TANZANIA 2010: Two sides of Mt. Meru – (Arusha NP)

Shortly after entering Tanzania through the border town of Namanga, Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth tallest peak at 14,990 feet dominated the horizon in front of us. At the base of the mountain, on the northern side, lies the Lariboro Plains (above), a dry windswept expanse of short grass that colorful Maasai take full advantage of, letting their cattle herds roam freely. Somewhere amongst this landscape exists one of the worlds rarest birds, Beesley’s Lark. Scouring the area from the vantage point of our vehicles open roof we came across scores of Grassland Pipits and Red-capped Larks. Every once in while our hopes would rise as we spotted something different, but while these turned out to be Athi Short-toed Larks, Singing Bush Larks or Short-tailed Larks, all excellent finds, the rarest one eluded us.

By contrast, the southern side of Mt. Meru is centered around the bustling town of Arusha, the safari capital of Tanzania’s ‘Northern Circuit’. Arusha National Park, with Mt. Meru as its focal point, lies just  east of town. The climate and vegetation on this side is noticeable different – cooler, wetter and very lush! Arusha National Park is a small picturesque park at higher altitude than other parks on this circuit.  We spent most of our time in the foothills of Mt. Meru, beginning with a stop at Little Serenegti (above), a glade where Maasai Giraffe, Common Waterbuck, Warthog, Zebra graze and Bushbuck could be seen on the periphery of the forest.

Exploring the montane forest by vehicle, we spotted a lone Black Stork (above) in a roadside pond and paused for inquisitive Sykes Monkeys and acrobatic Black-and-white Colobus (below) with their long white bushy tails trailing behind them. A Suni and Harvey’s Red Duiker added to the mammal list, the latter very confiding for such a secretive forest antelope. A Hartlaub’s Turaco showed well and we had to crane our necks for the Black-backed Puffback, White-eared Barbets and Waller’s Starlings that bounced around the canopy. Thankfully the Black-headed Apalis was easier to see though the Cabanis Greenbul proved tougher to locate in the undergrowth.

Set in the midst of the forest is the impressive Ngurdoto Crater (below), a caldera whose steep sided walls enclose a lush marshy floor ideal for scores of Buffalo.

From the Mikundo Observation Viewpoint Mountain Buzzards and Tawny Eagles passed overhead and our only Saddle-billed Stork of the trip, looking more like a distant white dot on the far side of the crater, was located. As a Mountain Greenbul and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters worked the outer edges of the forest track, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill and the rich call of a Montane Oriole could be heard.

Patches of sun that made it though to openings in the forest floor gave us a nice showing of butterflies including Clouded Mother of Pearl, Dimorphic Admiral, Layman, Pearl Charaxes, Forest Glade Nymph and Raffray’s Whites.

Heading through the rolling grassy hills that led to the tranquil beauty of the shallow Momella Lakes (above) we came across a different set of birds. A Western Marsh Harrier quartered the golden fields and a vocal African Moustached Warbler (below) showed very well. Our first good find was a lone White-backed Duck on Lake Longh, and sadly while watching the waterfowl not everyone was able to see the Alpine Swifts as they flew quickly through.

Following a late boxed lunch along the serene lake shoreline, we watched a Black-shouldered Kite having finishing its midday meal, and soon located a few pairs of Southern Pochards on the water. We were entertained by Yellow Bishops, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chip-spot Batis, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Red-faced Crombec, Red-faced and Trilling Cisticola, Spectacled Weavers and White-fronted Bee-eaters (below), making for a nice mix of birds amongst the acacia dominated vegetation circumventing the lake.