25 Aug 2019: Dondo to Gorongoza

We decided to travel the back road around Gorongoza National Park to Mpingwe Camp. While still on the Beira road Maans, who was driving, received a fine for allegedly speeding at 68 km/h in a 60 km/h zone. We knew we were again being taken for a ride, so after some intricate negotiations managed to pay much less than the initial amount.

While Maans was dodging gullies in the Dondo road I saw a small red and brown bird ducking into a bush near a vlei. We played the call of the Lesser Seedcracker and a male popped out looking for the intruder, giving us great photo opportunities. This was a new Southern African lifer, and the old-man shuffle was duly danced. Later, while birding near Inhaminga, we found Pale Batis, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Retz’s Helmetshrike and Grey-headed Bushshrike.

Lesser Seedcracker, Dondo

Mandela Shuffle for Seedcracker

We arrived at Mpingwe at dusk, hearing the newly split Kirk’s Francolin around the camp. To my utmost regret the call of a cold 2MM beer was louder than that of the Kirk’s, and I presumed we would see many more the next day. We searched the surrounding forest for the next two days but the Kirk’s Francolin had disappeared into thin air. I had missed an easy Southern African lifer! I do not have a boot large enough to kick myself on the backside to do some serious harm, so I will have to settle for Maans’s enlightening conversation and a few more 2MM’s.