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On Sunday I visited the southern fringes of Akagera National Park for a full-day's birding. My aim was to reach the shores of Lake Ihema, which I just managed, and had a very interesting day's birding in the process. I made a trip to this part of the park back in February, although then I went due east. This time, I wanted to stay on the periphery of the park (south east from Nyankora -1.938018° + 30.669278° to -1.961080° + 30.717770°) and make it to the shores of the lake; partly to investigate the human impact on this border area, and partly to get to the lake without coming across any Buffalo, which are, according to the locals, rather common in this part of the park.
See pic: http://kilnsey.tripod.com/south_akagera.jpg
I set off from Nyankora at just before 7am. In the farming valley just east of the town were a pair of Thick-billed Weavers, plentiful Scarlet-chested Sunbirds and Western Citrils. I didn't hang around too long, given the distance I had to cover and the rather Velcro-like nature of the children in this particular corner of Rwanda. As I sped up the hillside towards the transmitter mast that marks the south western corner of the park, I spotted Southern Black Flycatcher (I often see this species in the plantain groves), Eastern Black-headed Oriole, Black-crowned Tchagra (this seems to be much commoner nowadays – and nearly always in drier habitat than Brown-crowned) and Ring-necked Dove. The first interesting bird was a Copper Sunbird, a species I haven't seen since 9th May (and interestingly according to the Tanzanian Bird Atlas Yahoo Group, a species with local seasonal movements).
Migrants (very obvious today) at this stage included European Bee-eater (today's count was a minimum 120 birds – from just 3 parties alone) and Barn Swallow, which were omnipresent all day long; feeding, so v. difficult to count.
Black-collared Barbet was the first real fix; my 3rd record for Rwanda (my 1st, a breeding record, was nearby, and the other was also in the park). I found a fruiting… tree (not sure about the species), which provided the first of many Spotted Flycatchers as well as Ross's Turaco, Meyer's Parrot and more Common Bulbuls than you could shake a stick at, and before I knew it I was at the hill top mast, watching at a Familiar Chat, and spotting a non-breeding Yellow Bishop male nearby. As soon as I hit the park fringes, the species changed. I heard Yellow-breasted Apalis, Green-backed Camaroptera, and more distant, the call of African Grey Hornbill (the first time I've heard it in Rwanda, surprisingly – pre-breeding behaviour?). The Miombo woodland just beneath the mast had suffered from forest fire this summer, however, it was regenerating fast, with few trees burnt, and a fresh carpet of grass so green I was almost tempted to graze.
Collared Flycatcher
A little further and Marico Sunbird, Green Wood-hoopoe and Miombo Wren-warbler all came into range. The Spotted Flycatchers were very numerous here. At least 12 separate individuals within 30 minutes. Then I spotted a (female/non-breeding) Ficedula flycatcher also nearby. It took a while to get good views of, but when I did, the lack of white on the median coverts, combined with the fairly pale neck sides and no trace of a paler rump showed it to be a Collared Flycatcher, only my 2nd record for Rwanda after being shown one on Marcell's plot, and my first for Akagera or the east. Poor quality pics here: http://kilnsey.tripod.com/collared_flycatcher.jpg (photo on left)
This Collared Flycatcher turned out to be the harbinger of one of those golden birding periods (often early morning), when you can't point your bins anywhere without seeing beauty. Above, a party of over 50 European Bee-eaters swooped down to hawk above the trees, a few alighting for a well-deserved break on their way south. Another Pale Wren-warbler confided in me, allowing a few nice pics, and then one of my favourites of all: Souza's Shrike – surprisingly my first record for the park, and as with previous birds, quite confiding for photos (photo below): http://kilnsey.tripod.com/souzas_shrike.jpg What's interesting about this bird is how weak the brown is on the mantle and wings. Far closer to Mackinnon's than Red-backed. Then White-winged Black Tit, Red-headed Weaver (male looking bloody marvellous in breeding garb), Siffling Cisticola, African Paradise-Flycatcher and Black-backed Puffback.
