TANZANIA – Arusha NP
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Mar 18, 2009 | by Adrian Binns
We spent a few hours this morning in the shadow of Tanzania’s two highest peaks Kilimanjaro and Meru, at about an elevation of 5 to 6000 feet. Juts outside our lodge we found a huge Hamerkop nest in a Yellow-barked Acacia and had Maasai Giraffes wandering about near the road.
The tall dense forest is prime primate habitat and easily encountered are Syke’s Monkeys (left) and Black-and-white Colobus. African Crowned Eagles (below right) prey on the latter, often picking off unsuspecting victims from the canopy.
Along open stretches of montane forest the tall grasses and shrubs produced Tawny-flanked Prinias, African Moustached Warbler, Pangani Longclaw, Trilling Cisticola, Isabelline Shrike and a singing Common Nightingale.
Arusha NP has a number of small seasonal lakes but the two large Momella Lakes, Big and Small are certainly good for waterbirds in winter. We found Southern Pochards and Maccoa Ducks amongst many Little Grebes and at another lake Red-knobbed Coots an Long-tailed Cormorant. A short stroll along the Small Lake track produced Yellow-throated Apalis, Red-faced Crombec, Tropical Boubou, Nubian Woodpecker, Scaly Francolin, Rufous Chatterers, White-winged Widowbirds, Yellow Bishop and stunning looks at White-fronted Bee-eaters (below).
all photos © adrian binns