornis fischeri Easy to see in the southwest. Yellow-eyed Black Flycatcher Melaenornis ardesiacus Seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Northern Black Flycatcher Melaenornis edolioides Numerous widespread sightings during the main tour. Pale Flycatcher Bradornis pallidus Seen in Murchison Falls NP. Silverbird Empidornis semipartitus A truly beautiful flycatcher and easily seen in the Murchison Falls area. Ashy Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens Singletons in Budongo and Mabira Forests. Swamp Flycatcher Muscicapa aquatica Seen at most wetlands and impossible to be missed in Queen Elizabeth NP. Cassin s Flycatcher (C s Grey F) Muscicapa cassini Seen along rivers in Kibale and Bwindi Forests. Nest-building Cassin s Flycatchers - a species always associated with water (Nik Borrow) Chapin s Flycatcher Muscicapa lendu (V) 2 seen in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. See Note. African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta Easy to see in the southwest. Dusky-blue Flycatcher Muscicapa comitata A poor showing with just 2 seen in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Sooty Flycatcher Muscicapa infuscata Just 1 seen in Budongo Forest. Grey-throated Tit-flycatcher Myioparus griseigularis Often heard and occasionally seen in the various forests. Grey Tit-flycatcher (Lead-coloured F) Myioparus plumbeus 1 seen in Murchison Falls NP. Grey-headed Sunbird Deleornis axillaris Seen well in Budongo and Mabira Forests. Little Green Sunbird Anthreptes seimundi Sightings in Budongo, Kibale and Mabira Forests. Grey-chinned Sunbird (Green S) Anthreptes rectirostris Seen in Kibale and Bwindi NPs. Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris A common and widespread sunbird. Green-headed Sunbird Cyanomitra verticalis Widespread sightings in small numbers during the main tour. Blue-throated Brown Sunbird Cyanomitra cyanolaema Seen well in Budongo and Kibale Forests. Blue-headed Sunbird Cyanomitra alinae Seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Olive Sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea Common throughout the various forests. Green-throated Sunbird Chalcomitra rubescens Small numbers seen in various forests. Scarlet-chested Sunbird Chalcomitra senegalensis Widespread sightings in appropriate habitat. Purple-breasted Sunbird Nectarinia purpureiventris A great sighting of breeding plumaged males in Bwindi. 27 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

28 Bronzy Sunbird (Bronze S) Nectarinia kilimensis Common in the southwest. Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia famosa A male in breeding plumage in Mgahinga NP. Olive-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris chloropygius Seen in various forests. Ruwenzori Double-collared Sunbird (Stuhlmann s S) Cinnyris stuhlmanni Easy to see in Mgahinga NP. Northern Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris reichenowi Numerous in the southwest. Regal Sunbird Cinnyris regius Small numbers in the southwest. Beautiful Sunbird Cinnyris pulchellus Common in the Murchison and Soroti areas. Marico Sunbird (Mariqua S) Cinnyris mariquensis A few widespread sightings. See Note. Red-chested Sunbird Cinnyris erythrocercus A stunning sunbird and common around the swamps and wet places. Purple-banded Sunbird Cinnyris bifasciatus A few seen in Queen Elizabeth NP. Superb Sunbird Cinnyris superbus A male in Budongo Forest. Variable Sunbird Cinnyris venustus The attractive orange-bellied race, igneiventris was common in the southwest. The igneiventris race of Variable Sunbird in Mgahinga National Park (Nik Borrow) Copper Sunbird Cinnyris cupreus Widespred sightings and common in suitable habitat. White-browed Sparrow-weaver Plocepasser mahali Seen on the Kimengo Ranches and in Murchison Falls NP. Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver Plocepasser superciliosus Small numbers in Murchison Falls NP. House Sparrow (introduced) Passer domesticus Seen on the drive to Murchison and en route to Soroti. Shelley s Sparrow (S s Rufous S) Passer shelleyi Seen well in Murchison Falls NP. See Note. Northern Grey-headed Sparrow (G-h S) Passer griseus Very common and widespread. Speckle-fronted Weaver Sporopipes frontalis Only in Murchison Falls NP. Thick-billed Weaver (Grosbeak W) Amblyospiza albifrons Widespread sightings. Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht en route to Kibale and in the southwest. See Note. Slender-billed Weaver Ploceus pelzelni Associated with papyrus and lakes. Little Weaver Ploceus luteolus Small numbers in the Murchison Falls and Soroti areas. Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis Widespread sightings from Murchison to Queen Elizabeth NPs. Black-necked Weaver Ploceus nigricollis Widespread sightings in open habitats throughout the tour. Strange Weaver Ploceus alienus Small numbers of this Albertine Rift endemic in the southwest. See Note. Black-billed Weaver Ploceus melanogaster 2 sightings in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Holub s Golden Weaver Ploceus xanthops Just 4 widespread sightings. See Note. Orange Weaver Ploceus aurantius A few near Mabamba Swamp. Northern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus castanops Sightings near Lake Bunyonyi and common on Lake Bisina. Victoria Masked Weaver Ploceus victoriae Small numbers of this mystery form near Lake Bunyonyi. See Note. 28 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

