The Bale Mountains in southeast Ethiopia rise majestically from the surrounding plains. Formed by ancient volcanic activity and dissected by rivers and streams, these mountains are filled with deep gorges, stunning waterfalls and other spectacular vistas. It is an extremely important environment for avifauna with over 265 species recorded, including 6 endemics and many threatened species.
It was raining in Goba as we set out in the direction of the nearby mountains, hoping for better conditions as the sun burnt through the mist. This was not to be. We birded the base of the escarpment in intermittent rain and worked hard to find a pair of Abyssinian Longclaws in the open grasslands near some pans. The mist-enshrouded vegetation at the verges of the pans delivered Abyssinian Waxbill, Blue-winged Goose, Ethiopian Cisticola, as well as the albofasciatus race of the African Stonechat. The adult male of this race is entirely black and white – this subspecies may in future be granted full species status.
The road then climbed further past farmland that formed a picturesque mosaic of terraced pastures. Further up the mountain the scenery changed into dense scrub. Here we found coveys of the near-endemic Chestnut-naped Francolin and Rouget’s Rail skirting the edges of the road. At the Bale National Park boom just below the plateau we decided to return back to the hotel, as it was now raining incessantly. Late that afternoon, during a lull in the rain, I managed to find Brown-rumped Seedeaters in the garden of the hotel. This seedeater, endemic to the Horn of Africa, was easily identified as it is Ethiopia’s only unstreaked seedeater.
A very unsavoury incident happened in the dining room of the hotel. Previously I had met Elias, also a Flamingo Tours bird guide, with whom I was booked to bird in the nearby future. After dinner, while working through my photos, I asked Elias for some help in the identification of a raptor. His current clients, two Swedish birders, took grave exception to my request. A lady – correction, this is the wrong terminology – informed me in no uncertain terms that, as they were paying the guide, I had no right to ask for his assistance. To say that I was totally astounded was putting it mildly. This was the first time in over thirty years of birding that I received such a reaction to a request for help. Members of the birding community usually go out of their way to assist fellow birders. Later the evening, after these birders had left, Elias came back to apologise for the behaviour his clients.