By Wawire James
This was a long journey that I did embark, from Nairobi, Mombasa, Dar es Salaam to Selous Game Reserve. The date of departure was on the 8th February 2011 with Modern Coast bus. Modern Coast Express Ltd is a luxury coach company operating within Kenya and Uganda.
Time of departure was 1130hrs; enroute towards Mombasa I did spot a few of the species (Lilac breasted Roller, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Superb Starling, Pied Crow, Emerald Spotted Wood dove) and the Baobab trees in their blooming stages. Regarded as the largest succulent plant in the world, the baobab tree is steeped in a wealth of mystique, legend and superstition wherever it occurs in Africa. It is a tree that can provide food, water, shelter and relief from sickness.
As one approaches Kibwezi, one has a better view of the Chyulu Hills. Chyulu Hills is located about 150 east of the Great Rift Valley. It consists of several hundreds of small flows and cones.
As you approach Mombasa that’s from Mariakani town common species to be seen much is the Indian House Crow. We did arrive in Mombasa at around 1830hrs, where I did spend the night at the Bandari Hotel.
On the 9th February 2011, an early departure from Mombasa via South Coast to the border of Lunga Lunga, So I boarded Tahmeed Bus, (they do operate Mombasa to Dar es Salaam bus), which took as an hour drive on a well tarmac road to the border, I did cross over to Tanzania side, its from here you get a dirt road till you get to Tanga, where did make a stop for lunch before proceeding to Dar es Salaam. Tanga was chosen in 1889 as a military post of German East Africa, and became a district office in 1891. The name Tanga comes from the word for farm or cultivated land in several of the local languages
The coach bus did arrive in Dar es Salaam late evening at around 1920hrs, upon arriving I was directed by one of the taxi driver to the Gold Plaza Hotel where I did spend 2 nights. Dar es Salaam translation: "house of Peace", formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania.
On the 11th February 2011, I did meet up with the rest of the team( David Gitau, Simone Kombe and Dominic Bartol who was on a 42 Day Bird Photography, which covered both Kenya & Tanzania with BSA) we did depart to Selous via Morogoro road, it’s a 6 hour journey and scenic one, one get to have a view of the Uluguru Mountains. The vegetation of the Uluguru main ridge and the outlying blocks is extremely variable. It ranges from drier lowland coastal forest habitats, to transitional rainforests, to sub-montane, montane and upper montane forest types. We did arrive in Sable Mountain Lodge at around 1830hrs, where we were to spend 4 nights.
The Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest faunal reserves of the world, located in the south of Tanzania. It was named after Englishman Sir Frederick Selous, a famous big game hunter and early conservationist, who died at Beho Beho in this territory in 1917 while fighting against the Germans during World War I. Scottish explorer and cartographer Keith Johnston also died at Beho Beho in 1879 while leading a RSGS expedition to the Great Lakes of Africa with Joseph Thomson. The Selous was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 due to the diversity of its wild-life and undisturbed nature. Habitats include grassland, typical Acacia savanna, wetlands and extensive Miombo woodlands.
Birding in Selous was delightful because we actually spotted some of unique species such as the Bohms, Swallow tailed Bee-eaters, Pale-billed Hornbill, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Crested Barbet, White headed Chat and Retz Helmet Shrike.
Birding Trip to Selous Game Reserve
The below is list of species that were seen during the birding trip in Selous Game Reserve.
Cattle Egret
Grey Heron
Black-headed Heron
Hamerkop
Marabou Stork
African Open-billed Stork
Sacred Ibis
Hadada Ibis
Eurasian Honey Buzzard
African White-backed Vulture
Bateleur
African Goshawk
Palm-nut Vulture
Wahlberg's Eagle
Eurasian Hobby
Dickinson's Kestrel
Crested Guineafowl
Helmeted Guineafowl
Black-bellied Bustard
Emerald-spotted Wood Dove
Red-eyed Dove
Ring-necked Dove
Brown-headed Parrot
Purple-crested Turaco
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Red-chested Cuckoo
Yellowbill
White-browed Coucal
African Palm Swift
White-rumped Swift
Woodland Kingfisher
Striped Kingfisher
Eurasian Bee-eater
White-throated Bee-eater
Böhm's Bee-eater
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater
Eurasian Roller
Lilac-breasted Roller
Broad-billed Roller
Green Wood-hoopoe
Southern Ground Hornbill
Crowned Hornbill
Pale-billed Hornbill
Trumpeter Hornbill
Crested Barbet
Nubian Woodpecker
Cardinal Woodpecker
Red-rumped Swallow
Lesser Striped Swallow
Zanzibar Sombre Greenbul
Yellow-bellied Greenbul
Common Bulbul
Rüppell's Robin-Chat
Spotted Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Singing Cisticola
Rattling Cisticola
Red-winged Warbler
Grey-backed Camaroptera
Red-faced Crombec
Chin-spot Batis
Retz's Helmet-Shrike
Black-crowned Tchagra
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Tropical Boubou
Black-backed Puffback
Common Drongo
Eurasian Golden Oriole
House Crow
Black-bellied Starling
Greater Blue-eared Starling
Violet-backed Starling
Red-billed Oxpecker
Collared Sunbird
Scarlet-chested Sunbird
Variable Sunbird
Golden Palm Weaver
Black-headed Weaver
Dark-backed Weaver
Cardinal Quelea
Yellow Bishop
Green-winged Pytilia
Red-billed Firefinch
Crimson-rumped Waxbill
Common Waxbill
Southern Cordon-bleu
Yellow-fronted Canary
Golden-breasted Bunting
Red-faced Crombec
Birding Safaris Africa