29 Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius Only seen in Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Vitelline Masked Weaver Ploceus vitellinus Small numbers in the Murchison area. See Note. Village Weaver (Black-headed W) Ploceus cucullatus This species was a constant companion throughout the tour. Vieillot s Black Weaver Ploceus nigerrimus A common bird often seen in colonies by roadside villages. See Note. Weyns's Weaver Ploceus weynsi A small flock near Mabamba Swamp and a singleton in Mabira Forest. Black-headed Weaver (Yellow-backed W) Ploceus melanocephalus An abundant waterside weaver. Golden-backed Weaver (Jackson s G-b W) Ploceus jacksoni Common in Soroti area. See Note. Yellow-mantled Weaver Ploceus tricolor 1 in Kibale NP with more in Mabira Forest. Compact Weaver Ploceus superciliosus Seen well in the Masindi area. Dark-backed Weaver Ploceus bicolor 1 in Kibale NP. Brown-capped Weaver Ploceus insignis Small numbers in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Red-headed Malimbe Malimbus rubricollis Seen in Kibale, Bwindi and Mabira Forests. Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps A few sightings in Murchison and Lake Mburo NPs. Cardinal Quelea Quelea cardinalis Noted in the Murchison and Soroti areas. Red-headed Quelea Quelea erythrops A breeding plumaged male near Masindi. Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea Large flocks in the Masindi and Soroti areas. Yellow-crowned Bishop Euplectes afer 1 male in breeding plumage at Lake Bisina. Black Bishop Euplectes gierowii Breeding plumaged male near Masindi and at Bigodi Wetland. A fine male Black Bishop at Bigodi Wetland. (Nik Borrow) Black-winged Red Bishop Euplectes hordeaceus Birds in breeding plumage most numerous in the Murchison area. Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix Birds in breeding plumage in Queen Elizabeth NP. Northern Red Bishop Euplectes franciscanus Birds in breeding plumage in the Murchison area. Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis In breeding plumage in the Bwindi area. Fan-tailed Widowbird (Red-shouldered W) Euplectes axillaris Breeding birds most common in the Soroti area. Yellow-mantled Widowbird Euplectes [macrourua] macrourua In breeding plumage from Masindi and Soroti areas. Yellow-shouldered Widowbird Euplectes [macroura] macrocercus 1 male in breeding plumage near Luwero. Marsh Widowbird (Hartlaub s M W) Euplectes hartlaubi In breeding plumage near Luwero. See Note. Red-collared Widowbird (Red-naped W) Euplectes ardens Small numbers seen in the Masindi area. White-breasted Nigrita (W-b Negrofinch) Nigrita fusconotus Small numbers recorded in the forests. Grey-headed Nigrita (G-crowned Negrofinch) Small numbers recorded in the forests. Grey-headed Oliveback Nesocharis capistrata 1 seen briefly near Masindi. Green-winged Pytilia (Melba Finch) Pytilia melba 2 seen in Queen Elizabeth NP. 29 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

