2009 Tour Narrative
We left behind the sprawl of Addis to head south down the Rift Valley, stopping along the way at some wetlands where we saw Black-crowned Crane, hordes of the less appealing Marabou Storks, very tame Hamerkops, and a couple of Black Herons, among many other species.
We had two birding sessions around Lake Langano and in the Abiata Shala National Park area, once on the way down and again on the way back up. These proved to be very profitable, with a wide range of species including superb views of a trio of Clapperton’s Francolins, Temminck’s Coursers, Grayish and Verreaux’s Eagle Owls, a young Didric Cuckoo being fed by a Rüppell’s Weaver (the males of which were in full plumage), Bearded and Nubian Woodpeckers, Red-throated Wryneck, Banded and Red-fronted Barbets, Greater Honeyguide, Black-winged Lovebirds, Slender-tailed Nightjars, Black Scimitarbill, and Abyssinian Black and Black-eared Wheatears, to name just a few. Lake Abiata was in a sorry state, with very few birds compared to normal, but the thousands of Lesser and Greater Flamingos were a welcome sight, as were all the shorebirds, including a big group of Kittlitz’s Plovers.
In the woods of Wondo Genet, we saw Crowned Eagle, Abyssinian Woodpecker, Spotted Creeper at point blank range, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Black Saw-wing, Sharpe’s and Slender-billed Starlings, a pair of Red-shouldered Cuckooshrikes, Abyssinian Oriole, White-cheeked Turacos, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Montane White-eye, and a brief African Hill Babbler.
The drive up to Goba is getting easier every year, but it’s still a long haul. A nice male Lesser Kestrel, Red-chested and Gray-rumped Swallows, Erlanger’s Lark, and Red-breasted Wheatear were a few of the birds we saw on the long drive, but our highlight was a roosting Cape Eagle Owl, followed by fantastic views of an Abyssinian Long-eared Owl and some roosting Montane Nightjars at Dinsho. Up on the Sanetti Plateau, all the main species were seen, including Wattled Crane, Moorland Francolin, Spot-breasted Plover, Rouget’s Rail, Black-headed Siskin, and Abyssinian Longclaw. Of course we also had good sightings of Ethiopian Wolf and its main prey, the bizarre Giant Root Rat. Below the plateau we had some good birding in the woodland, with great looks at a perched Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, some very obliging Cinnamon Bracken Warblers, a pair of Bale Parisomas, White-backed Tit, and White-cheeked Turaco. Crossing the plateau the next day, we dropped down into the extensive Harrena Forest, where displaying Crowned Eagles, Abyssinian Crimsonwings, better African Hill Babblers, and Narina Trogon were some of the prizes. On the plains south of Negelle we found Sidamo and Somali Short-toed Larks, with the fabled Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco eventually showing well, too.
The long drive to Yabello took us through some wonderfully remote countryside, with Vulturine Guineafowl, White-winged Dove, Juba Weaver, Pringle’s Puffback, and Red-naped Bushshrike among the birding highlights on the way. As we neared Yabello, we hit a real purple patch with a flock of nineteen Somali Coursers, several White-tailed Swallows, Stresemann’s Bush Crows, Pygmy Falcon, and Walhberg’s Honeybird all in one small area, followed by a Donaldson Smith’s Nightjar perched right in front of us just after dusk. Some of the usual Yabello skulkers gave themselves up surprisingly easily, and we had good looks at Scaly Chatterer and Northern Brownbul as well as a Pearl-spotted Owlet. Pygmy Batis, Banded Parisoma, Northern Gray Tit, Gray-headed Bush Shrike, Black-headed Oriole, and Purple Grenadier were some of the many other species we teased out of the dense acacia. We also had a daytime encounter with a Somali Galago running along on two legs.
At Lake Awassa, we found Purple Gallinule and Blue-headed Coucal in the reeds, Bruce’s Green Pigeon and Violet-backed Starling in the fig trees, and Eastern Honeybird and Lesser Honeyguide right by our accommodation. The strange landscape of the Methara lava flow was home to Bristle-crowned Starling, Sombre Chat, Bristle-crowned Starling, Blackstart, Striolated Bunting, and a single Bimaculated Lark that flew in to land right in front of us. Bilen was even hotter than usual, but after a quiet start, things picked up, and we had at least two Black Scrub Robins and excellent views of Arabian Bustard, as well as Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse, Yellow-breasted Barbet, Ménétriés’s Warbler, Shining Sunbird, and a close encounter with an African Wild Cat.
Awash was unusually quiet and very hot, but we found Gillet’s Lark and Red-fronted Warbler without too much trouble. We also encountered several Buff-crested Bustards, White-bellied Bustard, and a Kori Bustard with a Northern Carmine Bee-eater riding on its back. There was a low fly-over by an immature Imperial Eagle, and our campfire dinner was joined by an African Scops Owl.
Our final day took us to the spectacular Jemma Gorge, where several Erckel’s and a single Harwood’s Francolin showed really well. We also caught up with White-billed Starling, White-winged Cliff Chat, and Rüppell’s Black Chat, as well as adding several more species to the tour list. Then it was dinner at our usual last-night restaurant and the flight home.
- Steve Rooke
Updated: January 2010