NAMIBIA

Desert to Okavango

 

 

Participants: Set departure tour

 

Guides Malcolm Wilson and David Nkosi

 

1-15 July 2006

 

Trip Itinerary

 

1   July  Windhoek - Western approaches - Avis dam - Daan Viljoen NR

2   July  Avis Dam – Spreetshoogte

3   July  Spreetshoogte– Solitaire – Namib-Naukluft – Walvis Bay

4   July  Walvis – Rooibank – Walvis Bay

5   July  Walvis – Spitzkop – Erongo Mtns

6   July  Erongo

7   July  Erongo – Okaukuejo\ (Etosha NP)

8   July  Okaukuejo – Halali

9   July  Halali – Namutoni

10 July  Namutoni – Grootfontein – Kavango

11 July  Kavango River

12 July  Mahango Nature Reserve - Drotsky’s Camp Botswana

13 July  Drotsky’s – Okavango River

14 July  Drotsky’s – Mahango NR – Kavango River

15 July  Kavango river – Windhoek

 

July 1st: Arrival in Windhoek

 

Windhoek is a remarkable city, a clean and attractive German relict in the harsh highlands of the Khomas Hochland Mountains, the spine of mountainous Namibia. Not only is it an attractive little town, but it is seriously birdy to boot. Before heading out to Avis Dam, we first did a little bit of exploring out towards the west in some likely looking thornveld. We were extremely lucky to almost instantly find and get great views of a roost of 28 Monteiro’s and three African Grey Hornbills. Other gems here were Dusky Sunbird, a nomad that has moved in after some local rains, Kalahari Scrub-robin and the localised Bradfield’s Swift.

On arrival at Avis Dam we set off across the dam wall as it provided a commanding view over the bush below the wall. Here we picked out Mountain Wheatear, Ashy Tit, Chestnut-vented Titbabbler, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Great Sparrow and scuttling from grass tuft to tuft along the wall was the chestnut, black and white Rockrunner! A stunner with a matching crescendo call that would follow us through much of the stony savanna country. This much sought after Namibian endemic gave us all a great opportunity to see the bird at very close quarters, ‘running along the rocks’! Up on the hillside a cacophony of calling Orange River Francolin erupted, but they were but too far away for views.

The thorn scrub habitat here made for excellent birding and setting off up the hill we soon were picking off species such as Pririt Batis, the female with a pinkie-buff breast, Brubru, Red-headed Finch, the sensational Violet-eared and Black-cheeked Waxbill, a melee of Rosy-faced Lovebirds, Long-billed Crombec and Burnt-necked Eremomela. A young Lanner Falcon came to inspect us as we stood overlooking the dam, circling in front of us and keeping an eye on a nearby African Fish Eagle. A Pearl-spotted Owlet, responding to its impersonation, in turn attracted a scolding mixture of birds including Yellow Canary, Scaly-feathered Finch, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Lesser Masked Weaver and Bearded Woodpecker.

A marshy area adjacent to the dam provided views of Cape Teal, African Spoonbill, Striated Heron, Grassveld Pipit, Desert Cisticola, African Quail-finch and some Kittlitz’s and Three-banded Plover. A Gabar Goshawk upset the party, which scattered in all directions by flying over the marsh. As usual, the party was impressed with the diversity of birds this small patch of bush and wetlands held in the middle of the city.

Whilst having a very pleasant lunch in Windhoek, we were treated to a pair of feeding Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters and a Familiar Chat in the hotel grounds. After lunch we set of for Daan Viljoen Nature Reserve some 22kms west of town. Before leaving town we spotted a Booted Eagle not far from the hotel which was circling over a hillside of Aloes. Whilst we were here a small party of birds bought our attention, including Pale-winged Starlings, Black-throated Canary, Scarlet-chested and Marico Sunbird and a Barred Wren-warbler.

