We play the game “will it rain, will it not rain” for a couple hours in the afternoon but in the end it is getting quite late so we decide to go towards Lake Masek and see if the weather will hold. For that we first have to take the main road back towards the channel between Lake Masek and Lake Ndutu which we passed the previous day. On the way we again pass herds of wildebeests, which is something very usual here and now while observing an Augur Buzzard that observes us right back.
We are not sure which is the side road to Lake Masek but there is a sign and luckily this time it worked. We also follow all the other safari cars that seem to be headed here and soon are at the edge of the lake watching flamingoes.
We try not to get too close to the lake due to the number of skeletons all around us. We are reasonably sure that they are not due to the flamingoes eating them but something happened. Either they got stuck in the mud or the water killed them or something else.
At least the terrain does not appear to be that treacherous and we explore it slowly with the car while watching flamingoes take off whenever we get too close in their opinion.
There are surprisingly few special birds here but we still see a few common ones that we like like the Blacksmith Lapwing and a few Laughing Doves.
At some point all the other safari cars leave and we are the only ones left with the skeletons and the birds and it is quite fun even though a bit spooky.
And then we decide to explore the area a bit further away. As we get lost in the sideroads we find both birds and dik-diks but nothing more special until we take the “right” road.
This road takes us to a magnificent tree full of birds. While they are mostly common ones there are lots of them, weavers and canaries all enjoying the late afternoon.
The most beautiful, even if common, birds are the Gorgeous Sunbird and the White-browed Scrub-Robin, both are quite curious and almost tame.
And then we return via the channel towards Lake Ndutu. Here it seems is where the giraffes and dik-dik gather at this time, there are lots of them seemingly everywhere.
When we reach the main road there is still time till sunset so we decide to drive in the opposite direction from our lodge to see what we find. That is an inspired decision as almost immediately we find a spot with both Fischer’s Lovebird, our favorite bird here, and Chestnut Sparrows just on the side of the road.
And here we also get one more lifer, a very beautiful bird, a Brubru which looks and behaves like a flycatcher to us.
And that one is not the only special bird. We find here also a few Black-faced Waxbill and a beautiful Banded Warbler, overall this spot is the highlight of the evening.
We now start returning towards the lodge with another stop in the wash between the lakes. However today is not the best day for a sunset and the birds are not coming so we move on towards the lodge.
Around the entrance to the lodge we find also our first and only elephant for today, this area really isn’t that good for elephants.
We spend some more time here birding before pulling into the lodge and there are some interesting birds here like an Eastern Grey Woodpecker but soon the sunset is here and we have to pull into the lodge. Where while waiting for dinner we have a great opportunity to see genets, one of our targets here before leaving tomorrow for civilization.