30 Green Twinspot (G-backed T) Mandingoa nitidula (NL) Ian saw 1 in Mabira Forest. Dusky Crimsonwing Cryptospiza jacksoni A pair seen briefly in Mgahinga NP. Red-headed Bluebill Spermophaga ruficapilla Sightings at Buhoma and in Mabira Forest. Brown Twinspot Clytospiza monteiri A pair in Murchison Falls NP. Dusky Twinspot Clytospiza cinereovinacea Excellent looks at a male near Ruhija. Black-bellied Firefinch Lagonosticta rara Seen well in the Masindi area. Bar-breasted Firefinch Lagonosticta rufopicta Seen well in Murchison Falls and at Lake Bisina. Red-billed Firefinch Lagonosticta senegala Particularly common on the Buliisa Plains and in Queen Elizabeth NP. African Firefinch Lagonosticta rubricata Seen well in the Masindi area. Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu Uraeginthus bengalus Most common in the Murchison Falls and Soroti areas. Yellow-bellied Waxbill Estrilda quartinia 2 seen at Ruhija. Fawn-breasted Waxbill Estrilda paludicola Small numbers in Murchison and Queen Elizabeth NPs and Soroti area. Black-rumped Waxbill Estrilda troglodytes Small numbers seen in Murchison Falls NP and at Lake Bisina. Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild Flocks seen near Lake Bunyonyi and at lake Bisina. Black-crowned Waxbill Estrilda nonnula Widespread sightings in small numbers. Kandt s Waxbill Estrilda kandti Small numbers seen in the higher altitude areas of the southwest. See Note. Black-faced Waxbill Estrilda erythronotos Watched nest-building near Buliisa. Black-faced Quailfinch Ortygospiza atricollis A pair seen in Murchison Falls NP. Black-chinned Quailfinch Ortygospiza gabonensis 4 seen in flight in Queen Elizabeth NP. Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullatus Common and widespread. Black-and-white Mannikin Lonchura bicolor Small numbers seen at widespread locations during the main tour. Village Indigobird (Red-billed Firefinch I) Vidua chalybeata First seen on the Buliisa Plains. Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura Common and widespread. Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis Easy to see at Mabamba and in the south west. Mountain Wagtail (Long-tailed W) Motacilla clara 1 seen in Kibale NP. African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp Everywhere! Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus Widespread and common in appropriate habitat. African Pipit (Grassland P) Anthus cinnamomeus Only seen in Murchison Falls NP. Plain-backed Pipit Anthus leucophrys A few in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Yellow-crowned Canary Serinus flavivertex Small numbers in the southwest. Western Citril Crithagra frontalis Small numbers in the southwest. Papyrus Canary Crithagra koliensis 3 seen near Lake Bunyonyi. White-rumped Seedeater Crithagra leucopygius 2 seen as we left Murchison Falls NP. Black-throated Canary (B-t Seedeater) Crithagra atrogularis 2 near Buhoma. Yellow-fronted Canary Crithagra mozambica Common and widespread. Brimstone Canary Crithagra sulphuratus Seen in Murchison and Queen Elizabeth NPs and the southwest. Streaky Seed-eater Crithagra striolatus Common in the southwest. Thick-billed Seed-eater Crithagra burtoni 3 sightings in the southwest. Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting (C-b Bunting) Emberiza tahapisi 2 seen on the Butiaba escarpment. Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris Sightings in Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi and Lake Mburo NPs. 30 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

31 A male Golden-breasted Bunting at Lake Mburo National Park. (Nik Borrow) Brown-rumped Bunting Emberiza affinis 2 pairs in the Murchison area. Cabanis's Bunting Emberiza cabanisi 3 in Murchison Falls NP. MAMMALS Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes Seen in Kibale Forest. Eastern Gorilla Gorilla beringei This year our group was divided and visited either H or R group. Central African Red Colobus Piliocolobus oustaleti Seen in Kibale Forest area. Guereza Colobus (Eastern Black-and-white C) Colobus guereza Widespread sightings. Olive Baboon Papio anubis Common and widespread. Grey-cheeked Mangabey (White-c M) Lophocebus albigena Small numbers in Kibale Forest area. Patas Monkey Cercopithecus patas Common on the north bank in Murchison Falls NP. A Patas Monkey in Murchison Falls National Park (Nik Borrow) Vervet Monkey (Savanna M) Cercopithecus pygerythrus Widespread sightings. L Hoest s Monkey Cercopithecus lhoesti Seen in Kibale and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NPs. Gentle Monkey (Blue M) Cercopithecus mitis Seen in Budongo and Bwindi Impenetrable Forests. Red-tailed Monkey (Black-cheeked White-nosed M) Cercopithecus ascanius Common and widespread. 31 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

