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Black Bee-eater the group. During the heat of the day we can rest, but we can return to the walkway during the afternoon as the bird life becomes more active as the heat drops. At Kakum we will also visit the forest trails where we might find Black Bee-eater, Red-billed Dwarf and Piping Hornbills, Redbellied Paradise Flycatcher, Red-fronted Parrot, Olive Sunbird and Levaillant’s Cuckoo. Rainforest mammals are not obvious, but we may find various squirrels, Geoffroy’s Pied Colobus Monkey, Potto and maybe even an arboreal Pangolin. Both African and Rufous-sided Broadbills are possible in the forest close by, while birds of prey may include African Goshawk, Crowned Eagle and Cassin’s Hawk Eagle. Preuss’s Swallows are common near some roadside culverts, so we should obtain some good views of this localised species. A small reservoir is home to African Finfoot. We shall also visit the Elmina Slave Fort, built by the Portuguese and run by the Dutch; this was one of the main centres for trade in African slaves and serves as a reminder of the European influence on this inhuman practice. Nearby, we can also visit the Cape Coast Fort, built by the British. Day 7 After a morning birding in the Kakum area, we drive north and stop in some remnant forest at Aboabo. Here we can look for Black Dwarf Hornbill, Speckled Tinkerbird, Western Nicator, Green Hylia and a suite of greenbuls, including Swamp Palm, Slender-billed and Western Bearded. In the afternoon we reach a village where local guides will take us along a narrow forest track to a nesting site of the enigmatic Yellow-headed Picathartes. Here we sit quietly on rocky outcrops and wait for these strange birds to bound into view. They are not nesting at this time of year but return here to roost. Hopefully, we shall see three or more birds as they perch nearby – so far, nobody has ever missed seeing this species here! This is a truly magical experience. Later, we retrace our steps back to the village and drive to Kumasi, where we stay overnight. Days 8 to 11 We head northwards towards Mole National Park today and pass into a new habitat. The drive will take most of the day and we arrive at our lodge in the late afternoon, where we stay for four nights. The park is large and covers an area of 4,840 sq km of undulating terrain with steep escarpments. The vegetation is pristine Guinea savanna woodland with gallery forests along the rivers and streams. Most of our time will be spent relatively close to the lodge as the vast majority of the bird species we are looking for occur here. The park boasts some mammal species and we should see Elephant, Kob, Bushbuck, Waterbuck, Warthogs, Patas and Green Monkeys, Olive Baboons and perhaps Roan Antelope. We plan to be out early and then return to relax during the heat of the day before venturing out again as the day cools off. Birds of prey are a feature here and we can look for Grasshopper, Lizard and Rednecked Buzzards, Lanner Falcon, Bateleur, Martial, Long-crested and Short-toed Eagles, Brown Snake and Ayres’ Hawk and African Hawk Eagles. Seedeaters are common and we look for Yellow-fronted Canary, Orange-cheeked and Lavender Waxbills, Bar-breasted and Red-billed Firefinches and Red-winged Pytilia. The woodlands here hold many colourful species and we shall look for Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Violet Turaco, Scarletchested and Splendid Sunbirds, African Blue Flycatcher, Broad-billed, Abyssinian, Rufouscrowned and Blue-bellied Rollers, African Golden Oriole, Red-headed Weaver and Oriole Warbler to name a few. More sombre birds include Stone Partridge, Double-spurred Francolin, African Thrush and Northern Black Flycatcher. Specialities we shall look for include Pel’s Fishing Owl, Standard-winged Nightjar, Greyish Eagle Owl, Forbes’s Plover and Spotted Creeper. The lodge has a lovely pool for cooling off during the heat of the day. Day 12 After breakfast we leave Mole and can visit the 500 year old mosque at Larabanga. Later, we head southwards, stopping en route to look for any savannah birds we may have missed. We will also pay a short visit to the scenic Kintampo Waterfall, near to our lunch stop. We stay overnight in Kumasi. Day 13 We spend the morning in Bobiri which is famous for its abundance of butterflies and birds. Along the forest paths we will look for specialities including Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, African Piculet, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk, Red-chested Goshawk, Narina’s Trogon, Blue-headed Wood Dove, Afep Pigeon, Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher and Red-billed Helmet-shrike. In the afternoon we drive to a small clearing at the foot of the Atewa range and bird around some cultivated fields and streams. Here we look for African Hobby, White-spotted Flufftail, Buff-spotted Woodpecker and the tiny Tit-hylia. We stay overnight near Koforidua. Days 14 & 15 In the morning we visit the Atewa Mountains where we can bird along the cool forest trails here, looking for Blue-headed Bee-eaters, this being the only place in Ghana where they are found. We hope to see many of the following birds: Blue-headed Wood Dove, Yellow-billed