Day 19:
- Awassa and Wondo Genet.
- Awassa and Wondo Genet.
There are so many interesting birding areas around Lake Awassa, that we going to spend most of the day here. Black Heron, Senegal Thick-knee, Pygmee Goose, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, Squacco Heron, Goliath Heron, Saddle billed Stork. In the late afternoon, we drive 45 km to the forest edge in Wondo Genet. Those who like can jump in the hot water swimming pool in the forest of the hotel. Others can look around for the White cheeked Turaco and several other birds.
Night in hotel of Wondo Genet.
CANCELLED
Political trouble in the Bale Mountains area and they have closed the area. So we have to change our schedule.
Morning, drive to Dinsho; Afternoon birding Around Dinsho
Day 19: Drive to Lake Awassa
Drive to Lake Awassa, another Rift Valley Lake just south of Lakes Abijata, Shala, and Langano, breaking up the drive with some stops for birding as appropriate. We will arrive at our hotel late in the afternoon, and can take time to bird around our hotel and in nearby areas we can expect to see Grivet Monkey and the handsome Guereza (a species of Black-and-white Colobus) as well.
Night in Awassa, Africa United Group Hotel near the lakeshore.
Wednesday 7 th of November 2019 and I was really happy when I had finished my last breakfast at Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel. One more hotel and I will be back at Radisson Blu. I was getting better and better by the day, but it will still be very nice to be back in the civilisation.
We drove north passing Dinsho HQ and the wetland following road # B90 towards the Rastafarai Town. It was a paved road and good for the most of the parts. And we drove along a very beautiful road. We are leaving the highlands and the road wind along steep mountainsides on our way down the mountains.
Passing Dinsho Wetlands
Road is full of monkeys
Leaving Bale mountains behind
Leaving Bale mountains behind
Leaving Bale mountains behind
Leaving Bale mountains behind
Leaving Bale mountains behind
It was a really joyful drive through the dramatic landscape. And when we came down from the mountains it was a totally different landscape. Grain fields for long as you could see and II understood that we were driving through Ethiopia’s granary. There were huge combine harvesters everywhere.
My Guide told me that Ethiopia would soon be self-sufficient when it comes to grain. It looked just like and farm land in Europe, expect for the size, until the horizon in all directions, field after field.
We had been on the way for 3 hours or so when we spotted a lot of vultures on the road side, ROAD KILL!! We stood on the brake and I got out. I could not believe my luck. White-headed Vultures and Lappet-faced Vultures, a lot of Black Kites, but who cares when you have what might be the most beautiful vultures in front of you.
Lappet-faced Vulture, one of the biggest vultures there is in the range. And the White-headed Vulture, maybe the most beautiful vulture there is. So I was really happy when we left the road kill behind.
Lappet-faced Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
White-headed Vulture with a road kill
White-headed Vulture with a road kill
White-headed Vulture with a road kill
White-headed Vulture
White-headed Vulture
White-headed Vulture
White-headed Vulture
Thick-billed Raven
feeding on road kill
Thick-billed Raven feeding on road kill
Thick-billed Raven feeding on road kill
Thick-billed Raven feeding on road kill
Thick-billed Raven feeding on road kill
Thick-billed Raven feeding on road kill
Thick-billed Raven feeding on road kill
Thick-billed Raven feeding on road kill
Thick-billed Raven feeding on road kill
And on top of the vultures I got to see two Thick-billed Ravens feeding on the road kill. So this was a really good bird watching moment. We drive through the Rastafari Town and we are soon in Awassa. And as we were hungry we went for lunch/ dinner before we went to the hotel.
We ended up at the Venezia - Italian Restaurant and well, what a disappointment that place turned out to be. But maybe it was me having high expectations. The Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel was a few minutes’ drive away from the Venezia - Italian Restaurant. I checked in and my Guide and Driver would come back to pick me up later on in the afternoon and we will do some bird watching in the area.
Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel, Lake Awassa
Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel, Lake Awassa
Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel, Lake Awassa
My hut at Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel, Lake Awassa
My Guide - Bird watching around Goba Wabe Shebelle Hotel
I leave my room and my Guide is sneaking around a tree. He give me the sign to come over and he shows me an African Spotted Creeper. One of the Guards come to open the gate for us so we can walk along the lake side. We spot one African Thrush in the tree just outside the gate. And there is one Woodland Kingfisher sitting in a tree just a little off the walk path outside the gate.
African Jacana
African Jacana
I must say that I was disappointed with Lake Awassa. Garbage everywhere so it was not as nice to walk around that I had expected. And as it was afternoon we had the sun shining from the lake so it was against the sun to take pictures.
We walked towards north and we came to an open area with some snack places and we stopped to take a video of the Marabou Storks. The storks was not scared at all so I guess they are used to humans. We walked back to the hotel and I managed to get picture of a Woodland Kingfisher feeding on a insect. We spot 2 Hadada Ibis sitting on top of a tree when we´re back at the hotel compound and I manage to get a sound recording of the bird.
Woodland Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher
Woodland Kingfisher feeding on a insect
Woodland Kingfisher feeding on a insect
Woodland Kingfisher feeding on a insect
Woodland Kingfisher feeding on a insect
Woodland Kingfisher feeding on a insect
Listen to the Hadada Ibis
Sound from www.xeno-canto.org
Remarks from the Recordist
Recorded with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder. High Pass Filter applied with Audacity
Africa United Group Hotel in Awassa. Sitting in top of a tree. Last 5 seconds is flight call when the bird takes off and disappears
Today's track at Africa United Group Hotel
eBird Report
Lake Awassa--United Africa Shebelle Hotel area, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples, ET Nov 7, 2019 14:55 - 16:17
Protocol: Traveling
1,68 kilometer(s)
Comments: 20 Days Ethiopian birding tour with Flamingos Tours Ethiopia. Bird watching with my Guide
12 species
Egyptian Goose 2
Black Crake 1
African Jacana 1
Marabou Stork X Many
Hadada Ibis 2
African Fish-Eagle 1
Speckled Mousebird 1
Woodland Kingfisher 1
African Spotted Creeper 1
African Thrush 1
White-browed Robin-Chat 1
African Citril 2
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S61245436
I was quite happy when we left for the hotel reception to wait for the driver. I will not try my luck with the hotel restaurant so I need some chocolate bars. I found Toblerone and I bought one of them and the Driver took me back to the hotel.
I spent the rest of the evening in bed, I was OK, but still tired after having being sick. Anyway, last night in the wilderness and I really look forward to checking in to Radisson Blu tomorrow. But first some birding here in Awassa and my Guide and Driver will come to pick me up at the hotel early tomorrow morning.
So click HERE to find out if we find any birds before leaving for Addis Ababa
OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it 
be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!
คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next”
ข้างบนนี้
Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!
E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.
Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.
be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page. Jiffy (also jiff)
noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.
So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.
Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaasFaites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopraSprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben! คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next”
ข้างบนนี้
Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!
E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.
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