Northern Tanzania, Usambara Mountains and Pemba Island (30 Nov - 20th Dec 12) (1 Viewer)

[dandsblair]

West Usambara to East Usambara (13 Dec)

Decided to just do a short walk in the grounds and get over to Amani area by early afternoon as we had been warned forecast was for heavy rain in the late afternoon. This meant no last try at the Usambara Weaver.
Birds before breakfast included African Paradise Flycatcher, tawny-flanked prinia, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, and White-starred Robin.
We were due to stay at Zigi's Guest House at the bottom of the mountain rather than at the Amani Guest House by the reserach station. Zigi's being slightly more modern, however there was no-one staying at Zigi's and there was no power in the area and the generator at the Research Centre didn't power Zigi's so Victor managed to get us moved into Amani, he also said the birds were better up the mountain, not sure that is completely true. Although it was very basic (we had the Blue Suite!), it is set up for shared use by researchers we had a room with two beds and 20 lockers so lots of storage space and there was at least hot water when the generator switched on and lighting a couple of times a day. We dumped our bags and grabbed some lunch before deciding that we would do some general birding round Amani mainly looking for sunbirds rather than go for a target bird.
I think this was a good call because we certainly seen all the sunbirds we were trying for, the best were Ulguru violet-backed, Banded Green, Usambara Double Collared, Purple banded, Amani and Mouse Coloured Sunbirds most of which were new.
In addition we had White-eared and green barbets, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Oriole Finch, Black-backed Puffback, Black and White Shrike Flycatcher and Harrier Hawk and even better it stayed dry until we headed back to the digs.
We arranged to go out just after dark to try to see the Usambara Eagle Owl on the trail where Victor had called it down just a couple of days before but just as we were about to leave the canteen after dinner the heavens opened and the path up to the rooms and the trail beyond turned into a river, some hours later it was still raining and we decided to give up and go back to the room (getting soaked in the process) and try again tomorrow.

Early start and a look out the window showed the rain had just abiout stopped, showered and dressed in the dark as generator was not on yet. We decided to head down the hill to Zigi area for some lower elevation species and in the hope that rain would be totally off there. The road was in a pretty poor state after the torrential rain so it took us almost 30 mins to go 7Km down hill, when we got there and got out the vehicle we saw one bird Silvery Cheeked Hornbill, didn't hear any owls calling and then the rain returned and it was very heavy, we waited an hour in the car, then tried again when it looked like the rain had eased off, but no sooner had we got out the vehicle than it came back worse than ever. So we decided that we try again tomorrow for the lower elevation birds and head back for breakfast. It was an interesting 45 minute drive up a flowing river to get back to the Research Centre but by the time we got back up the rain was just about stopped and we determined that we could try for Long-billed tailorbird and other target birds after breakfast.

We set off with waterproofs and without the scope or camera as we thought we would be soaked again but sods law just as it had in the W Usambara's it brightened up and the birds began to show really well. Firstly after a few attempts at calling it we heard the Tailorbird, after a bit of playback we got really good views of perhaps the rarest of the Usambara birds the Long billed Tailorbird, we then saw a mixed flock led by the as yet not described Usambara Drongo (clearly not Fork tailed or Velvet Manteled but awaiting species confirmation based on recent DNA analysis), the rest of the flock were nearly all lifers with a Usambara Hyliota (the first that Victor had ever seen near Amani - although a colleague had four records in the area), a noisy Green-headed oriole, Montane Tiny Greenbul, Striped Greenbul and Black-headed Bush Shrike, we also heard Fischers Turaco but despite trying to call it in couldn't see it.

Once the activity had died down and it was now pretty hot in the sunshine we headed back to centre. I set two chairs up on the porch and we waited for birds to come to us before heading for lunch, not a lot showed just Olive Sunbird, White-eared Barbet and Silvery Cheeked Hornbill, then when Sarah decided to go inside a nice bright Fischer's Turaco landed in the trees opposite, despite trying to call her in a hushed shout the bird reamained but when I had to get up and get her the bird decided to fly off. Despite telling Victor that Sarah now really wanted a Fischer's Turaco . (Note - he tried calling it at every forest opening over the next two days but despite lots of heard birds Sarah never did get to see one). Still a after the start we had it was a good morning and we still had a late afternoon and evening walk to look forward to.

