Day 1, Thursday July 31, 2025: My Finnish friend Pirjo came visiting. She had given me a challenge. I had promised her 111 lifers, but she needed 114 to reach her milstone for 8.000 birds according to the new AviList. I was as usually my cocky Norwegian Viking and promised her 114 birds. I picked her up at the airport around 13:00, we just got home dumped her luggage and went birding. She was so eager she wanted go birding direct from the airport after an almost 48 hour flight from Costa Rica. Don’t mess with Finnish ladies. We stopped for her first lifer Taveta Weaver on the way to Kiligolf. A late walk on Kiligolf gave up 8 more lifers: Reichenow’s Seedeater, Southern Citril, Purple Grenadier, Rüppel’s Robin-Chat, African Grey Flycatcher, Bare-eyed Thrush, Pale White-eye and Long-tailed Fiscal. I have timed it so it were getting dark when we reached the car. We drove about 100 meters before we flushed her 10th lifer of the late afternoon: Slender-tailed Nightjar. We drove home had a quick meal and retired early to bed.
Some pictures from Day 1:
Taveta Weaver, Ploceus castaneiceps, Endemic to N Tanzania and S. Kenya
Pale White-eye, Zosterops flavilateralis, Endemic to NE Africa
Rüppel’s Robin-Chat, Cossypha semirufa, Endemic to E Africa
Day 2, Friday, August 1, 2025: Home, Lark Plains, Oldonyo Sambu and Lengijave
We had an early start and started ticking lifers for Pirjo: Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Taita Fiscal, Red-and-yellow barbet, Beesley’s Lark, Sentinel Lark, White-bellied Canary, Southern Grosbeak Canary, Red-fronted Prinia, Scaly Chatterer, Black-faced Waxbill, Kenya Sparrow, Pygmy Batis, Red-throated Tit, Grey Wren-Warbler, Banded Parisoma, White-headed Buffalo Weaver, Gorgeous Sunbird, Chestnut Sparrow.
We had by now finished the lark Plains. Unfortunately no sign of the Short-tailed Lark. Instead of going to my usual Dry country Forest, we went to my new Masai friend Ngongai’s Booma. I did an exploatary trip there on July 20. I found all my target birds within 10 minutes.
We did not have many birds left on Pirjo’s list so found White-bellied Go-away-bird, Von der decken’s Hornbill, Red-fronted Barbet, Slate-colored Boubou, Grey-capped Social Weaver and Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow very fast. Our next stop were Oldonyo Sambu and her only lifer there I thought would be the Little Rock Thrush. On the way, we stopped for two groups of Hildebrandt’s Starling.
I stayed behind in the car in Oldonyo Sambu and sent Pirjo and my guide there to look for the Rock Thrush. I was very surprised when they came back they had found no less than 5 lifers: Eastern Grey Woodpecker, Fischer’s Starling, Little Rock Thrush, Grey-headed Silverbill and Blue-capped Cordon-bleu!
At the next stop, Lengijave we were left with only two lifers: Lyne’s Cisticola and Abyssinian Wheatear. All in all, Pirjo got 32 lifers that day. a total of 42 with one afternoon and one full day birding. Not shabby at all. We tried near my house for Pangani Longclaw with no luck. We returned to my house and had a nice meal and retired early to bed.
Some pictures from Day 2:
Taita Fiscal, Lanius dorsalis, Endemic to NE Africa
Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Rhodophoneus cruentus, Endemic to NE Africa
Sentinel Lark, Corypha athi, Endemic to NE Tanzania and SC Kenya
Pirjo and I are very happy after having found the Endemic Beesley’s Lark
Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Melierax poliopterus, Endemic to NE Africa
Scaly Chatterer, Argya aylmeri, Endemic to Easte Africa
Red-fronted Barbet, Tricholaema diademata, Endemic to East Africa
Singing Cisticola, Cisticola cantans
Lyne’s Cisticola, Cisticola distinctus, Endemic to NE Africa
White-fronted Bee-eater, Merops bullockoides
Day 3, Saturday, August 2, 2025: Home – Tarangire – Karatu
We had an early start and found the Rufous-tailed Weaver and a Red-bellied Parrot on the way in to the entrance to the park. While I paid, my guide took Pirjo on a walk around the entrance gate. They picked up Ashy Starling, Northern Pied Babbler and Swahili Sparrow. 5 lifers before we entered the park. On the way to our breakfast spot, we added Yellow-collared Lovebird and Yellow-necked Spurfowl. After breakfast we found Double-banded Courser and Black-faced Sandgrouse. We had finally reached my “Bustard road and added our last lifers of the day: Buff-crested Bustard, Three-banded Courser and Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark. No signs of Harlaub’s Bustard. We reached the gate, had lunch and continued to Karatu.
