On December 7th 2025 we headed from Kibale towards Queen Elizabeth NP. En route we stopped at a few places, including a lunch stop at Chimpanzee Forest Lodge. I ate very quickly to leave time for a little bit of birding before heading off. The lodge grounds held excellent birds, including Great Blue Turacos, Green-headed and Olive-bellied Sunbirds, and more (eBird checklist here).
Black-crowned Waxbill
Brimstone Canary
We also did a mandatory stop at the equator crossing spot - thanks Yani for the snap.
We arrived at Queen Elizabeth NP in the afternoon.
We stayed in the national park for two nights (until December 9th). After a few days of neck-wrecking forest birding, it was good to bird in open country again. The beautiful savanna habitat of Queen Elizabeth held so many birds and mammals. Every safari drive was packed with quality birds and offered surprises.
One of the hugest bull Elephants we met
Defasa Waterbuck
Wattled Lapwing looking smart
Senegal Lapwing looking elegant
Black-bellied Bustard looking a bit silly
Small Buttonquail looking weird
Harlequin Quail looking shocked (encountered during a night drive)
The undoubted birding highlight of our stay in QENP was a boat trip along Kazinga Channel. Similar to the boat trip we did in Murchinson Falls NP, this boat trip should not be missed. Despite the midday heat and harsh light, it was fabulous (eBird checklist here).
Woodland Kingfisher
Can you pot the male Greater Painted-Snipe? Here with Spur-winged Lapwing, Common Ringed-Plover, and Wood Sandpiper:
Goliath Heron
Plenty of gulls and terns along the channel, including good numbers of African Skimmers, this is a recently-fledged young, already looking sharp:
Lesser Black-backed Gull of some sort, maybe heuglini? Head is a bit too streaked IMO but mantle isn't jet black enough for fuscus:
Gray-hooded Gulls
There were many mammals by the water, mainly Buffalos, and literally tons and tons of Elephants. Mammals = Yellow-billed Oxpeckers:
We had fantastic luck with cats in QENP. One evening we encountered not one but two Leopards, just before dusk. Super animals.
That pattern
The big surprise happened after dusk, when we spotted a mindblowing SERVAL hiding in tall grass. What an incredible animal and we had fantastic views. Despite many previous visits to Kenya and Tanzania, this was my bimbo Serval. Wow.
Our accommodation in Queen Elizabeth National Park was at Buffalo Safari Lodge. It was wonderful there, the rooms and facilities, and the birding. The only issue was that after dusk walking around is not advised without armed escort. Because of these guys.
As mentioned above, birding was excellent at Buffalo Safari Lodge.
One can never have enough of Black-headed Gonoleks, even when they behave like House Sparrows:
Can you see me?
Nubian Woodpecker
Chasing off an opponent
Swamp Flycatchers were feeding a young just by the restaurant
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