ETHIOPIA 14 February 2011: Awash to Wondo Genet

Monday 14 February.  Up at dawn and after a quick look around the vicinity of the lodge, seeing Black Wood-Hoopoe, we slowly birded our way out of the park seeing 3 Pigmy Falcons, Secretarybird, Arabian, 2 Kori and Buff-crested Bustards and 11 Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse.  It was a short way back down the main highway to Lake Bezeka where we spent an hour in the lava flows by the north shore.  Here the unmemorable but very localised Sombre Rock Chat was fairly readily found along with Blackstart and Striolated Bunting.  We then drove steadily to Wondo Genet, six hours including  alunch stop, arriving at the Hot Springs Resort late in the afternoon.  I dumped my bag and with an hour or so of light left quickly headed up the main trail into some habitat for a first chance at Spotted Creeper.  I was soon followed by a few kids although they seemed good natured and were immediately forgotten when I saw two Spotted Creepers in the first tree of any size that I came too - a steady half hour walk from the hotel.  Brilliant, although never satisfied I then regretted not having carried a telescope up with me as one remained motionless on a branch for what seemed like several minutes and would have allowed much better digiscoped photos than the rather distant effort below obtained with a DSLR.

Buff-crested Bustard

Kori Bustard

Beautiful Sunbird

Sombre Rock-Chat

Ruppell'sVultures at roadkill

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

Eastern Grey Woodpecker

Spotted Creeper