Day 1, Wednesday, May 14, 2025: Usa River and Kiligolf.
I picked up my good friends Fia and Johann from the airport in the morning. I love to have birders from South Africa since they are used to the bush and have also been stuck in a car before :-). I also know exactly which species they need since I have lived and birded in South Africa for 5 years. For once I was also happy that they were serious birders and not Bird Photographers! Despite non migratory season, I guaranteed them 150 lifers since they had never been to East Africa before. It was no surprise to me that they picked up their first lifer, Superb Starling at the airport. (I have tried to put all their lifers in Bold, but I might have missed a few). On the way to my home, we added Ring-necked Dove, Lilac-breasted Roller, Pied Crow, Long-tailed Fiscal and House Crow. We had a quick stop at my house before we headed for Kiligolf. Our first stop were my Taveta Weaver spot where we also added Thick-billed Weaver. We drove slowly towards Kiligolf and had quite some bird activity on the way: Common Bulbul, Variable Sunbird, Sombre Greenbul, Black-and-white Mannikin, Spot-flanked Barbet, Spotted Palm Thrush, Red-billed Firefinch, Golden-breasted Bunting, Purple Grenadier, Yellow-fronted Canary, Brown-crowned Tchagra, African Grey Hornbill and Orange-breasted Bushshrike. We parked the car and started a walk. Here are some of the birds we registered: Buff-bellied Warbler, Slate-colored Boubou, Cardinal Woodpecker, Violet-backed Starling, Laughing Dove, White-browed Coucal, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Pale White-eye, Hamerkop, Rattling Cisticola, Grey Heron, Rüppel’s Robin-Chat, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Brown-breasted Barbet, Diederik Cuckoo, Red-chested Cuckoo, Tropical Boubou, Wire-tailed Swallow, Hadada Ibis, Common Waxbill, Winding Cisticola, Purple Heron, African Palm Swift, Magpie Shrike, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Bare-eyed Thrush, Chinspot Batis, Northern Brownbul, Bronze Mannikin, Speckled Mousebird, African Grey Flycatcher, African Paradise Flycatcher, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Spectacled Weaver, Lesser Striped Swallow, Red-faced Cisticola, Little Swift, White-rumped Swift, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Common Scimitarbill, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Red-eyed Dove, Yellow Bishop, Helmeted Guineafowl, African Yellow Warbler and African Pied Wagtail. We returned home after a highly successful first day with 18 lifers for my friends. We freshened up and had a nice dinner prepared by my maid.
Some pictures from Day 1:
Brown-crowned Tchagra, Tchagra australis
Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Estrilda rhodopyga, Endemic to NE Africa
Common Scimitarbill, Rhinopomastus cyanomelas
Purple Heron, Ardea purpurea
Day 2, Thursday, May 15, 2025: Lark Plains, Oldonyo Sambo and Lengijave.
We had an early start and were at the Lark Plains before 07:30. On the way to the Beesley’s Lark spot, we registered: Taita Fiscal, Capped Wheatear, Black Sparrowhawk, Kenya Sparrow, Crowned Lapwing, Augur Buzzard, Rosy-patched Bushshrike and Red-fronted Prinia. Due to me finally figuring out the fraud at Lark Plains, my guide and I had to find the Beesley’s Lark ourselves. I sent my guide out and my friends stayed with me. One Beesley’s Lark landed just in front of us! We started walking back to the car and added Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Eastern Chanting Goshawk and Short-tailed Lark. We entered the car and drove slowly towards the dry Acacia Forest were we have our breakfast spot. Here are some of the birds we added: Hildebrandt’s Starling, Red-capped Lark, Fawn-colored Lark, Pygmy Falcon, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Blue-capped Cordon-bleu, Temminck’s Courser, White-bellied Canary, Fischer’s Sparrow-Lark, Black-necked Weaver, Brubru and Yellow-bellied Eremomela. We had breakfast with Grey-capped Social Weavers nesting above our heads. After breakfast we did a walk and added: White-headed Mousebird, Red-throated Tit, Red-faced Crombec, Yellow-spotted Bush Sparrow, Red-fronted Barbet, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Black Cuckoo, Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Gorgeous Sunbird, Northern Crombec, Black-faced Waxbill and Banded Parisoma. We returned to the car and drove sl.owly out to the main road. On the way we added: Southern Grosbeak Canary, Little Bee-eater, Gabar Goshawk and Chestnut Sparrow. Our next stop were Oldonyo Sambo. Here are some of the birds observed: Northern Fiscal, Vitelline Masked Weaver, White-necked Raven, Red-winged Starling, Baglafecht Weaver, Red-throated Rock Martin, Red-and-yellow Barbet, Grey-headed Silverbill, Village Indigobird and finally Little Rock Thrush. Our last stop of the day were Lengijave. On the way up to our lunch spot we added: Streaky Seedeater, Singing Cisticola, Horus Swift, Reichenow’s Seedeater, Abyssinian Wheatear and White-fronted Bee-eater. We had lunch and birded the area: Speke’s Weaver, Arrow-marked Babbler, Long-billed Pipit, Dusky Turtle Dove, African Stonechat, Speckled Pigeon, Lyne’s Cisticola and Brown-throated Martin. Unfortunately for my friends they were with my guide when I found a Yellow-crowned Canary. We drove down to the main road and added Black Bishop and Bronze Sunbird. We drove home after a fantastic day again. My friends added more than 50 lifers!
