Allan Sander

Day 1:

Meet in Dar es Salaam. Overnight.

Day 2 & 3:

Fly to Pemba Island take taxis to Wete Hotel.  Remainder of afternoon bird the Ngezi Forest Reserve for the island’s four endenmics, Pemba:  Green Pigeon, Scops Owl, Sunbird and White-eye.  The following day chase down those birds we have not seen as well as the island race of African Goshawk, Brown-headed Parrot, Madagascar (Olive) Bee-eater and the erythristic morph of the Zitting Cisticola along with such coastal birds as Sooty Gull and Crab Plover.

Day 4:

Fly back to Tanga for a quick check along the coast for Crab Plover, Grey (Mouse-colored) Sunbird, Sombre Greenbul, Black-bellied Starling, Mangrove Kingfisher and Zanzibar Red Bishop.Then on to the Amani Nature Reserve. Walk the delightful botanical grounds in search of Southern Banded Snake-Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Green-headed Oriole, Green Barbet, Mombasa Woodpecker, Cabanis’s Bunting, Bohm’s & Mottle-throated Spinetails, and seven sp. of sunbirds:  Banded-green, Amani, Plain-backed, Olive, Collared, Amethyst and Uluguru violet-backed.

Evening stroll for Long-billed Forest Warbler (African Tailorbird), African Broadbill and Usambara Eagle-owl.

Day 5 & 6:

Morning and evening trips will take you to the Turaco and Ngua trails in search of Silvery-cheeked & Trumpeter Hornbills, White-eared & Green Barbets, Moustached Green Tinkerbird, Scaly-throated & Pallid Honeyguides, Forest Weaver, the ubiquitous Square-tailed Drongos and Black-headed Apalis, Kretschmer’s Longbill, the always engaging African Broadbill along with bill snapping African Paradise and White-tailed Elminia (Crested) flycatchers.  The rasping calls of a Forest Batis will definitely get your attention along with the guttural calls of Fischer’s Turacos.  Between the mid-story and forest floor our search will focus on the real skulkers such as Orange Ground & Mountain Thrushes, Sharpe’s Alkalat, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, and the very elusive White-chested Alethe and Dapple-throat (Modulatrix).

Other specialties requiring close inspection include the many Greenbuls:  Tiny, Cabanis’s, Shelley’s, Grey-olive, the noisy Little, Mountain, Stripe-cheeked and Yellow-bellied, plus Northern Brownbul.  Red-faced Crimsonwings should make a periodic appearance along with Bar-tailed Trogons.  Evening we will again search for the Usambara Eagle-owl.

Day 7:

A.M. bird one of the more productive trails at Amani.

Afternoon drive to Lushoto, the West Usambaras.  Depending on time, check out local forest area for Usambara Weaver, Orange Ground Thrush, Olive Woodpecker, Fulleborn’s Black Boubou, Red-capped (African Tailorbird) & Evergreen Forest Warblers and African Hill Babbler.

Day 8:

Drive to Grewal Sawmill tract.  Birds enroute include Usambara Weaver, Usambara Akalat, Red-capped & Evergreen Forest Warblers, Yellow-throated Woodland & Cinnamon-bracken Warblers, Usambara Thrush, Little Greenbul, African Paradise & White-tailed Elminia Flycatchers and Crowned Hornbill.

After pitching our tents we will hike further up the road in search of Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Cape Robin Chat, Fulleborn’s Black Boubou, Hartlaub’s Turaco, African Crowned Eagle and at a nearby pond we can expect African Black Duck, Mountain Wagtail and Yellow-bellied Waxbills.  Higher up are Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters, Sharp’s, Waller’s & Kenrick’s Starlings, Gray Cuckoo-shrike, White-starred Robin, Bar-throated Apalis, Yellow & Montane White-eyes, Usambara Double-collared Sunbird and we’ll keep our ears tuned in for another chance siting of White-throated Alethe and Dapple-throat.

Evening will present us with the Usambara Nightjar and another opportunity for the Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo.

Day 9:

Morning jaunt for the skulkers and more opportunities for all of the previous day’s birds.

Second overnight.