Some pictures from Day 3:
Rufous-tailed Weaver, Histurgops ruficauda, Endemic to Northern Tanzania and Masai Mara, Kenya
Magpie Shrike, Urolestes melanoleucus
White-bellied Bustard, Eupodites senegalensis
Black-faced Sandgrouse, Pterocles decoratus, Endemic to East Africa
Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Tockus deckeni, Endemic to NE Africa
Ashy Starling, Lamprotornis unicolor, Endemic to tanzania and Masai Mara, Kenya
Day 4, Sunday August 3, 2025: Karatu – Endoro Trail, Lake Eluanata
We intended to bird the Ngoro Crater Rim that day, but at the entrance, the weather were bad and it were a total chaos of Safari cars at the gate. In stead we returned to Karatu and headed for the Endoro Trail. In Karatu we added a pair of Speke’s Weaver and a little later Fischer’s Lovebird. We arrived at the entrance gate and were given a very impatient ranger. On the way up and down to the caves, we added Brown-headed Apalis, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Black-headed Mountain Greenbul, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, the ranger flushed in her haste a pair of Abyssinian Crimsonwing and Pirjo found Mbulu White-eye herself. I had a serious talk with the manager when we got back. I come there with friends on a regular basis and do not need to be stressed on time. She understtod and promised me another ranger next time. My guide and Pirjo walked down the hill. I had parked by a flowering tree. We called in a Moustached Tinkerbird and I got good photo opportunities of Mbulu White-eye and some Sunbirds. We continued towards Nanja and Lake Eluanata. After some off road driving we managed to flush a Pangani Longclaw. My guide and I had a misunderstanding. He walked out of the car and flushed it again away and not towards the car. We searched in the grasslands for Short-tailed lark, but no success. We drove home and since we had dipped on the Brown-breasted Barbet on Kiligolf, we gave it another try with success near the entrance to Dolly estate.
We returned home, had an early dinner and retired early to bed.
Some pictures from Day 4:
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Melaenornis fischeri, Race nyikensis
Cabanisi’s Greenbul, Phyllastrephus cabanisi, Race placidius
Black-headed Mountain Greenbul, Arizelocichla nigriceps, Endemic to East Africa
Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Cinnyris mediocris, Endemic to Northern Tanzania and Kenya
Female, Bronze Sunbird, Nectarina kilimensis
Green-headed Sunbird, Cyanomitra verticalis
Moustached Tinkerbird, Pogoniulus simplex, Endemic to NE Africa
Mbulu White-eye, Zosterops mbuluensis, Endemic to NE Tanzania and SE Kenya
Day 5, Monday, August 4, 2025: Arusha National Park
We were at the gate not too early. On this trip we only focused on Pirjo’s lifers, so we did an amputated route. Our first stop were the Museum. We picked up Scaly Spurfowl on the way and Broad-ringed White-eye at the museum. Arusha NP must be one of the worst maintained national Parks in TZ. On this trip as on my last trip in July, we could not drive up to our breakfast spot. We turned and had to take the shortest route to Mount Meru. We drove up to the waterfall and my Guide and Pirjo Spotted Olive-headed Greenbul there. On the way down, we added Hartlaub’s Turaco, Brown Woodland Warbler and Kenrick’s Starling. We drove down the mountain and out through the gate. The only bird we dipped on of Pirjo’s Targets were the Abbott’s Starling. We drove home and had an early dinner.
