Day 1, Sunday April 26, 2026
My friend Antti from Finland and his partner Karin from Sweden arrived. Antti had arrived a few days before in Nairobi and I got my friend Adam Scott Kennedy to take him to Nairobi National Park on May 25. Antti had quite a good list from that day including some hard to get birds on my trip. Antti were to do a two week Usambara trip with me. He got a lifer in the form of a Silvery-cheeked Hornbill in my garden on the first day. We had dinner and retired early to bed.
Day 2, Monday April 27, 2026: Kiligolf – Sakila Hills Wetlands – Kiligolf
We met our guide on the way and started ticking birds towards and on Kiligolf: Lizard Buzzard, Southern Black Flycatcher, White-eared Barbet, Long-tailed Fiscal, Red-billed Firefinch, Hadada Ibis, Red-eyed Dove, Dark-capped Bulbul, Brown-breasted Barbet, African Paradise Flycatcher, Spectacled Weaver, African Grey Flycatcher, Variable Sunbird, Black-and-white Mannikin, Yellow-fronted Canary, Rattling Cisticola, Violet-backed Starling, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, Lesser Striped Swallow, Red-chested Cuckoo, Yellow Bishop, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Village Indigobird, Black Cuckoo, Reed Cormorant, Golden-backed Weaver, Tropical Boubou, Chinspot Batis, Malachite Kingfisher, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Fork-tailed Drongo, Buff-bellied Warbler, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Common Waxbill, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Grey-headed Kingfisher, African Palm Swift, African Red-rumped Swallow, White-browed Scrub Robin, Sombre Greenbul, Vitelline Masked Weaver, Spotted Palm Thrush, Southern Citril, Red-headed Weaver, Wire-tailed Swallow, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Diederik Cuckoo, Pin-tailed Whydah, Purple Heron, Reichenow’s Seedeater, Hamerkop, Thick-billed Weaver, African Grey Hornbill, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Ring-necked Dove, Bleating Camaroptera, Rüppel’s Robin-Chat, Crested Francolin, Pale White-eye, Bare-eyed Thrush, Slate colored Boubou, Lesser Honeyguide, Brubru, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, European Honey Buzzard, Yellow-billed Stork, Augur Buzzard and Little Bee-eater. We had now completed the morning loop and we had breakfast before we headed for the wetlands at Sakila Hills. As I feared there were way too much water there, but we still managed to thick some species: Green Wood Hoopoe, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Baglafecht Weaver, Northern Fiscal, Purple Swamphen, Blacksmith Lapwing, African Jacana, African Harrier-Hawk, White-backed Duck, Little Grebe, Black-headed Heron, Western Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Yellow-billed Egret, Black-backed Puffback, Purple Grenadier, Speckled Pigeon, House Crow and Red-winged Starling. We drove to Usa River and had lunch and returned to Kiligolf in the afternoon. First we had a brief stop for Taveta Weaver where we also found Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Golden-tailed Woodpecker and Magpie Shrike. Back at Kiligolf we took the upper loop: Pied Crow, Northern Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Little Swift, White-browed Coucal, Amethyst Sunbird, Red-faced Crombec, African Green Pigeon, Helmeted Guineafowl, Brown-backed Honeybird!, Hildebrandt’s Starling, Red-throated Rock Martin and White-bellied Go-away-bird. We returned home, freshened up and had dinner. We went through the list and had recorded more than 110 species the first day. Not a bad start?
Some pictures from Day 2:
Thick-billed Weaver, Amblyospiza albifrons
African Green Pigeon, Treron calvus
Day 3, Tuesday, April 28, 2026: Lark Plains, Oldonyo Sambu and Lengijave.
