After a couple hours of relaxation and birding at the lodge we are out again exploring the roads for any interesting birds and mammals. There were no escorts now as they had no idea when we are going to leave the room so reaching the car was more quiet and less harried. We raise the top and on we go, we want to explore north from the lodge on the main road. However even on the access road we discover quite a few interesting birds, including some lifers like a Crested Francolin.
However the top birds on the initial stretch are a pair of Northern Pied Babbler, near endemic in Kenya and Tanzania and one of the specialties of Tarangire and a pair of Gabar Goshawks who do not seem to believe that anyone will start a birding trip that late in the day.
Soon we are on the main road, and the only car on this stretch. With so few cars there are quite a few birds including groups of spurfowl, mostly Yellow-Necked this afternoon.
The views in the falling sun are beautiful, we really enjoy the views over the savanna with animals, trees and grass as far as the eye can see.
This portion of the road we have driven before so we are not as stressed as when driving in an unknown direction. This allows us to focus on looking for birds and just enjoying the beautiful afternoon.
We stop for every bird that we see on every tree so it is quite slow going however that allows us not to miss anything obvious. So when stopping for a dove far away as our eyes adjust we notice something else next to it, those are Yellow-collared Lovebirds!!! This is another endemic and the one we didn’t think we will be able to see. But see it we do both today and at the lodge tomorrow quite unexpectedly.
As the sun threatens to fall below the horizon we make a beeline to the lodge, as much as we can do that. Still we stop for any good photo opportunities like the group of Bare-faced Go-Away-Birds looking at the sunset and the Dik-Dik deciding it had enough of running and remains near our car as we pass by. And then we are back after a short but very fruitful afternoon birding expedition and it is time to pack and prepare for dinner, tomorrow we will leave Tarangire towards Lake Manyara.
