Snow and birdng at Kili Golf.

We woke last Saturday to light drizzle and when the skies cleared in the afternoon our mountain had a light dusting of snow.  It lasted through to Sunday.

Zooming in on the snow.

On Thursday (a public holiday) we went with our local birding friends James and Isaac to Kilimanjaro Golf Estate for a few hours of birding.  We met Englishman Alex Rees who lives nearby and he showed us a pond where we found at least six Greater Painted-snipe.  This species is probably not rare but is seldom seen because it usually hides in dense vegetation during the day and is active at night.  Unusually, the females take the dominant role and the males do all the incubating and chick rearing.  We suspect that breeding is about to begin because we saw some aggression between two females.

Sparring female Greater Painted-snipe

Alex had to leave us but we, plus two other late comers spent the next several hours wandering the acacia woodland and wetlands between the fairways.  We saw 74 species in all.  The Painted-snipe, Black-faced Waxbill and African Black Swift were all new for me in Tanzania.  Other highlights included Mourning Collared Dove, Namaqua Dove, Green Sandpiper, Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Hoopoe, Green Wood Hoopoe, Giant Kingfisher, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Slate-coloured Boubou, Brubru, Black Cuckooshrike, Sombre Greenbul, Violet-backed Starling and Southern Citril.

Greater Painted-snipe (female)

Magpie Shrike

Pearl-spotted Owlet

A young Leopard Tortoise (one of the 'Little Five' along with the Elephant Shrew, the Buffalo Weaver, the Rhinoceros Beetle and the Antlion)

Little Grebe

Green Sandpiper

Long-tailed Fiscal

At home recently we have had much activity at the two birdbaths in front of our house.  Yesterday we had Red-eyed Dove, Speckled Mousebird, Rüppell's Robin-Chat, Streaky Seed-eater, Pale White-eye, Dark-capped Bulbul, Red-backed Mannikin all visiting at the same time.

Arrow-marked Babbler

Baglafecht Weaver

Speckled Mousebird

Red-backed Mannikin

Our African Goshawk pair are still incubating.  Chicks should emerge in another 10 days or so and then we can watch the regular comings and goings as they are fed.  Last night we had a Verreaux's Eagle-Owl calling in the garden but I was not able to find it roosting this morning.

Off to Arusha National Park tomorrow for the day (public holiday for Eid El Haj) and next Saturday we go to a lodge near Lake Manyara for two days as Jenny's birthday treat.