We had an early start and picked up Black Kite, White-necked Raven and Common Kestrel on the way. At 07:30 we swung off the road towards the Lark Plains. We found Fawn-colored Lark, No less than 6 Kori Bustards, Taita Fiscal, African Pipit, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Fisher’s Sparrow-Lark, Greater Kestrel, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Wattled Starling, Red-capped Lark, Kenya Sparrow, Red-fronted Prinia, Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark and Capped Wheatear before we parked the car. At the Lark Plains: Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Short-tailed, Beesley’s and Sentinel Lark. We started driving again toward the main road and on the feeder road: Grey Wren-Warbler, Nubian Woodpecker, Lesser Masked Weaver, Banded Parisoma, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Pygmy Batis, Black-faced Waxbill, Namaqua Dove, White-bellied Canary, Laughing Dove, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Southern Grosbeak Canary, Abyssinian Scimitarbill and White-browed Sparrow-Weaver. We had now reached the main road again and continued to my Masai friend Ngongai’s Boma. Here are some of the birds we recorded there: Gorgeous Sunbird, Cardinal Woodpecker, Red-fronted Barbet, Red-throated Tit and finally Grey-capped Warbler. On the way out we stopped by a small dam and added White-rumped Swift, Egyptian Goose, Three-banded Plover and Eastern Chanting Goshawk. We headed for Oldonyo Sambu, the rain were coming and after a quick search for our only target, the Little Rock Thrush, we gave up and returned to the car. It were also raining when we reached our last destination of the day: Lengijave. Despite the rain on the way up to our destination, we added: Black Saw-wing, Singing Cisticola, Bronzy Sunbird, Horus Swift (huge flock), Black Bishop, Red-and-yellow Barbet, Streaky Seedeater, Abyssinian Wheatear and House Sparrow. The rain picked up at the “amphi theater” on top so we had lunch in the car. The rain eased a little after lunch and we got Lyne’s Cisticola, Yellow-crowned Canary (many) and Long-billed Pipit. On the way back to the main road, we added Black-crowned Tchagra, Yellow Bishop and White-fronted Bee-eater. We drove home, freshened up and had an early night.
Some Pictures from Day 3:
Beesley’s Lark, Charsomanes beesleyi
Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark, Eremoptrix leucopareia
Kori Bustard, Ardeotis kori
Pygmy Batis, Batis perkeo
Gorgeous Sunbird, Cinnyris melanogastrus
Black Bishop, Euplectes gierowii
Yellow-crowned Canary, Serenus flavivertex
Kenya Sparrow, Female, Passer rufocinctus
Day 4, Wednesday, April 29, 2025: Tarangire National Park:
We again had an early start. The rain were terrible, but eased as we got closer to the park. On the way we picked up White-faced Whistling Duck and Grey-crowned Crane. After the turn off we added Yellow-crowned Bishop, Southern Red Bishop, Silverbird, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Mourning Collared Dove and Chestnut Weaver. Once inside the park: Northern Red-billed Hornbill, Lilac-breasted Roller, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Red-necked Spurfowl, Northern White-crowned Shrike, African Crake!, Tawny Eagle, White-backed Vulture, Ashy Starling, Swahili Sparrow, Red-bellied Parrot, Bearded Woodpecker, Coqui Francolin (heard only), Pangani Longclaw, Desert Cisticola, Flappet Lark, Black-faced Sandgrouse, Bronze-winged Courser!, Bateleur, Mottled Spinetail, White-winged Widowbird, Cardinal Quelea!, Pied Kingfisher, Dwarf Bittern!, Knob-billed Duck, Water Thick-knee and Woodland Kingfisher. We had now reached our breakfast spot. It had been a lot of water on the road and I was nervous about taking my normal route. We had breakfast and as normal I called in the resident pair of Bare-faced Go-away-birds. After Breakfast we tried my normal route but had to turn around. Before we turned around and on our way back to the main road we did add amongst others: White-headed Buffalo Weaver, Yellow-collared Lovebird, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Yellow and Red-billed Oxpeckers, Gabar Goshawk, Blue-naped Mousebird, Pygmy Falcon, Croaking Cisticola and African Hawk Eagle. Back on the main road, we tried all the side roads, but they were all unfortunately too wet and muddy. We ended up taking a shorter version and only added a few more birds until we reached the lunch spot at the gate: Rüppel’s Vulture, Jacobin Cuckoo, Double-banded Courser, Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl! and Mosque Swallow. We had lunch at the gate and picked up Eastern Grey Woodpecker and Pearl-spotted Owlet. I had never seen so much water in the park and for the first time ever we did not see a single Bustard or a Common Ostrich! We started our drive to Karatu and picked up a Long-tailed Paradise Whydah on the way. We arrived safe in Karatu and I took my friends to the roosting spot of Fischer’s Lovebirds. On the way back to the hotel, we also added White-browed Robin-Chat. We freshened up and had a lovely dinner.