Some pictures from Day 2:
Slate-colored Boubou, Laniarius funebris
Buff-bellied Warbler, Phyllolais pulchella
Female, Gorgeous Sunbird, Cinnyris melanogastrus, Endemic to Tanzania and Kenya
Gorgeous Sunbird, Cinnyris melanogastrus, Endemic to Tanzania and Kenya
Black Cuckoo, Cuculus clamosus, Race jacksoni
Chestnut Sparrow, Passer eminibey
Lynes’s Cisticola, Cisticola distinctus, Endemic to NE Africa
Yellow-crowned Canary, Serinus flavivertex
Johann and Fia at Lengijave
Day 3, Fiday, May 16, 2025: Tarangire National Park to Karatu
Again an early start. On the way to the park, we saw a flock of Rufous-tailed Weaver. Inside the park before the breakfast spot: Egyptian Goose, Northern Red-billed Hornbill, Mourning Collared Dove, Northern White-crowned Shrike, Swahili Sparrow, D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Northern Red-fronted Tinkerbird, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, White-headed Buffalo Weaver, Zitting Cisticola, White-backed Vulture, Coqui Francolin, Striped Kingfisher, Bleating Camaroptera, Speckled-fronted Weaver, Silverbird, Secretarybird, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Spur-winged Goose, White-faced Whistling Duck, Grey Crowned Crane, Knob-billed Duck, African Jacana, African Harrier-Hawk, Woodland Kingfisher, Black-winged Kite, Red-billed Oxpecker, Yellow-billed Egret, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Red-necked Spurfowl, Eastern Grey Woodpecker, African Hawk-Eagle, Red-bellied Parrot, African Sacred Ibis and Bateleur. We stopped for Breakfast. The park were very wet due to late rains so we could not follow my normal river route. We had to improvise. We still managed to see quite a few birds: Levaillant’s Cuckoo, Mottled Spinetail, Croaking Cisticola, Bearded Woodpecker, Double-banded Courser, Green-winged Pytilia, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Greater Honeyguide, Wattled Starling, Fork-tailed Drongo, White-bellied Bustard, Pin-tailed Whydah, Common Hoopoe, Common Ostrich, Black-faced Sandgrouse and Kori Bustard. We now entered the Bustard road, but as I feared it was too wet. We drove up a bit and turned around. Back on the main road we discovered a pair of Verreaux’s Eagle-Owls. We took a small detour to the Little Serengeti and added Northern Pied Babbler. We had lunch at the gate and added Nubian Woodpecker, Tawny Eagle, Pearl-spotted Owlet and Lesser Masked Weaver. We exited the park and drove to Karatu. After almost 3 days, my friends were now halfway to their target and had 78 lifers!