Turaco, Yellowbill, Yellow-spotted and Hairybreasted Barbets, Red-tailed, Icterine and Spotted Greenbuls, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Blackand-white Flycatcher, Grey Longbill, Western Black-headed Oriole, Maxwell’s Black, Yellowmantled and Grosbeak Weavers, Crested, Red-vented and Red-headed Malimbes, Greyheaded and White-breasted Negrofinches, White-tailed Ant Thrush and Forest Robin. After lunch, we return to our hotel for packing and then leave for the drive to Accra. After dinner, we drive to the airport to catch our direct return flight to London (or regional airports via Amsterdam) which arrive into the UK the next morning. Gradings Good 340 Hot Low Special Moderate Good Moderate Scheduled Oriole Warbler Outline Itinerary Day 1 Fly to Accra Days 2-6 Kakum National Park Day 7 Kumasi Days 8-11 Mole National Park Day 12 Kumasi Day 13 Koforidua Day 14 Depart Accra Day 15 Arrive London Party Size Maximum of 12 clients (two leaders with more than six clients). Accommodation Comfortable accommodation in twin/double and single rooms with private facilities. Transport By coach and minivan. Includes All flights, meals, accommodation, transport, entry fees, services of the leaders, airport taxes and tips. Red-billed Dwarf Hornbill G H A N A To make a booking please call Ornitholidays on 01794 519445 51
E T H I O P I A Ethiopia Undiscovered Africa Friday 26 September – Friday 10 October 2014 Leaders: Gabor Orban and Nigel Jones 2014 Cost £3,299 single room supplement £220 ETHIOPIA Addis Ababa Awasa Yabello Wondo Guenet Awash National Park Lake Langano Goba T he first Ornitholidays’ group visited Ethiopia in 1971, and we have been adding to our expertise in leading tours here ever since. Our present itinerary is remarkably similar to our earlier ones and succeeds in covering a wide range of habitats. We visit the highland plateau around Addis, the Rift Valley lakes and acacia forests, the Bale Mountain National Park and finally the savannah of the Awash National Park. In all areas the scenery is spectacular, the birdlife plentiful and unusually approachable – a photographer’s dream. Many of the bird species will be familiar to those who have visited other parts of East Africa, but we will also be concentrating on the endemics that we could encounter on this itinerary. Ethiopia has emerged well from its recent political problems with the tourist infrastructure intact, yet we will generally find that we have our birding areas to ourselves! The country has a wonderful climate with plenty of sunshine and cool breezes, even in the Rift Valley. One particular advantage of Ethiopia is that, (due to the absence of dangerous animals), we are allowed to wander through the national parks on foot. This will be Ornitholidays’ 23rd tour to the country. Travel with Gabor and Nigel and see why Ornitholidays led the pioneering birdwatching tours to explore this fascinating country. ITINERARY Days 1 to 3 We leave London on an evening scheduled flight for Addis Ababa, where we arrive the next morning and transfer to our hotel for a stay of two nights. Addis is situated at 2,400m (8,000ft) and has a delightful, refreshing climate. The city's gardens attract such species as Dusky Turtle and Red-eyed Doves, Nyanza Swift, Common Fiscal, Olive Thrush, Tacazze Sunbird and Baglafecht Weaver. In the afternoon, we visit Gefarsa Reservoir, on whose shores we may encounter our first Ethiopian endemics, such as Whitecollared Pigeon and Black-headed Siskin. The next full day is spent visiting the Blue Nile Gorge at Debre Libanos. We climb north out of the city and cross the Solulta Plateau. We stop among the grasslands that are attractive to a variety of passerines, such as Red-throated Pipit, Isabelline and Red-breasted Wheatears. We hope to see two special endemics, the Wattled Ibis and the Blue-winged Goose. The wagtail-like Abyssinian Longclaw is likely here too. At Debre Libanos, the plateau comes to an abrupt halt as the vast vista of a deep gorge opens up below us. Lammergeiers, White-backed and Rüppell's Vultures and Lanner Falcons all occur here. On the crags, we will look for the endemic Rüppell's Chat and White-billed Starling. Family groups of Gelada Baboons are also a feature of the gorge. The little-known Erckel’s Francolin is also found here. The large monastery at Debre Libanos owns and protects a patch of interesting old evergreen forest, where such species as African Paradise and Abyssinian Slaty Flycatchers, Golden-backed Woodpecker and Whitecheeked Turaco can be found. Days 4 & 5 Today we head towards Lake Langano. We may see the Afar tribesmen herding their camels or the first flocks of Common Cranes now arriving to winter in the harvested pastures of the local grain, tef. We stop by shallow lakes where nesting Kittlitz’s Plovers are joined by various wintering Palearctic waders. At Lake Zwai, we stop for lunch and a birding extravaganza on the shore. Large numbers of White Pelican, Marabou Stork, Spur-winged Geese, White-faced Whistling-Duck, African Fish-Eagle and African Jacana are likely, together with lesser numbers of Grey-headed Gull, African Pygmy-Goose and Yellow-billed Stork. Lesser Jacanas are sometimes seen here. For two nights we stay near the shores of Lake Langano, a beautiful Wattled Crane 52 For a previous tour report or further information please call: 01794 519445