Some pictures from Day 5:
African Crake, Crecopsis egregia
Bronze-winged Courser, Rhinoptilus chalcopterus
Red-and-yellow Barbet, Trachyphonus erythrocephalus
White-browed Coucal, Centropus superciliiosus
Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Tockus deckeni
Rufous-tailed Weaver, Historgups ruficauda
Rhombic Egg-eater, Dasypeltis scabra
Speckle-fronted Weaver, Sporopipes frontalis
Eastern Grey Woodpecker, Dendropicos spodocephalus
Pygmy Falcon, Polihierax semitorquatus
White-bellied Go-away-bird, Crinifer leucogaster
Fischer’s Lovebird, Agapornis fischeri
Day 5: Thursday, April 30, 2026: Endoro Trail Karatu and Lake Eluanata
We were not in a hurry that morning since heavy clouds hang over the slopes of the Ngorogoro Crater. We arrived a little before 08:00 and picked up Mbulu White-eye at the gate. The weather were not good for pictures, but we stilled managed to pick up quite a few birds on the extremely muddy and unattended path: Grey-capped Warbler, Collared Sunbird, Brown-headed Apalis, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, Black-headed Mountain Greenbul, Bar-throated Apalis, Schalow’s Turaco, Thick-billed Seedeater, Black-fronted Bushshrike, African Dusky Flycatcher, Tambourine Dove, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, African Hill Babbler, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Grey-headed Nigrita, African Broadbill, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater and Grey-olive Greenbul. At the gate my guide and friends walked down to the main road and added Black-throated Wattle-eye, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Ayre’s Hawk-Eagle and Speke’s Weaver. We stopped at the view point over the very flooded Lake Manyara and got a Peregrine Falcon. We continued to Lake Eluanata which I knew would also be very flooded. Despite limited access we managed to hear at least 3 Harlequin Quails and see two. Other birds we found on the limited manoeuvrability we had included: Glossy Ibis, Whiskered Tern, Little Egret, Red-knobbed Coot, African Sacred Ibis and Chestnut Sparrow. We drove home and had an relaxing evening.
One picture from Day 5:
Common Bulbul, Pycnonotus barbatus
Day 6: Friday, May 1, 2026: Masai Steppes
It were also a very grey morning, so we dealyed the departure a little. I took the little longer Tar road past the airport. Once we got closer to Mererani we saw water everywhere and quite a few waterbirds. The only new to our list were African Spoonbill, Spur-winged Goose and a Striped Kingfisher on a wire. We reached the place were we normally start birding and the pair of Ashy Cisticolas were easy to call in. Here are some of the other birds we found on our normal loop: Hunter’s Sunbird, Pink-breasted Lark, African Pied Wagtail, Barn Swallow, White-headed Mousebird, Tsavo Sunbird, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Golden Pipit!, Straw-tailed Whydah, Black-throated Barbet, Somali Bunting, Black-headed Oriole, Golden-breasted Starling, Red-billed Quelea, Black-capped Social Weaver, Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow and Brown Snake Eagle. We had now reached Shambaraya Dam. I knew from all the water on the way in that the dam would be severly flooded. From our one viewpoint we still managed to add some new trip species: Spur-winged Lapwing, Squacco Heron, Black Heron, African Openbill and Grey-headed Silverbill. There are a road I had not taken on the Masai Steppes, but my guide had been there many times. My friends were eager to explore so we decided to take that road back. Nice habitat, but in the middle of the day, very hot. We found a pair of Vulturine Guineafowls and had lunch under the shade of s tree. The road were not on any map on my phone and when we finally reached a village, I were shocked to find out we had 72km home on a very bad road. On the positive side we added the only sighting of Fischer’s Starling on the trip and also a nicely perched Black-chested Snake Eagle, but the road were gruelling and I made a mental note of not using that road again. Instead of 1 hour on a tarred much shorter road, we used more than 3 hours on a terrible road. Close to home we found a African Woolly-necked Stork and at my local petrol station a breeding colony of Village Weavers. We returned home for the usual drill.