Some pictures from Day3
Rufous-tailed Weaver, Histurgops ruficauda, Endemic to Tanzania and Masai Mara in Kenya
Coqui Francolin, Campocolinus coqui
Swahili Sparrow, Passer suahelicus
Red-necked Spurfowl, Pternistis afer
Secretarybird, Sagittarius serpentarius
Double-banded Courser, Smutsornis africanus
Kori Bustard, Ardeotis kori
Northern Pied Babbler, Turdoides hypoleuca, Endemic to Tanzania and Kenya
Fork-tailed Drongo, Dicrurus adsimilis
Von der Decken’s Hornbill, Tockus deckeni, Endemic to NE Africa
Pearl-spotted Owlet, Glaucidium perlatum
Ashy Starling, Lamprotornis unicolor, Endemic to Tanzania and S Kenya
Day 4, Saturday, May 17, 2025: Endoro Trail, Karatu – Lake Eluanata, Nanja
We were at the head of the trail at around 07:30. It drissled a litlle, so we waited a little before we entered the trail. Here are some of the birds we saw on the trail: Red-throated Twinspot, Grey-capped Warbler, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher, African Dusky Flycatcher, Brown-headed Apalis, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Collared Sunbird, Grey-olive Greenbul, Brown-backed Honeybird, Thick-billed Seedeater, Cabanis’s Greenbul, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Brown Woodland Warbler, Mbulu White-eye, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Black-headed Mountain Greenbul, Mountain Wagtail, Black-fronted Bushshrike, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Tambourine Dove, Bar-throated Apalis, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Moustached Tinkerbird, Grey-headed Nigrita, Schalow’s Turaco, Black-backed Puffback, Red-capped Robin-Chat and Southern Citril. We arrived back at the car. My friends and my guide walked down the hill without adding any new birds. We drove to the Viewpoint over lake Manyara and onwards to Lake Eluanata. There were no feasable lifers for Fia and Johann there, but we still added quite a few birds: Re-knobbed Coot, Blue-billed Teal, Red-billed Teal, Little Grebe, Whiskered Tern, Squacco Heron, Red-billed Quelea, Little Egret, Three-banded Plover, Blacksmith Lapwing, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Great Egret, Southern Red Bishop and Glossy Ibis. And yes, I managed to get stuck near the lake. A little team effort got us loose :-). Fia and Johann were up to 94 lifers now, with still 10 days to go.
Some Pictures from Day 4:
Brown-headed Apalis, Apalis alticola
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Melaenornis fischeri
Thick-billed Seedeater, Chritagra burtoni
Grey-capped Warbler, Eminia lepida
Black-throated Wattle-eye, Platysteira peltata
Someone went to close to the water edge and fell through
Day 5, Sunday, May 18, 2025: Masai Steppes.
Again an early start. At our starting point we normally get a lot of birds in by playing the Pearl-spotted Owlet, but that day no response except from the Owlet itself. We continued slowly and on the way to the Black-capped Social Weaver spot, we mannaged to add: Rufous Chatterer, Straw-tailed Whydah, Northern Grey-headed Sparrow, Pink-breasted Lark, Grey Wren-Warbler, Scaly Chatterer, Black-throated Barbet, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird, Tsavo Sunbird, Hunter’s Sunbird, African Red-rumped Swallow, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Pygmy Batis, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah, Steel-blue Whydah, Jacobin Cuckoo and finally we reached the very active nesting tree for Black-capped Social Weavers. A Somali Bunting also appeared at the Social Weaver site. We drove back towards the Shambaraia Dam, but stopped at our normal walking spot. My friends followed my guide and I waited for them in the car downhill. They joined me with a smile on their face and had added Mouse-colored Penduline Tit, Pringle’s Puffback, Fan-tailed Widowbird and Cut-throat Finch. As expected the Shambarai Dam were inaccessible due to high water level, so we drove home and had lunch at home. Fia and Johann were now at a staggering 110 lifers, but I knew from experience that on my Safari to the Usambaras, The birds would be special, but not as numerous. I was still optimistic of reaching 150 lifers for them. The weather had been pretty bad in the Arusha area and Mount Meru were covered in clouds the entire time, so we decided to do Arusha National Park after our Safari.
Some pictures from Day 5:
Straw-tailed Whydah, Vidua fischeri, Endemic to NE Africa
White-browed Coucal, Centropus superciliosus
Pink-breasted Lark, Calendulauda poecilosterna, Endemic to NE Africa
Grey Wren-Warbler, Calamonastes simplex, Endemic to NE Africa
Female, Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird, Anthreptes orientalis, Endemic to NE Africa
Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird, Anthreptes orientalis, Endemic to NE Africa
Hunter’s Sunbird, Chalcomitra hunteri, Endemic to NE Africa
Scaly Chatterer, Argya aylmeri, Endemic to NE Africa
Black-throated Barbet, Tricholaema melanocephala, Endemic to E Africa
Namaqua Dove, Oena capensis
Black-capped Social Weaver, Pseudonigrita cabanisi, Endemic to NE Africa
Day 6, Monday, May 19, 2025: Home – Same – South Pare Mountains
We left home early. Fia and Johann had African Skimmer so no need to stop at Nyumba ya Mungu Dam. We drove straight to the spot for Pale Prinia. The bird had not been seen for a while since loss of habitat, but the bushes had grown up again and we had fantastic views of this rare TZ bird. We got Black Kite and White-winged Widowbird at the same spot. We continued to Same and stopped at our normal spot for Black-bellied Sunbird and Parrot-billed Sparrow. In addition an Amethyst Sunbird showed up. We drove to Elephant Motel and had lunch. At 15:00 sharp, we drove up South Pare Mountains. Here are some of the birds we registered up there: Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, South Pare White-eye, Usambara Double-collared Sunbird, White-tailed Crested Flycatcher and Black Saw-wing. We returned to Same, freshened up and had dinner. Only 5 lifers that day and we were at 115 with 35 to go.
