Tanzania days 9 - 11: Ngorongoro

Our final region visited during our recent Rockjumper tour to Tanzania was Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In fact, we visited Ngorongoro twice during the tour, once on November 10th, en route to the Serengeti, and again, post Serengeti, on November 13th - 14th, plus a little more birding on the way out on the final day on our tour, November 15th. Ngorongoro Conservation Area is very special, because it uniquely includes two very distinct ecosystems: the crater rim, covered with lush forests hosting a mouthwatering array of highland species, and the crater floor, with grasslands, wetlands and dry lowland forest.

Birding along the crater rim was fantastic, though thick early morning fog made it trickier for some hours. Already by the Lodoare Gate area we started seeing great birds, including the east African endemic Gray-capped Warbler, African Emerald Cuckoo, Spectacled Weaver and more.

Gray-capped Warbler

African Emerald Cuckoo - female

Spectacled Weaver

Driving up the ridge, we stopped to check a nice gully and had amazing views of a pair of Schalow's Turacos, though my photos aren't great, from a mile away. Check Kathy's photos in the eBird checklist here. I missed the photo opp when they landed so close. 

We birded a few more spots along the crater rim, with a focus on the few places where we could walk. Nyati Campsite was fun, with Bronze Sunbird performing, Cape Robin-Chat, Hunter's Cisticolas, African Citril, African Stonechat, Red-cowled Widowbird, and many more.

Bronze Sunbird

Cape Robin-Chat

African Stonechat

Red-cowled Widowbird

Hunter's Cistocola

I was intrigues by the local form of White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher, nyikensis. So different-looking from the widespread form in Kenya, fischeri, that is darker and has a very broad pale eye area. Surely their taxonomy needs to be better studied.

White-eyed Slaty-Flycatchers: ssp. nyikensis from my recent @RockjumperTours tour in Ngorngoro, Tanzania; ssp. fischeri from Naivasha, Kenya, July 2022. How can this be one species? pic.twitter.com/Fcdotn6cKl

— Yoav Perlman (@yoavperlman) November 18, 2024

The most surprising birding location was Ang'ata Camp. The staff there were very friendly and allowed us to roam the camp grounds. We were stunned by the quality birds there. Brown-backed Woodpeckers, territorial African Hobbies (!), Brown-headed Apalis, adorable Yellow-bellied Waxbills - great stuff.

African Hobby!

Brown-backed Woodpecker

Brown-headed Apalis

Yellow-bellied Waxwing - cutest bird of the trip

Driving along the crater rim, we had many brief views of one of the most stunning birds in East Africa - Golden-winged Sunbird. It took us a while until we found a cooperative male - he's incredible isn't he?

Around the crater viewpoint it was possible to walk by the toilet block, where Gray-capped Warbler showed well again. Nearby were Gray-headed Nigritas (no photos sadly), Abyssinian Thrush and several beautiful Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters. Really excellent birding.

Gray-capped Warbler

Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

And here's the cinnamon chest of the Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater

Abyssinian Thrush

Down the bottom of the crater it was a totally different story. Wonderful story, in totally different flavours and colours. We descended into the crater from the eastern slope, with the sun in our backs. It was a beautiful descent, from the lush forest into the rich grasslands. Immediately we started seeing lots of mammals and birds. Among the mammals we had one Black Rhinoceros - distant but good views of this rare giant. We also had more Lions, and another exciting and close encounter with African Wolf.

African Wolf

The wetland and Lake Magadi held huge numbers of birds. Many flamingoes, ducks, gulls and shorebirds kept us very busy for a few hours.

African Rail

Blue-billed Duck photobombed by Lesser Flamingo

Lesser Flamingos

Layers of Ngorongoro: Lesser Flamingos, Great White Pelicans, Black-winged Stilt (right), Barn Swallow (left), Thomson's Gazelle, Zebras and a safari vehicle

The surrounding grasslands and woodland had some great birds. We got our fill of Gray Crowned-Cranes - they are such stunning and elegant birds, especially from up close. They were numerous inside the crater. 

The picnic site in Lerai Forest held Speke's Weavers and showy Rufous-tailed Weavers.

Rufous-tailed Weaver

Speke's Weaver

On our very final morning of the tour (november 15th) we travelled back from Karatu to Arusha. I hijacked my group on my eBird checklist streak challenge, and we stopped for a short birding session along the access road to A Nomad's Lodge. It was nice there and we enjoyed open woodland birds. African Goshawk was nice.

