ETHIOPIA PART 2 – Gelada Baboons to Awash National Park

Gelada male

Following our twitch of the restricted Ethiopian endemic, the Ankober Serin (see here) at Gemessa Gebel, we chanced upon three fair-sized troops of Gelada Baboons on the edge of juniper forest near the cliff edges. This species, endemic to the Ethiopian highlands, has long been high on my wish-list. We watched them for some time, noting that they seemed largely unconcerned by us but quickly scurried off into the forest when herdsmen with goats appeared.

Gelada family group

An Ethiopian Rock Hyrax was among the rocks below the cliff edge.

Ethiopian Rock Hyrax

After a second night in Debre Libanos, we headed southwards, back towards Addis Ababa, seeing several Blue-winged Geese close to the road. A pair of Moorland Francolins on a rocky hillside was unexpected, while Abyssinian Longclaw at last put in an appearance.

Blue-winged Goose

Abyssinian Longclaw

Moorland Francolin

We drove through the capital, being stopped along way for an unwelcome and intrusive baggage search by roadside police. We continued south through the Rift Valley and on towards our destination for the next three nights – Awash Falls Lodge in Awash National Park, passing through Adama. We stopped at the Mt Fantalle lava flow by Lake Beseka. Here we quickly found one of the specialties of this hot and arid landscape – Blackstart. This was followed shortly after by a vocal pair of Sombre Rock-Chats, the other specialty of the site.

Blackstart

Sombre Rock-Chat

By the lake were a few waterbirds including Pink-backed Pelican, Yellow-billed Stork and Saddle-billed Stork. We entered the national park and the dry thorn scrub along the road to the lodge held plenty of birds including Mouse-coloured Penduline-Tit, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Buff-bellied Warbler and Grey Wren-Warbler.

:Pink-backed Pelican

Saddlebill Stork

Yellow-necked Spurfowl

Hornbills were well represented with African Grey, Northern Red-billed, Van Der Decken's and Eastern Yellow-billed seen.

African Grey Hornbill

Northern Red-billed Hornbill

Eastern Yellow-billed Hornbill

The next day we had a long drive through the acacia scrub and plains where mammals included Lesser Kudu, Salt's Dick-Dik, Beisa Oryx and Soemmerring's Gazelle.

Beisa Oryx

Salt's Dik-dik

 Soemmerring's Gazelle

Buff-breasted, Kori and Hartlaub's bustards were all encountered. 

Buff-crested Bustard

Other birds included Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Abyssinian Roller, Dark Chanting Goshawk and Red-fronted Warbler.

Abyssinian Roller

Dark Chanting Goshawk 

Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Gillett's Lark was good to see and Singing Bushlark was present, along with large numbers of Chestnut-headed and Chestnut-backed Sparrowlarks.

Gillett's Lark L

Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark

Chestnut-headed Sparrowlark

Grey-headed Batis was a previously missed species that was good to catch up on, while Somali Bulbul, a recent split, was slightly less inspiring.

Grey-headed Batis

In the tall acacias along the river at the now disused camping ground was a group of noisy Black-billed Wood-Hoopoes. Bruce's Green-Pigeon and Little Sparrowhawk were present.

Black-billed Wood-Hoopoe

Primates were in fine form here with Olive Baboon, Grivet Monkey and Guereza Colobus about in some numbers. 

Grivet Monkey

Guereza Colobus

Olive Baboon

A Nile Crocodile sunned itself on the river bank; these reptiles were also common on the rocks below our lodge.

Nile Crocodile

We headed out at dusk for a nightjar search and were rewarded with fine views of three Star-spotted Nightjars, as well as Slender-tailed Nightjar. Abyssinian (Cape) Hare was also seen.

Abyssinian Hare

Star-spotted Nightjar

On our final morning we encountered a troop of Hamadryas Baboons along the main road, which links Addis Ababa with Djibouti.

Hamadryas Baboon