The Bavumba mountains in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe is a twitcher’s heaven, and Seldomseen is one of Southern Africa’s premier birding venues. I arrived with a ghostly mountain mist twirling through the forest, and soon ticked the White-starred Robin and the Orange Ground Thrush. That evening it poured with rain, and I took grim note of all the leaks in the camper that needed further attention.
The next morning I was privileged to bird with Buluwesi, the local guide, in the numerous indigenous evergreen forest paths dripping with ferns, mosses, orchids and unusual fungi. We very soon ticked Livingstone’s Turaco, as well as Robert’s-, Dark-capped Yellow-, and Barratt’s Warblers. Later the morning, at Cecil Hill outside Mutare, the Miombo Rock Thrush and Striped Pipit were seen. This was followed by Whyte’s Barbet and Green Twinspot at the Mutare Golf Club.
I must confess that Buluwesi got very frustrated with me for not seeing the Red-faced Crimsonwing he time and again tried to point out to me in the depth of the forest. His “There! There!” was usually followed by my “Where? where?” Then followed another “There!!!! There!!!!!” while I desperately tried to see a little dark form flitting away in the leaves. Then the inevitable “Too late, its gone…” the tone inferring that I was either blind or a complete moron. After this animated discourse happened a few times I was inclined to believe him. In the end the Crimsonwing had to be ticked as “heard”.