23 July 2019: Roadside Birding

The road from Queen Elisabeth to Murchinson’s National Park delivered regular smoke-breaks and birding opportunities. This day also produced a couple of tall stories, such as Rob Little trying to convince me that a warthog’s eyelids are connected to its tail by its tight skin. When frightened, the warthog squints to enable it to run through tall grass, and this action lifts up its tail like an aerial. I suggested that Rob adds more Coke to his Captain Mogran, because it is a well-known fact that a warthog’s tail and sphincter muscle are interconnected, when he gets a fright and clenches the muscle, the tail automatically rises. Another well-known fact is that there is no such interconnecting device in a baboon, when frightened its sphincter muscle has a tendency to disengage.

A long day of roadside birding produced numerous specials and not-so-special birds. At Kasese we found Piapiac, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Purple-banded Sunbird and Green-throated Sunbird. Near Fort Portal, in the Kibale Forest, a pair of stunning Petit’s Cuckooshrikes and Lesser Blue-eared Starlings were seen foraging in the canopy, while Orange-breasted Waxbills were found in a vlei area, accompanied by Northern Red Bishops and Black-headed (Yellow-backed) Weavers. Numerous Arnot’s Chats were seen in open woodland and Black-headed Lapwings in fallow lands next to the road.

Arriving at dusk at the Murchison’s Park gate we discovered a flat tyre. While waiting for the tyre to be replaced we saw multiple Pennant-winged Nightjars, and at least four individuals treated us with a simultaneous display. What a magnificent day of birding in Africa! This delay, however, caused us to be late for the ferry crossing, and after strenuous negotiations we managed to cross the Albert Nile at double the cost. We arrived at the Bwana Tembo Lodge at ten-thirty at night where we were welcomed and treated with a hot dinner. Captain Morgan went to bed without its skirt that protected him from bumps and assaults, being lifted.

Black & White Colobus, Kasese Road