Some pictures from Day 5:
Scaly Spurfowl, Pternistis squamatus
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Melaenornis fischeri
White-starred Robin, Pogonocichla stellata
Relaxing at the Waterfall in Arusha National Park
Brown Woodland Warbler, Phylloscopus umbrovirens
Hartlaub’s Turaco, Tauraco hartlaubi, Endemic to NE Africa
Day 6, Tuesday, August 5, 2025: Masai Steppes
We stopped at our normal birding spot to put up the roof and we very easy called in a pair of Ashy Cisticola. We continued to our normal Pearl-spotted Owlet tree. Played the Owlet and got a number of birds in. Lifers for Pirjo: Eastern-Violet-backed Sunbird and Hunter’s Sunbird. Along the road to our breakfast spot, we added Pink-breasted Lark, Rufous Chatterer, White-headed Mousebird and Tsavo Sunbird. While we unpacked our breakfast we got a Black-throated Barbet. After breakfast we continued to the Black-capped Social Weaver site. On the way back we spotted a Pringle’s Puffback. We stopped at our breakfast spot. I took the car down the hill and Pirjo and my guide walked down. They added Acacia Tit, Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit, Northern Red-fronted Tinkerbird and Somali Bunting. We drove down to the Shangarai Dam. Again, the water level were too high, but we managed to pick up a non breeding Straw-tailed Whydah. We dipped on the Golden-breasted Starling, but I had a backup plan. We drove home and packed for the safari that were supposed to start the day after. We had again an early dinner and did the list. Pirjo were before the safari started at 87 lifers! so only 27 to go in order for her to get her 114 and get to 8.000 birds World Wide.
One picture from Day 6:
Pringle’s Puffback, Dryoscopus pringlii, Endemic to NE Africa
Day 7, Wednesday, August 6, 2025: Home – Same – South Pare Mountains – Same.
We had an early start. Stopped for the Pale Prinia Spot North of Same. We could not find it at the normal spot, but found it across the road. We had good time and went to our spot in Same and added quickly Black-bellied Sunbird, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Parrot-billed Sparrow and Eastern Black-headed Batis. We had only two potential birds left in the area and drove to another spot. I told my guide to go looking for Northern Brownbul with Pirjo while i went searching for the normally easy to find Tiny Cisticola. They came back and had found the Northern Brownbul, but I had seen no signs of the Cisticola. We decided to go straight to South Pare Mountains. Once we arrived there, the place were full of Pale White-eyes. We did some search and eventually found both Usambara Double-collared Sunbird and South-Pare White-eye. I looked at the watch and told Pirjo, we still had time to go back and look for the Tiny Cisticola. This time we found one! We drove back to the Motel, ordered dinner and freshened up. We had gotten all our targets that day!
Some pictures from Day 7
Black-bellied Sunbird, Cinnyris nectarinioides, Endemic to East Africa
D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Trachyphonus darnaudii, Endemic to East Africa
Black-throated Barbet, Tricholaema melanocephala, Endemic to East Africa
Green-winged Pytilia, Pytilia melba
Pale White-eye, Zosterops flavilateralis, Endemic to NE Africa
South Pare White-eye, Zosterops winifredae, Endemic to Pare Mountains, Tanzania
Bare-eyed Thrush, Turdus tephronotus, Endemic to NE Africa
Tiny Cisticola, Cisticola nana, Endemic to NE Africa
Day 8, Thursday, August 7, 2025: Mkomazi national Park
I did an one week survey in the park many years ago and were not impressed by the diversity of species there. However; I knew Pirjo had a few species on her list she really wanted. The problem was that those species were on the border to Tsavo East, Kenya near Maore deep inside the park. The last time, we camped there, but now we had to do everything in one day. On top of that, the road I took the previous time were blocked by a new Rhino Sanctuary, so we more or less drove on gut instinct for a few hours. The roads were some time non existent, but we managed to get to my destination point. We first added Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, then we were very surprised to find a Quail-plover, only the third record for Tanzania and a photo lifer for me. The area we were looking for the Harlaub’s Bustard were totally burned, but we managed to find a Red-winged Lark. We turned at the dam and I knew we were running out of time. We found an unexpected Golden Pipit, before we had a nice encounter with a Quail-plover again (possibly the same bird). I got one more Photo Lifer: White-tailed lark. We were still far from the gate before we found a huge flock of Vulturine Guineafowls closely followed by Golden-breasted Starling. Black-faced Sandgrouses were everywhere, but in the end we managed to find a couple of Yellow-throated Sandgrouse. By the time we reached the end of the original Rhino sanctuary, we had 30 minutes and 20km to go to the gate. My guide panicked. I were calm as a cucumber. 40km an hour would take us to the gate in 30 minutes. We were at the gate 18:28, two minutes before closing time. We had driven 180 km inside the park! However; Pirjo were happy since we had added a few lifers for her. Those birds I get a lot easier in Kenya, but she were in Tanzania :-). We drove back to the motel, ordered dinner and freshened up, then had dinner and retired early to bed. I was very tired after 180 km in the park on very shady roads and sometimes no roads at all 🙂
Some pictures from Day 8:
Tawny Eagle, Aquila rapax
Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Tockus flavirostris, Endemic to NE Africa
Pangani Longclaw, Macronyx aurantiigula, Endemic to NE Africa
Quail-Plover, Ortyxelos meiffreni
Red-winged Lark, Corypha hypermetra
Pirjo and I at Elephant Motel in Same
Day 9, Friday, August 8, 2025: Same to Magamba Forest, West Usambara
We left direct from Same and did the 116 km to Mombo. We stopped in Soni to check for Grey-olive Greenbul and East Coast Boubou, but no luck. We drove up to camp and checked a few spots for Pirjo’s main target bird for the trip: Spot-throat. Still no luck, but she managed Short-tailed Batis and Red-capped Forest Warbler. We drove to camp. We took an afternoon walk and added Fülleborn’s Boubou, Usambara Weaver, African Hill Babbler, Black-headed Apalis and fantastic views of Evergreen Forest Warbler. We returned to camp and had dinner that I had prepared. Then we retired early to our tents.