Day10:

A.M. search for birds previously missed and than our long drive to Morogoro.  Here you can play catch-up with your contacts back home via the many internet “cafes” throughout the town – very reasonable rates of US.50 cents/hour.

We obtain our permits for the next journey into the Uluguru Mountains. 

Day 11 & 12:

Drive to the town of Tegatero, pick up our porters and head off to our campsite on the slopes of the Ulugurus.  This side of the mountains reveals the problems of deforestation facing the many high altitude forests throughout the region.  On our walk up birds seen include Red-throated (Peter’s) Twinspot, Striped Pipit, African Yellow Warbler, Black-fronted Bush-shrike and Yellow-crowned (Golden) Bishop.

The forest highlights include Livingston’s Turaco, Olive Woodpecker, Lemon Dove, Spot-throat, Sharpe’s Alkalat, White-starred Robin, Chapin’s Apalis, Loveridge’s Sunbird, Winifred’s (Mrs. Moreau’s) Warbler and of course the Uluguru Bush-shrike.

Day 13:

Hike back to Tegetero then drive to Mikumi Wildlife Lodge and overnight.

Day 14 & 15:

Drive to Ifakara into the Kilombero floodplains in search of the regions three endemics:  Kilombero & White-tailed Cisticolas and the Kilombero Weaver.  Other marshland birds include Coppery-tailed Coucal, Lesser Swamp Warbler, Collared Pratincole, Black Egret, Open-billed, Saddle-billed and Wooly-necked Storks, African Skimmer, Knob-billed & White-faced Whistling Ducks, Grass Pipit, Red Bishop and Zebra Finches. 

Day 16:

A.M. bird through marsh and continue drive to Udzungwa N.P. Headquarters located on the Eastern side of the park.  This is a more accessible portion allowing not as strenuous a hike as on the western side.*   Overnight Twiga Hotel.

Day 17:  Hike up to Sanje Falls in search of  Rufous-winged, Forest Double-collared & Moreau’s Sunbirds, Bertrand’s (Bertram’s) Weaver, Chapin’s Apalis, Winifred’s (Mrs. Moreau’s) Warbler, Iringa & Sharpe’a Alkalats, Swynnerton’s  Robin, Spot-throat, Oriole Finch, Livingston’s Turaco, Olive Woodpecker, Red-capped Forest Warbler and African Broadbill.  Overnight camp at falls.

Day18:  Bird around site in search of the local specialties.  Overnight camp at falls.

Day 19:  A.M. bird and hike back to Twiga Hotel.  Collect gear and drive to Dar es Salaam.  Overnight.

Day 20:  Flight home for those in Dar es Salaam.  Others drive to Arusha and overnight.

Day 21:  Flight home. 

*A hike from Udekwa into the western side of the park provides a much better chance to see almost all of the above birds including the Udzungwa Forest Partridge.  However it is extremely strenuous and many individuals would not be able to make the two days of hiking to the campsite – Mufu camp can be reached in 6-8 hours nonstop for those in good physical condition.  Otherwise, plan on hiking 6-8 hours to Skinki camp the first day and than another 3-5 hours up to Mufu camp the following day.  This will add on an additional 3-4 days to the trip incurring an additional cost of $475/person**

Also a ‘pre-extension’ two day ($100) visit to Tarangire for the Ashy Starling, Fischer’s Lovebird, Rufous-tailed Weaver, Crested and Red-and-yellow Barbets and just outside Arusha, for Beesley’s and Athi Short-toed Larks. _____________________________________________________________________________________________

**Day 16:

Drive to Udekwa overnight at park headquarters

Day 17:  Organize permits, choose porters hike to Skinki camp.  Birds encountered Malachite & Variable Sunbirds, Black-fronted Bush-shrike and duetting Black-lored Cisticolas.

Day 18:  Hike up to Mufu camp birding along the way for the birds as previously mentioned on the hike up to Sanje Falls, plus chances for the Udzungwa Forest Partridge.

Day 19, 20, 21:  Daily hikes from camp up to the bamboo line for regular opportunities for the partridge and the other endemics unique to the area.

Day 22:  Hike down to Skinke camp

Day 23:  Hike back to Udekwa and drive to Dodoma. Overnight.

