Ethiopia - Day 2 (02/11/19) - Awash National Park

After a comfortable night sleep we had an early breakfast, I opted for the special omelette which was good and kept me going for the morning. Whilst eating breakfast Dad and I spotted our first Helemeted Guineafowl of the trip which flew past the waterfall as well as a Hadada Ibis and Goliath Heron (both flyovers). Everyone finished breakfast and we birded the same areas as the previous day apart from this time we headed further down the river from the waterfall and covered a small camp located close to the lodge which I think is occupied by local scouts.

The morning got off to a good start with a female Von Der Decken's Hornbill in the bushes just outside of the camp as well as a skulking Grey Wren-warbler. Whilst watching these a flock of 16 African Spoonbill flew over heading North. A bit further down the track we had a Crested Francolin run across the track and the Tawny Eagle was again present on the pylon. We were fast approaching the river and the first bird we saw here was a Wood Sandpiper as well as Grey-headed and Pied Kingfishers. A bit further down river we came across a patch of rocks which held two Spur-winged Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, two Senegal Thick-knee, two Egyptian Geese and a Greenshank and on the opposite bank were a Woodland Kingfisher affording nice views. Just a little further down river was a Hippopotamus which also showed nicely although we didn't want to get too close!

Tawny Eagle, Awash National Park, Ethiopia

After scanning the river for a while we gave the bushes behind a good search and this produced two White-rumped Babblers, a White-browed Coucal, two Pied Wheatears and a Gabar Goshawk. We slowly started heading back towards the scout camp and enroute we encountered a Pearl-spotted Owlet as well as seven Eurasian Hoopoes and three Red-fronted Warblers. 

Pearl-spotted Owlet, Awash National Park, Ethiopia 

Around the scout camp were three Paradise Whydah, three White-headed Buffalo Weaver, three Beautiful Sunbird, two Rufous Chatterer and a Blackcap. There was also a ridiculously showy Abyssinian Roller which was flying towards us and landing at our feet before flying back to its perch. We also noted a flock of 21 Yellow-billed Storks heading south over the camp.

Abyssinian Roller, Awash National Park, Ethiopia

The time was now around 08:30am and at the camp our drivers were waiting to take us on a game drive. It got off to a good start as just up the track from the camp was a Buff-crested Bustard in the middle of the road which luckily everyone saw. We then took a turning right about halfway back to the main gate and the cars soon came to an abrupt holt, we had spotted a flock of five European Turtle Doves only the second time Abel had ever seen this species in Ethiopia! A bit further on we also added a Rosy-patched Bushshrike and a cracking adult male Turkestan Shrike. We soon came to a rather large dead tree and perched at the top of here was a very smart African Pygmy Falcon and was soon replaced by a juvenile Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. We were heading to an abandoned camp which had a stunning view over the landscape and enroute birds of note included several Olive Bee-eaters, two Abyssinian Scimitarbills and singles of Desert Wheatear and Great Spotted Cuckoo. We also added our first and only mammal of the game drive which were two Salt's Dik-diks.

Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Awash National Park, Ethiopia

We had now arrived at the abandoned camp and got out to have a look at the stunning view and soon appeared a Mountain Buzzard affording nice views as well as a Yellow-breasted Barbet in the nearby bushes and around the abandoned and derelict buildings were three Blackstarts and a Pied Wheatear. We took a slow drive back towards Awash Falls Lodge for lunch as it was now getting too hot for birds. On our way back birds of note included seven Crowned Lapwing, Chestnut Sparrows, Somali Fiscal and three Black-headed Lapwing.

Blackstart, Awash National Park, Ethiopia

We had an enjoyable lunch and as it cooled down we headed back out but whilst everyone was staying in the cool I had a sneaky look at the waterhole we visited earlier in the day and added our only Crimson-rumped Waxbill of the trip whilst over the river a Giant Kingfisher passed through as well as two Hamerkops. 

Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Awash National Park, Ethiopia

A walk around the same area as the morning produced singles of Red-bellied Parrot and Bruce's Green Pigeon and on our way back to our accommodation Dad spotted a superb adult male Pallid Harrier - a great way to end the day!

Birding the Awash National Park, Ethiopia