Some pictures from Day 6:
Ashy Cisticola, Cisticola cinereolus
White-headed Mousebird, Colius leucocephalus
Golden Pipit, Tmetothylacus tenellus
African Red-rumped Swallow, Cecropis melanocrissus
Straw+tailed Whydah, Vidua fischeri
Gorgeous Sunbird, Female, Cinnyris melanogastrus
Black-throated Barbet, Tricholaema melanocephala
Vulturine Guineafowl, Acryllum vulturinum
Black-chested Snake Eagle, Circaetus pectoralis
Day 7: Saturday, May 2, 2026: Meru Forest, Ngarasero Lodge and Kalinga Forest.
Again, no hurry in the morning. We met our guide in Tengeru and started the drive up to Meru Forest. We spotted a Black Sparrowhawk on the way. We took off and called in an obliging pair of Hunter’s Cisticola. On our next stop we found our first Broad-ringed White-eyes of the trip. I tried to drive up to my normal parking spot at 1920 meters, but did not make it further than 1850 meters. I decided to stay by the car and let my guide take my friends up the forest. Here are some of the birds they found: African Stonechat, Abyssinian Thrush, race oldeani, Mountain Buzzard, Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Brown Woodland Warbler, Cabanis’s Greenbul, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, White-starred Robin, Olive Woodpecker and Yellow-bellied Waxbill. My guide told me about a new place he had found in the neighborhood for day time view of Slender-tailed Nightjar. We went there and got the Nightjar and Little Rush Warbler. Ngarasero Lodge produced Marabou Stork, African Fish Eagle and Little Greenbul. We stopped for lunch in Usa River. Our next stop Kalinga forest produced the following birds: African Emerald Cuckoo, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-throated Twinspot, Black-headed Apalis, Crowned Hornbill, Narina Trogon, Green Malkoha (Heard only), Forest Batis and Kenrick’s Starling. We returned home.
Some pictures from Day 7:
Broad-ringed White-eye, Zosterops eurycricotus
Abyssinian Thrush, Turdus abyssinicus, Race oldeani
Day 8: Sunday, May 3, 2026: Arusha National Park
We were at the gate at 07:30 and even before the gate we spotted the only Scaly Spurfowl of the day! On the way to the museum we added: Spot-flanked barbet, Trilling Cisticola, Mountain Wagtail, Saddle-billed Stork, Long-crested Eagle, and Harlaub’s Turaco. It were very quiet at the museum and we only added Ashy Flycatcher. On our breakfast viewpoint: Olive-headed Greenbul, Black Cuckooshrike and Mottled Swift. We drove towards the lakes and found Sentinel Lark and very easy Short-winged Cisticola. The water level of the lakes were very high and we only found one Greater Flamingo, no Lesser and no Southern Pochards. We added Moustached Grass Warbler, Black-winged Stilt a few Cape Teals, Breeding Greater Cormorant and Winding Cisticola. At our lunch spot at the far gate we observed a Crowned Eagle. On the way out, we did not add any new birds. We deliberately dropped Mount Meru this day since we had no new birds to find up there and also the fact that I expected the road conditions would be bad. Again we experienced several fallen trees blocking the main roads. I wonder what the rangers in that park is paid to do? We were home early that day which gave me time to pack the car for the safari that were supposed to start the day after. We had now seen 341 birds a little short of my target of 350 before the safari. The low number is due to the facts that all the migrants have gone.