Along the turnoff to the reserve, we found a Purple Roller and covey of Red-billed Francolin and a few dainty Short-toed Rockthrush. After going 1km into the reserve we found a bird party and in unison jumped out to have a look.  The most attention grabbing individual was a gob-smacking Crimson-breasted Shrike (Gonolek) which, usually quite skulking seemed very happy to let us watch it feeding just metres away. An African Hoopoe raised its crest at us as other birds joined it, White-backed Mousebird, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Ground-scraper Thrush and the superb and enigmatic, endemic White-tailed Shrike. It was such a lovely surprise as we had spoken about the prospect of seeing it and, as usual it quite unexpectedly popped up in front of us. At a rocky point along the road we came across a colony of Dassie Rat, all looking somewhat perturbed the reason soon becoming apparent, an adult African Hawk-eagle was perched above on the opposite side of the road looking very intent. Other birds here included Rock Kestrel, Cape Penduline Tit, Acacia Pied Barbet, Southern Ant-eating Chat, Marico Flycatcher, Wattled Starling and Golden-breasted Bunting. The view from up here in this hilly reserve was just breathtaking, Windhoek, some 22kms away looked like it was only two kms away, the air was so clear and the sun on the mountains behind the city was an intense orange-red colour. On the way back into Windhoek , and just before diner and a good night’s rest, we got great looks look at a Peregrine Falcon of the race ‘minor’ which was harassing some Rock Pigeons.

 

July 2nd: Windhoek to Namibgrens

 

Today was the day we hit the world-famous Namib Desert! On the way out of town, we stopped off at Avis Dam at dawn to try and get the early rising Orange River Francolins. In the car park we called in two male Freckled Nightjars which swooped and landed as close as 6m away. We were battling to find any Orange River Francolin and had all but given up, consoling ourselves with a Rose-ringed Parakeet, Pearl-spotted Owlet, a very approachable pair Crimson-breasted Shrikes, Common Scimitarbill, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, two individual Rockrunners and White-browed Sparrow-weaver. Leaving the area we had a hunch about a little track which we had seen that wound up a hill to apparently nowhere. Having a quick look was just as well, as we all simultaneously spotted a silhouetted male Orange River Francolin, calling its head off!

The drive to Namibgrens was wonderful; the scenery in this country is anything but dull. Huge blue skies dotted with Tawny Eagle and Black-chested Snake-eagles and endless vistas of rock and bush seemingly stretched for eternity. Stopping here and there along the way produced some very exciting birding. Keeping an eye on the wire fence and posts as well as the telegraph poles and cables we spotted a total of 12 Pale Chanting Goshawks, White-quilled Korhaan, Lilac-breasted Roller, Fawn-coloured and Spike-heeled Larks, Long-billed Pipit, Grey-backed Cisticola, Rufous-eared Warbler and the remarkably big Chat Flycatcher. At one of the many huge and extraordinary nests of the Sociable Weaver, we found a pair of Pygmy Falcon. These tiny raptors tolerated by so many potential prey species by sharing their nest, were sitting in their midst as if they were a pair of Laughing Doves!

We stopped for lunch at a dried out river and scouted the surrounding bush.

Burchell’s Starlings were common here and we soon added Red-crested Korhaan, Pied Babbler, Lark-like Bunting, Pririt Batis, and a flock of Rosy-faced Lovebirds. At one point David had been working some thickets close to the river and rather excitedly reported that he thought he had seen a Common Redstart, the significance of this species would be enormous as a very rare vagrant from Europe. Knowing David and seeing his excitement, it probably was the bird however we spent a good while trying to find it to no avail.

Towards the evening we took a quick detour to a vantage point on the top of the Gamsberg Pass where we looked out over endless ranges of mountains of a thousand hues of orange and mauve, here and there we could pick out small groups of Hartmann’s Zebra and Eland. As the sun dipped we saw our first Kori Bustards, a pair close to the road that we watched feeding unperturbed. A pair of Namaqua Sandgrouse flew overhead, maybe with breast-feathers soaked in water for chicks waiting anxiously over the next horizon.

