Serengeti to Manyara

Started the day as yesterday: Out before dawn for a few hours before returning for breakfast and to pack. Not as exciting as yesterday but clear skies led to a beautiful sunrise. As well as the usual mammals, we also saw a Golden Jackal. We then saw the first Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse of the trip before we found several hundred Sandgrouse drinking at a pool. It consisting mainly of Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, but a few Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse as well.

After breakfast, whist the car was being loaded, Sam managed a quick swim, and Tom found a Red-fronted Tinkerbird (which I missed). We then took a slow drive eastwards out of the Serengeti, seeing more mammals (including Lions with cubs), before stopping for lunch at the gates as on our way in. A Spotted Thick-knee was found in the plans, making it the last new bird for the Serengeti.

We then made our way back to the Ngorongoro crater, again admiring the views. I also made a few stops there to try and call in Grey-capped Warbler (which I’d fully expecting to see) but failed. Then out of Ngorongoro and back to the Twiga, where we arrived at dusk. It was then just a case of packing for the plane and a day bag for our last day. All a bit sad really, as we didn’t want to leave, but we’d had an amazing few days in the Serengeti.

Edit (16/11/2011): This is an Agama species, probably a female Mwanza Flat-headed Agama…

Serengeti (Day 4)

Our last full day in the Serengeti so we all thought it best to take the option of a pre-dawn start, returning to the lodge for breakfast, and collecting a picnic lunch. This proved to be a good choice as the three hours before breakfast were full of action! A Slender-tailed Nightjar was calling (but unfortunately couldn’t be lured in); a Lion posed in beautiful light; some young Spotted Hyenas investigated the jeep; a lone Cheetah was found exceptionally close; a herd of Elephants were seen in great light and then charged a nearby jeep; a Cheetah family was seen; and finally a pack of Hyenas were seen with a freshly dead Thompson’s Gazelle. Amazing stuff.

The rest of the day continued in a similar way as previous days: Just driving around seeing what we could find. Geat fun! Trip Leopard counts reached double figures(!) but the mammal highlight (until the evening – see below) was undoubtedly two female Lions stalking a family of Warthogs. The final chase led to much loud squealing, but with no kill.

I had one main target species – Red-throated Tit – that I especially wanted to see. I’d glimpsed one earlier in the lodge gardens but hadn’t had a proper view. Fortunately we found two of these as well as other good birds including Southern Ground-Hornbill and, in particular, Pangani Longclaw. Other new birds included Red-billed Duck, Black-breasted Snake-Eagle, Wahlberg's Eagle, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Nyanza Swift, Plain-backed Pipit, Banded Warbler, Golden-breasted Bunting, and Swaheli Sparrow, the last being a new bird for me also.

The day’s highlight came last thing: We were driving back to the lodge a little bit earlier than usual for several reason (we’d been up before dawn; Sam wanted a swim; I was happy to check out birds in the gardens whilst having a beer). However, on the way back I yelled stop as, very close to the road, a Cheetah had just killed a Thomson’s Gazelle! It took it into cover and then rested in full view for several minutes, exhausted. We guessed it was a female and hopped it may have cubs nearby. Sure enough, after it had recovered it started calling them in. With no response it went to find them whilst we manoeuvred the jeep in prime position for their return. The female walked quite some distance and out of view, but after a while we spotted her returning and then a few minutes later noticed two cubs some distance behind. They then slowly made there way to the carcass, walking a short distance and then hiding in cover, repeating the process many times. Each time they stopped and hid, the mother would raise her head and look around for several minutes before walking slowly closer. Eventually, after about an hour, they arrived at the carcass where they devoured it, with the female waiting until the cubs had had their fill. Fascinating to watch something that may seem rather run-of-the-mill when watching on a television documentary, but to witness it first hand is something else. With the light gone, and the show over, we headed back to the lodge in the dark. Sam wasn’t fussed about the swimming!

