East Africa – Day 17

Uganda 4 August 2015

I have not been able to upload photographs to my, blog without wifi or decent band width but will add photographs to my blog post as soon as I can.

We are having the most brilliant time in Uganda with ever 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.

Last night, Mum and I slept in the same single bed. With all the mosquitos we both ended up with the opposite arms covered in bites. I hate insect bites.

We had an early breakfast again this morning and then drove up the mountain, birding at Semliki National Park at higher altitudes. We mainly birded on the old Fort Portal road which was very narrow. Here we saw African Olive, Marsh Tchagra, and Yellow-throated Nicator. Spot-flanked Barbet, Red-tailed Leaflove and Yellow-bellied hyliota.

We then went for lunch in Port Portal, before birding close by and then driving to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Just outside the park was an Equator sign, which was also a site of a geocache. Robert and Paul were again excited about trying to find the geocache and were disappointed for it to be missing.

The Park had originally been called Kazinga National Park but was changed to Queen Elizabeth National Park to commemorate the Queen’s visit in about 1964. We drove up to the Park headquarters which was at a 360 degree viewpoint called Queen Elizabeth Pavillion.

We did some birding on the way into the Park, especially at a causeway over the River. Here Lake George was to the left and after the causeway, Lake Edward was on the right. We saw African Reed Warbler, Carruthers Cisticola and Compact Weaver.

We arrived at the lodge as it was turning dark and passed Alfred, the owner of Avian Watch Uganda with a birder and his teenage son, although we didn’t let a chance to chat.

The Lodge had set out tables in a grassy area in front of tented dining areas. Each table was lit by a lamp and looked lovely. We had our induction and were told not to walk to and from our room without one of their staff unless we had a good torch because of the risk of animals especially Hippos coming up from the lake shore, which was not far at all. The set up was beautiful with a gorgeous room as well, though the loo was a drop, sawdust one and the shower and sink were in a fenced area outside at the back. Despite Dad telling me the shower was lovely, I somehow didn’t find myself using the shower during our stay!

Trip list – My trip list up to the end of day 17 is 481 with 201 lifers.