Day 12. Wednesday, July 18. Babati, TZ.

Day 5 in Tanzania.

Cathy and Lydia conducted research interviews. I went to Tarangire National Park to see lions, elephants, giraffes, and a bunch of new birds! We were out all day, leaving here at 0530 (in the dark) and returning shortly before dark.

Mbazi met me at the White Rose and we walked about 20 minutes to the bus station in downtown Babati. We were on the express bus, and it was packed with people standing in the isle and gear packed in the overhead bins

Link to trip map.

I knew I was in Africa when the bus had to stop on the highway to let a herd of zebra and wildebeest cross before we could continue. I knew I was in for an amazing day when the first stop was a flock of vultures (three species!) tearing at each other to get access to a road-kill zebra (watch 30-second video).

Tarangire is an amazing place, but you have to be careful to avoid annoying the elephants, as we got charged by a momma elephant twice. The birding was awesome, and the driver knew the names of most species. Birding at home may never be the same, but maybe because I won't have to look past herds of zebra and wildebeest to spot little things flitting on the ground. Highlights included a zebra carcass with all three species of plains vultures, African Fish Eagles, Marabou Storks, Pygmy Falcons, Yellow-billed Oxpeckers, Lilac-fronted Rollers, and getting chased away by momma elephant (watch video).