Some pictures from Day 9:
Brown-breasted Barbet, Pogonornis melanopterus, Endemic to NE Africa
Camp in Magamba
Day 10, Saturday, August 9, 2025: Magamba Forest
We had coffee at 06:45 and took a morning bird walk that did not add any new species. My guide and Pirjo, had the Spot-throat singing close by, but only my guide got a glimpse of it. We returned for breakfast and after breakfast, we took a walk up the forest close to camp. We stopped at our normal spot and tried for both Usambara Akalat and Spot-throat. We heard as normal the Spot-throat far away, but it would not come in. I continued to the top of the hill and heard some noice right next to the path. I sat down and had fantastic views of Usambara Akalat. I sat very quiet and waited for Pirjo and the guide to catch up and they also had wonderful views. I got a lot of pictures. The Akalats were busy feeding on ants that in return were feeding on me. A little further on, I had to strip to get rid of ants :-). We returned to camp and relaxed. I saw an Ayre’s Hawk-Eagle fly over and called Pirjo and the guide. In the afternoon we took a walk up hill again. I lagged a little behind since i wanted Pirjo and the guide to get views of the Spot-throat. The forest were quiet, but they managed to get good views of Usambara Thrush. Near camp the guide and I saw Oriole Finch several times, but Pirjo could not get her eyes on it before very late in the afternoon she finally spotted a pair. We had dinner and retired early to bed.
Some pictures from Day 10:
Bar-tailed Apalis, Apalis thoracia, Race griceiseps
Usambara Akalat, Sheppardia Montana, Endemic to Western Usambara, Tanzania
Southern Citril, Crithagra hyposticta
Fülleborn’s Boubou, Laniarius fuelleborni, Endemic to Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania and N Malawi
Day 11, Sunday August 10: Magamba Forest, West Usambara to Amani Forest, East Usambara
We had coffee as normal at 06:45 then went for our final walk in Magamba Forest. As normal I sent Pirjo and the guide looking for the Spot-throat and they came back and had finally found it. It was still early, but we packed camp and were soon underway. We stopped downhill of Soni again and this time Pirjo found her bird number 8.000 in the form of an East Coast Boubou. The Spot-throat were number 7.999 :-). We drove down the mountain and stopped South of Mombo. Pirjo added Zanzibar Red Bishop. We continued to north of Muheza where she added Coastal Cisticola and Green Tinkerbird. We continued up to the Amani Head quarters. We checked in and took a walk in the botanical garden. Pirjo added Banded Green Sunbird and Pale Batis. We returned to camp, freshened up and had dinner.
Some pictures from Day 11:
Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Coccopygia quartinia
Pirjo got her lifer number 114 on the trip and World Wide bird number 8.000!
Green Barbet, Cryptolybia olivacea
Day 12, Monday, August 11, 2025: Amani Forest to Zigi Forest.
