We were back at the Tundavala Escarpment for our last morning in Angola. This time we turned off on a track to the North West of the main car park. After two or three miles we parked up & walked down to the escarpment edge. We were hoping to see the endemic subspecies of White-headed Barbet, which is an isolated population from the main East African population, and our last Angolan endemic species, Angola Slaty-flycatcher: but we couldn't find either species. However, there was plenty of other species feeding in the same area.
Walking down to the escarpment edge at first light
Mud blocks for another house
After walking for a couple of miles, we reached the escarpment edge
Richard, Phil & Niall just settling in
There was a bonus stream which was attracting in a few species for a drink
Common Bulbul: This is the tricolor subspecies which occurs from East Cameroon East to South Sudan & central Kenya and South to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, North Namibia, North West Botswana and North & West Zambia
African Yellow White-eye: This is the anderssoni subspecies which occurs from South & East Angola & North Namibia to the South East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, South West Tanzania, the Zimbabwe plateau & North West Mozambique
Fulleborn's Longclaw: This is the ascensi subspecies which occurs in grasslands & Brachystegia woodlands of Central Africa
Holub's Golden Weaver: This monotypic species occurs from Gabon to Angola, Uganda, Kenya, Botswana & Mozambique
Angola Waxbill: This monotypic species occurs in Angola & Namibia
Angola Waxbill: We had seen a few in Lubango area, but this was the first time I had managed to photograph the species
Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax: There is an isolated population in Angola & Botswana. Their main range stretches from South Egypt to South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique & North East South Africa
Having drawn a blank on the Angola Slaty-flycatcher, we headed back to the barbeque area to have another look there, as we knew there were other records from that location. We wandered around for over an hour, but still failed to find one. But the local Congo Rope Squirrels were more obliging.
Congo Rope Squirrel: Finally, one posed close to me
Angolan Ichneumon Wasp sp.: Thanks to my mate Steve Morrison who was able to confirm this was an Ichneumon Wasp sp. from my published photos
We were running out of options for finding an Angola Slaty-flycatcher. Niall decided we should try a couple of other areas at the top of the escarpment that we hadn't visited before. I will cover the results in the final Blog Post.