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ORNITHOLIDAYS 2014 49 Our Forty-Nin
Page 3 and 4: 49 Our Forty-Ninth Year ORNITHOLIDA
Page 5 and 6: I S O R N I T H O L I D AY S R I G
Page 7 and 8: L AT E 2 0 1 3 T O U R S Summary of
Page 9 and 10: T O U R G R A D I N G Tour Grading
Page 11 and 12: G R E E N TA X E S A N D C A R B O
Page 13 and 14: Bryce Canyon, Utah, USA
Page 15 and 16: U S A - U TA H & A R I Z O N A USA
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Page 25 and 26: M E X I C O Mexico Western Mexican
Page 27 and 28: C O S TA R I C A Costa Rica Classic
Page 29 and 30: C U B A Cuba Endemic Birds & Winter
Page 31 and 32: T R I N I D A D & T O B A G O Trini
Page 33 and 34: S T LU C I A St Lucia at Leisure Pi
Page 35 and 36: G U YA N A Guyana Rainforests, Wate
Page 37 and 38: C O LO M B I A Colombia Birding’s
Page 39 and 40: B R A Z I L Brazil Atlantic Forest
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Page 43 and 44: E C U A D O R Ecuador Tumbesian & A
Page 45 and 46: Waterhole at Etosha, Namibia
Page 47 and 48: S O U T H A F R I C A South Africa
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Page 51 and 52: TA N Z A N I A Tanzania - Photograp
Page 53: G H A N A Ghana In search of Picath
Page 57 and 58: U G A N D A Uganda Birds & Primates
Page 59 and 60: N A M I B I A Namibia Etosha & the
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Page 63 and 64: E GY P T Egypt Birds & History Frid
Page 65 and 66: M O R O C C O Morocco High Atlas &
Page 67 and 68: M O R O C C O Morocco Atlantic Coas
Page 69 and 70: Sing-sing with Huli, Papua New Guin
Page 71 and 72: J O R D A N Jordan Birds & History
Page 73 and 74: K U W A I T Kuwait Birding in the G
Page 75 and 76: I N D I A India - Goa Birds, Beache
Page 77 and 78: S R I L A N K A Sri Lanka Teardrop
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Page 81 and 82: TA I W A N Taiwan Island Endemics S
Page 83 and 84: B H U TA N Bhutan Birds & Buddhism
Page 85 and 86: N E PA L Nepal Chitwan, Koshi & Phu
Page 87 and 88: V I E T N A M Vietnam Land of the D
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Page 91 and 92: PA P U A N E W G U I N E A Papua Ne
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Page 95 and 96: Boating on the Danube Delta, Romani
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Page 103 and 104: S PA I N Spain - The Canary Islands
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S PA I N Spain - Coto Doñana & Ext
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S PA I N Spain - The Island of Meno
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S PA I N Spain - Southern Catalonia
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S PA I N Spain - Catalonia - Photog
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S PA I N Spain - The Pyrenees Monta
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S PA I N Spain - Tarifa & Coto Doñ
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S PA I N Spain - Aragon Cranes, Lam
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P O R T U G A L Portugal at Leisure
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P O R T U G A L Portugal at Leisure
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I TA LY - S I C I LY Italy - Sicily
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I TA LY Italy Po Delta Po Delta Pal
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I TA LY Italy at Leisure Birds & Wi
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F R A N C E France - Wallcreeper To
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F R A N C E France - The Camargue,
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N E T H E R L A N D S Netherlands W
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I C E L A N D Iceland Winter Wonder
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I C E L A N D Iceland Land of Ice &
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T U R K E Y Turkey Turkish Delight
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B E L A R U S Belarus Europe’s La
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F I N L A N D Finland Owls, Woodpec
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H U N G A R Y Hungary Spring Tour S
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H U N G A R Y Hungary at Leisure Cr
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R O M A N I A Romania Danube Delta
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B U L G A R I A Bulgaria at Leisure
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O U R T E A M O F L E A D E R S Our
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O U R T E A M O F L E A D E R S Blu
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C A L E N D A R Calendar 2014 JANUA
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C O N D I T I O N S O F B O O K I N
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C O N D I T I O N S O F B O O K I N
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ORNITHOLIDAYS 29 Straight Mile Roms
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