FOREST BIRDWATCHING TOUR IN UGANDA.

Tour At-A-Glance;
Length: 14 days
Best time of year:Feb/March,June-Aug,Nov-Jan
Key Sites:Budongo forest, Kibale forest , and Bwindi forest.
Targets: African Green Broad bill, Dwarf Honey Guide, Archer's Robin Chat, Purple Breasted Sunbird, Handsome Francolin, Green Breasted Pitta, Red Billed and Black Billed Dwarf Hornbills, Leave Love,Chestnut Breasted Negrofinch and Crowned Eagle.

Overview
We have an immense passion for birding in Uganda's forests, so we researched and designed a spectacular 14-day forest birding tour in Uganda. This tour allows us to visit some of the top bird watching destinations, including Budongo Forest, Kibale Forest, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. We shall visit lush forests teeming with marvelous birds, with a focus on targets such as the bizarre Shoebill Stork and the Albertine Rift endemics. We will have an excellent chance of finding Gorillas on a tracking tour in Bwindi.

To complement all this, we take several drives in search of Africa's big game, as well as spending a special day looking for Chimpanzees.

ITINERARY:

Day 1: Arrival.
Our team of professional bird guides and drivers will welcome you to Uganda. Depending on the time of arrival you may choose to relax at the hotel or go bird watching straight away. Stay in Lindsay Cottages, Entebbe Botanical Beach Hotel or Sophie's Motel.

Day 2: Birding Mabamba Wetland. After an early breakfast, we begin our tour with a spell at Mabamba Wetland, where we could encounter Uganda's most famous bird, the enormous and thoroughly bizarre Shoebill. Other papyrus endemics can be seen, including White-winged Warbler and Papyrus Gonolek. A variety of herons, ducks and other waterside birds such as African Fish Eagle, Black Crake, African Jacana and Malachite Kingfisher can also be found here.

An early start will see us heading to Budongo Forest, bird watching along the road at specific birding spots, known only to our experienced Uganda bird guides. There are chances of rarities such as White-shouldered Black Tit, African Penduline Tit, Black Scimitar bill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-Shrike, Rattling Cisticola, the extremely shy Foxy Cisticola, Black-faced Waxbill, and Cinnamon-breasted Bunting. In the savanna, raptors could include Whalberg's Eagle, Bateleur and Martial Eagle, and this is a good area to search for the localised White-crested Turacco. Patches of marsh, papyrus and scrub around Masindi could well produce Grey-crowned Crane, Red-headed Lovebird, Ross's Turacco, Black-headed Oriole, White-browed Robin Chat, Red-faced and Carruther's Cisticolas, Greater Swamp Warbler, Whitewinged Warbler, Tropical Boubou, the colourful Papyrus Gonolek, Vieillot's Black Weaver, Grosbeak-Weaver, and Red-collared Widowbird, Grey-headed Olive-back and Brown Twinspot. Stay in Masindi Hotel or Court View Hotel.

Day 3-5: Birding Budongo Forest.
At dawn we will embark on a short bird-watching drive to The Royal Mile, one of the best of Uganda's bird watching spots. This is Uganda's historically known leisure spot for the Bunyoro King; hence the name Royal Mile.

Here the forest has been cut back a few meters along the sides of the main trail, which makes it a particularly good viewing area in this excellent forest. Special birds here include White-thighed and Black-and-white-casqued Hornbills, Yellow-spotted and Yellow-billed Barbets, Western Black-headed Oriole, along with Red-tailed and Blue Monkeys. Overhead, Sabine's and sometimes Cassin's Spinetails soar over the clearings.

