Posts in Category: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest NP

Uganda Edition: Grey-throated Barbet

Grey-throated Barbet: Neck (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park), Uganda, August 2022 — There are a lot of cryptic little birds in the forests of western Uganda, some found only there. This is the Grey-headed Barbet, not one of the rarer birds, with ranges in both far West and East Africa, and being common in the mountain forests of Western Uganda. It often likes to perch high in dead trees, which is exactly where we found this one. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 125 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

Uganda Edition: Speckled Tinkerbird and Yellow-spotted Barbet

Speckled Tinkerbird and Yellow-spotted Barbet, Neck (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park), Uganda, August 2022 — Two Barbets in a single view…the Speckled Tinkerbird and the Yellow-spotted Barbet…both with all but identical ranges in the forests southwestern Uganda. These were at Neck on the way from Ishasha to Bwindi. Sony Rx10iv at 567mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus 1EV.

Uganda Edition: Black-tailed Oriole (?)

Back-tailed Oriole (?): Neck, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — Because of where we saw it, I believe this is a Black-tailed or Mountain Oriole. It is one of 4 very similar black-headed, yellow orioles possible in Uganda, but is the most likely in the Mountain Forest of Neck. Sony Rx10iv at 567mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications and multi-frame noise reduction. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. Equivalent ISO 5000 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus 1.3EV.

Uganda Edition: Black Bee-eater

Black Bee-eater: Neck (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park), Uganda, August 2022 — Another not great shot of a good bird. This is an immature (coming into adult plumage) Black Bee-eater from the Neck forest between Ishasha and Bwindi. Though it is a forest bird across most of Sub-Sahara Africa, it is found in East Africa only in the narrow band of volcanic highlands along the western border of Uganda. This bird as wee and far, as they say, so this is a heavy crop…and being silhouetted against the sky did not help. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro on the Mac Air. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus 2.7EV.

Uganda Edition: Bar-tailed Trogon

Bar-tailed Trogon: Neck, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — Another good bird, though only a “for the record” shot, from our spot in forest of Neck along the road from Ishasha to Bwindi. The Bar-tailed Trogon is one of two trogons in East Africa and is only found in a narrow band just where we were in Uganda. This bird was distant, in the dark, and obscured by foliage, so I am, overall, happy with the record. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro on the Mac Air. ISO 2500 @ f4 @ 1/500. Plus 1.7EV.

Banded Prinia

Banded Prinia: Neck (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park), Uganda, August 2022 — From that same section of foothill forest between Ishasha and Bwindi, (which I now know is called Neck)…a much harder bird to see and photograph: the Banded Prinia. This Prinia is a mountain skulker in the underbrush. Sony Rx10iv at 580mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

Mountain Gorillas, moving out

After about 30 minutes in the presence of our family of Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, the silverback, who had shown signs of being increasingly uncomfortable, decided to move the family on. I put it down to one of the cell phone toting tourists (not one of my group) getting at bit too close and making eye-contact one too many times, but the silverback might well have just gotten bored with us. Once he had disappeared through the heavy vines at the clearing edge the others quickly followed. Mom patiently waited for the youngest to climb aboard before she moved off. She did not seem to mind when the infant grabbed fists fulls of her fur for climbing holds. Sony Rx10iv at about 200mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. For the full story on my Mountain Gorilla Trek, visit here.

Mountain Gorillas, breakfast

Mountain Gorillas are mostly vegetarian. They eat all parts of the plants around them from roots and bark to seeds and fruits…over 140 species of plants. One favored food is the gallium vine, which we saw them eating in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park when we visited our family of Gorillas. The silverback (male) was cracking the vine open to get at the soft parts inside, while the female was stripping leaves. Mountain Gorillas are big…the silverbacks can run to 440 pounds, and it takes a lot of vegetation to keep them healthy. They forage in morning and again in the evening before bedding down. Sony Rx10iv at 440mm and 540mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.

Mountain Gorillas, contemplation

The mother Gorilla taking a moment of rest while the male finished his breakfast and the youngsters played. As I said, in 30 minutes with the Mountain Gorilla family in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Uganda, we had the opportunity to observe and photograph an amazingly wide range of behavior as the gorillas went about their morning routines. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr, Apple Photos, and TouchRetouch. For the full story and more photos on my Gorilla Trek, visit my post on Point and Shoot Nature Photographer.

Mountain Gorillas, “look what I can do, mom”

During the 30 minutes before our family of Mountain Gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park got tired of us and moved on, the three youngest off-spring spent almost all their time playing. The youngest, in particular, seemed to have just discovered that it could climb and was busy trying out the vines and brush around the edge of the breakfast clearing, with more or less success depending on whether the vine would carry its weight.

My article on the whole adventure, with lots more photos, is done now, if you want to take a look here.

Sony Rx10iv at about 225mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr.