On November 7th we drove from Arusha to the wonderful Tarangire NP. Already at the entrance gate area we were overwhelmed by the abundance, diversity and quality of birds. The two tiny water pools attracted so many birds coming in to drink. The endemic Yellow-collared Lovebird is very beautiful - it was a pleasure to observe them from so close:
The drinking pools attracted many finches and other seedeaters - mainly both Cordon-Bleu species - Red-cheeked and Blue-capped, here with a female Cut-throat:
Here with a Red-billed Firefinch
With female Pin-tailed Whydahs (PTW), Speke's Weaver and Northern Gray-headed Sparrow (NGS)
From L to R: PTW, NGS, Chestnut Sparrow and Cut-throat
When the mighty White-bellied Go-away-bird comes in, all the other birds bugger off!
The woodland at the park gate was busy with birds too. Noisy, endemic Ashy Starlings were everywhere:
A lovely Pearl-spotted Owlet was hooting in the trees
Several stunning Black-headed Orioles were singing
We drove into the national park birding along the way. There are so many elephants in Tarangire! Over our two-night stay in the national park we must have seen in excess of 800 different individuals. Mindblowing. 60 here, another 40 there, more and more parades. We drove up to a small waterhole by Public Campsite No. 1. Hundreds of animals came in for a drink, bath and play.
From our perspective, all the large animals were dwarfed by one small bird on the floating vegetation - a rare rufous-bellied heron was wrestling with a large frog. Excellent bird.
The classic landscape of Tarangire consists of open acacia savanna, dotted with enormous and impressive baobab trees. Those trees are a dominant feature in Tarangire's skyline. Baobas are huge, each one a mini-ecosystem. Under them, on top of them, around them, there's so much life.
So many animals depend on Tarangire River during the dry season
Our first Cheetah was (self!) spotted at a distance drinking from the river, then it sat down in the shade. Amazing animal.
Lots of super birds too - we saw over 130 bird species each day.
Black-faced Sandgrouse
Coqui Francolin
African Hoopoe
Green Woodhoopoes
East African classic - Lilac-breasted Roller
Red-bellied Parrot
Red-and-yellow Barbet
D'Arnaud's Barbet
Red-throated Tit
A highlight of our visit to Tarangire was the magnificent Silale Wetland. After a prolific rainy season, the huge wetland still held plenty of water, and attracted enormous numbers of Elephants, as well as other mammals and of course many birds.
We met there Lions, doing what lions usually do - sleep. Here they are sleeping next to the rear half of a Wildebeest.
Another lion, actually awake, resting by the wetland
Big numbers of White-faced Whistling-Ducks present
With fewer Fulvous among them
And a few Knob-billed Ducks too
Plenty of Long-toed Lapwings
Another East African classic - Gray-headed Kingfisher
The picnic site there was beautifully-positioned and as always attracted lots of birds.
A little water spilled on the table brought in this D'Arnaud's Barbet
Another special section of Tarangire is Little Serengeti. This area of grasslands was appropriately full of grassland birds, including many bustards:
Black-bellied Bustard
Buff-crested Bustard
White-bellied Bustard being magnificent
Double-banded Coursers are lovely birds
Pangani Longclaw - another East African specialty
Yellow-throated Sandgrouse
We stayed at Tarangire Safari Lodge, that held lots of cool birds:
