December 2005-January 2006

I express my special appreciation to Herbert Byaruhanga, the Chairman of Uganda Bird Guide Association. He arranged my birding trip, and traveled with me as a guide and driver. Herbert is a true professional bird guide.

In Uganda, many of West and Central-African birds can been seen in addition to a large number of East-African birds. For example, 7 species of "western and central" hornbills (total 15 species) and 5 kingfishers (total 12 species) are seen in Uganda. This is the primary reason why I decided to visit Uganda as the destination of my second visit to Africa (I visited Botswana and South Africa two years ago).

Secondly, several Ugandan specialties, such as Shoebill, Black Bee-eater, African Green Broadbill and Green-breasted Pitta, fascinated me. Thirdly, I have often wanted to see Mountain Gorilla. We visited to "western circle" clockwise (Entebbe - Bwindi Impenetrable NP - Queen Elizabeth NP - Kibale NP - Semliki NP - Budongo Forest - Murchison Fall NP - Entebbe). I would like to say thanks to Robert (Bwindi), Godwin (a ranger in Semliki), Vincent (Budongo), and George (a ranger in Murchison Fall), who joined to us as a site guides for a day in each site. They all have a wide knowledge about the birds in each site. Deo, a university student and trainee-guide, accompanied us for 4-days to learn how to guide. He is also helpful for me.

I had a trouble before arrival. The dense fog in Dubai airport prevented me from landing and making a transfer. So I arrived 30-hours late at Entebbe. Because I had a gorilla permit on the next day and it's only a chance for me to see gorilla, we were forced to make a long night drive to Bwindi for 10 hours. I'd like to show my thanks to Herbert for his "hard" work again. Besides I could not visit a few sites because of my delayed arrival, my birding trip was fruitful and enjoyable. Highlights of my 12-day's birding are as follows.

Bwindi Impenetrable NP (highland forest ~1500m): Mountain Gorilla, Bar-tailed Trogon, Great Blue Turaco, Black-billed Turaco, Black Bee-eater, African Golden Bunting, Bronze-, Collared- Little Green- Green-headed Sunbird, Magpied Manikin, African Emerald Cuckoo, Tit Hylia, Red-headed Malimbe, Petit's Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-spotted Barbet, Moutain Masked Apalis, African Paradise-flycatcher, Rwenzori Batis, Tullberg's Buff-spotted Woodpecker, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, White-headed Wood-hoopoe, and Red-tailed Greenbul.

Queen Elizabeth NP (savanna, lake): Klaas's Cuckoo, Verreaux's Spotted Eagle-Owl, Marico-, Scarlet-chested-, Purple-banded-Copper Sunbird, Pin-tailed Whydah, Pygmy-, Striped-Woodland Kingfisher, Red-billed Firefinch, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Grey Woodpecker, Agrican Crake, Black-bellied Bustard, Black-shoulder Kite, Black-headed Gonolek, Southern Red Bishop, Northern Black Flycatcher.

Boat Cruise on Kanzinga Channel (Queen Elizabeth NP): Over 40 species of common African water bird, such as Skimmer, Sea-Eagle, 2 Pelicans, 3 Ibises, and 3 Storks. Although I had no lifer during the 2-hours cruse, they are close, many, and very impressive. Wonderful!

Kibale NP (Forest): Chimpanzee, Black, Cinnamon-chested Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Great Blue Ross's Turaco, Black-crowned Waxbill, Compact weaver, Scaly-breasted Illadopsis, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Dusky Tit, Green Hylia, Sooty Forest Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Duck, Giant Kingfisher.

Semliki NP (lowland forest close to Congo): White-bellied Blue-breasted Kingfisher, African Pied, Piping, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Brown Twinspot, Yellow-billed Hairly-breasted Barbet, Red-bellied Paradise-Flycatcher, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Green-tailed Bristlebill, Crested Malimbe, Jameson's Wattle-eye, African Piculet, Red-headed Bluebill.

Budongo Forest ("Royal Mile" = flat, straight and broad trail in forest): Chocolate-backed, Dwarf, Blue-breasted, Pygmy Kingfisher, White-thighted Hornbill, Chestnut-capped Forest Flycatcher, Speckled Tinkerbird, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Double-toothed Barbet, Broad-billed Blue-throated Roller.

Murchison Fall NP (savanna, river, lake): Shoebill, Abyssinian Rufous-crowned Roller, Northern Carmaine, Swallow-tailed, Blue-breasted Red-throated Bee-eater, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Black-bellied Firefinch, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Grasshopper Buzzard, White Stork, Black-rumped Waxbill, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, Green Wood-hoopoe, Black-billed Barbet, Secretarybird, Greater Painted-snipe, Denham's Bustard, Rock Pratincole, African Paradise-flycatcher (White type!), Fan-tailed Widowbird.

On the Way from Murchison Fall NP to Kampala: White-crested Turaco, Bruce's Green-pigeon, Grey Kestrel, Lizard Buzzard.

Entebbe Botanical Gardens: Grey Parrot, Woodlang Kingfisher, Black-and-white Klass's Cuckoo, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, African Fish-eagle, White-throated Blue-ckeeked Bee-eater, Holub's Golden Slender-billed Weaver.

Common but fascinating birds: Grey Crowned Crane (National bird of Uganda!), Long-crested Eagle, Black-and-white-casqued Hornbill, Malachite, Grey-headed, Pied Kingfishers, and Weavers.

Target birds in next visit, which I could not see in this trip: Shining-blue Kingfisher, White-crested Hornbill, Rwenzori Turaco, Standard-winged Nightjar, African Green Broadbill and Green-breasted Pitta.