As we walk quietly along the trail, Red-tailed Ant-Thrushes skulk in the shadows, as do Red-tailed Bristlebill, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Brown Illadopsis.
Greenbuls are ever a challenge and include Cameroon Sombre, Slender-billed, Honeyguide and Spotted, whilst other regular species are Speckled Tinkerbird, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Green Crombec, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Buff-throated Apalis, and both White-breasted and Grey-headed Negrofinches. Lower down we should see Chocolate-backed and African Dwarf Kingfishers, White-spotted Flufftails and the elusive Nahan's Francolin. Other possibilities here are Great Sparrowhawk, Cassin's Hawk-eagle, Crested Guineafowl, Tambourine Dove, Grey Parrot, African Emerald and Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoos, Yellowbill, White-throated Bee-eater, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird,Yellow-spotted Barbet, Yellow-crested Woodpecker, Dusky Tit, Western Nicator, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Forest Robin, Black-throated and Black-capped Apalis, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Brown-crowned Eremomela, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Sabine's and Cassin's Spinetails, Wilcock's Honeyguide, Yellow and Grey Longbills, Jameson's Wattle-eye, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Little Green Sunbird, Rufous Flycatcher Thrush, Yellow-mantled Weaver, Red-headed Malimbe and Uganda Woodland Warbler, Ituri Batis.

Day 6-8: Birding Kibale Forest.
Leave early for Kibale Forest National Park. This is a rather long drive, and we will bird at a few key spots along the way.

Kibale Forest birds include Grey-winged Robin, Blue-shouldered Robin Chat, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Black-billed Turacco, White-naped Pigeon, Green-breasted Pitta, Red-chested Flufftail, African Pitta, Cabanis Greenbul, Grey-throated Flycatcher, White-bellied Crested Flycatcher, Masked Apalis, Nahan's Francolin, Tiny Sunbird, White collard Olive Back etc.

Others include White-headed Wood Hoopoe, Crowned Hornbill, Yellowbill, Narina Trogon, Joyful and Honeyguide Bulbuls, Streaky-throated Barbet, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Wahlberg's Honeybird, Cassin's Honeybird, Masked Apalis, White-chinned Prinia and Banded Prinia, Pink-footed Puffback, Black-and-White Flycatcher, Olive Sunbird, Green Sunbird and Superb Sunbird, Mountain Wagtail, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Purple-headed Starling, Black-necked Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, and Red-headed Bluebill. There are a grand total of 13 species of primates to be found here including Olive Baboon, Chimpanzee, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, and Central African Red Colobus. Birding continues in the afternoon in the nearby swamps.

Stay in Ndali lodge, Nature Lodges or Chimpanzee Guesthouse.

Day 9-11: Bird watching and Gorilla tracking tour to Bwindi, Buhoma.
We will bird along the drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Bird watching in the evening around the forest margins of the forest is productive. In fact, Bwindi ranks among the best forest birding locations in East Africa and is home to over 23 highly localized Albertine Rift endemics.

Special birds include Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Grauer's Warbler, Banded Prinia, Black-faced Apalis, Black-throated Apalis, Mountain Masked Apalis, Red-throated Alethe, Yellow-eyed Black-Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Dusky-blue Flycatcher, Chapin's Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Cassin's Grey Flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, White-bellied Crested-flycatcher, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Mountain Illadopsis, African Hill-Babbler, Dusky Tit, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-headed Sunbird, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Grey-headed Sunbird, Mackinnon's Fiscal, Sooty Boubou, Pink-footed Puffback, Doherty's Bush-shrike, White-naped Raven, Montane Oriole, African Golden Oriole, Stuhlmann's Starling, Narrow-tailed Starling, Waller's Starling, Strange Weaver, Brown-capped Weaver, Black-billed Weaver, Dusky Crimsonwing, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Magpie Mannikin, Yellow-crowned Canary, Thick- billed Seedeater, Streaky Seedeater, African Green Broadbill, Shelly's Crimsonwing, Oriole Finch, Mountain Buzzard, Ayre's Hawk-eagle, Handsome Francolin, Black-billed Turaco, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, African Wood-Owl, Rwenzori Nightjar, Scarce Swift, Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Black Bee-eater, (Western) Bronze-naped Pigeon, Red-chested Owlet, Tullberg's Woodpecker, Elliot's Woodpecker, African Broadbill, Western Green Tinkerbird, African Green Broadbill, Lagden's Bush Shrike, Petit's Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Cuckoo-shrike, Archer's Ground Robin, Toro Olive-Greenbul, Ansorge's Greenbul, Equatorial Akalat, White-bellied Robin Chat, Olive Thrush, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, Grauer's Rush-warbler, Short-tailed Warbler, Neumann's Warbler and Red faced Woodland-Warbler.

