Wow! Trip of a lifetime. Everything we thought it would be, and much, much more! With a 4 week sabbatical from work, and a 12 year old son delighting in his wonder years, we plotted a family vacation to "experience Africa", see the big game animals, and of course look for birds. We chose Tanzania for its accessibility, stability, tourism friendly, variety of habitats, excellent wildlife, and great bird list. We couldn't have been more pleased with how it all worked out.
Summary:
25 days in the field. 14 destinations. 434 trip birds (416 lifers! - our 1st trip to Africa!). 72 other "creatures" (we're not meticulous about species IDs outside of birds). Moderate pace (some intense birding, but plenty of "family" downtime). Cool to comfortable temperatures (never unpleasantly "hot"). Fabulous scenery (beautiful mountains, forests, coast, and of course, the Plains!) Few bugs or similar annoyances. Alot of car time (required to be in the safari vehicle at game parks (where we would be the prey!)(bumpy, dusty roads)), and alot of transit time between sites (traveled estimated 3000 km, 2/3rds mostly decent paved roads, the rest bumpy, slow, dusty roads that took much more time to traverse). Hikes were easy paced. Basic (defined as bed to sleep in, open air room, maybe a ceiling fan, mosquito nets where we were told Malaria was an issue, although we took our own nets, too, not very reliable hot water or water pressure, bottled water provided) to wonderful accomodations and foods. Friendly people. English language is common, Swahili is preferred local. Enlightening cultural exposure (lifestyles and standard of living significantly different than our own - you don't see Masai herdsmen roaming the plains of northern California every day).
I thought this ended up being a good time to be there. Not height of breeding season (spring), but doesn't have the bugs and rain / transit problems of that time of year. Most birds still in breeding plumage in July (weavers have molted to basic plumage by mid-august). Also doesn't have the influx of palearctic winter visitors, which for me would have just added confusion to field identification. Timing worked out well.
Tour Company:
We had fantastic service from Birding and Beyond Safaris www.tanzaniabirding.com . Very high recommend! This is a small and specialized local tour operator with focus and expertise on the birds, but provides a well rounded, complete experience. They were excellent and supportive in pre-trip planning, very responsive to questions, desires, tips, and recommendations (thanks Tina!). They packaged a perfectly orchestrated personalized trip for our small family. Handled all of the local arrangements and logistics (including accomodations, food, transport, entrance fees, local air, and many little details). Our only job was to arrive and enjoy! In the field, guide Anthony Raphael (proprietor) and driver Abdul were with us the entire time, delightful travel companions, friendly, courteous, helpful. Playful with my son (impromptu soccer game at every stop!). Great conversations along the way about Tanzania culture, history, people, natural history, etc. And as a bird guide, Anthony was fantastic. A local, who grew up with a lifelong passion for the birds, now a trained field ornithologist with vast experience and knowledge in the area. All of this at a much better price-point than any other option we considered. Great experience!
Field Guide: Birds of East Africa by Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe. Great book!
Air Travel: Emirates Air from San Francisco to Dubai, then Dubai to Dar Es Salaam. excellent flights, service, food, amenities, timing, pricing (much better than more typical KLM route thru Amsterdam). Local flights on Excel Air (Arusha to Zanzibar) and ZanAir (Zanzibar to Pemba, Pemba to Dar Es Salaam) were competent, non-eventful, small 1 or 2 engine prop planes (baggage limit 15kg / passenger).
Ground Travel: All in a rugged, purpose built stretched Toyota Land Cruiser safari vehicle. Not the luxury leather wrapped air conditioned Land Cruiser of U.S. specifications, but a hearty, competent one suited to the environment. Best feature - a custom pop-up roof that let's you stand in the vehicle during safari drives to get excellent high platform, 360 degree unencumbered views in a "mobile blind", all under a sunshade. Great for animal viewing, and fantastic for bird watching (I want one of these for all of my birdwatching trips!)
