Bukoba Steve's Uganda birding blog: Murchison Falls National Park and Budongo Forest

All of our commitments completed we headed off on Tuesday for our Christmas Safari. First stop was Murchison Falls National Park where the Nile River flows through a narrow channel for some impressive waterfalls (claimed to be the most powerful in the world). We arrived at Red Chilli Rest Camp around lunchtime. First birds inside the park was a pair of Abyssinian Ground Hornbills. We took a 3 1/2 hour cruise up river to the falls and back. The guides knew their wildlife and stopped the boat for cliff-nesting Red-throated Bee-eaters, Goliath Herons, African Darters as well as for every Nile Crocodile and Elephant. I mentioned I was hoping to see Rock Pratincoles and when we got to the falls I was told to keep an eye on one particular rock. Sure enough a Pratincole turned up quickly and posed nicely. We have done a few cruises in Africa and elsewhere and rated this one as excellent value for money - Wild Frontiers was the company.

To get to the main game viewing section of the park you have to cross the Nile to the north side. The first ferry leaves at 0700 and many campers were up early for this. We were tired from the previous day’s drive so day 2 started with a leisurely breakfast then the 0900 ferry. We spent 7 hours driving some of the many trails and returned on the 1600 ferry in time for sundowners and an early dinner.

This is the furthest north we have been in Africa and many of the mammals were new to us. Uganda Kob, Jackson’s Hartebeeste, Oribi, Patas Monkey and Reticulated Giraffe. No Zebra and only one or two Elephants and Buffalo. Lots of interesting birds but many familiar species were missing at this visit.

Red Chili camp is low-mid range but perfectly fine. The tents and banda were clearly oldish and a bit tired but our banda was fine. It had the advantage of an ensuite so no venturing out in the middle of the night and bumping into the hippo that comes and crops the grass each night.

Cruising on the Nile

One of the 5-6 different boats that run cruises.

Red-throated Bee-eater at its cliff nest hole.

No swimming!

Colobus monkey

Murchison Falls (remember The African Queen?)

Rock Pratincole

Oribi

Uganda Kob (female)

Reticulated Giraffe

Jackson's Hartebeeste

Day three saw us heading on a slow drive out of the park to the nearby regional centre of Masindi. We arrived at New Court View Hotel at lunchtime. That afternoon we drove out through extensive sugar cane plantations to the west towards Lake Albert. The border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda runs down the middle of this lake. We ran out of time to reach the lake itself but stopped at the top of the escarpment where we could overlook the lake and into the DRC. Our stopping point coincidentally was the best local spot for Mocking Cliff Chat. I had three lifers at this spot - the Chat, a Western Violet-backed Sunbird and a Black-billed Barbet.

View from Buiiso overlooking Lake Albert and the mountains of the DRC to the west.

Day 4 was exciting. We had booked a local bird guide - Raymond - to take us into the Budongo Forest along the famous (among birders at least) Royal Mile road. We collected Raymond nearby at about 0800 and birded the forest for 4 hours. I added 17 species to my life list and took it past 2000. I reckon I would have found 5-6 on my own. Raymond was well worth his fee. Birders planning to come here should do intensive training to strengthen their neck muscles. Most birds are 30 m up and vertically overhead.

The Albertine Rift is a major region for endemic animals and plants - most notably the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda, the DRC and Uganda. There are 41 Albertine Rift endemic bird species and the far west of Uganda is home to 25 of them. I am clearly hoping to see as many as possible over the coming days and the months ahead.