Serengeti (Day 3)

I awoke just before dawn as I wanted to take some photos of the sun rising above the plains and I was told of just the place to do so. Unfortunately the clouds that produced last night's rain were still around, so the views never materialised. I therefore birded on my own on foot for a bit until the others were awake, picking up Rufous Chatterer, Amethyst Sunbird, and Scarlet-chested Sunbird as trip-ticks.

After a great breakfast (the food here was something else!) we said goodbye to the Ngome tented camp staff and headed for another safari. Today we headed for the much drier south. On the way we were fortunate to have yet another Leopard sighting and throughout the day had great views of many of the mammals we had been seeing over the last few days as well as one new one, Hartebeest.

In general the dry plains were quieter, but it was great to be on our own in the vast emptiness with not another vehicle in sight. New birds for the trip included the following…

Hooded Vulture
Crowned Hawk-Eagle
Pygmy Falcon – one of Tom’s most sought after birds eventually fell!
Crested Francolin
Black-winged Lapwing
Rufous-crowned Roller
Red-fronted Barbet
Buff-bellied Warbler
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
Reichenow's Seedeater

We finished the day watching Baboons just outside our in-park accomodation, the rather luxurious Seronera Wildlife Lodge. The first tick-less day for me, but wonderful all the same.

Serengeti (Day 2)

Another fantastic day! Our drive into the park first thing produced Tabora Cisticola, followed by Slate-coloured Boubou at the park gate. We had breakfast at the Hippo Pool, where funnily enough, there were lots of Hippos. I also took a few snaps of thes and of some Wire-tailed Swallows…

We spent most of the morning concentrating on the extreme western edge of the park, and after much searching managed to pick up a pair of Karamoja Apalises. The first Crocodiles were also seen whilst birding highlights included Usambiro Barbet and Yellow-throated Longclaw.

We had our picnic at a visitors centre where there was a very informative short trail to walk. Here we had Kenrick's Starling, Dwarf Mongoose, and Black-necked Rock Hyrax. The afternoon was spent mainly looking at mammals. It started with views of a Leopard (again sleeping in a tree), but soon after leaving that I spotted a much smaller cat walking in the tall grass which turned out to be Serval! We watched this beautiful animal on our own for about half an hour, eventually gaining great views.

After the Serval had eventually slipped away in the tall grass we carried on a few minutes along the road and came across a Cheetah! Views were distant, but we were all happy to have got one under the belt.

The rest of the afternoon was just spent driving around seeing what we could see. As well as lots more sightings of the usual Lions, Elelphants, and so on, we added one new mammal in the form of Steinbuck. Two male Giraffes sparing were also good to watch.

We also had the usual array of good birds, and had the following new ones for the trip…

Dark Chanting-Goshawk
Grey Kestrel
Three-banded Plover
Wood Sandpiper
Bare-faced Go-away-bird
Green Woodhoopoe
Abyssinian Scimitar-bill
Beautiful Sunbird
Mariqua Sunbird
Flappet Lark
Bush Pipit
Taita Fiscal
Grey-headed Social-Weaver
Grey-headed Silverbill
Chestnut Sparrow

We returned to our tented camp a little before dusk (so missed out on a second chance of Bat Hawk) in order to eat and prepare for our night-drive that had been arranged. Things looked ominous during dinner (again fantastic!) as there was a heavy downpour (we had noticed distant lightning when exiting the park). Fortunately the rain eased and the trip went ahead with just the occasional light drizzle. We’d been very much looking forward to the drive and it didn’t disappoint, scoring the following…

Ostrich – one bird sleeping on the ground
Square-tailed Nightjar – nearly caught it, but flew at last moment
Senegal Bushbaby – excellent views
Zebra
Bohor Reedbuck
Common Genet – excellent views of probably two different individuals
Scrub Hare
Jackson's Chameleon x 2 (one in the hand)

Edit (29/09/2011): I think the Nightjar may actually be Slender-tailed Nightjar, not Square-tailed.