Black Goshawk

Black Cuckooshrike

Slate-coloured Boubou

White-browed Robin-Chat

And that wrapped up our Tanzania tour. 433 bird species which is pretty good I reckon, 36 mammals, nonstop top-class birding and wildlife, stunning scenery, spotless logistics organised by our ground agent. Special thanks to Peter, our local guide and driver, who did an excellent job. Check the detailed trip report on Rockjumper website here, and the eBird trip report here, complete with photos of 292 species taken by Kathy and me.

Tanzania days 7 - 9 - Serengeti

How can one summarize four days in one of the world's greatest wildlife reserves in one short blogpost? big challenge but I will try. Our next destination during the recent Rockjumper tour I led was the world-famous Serengeti National Park. We arrived in the afternoon of November 10th, spent two full days in the park (November 11th and 12th) and drove out on November 13th. We stayed at Kontiki Tented Camp, located west of central Serengeti. It was wonderful to stay there, and its position also provided easy access to the western corridor of Serengeti. 

I will start with mammals. Heavy rains in the southwest of Serengeti resulted in fresh grass developing there. This brought in large numbers of mammals, and it was fascinating and thrilling to watch those mobile parades of thousands on Wildebeest and Zebra, feasting on the green grass. 

Happy Elephants

And Giraffes

Plenty of Hippos in the Hippo pools

Some served as Black Crake habitat

For most 'normal' tourists visiting the Serengeti, Big Cats are the main target. Despite our focus on birds, we did quite well in that area too. On our second full day, in the central zone of Seronera, we encountered three (!) Leopards, resting in trees. They are such beautiful animals.

Spot the plane in the background, coming in to land on the airstrip

When we watched this Leopard resting up in a tree, a naïve Giraffe approached the tree, unaware of the predator ambushing above its head. We could see the Leopard contemplating what to do with the stupid Giraffe: To jump or not? Eventually it chose not to go for it, perhaps because it was a very large Giraffe, oversized for a Leopard I guess.

Lions were plentiful, normally seen sleeping. 

The Lion King

Sorry for the graphic images. It was a breathtaking encounter, to watch this lioness with four cubs feeding on a fresh Zebra kill.

When we found this Lioness it was obvious she was meaning business. Check the look in her eyes - she was going for a kill. A large herd of Wildebeest and Zebra had just crossed a nearby stream, in a very tight formation. 

She brushed against our jeep - close enough to stroke her. Check her focused look. From so close all her scars, cuts and parasites were evident. Maybe because she was solitary her attack didn't succeed, but it was very exciting to watch, too quick to photograph.

This Spotted Hyena deserves a cuddle doesn't it?

Haartebeest - one of the less familiar antelopes

On the way out of the park we bumped into this African Wolf - a very cool mammal

Many mammals carried passengers - Red-billed Oxpeckers:

Yellow-billed Oxpecker on this Buffalo

Sometimes it was challenging to decide what to look at, birds or mammals. We birded hard, and saw so many great birds. Naabi Hill Gate hosted a battle of giants, two groups of Black-Lored Babblers clashed and it was stunning to watch:

We had there our first Hildebrandt's Starlings as well

Plenty of the iconic (and threatened) Kori Bustards inside the park

Secretarybird is another iconic bird, albeit bizarre

So is Lappet-faced Vulture - prettier from a distance

Early morning sunning for this Ruppell's Vulture, after a cold, wet night

Bateleur - never boring

Hartlaub's Bustard

Gray-breasted Spurfowl - endemic

Check that eye of the Greater Kestrel

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse after drinking - so beautiful (Black-headed Heron in the background). Check the primary moult in the male

Gray-backed Fiscals

Isabelline Shrike - one of many Palearctic migrants we saw

Usambiro (D'Arnaud's) Barbet

Fischer's Lovebirds were present in good numbers but not easy to photograph

We found the woodland near Kontiki very productive. Right by the camp we found, among the many birds, two very good species - Brown-backed Honeybird, looking and behaving very flycatcher-like:

And Miombo Wren-Warbler

Striped Kingfisher

Gray-crested Helmetshrikes - such charismatic and noisy birds

Pearl-spotted Owlet

A trip out to the western corridor on our first morning was highly successful. We found Black-headed Gonolek at a few spots. Super birds. This pair performed very well but for some reason my camera didn't. Sorry.

One of our main targets was Maasai Apalis, recently split from Karamoja Apalis, endemic to Serengeti/Maasai Mara system, found only in this unique thorny acacia habitat.

It took us some searching but eventually we found a trio of this globally threatened beauty. What a privilege to spend time with these rare birds. 

They performed very well

They even sang to us!

Out in the west we found another good bird - Levant Sparrowhawk. In recent years it has been discovered to be a rare but fairly regular migrant and winter visitor to the Serengeti. This information doesn't appear in the Birds of East Africa book yet - according to my friend Itai Shanni this information will appear in the next edition.

Next destination - Ngorongoro!