 

July 3rd: Namibgrens to Walvis Bay

 

An early birding walk in the frost around the dam here produced little, not surprisingly given the cold! A Karoo Scrub-robin was braving the cold and singing away atop an Acacia, as was a spectacular Bokmakierie. The dam was quiet apart from some Black-winged Stilt, Maccoa Duck, Cape Shoveler, Red-billed and Cape Teal, South African Shelduck and Black-necked and Little Grebes.

We left the guesthouse and headed for the massive Namib Naukluft National Park. Our drive descended towards the costal region and the vast dune seas of the Namib Desert. We began to pick up a few new species, Karoo Chat, Tractrac Chat, Rüppell’s Koraan and White-throated Canary.

Stopping in a large ravine to check out some birds thermaling we found an adult and juvenile Augur Buzzard together with a Black Stork and hordes of Bradfield’s and Alpine Swifts. Entering the Namib Naukluft felt like we were the only people left on earth! Hundreds of larks and pipits flew up from the road at our approach, Stark’s and Fawn-coloured larks, Long-billed Pipit and thousands of Chestnut-backed and Grey-backed Sparrow-larks. Working our way west to the Atlantic we came over a rise and had to slam on brakes as right in front of us was a pair of Ludwig’s Bustards. These large nomadic birds took flight as we came to a stop, demonstrating their considerable size.

Coming into Walvis Bay we stopped at a small pan to check out some waterbirds, Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Hottentot Teal and a big flock of Hartlaub’s Gulls heading to roost.

 

July 4th: Walvis Bay

 

This morning we were up and off early to find a real desert jewel, the localised endemic Dune lark. Snaking across the gravel plains toward the distant looming dunes was quite an experience, the kilometres flew by but the Dunes seemed to be keeping their distance. On arrival at the small station of Rooibank we set off towards the Dunes and soon picked out birds like Tractrac Chat, Red-capped Lark, Long-billed Crombec, Scimitarbill and White-backed Mousebird. This morning, the birds were not playing ball and after a long search, retreated back to Walvis Bay to search the exposed tide flats for waders and the like. The distant flocks of thousands of flamingos gave the place a special feeling and we soon got in among mixed wader flocks of Curlew Sandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Little Stint, Pied Avocet and a single Grey Plover. Working our way down the coast towards the salt works we picked out Caspian, Swift and Damara Tern and Grey-headed Gull. At the salt works we lucked onto a single Chestnut-banded Plover, this neat little wader was a real highlight of the area.

Not to be beaten we returned to Rooibank and to a different area to find the Dune Lark. There were a few more birds around here than this morning, a single adult Black-chested Snake-eagle was nice and soon found Dusky Sunbirds, Common Fiscal, Black-chested Prinia, Ashy Tit, Cardinal Woodpecker, Cape Sparrow and Namaqua Dove. We finally made it to the edge of the huge Dune sea and had almost given up when a distant shout from David had us running through the soft and hot sand towards his waving figure. As we got there he was gesticulating toward the dune in front of us and as we looked, as if on queue, a smart looking Dune Lark walked round into the open not 15m from us. Flushed with success, we made for the north coast and to the guano platform where we scored White-breasted, Cape and Crowned Cormorants and Great White Pelican. But probably the most remarkable bird of the day was not the Dune Lark, but an unexpected visitor in the form of an African Crake! We had just been to explore a part of the town seafront for more waders and turning the car round in the car park spotted the bird out in the middle of a lawn, feeding under the sprinklers! This would have been an over wintering bird which dropped into this handy spot. With only a handful of records for this part of Namibia, it was a great find.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 5th: Spitzkoppe and Erongo

 

