15th December 2003 - Running total:17 species, 6 ticks

25 hours on two planes from Sydney to Entebbe. Great contrast between the grey sands and mountains of the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, the parched earth of Somalia and Ethiopia, and the green carpet of Uganda. Dramatic arrival over Lake Victoria - had to have faith that there was going to be a runway somewhere as we descended over the water!

In the evening we were guests of honour at the launch of the Uganda Birding Association. This was sprung on us at the last minute, as was the proposal that we give one of the keynote addresses! Fortunately Chris has an official capacity in Australian birding circles (being NSW Birdline recorder) and therefore we dobbed him in for the speech. He carried off the task with great aplomb, though confessed later he hadn't actually said anything he'd meant to. Our previous experience of official Ugandan functions (when we attended a trade delegation in Sydney earlier in the year) was confirmed here, with the need to have lots of speeches over a number of hours - almost too much after the 25 hours in the air.

16th December 2003- 81 species, 45 ticks

Spent the night in Kampala at the Red Chilli Hideaway. Up at 6am (very civilised for an overseas birding trip), and drove south to Lake Victoria again. Today was the day we were searching for our key bird, the shoebill stork, and so we rowed out in a dug-out canoe into the papyrus swamps bordering the lake. Very relaxing meandering along lily-covered channels in the swamp, with the only sounds being the gentle splash of oars in the water and the occasional yell of delight as a shoebill soared into view. Saw our first monkeys, and a sitatunga, a shy swamp deer only found here and in Congo.

My first caffeine-free day in years!

17th December 2003- 137 species, 85 ticks

After a couple of days of basic meals on the run, this mornings breakfast at the Collins Hotel was like a "Survivor" reward challenge! We tried to maintain some dignity throughout.

Birding in the Mabira Forest in the morning, then drove to Jinja to see the Source of the River Nile. This where the Nile starts its three month trip from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean. In contrast to my vision of "the source" as a babbling brook emerging from a rocky hillside, the Nile starts as a fast flowing river at least 500m from bank to bank.

One road-side sign that caught my eye was advertising "garden fresh tea" (a common crop throughout the trip) which I thought was quite nice. Another random observation was the absence of dogs throughout - contrast this with Asia where every street has a few undernourished animals wandering around.

Evening rush hour in Kampala. Yuk! Diesel fumes and little forward momentum. The locals don't seem to mind though, and to date they have been unfailingly polite and helpful. A fact reinforced in the evening when I read a note in my room from the Genial Manager (I assume they meant "General"!)

18th December 2003- 166 species, 103 ticks

A long drive from Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park. Ugandan roads are not built for speed, being largely ungraded dirt, and while our guide/driver Herbert proved consistently cautious in his driving, there wasn't much he could do to spare us the inevitable jolting around in our bus - 8 hours for around 250km. We were relieved therefore to reach the Park. However this relief was short-lived when we realised that the main reason the park exists is the tsetse fly, a rather innocuous looking fly with a nasty bite (that is fatal to cows) that was present in plague proportions here. Though we never experienced a bite during the entire stay, its reputation (and the fact they swarmed outside our bus on occasion) kept us a bit nervous - and resulted in Brad emerging from the bus at speed with books and cameras tumbling to the floor when one slipped through our defences to the inside of the vehicle!

19th December 2003- 225 species, 131 ticks

A dawn cruise on the Nile. Nice views of elephants, and our best views of the shoebill, with a pair in full view next to the river allowing close approaches. Continued down the Nile until it emerged into Lake Albert. From here we got our first distant views of Congo (formerly Zaire) - looked relatively harmless, despite the atrocities that seem to occur there daily.

Lunch at (another) Red Chilli Hideaway, followed by birding from our wicker chairs overlooking the Nile. Felt very much like "colonials abroad".

