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On Sunday I headed out to Kageyo (1°50'37.40"S+30°39'36.30"E), a village on the edge of Akagera National Park, where there are 2 good dams and lots of habitat (albeit being degraded, deforested and burnt with alarming rapidity). I wanted to see if there was any sign of the Madagascar Squacco Herons I had seen back in June. There hasn't been a drop of rain in E. Rwanda since mid-June, and birds may be flocking to the wetlands.
On arrival I was delighted to see 5 Greater Painted-Snipe on the first dam, 3 females and 2 males: 
This was my first record for this species in Rwanda. Huge numbers of finches and doves were flocking for early morning drinks, including Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Bronze Mannikin, Yellow-fronted Canary, Red-billed Firefinch, Pin-tailed Whydah, Red-billed Quelea and Green-winged Pytilia, all in very good numbers. Among the Red-eyed and Ring-necked Doves I spotted a much rarer species, an African Mourning Dove – my first record for Rwanda. I wonder if the dry season is pulling some species westwards? Several firsts for my Akagera list in the vicinity included Purple-crested Turaco and Pink-backed Pelican (strange I hadn't seen this species before in Akagera). Migrants were beginning to arrive. A total of 6 Wood Sandpipers on both dams (some could have been repeats), 1 Green Sandpiper on the 1st dam (uncommon in E. Rwanda), and `several' Barn Swallows refuelling above the 1st dam. (I say several; I definitely identified 3 thanks to tail streamers or good views of throat. Others may have been Angola.)
An excursion into nearby acacia woodland unearthed a smashing feeding party, with the following: Red-faced Crombec, Sulphur-breasted and Grey-headed Bush-Shrikes (the latter practising his eerie call for reasonable photos: http://kilnsey.tripod.com/grey-bush.jpg ), Yellow-breasted Apalis, Greater Blue-eared and Ruppell's Starlings, Black-lored and Arrow-marked Babblers, Black-faced Waxbill (in very good numbers today everywhere I went – usually uncommon) among several of the previously mentioned finch species, White-browed and Red-capped Robin-Chats, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Black-headed Gonolek and Slate-coloured Boubou, Yellow-throated Greenbul, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Southern Black Flycatcher, Trilling Cisticola, Pale Wren-warbler, Brown-throated Wattle-eye (incl. juvenile). Eventually this party seemed to disperse in 3 different directions, leaving the Grey-headed Bush-Shrike still calling in bare branches above. I came back into the open to spot a Black-shouldered Kite on a distant treetop.
I headed for the 2nd dam to find water levels low, but still populated by a good range of species. 5 Yellow-billed Stork (1 juvenile), 2 Spur-winged Lapwing, 3 African Wattled Lapwing, 25 (min.) Red-billed Teal, 2 Grey Heron (both juvenile), 1 Intermediate Egret among many Cattle and 2 Little Egret, singles of Spur-winged Goose, Knob-billed Duck (fem.) and Black-headed Heron. Something that might have been Rufous-bellied Heron bounced across my bins and disappeared into reeds – not sure. Then 2 small plovers: 3-banded and… well, it's bigger than 3-banded, and darker throat. No white on forehead… Could it be? Quickly I got my scope out and confirmed it: Forbes's Plover. It was fairly close, and for a while even hung out with the 3-banded, so I could compare them directly. As well as the dark forehead, I noticed dark cheeks and throat. The upper black band on the chest blending more with the grey throat than on 3-banded, giving a different jizz altogether, even at distance. I checked S&F: Only one `x' for Rwanda! Tried to get a few photos using the innovative `put-your-camera-to-your- scope-and-fanny-around-for-10-minutes-till-the-bird-has-gone' digiscoping technique. Luckily, the bird was very patient, and allowed a few rotten shots to come out, which I think confirm ID: http://kilnsey.tripod.com/forbes1.jpg , http://kilnsey.tripod.com/forbes2.jpg , http://kilnsey.tripod.com/forbes3.jpg , http://kilnsey.tripod.com/forbes4.jpg .
By now about 30 kids from the village had congregated for a spot of muzungu watching. I tried explaining that the Forbes's Plover was more interesting, but they didn't seem to agree. I looked for more birds, but found only Little Grebe (my first record for Akagera), and 2 White-rumped Swifts. White-browed Coucal flapping across the dead yellow reeds. Notable in their absence on this trip: Sacred Ibis, Great White Egret and Hadada Ibis (4 birds only seen today). I walked up to the village, had a Fanta and continued towards the Akagera fringes, where I managed to shake off the train of kids that was still following. After a spot of lunch I wandered listlessly in the afternoon heat. After an hour of nothing but Common Bulbuls and hunters' snares (2 of which I tripped, and then destroyed), I hit upon a very loose feeding party, which produced some of the acacia specialists: Green-capped Eremomela, Brubru, Pale Flycatcher, Pale Wren-warbler and Buff-bellied Warbler. On the ground nearby Plain-backed Pipit and Golden-breasted Bunting. A pair of Yellow-throated Greenbuls were the only birds making any noise apart from the Ruppell's Starlings until a male Black-backed Puffback started kicking up a fuss. I approached to find him serenading a female. He allowed me to get some nice shots: http://kilnsey.tripod.com/bl-ba_puffback2.jpg I was surprised to see him courting at this time of year, or was he defending territory? Anyway, he'd led me in the right direction, because on the bush behind was a party of White-crested Helmet-Shrikes, at least 5. I'd recorded this species yesterday, which was only my second record for Rwanda, today was the 3rd. They led me towards a patient Tabora Cisticola feeding on the ground, who eventually allowed me to get some nice photos after he flew up into a tree: http://kilnsey.tripod.com/tabora.jpg
It was mid afternoon by now, the ground was hotter than the sunshine and the birds had gone into hiding. I concluded that my species meter must be empty, so I started heading back to the 1st dam for my rendezvous with my moto driver. On the way, Marico Sunbird, Chinspot Batis, another bloody snare, Crested Barbet, African Marsh Harrier and Malachite Kingfisher… Finally a Lilac-breasted Roller parading over his territory, and then my moto driver appeared. Up on the hillside, smoke was rising from at least 3 copses; another bit of Rwanda's nature razed. Above, the Lilac-breasted Roller roded, called a few times, and gave up. So sad to think this place is disappearing as the plantain and sorghum blanket is pulled further east to engulf the last bits of unprotected habitat.
Birdwise, another fantastic afternoon; 93 species within 5 square kilometres. As well as the Forbes's Plover (I'll send the record on to ABC), it was interesting to see what species are becoming more common as the weather dries up: Noticeably high numbers of Black-faced Waxbill, small flocks of non-breeding Pin-tailed Whydah and Red-billed Quelea, and possible movement of White-crested Helmet-Shrikes.
Wish I lived there. Wish I could buy it and protect it.
Jason
» 2 Comments
1Comment
at Sunday, 29 August 2010 12:24
congrats on the Plover and envious of your snipe sightings along with pix! and wow, a very nice bird count that in such a small area!
wonder what they would ask for that 5km of land....
2Comment
at Wednesday, 01 September 2010 11:27
Great report, Jason.
Your last sentence on the article says it all. ;-)
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