We were up early but the hotel staff hadn't read the agenda meaning breakfast was later then planned. We left Masindi and drove to the start of the Royal Mile via a stop to pick up a local guide, and then seeing some nice birds along the way. The day was overcast but thankfully this didn't hinder any bird activity. From the off on The Royal Mile, some great birds were being seen/heard, and it took around 8 hours to complete the entire path. Some top birds were seen including the very rare Ituri Batis and Nahan's Francolin. Our necks by the end of the day were in agony as most birds here prefer the high canopy. Ants were a problem throughout the day, and when tracking down a Forest Robin, we had to cross a large colony that inevitably led to several painful bites, and pliers were needed to remove the head and claws that still attached themselves despite their body being flung elsewhere. The drive back through the small villages was nice with lots of kids waving at us, until a huge dark cloud dumped a couple of inches of rain on the area. A great days birding. A few Guinea-Congo biome endemics seen today that are capitalised below.
Crested Guineafowl - 3
NAHAN'S FRANCOLIN - 1
Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo - 1
Senegal Coucal - 1
Narina Trogon
African Pygmy Kingfisher - 10
African Dwarf Kingfisher - 3
Blue-breasted Kingfisher - 1
African Pied Hornbill
Speckled Tinkerbird - 1
Yellow-billed Barbet - 2
Brown-eared Woodpecker - 2
Yellow-crested Woodpecker - 4
Little Greenbul
Grey Greenbul
Slender-billed Greenbul - 4
Spotted Greenbul - 10
Toro Olive Greenbul - 5
Whistling Cisticola - 1
Buff-throated Apalis - 1
Yellow-crowned Camaroptera - 1
Olive-green Camaroptera - 2
Dark-capped Yellow Warbler - 1
Rufous-crowned Eromomela - 10
LEMON-BELLIED CROMBEC - 1
Grey-throated Tit-Flycatcher - 2
Forest Robin - 1
African Shrike Flycatcher - 1 fem
ITURI BATIS - 1
CHESTNUT-CAPPED FLYCATCHER - 15
Scaly-breasted Illadopsis - 1
Pale-breasted Illadopsis - 3
Brown Babbler
Dusky Tit
Black-necked Weaver
Red-headed Malimbe
Green-backed Twinspot - 1
Black-bellied Firefinch - 1
the mega Ituri Batis - awful photo as typically the bird was in the high canopy. The top photo just about shows the small white spot above the lores.
Hairy-breasted Barbets
Narina Trogan - now seen this species in three African countries
African Dwarf Kingfisher - arguably the best site in Uganda to see this forest dwelling Kingfisher
The Royal Mile - having now been there, its certainly one of my favourite places
Stormy!!
