This trail was the one I had been looking forward to the most as the potential for endemics and generally good birding was excellent, and for me it certainly lived up to it. Upon arrival at Entebbe airport Paul told us that the Broadbills were already on eggs, and us not knowing how advanced the eggs were, I was tense in thinking the youngsters would fledge before our arrival there. Anyway, today we were told the Broadbills were now feeding young, that actually gave us an even better chance of seeing Africa's most sought after species.......the African Green Broadbill. Unfortunately to get there, we had a blooming long walk. First highlight was a singing Archer's Robin-Chat and after this a couple of other good bits were seen. Our local guide kept stopping to show us species either seen before, or new but likely to encounter them again, so I kindly asked him to march on towards the Broadbill nest so at least I could relax for the rest of the day. The whole area was much larger than I had imagined and finding the Broadbills without a nesting tree seemed unlikely, so we were all relieved when we arrived at the nest, and just above it sat an African Green Broadbill. You know a bird is good when most of the group gasp at just how stunning it is, and this was one of those birds. The Broadbill sat motionless whilst we fired our machine guns/cameras at it. Over the hour we watched, a second bird came in and sat outside the nest where a chick was seen begging for food. No way was I expecting such an incredible encounter. We were also relieved as we could all now buy the Broadbill shirt we had seen at our lodge earlier. Again the whole day was spent around the swamp and also negotiating the enormous climb out of the valley that took a couple of hours. By the end of the day we were totally battered, but having cleaned up it was never an issue. A brilliant day!!
Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo - 1
Blue-headed Coucal - 1
White-headed Woodhoopoe
Olive Woodpecker - 1
AFRICAN GREEN BROADBILL - 2 (not including a chick)
Cape Wagtail - 2
Yellow-streaked Greenbul - 5
Carruther's Cisticola - 3
GRAUER'S SCRUB-WARBLER - 1
Black-faced Rufous Warbler - 1
RED-FACED WOODLAND WARBLER
YELLOW-EYED BLACK FLYCATCHER - 2
White-starred Robin - 2
ARCHER'S ROBIN-CHAT - 1
Chinspot Batis
RWENZORI BATIS - 2
STRIPE-BREASTED TIT
Green Sunbird - 1
Northern Double Collared Sunbird
REGAL SUNBIRD
Montane Oriole - 2
Lagden's Bush-Shrike - 2
Waller's Starling - 5
STRANGE WEAVER
DUSKY CRIMSONWING - 3
Black-headed Waxbill
Western Citril - 1
Archer's Robin-Chat
our first view of the Broadbill
African Green/Grauer's Broadbill - known as one of the most sought-after species in the whole of Africa. It is endemic to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Mubwindi Swamp located deep in the valley
this meant a long walk out but with staggering views, this one looking back down onto the swamp
