Wild Images, a division of Birdquest, specializes in wildlife photographic tours worldwide. Wild Images' exciting programme of tours includes both group and individual departures, and features such destinations as Hungary, Spitsbergen, Tanzania (Serengeti & Ngorongoro), India, Japan, Baja California, the Galapagos, Antarctica, South Georgia & The Falklands and the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand & Australia. Click on the picture above to visit the Wild Images website.
Ocean Adventures, a division of Birdquest, specializes in wildlife-orientated expedition cruises all over the world. As well as our Birdquest/Ocean Adventures group trips, there are many cruises available for individual bookings. These feature Spitsbergen, Greenland, Iceland, the Scottish Islands, Siberia (including the Kurils, Commanders, Kamchatka, Chukotka and the Bering Strait), Antarctica, South Georgia, the Falklands, the South Atlantic Islands, the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand & Australia, the Western Pacific and many other venues. Click on the picture above to visit the Ocean Adventures website.
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ETHIOPIA
Sunday 11th October - Monday 2nd November 2009
János Oláh
The Ethiopia 2009 tour was one of those tours where everything worked perfectly and we had one of the most successful tours ever to this fascinating country! We recorded a grand total of 543 species and managed to see most of our target birds, including all the generally accepted Ethiopian and Eritrean endemics. These were the prehistoric-looking Wattled Ibis, the declining Blue-winged Goose, the highly localised Harwood’s Francolin, Rouget’s Rail, the elegant Spot-breasted Lapwing, White-collared Pigeon, Yellow-fronted Parrot, Black-winged Lovebird, the charismatic Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco, Banded Barbet, the ‘golden-backed’ Abyssinian Woodpecker, the rare Liben Lark, Erlanger’s Lark, the little-known White-tailed Swallow, Abyssinian Longclaw, Rüppell’s Black Chat, the handsome White-winged Cliff Chat, Ethiopian Cisticola, Abyssinian Slaty Flycatcher, Abyssinian Catbird, White-backed Black Tit, Abyssinian Oriole, the very special Stresemann’s Bush Crow, White-billed Starling, a selection of localised seedeaters such as White-throated, Yellow-throated, Salvadori’s Seedeater, the gorgeous Black-headed Siskin and the enigmatic Ankober Serin. We also had some birds endemic to the Horn of Africa region like Chestnut-naped Francolin, Abyssinian Black Wheatear, Sombre Rock Chat, Thick-billed Raven and Brown-rumped Seedeater. The following special birds seen on the tour are considered near-endemics: Erckel’s Francolin; African White-winged Dove; White-cheeked Turaco; Blue-breasted Bee-eater; Gillett’s Lark; Somali Short-toed Lark; White-rumped Babbler; Somali Fiscal; Ethiopian Boubou; Swainson’s Sparrow; Juba Weaver; Red-billed Pytilia and Abyssinian Waxbill. In total we managed 47 very special birds, which are highly unlikely to be seen anywhere else in the World! A few other forms are in taxonomic debate but always nice to have them under the belt in case they become Ethiopian and Eritrean endemics such as the Black Saw-wing and Common Bulbul complex.
The long list of special birds seen on this fantastic tour did not stop with the range-restricted species mentioned above. Other memorable tour highlights were: the nomadic Dwarf Bittern and Lesser Moorhen near the Dawa River; the very attractive African Pygmy Goose and the scarce Allen’s Gallinule at Lake Awassa; Moorland Francolins and Wattled Cranes in the Bale Mountains; the impressive Arabian Bustards at Awash; several superb Egyptian Plovers in Gibe Gorge; roosting Abyssinian and Cape Eagle Owls near Dinsho; superb views of Donaldson Smith’s Nightjar near Yabello area; the dry-country specialist Yellow-breasted Barbet near Bilen; several localised larks including Foxy, Short-tailed and Chestnut-headed Sparrow Lark; the shy Scaly Chatterer; Abyssinian Ground Thrush; a puffed up male Pringle’s Puffback looking like a pom-pom as he chased his mate through the bush in the south; duetting Red-naped Bush-shrikes; a great selection of starlings, which included Bristle-crowned, Slender-billed, Shelley’s, Sharpe’s and White-crowned Starlings; Nile Valley and Black-bellied Sunbirds. We also recorded some rare migrants like Ménétries’s Warbler and Pale Rock Finch. Other avian highlights were the many cuckoo species seen and also the fact that all the bishops and widowbirds were in full breeding plumage this year! Special mention must also be made of the 32 species of mammals, with unforgettable views of the Mountain Nyala and the stunning Ethiopian Wolf.
The air holidays shown are ATOL Protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 2937.
ATOL protection covers those booking a tour with us that includes a flight from London or elsewhere in the United Kingdom, regardless of where in the world you live.
Birdquest Ltd is Registered in England, Company No. 01568270. The address of our registered office is Two Jays, Kemple End, Stonyhurst, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 9QY
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