The weather were not nice that morning, but we drove up to our normal spot. We took a walk and did not find anything. I have a spot for the Kretschmer’s Longbill and it did not take me long to locate one. Then my guide found a few Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbirds. the weather were getting worse so I suggested we had breakfast in the car. I said we can hear from the car when the Long-billed Forest Warbler starts singing and sure enough, we did. We left the car and Pirjo had excellent views. Our next stop were the forest for Sharpe’s Akalat. Again, the road were blocked by the same 3 trees, so we had to walk. We added Green-headed Oriole and Montane Tiny Greenbul (Picture Lifer for me) before we found the Sharpe’s Akalat. It were still early and Pirjo already had all the birds she needed from Amani, so I suggested we should drive down to Zigi Forest. We dropped the guide to get some lunch and Pirjo and I walked up the steep track and called the Tanzanian Illadopsis. It responded and came close, but we never got a view of it. Our guide joined us and we continued up the hill and added Mombasa Woodpecker and Usambara Hyliota. on the way down to the road we found Lowland Tiny Greenbul. We reached the road around 16:00. That is when the bird activity normally starts, but the forest were completely dead. We decided to head back to camp. We had found the majority of the birds that Pirjo needed so we also decided to stay one day less in Amani and hope to get as many of the remaining birds as possible the last morning.
Some pictures from Day 12:
Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Halcyon albiventris
Shelley’s Greenbul, Arizelocichla masukuensis
Montain Tiny Greenbul, Phyllastrephus albigula, Endemic to Eastern Tanzania – PHOTO LIFER
Retz’s Helmetshrike, Prionops retzii
Lowland Tiny Greenbul, Phyllastrephus debilis, Endemic to Coastal East Africa
Day 13, Tuesday, August 12, 2025: Zigi Forest – Home
We packed our bags and had the car packed early. We drove down to Zigi Forest. We tried for the Illadopsis again and we could here it, but not see it. We got Red-tailed Ant Thrush and Plain-backed Sunbird. We walked down to the road and Pirjo finally got good views of Fischer’s Greenbul. We were still close to the car and we were missing 3 birds: Tanzanian Illadopsis, Green Twinspot and Little-spotted Woodpecker. Pirjo wanted to give the only endemic bird a try again and I told her, we had to do it there and then and not go down and come back up again. I had lost my faith in that bird and were very surprised when Pirjo and the guide came back and reported fantastic views of the elusive Tanzanian Illadopsis (The only bird left I miss a picture off on my Usambara trip). Everyone were happy so we started the long journey home. Pirjo had 132 lifers in the bag. We dropped off our guide and Pirjo and I drove home were we arrived a little after 16:00.
We were both tired from the long drive and had an early dinner and retired early to bed.
No pictures from Day 13
Day 14, Wednesday, August 13, 2025: Ngarasero Lodge, Meru Forest and Lake Duluti
We had a slow morning with breakfast at home. We first visited Ngarasero Lodge in order to find the Grey-olive Greenbul that had eluded us. We called some in, but they did not reply so Pirjo were not 100% convinved. Then we drove up to Meru Forst to have a look for Tacazze and Golden-winged Sunbird + Hunter’s Cisticola. The forest were very dead. No sign of the Sunbirds, but about 100 meters from the main road, I heard the Cisticolas singing and we had a pair of very obliging Hunter’s Cisticola. We continued down to Lake Duluti. I knew, we could get the Grey-olive Greenbul there. I paid the entrance and it took us less than 10 minutes to locate them. We drove to the other side of the lake and I bought Pirjo a beer to celebrate. We drove home and did the list and she were now at 134 lifers.
Some pictures from Day 14:
Streaky Seedeater, Crithagra striolata, Endemic to East Africa
Northern Fiscal, Lanius humeralis
Baglafecht Weaver, Ploceus baglafecht
Hunter’s Cisticola, Cisticola hunteri, Endemic to NE Africa
Day 15, Thursday, August 15, 2025: Home – Kiligolf – Home
Pirjo and I had breakfast at home again and then we decided to try for two missing birds at Kiligolf: Steel-blue Whydah and Red-headed Weaver. We took a different walk and found plenty of birds on the ground and tried to pick out a non-breeding Steel-blue Whydah. We also checked all the trees and found abandonded Red-headed Weaver nests, but we had no success. I took some pictures on the walk though.
Some pictures from Day 15
Spectacled Weaver, Ploceus ocularis
Purple Grenadier, Granatina ianthinogaster, Endemic to NE Africa
Female, Purple Grenadier, Granatina ianthinogaster, Endemic to NE Africa
Day 16, Friday, August 15: relaxing at home – Airport
Pirjo decided to have a relaxing day before I took her to the taxi stand to get her to the airport. In my eyes it had been an extremely successful trip. When Pirjo sent me her original target list, I gave her an estimate of 111 birds. She then told me she needed 114 birds to get to 8.000. In the end we reached 134 taking her total to 8020 birds. We were focusing on her targets, but I kept a list of birds observed and we ended up with around 390 species. All in all a very enjoyable trip with vey nice company.