 

[dandsblair]

Amani Reserve - E Usambara (14th and 15th Dec)

It was still dry and warm after lunch so we tried to walk the Mbamole Hill trail. First good bird wasSouthern Banded Snake Eagle, then a lifer in Red-tailed Ant Thrush, we then saw Green Barbet and in a swampy area another Long-billed Tailorbird only the second ever of this very rare bird but we were not too excited for some reason, other wildflife included Tanzan and Striped Squirrel, Blue Monkey and a sub species of Black and White Colobus. We couldn't identify the multitude of small frogs that seemed to have come out following the rains. Unfortunately we then had to turn back as the trail was flooded and although someone had tried to lay logs across the area it was too slippery to cross. On the way back we had White-eared Barbet, Ulguru Violet Backed Sunbird and Tamborine Dove.
Just enough time to head back to the centre and grab our torches before trying again for the Usambara Eagle Owl. First we tried where Victor had seen a bird only a few nights before, but after a good try at calling and no response, Victor took us to another known territory on the lower trail deep in the forest, but still we got no response not even a distant reply. Victor thought that maybe the heavy rained had caused the birds to move and so it was back to dinner and just one final try for the owls tomorrow morning.

Up bright and early and dressed by torchlight again, we went into the second trail and tried calling, fortunately there was a response two adult birds were calling and Victor reckoned the other sound was youngsters making a contact call, however despite calling more and a thorough search and it was now light we couldn't see the birds, so best we could do for Usambara Eagle Owl was heard. On the way back to breakfast via the more open areas we saw Silvery Cheeked Hornbill, Montane Tiny Greenbul, Red-capped Robin Chat, Striped Kingfisher, White-headed Mousebird and Wallers, Black Bellied and Kenrick's Starlings and a lovely Cabanis's Bunting. We decided that we would have breakfast and pack up before taking on the road down to Zigi's.

Typically as we were leaving the sun was shining and it was really heating up, so worry was that by the time we got down the road the birds would have become inactive. We need not have worried we quickly found a mixed flock almost inevitably lead by a Drongo and it included a good few lifers for us first up was the main target in the area Chestnut-fronted Helmet Shrike, then Little Yellow Flycatcher, Kretchmers Longbill and Speckle-throated Woodpecker and the supporting cast had Purple Banded Sunbird, White-eared Barbet and Black-backed Puffback[/. it was then onto Tanga airport just a short drive a way where we would say good-bye to Richard and Victor.

At the airport there was the first House Crow of the trip.
We had been slightly dreading the flight to Pemba with Coastal Aviation as the luggage limit per person is officially 15Kg per person including hand luggage and we each had a 15Kg bag, I had a camera and optics bag weighing 8Kg, Sarah had a small bag also 8Kg and a rucksack with guides etc of about 5Kg. I had asked Anita about how we would get on and she said we should be OK if the flight wasn't full, on a travel forum I was told that we would probably not have to weigh our hand luggage and we might get away with the extra bag or worst case buy a seat for it. As it turned out the flight was full (12 people) but they let us take on the Camera Bag and Rucksack and squeeze these under the seat in front (they almost fitted and 20 minutes was not too bad to have no leg room), however if we wanted to take the other small bag I would have to pay a luggage excess: I awaited the bad news of how much (Richard who was still with us had a word with the check in guy) and it turned out we had to pay just $8 US dollars, a dollar a kilo - RESULT.

On arrival at Pemba, Manta Resort had a car waiting for us. One hour later we were driving through Ngezi forest and Manta was just just a few miles away, so doing a bit of birding shouldn't be too bad.

 

[dandsblair]

Pemba Island, Tanzania (15th-18th December)

Just above the main Zanzibar Island (Unjuga) is Pemba Island, although very close to both Zanzibar and the mainland because it is separated from both by deep water trenches it has 4 endemic birds (Zanzibar has 0) and a few interesting sub-species.

I managed to persuade Sarah to come here so we could try for the endemics but also as I had heard that the snorkelling from the beach was incredible and it was really excellent with loads of fish, sea snakes and coral.
The deal was that we would largely relax around the resort with just a little birding around the grounds and the beach but with one full afternoon evening in Ngezi Forest and Surrounding Pools by the Rubber plantation. The Manta Resort was was actually excellent. Prices are per the web site, but everything is included, Food, spa treatments (i was even talked into joint massages - the first ever for me, in the end I actually had three), all drinks including wine and cocktails, water sports and equipment hire and the rooms were superb with the option of sleeping under a net on the balcony or in the rooms.

Birdings around the grounds should easily get you two of the endemics Pemba Sunbird (note - this was actually quite an eventful tick as it was my 3500 life bird; although I didn't know until we were doing our updates later) and Pemba White-eye were seen on almost every walk, with other birds such as Brown-headed Parrot, African Paradise Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Broad-billed Roller and Pied Kingfisher just as common. From the beach Striated Heron, Curlew and Whimbrel were regular with occasional Common, Wood Sandpipers and Dimorphic Egret .