32 Spectacled Galago Galago matschiei 1 at Ruhija. Straw-coloured Fruit Bat Eidolon helvum Plenty in Jinja. Yellow-winged Bat Lavia frons Seen in Lake Mburo Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs and Bisina. Uganda Grass-Hare Poelagus marjorita Seen at night in Murchison Falls NP. Striped Ground Squirrel (Geoffroy s G S) Euxerus erythropus Several seen in Murchison Falls NP. Boehm s Squirrel (B Bush S) Paraxerus boehmi Seen in Bwindi and Mabira Forests. Alexander s Dwarf Squirrel (A Bush S) Paraxerus alexandri Seen in Budongo Bwindi and Mabira Forests. Ruwenzori Sun Squirrel (Mountain S S) Heliosciurus ruwenzori 1 seen in the Ruhija area. Red-legged Sun Squirrel Heliosciurus rufobrachium Seen in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Hump-nosed Mouse Hybomys lunaris 1 in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Unstriped Grass Rat Arvicanthis niloticus Seen in Queen Elizabeth NP. Ichneumon Mongoose (Egyptian M) Herpestes ichneumon (LO) 1 seen by Livingstone in Murchison Falls NP. Slender Mongoose Herpestes sanguinea 1 in Lake Mburo NP. Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo A troop in Murchison Falls NP. Spotted Hyaena Crocuta crocuta 1 in Murchison Falls NP. Rusty-spotted Genet Genetta maculata 1 in Queen Elizabeth NP. Western Tree Hyrax Dendrohyrax dorsalis (H) Heard at night at Kaniyo Pabidi. African Savanna Elephant Loxodonta africana Seen in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison NPs. Common Zebra (Plains Z) Equus quagga Common in Lake Mburo NP. Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius Seen in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Bush Pig Potamochoerus larvatus 2 were seen well in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. An incredible sighting of Bush Pigs in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. (Nik Borrow) Common Warthog Phacochoerus africanus Seen in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Rothschild s Giraffe Giraffa [camelopardalis] rothschildi Seen in Murchison Falls NP. Cape Buffalo Syncerus caffer Only at Lake Mburo NP. Lake Chad Buffalo Syncerus brachycerus Seen in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. Nile Bushbuck Tragelaphus bor Seen in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Bush Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia 1 in Lake Mburo NP. Johnston s Duiker Cephalophus johnstoni 1 in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Eastern Blue Duiker Philantomba aequatorialis 1 in Budongo Forest. Black-fronted Duiker Cephalophus nigrifrons 2 sightings in Mgahinga NP. Yellow-backed Duiker (Western Y-b D) Cephalophus silvicultor (LO) 1 seen in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Sudan Oribi Ourebia montana Common in Murchison Falls NP. 32 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

33 Sudan Oribi in Murchison Falls National Park. (Nik Borrow) Bohor Reedbuck Redunca bohor 1 in Lake Mburo NP. Uganda Kob Kobus thomasi Seen in Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth NPs. Defassa Waterbuck Kobus defassa Seen in Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NPs. Impala (Common I) Aepyceros melampus Seen in Lake Mburo NP. Uganda Topi Damaliscus ugandae Seen in Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo NP. Lelwel Hartebeest Alcelaphus lelwel Common in Murchison Falls NP. NOTES TO THE SYSTEMATIC LIST The most up to date referenced taxonomic list referred to in the Tour Report is that of the IOC World Bird Names. Gill, F and Donsker, D (Eds) IOC World Bird Names (v3.4). Available at Nahan s Partridge Ptilopachus nahani Their loud, cacophonous calls are particularly memorable and were, somewhat surprisingly, only tape-recorded for the first time as recently as 1995 in Mabira Forest when the species was rediscovered after having been missing for 74 years! Classified as Endangered by BirdLife International, the world population is estimated at between 50,000 and 99,999 individuals but is decreasing. The species faces a number of threats. Its habitat in Mabira Forest is highly degraded and rapid loss of forest here suggests that the francolin population may be declining. While logging in Bugoma Forest may not directly threaten the species, increased disturbance and poaching by pit-sawyers may reduce its population. Agricultural settlements, industrial development and urban areas surround both of these forests. In Uganda, it is hunted for food and eggs are collected and eaten or used in traditional practices although this appears to be on a small scale. Hunting in DRC has not yet been investigated but may be a more serious problem. The exotic tree species Broussonetia papyfera has invaded the eastern part of Mabira Forest and very few francolins were found in this habitat. Commandant P.F. Nahan was a Belgian explorer travelling in tropical Africa. Coqui Francolin Peliperdix coqui The name is presumably an onomatopoeic reference to the call. However a certain Mr Coqui was a well-known character on the eastern frontier of Cape Colony in the early 1800 s. Heuglin s Francolin Pternistis icterorhynchus Theodor von Heuglin ( ) was a German explorer and ornithologist with a specialist interest in African birds. 33 BirdQuest Tour Report: Ultimate Uganda

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