Trip Summary:
Day 1 (Jul 16) arrive Dar Es Salaam 3pm, drive to Mediterraneo Resort (lovely beach setting, nice hotel, good food). A few new birds on the beach and hotel grounds (Greater Flamingo, Sooty Gull, White-browed Robin Chat, Speckled Mousebird). Amazed by Giant Land Snail.
Day 2 (Jul 17) transit day to Mikumi in central Tanzania(41 birds). great roadside birding, especially as we enter the Miombo woodlands (Green Woodhoopoe, White HelmetShrike, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Broad-tailed Paradise-Wydah). Also hints of the animals to come (Eland, Impala) (Genesis Motel, simple but comfortable. basic food)
Day 3 (Jul 18) full day game drive in Mikumi National Park (70 birds). excellent taste of Miombo woods, bush country, and savannah. Exciting diversity of birds (5 eagles, 5 hornbills, storks, grassland plovers, introduction to african cisticolas, starlings, kingfishers, oxpeckers, etc). great intro to big game (lion, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, hippo, etc)
Day 4 (Jul 19) transit day to Udzungwa Mountains (55 birds). Excellent morning walk west of Mikumi park in Miombo woodlands was very active (Ovampo Sparrowhawk, Crested Barbet, Pale Batis, Orange-winged Pytalia). Transition drive from Miombo woods to forest edge at the base of the mountains (Black Goshawk, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater). (Mountain View Motel, similar to Genesis)
Day 5 (Jul 20) (65 birds) morning drive to Kilombero Swamp (long, bumpy drive, but well worth it for the birds at the end (Coppery-tailed Coucal, White-tailed Cisticola, Kilomero Weaver, Half-collared Kingfisher). Evening walk in nearby foothills forest (Livingstone's Turaco, Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher). Fun monkeys in the forest (Savannah Baboon, Ingiri and Black & White Colobus, Syke's Monkey).
Day 6 (Jul 21) Lovely bird activity on morning walk in the forest (Yellowbill, Eastern Nicator, Livingstone Flycatcher). Begin long transit stage to north eastern mountains. Overnight stay in Morogoro (Oasis motel. simple, aging, busy, not very pleasant).
Day 7 (Jul 22) Long drive from Morogoro to Amani in Northeast Tanzania. Mostly good, paved roads, through fairly uninteresting agricultural landscape. At Tanga, leave good roads, for bumpy, dusty, then muddy climb up into the East Usambara mountains. Beautiful dense rain forest. Lodging in Amani Research Station Rest House (basic, but pleasant, and great surroundings with birds calling and bush babies as night).
Day 8 (Jul 23) Amani forest birding. (36 birds). Low density, but exciting and colorful birding (African Green-Pigeon, Green-headed Oriole, Purple-banded Sunbird, Usambara Weaver). Beautiful, peaceful setting.
Day 9 (Jul 24) Amani forest walk in the morning (Fischer's Turaco, Long-billed Tailorbird, 6 greenbuls). Transit day to West Usambaras (Mueller's Lodge - a lovely mountaintop lodge amdist wonderful gardens from German colonialization period. Nice food) (Usambara Nighjar at the lodge)
Day 10 (Jul 25) Pleasant secondary growth woodland birding at various West Usambara locations. low density (38 birds), but some good finds (Fuelleborn's Boubou, Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler, White-chested Alethe)
Day 11 (Jul 26) Transit day from West Usambaras to South Pare Mountains (68 birds). Excellent non-stop transit birding into dry semi arid foothills. Excellent evening walk in South Pare Hills close to hotel (Elephant Motel - modern, comfortable). (Dideric Cuckoo, Pink-breasted Lark, Somali Crombec, Lanner Falcon).
