Two contrasting bushwalks and a few unrelated incidents

Lower slopes of Mount Meru above Tengeru

There's a group called the Twende Hiking Group (twende means "let's go!").  Every Sunday they organise a 4-5 hour walk to a different location around Arusha.  Jenny went on quite a few of these when she lived here in 2014/5.  Last Sunday we went on one with about 15 other folk, (locals and expats) to the steep farming land and bush above Tengeru (near Usa River).  This is on the lower slopes of Mount Meru.  I took my binoculars.  Turns out this was more of a forced march than a walk, I hardly saw a bird and was knackered for a day or so afterwards.  We walked about 12 km in 4 hours.

Potato crop.

A contour drain to stop erosion on these steep slopes.

Looking south over Tengeru town.

There's another group called the Attraction Birding Club which comprises a handful of young, local aspiring bird guides.  I corresponded with James Nasary during the week and we arranged an outing to Oldonyo Sambu about 30 km nw of Arusha on the highway to Kenya.  OS is a small village with a weekly market (lots of Maasai come to trade sheep, goats and cattle as well as the usual market food and goods).  Above the town is a large stony hill covered in good quality Acacia woodland and this is where we went birding with James and several of his mates yesterday.

Looking west over Oldonyo Sambu village.

We walked about 4 km in 4 hours and saw 40 species of birds.  Long-billed Pipit was a lifer for me and several others I'd only seen once before (e.g. Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Red-throated Tit, Foxy Lark, Grey Wren-Warbler, Banded Parisoma, Abyssinian Wheatear and Southern Grosbeak-Canary).

White-fronted Bee-eater

Abyssinian Scimitarbill

A mixed heard of cattle, sheep and goats heading to the market.

The chaps knew their stuff and were very welcoming of us.  There is a lot of competition in the safari game and not enough tourists so opportunities for a career in bird guiding are limited.  A pity when the typical safari guide knows little about birds.  We will definitely go birding with James and friends again soon.

White-bellied Canary

Long-billed Pipit (note the diagnostic, short hind claw)

The Attraction Birding Club

Some random incidents during recent days:

• We saw what was likely to be a rabid dog on the highway near home.  It looked deranged and was drooling
• I was stopped by traffic police and told to turn off my headlights (I often drive with them on during the day).  Not sure why but I turned them off, was told to proceed, turned them back on and drove off
• On the way to birding yesterday morning a bicycle with two men on board crashed alongside our car.  The front wheel stopped and the bike flipped.  The front rider sailed up and came down smack on his head.  We stopped and James ran back to help.  The front rider was out cold but the other chap was OK.  Others came to help and the first chap started to stir.  We left them to sort it out.  Apparently a dangling rope snagged the front wheel.

Still no permit/visa.  One week to go before our tourist visas expire!