Recently I went on a Photographic safari with 2 friends to Uganda. naturally , the focus was on the primates, that we were itching to see and photograph. Before we sunk our teeth into the Main Course of our Ugandan Primate Safari, we had the opportunity to see some of Uganda. We spent our first night in Entebbe, in one of the old presidential residences. And immediately the birdlife in Uganda took our collective breaths away….
The garden at the guesthouse produced some of the birds we were hoping to see. We saw Black headed Gonolek, Grey Parrot, Double-toothed Barbet and Eastern Paintain-eater, all while we enjoyed our first (of many), Nile Special Lagers.
The next morning, we were up early and on a flight to Kasese, to transfer to the northern parts of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. We checked into our lodge, and had a magnificent cup of Ugandan coffee. The lodge is perched on a Volanic crater edge, over-looking a sodic lake, with distant views of Lake George. Again the birdlife was insane, Bronze Sunbird, Copper Sunbird, Northern Double collared Sunbird and White-headed Saw-wing were seen, all while we were enjoying a couple of beers at the pool. In the afternoon, we would make our way to the Kazinga channel, for a boat cruise on the channel between Lake George and Lake Edward.
The northern parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park are dominated by 3 features, Volcanic craters(with Sodic lakes), Wide open plains with scattered Euphorbia tree’s and the 2 lakes(joined by the Kazinga channel).
And so we set out for our first activity, we found our first Ugandan kobs on the way, and numerous birds as we made our way to the launching point. The birdlife was incredible with an array of Kingfishers, Storks, Pelican, Black-tailed Godwit, Spur-winged Lapwing and plenty of Gulls and Terns all over the channel. We also had some really good large mammal sightings! Elephants swimming and feeding on the papyrus on the banks, Buffalo, Hippo and some rather large Crocodiles.
Our drive back to the lodge was a relaxing drive, as we continued to bird away. One of the classic images in this area is the birds of prey that use the Euphorbias as a perch. We found PalmNut Vulture, Bateleur and Western Banded Snake-Eagle on our way home.
Our next morning, we were going Chimp trekking and then making our way to the Ishasha sector of the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