To get to Spitzkoppe in time to see the super endemic and uncommon Herero Chat we had to leave at 4am to be in time for their dawn calling. As the sun broke on the massif of the Spitzkoppe we watched in awe as the rock changed from grey to orange to red before our eyes. We began picking out birds on our approach, an African Hawk Eagle, Booted Eagle, Yellow Canary and Karoo Long-billed Lark. Due to the shooting of the movie 10,000 years BC, we were restricted to half the reserve but after a couple of hours searching we eventually got a single Herero Chat. We had a nice lunch at the entrance to a cave which had some very ancient Khoi-san paintings inside and were joined by a very confiding Karoo Chat. On the way to Erongo we stopped at a dry river bed and found some great birds among the huge Albida faidherbia trees. We soon found a party of six Violet Wood-hoopoe, a pair of Rüppell’s Parrots, Red-faced Mousebird and Bradfield’s and Damara Hornbill to our growing list.

 

July 6th: Erongo

 

With a whole day here to explore on foot, we set out early to try and get the very uncommon endemic Hartlaub’s Francolin. First off we encountered a flock and among it were White-browed Scrub-robin, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Pririt Batis, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting and a very welcome party of the endemic Carp’s Tit. Other finds here were Rockrunner, which were quite common, Southern White-crowned Shrike and Chestnut Weaver. At one point a Peregrine came flying fast up the valley which looked far too grey for the resident African race ‘minor’, more like ‘calidus’ which had hung around here for the northern Summer. It upset the local pair of Rock Kestrels and eventually got chased off by a Booted Eagle. We had failed to see the ‘big one’ for here, Hartlaub’s Francolin, so we decided to go into better habitat and try another tack. We took a trail into the base of the massive granite inselberg, and tried a tape. It took 3 seconds before we had a male Hartlaub’s Francolin come screaming overhead to land on a boulder behind us, out in the open for all to see. Later on we took a drive to the river and on the way found a pair of the magnificent Verreaux’s Eagles on a nest with what looked like a chick from our vantage point. In the river we had good views of Violet Wood-hoopoe, but it was becoming far too hot so we beat a retreat to the lodge getting a very confiding Damara Dik-dik on the way home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 7th: Erongo to Okaukuejo, Etosha National Park

Up just before dawn to leave the magical boulder paradise that is Erongo, and we found a group of three Freckled Nightjars at the car park as we were about to leave. They were very confiding and provided great views. And it seemed there were a party of Klipspringer to see us off, all stationed above us on the steep granite slope. Today was a long driving day where we began to encounter Mopane veld, the short dominant vegetation here in the Etosha area.  We spotted lots of birds of prey along the way including at last, that true African sight no sky should be without, Bateleur. Also adult and young Martial Eagle, White-backed and Lappet-faced Vultures, Shikra and Ovambo Sparrowhawk. At one point we stopped at an overflowing water tank to watch the thousands of finches, waxbills, quelea and sparrows all drinking and bathing in this scarce luxury. Black-cheeked, Violet-eared and Blue Waxbills, Great and Cape Sparrows, Southern-red Bishop and Red-billed Buffalo-weaver with an attentive Gabar Goshawk keeping a close eye on the scene.

At Okaukuejo, before heading off to our rooms, we went straight out to the pan, a vast and impressive land. We soon picked up Double-banded Courser, Capped Wheatear, Crowned Lapwing, Plain-backed Pipit before turning round. On the way back to camp we came across several Black-backed Jackal, Giraffe, and distant groups of Springbok. After supper we all went to the waterhole where we were extremely lucky to find 5 Black Rhino! After a while these great beasts moved off to make way for the ghostlike form of a Lioness coming to drink. The birds here included an odd Black-crowned Night-heron and lots of Double-banded Sandgrouse coming into drink.