Day 12 (Jul 27) another transit day, continuing from South Pare Mountains to Arusha (67 birds). Good dry country birding, with an active side trip down a long dirt road to a large dam and reservoir (Namaqua Dove, White-bellied Go-away-bird, Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Pangani Longclaw). Lodging in Arusha at Ilboru Safari Lodge (wonderful place stuck in busy suburb. expansive, gorgeous grounds and garden, creative and comfortable room, very good food (11 course Swahili sampler dinner was excellent! (best meal of trip!))
Day 13 (Jul 28) Safari drive through Arusha National Park (68 birds). Beautiful woodlands, small lakes, and brush landscape in base foothills of Mt Meru. Return to the big safari animals (buffalo, giraffe, zebra, etc) (much of the 1960's John Wayne movie Hatari was filmed here - and yes - when we got home, we watched the movie to see what we recognized - very cool!). Exciting birds in many habitats. (Hottentot Teal, African Paradise-Flycatcher, great view of a large Lesser Flamingo flock being flushed by a Martial Eagle).
Day 14 (Jul 29)transit Arusha to Tarangire (90 birds). Daily bird diversity and quantities pick up noticeably from this part of the trip on (it was already great, now it's better!). Mostly semi-arid bush country. Sometimes best birding is at the least expected places. A quick stop a small farm just past the Arusha airport kept us busy for 45 minutes watching a very busy mixed flock in a tangle of thicket. (Abyssinian Scimitar-bill, Fawn-colored Lark, White-headed Buffalo-Weaver, Blue-capped Cordonbleu, Sulfur-breasted Bushshrike). Night at Tarangire Safari Lodge (amazing location, with beautiful patio on bluff overlooking bushed plains and river (animal water source). Nice tented rooms, great open air dining pavilion, very good food).
Day 15 (Jul 30) Tarangire National Park (96 birds). 2 safaria drives through the park, with additional good birding around the grounds. Great safari creatures (lions (in trees!), leopard, huge elephant herds). Wide variety of birds (Hildebrandt's Francolin, Black-faced Sandgrouse, African Pygmy-Kingfisher, Mariqua Sunbird).
Day 16 (Jul 31) transit Tarangire to Lake Manyara (94 birds). Before leaving Tarangire, we were treated to an amazing spectacle from the lodge's patio. On the plains below us, 2 lionesses stalked a small zebra family group, with several attacks and a just-missed kill as the zebra kicked the lioness off of his back. Good dry country birding en route to the lake. Very nice afternoon birding at Lake Manyara hippo pool (huge Yellow-billed Stork rookery over the town, Double-banded Courser, Arican Spoonbill, Pearl-spotted Owlet). Comfortable accomodations, but I forgot the name of the hotel.
Day 17 (Aug 1) Transit Lake Manyara to Seronera (central Serengeti) (94 birds). Long, dusty drive to cross the Serengeti, but the rewards were worth it. Amazing plains. Amazing plains animals. Fascinating stop at Olduvai Gorge. Many great birds along the way (Secretary-bird, Desert Cisticola, Rueppell's Glossy-Starling, Black Bishop). Great evening safari drive of surrounding plains. Fantastic lodge building and setting (Seronera Safari Lodge, built into and around a kopje rock formation - beautiful restaurant, pool, and observation platform. modern rooms, very good food).
