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When you look good, shouldn't you strut your stuff? This Kori Bustard put on a great show! (Photo by Terry Parrinello)

Our 2015 "East Africa Highlights: Kenya & Tanzania" tour was different this year in that to save on some of the long drives we flew from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro and back. We also used new lodges at both Ngorongoro Crater and in the Serengeti -- all adding to the overall enjoyment of the tour.

Beginning as usual with a visit to Nairobi National Park, we were soon enjoying such diverse species as Ostrich (the world's largest bird), African Darter (our only ones of the tour), the magnificent Martial Eagle, Gray Crowned-Crane, Speckled Mousebird, Malachite Kingfisher, African Paradise-Flycatcher, the endemic Northern Pied-Babbler, just gorgeous Superb Starlings, and a variety of highland shrikes, sunbirds, weavers, and waxbills. Mammals were good, too, with 3 Lions, a Black Rhino, and mixed herds of Burchell's Zebra, Common Eland, Hartebeest, Impala, and Grant's Gazelle.

The following day we took the early flight to Kilimanjaro airport, where we arrived in pouring rain. This was, however, the last we saw of this type of weather, and the remainder of the tour turned out to be far drier than usual.

We began the Tanzanian part of our tour with a visit to Gibb's Farm on the outer slopes of the Crater Highlands. Here, based in lovely accommodations, we walked in the forest above the farm where highlights were Ayres's Hawk-Eagle, Red-chested Cuckoo, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater, Moustached Tinkerbird, Gray-olive Greenbul, Brown-headed Apalis, Collared Sunbird, and Abyssinian Crimsonwing.

We then headed to our lodge on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater and one of the world's most spectacular views. Our day in the crater added a variety of waterbirds, our first Helmeted Guineafowl, 16 different raptors, a displaying Kori Bustard, Lilac-breasted Roller, both Red-billed and Yellow-billed oxpeckers, and endemic Rufous-tailed Weavers -- literally at our feet. However, for some it was the spectacular scenery and the mammals that stood out most, with our first jackals, Spotted Hyaena, nice looks at a Serval, Lions, African Elephants (including some big tuskers), 3 Black Rhino, and of course several thousand zebra, buffalo, antelopes and gazelles.

We then headed further west to Olduvai Gorge -- which was made famous by the Leakey family when they discovered the remains of several species of hominids here. After a short talk describing their finds, we were soon on our way and then spent three nights in the vast expanse we all know as The Serengeti. Again making things slightly different this year, we had two nights at one lodge and then a single night at another -- as such we were able to cover more ground and make sure we could find the nomadic herds for which this area is so famous. We were not disappointed; Wildebeest (which give birth at this time of year) were in their many, many thousands, as were zebras, but we also enjoyed two glorious Leopards, no fewer than 3 adult and 3 young Cheetahs, almost 100 Hippos together in the river near our lodge, and, as in Ngorongoro Crater, numerous other antelopes and gazelles. Birds of course, were not forgotten, and just a few highlights were Gray-breasted Francolin, Greater and Lesser flamingos, flocks of Abdim's and White storks, Secretary-bird, 5 species of vultures, 3 bustards, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Tanzanian Red-billed Hornbill, Fischer's Lovebird, Magpie Shrike, Silverbird, and breeding-plumage male Straw-tailed Whydahs.

The last part of our Tanzania tour took us back east to Tarangire National Park, a wonderful area of dry bush, marsh, palms, and baobab trees. During a two-night stay here we drove the sandy trails enjoying yet more birds and mammals including Red-necked and Yellow-necked francolins, Goliath Heron, Mottled Spinetail, Green Woodhoopoe, Southern Ground-Hornbill, Red-bellied Parrot, and endemic Yellow-collared Lovebirds and Ashy Starlings. New mammal highlights included more Lions and more than 500 Elephants.

After our return flight to Nairobi, we then left the next morning for the Kenya leg of our tour. A brand new but faulty speed governor (compulsory in Kenya) gave us a two-hour delay, but in a way that worked out well as we diverted to Naivasha for lunch and saw our only Black Heron, Giant Kingfisher, and Red-headed Weaver of the tour. Back on track, we found the high-water levels at Nakuru meant flamingo numbers were down (but both species were still present in low numbers). Other birds, though, were outstanding, with great looks at Saddle-billed Stork, Hamerkop, Lesser Spotted Eagle, a good variety of Palearctic shorebirds, White-bellied Tit, Little Rock-Thrush, and Mocking Cliff-Chat. Mammals included yet another Black Rhino, about 20 introduced White Rhinos, and the rare Rothchild's Giraffe.

For a total change of scene we then went to Kakamega Forest in the western highlands. Although green and a forest, it was its driest in more than 30 years, and we struggled for some birds. However, there's always so much to see here, and just a few of the highlights were Great Blue, Ross's, and Black-billed turacos, Yellow-billed and Yellow-spotted barbets, Thick-billed Honeyguide, a close displaying African Broadbill, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Western Black-headed Oriole, Dusky Tit, Red-tailed Bristlebill, Ansorge's Greenbul, Green Hylia, Black-faced Rufous-Warbler, Mountain Illadopsis, Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat, White-tailed Ant-Thrush, and Red-headed Bluebill.

From Kakamega we headed east to the Baringo-Bogoria area in one of the most spectacular parts of the Great Rift Valley -- and one of the most birdy areas in the whole of East Africa. Here we added the following (and many more): Bat Hawk, Three-banded Courser, White-crested Turaco, African Scops-Owl, Northern White-faced Owl, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Jackson's and Hemprich's hornbills, Double-toothed Barbet, Pygmy Batis, Black-headed Gonolek, Somali Tit, Pale Prinia, Brown Babbler, the little-known Gambaga Flycatcher, Bristle-crowned Starling, Kenya Violet-backed and Shining sunbirds, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-Weaver, and Northern Masked-Weaver.

Finally, as we returned to Nairobi we stopped for a night at Mountain Lodge on the south-west flank of Mt. Kenya, yet again a different habitat where we stayed in a lodge with a floodlit salt lick and waterhole. Long-crested Eagle, Delegorgue's Pigeon, Hartlaub's Turaco, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill, Red-fronted Parrot, Black-tailed Oriole, Mountain Yellow-Warbler, and Golden-winged Sunbird were all birds that we saw well. Mammal sightings included some very close Sykes's Monkeys, and our first Large-spotted Genet, White-tailed Mongoose, and Bushbuck.

Thanks to all for traveling with us on this tour! I hope to see you in the field again some time soon.

--Terry

KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Reptiles seen on the tour included;

Nile Crocodile; 2 in Nairobi NP, and 3 in the Serengeti.

Black Forest Cobra; we saw roughly a 7 foot long individual at Kakamega.

Water (Nile) Monitor; 2 in Nairobi NP, and 1 in the Serengeti.

Red-headed Rock Agama; common at Ngorongoro, Tarangire, and Baringo.

Mwanza Flat-headed Agama; about 30 in the Serengeti.

Blue-headed Tree Agama; 1 at Olduvai Gorge.

Striped Skink; small numbers in the Serengeti.

Tropical House Gecko; common and widespread.

'Pond' Terapin; small numbers at Tarangire.

Totals for the tour: 488 bird taxa and 50 mammal taxa