Uganda pt. 3 : Mabira Forest, Paradise Lost?

 Paradise Lost

We took the turn for Rainforest Lodge in Mabira forest, just as it got dark. We had to drive through some habitations and cultivations to reach the forest edge. Emmy told us this all technically was supposed to be within the reserve, but had been land-grabbed. A steady stream of people hauled bundles of sticks on the heards from the forest, and even a full-scale logging truck (in a forest reserve?) - not a good sign! The lodge was pretty expensive but we managed to negotiate an acceptable price for camping on the grass, one or two courses (instead of three) and a simple breakfast. We heard a distant Red-chested Owlet, and got good views of some sort of tiny Gallago zipping around from branch to ranch. A Gennet krept around the waste bin. 

Afep Pigeon

At breakfast, we were treated to a huge Afep Pigeon, a lifer to me and Wilson. It's booming call is what alerted us. From there we proceeded to the forest office to settle the park fees. The fee structure was as complicated as a Vietnamese Restaurant menu (in typical Ugandan fashion) with a special extra fee for "birding". Well we just lied and pretended we weren't birders, and were able to pay significantly less (but still too much in my opinion). I told the clerk that you can't charge people money while at the same time do nothing to curtail the extensive illegal logging in the reserve. "What logging?" she asked. I said they should also give you some sort of uniform at least, to look more official. I guess the people in power have decided to forsake Mabira Forest which is a real shame. 

We then went to a spot called "The Dry Swamp" which was decent for birding, although we failed to find our two targets, the Tit-Hylia and the Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher. We did get Cameroon Sombre Greenbul, White-throated Greenbul and Honeyguide Greenbul, at least. So there were a few things. Emmy drove us down a narrow track, and from there we proceeded into the forest on foot on what used to be a good trail. Now, evidence of tree-felling and charcoal burning was everywhere. They were turning this pristine rainforest into Mordor basically. It was heartbreaking to see. We'd had enough, and left to see if there was better birding to be had at Gryffon Falls, in the northwest corner of the reserve. 

This required a convoluted drive through rural roads. As we approached the place, we got to a valley where the bridge was just too tiny to pass, resulting in having to turn around and go all the way back to the main road and then a different way, via the sugar cane plantations. This all used to be part of the reserve, and was illegally given away to an Indian businessman by the president, despite a group of environmental lawyers kicking their asses in the court case. The notion of "Rule of Law" means next to nothing in Uganda. We finally found Gryffon camp but there was nobody there, so Emmy called someone he knew nearby to get somebody to come and meet us. We made arrangements for dinner to be brought over and cooked for us. 

In the morning, we ate our breakfast and hit the trails with high aspirations. But the birding fell short of expectations. A Brown-eared Woodpecker gave a quick view, then a Brown-chested Alethe, a Red-tailed Bristlebill and a Red-tailed Greenbul, but other than that, not many sightings. But the Mohogany trees were absolutely spectacular with their massive buttresses. They must have been really old. There is still some good forest left in Mabira. 

Brown-chested Alethe

We got to the "Gryffon Falls" and I was excited to behold a beautiful setting. It looks like they had built a fairly impressive zipline over the river. Something was stinging my nostrils as we got closer. Then an absolutely horrific sight. The water in the falls was completely black. The pools had oil slicks and the stench coming from the water was horrific as well. Kind of like molasses. It was highly toxic and made the air difficult to breathe. This, Emmy, said, was the effluent from the sugar cane factory upstream. I couldn't believe that an entire pristine river had been wiped out. I would have expected the factory to be downstream from the mountain. 

On the walk back, we got sight of a Buff-spotted Woodpecker, one of the birds I had not seen before. Just as I was about to get on it, a massive group of young adults rambled down the trail, decked out in helmets and harnesses ready for ziplining. They were yelling like wild banshees, as if they were high on cocaine. Apparently ziplining was so exciting for them that they had to yell like a bunch of freaks. Emmy asked politely if they could stop. "Much as you are excited for your activities, there are also other people trying to enjoy the forest" Their group leaders didn't even bother controlling them, and they continued shrieking. The Buff-spotted was long-gone. I was furious and started yelling at these people, and they sort of subsided before continuing. Apparently some rich kids from that Aga Khan University going ziplining on a school day. School fees well-spent? By this point we were done with Mabira Forest and quite eager to get up north toward a vast game reserve by the name of Pian Upe.