A few days before May 5th, Karen saw a fun notice from eBird that May 5th was going to be World Bird Day. The notice encouraged people from around the world to go out on May 5th and record all the birds you see and/or hear on that day. To get the competitive juices flowing, the announcement told how last year a team from Ecuador saw over 430 birds alone in the one day event. A few years ago, Karen and I birded with Olger, an incredible Ecuador birder, who we know was on this Ecuador team. We just could not pass-up this chance to bird in Uganda on World Bird Day!
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| One of Karen's favorite frequent visitors: African Blue Flycatcher |
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| Baglafecht's Weaver |
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| Common Bulbul |
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| Sacred Ibis |
We next asked Justine, Milton, and Robert, folks we work with in Bududa, to join our team and keep their eyes open for any birds they saw on May 5th. Once they saw a bird, we could use the East African bird guide to figure out the English name, if needed. Granted, they think our birding ways are a bit amusing, but they were happy to indulge us and gladly joined in. We planned to put our lists together on May 6 or 7 and I would then send our complete list into eBird. Our Team Bududa would join birders world-wide for this amazing day of birding around the globe.
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| Speckled Mousebird |
In all, we ended up seeing 62 different birds. The world count, around 6,900 birds, broke the previous year's record. However, the really big news was told in the eBird account of the day, which came out May 10th and was found under the Africa section of the report:
"This year's world record would not have been possible without African birders. Reports from 28 countries added a whopping 150 species over 2017's event, taking the continental total to 1,140. A big thanks to the African Bird Club for helping get people excited across the continent. Despite the terrible flooding in Kenya, birders made it out to report 479 species---#1 in the region. This year's big story in Africa was Uganda, where a fantastic network of local guides and Tourism Uganda (and Team Bududa) helped get 34 birders (and teams) out across the country, finding 429 species---up from 116 last year! Very impressive work, and we can't wait to see how Uganda eBirding grows by next year!"
It simply gets no better than this!!!
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| Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater |
Team Bududa
Karen Vaccaro (Team Photographer extraordinaire)
Milton Watti
Robert Wakubona
Justine Kalenda
David Kern
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| The amazing Hammerkop |
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| Red-billed Firefinch |
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| One who brings true delightful: African Pygmy Kingfisher |
The Birds of the Big Day:
Hamerkop (M) Bronze Mannikin (R)
Hadada (R) Black and White Mannikin
Sacred Ibis Red-billed Firefinch
Black-headed Heron (M) African Firefinch
Grey Crested Crane (M) Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (R)
Ringed-neck Dove Bronze Sunbird
Laughing Dove Copper Sunbird
Spotted Eagle Owl Red-chested Sunbird
Little Bee-eater Olive Sunbird
Cinnamon-breasted Bee-eater Pied Wagtail
African Pygmy Kingfisher (J) Mountain Wagtail
Tawny-flanked Prinia Fiscal Shrike
White-chinned Prinia Lesser Grey Shrike
Willow Warbler Gray-backed Shrike
Ugandan Wood Warbler Isabeline Shrike
Blackcap Pied Crow
Grey-backed Cameroptera Tropical Boubou
Singing Cisticola Speckled Mousebird (R)
Yellow-bellied Hyliota Yellow-throated Greenbul (J)
Yellow White-eye Common Bulbul
African Golden-breasted Bunting African Thrush (J)
Yellow-breasted Apalis Grey-headed Sparrow
Snowy-headed Robin-Chat Wire-tailed Swallow
White-browed Robin-Chat (M) Rock Martin
Northern Black Flycatcher White-headed Saw-wing
African Dusky Flycatcher Holub's Golden Weaver
African Paradise Flycatcher Baglafecht Weaver
African Blue Flycatcher Square-tailed Drongo
Pin-tailed Whyda Forked-tailed Drongo
Red-billed Oxpecker Yellow-fronted Canary
Brimstone Canary African Citril
These birds are beyond exquisite. Thanks for posting David. Rhonda
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