March 25, 2013 - Nile River Safari

After our amazing game drive on Sunday morning, we came back to the campsite for lunch and some relaxation during the heat of the afternoon. After we had all eaten and were falling asleep due to our full bellies and the heat outside, we again headed down to the ferry launching site for our afternoon adventure. We loaded ourselves on to two different boats, which would take us up to the base of the falls, as well as allow for viewing of wildlife that tend to spend most of their time along the riverfront.

The river safari was a great way to see new (and some old) wildlife, while at the same time enjoying the beautiful river and the wonderful weather (no raining on us that day!). Animal highlights of the trip included:

1. Hippopotamuses (or hippopotami? or just hippos?). Hippos were everywhere in the water, lingering along the waters' edge for about 20-22 hours of each day to keep themselves cool. Smart idea, especially when temperatures reach 90-100 degrees in the heat of the afternoon at Murchison Falls National Park. The hippos tended to spend time in large herds, though our guide told us that the herds are composed of only one dominant male and the remainder are females or calves. Once the male calves get too old and pose a threat, they are kicked out of the herd and either live a solitary life or join a "bachelor herd." If a new male hippo wants to challenge his way in to the herd, the two males will fight to the death. We saw signs of these fights in some of the hippos, including scars and lost ears. Ouch.

At one point, one of the hippos started swimming towards our boat and I thought he was going to challenge us, but he gave up part way there. Thank goodness...

2. Black-and-white colobus. Near the bottom of the falls, we saw these amazing black and white monkeys hanging out in the trees. At first we only saw one, then realized that there was a group of them. Black-and-white colobus is the most common forest monkey in Uganda, but can be difficult to see at times, due to their permanent dwelling in the trees. They are able to jump extreme distances, up to 30 meters, which is an incredible sight to see.

3. Elephants. Always exciting to see in the wild, it never gets old. This one was eating (what a surprise...) right along the river.

In addition to animals, we saw a few reptiles along the route, including:

1. Nile crocodile. They can be quite elusive at times. And when they want to move quickly, watch out! They are fast! The Nile crocodile is the largest living reptile, growing up to lengths of 6 meters. They are capable of killing a wildebeest or even a lion that strays too close of the crocodile near the river, but tend to survive mostly on fish.

2. Nile terrapin. Cute little turtle sunbathing on a rock next to the river.

Despite seeing all of the neat animals and reptiles along the Nile, I have to admit that I was probably most enthralled by the birds. I have never been much of a "birder" before, and still wouldn't consider myself one, but there were some amazing birds along the Nile River. The best ones (in order of my favorites...):

1. Black-headed weavers. These birds were amazing. Not only are they absolutely beautiful, but they are constantly working on their perfect little nests. They are called weavers because, well, they weave their nests out of straw, grass, and twigs. And I bet you can guess what color their heads are...

Perhaps the best part about this bird species, is that the males are always hard at work making the nests. The nests are usually circular or oval in shape, located at the end of a thin hanging branch. The branch is stripped bare of leaves to protect against snakes. The males work diligently at their nests, carrying the building components piece by piece until the nest is complete. They then woo the female weavers with their impeccably built nests. If the females are not completely satisfied with the work, they will tear the nest apart, causing the males to start all over again. Haha; I think this is hysterical!

2. Red-throated bee-eater. A close second to the black-headed weavers, these birds are just plain gorgeous. They make their nests in the tough sand walls that border the Nile river.

3. Grey-headed kingfisher. Beautiful coloring, they appear almost regal.

4. Pied kingfisher. Still regal in appearance, but less colorful.

5. African fish eagle. Come on, who doesn't feel slightly awed at the sight of an eagle? God bless America (or in this case, God bless Africa)!

6. Saddle-billed stork. The largest of the storks found in Uganda.

7. Goliath heron. Simply based on the name, it's obvious that this bird is big. It can grow to be 1.5 meters in height. Less beautiful than the other birds, but impressive based on its size.

And you thought that was all? Not quite! One of the main purposes of the boat safari was to see the base of Murchison Falls. Perhaps not as impressive as the top, but still beautiful and a sight to behold!