 

July 8th: Halali

 

Leaving camp we soon encountered some long awaited for birds. We watched a pair of Secretarybirds building a nest on top of a small acacia tree, very clumsy and awkward as they tried to collect dead sticks and fly with them to the nest. To be in such a wide open space and with such expectation we were soon rewarded with pride of 8 Lion, still winding down from their night manoeuvres. Kori Bustards were now common and we began to find them just about every other kilometre. At the end of the day we had counted no less then 50 individuals as well as 8 Secretarybirds. Heading westward we began to encounter a bunch of new birds. At a picnic spot we got a flock of very vocal White-crested Helmet Shrikes all round us. We were treated to good looks at plenty of Martial Eagles, a juvenile having just killed a Large Plated Lizard which it was busy devouring. We also found an adult on a nest not far from the road. Among hundreds of grazing Blue Wildebeest, Springbok and Zebra a pair of Northern Black Korhaans made their way across the plain sedately, with black and white lines of Ostrich shimmering out on the horizon.

This was also the first time we saw Pied Crow which were always in attendance at picnic spots unlike their cousins the Cape Crows. A few raptors included Greater Kestrels seen perched and a pair of Lanner Falcon hunting the large flocks of Red-billed Quelea. The female would get the flock up into a right tizz, bashing through them, all ready for the smaller and more agile male to take a bird out, so exhilarating to watch!

 

At Halali camp we settled in and made straight for the water hole where a lone Marabou Stork was causing great amounts of stress to a pair of domestically inclined Blacksmith Plovers. As dusk drew nearer, Double-banded Sandgrouse began to arrive in the hundreds, their characteristic calls filling the night’s skies. All this time I could hear a Verreaux’s Eagle-owl calling from somewhere close by, when I suddenly spotted it, sitting on an old Hamerkop nest in a tree next to the waterhole! Later in the night some of us keeping vigil had their patience pay off when a herd of some 60 Elephant came to the waterhole to drink among hordes of impala.

 

July 9th: Namutoni

 

Leaving camp this morning we added Greater Blue-eared Starling and a beautiful little African Scops Owl perfectly camouflaged against the trunk of a small acacia. New birds today included the remarkable looking Shaft-tailed Whydah and Eastern Paradise Whydah, the latter not in breeding plumage unfortunately. We watched a Capped Wheatear which was breeding, bringing food to a nest inside an old termite mound. Kori Bustard numbers were still up with a count today of 39, bringing a total of 93 in two days! Around the Namutoni camp we made a loop along a flooded watercourse where we picked up some new birds, Comb Duck, White Stork, White-fronted Plover and Eastern Clapper Lark. The loop also took in some palm savanna where we made people look out for the Red-necked Falcon which is associated with the Palms. We soon found a pair one bird busy plucking what looked like an ex-lark of some sort. At the waterhole that evening were a pair of Water Dikkop and a pair of Spotted Dikkop, the latter being very aggressive toward the former. A few Giraffe came to drink, adopting that peculiar posture to do so and a lone Warthog joined them.

 

July 10th: Kavango River

 

Before leaving Etosha, we drove the ‘Dik Dik Loop’ and within the hour had seen four of these very confiding tiny antelope at close quarters. Emerald-spotted Wood-doves were flitting across the track in front of us when a flock of Red-billed Oxpeckers suddenly flew up revealing the presence of a herd of huge Eland, here then, the biggest and smallest antelopes in Africa within 100m of each other! Heading north to the Caprivi Strip and the Kavango River we stopped for tea at a picnic site and soon got onto a flock of Bare-cheeked Babblers, which came into playback. A Bradfield’s Hornbill also put in an appearance. The habitat now began to change and we were soon driving through tall and beautiful lush Baikiaea plurijuga-Petrocarpus antunesii Woodland. Here we stopped for a mixed flock and found another rare bird, Black-faced Babbler as well as Magpie Shrike, Southern Black Flycatcher, Brown Snake-eagle and a very special raptor in southern Africa, Ayre’s Hawk Eagle. Shamvura was a perfect setting to end the day and our hosts Mark and Charlie plied us with sundowners as we looked out over the Kavango River into Angola at a pair of grazing Sitatunga antelope as Wood Owls began calling in the night.

