Hi all
It has been a while since I did anything here. Sorry !
October 2013 saw the arrival in Harare of SP and PP. A delightful couple who, although not fanatic birders, wished to tour the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe. We started out in Nyanga staying at a lovely cottage with great birds including the stunning Bronzy and Malachite Sunbirds.
Bronzy Sunbird
Malachite Sunbird
The cottage was just above a dam and had fantastic walks up the hill behind the house.
Fura cottage
How relaxing is this ?
The hills behind the cottage have brilliant views and are the ideal habitat for the endangered Blue Swallow.
Blue Swallow habitat and vista.
There are also some quite exciting different plants up there including some indigenous cycads and of course Tree Ferns.
Tree Ferns
We made a traditional visit to Worlds View and climbed to the top where we used the GPS to establish that we were 2500 metres above sea level !
at 2500 m asl
And the next port of call had to be Troutbeck hotel for tea and cream scones.
The institution that is Troutbeck Hotel
It was now time to move on so we took a back road to ensure we did some more of the touristy scenic stuff on our way to the Bvumba.
The Pungwe Gorge and Falls
At 740 metres are the Mtarazi Falls the 2nd highest in Africa ?
Once in the Bvumba, where we stayed at Seldomseen cottages, the serious birding began !
The ground level nest of Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler
Orange Ground Thrush has beautiful blue eggs
Forest photography is extremely challenging.
Not easy to get decent pics of Tambourine Dove in thick forest
We spent hours looking for Swynnerton’s Robin before we were finally successfull.
Forest Birding
We also found a nest ! It was late afternoon when we found it purely by chance.
Nest and eggs of Swynnerton’s Robin
SP wasn’t particularly happy with the above picture so we went back early the next day for another go ….
.. and lo and behold …. we were too late !
We left the Bvumba and proceeded to drive down and down into the Honde Valley where we camped overnight at Katiyo on the Pungwe River.
Roof top tents at Katiyo
Pungwe River
The right hand bank is Moçambique !
The Pungwe at 400 metres above sea level
That’s right 400 masl ! That puts us 2.1 kilometres lower than the top of Worlds View in Nyanga !!
From Katiyo we drove throught to the Abefoyle Tea Estates and to the lovely Aberfoyle Lodge. More serious birding followed as we tracked down Singing Cisticola, Anchieta’s Tchagra, Black-winged Red Bishop, Pale Batis, Pallid Honeyguide, Short-winged Cisticola, Green-backed Woodpecker and many others.
The delicate and very neat nest of the Thick-billed Weaver
Tea Plantation
The Singing Cisticola like the tea bushes. We also found some interesting reptiles.
Adult Male Rainbow Skink
Th colourful juvenile Rainbow Skink
Anchieta’s Tchagra, which used to be known as the Marsh Tchagra, is found here ….
Wamba Vlei
Fortunately the area receives some protection.
The local guide, Morgan, is fantastic.
It was now time to wend our way homewards but I couldn’t resist taking a snap of this delightful bit of Africa.
The local pub ?
And when we eventually got back to Harare my dear wife showed us her discovery in the garden.
Nesting African Paradise Flycatcher
That is all for now folks and I hope you enjoyed the trip
Cheers
Tony
