Another fly-collecting safari: Uganda




While waiting for research permits and for Amanda's luggage to arrive, we went with our friend Erin to Murchison Falls National Park.  As usual, most of my pictures in this gallery feature wildlife and landscapes (I'm generally shy about photographing people).




Here the Nile plunges through a narrow cataract.




A colorful lizard did push-ups on the rocks nearby.





Our vehicle lost a wheel on the way into the park, but a kind Spanish traveler gave us a ride to Paraa, where a ferry crosses the river, and Erin took this picture of us.




After finding the budget option full, we ended up staying in a luxury lodge for the night.




A hippo grazed between the ferry and the hotel, unconcerned by a few people and vehicles passing nearby.




While waiting for a new vehicle to arrive, we took a boat trip up the Nile.  We saw many a bloat of hippopotami (that's an actual term for such groups!).




Near one bloat of hippos, we saw a float of crocodiles.  Quite close to the basking beasts, a couple of waterbucks grazed with no apparent concern.




Back at the ferry site, a troop of baboons waited for the slightest opportunity to steal food out of vechiles.  I saw one mother leap into a truck, leap out with a sandwich, and take off with the rest of her troop in hot pursuit, baby clinging to her chest the whole way.




Not to worry - I took this picture from inside a vehicle.  After the replacement vehicle showed up, we drove across the savanna to look for critters like this water buffalo.




This kob might have been hoping that the vegetation draped across his head would make him more attractive.




You can not see the bushbuck - it is hidden.




Our approach startled a couple members of this tower of giraffes (yes, another odd group name).  I learned that giraffes darken with age, and I saw one old sage that was nearly black.




About then, I noticed a green, pink, yellow, and white spider next to me on the window.  Took a picture, then sent him on his way.




Abyssinian ground hornbill - one odd-looking bird.




Back at the ferry parking area, a sounder of warthogs dozed through the afternoon heat.




Finally - a petroleum company that clearly understands the issue of global warming.




Just outside the little brick hut where we stayed in Masindi (the town where we spent several days sorting through fruit flies), a family of cats had their nest atop a vine-covered wall.  They were shy around people, but entertained us with their playing.




We got one more day off at the end of the trip, after mailing off several hundred flies, and ended up at the Entebbe Botanical Garden, where this black-and-white-casqued hornbill peered down at us from the the treetops.




Also among the tree canopy residents were this troop of colobus monkeys.




Grand champion in the odd-looking bird competition is of course the shoebill, which stands nearly five feet tall, and gave us an eerie stare at the wildlife sanctuary in Entebbe.




We ran out of time to visit the chimp forest at Murchison, but I thought this picture from the wildlife sanctuary was worth sharing.  Just casually standing around (on two legs) - I wonder if he's imitating the human visitors that he sees every day.




On the way back, we had an overnight connection in London (between two 10 hour flights).  It gave us just enough time for an evening walk through the city.  Here's Amanda in front of Buckingham Palace.




Seen here:  Big Ben and the parliament building, the London Eye ferris wheel, statue of Nelson Mandela (left), several double decker buses, and a protest encampment.