Day 18 (Aug 2) Fantastic morning and evening safari drives around Seronera. Plains, kopjkes, woodlands, creek and watering holes. Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Hyena, 10 antelope species, etc. Great birds all day long (Kori Bustard, Grey-backed Fiscal, Silverbird, Speckle-fronted Weaver)
Day 19 (Aug 3) transit from Seronera (central Serengeti) to Ndutu (southern Serengeti) (106 birds). When we planned the trip, we weren't sure if 2 different spots in the Serengeti would pay off. It did. Ndutu is a more wooded area on the southern fringe of the plains, with a large lake. The result was sufficient habitat difference and distance to make this additional stop worthwhile (Striated Heron, Wahlberg's Eagle, Fischer's Lovebird (incredible quantities at the Ndutu lodge), Chestnut Weaver). Ndutu Lodge was delightfully unique (thatch construction, delightful evening bonfire with fireside chats and star viewing, charming Genets in the rafters of the dining room)
Day 20 (Aug 4) transit from Ndutu to Ngorongoro Crater (93 birds). A magical day. Most of the day was spent driving to, down, and through the crater, and then up to the crater rim highlands for the evening. It was all that it was hyped to be. Phenomenal scenery and creatures (a greatest hits of african big game). Rugged cliff side environment descending the rim, gives way to fantastic varied environment of open plains, Lerai forest open woodlands, and lake/reed beds on the floor, then lush verdant forest to end the day on the opposite rim. Great birds!!! (Gray-crowned Crane, Northern Anteater-Chat, Tacazze Sunbird, Red-faced Cisticola). Beautiful Sopa lodge (large spacious rooms, incredible sunset view overlooking the crater (we got lucky with a fog-free evening - one of the most beautiful views of my life!), very good food).
Day 21 (Aug 5) transit from Ngorongoro crater rim to Gibbs Farm (57 birds). Another great day, but more for the location than intense birding. By now, we're starting to hit sensory overload on the animals and intense birdwatching, and the charms of Gibb's Farm (delightful unique cottages, fantastic working gardens and environment, exquisite and abundant food) left us mostly inclined to relax and enjoy the grounds. Still, here, the birds come to you, and we could just sit on the veranda of our cottage and watch many varied colorful birds flit through the trees and descend to the lovely garden pools for ample avian entertainment. The less sedentary of our crew could enjoy productive walks through the farm gardens, or on paths along the Ngorongoro forest edge looking for birds (African Harrier-Hawk, Dusky Turtle-Dove, White-tailed Blue-flycatcher, Red-collared Widowbird).
Days 21-25 (Aug 6-9) transit from Gibbs Farm to Pemba Island (drive to Arusha airport, then local flights). Pemba Island was the reward to the 12 year old for enduring a month of birdwatching with his parents. A beach resort on the Indian ocean, all just for playing (ok, and a little bird watching, too). Competent, uneventful flights. 90 minute drive from Pemba airport to the very remote Manta Resort on the north end of the island (very bumpy rutted forest road for last 30 minutes). Beautiful resort (pristine white beaches, lovely warm, calm water, beautiful pools and grounds. delightful charming rooms with great ocean views. lovely open air dining / common room. Very helpful staff, all-inclusive - even massages! Peaceful, relaxed, great service, good food). In terms of birds, very few shore / water birds from the resort. Low density but interesting birds on the grounds (pemba endemic race or species of African Goshawk, Pemba White-eye, Violet-breasted Sunbird). On one morning, I arranged a bird guide for what I thought would be an exploration of the nearby Ngezi forest preserve, but instead it was a short outing to a rubber plantation and mangrove swamp. Still, some good birds (Pemba Green-Pigeon, Madagascar Bee-eater, Dickinson's Kestrel, Broad-billed Roller).
Using Clements 6.4 (2009) species names. For more details, I can email an excel spreadsheet with species sitings by day / location, cross reference to bird names in the field guide (where different from Clements), creature list, and other day notes. Also includes a list of 700 targeted species for this trips, with occurence and habitat information.
