Bird Travel
Birding Ethiopia: My Unusual Introduction to Africa
It turns out that birding Ethiopia is an unusual choice for a first-time vacation to Africa. There are no big game safaris like in areas to the south, and it has no gorilla treks like in countries to the southwest. And those other countries tend to have more tourists and, of course, the infrastructure to provide more comfort to those tourists. But what it lacks in big game and infrastructure, it makes it for in compelling history, unique wildlife, tasty cuisine, and the best darned coffee you’ll find anywhere. It might be an unusual first trip to Africa, I will admit that much. But Ethiopia still warrants a visit for…
The Ultimate Mountain Gorilla Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Day 8 of the Uganda Highlights tour was a special day on the tour. This was the day for a mountain gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park! On this particular day, our birding tour group became split into three parts. And although four of us had expressed interest in a trek, mine was the only permit reserved in the Ruhija sector. The Ruhija sector was a two-hour drive from our lodging, so my day started dark and early to get to the orientation by 8am! Our drive took us out of the Buhoma sector of the park, along bumpy rural roads until we re-entered the park in the Ruhija…
An Observation of the Rare African Drop Bear, Lion Variant
Ah, the drop bear. Often thought of as an Australian myth, or an amusing joke used to scare tourists at the very least. As legend has it, they are koala-like in appearance, but with fearsome sharp teeth. They will ambush the unsuspecting who come within spitting distance of their arboreal perch. Drop bears are even referenced by Sir Terry Pratchett as one of the unusual creatures of Fourecks (an island eerily similar to Australia). The drop bear certainly seems to have Australian roots if cryptozoology were to tell the tale. But I have seen them. And I’m here to tell you the truth: drop bears are African, through and through.…
An Entertaining Wildlife Cruise on the Kazinga Channel
We’d reached the halfway point – Day 6 of my Uganda Highlights tour. What began as my quest for shoebills quickly morphed into a regular maelstrom of butterflies, frequent big game sightings, and – as luck would have it – some fine feathered friends. Uganda had made a very positive impression thus far, and the afternoon promised to continue that trend. We were scheduled to spend a couple hours on a boat, seeing all the birds and other wildlife Queen Elizabeth National Park could offer. A Morning Drive We started our day with a big game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park, during which we spotted more birds than big…
Great Apes and Green-Breasted Pittas in Kibale
Day 4 of a 12-day Uganda “highlights” tour held the promise of the green-breasted pitta, one of the country’s most difficult species, and a short chimpanzee trek. We left our lodge early. No, I mean seriously early. It was still dark. We spent time stargazing after arriving at Kibale National Park, our birding destination for the day. Yes, this is how I choose to spend my vacation. I do admit to questioning my choices from time to time, but usually those times are around 4a.m. Treasure Hunting (for Birders) I have to admit that I didn’t know much about this pitta. The pittas are almost unmistakable in shape and structure…
The Spectacular Shoebill Swamps of Uganda
My bird tour of Uganda began in late May 2019. I arrived in Entebbe at about midnight for the tour that began at 6am the next morning. This was a highlights tour – about 12 days rather than the 19 days of the full, classic tour. And for duration and price, this option fit my needs perfectly. Especially since I was in Uganda for one bird. Yep, I paid for this tour and spent about 18 hours in transit to see one single bird: the Shoebill. #priorities? Operation Shoebill A bird named for its most noticeable feature, an impressive bill that is not, in fact, a shoe. It’s probably shoe-shaped.…
