Day 40 – Birthday Boy.

Gregg was looking considerably older this morning….I am not sure whether this was because he had just turned 40 or because it was 4.45 in the morning!!

We had an early start as we were driving up to Mount Gorongosa the unique home of the Green Oriole. None of the party had ever sighted this extremely rare bird and particularly so Gregg who has been a twitcher all his life. So it was really quite exciting, even for the ornithologically challenged in the group, when we walked through this extraordinary rain forest on the mountain and there was the Green Oriole. There could be no better present for Gregg. 

Sadly the locals are wantonly destroying the habitat. Great swathes of this magnificent forest have been burned and a few scruffy plants planted. I doubt the Green Oriel will have a home left in 10 years.

Tim Garner commented the other day that the ‘Smell of Africa’ is burning. Everywhere we go they are burning the local woodland and habitat. For a 1000 kilometres of driving here there have been constant fires and we have yet to see any land that is not affected by humans.

Very sad. However the Oriel was special and the biking up to the mountain fabulous. And on our return to camp we went to take another look at the croc in his lair but this time with a flashlight. He is a monster. An unforgettable sight just 2 or 3 metres away at the back of his larder!! Another day in Africa.

J