Ostrich
White-faced Whistling-Duck
Comb Duck
Egyptian Goose
Red-billed Duck
Hottentot Teal
Cape Teal
Southern Pochard
Helmeted Guineafowl
Coqui Francolin
Crested Francolin
Shelley's Francolin
Scaly Francolin
Hildebrandt's Francolin
Yellow-necked Francolin
Gray-breasted Francolin
Red-necked Francolin
Little Grebe
Greater Flamingo
Lesser Flamingo
Great White Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
Great Cormorant
Long-tailed Cormorant
Darter
Gray Heron
Black-headed Heron
Great Egret
Intermediate Egret
Little Egret
Cattle Egret
Squacco Heron
Striated Heron
Glossy Ibis
Sacred Ibis
Hadada Ibis
African Spoonbill
Hamerkop
African Openbill
Saddle-billed Stork
Marabou Stork
Yellow-billed Stork
African Cuckoo-Hawk
Black-shouldered Kite
Black Kite
African Fish-Eagle
Palm-nut Vulture
Hooded Vulture
White-backed Vulture
Rueppell's Griffon
Lappet-faced Vulture
White-headed Vulture
Black-breasted Snake-Eagle
Brown Snake-Eagle
Fasciated Snake-Eagle
Bateleur
African Harrier-Hawk
Lizard Buzzard
Dark Chanting-Goshawk
Eastern Chanting-Goshawk
Gabar Goshawk
African Goshawk
Little Sparrowhawk
Ovampo Sparrowhawk
Black Goshawk
Mountain Buzzard
Augur Buzzard
Tawny Eagle
African Hawk-Eagle
Wahlberg's Eagle
Ayres's Hawk-Eagle
Martial Eagle
Long-crested Eagle
Crowned Hawk-Eagle
Secretary-bird
Pygmy Falcon
Greater Kestrel
Gray Kestrel
Dickinson's Kestrel
Lanner Falcon
Black Crake
Common Moorhen
Red-knobbed Coot
Kori Bustard
White-bellied Bustard
Buff-crested Bustard
Gray Crowned-Crane
Water Thick-knee
Spotted Thick-knee
Blacksmith Plover
Spur-winged Plover
Crowned Lapwing
Wattled Lapwing
Kittlitz's Plover
Little Ringed Plover
Three-banded Plover
Black-winged Stilt
Pied Avocet
African Jacana
Common Sandpiper
Common Greenshank
Marsh Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Little Stint
Ruff
Double-banded Courser
Collared Pratincole
Greater Painted-snipe
Sooty Gull
Gull-billed Tern
White-winged Tern
Common Tern
Lesser Crested Tern
African Skimmer
Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse
Yellow-throated Sandgrouse
Black-faced Sandgrouse
Rock Pigeon
Speckled Pigeon
Rameron Pigeon
Delegorgue's Pigeon
Lemon Dove
Dusky Turtle-Dove
African Mourning Dove
Red-eyed Dove
Ring-necked Dove
Laughing Dove
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Blue-spotted Wood-Dove
Tambourine Dove
Namaqua Dove
Pemba Green-Pigeon
African Green-Pigeon
Fischer's Lovebird
Yellow-collared Lovebird
Brown-necked Parrot
Meyer's Parrot
Brown-headed Parrot
Red-bellied Parrot
Livingstone's Turaco
Schalow's Turaco
Fischer's Turaco
Hartlaub's Turaco
Bare-faced Go-away-bird
White-bellied Go-away-bird
Klaas's Cuckoo
Dideric Cuckoo
Yellowbill
Coppery-tailed Coucal
White-browed Coucal
Pearl-spotted Owlet
African Wood-Owl
Montane Nightjar
Scarce Swift
African Swift
Mottled Swift
Little Swift
White-rumped Swift
African Palm-Swift
Speckled Mousebird
White-headed Mousebird
Blue-naped Mousebird
Half-collared Kingfisher
Malachite Kingfisher
African Pygmy-Kingfisher
Gray-headed Kingfisher
Mangrove Kingfisher
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Pied Kingfisher
White-fronted Bee-eater
Little Bee-eater
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
Madagascar Bee-eater
Lilac-breasted Roller
Rufous-crowned Roller