 

July 11th: Kavango River

 

At dawn the camp came alive to the calls of Crested Francolin, Dark-capped Bulbul (replacing now the Red-eyed Bulbul) and another new bird Hartlaub’s Babbler, which were very common round the camp. Overhead an African Goshawk kept an eye on things, as it made its morning display flight, giving its ‘chip’ calls before heading off towards Angola. After a quick breakfast we set off on a river trip. Getting into the boat was difficult, so many birds were being called, Lesser-swamp, Little-rush, and African Reed Warblers, Little Bittern, African Rail and Black Duck before we could get onto the river! Once we were motoring upriver, we settled into watch a variety of water birds, Rufous-bellied Herons were common here as were Open-billed Stork, Black Heron and African Marsh Harrier. Working the reeds and waterside thickets we managed to see Coppery-tailed Coucal, the largest of its kind in southern Africa, Malachite Kingfishers and Squacco Herons darted out before us.

            Slowly pushing the point of our boat into the dense overhanging trees we were soon rewarded with a pair of White-backed Night Heron. This nocturnal and rare heron was a fantastic find and we had such good looks at this usually very skulking bird. We came upon a series of sandbars in the river, which yielded a real special bird for this part of the world, African Skimmer. There were 12 birds roosting and we watched them fly out and back performing the remarkable ‘skimming’ method of fishing unique to this species. Looking closer we could see one bird had a set of colour rings on one leg which turned out to have been fitted some 160km away in Mahango Nature reserve by Mark 5 years before. Every now and then we would pass a basking Crocodile and sometimes see one pass by deep in the crystal clear water. Still finding birds on the sandbars we got a Collared Pratincole and a pair of Long-toed Lapwing. Everywhere it seemed African Jacana were dashing across inlets with Black Crakes emitting their wheezy bubbling calls. Brown-throated Martins and White-fronted Bee-eaters hawked insects over the water and an excited shout from Mark bought our attention to a pair of Grey-headed Parrots flying overhead, a real special bird.

We moored the boat at one point and explored an area of reeds and grassland and found Luapula Cisticola and fleeting glimpses of Brown Firefinch. Getting back into the boat we froze as a Slaty Egret came into view and landed 100m away where we watched it for 5 mins. This uncommon resident, special to the area, was another great find. In the afternoon we worked the riparian forest around the lodge adding White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Terrestrial Brownbul, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Yellow-breasted Apalis, White-bellied Sunbird, White-browed Coucal, Golden Weaver and Black-headed Oriole.

 

 

July 12th: Kavango River to Botswana

 

Setting off through this great woodland we stopped to pick out groups of feeding Meyer’s Parrots calling from the treetops. Also here were Kurrichane Thrush, Pale and Ashy Flycatcher, Chinspot Batis, Meve’s Long-tailed Starling and Little Bee-eater. Passing through the very beautiful Mahango Nature Reserve we encountered a herd of one of the most striking antelope in Africa, the Sable. We watched them at a small pool, a magnificent bull standing over his family. Here the Kavango River turns to the Okavango River and out on the floodplain we were very fortunate to find a pair of Wattled Crane with a single juvenile. This rare and endangered bird was a great find and to see a successful breeding pair was a bonus. Along the floodplain were small herds of Red Lechwe, this aquatic antelope is a specialist at running through very wet vegetation with its splayed hooves.

Perched up in dead Leadwood trees we found a White-headed Vulture and a juvenile Martial Eagle. We stopped under a huge Baobab tree for lunch, Lesser-striped, Grey-rumped and Pearl-breasted Swallows were busy making nests under the huge boughs of the tree, great to see than the usual eves of a building. A Tinkling Cisticola made an appearance here but was far out-shown by a pair of Crimson-breasted Shrikes and a superb African Golden Oriole. On arrival at Drotsky’s Camp, set in superb high riparian forest, we immediately started to notice new birds around us. White-browed Robin-chats gave off their delightful song, African Yellow White-eye, Collared Sunbirds and a bird table busy with activity including a few Southern Brown-throated Weavers.