Some pictures from Day 8:
Long Crested Eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis
Short-winged Cisticola, Cisticola brachypterus
Greater Flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus
Eastern black-and-white colobus, Colobus guereza
Day 9: Monday, May 4, 2026: Nyumba ya Mungu Dam and South Pare Mountains
We had an early start and found a Pringle’s Puffback on the way to Nyumba ya Mungu Dam and also a surprise Osprey. The dam were as expected very full and we had limited viewing opportunities. We only added Gull-billed Tern and Grey-headed Gull. On the way back to the main road we finally found a group of Scaly Chatterers. We stopped and found the rare to Tanzania Pale Prinia before we headed for lunch at Elephant Motel in Same. At 15:00 we started our way to South Pare Mountains. Once up to my normal spot, we found Moustached Tinkerbird, South Pare White-eye and Usambara Double-collared Sunbird. We returned to the Motel freshened up and had dinner.
One picture from Day 9:
South Pare White-eye, Zosterops winifredae
Day 10: Tuesday, May 5, 2026: Same to Magamba Forest West Usambara
We started the morning as usual in the dry scrublands east of Same. On the first road we quickly found our primary targets: Black-bellied Sunbird and Parrot-billed Sparrow. On the way to our next spot we added Black-necked Weaver and finally a very nicely perched Steel-blue Whydah. At the next spot close by, we only had a few targets and found Eastern Black-headed Batis, Tiny Cisticola and Northern Brownbul quite easy. We also added Green-winged Pytilia. After an excellent morning, we went back to the Motel for breakfast and were soon on our way to Magamba Forest. As usual, we stocked up on supplies in Soni as and were soon in camp. Birding in Magamba this time were very hard since very little respons were given. The breeding season where probably happening. The first afternoon we struggled, but managed to add Red-capped Forest Warbler, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Red-faced Crimsonwing, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher and Waller’s Starling.
We returned to camp, I cooked a meal and we retired early to the tent. An African Wood Owl hooted quite early, but we could not locate it. Later at night I heard a pair closer to camp, but my friends were sleeping.
Some pictures from Day 10:
Hunter’s Sunbird, Chalcomitra hunteri
Parrot-billed Sparrow, Passer gongonensis
Steel-blue Whydah, Vidua hypocherina
White-bellied Go-away-bird, Crinifer leucogaster
Tiny Cisticola, Cisticola nana
Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Rhinopomastus minor
Black-bellied Sunbird, Juvenile, Cinnyris nectarinoides
Bar-throated Apalis, Apalis thoracica, Race griseiceps
White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Elminia albonotata
Day 11: Wednesday, May 6, 2026: Magamba Forest West Usambara
We had coffe at 06:45 and were soon out birding. We found 3 Oriole Finch close to camp followed by Southern Yellow White-eye, Usambara Thrush, African Hill Babbler, Usambara Akalat and Fülleborn’s Boubou. My guide did not feel well so I took Antti on the walk around the Dam and up the hill. We heard 1 White-chested Alethe and 3-4 Spot-throats calling, but absolutely no respons. We returned to camp. The afternoon walk produced Olive Sunbird, Montane Tiny Greenbul and Usambara Weaver. After dinner. We again heard the African Wood Owl. Before I knew it Antti had left the camp and came back with a big grin on his face. He fetched Karin so they could both see the Owl.
Some pictures from Day 11:
Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Phylloscopus ruficapilla
Red-faced Crimsonwing, Cryptospiza reichenovii
Usambara Double-collared Sunbird, Cinnyris usambaricus
West Usambara Two-horned Chameleon, Kinyongia multituberculata
Cape Robin-Chat, Dessonornis caffer
African Hill Babbler, Sylvia abyssinica
Southern Citril, Chritagra hyposticta
Day 12: Thursday, May 7, 2026: Magamba Forest West Usambara to Amani Forest East Usambara.