Broad-billed Roller
Eurasian Hoopoe
Green Woodhoopoe
Abyssinian Scimitar-bill
Red-billed Hornbill
Von der Decken's Hornbill
Crowned Hornbill
African Gray Hornbill
Pale-billed Hornbill
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
Southern Ground-hornbill
Crested Barbet
Red-and-yellow Barbet
d'Arnaud's Barbet
White-eared Barbet
Green Barbet
Moustached Tinkerbird
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Red-fronted Barbet
Spot-flanked Barbet
White-headed Barbet
Nubian Woodpecker
Bennett's Woodpecker
Reichenow's Woodpecker
Golden-tailed Woodpecker
Mombasa Woodpecker
Cardinal Woodpecker
Stierling's Woodpecker
Gray Woodpecker
Brown-backed Woodpecker
Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher
Short-tailed Batis
Chinspot Batis
Pale Batis
Pygmy Batis
White Helmetshrike
Retz's Helmetshrike
Brubru
Black-backed Puffback
Marsh Tchagra
Black-crowned Tchagra
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Tropical Boubou
Slate-colored Boubou
Fuelleborn's Boubou
Rosy-patched Bushshrike
Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike
Gray Cuckoo-shrike
Gray-backed Fiscal
Long-tailed Fiscal
Taita Fiscal
Common Fiscal
Magpie Shrike
White-rumped Shrike
African Golden Oriole
Green-headed Oriole
African Black-headed Oriole
Square-tailed Drongo
Fork-tailed Drongo
Livingstone's Flycatcher
African Paradise-Flycatcher
House Crow
Pied Crow
White-necked Raven
White-browed Robin
Eastern Nicator
Rufous-naped Lark
Pink-breasted Lark
Fawn-colored Lark
Fischer's Sparrow-Lark
Red-capped Lark
Bank Swallow
Banded Martin
Rock Martin
Barn Swallow
Wire-tailed Swallow
Red-rumped Swallow
Lesser Striped-Swallow
Mosque Swallow
Black Sawwing
White-tailed Blue-flycatcher
Rufous-bellied Tit
African Penduline-Tit
Common Bulbul
Shelley's Greenbul
Little Greenbul
Eastern Mountain-Greenbul
Stripe-cheeked Greenbul
Yellow-bellied Greenbul
Cabanis's Greenbul
Fischer's Greenbul
Yellow-throated Wood-Warbler
Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Black-headed Apalis
Brown-headed Apalis
Green-backed Camaroptera
Red-fronted Warbler
Gray Wren-Warbler
African Tailorbird
Long-billed Tailorbird
Red-faced Cisticola
Singing Cisticola
Trilling Cisticola
Hunter's Cisticola
Rattling Cisticola
Wailing Cisticola
Winding Cisticola
Stout Cisticola
Piping Cisticola
Tabora Cisticola
Zitting Cisticola
Desert Cisticola
Pectoral-patch Cisticola
Gray-capped Warbler
Buff-bellied Warbler
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Greencap Eremomela
Banded Warbler
Northern Crombec
Red-faced Crombec
Somali Crombec
Silverbird
African Gray Flycatcher
White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher
Southern Black-Flycatcher
African Dusky Flycatcher
Ashy Flycatcher
Gray Tit-Flycatcher
Cape Robin-Chat
Rueppell's Robin-Chat
White-browed Robin-Chat
Red-capped Robin-Chat
Collared Palm-Thrush
Spotted Morning-Thrush
Mourning Wheatear
Capped Wheatear
Stonechat
Northern Anteater-Chat
White-headed Black-Chat
Mocking Cliff-Chat
Red-tailed Ant-Thrush
Olive Thrush
White-chested Alethe
African Hill Babbler
Rufous Chatterer
Black-lored Babbler
Northern Pied-Babbler
Arrow-marked Babbler
African Yellow White-eye
Broad-ringed White-eye
Pemba White-Eye
Wattled Starling
Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-Starling
