East Africa – Day 12
Uganda 30 July 2015
I have not been able to upload photographs to my blog without wifi or decent band width but will add my photographs to my blog post as soon as I can.
We are having the most brilliant time in Uganda with everything being great. Our trip was organised by our local ground agents Avian Watch Uganda.
Everything is going really well with Robert, our fantastic guide (who knows all the sites and calls and can whistle birds in) and Paul, our driver and fixer, for who nothing was too much.
This morning was another start, getting up at 5.00 am, breakfast at 5.30 am and heading out at 6.00 am to drive to Budongo Forest where we would be birding the stretch called ‘The Royal Mile’.
When we arrived at the forest gate, we knew that there might be an issue about getting in and technically we need a permit to go in. Pau said that in the past Robert has been allowed to go in with birders and Paul had bought the permits when the office opened at 8.00 am.
Last night, when Paul had phoned, he was told that we’re not allowed inside after first buying the permit.
After a bit of sweet talking, we were allowed in on the basis that Paul went to buy the permits as soon as the office opened.
It was a pristine bit of forest and we were hopeful for our days birding. Then after only an hour, it started raining heavily. We took shelter outside a little building whilst Digby carried on birding in the rain, trying to prove his point, that you should bird in rain, even if it’s heavy. He saw three birds that were Uganda ticks for him (but not us) which he thought was great, but we saw within about half an hour of the rain stopping.
We had a really good day birding, staying at the site all day.
One of the highlights was Nahan’s Francolin, which we saw but Digby missed, which didn’t help things.
Other good birds for the day were Rufous-crowned Eremomola, Dwarf and Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, Ducky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Ugandan Woodland Warbler and White-thighed Hornbill.
Trip list – My trip list up to the end of day 12 is 383 with 171 lifers. Hi, I’m Dr. Mya-Rose Craig. I am a 19-year-old prominent British-Bangladeshi ornithologist, environmentalist, diversity activist as well as an author, speaker and broadcaster. At age 11 I started the popular blog Birdgirl, and at age 17 I became the youngest person to see half of the birds in the world.
About The Author
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.
Lyrical, poignant and insightful.’ - Margaret Atwood
This is my story; a journey defined by my love for these extraordinary creatures. Because large or small, brown, patterned or jewelled, there is something about birds that makes us, even for just moments at a time, lift our eyes away from our lives and up to the skies.