Some pictures from Day 6:
Pale Prinia, Prinia somalica, Endemic to NE Africa
D’Aurnaud’s Barbet, Trachyphonus darnaudii, Endemic to E Africa
Amethyst Sunbird, Chalcomitra amethystina
Parrot-billed Sparrow, Passer gongonensis, Endemic to NE Africa
Johann, Fia and I posing after lunch at Elephant Motel, Same
Day 7, Tuesday, May 20, 2025: Same – Magamba Forest, West Usambara
We birded my area in Same that morning. Here are some of the new birds we registered: Grey-headed Bushshrike, Tiny Cisticola, Chestnut Weaver, Eastern Black-headed Batis, Brown-tailed Apalis (Now lumped back with Yellow-breasted Apalis) and White-crested Helmetshrike. We went back to the Motel for breakfast and were soon on our way to Magamba Forest. We had a short pit stop in Soni to stock up on supplies and were in camp around 14:00 with plenty of time for afternoon birding. Here are some of the birds we registered the first afternoon: Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Black-and-white Mannikin, Fülleborn’s Boubou, Usambara Thrush, Red-capped Forest Warbler, Black-headed Apalis, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Usambara Weaver, Waller’s Starling and at night African Wood Owl. I had dinner prepared and ate by the bonfire and retired early to bed. 9 Lifers recorded that day, so the standing were 124.
Some pictures from Day 7:
White-browed Scrub Robin, Cercotrichas leucophrys
Steel-blue Whydah, Vidua hypocherina, Endemic to NE Africa
Day 8, Wednesday, May 21, 2025: Magamba Forest, West Usambara
We had a full day in the forest for birding. The number of targets were shrinking down, but we did good: Red-faced Crimsonwing, Southern Yellow White-eye, African Hill Babbler, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Bar-tailed Trogon, Usambara Akalat, Mountain Buzzard, Grey Cuckooshrike, Montane Tiny Greenbul and Shelley’s Greenbul. We returned to Camp, had dinner and retired early to our tents. 8 new lifers and the count were 132.
Some pictures from Day 8
Bar-throated Apalis, Apalis thoracica, Race griseiceps
Cape Robin-Chat, Dessornis caffer
Posing again in Magamba Forest
Day 9, Thursday, May 22, 2025: Magamba Forest, West Usambara to Amani Forest, East Usambara
We did morning birding in Magamba and added two new lifers: Olive-headed Greenbul and Short-tailed Batis. We packed camp, drove down the mountain and stopped at a wetland where we added: Black-winged Stilt, African Openbill, Black-winged Red Bishop and Zanzibar Red Bishop. We bought Samosas in Segera and stopped just north of Muheza for Coastal Cisticola. We were doing good on time and had plenty time for afternoon birding around the Amani Botanical Garden. Here are some of the birds we registered: Palm-nut Vulture, White-eared Barbet, Olive Sunbird, Green Barbet, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Crowned Eagle, Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird, East Coast Boubou, Banded Green Sunbird and Purple-banded Sunbird. Unfortunately the Amani Headquarters were full, so we had to drive all the way down to the guest house at Zigi gate. We were getting closer to our target and our count were now standing at 141 Lifers.
Some pictures from Day 9
Female, Usambara Double-collared Sunbird, Cinnyris usambaricus, Endemic to NE Tanzania and Taita Hills, Kenya
Waller’s Starling, Onychognathus walleri
Day 10, Friday May 23, 2025: Amani Forest Full Day.
We had quite a drive to get to our spot uphill and of course the driver (me) were busy looking at birds and not the road :-). I totally ended up in a ditch. I have done this a few times and have some experience. With good help from some local people we did not loose too much birding time. Actually the time we arrived at our spot were perfect. We took a walk and registered Fischer’s Turaco and Long-billed Forest Warbler. Then the rain forced us back to the car for breakfast, After breakfast my guide took my friends out again while I went trawling for the Kretschmer’s Longbill. It took me less than 10 minutes. I left it alone and fetched my friends and we all had good views. We then added Yellow-streaked Greenbul before we drove to the spot for Sharpe’s Akalat. As so many times before, the road were blocke by not one but 3 fallen trees. My guide walked my friends up to look for the Sharpe’s Akalat, but no luck. We drove down to the HQ and had lunch. We tried our spot for the Amani Sunbird, but no luck either. In the end we birded the botanical garden again. Here are some of the birds we found: Little Greenbul, African Green Pigeon, Trumpeter Hornbill, Red-tailed Ant Thrush and Black-and-white Shrike Flycatcher. We drove down to Zigi again. Freshened up and had dinner. We added 5 lifers that day and were now at 146.