In addition to being an excellent birding spot, Bwindi is home to the most sought after cousins of human beings, the Mountain Gorillas. Other mammals include Rwenzori and Yellow-backed Duikers and L'Hoest Monkey.

Dress appropriately, as Bwindi is at a higher altitude and generally cooler. Temperatures range between 10 and 18 degrees centigrade (50-64 degrees Fahrenheit).

Stay in Gorilla Forest Camp, Gorilla Resort or Buhoma Homestead.

Day 12: Bird watching tour to Bwindi, Ruhiija.
Ruhiija is where the most sought-after endemics of the Albertine Rift in Uganda are found, and what has caused Bwindi to be ranked the best birding spot in Africa by members of African Bird Club.

As we move up to Ruhiija, the high altitude section of Bwindi, we pass through and explore the "Neck," an excellent birding area in its own right. Roadside birding to Ruhiija provides a good chance of encountering Black Bee-eater, Augur Buzzard, Handsome Francolin, Red-throated Wryneck, Archer's Robin Chat, Collared Apalis, Bronze Sunbird, Scarce Swift, Black Saw-wing, Cassin's Grey and White-eyed Slaty Flycatchers, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Toro Olive Greenbul, Black-faced Rufous Warbler, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Doherty's, Many-coloured Bush-Shrikes, Ruwenzori Batis, Stripe-breasted Tit, Yellow Bishop, Collared Apalis, Purple-breasted Sunbird, Stripe-breasted Tit, White-naped Raven, Strange and Baglafecht Weaver, Dusky Crimson-Wing, Yellow Bishop, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Black-and-White Mannikin, the rare Dusky Twinspot, and Streaky Seedeater. Archer's Robin-Chat, Grauer's Rush Warbler, Lagden's Bush-Shrike, Dusky and Shelley's Crimsonwings. Other high elevation species occurring here are Olive Pigeon, White-starred Robin, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler and Mountain Illadopsis. Stay in Trekker's Tavern or Ruhija Campsite.

Day 13: Birdwatching tour to the Mubwindi Swamp.
After breakfast we hike to the Mubwindi Swamp for a whole day of birding. The 4 km trail to Mubwindi Swamp drops from 2,350 m to 2,050 m and is the best place for some of the most elusive rift endemics including Grauer's (African Green) Broadbill, the beautiful Regal Sunbird and Archer's Robin Chat.

Mubwindi Swamp is also home to Dwarf Honeyguide, Stripe-breasted Tit, Rwenzori Apalis and African Hill Babbler (sometimes treated as a separate species), Rwenzori Hill Babbler, the rare and localized Grauer's Scrub-Warbler and Carruthers' Cisticola, including very difficult to see species like Fraser's Eagle-Owl, African Green Broadbill, Grauer's Rush Warbler, Purple-breasted, Blue-headed and Regal Sunbirds, Grauer's Broadbills, Archer's Robin Chat, Eastern Mountain-Greenbul, Strange Weaver, Black-headed Waxbill, Bar-tailed Trogon, White-headed Woodhoopoe, Waller's and Stuhlmann's Starling, and Ludher's Bushshrike, Handsome Francolin and Montane Nightjar.

Day 14: Travel to Entebbe via Kampala.
Our tour winds down with a leisurely drive to Entebbe via Kampala. Ever alert, our guides will continue to bird the main road through the bamboo area for more chances to show you Albertine Rift and Highland Endemics.

Day 15: End of Uganda Forest Bird watching tour/ Departure.