I've been having to concentrate on mountain training for the last nine months or so with occasional birding and virtually no photography - all in aid of climbing Kilimanjaro with a mate [mid life crisis!] we reached the summit last week and had a day in Arusha National Park to relax before we headed home. As there aren't many reports on birding the mountain I thought I'd put a summary on here in case it's of use. I found Helm's Birds of East Africa invaluable and now have a copy if anyone needs to borrow it! Probably saw another twenty species I couldn't ID/didn't photograph but here goes:
If anyone's planning a trip we did the whole thing for less than £2k each including flights, accommodation, climb, permits, food and park fees and I have plenty of references, packing lists, things I'd do differently. Arusha has a reputation for being a lesser park for the mammal species but seemed superb to me for birds - a good spot was some small ponds on the eastern side of the park, sadly our guide in the park knew virtually no birds...
Kilimanjaro:
Lower zones - rainforest into moorland
Baglafecht Weaver Whte starred Robin Ring necked dove Hartlaub's Turaco - fantastic noise - heard them all over only saw one family party White eyed slaty flycatcher African stonechat Abyssinian Thrush - lucky spot in the rainforest on an early morning stretch Scarlet tufted Malachite sunbird - my most wanted bird before the trip - showed superbly as they fed alongside the path
Higher Moorland into Alpine Desert
Lammergeier - I'd read about one that had been near the Kibo huts a few years ago but wasn't expecting to see a full adult bird which went right overhead! Augur Buzzard Streaky Seedeater Dusky Turtle Dove Alpine Chat White necked Raven - down to about four feet!
Arusha National Park [09:30 to 16:00]
White backed duck Spur wing goose Red billed Teal Hottentot Teal Cape Teal Southern Pochard Helmeted Guinea Fowl Scaly Francolin Little Grebe - found it odd to see these! Greater Flamingo Lesser Flamingo Marabou Stork Long tailed Cormorant Black Headed Heron Squacco Heron Great Egret Cattle Egret Sacred Ibis Hadada Ibis Long crested Eagle African Fish Eagle - pair hunting over lakes Augur Buzzard Black Crake - one of my favourite birds Purple Gallinule Red knobbed Coot Black Winged Stilt Blacksmith Plover Crowned Lapwing African Jacana Emerald Spotted Wood Dove Speckled Mousebird Scarce Swift Malachite Kingfisher White Fronted bee eater Little bee eater - most photogenic bird of the trip European Roller African Hoopoe - seemed smaller than european sp Hornbill - saw at least three in flight at distances too far to ID Spot flanked Barbet Chinspot Batis Brown crowned Tchagra Common Fiscal Foxy Lark - heard but not seen Plain Martin Moustached Grass Warbler - a bit big for a warbler! Buff bellied Warbler Common Bulbul Superb Starling - lots near Kilimanjaro airport too Pied Crow Red Billed Oxpecker - every buffalo seemed to have a couple in attendance Variable sunbird Yellow throated longclaw Taveta Golden Weaver [and other weaver sp] Yellow White eye Hunter's Cisticola Trilling Cisticola
-- Edited by Pete Welch on Sunday 5th of October 2014 03:11:21 PM
-- Edited by Pete Welch on Sunday 5th of October 2014 03:11:51 PM