Rueppell's Glossy-Starling
Black-bellied Glossy-Starling
Superb Starling
Hildebrandt's Starling
Ashy Starling
Red-winged Starling
Waller's Starling
Kenrick's Starling
Red-billed Oxpecker
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Kenya Violet-backed Sunbird
Uluguru Violet-backed Sunbird
Banded Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
Amani Sunbird
Green-headed Sunbird
Eastern Olive Sunbird
Amethyst Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Hunter's Sunbird
Tacazze Sunbird
Bronze Sunbird
Golden-winged Sunbird
Eastern Double-collared Sunbird
Beautiful Sunbird
Mariqua Sunbird
Black-bellied Sunbird
Purple-banded Sunbird
Violet-breasted Sunbird
Variable Sunbird
Mountain Wagtail
African Pied Wagtail
African Pipit
Long-billed Pipit
Plain-backed Pipit
Striped Pipit
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Pangani Longclaw
Golden-breasted Bunting
Cabanis's Bunting
Yellow-fronted Canary
African Citril
Reichenow's Seedeater
White-bellied Canary
Southern Grosbeak-Canary
Brimstone Canary
Streaky Seedeater
Thick-billed Seedeater
House Sparrow
Kenya Rufous Sparrow
Gray-headed Sparrow
Swahili Sparrow
Chestnut Sparrow
Yellow-throated Petronia
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
Speckle-fronted Weaver
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Rufous-tailed Weaver
Gray-headed Social-Weaver
Red-headed Weaver
Baglafecht Weaver
Black-necked Weaver
Spectacled Weaver
Taveta Golden-Weaver
Kilombero Weaver
Lesser Masked-Weaver
Vitelline Masked-Weaver
Speke's Weaver
Chestnut Weaver
Forest Weaver
Usambara Weaver
Red-billed Quelea
Red Bishop
Black-winged Bishop
Black Bishop
Yellow Bishop
Red-collared Widowbird
Fan-tailed Widowbird
Marsh Widowbird
Grosbeak Weaver
Red-faced Crimson-wing
Black-tailed Waxbill
Crimson-rumped Waxbill
Common Waxbill
Black-faced Waxbill
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
Blue-capped Cordonbleu
Purple Grenadier
Green-winged Pytilia
Orange-winged Pytilia
Red-billed Firefinch
African Firefinch
Jameson's Firefinch
Cut-throat
Zebra Waxbill
Bronze Mannikin
Black-and-white Mannikin
African Silverbill
Pin-tailed Whydah
Broad-tailed Paradise-Whydah
Village Indigobird
Purple Indigobird
heard, but not seen:
Evergreen Forest-Warbler
Spotthroat
White-starred Robin
Creature list (non-specific names)
Giant Wasp
Buffalo Spider
Crab
Giant Land Snail
Ray (white)
Gecko
Southern Agama Lizard
Frilled Desert Lizard
Striped Skink
Lizard
Nile Monitor
Green Chameleon
Usambara 3 horned Chameleon
Pygmy Chameleon
Tree Frog
Toad
Black Mamba
Single-striped Sand Snake
Snake
Golden-winged Bat
Bat
Yellow Bat
Giant Bat
Wildebeest
Eland
Impala
Grant's Gazelle
Thompson Gazelle
Reedbuck
Common Waterbuck
Defassa Waterbuck
Bushbuck
Topi
Coke's Hartebeest
Dik Dik
Red Duiker
Steenbok
Hippopotomus
Giraffe
Warthog
Zebra
Cape Buffalo
Elephant
Camel
Yellow Savannah Baboon
Olive Baboon
Black-faced Vervet Monkey
Ingiri Colubus Monkey
Blue Syke's Monkey
Blue Monkey
Black and White Colobus Monkey
Bat-eared Fox
Golden Jackal
Spotted Hyena
Striped Hyena
Lion
Leopard
Cheetah
Genet
Dark-morph Slender Mongoose
Black-tipped Mongoose
Dwarf Mongoose
Marsh Mongoose
Bush Baby
Rock Hyrax
Bush Hyrax
Tanganyika Squirrel
Unstriped Ground Squirrel
Squirrel
Hare
Otter
African Wood Mouse