The morning walk produced better views of the Usambara Weaver, Shelley’s Greenbul and finally the Bar-tailed Trogon. We had breakfast and packed the car. We stopped at some wetlands south of Mombo and quickly got Zanzibar and Black-winged Red Bishop. Our next stop were just north of Muheza where we added Coastal Cisticola and Eastern Golden Weaver. We had terrible rain on the way up to Amani Forest Headquarters, but once the rain stopped, I quickly gathered the troops for a short walk in the Botanical Garden. We added Green Barbet, Purple-banded Sunbird and a surprise African Golden Oriole. We had dinner and at night, we heard the Usambara race of Fraser’s Eagle-Owl calling.
Some pictures from Day 12:
Grey Cuckooshrike, Ceblepyris caesius
Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Campephaga quiscalina
Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Coccopygia quartinia
Day 13: Friday, May 8, 2026: Amani Forest to Zigi Forest
The morning were gloomy, but we headed uphill. On the way up, we added Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Cabanis’s Bunting and East Coast Boubou. We parked the car, took a walk and found Common Square-tailed Drongo, Green-headed Oriole, Amani Sunbird, Fischer’s Greenbul, Fischer’s Turaco, Long-billed Forest Warbler and a very cooperative Kretschmer’s Longbill. We drove to the spot for Sharpe’s Akalat. Many fallen trees made it impossible to drive up the road. We walked up instead and despite hearing the Akalat a few times, we never got our eyes on it. We drove towards camp and picked up a Southern Banded Snake Eagle on the way. We had some time left before lunch and decided to explore the lower part of the botanical garden. Here are some of the birds we added: Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird, Black-bellied Starling, Pale Batis and Palm-nut Vulture. We drove back to camp, packed and had lunch. After lunch we drove down to Zigi Forest. The birding were tough and we only added Retz’s Helmetshrike, Green Tinkerbird and Dark-backed Weaver. We returned to Zigi guest house were we were served dinner one hour late.
Some pictures from Day 13:
Green Barbet, Cryptolybia olivacea
Kretschmer’s Longbill, Macrospenus kretschmeri
Day 14: Saturday, May 9, 2026: Zigi Forest
We drove down to Zigi Forest again early morning and quickly found a Green-backed Woodpecker followed by a very responsive Tanzanian Illadopsis. Then the birding got very hard again: We found Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Red-capped Robin-Chat and heared a Lowland Tiny Greenbul. Later a surprise Little Sparrowhawk and just before we were supposed to give up we got a Mombasa Woodpecker. The forest were extremely quiet. We had a long break until lunch and ventured back to the forest again. Still quiet but managed to get Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrikes, Little Yellow Flycatcher, Plain-backed Sunbird and a pair of very loud Trumpeter Hornbills. Towards the end of the forest we had quite a few Lowland Tiny Greenbuls calling, but they kept hidden. Very frustrating.
One picture from day 14:
Plain-backed Sunbird, Anthreptes reichenowi
Day 15: Sunday, May 10, 2026: Zigi Forest to home.
We packed in the morning and started birding Zigi Forest. Still very quiet, but we finally got eyes on the Lowland Tiny Greenbul. We left the forest and stopped near Muheza for the Collared Palm Thrush, but no success. We dropped Karin in Segera since she were to expand her trip to Dar es Salam. The rest of us drove home and only stopped for an eastern Chanting Goshawk that caused some ID confusion. We dropped my guide and had an early dinner in Usa River. Antti packed his stuff and we both retired early to bed after having gone through the final list.
One picture from Day 15:
Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Melierax poliopterus
Day 16: Monday, May 11, 2026: Farewell
My driver picked up Antti at 06:30 and took him to the Shuttle Stop in Arusha were he were to take a shuttle to Nairobi. We ended up with a total count of 415 birds seen. Combined with the day Antti had in Nairobi National Park, he ended his trip with 207 Lifers!
I am off to Kenya already on May 16 for a trip that ends on the coast on June 4, then I start on a new trip from the Kenya coast on June 6 and will only be back home on June 21. Stay tuned for more reports.