Visited the Murchison Falls themselves in the evening. What a sight! The entire River Nile (500m wide at its source, 300km earlier) is forced through a gap in the cliffs around 10m wide, causing huge turbulence and (reportedly) the strongest surge of water on Earth. Huge "surf" as the water tumbled through this gap - undoubtedly one of the most dramatic sights I've seen. The tens of thousands of bats departing from their cave at dusk were sadly no competition for this.

20th December 2003- 256 species, 147 ticks

A 7am crossing of the Nile for a "game drive" in the Northern part of the Park. The Australian government web-site had advised against crossing the Nile due to the activities of the Lords Resistance Army in Northern Uganda, but the locals told us they had never approached within 70km of the Park, and I felt as safe and relaxed as anywhere in the world. The drive gave us good views of various "big game" including giraffe (truly wonders of nature when you see them outside of zoos).
Lunch at an expensive lodge gave us very tempting views of a sparkling blue swimming pool, but we had to return to our more modest (but still nice) lodgings on the "south side" of the river by evening.

21st December 2003- 272 species, 157 ticks

Rain and a puncture resulted in a frustrating day, and our first major dip (Puvel's Illadopsis - yes, it is a bird, not a tropical disease). The day was enlivened however by an encounter with a troop of chimpanzees - watched them playing around in the trees, shrieking "just like in the movies". Tropical storms in the rain forest are not without some atmosphere and I enjoyed soaking (literally!) in the ambience as we sheltered from one impressive example.

22nd December 2003- 300 species, 182 ticks

Visited the legendary "Royal Mile" at Budongo forest today, a straight wide path cutting through primary rainforest that, apparently, some Ugandan king in history had his morning constitutional along on a regular basis.
Bit of a step down in accommodation this evening, in a block attached to a Forestry Office, with a ragged mosquito net, cold water and intermittent electricity. The inadequacy of the mossie net was highlighted by me having to fight off the "mother of all wasps" that got into the net at 1am. Not much sleep!

23rd December 2003- 311 species, 192 ticks

A long bouncy drive to Kibale Forest today, through the usual combination of red dust and black diesel fumes. Initial impressions were of a further step down in the accommodation again (no showers, pit toilets, no electricity) but I have to say in retrospect the nights here were the best sleeps of the trip - the pitch black sky with no sounds but the insects of the forest were just what I needed. Food was another issue though, and these were our initial encounters with the Ugandan "stews" which proved to be what you call all the bits that are left over after the meat has been removed.

24th December 2003- 327 species, 208 ticks

Slow, slow, slow birding in the forest at Kibale. In the afternoon we saw two birds in four hours (though we did have nice views of a troop of chimps - even they too quickly fell asleep!) However it provided an excuse to relax around the "bandas" (our huts) reading books and having a leisurely (if not very tasty!) lunch.

25th December 2003- 347 species, 226 ticks

Snow on the equator on Christmas Day?! Chris excitedly dragged me from my banda to show me the white stuff on the top of Mount Rwenzori which was visible through the haze from our forest. Kibale was devoid of birds again in the morning, so we left for the nearest town (Fort Portal) to dine on a desiccated fried chicken for Christmas lunch.

Passed over the equator in the afternoon. Thankfully there were no tourist traps here, just a line crossing the road (and a concrete block confirming this was indeed where summer becomes winter and vice versa). Entered the Queen Elizabeth National Park around dusk. This looked more like the Africa of tourist brochures - vast plains dotted with acacias and scrub, and herds of animals visible close to the road. I was excited!

A Christmas dinner an upmarket lodge proved almost too much for us, struggling to finish a three course meal that would have posed no threat two weeks earlier (before our stomaches contracted in the face of the Ugandan "stews"). Very pleasant though (including turkey and Christmas pudding, and a nice South African chardonnay).

Unfortunately the noisiest accommodation of the trip in our basic dormitory nearby, and I got virtually no sleep. The pillow here was remarkably large and firm (like a brick!) - Brad suggested I take it with me. "What as, body armour?" was my response.