Dear All

Spurred on by Brian's report, Leo Niskanen and I travelled to the area he
describes this last Saturday early morning (22nd January).  The signboard he
mentions is some 32kms (or 20 miles) from the Sotik/Keekorok fork, but is
20kms from the old junction (if that is still a landmark).  We then went 5
to 5.5kms down the turn off and then slowly traversed on foot an extensive
area of Acacia drepanolobium of approximately 0.5 to 2 metres in height.
After an hour and a half in rather difficult windy conditions, during which
a Red-throated Tit turned up, we sighted a small long-tailed bird flying
between the whistling thorn bushes.  This proved to be a Karamoja Apalis.
The white wing panel in the clean grey upperparts is very noticeable
(interestingly the grey blends in very well with the colour of the galls).
After watching this bird for some time, in the hope that the wind might give
a respite and allow some taping of the occacsional calling, we did hear
another bird calling more vigorously behind us and the two birds then joined
up.  This precipated more vocals and I was able to get liitle bit on tape,
despite the wind.  The two together also provided much more opportunity to
get excellent views.  We can certainly confirm the tail wagging from side to
side.  Interestingly however, on neither bird did we see any white loral
stripe between the eye and the bill. which is what is depicted in the
illustrations provided in Stephenson/Fanshawe and Sinclair's Birds of
Sub-Saharan Africa.

Because of the possible confusion between kilometres and miles, we are not
certain if we were in the same patch as Brian.  But we did think the
drepanolbium was fairly continuous from where we were to the area along the
main road, where Brian thought Phil Shaw had seen the bird.

Best wishes and happy birding

Nigel Hunter