The rush eventually died off, and I headed on towards the lake. In a small gulley below I found Lesser Honeyguide, Collared Sunbird, Sulphur-breasted Bush-shrike and Black-faced Waxbill. Above I spotted a male Bateleur, followed soon after by a female, and then another raptor broke the skyline: The distinctive contrasts of Brown Snake-eagle were easy to ID; my first record for Rwanda. A nice cameo, but it was soon gone back over the hilltop. As I passed through the thickest woodland in the gulley, a small dark sunbird that showed well turned out to be Purple-banded, my 2nd confirmed for Rwanda. As I began to come out onto the plains, Crested Barbet, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird (this turned out to be my 1000th bird record for the park) and Tabora Cisticola all showed up. A feeding party with Red-cheeked Cordon-Bleus and Trilling Cisticolas also turned up a finer delicacy: migrant Icterine Warblers, at least 2 (followed by another presumed different 2 birds half an hour later). A distant Greater Honeyguide was calling and White-headed Saw-wings were feeding low overhead as my phone went. I sat down for a 10-minute chat with my mum, who complained about English weather and her computer blues as I sat under an acacia tree in the blistering sunshine, happy that I was nowhere else.
As the plain flattened out, more birds followed: Chinspot Batis, Augur Buzzard, Lilac-breasted Roller, juvenile Grey-headed Kingfisher, and then Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater (this one the first of 3 seen today at 1340m – see previous discussion on the altitude flexibility of this species – I think this is our lowest confirmed record for Rwanda).
The sun wasn't planning to let off, so I decided to pick up the pace in order to make the lakeside. It was already 11am, and I had drunk half of my 3 litres of water. The park edge on this side is marked by a 4 foot-deep ditch followed by a bank (created since Google Earth pics were taken), presumably to keep the buffalo in and the cows out (although it is broken in several places, probably intentionally by cattle grazers taking livestock in). The top of the bank provides a nice vantage point and a convenient path. Before I made the lake I added Slate-coloured Boubou and Red-billed Quelea to my day list.
As soon as I reached the edge of the lake, the sounds and sights changed quickly; Hadada Ibis, Squacco Heron, Helmeted Guineafowl, Woodland Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper, Malachite Kingfisher and some very tall papyrus, broken only by several thick hippo paths. I tried to call up Papyrus Gonolek and White-winged Warbler, but got just Greater Swamp Warbler and 2 tsetse flies for my troubles.
By now it was past 1pm, and I was soon going to have to turn back. My water supply wasn't looking too good – 1 litre left, and it was getting hotter. I dived into a woodland glade, one of many small, thick copses on the lakeside to find a shady spot for lunch and was delighted to come across a pair of Scaly-throated Honeyguides, very confiding, allowing very nice views. This was my first ever record for this bird, and the real gem for me today. Smashing.
I sat down to have lunch under a tree before doing a last spot of lakeside birding which turned up more really nice records. In the dead treetops above I spotted a pair of Grey Kestrels, one of them a suspected juvenile (see photo: http://kilnsey.tripod.com/grey_kestrel.jpg ) Then in the tree above me, a weird frog-like call turned out to be a Broad-billed Roller, partner calling nearby. Before I headed off, I also got Red-capped Robin-chat, Purple-crested Turaco, Black Cuckoo-shrike (fem.), and a pair of Yellow-throated Greenbul. African Fish Eagle and Common Scimitarbill were the last 2 before I began my attempt to make it back in the belting afternoon sun with only half a litre of water, and an already dry throat.
As always, the way back turned out to be much further than the way there. I had seriously underestimated my water requirements for the first time in ages, and found myself having to leave nearly all (bird) calls for attention to ensure I made it back without any danger. The two notables on the way that I couldn't miss were White-browed Coucal and White (-crested) Helmet-Shrike (at least 4). I stumbled into Nyankora a little worse for wear, and found a bar with a fridge, ice-cold water and soda to quench my raging thirst. I got a few funny looks, but savoured the moment, wondering when I would be able to get back to that magical spot, if ever? I had only scratched the surface of this lakeside woodland, and I bet there's a lot more there to be discovered. Just under 90 species. Any previous for Scaly-throated in the park, Marcell? (Marcell: these are indeed the 1st records in Atlas project for this Species)
Jason
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