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.