Day 15: Goba to Lake Langano
Sunday 22nd february 2015
Goba - Gaysay Plain - Senkele Reserve - Bishingari Lodge We enjoyed our last breakfast in Goba, which set us up for the long journey to Lake Langano. Before we left the Bale Mountains, we stopped by the large pool on Gaysay Plain for a last look at some Blue-winged Geese. We also saw good numbers of Rouget's Rail, Ethiopian Siskin and African Citril. Just after we left the pool, our driver spotted something moving slowly through the short grass to the left of the road. We all climbed out to enjoy extended views of a superb African Wildcat. Although only a sub-species of Wildcat, it is plainer overall and greyer on the flanks, so quite distinctive. Like all wildcats, it is rarely seen so we were very grateful to our sharp-eyed driver! We drove down through the foothills and onto the flat farmland that surrounds Shashemene. Abiy spotted vultures on carrion close to the road. With some Egyptian and Hooded Vultures were our first White-headed and Lappet-faced Vultures. After a second excellent lunch in the Rift Valley Resort Hotel, we drove for an hour to reach the Sankele Reserve. The grasslands were studded with large acacia trees and as we drove past, the local farmers were busy gathering in the harvest. We enjoyed good views of Oribi and over a hundred Swayne's Hartebeest, a sub-species that is endemic to Ethiopia. We also saw four new species of birds: Clapperton's Francolin, Black-winged Lapwing, Black-billed Wood Hoopoe and Long-billed Pipit. The photographers were able to get quite close to an eye-catching Lilac-breasted Roller and an equally colourful Northern Carmine Bee-eater
Goba - Gaysay Plain - Senkele Reserve - Bishingari Lodge We enjoyed our last breakfast in Goba, which set us up for the long journey to Lake Langano. Before we left the Bale Mountains, we stopped by the large pool on Gaysay Plain for a last look at some Blue-winged Geese. We also saw good numbers of Rouget's Rail, Ethiopian Siskin and African Citril. Just after we left the pool, our driver spotted something moving slowly through the short grass to the left of the road. We all climbed out to enjoy extended views of a superb African Wildcat. Although only a sub-species of Wildcat, it is plainer overall and greyer on the flanks, so quite distinctive. Like all wildcats, it is rarely seen so we were very grateful to our sharp-eyed driver! We drove down through the foothills and onto the flat farmland that surrounds Shashemene. Abiy spotted vultures on carrion close to the road. With some Egyptian and Hooded Vultures were our first White-headed and Lappet-faced Vultures. After a second excellent lunch in the Rift Valley Resort Hotel, we drove for an hour to reach the Sankele Reserve. The grasslands were studded with large acacia trees and as we drove past, the local farmers were busy gathering in the harvest. We enjoyed good views of Oribi and over a hundred Swayne's Hartebeest, a sub-species that is endemic to Ethiopia. We also saw four new species of birds: Clapperton's Francolin, Black-winged Lapwing, Black-billed Wood Hoopoe and Long-billed Pipit. The photographers were able to get quite close to an eye-catching Lilac-breasted Roller and an equally colourful Northern Carmine Bee-eater