Day 24:  Drive back to Arusha. Overnight

Day 25:  Flight home. 

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 Target Species

The following checklist is by no means complete.  It basically highlights the more desirable and elusive birds to be encountered on this trip.  Some of the desirable, skulking ground birds can be found in more than one region so I recorded them accordingly.  For further information please contact Allan Sander at:  whitesander'at' juno.com.

Arusha/Tarangire:

Spike-heeled Lark, Red-and-yellow & Crested Barbets, Ashy Starling, Rufous-tailed Weaver and Fischer’s Lovebird

Pemba Island:

Pemba:  Green Pigeon, Scop’s Owl, Sunbird & White-eye

Mombo-Lushoto:

Rocky hillsides, Striped Pipit

Magamba-Grewal Sawmill:

Fulleborn’s Boubou, Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Spot-throat, White-starred Robin,

African Wood-owl, Usambara Weaver, Red-capped & Evergreen Forest Warblers, Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, White-tailed crested & Paradise Flycatchers

Sawmill:

African Black Duck, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Usambara Nightjar, Lemon & Bronze-naped Doves, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Olive & Mombasa Woodpeckers, Gray-cuckoo-shrike, Bar-throated Apalis, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Usambara Akalat, Spot-throat, Dapple Mountain-Robin, Cape Robin-chat, Olive Thrush, White-chested Alethe, Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Olive Sunbird and Forest Batis. Mountain, Stripe-cheeked, Shelley’s, Yellow-streaked & Tiny  Greenbuls, African Hill Babbler, Waller’s, Kenrick’s & Sharpe’s Starlings, Yellow-bellied waxbill

Sigi:

Half-collared Kingfisher, Trumpeter Hornbill, Fischer’s Tiuraco, Green Barbet, Yellowbill (Malkoha), Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Common & Square-tailed Drongos, Retz’s & Chestnut-fronted Helmet-shrikes, Little yellow Flycatcher, Forest Weaver, Amani & Plain-backed Sunbirds, Green-headed Oriole, Pale-breated Illadopsis, Red-tailed Ant-thrush, Crowned Eagle and Ayer’s Hawk Eagle, Bat-like & Mottled Spinetails.

Amani:

Banded-green, Collared & Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbirds, Green Pigeon, Black-breasted Glossy Starling, Pallid Honeyguide, White-eared & Green Barbets, Moustached-ghreen Tinkerbird, Paradise & Black-and-white Flycatchers, African Broadbill, Olive Ibis, Black-headed Apalis, Red-faced Crimson-wing, Orange Ground-thrush, White-chested Alethe, Sharpe’s Akalat, Red Ant-thrush, Spot-throat and Dappled Mountain-Robin.  Brownbul, Tiny, Little & Cabanis’s Greenbuls, African Crowned & Southern-banded Snake-eagles.

Long-billed Tailorbird, Kretchmar’s Longbill Cabanis’s Bunting and Green-backed Twinspot.

Uluguru Mountains:

Enroute… Peter’s Twinspot, Striped Pipit and African Yellow Warbler

Uluguru & Black-fronted Bush-shrikes, Livingston’s Turaco, Yellow-rumped & Red-fronted Tinkerbirds, Chapin’s Apalis, Loveridge’s & Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, African Broadbill, Olive-flanked Robin-chat, White-winged Apalis and Mrs. Moreau’s Warbler.

Ifakara:

Collared Pratincole, Coppery-tailed Coucal, Lesser swamp Warbler, Kilombero Weaver, White-tailed & Kilombero Cisticolas and Zebra Waxbill.

Udzungwas:

Enroute….Malachite & Variable Sunbirds and Black-lored Cisticola

Udzungwa Mountains:

Udzungwa Forest Partridge, Rufous-winged & Moreaux’s Sunbirds, Iringa & Sharpe’s Alkalats, Swynnerton’s, Dappled Mountain & White-starred Robins, Spot-throat, Olive Thrush, Orange-ground Thrush, Bertram’s Weaver, Oriole Finch, Red-capped Forest & Mrs. Moreaux’s Warblers, Chapin’s Apalis, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Black-fronted Bush-shrike, Livingston’s Turaco and African Broadbill.