Some pictures from Day 10:
Keep you eyes on the road your hands upon the wheel!
Kretschmer’s Longbill, Macrospenus kretschmeri, Endemic to EC Africa
Mountain Wagtail, Motacilla clara
You shall not pass
Red-tailed Ant Thrush, Neocossyphus rufus
Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Halcyon albiventris
Day 11, Saturday, May 24, 2025: Zigi Forest all day
We drove down to Zigi in the morning. It were very quiet. We managed to get Common Square-tailed Drongo, Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike and to my guide and my Surprise Eastern Crested Guineafowl (None of us have seen them there before after having birded Zigi for more than 10 years), Little Yellow Flycatcher, Crowned Hornbill, Green-headed Oriole and Mombasa Woodpecker. We drove back for lunch and down to the forest again after lunch. We added Dark-backed Weaver, Eastern Nicator and Green Tinkerbird. We returned to camp. We only added 3 new lifers that day so the total number were now at 149.
Green Tinkerbird, Pogoniulus simplex
Palm-nut Vulture, Gypohierax angolensis
Day 12, Sunday, May 25, 2025: Zigi Forest to Usa River
We had morning birding in Zigi Forest and added Grey Tit-Flycatcher and Fisher’s Greenbul taht took the number of lifers to 151. We dropped our guide in Muheza, stopped for Samosa in Mombo and were home well before dark.
No pictures for Day 12
Day 13, Monday, May 26, 2025: Arusha National Park
We were very lucky with the weather in Arusha NP that day, but the birding were very slow. On my round around the park, we registered: Trilling Cisticola, Scaly Spurfowl, Sharpe’s Starling, Black-headed Oriole, Broad-ringed White-eye, Little Rush Warbler, Village Weaver, Greater Flamingo, Cape Teal, Reed Cormorant, Sentinel Lark, Abyssinian Thrush and Marabou Stork. I saw a pair of Oriole Finch up on Mt. Meru, but my friends did not spot them. We drove home, but we still managed to add 6 lifers.
Scaly Spurfowl, Pternistis squamatus
Trilling Cisticola, Cisticola woosnami
Sharpe’s Starling, Pholia sharpii
Cape Teal, Anas capensis
Sentinel Lark, Corypha athi, Endemic to NE Tanzania and SC Kenya
Day 14, Tuesday, May 27, 2025: Local Forests
This day turned into a terrible day. We were supposed to go up Meru Forest, but the rain kept hammering down. The road were impassable and we ended up stuck again. This time it took some skilled driving and help from some local people to manoeuvre us back to safety. During the worst passages Fia and Johann decided to walk However we managed and the weather lightened up a little and we stopped for my special place for Pangani Longclaw. We searched and searched, but could not find it. Then the rain started again and we decided to call it the day.
Some pictures from Day 14:
Fan-tailed Widowbird, Euplectes axillaris
Winding Cisticola, Juvenile, Cisticola marginatus
Fia and Johann had an early flight to catch on the morning of May 28th. Time to say goodbye for now.
All in all a successful trip despite some severe weather. We dipped on some common birds, but if Fia and Johann will follow true with their challenge to me: 800 birds in East Africa, we will catch up on those birds in Kenya. They also needed plenty of migrants that for obvious reasons were not here in May. My goal was to get them 150 species. They ended up with 158 (Originally 159, but Brown-tailed Apalis were lumped with Yellow-breasted Apalis so they only lost one target species). As I mentioned earlier, for me it was a relief to have real birders with an enormous entusiasm visiting again. I once said, if you are not a bird photographer, please do not come. I have changed my mind. My new rule is Bird Photographers without binoculars are not welcome. Johann took some excellent pictures and I did not take that many on this trip. My next friend is coming on July 1 from England. He is also a serious birder and have a target list of 225 birds. Stay tuned. It has been a very hectic season for me starting with 3 week Tanzania in both August and September, 4 week Kenya in October, then 3 Usambara trips from November 6 – January 11, Uganda from January 15 – February 5, a One week Arusha area trip from Feb 14-20, then 4 Usambara 2 week trips from February 24 to May 28. I have enjoyed all of June off and are finally up to date with my trip reports. I still have a lot of pictures to post to my web site though. Who says it is boring to be retired.