After an early breakfast, we drive to Mabamba Swamp, 50km west of Kampala, and stop en route at Mpigi Swamp for papyrus rarities. Keep your eyes open for the White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek, Yellow-backed Weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Blue-headed Coucal, and other swamp specialties.
At the swamp, most of the birding activity is by canoe, paddled by our local site guides. Look for the Shoebill both in the sky and down on the marsh. This most famous and bizarre avian creature is the only representative in its family. Prepare to be mesmerized by watching the bird as it preens, showing off its grinning, wooden clog-like bill. You may also have marvelous views of it as it soars on broad wings.
Also watch for the; Swamp Flycatcher, African Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, African Jacana, African Pygmy Goose, White-faced Whistling-duck, Squacco, Rufous-bellied and Purple Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Winding Cisticola, Goliath Heron, Black Crake, African Marsh Harrier, Hamerkop, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers, Common Waxbill, Yellow-billed Duck, Blue-headed Cuckoo, Fan-atailed Widowbird, Intermediate Egret, Osprey, Long-toed Lapwing, African Pied Wagtail, and Red-billed Fire-finch.
Despite being one of the world’s slowest birds of flight, the Shoe-bill, with its relatively huge size is something to capture with your natural and artificial lenses while on a Safari in Uganda. Although a few shoe-bills vagrantly wander to central and mid-western Africa, bird lovers have a greater chance of seeing this bird around the inadequately oxygenated waters of the East African wetlands.
The “shoe-bill”, a name it gets from the shape of its round mouth, grows up to an average height ranging between 110 and 140 cm with some species reaching a record152 cm in height. They have an average weight of 4 to 7 kg, with the males generally heavier than the females. Another stunning characteristic is that shoe-bills can live for up to 25 years.
Shoe-bills are very patient hunters which move slowly and periodically stand still waiting for their prey to come to the surface of the water for a gasp of air. By the time the shoe-bill decides to send a strike at a terrific speed, it has already confirmed that it will not miss. This “stand-still” behavior has encouraged many to call them statues. The birds are a rare species and only the lucky few tourists will get a glance of them.
A Safari to Uganda’s National Parks of Semuliki, Murchison Falls and Lake Mburo should give you an opportunity of encountering this bird. Tourists can also meet the shoebill in the Mabamba swamp located 40 km west of Entebbe town by road. Also Safaris along the Kampala – Masaka road, in Wakiso district can climax in a chance to see this blue-grey dressed bird carrying out its daily errands in its natural habitat a swamp called Mabamba. Tourists will get more rewarding experience from the tour if they trace the birds using a canoe.
In a bid to conserve this rare species of birds, the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) has rescued a number of shoe-bills from captivity by local communities. Safaris in Uganda to Entebbe can also lead to the Entebbe zoo where this giant feathery friend of ours can be found. The UWEC zoo is just a few minutes from Entebbe International Airport. From Kampala, tourists may travel for about 45 minutes depending on the traffic flow at the time of the day that they choose to schedule the tour. There are just a few places to see the legendary shoe-bill, but one thing I am sure of is that he waits for you to pay him a visit.
Uganda safaris/Uganda safari News
Laiter your guide will take u to have lunch in Entebbe and then head to the Entebbe botanical gardens for ore birding.
The Entebbe Botanical Gardens established at the turn of the 20th history is a place of flowers, plants, trees not only native to Uganda but from other tropical locations around the world – it is certainly a place of beauty and discovery for flowers, plants, shrubs, trees, monkeys, insects and magnificent birds. It is a birders paradise within 40 minutes from Kampala, a low priced entry and you can do it without a self-appointed guide who is looking to make a few shillings – since, unless they know what they are talking about, the chatter becomes a distraction from seeing the beauty of the garden and discovering birds, often the best person to guide you is your driver-guide supplied by your tour company such as Get to African wildlife safaris The Entebbe Botanical Gardens are not equipped for the disabled however a slow drive in a safari vehicle through the park will certainly allow anyone who is unable to walk to see these wondrous gardens. For those coming to do some birding – it is best to have an East African Orthinology Book on hand and a good pair of binoculars will also make your time here better. If you need a birding guide ask one of the young men to talk about birds and within a few minutes, you will know whether it would be good to have him along, please do note that the self-appointed guides at Entebbe Botanical Gardens are quite aggressive, even for Uganda where need is always the motivation. If you are on safari with us, we arrange everything for you.
Right at the entrance in the tall trees you usually find a pair of Verreaux’s eagle owls. Birds of the gardens include the orange-tufted and red chested Sunbirds and Orange Weaver. The latter breed in the bushes on the shores of Lake Victoria along with slender-billed Northern Brown –throated, yellow backed, Jackson’s Golden –backed , Black-headed and Vieillot’s black weavers . The rocky headland along the Lake making an ideal observation point . On the lake and around the shore look for long-tailed Cormorant , Common Squacco and black-headed herons, hamerkop ,African Open-billed Stork , yellow billed duck , Grey headed gull , various terns ,giant and pied Kingfishers and swamp Flycatcher . Scan the boats at the large jetty where you often find Pratincoles (2-3 pairs are usually present). Black-headed Gonolek and Red- chested Sunbird occur in the dense scrub covering the headland .
As you stroll along the paths, you will find a medicinal garden, stands of Bamboo, thick underbrush, towering trees, simply a lovely morning, afternoon or full day in the quiet of the Botanical Gardens along Lake Victoria that seems to appear over and over as you walk along. Local Rumors (including Bradt Guide) have it that the early black and white Tarzan Movies were made here…enjoy your day in Entebbe Botanical Gardens.