There wasn't huge amounts of birds at sea although at high tide there were fairly close fly pasts of Heuglin's, Sooty and Black-headed Gulls, and Caspian and Greater-Crested Tern and over the three days we saw one each of Leach's Storm Petrel and Audubon's Shearwater and we did see a pod of dolphins flipping tuna out of the water and then feeding on them.

On the final afternoon / evening we had arranged to be taken out by Yacob (who works at Manta but is also a birding guide and has access to a car). Price for an afternoon/evening was $50 including transport and forest entrance, so we were only asked for a half days guiding rate. We went first to the fields and scattered wooodland, then to the pools and finally into the forest. In almost the first trees we looked at Yacob pointed out a Pemba Green Pigeon, we couldn't get on it at first as it was directly into the sun, but we managed to work our way round and saw two birds very well, and then a further 4 flew in. This was good result as we heard form a few others that the pigeons could be tricky and we had not seen then in the grounds at the resort despite them being almost regular there, other good birds in this area included Mangrove Kingfisher(L), Crowned Hornbill, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Madagascar Bee-eater, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Blue-cheked Bee-eater and Black-bellied Starling. .

On the pools were Purple Swamphen, Moorhen, Jacana, White-faced Whistling Duck, Little Grebe and Black-headed Heron

It was time to head into the forest although still too light for the Scops Owl, however in the fading light we quickly spotted Pemba Flying Fox and then Greater Bushbaby. It was now almost pitch black and Yacob started calling the owls. The first bird came in quickly but wouldn't make itself visible then a second birds arrived and they proceeed to call to each other and to answer our calls but without perching in a position where we could get them in the spotlight. It was about now that Sarah reminded me we had a special meal booked on the beach back at the resort and we should have left to go back 30 minutes ago (doesn't time fly when you are dipping on another owl), I agreed we should try for no more than another half hour, 20 minutes in and it was looking pretty grim lots of calling and birds dragging us this way and that until finally when we were on the main track a bird flew across my spotlight, not a great view and not the perched bird that Yacob had hoped for, but unmistakeable and thus could be counted. With that we agreed to head back and hope we wouldn't upset the staff by being 90 minutes late. Yacob said it would be fine and suggested we might want to go out again tomorrow to get a better view. I thought better of it and that was pretty much it.

PS Dinner on the beach where they do a special sea-food meal with lobster, giant king prawns, etc.. on your last night was excellent and they didn't seem to mind our late arrival.

 

[dandsblair]

And Finally

Late afternoon trip back to Dar Es Salaam. We were fortunate that they let us take all of our luggage on free of charge including the extra bags, we think because the plane was going to be at least an hour late.
This flight with Coastal Aviation was on a slightly bigger plane - 18 seats and being domestic, landed right by the exit gate and our baggage was with us within 10 minutes. Anita had arranged transport for us into the city and the driver was waiting and had loaded our stuff into the car in seconds.

We stayed at the Southern Sun Hotel in the business district on the basis that that it was close to the botanic gardens and the harbour as well as the museum so we could kill a few hours before our afternoon flight home the next day.

The Hotel had a chain feel but there was a lively bar and a good grill where steaks and beers were reasonably priced for a city hotel. In the morning we had a walk to see if anything new was to be seen;
We got a couple of trip birds Village Weaver and Indian Peafowl in the Gardens and we had a single Greater Frigatebird in the harbour. we did think about going up to the University to do some birding but decided to spent a couple of hours in the museum which has some of the better Oldvui George artefacts and lots of good local exhibits.

In summary we saw 430 birds (almost 100 lifers) and heard 2 Usambara eagle Owl and Weaver and saw over 40 mamals / reptiles.
So would highly recommend the trip, for those interested primarily in birds, you could perhaps cut one of the nights in Arusha and try for the Pare Mountain specials and maybe do just two night on Pemba and try a night in Ulguru. While we missed three or four target birds in the Usambara's we wouldn't recommend spending much more time there as you could still get hit by the weather and find the birds are not exactly where you hope they will be. It just isn't the sort of habitat to clean up on everything.

In terms of timing a friend of a friend has just gone out to Tanzania and if your hope is to see Wildebeest and Zebra births in huge number then January may be a better time to go but you then risk seeing less as everything is more widely spread due to more water holes as the short rains have got everywhere. Also some of the birds that were on nests or territories when we were there might have raised their chicks and become less active. So we would say December is a pretty good time to go.

Hope this is useful for someone planning a trip to East Africa

David and Sarah