 

13th July: Okavango River

 

Before setting off on another boat trip, we worked the forest area in the hope of finding a real forest jewel, Narina Trogon. The forest was very quiet, but we picked out some great species, Green-capped Eremomela, Retz’s Helmetshrike, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Red-billed Woodhoopoe and flocks of Violet-backed Starlings. At camp one of the staff informed us he knew of an African Wood Owl roost, so we eagerly set off back into the forest. Sure enough a pair was sitting up in a low tangle of vines watching us, great views. The boat trip soon got the birds coming in, with very close views of Giant Kingfisher and another giant, the Goliath Heron, the largest in the world. The bankside trees here were huge and among them fruiting figs provided ongoing feasts for flocks of African Green Pigeon and Black-collared Barbets gorged. Picking a likely looking patch of Papyrus, we tried our luck with some play-back calls of Greater Swamp Warbler and Chirping Cisticola, both special birds in this part of the world. It didn’t take long before the drab, but large Greater Swamp Warbler came to inspect us and not long after a male Chirping Cisticola giving his very pleasant call, ‘chip, chip-cheee’. Also adding to the symphony was a pair of duetting Swamp Boubou.

 

This habitat was perfect for the ‘big Ginger’ as is the legendary Pel’s Fishing Owl called. We scoured every large likely looking tree, even flushing another White-backed Night Heron in the process, but no luck. We continued in this vein, getting a pair of spectacular Saddle-billed Storks and some six Yellow-billed Storks and flock of White-faced Whistling Ducks.  Next we came across a pair of Black-chested Snake Eagles which got moved on by an aggressive pair of Wattled Plover probably having some cowering chicks nearby.

Our boat guide now produced a fishing rod and proceeded to cast for a suitable sized fish to lure a Fish Eagle into our waiting cameras. After several unsuccessful attempts to catch a small enough fish, we finally managed to get one of around 25cm, unlike the 1-2 kg fish we had been catching prior to this!

Our guide whistled to the waiting Fish Eagle who on cue came in as the fish went sailing through the air to land for 2 seconds before the powerful talons of the Eagle grabbed the fish and flew off to a nearby tree, giving us a hearty call of thanks, it seemed.

We approached a section of river that had particularly large trees along the bank and a very likely place for Pel’s. Scanning the canopy carefully was a wasted effort, for there, completely visible in good light was the mighty Pel’s Fishing Owl. We watched the bird for a while till it became uncomfortable with a fisherman who had sailed under the tree and so we had fantastic views of the humungous owl flying to the next tree 50m away. With this great bird under our belts, we set off for an island which was supposed to be a good site for the regional endemic Brown Firefinch. At the island we were treated to a display of over 1000 White-fronted Bee-eaters all swooping and calling over the river, their colony along a steep-sided bank. The island was a good place to walk and soon I picked up on an alarm-calling bulbul where, on inspection, found the cause in the form of an agitated Barred Owlet that let us all have a good look.

Still searching high and low for the Firefinch was not proving successful but we did find another African Golden Oriole and a Barn Owl bringing the day’s owl total to four! Back at the camp we passed a rubbish pit and of course here were the Brown Firefinches! Some 10 to 20 birds were all feeding around the trash on seeding weeds together with Red-billed Firefinch and a pair of the beautiful Green-winged Pytilia. Returning to camp we entered a lagoon and surprised a pair of Spotted-necked Otters who were very curious, but among the lily-pads we got very excited to find a flock of 20 Pygmy Geese. These beautifully marked birds stayed for a few minutes before all taking wing and flying off over the Papyrus. That evening we called in some nightjars including Firey-necked Nightjar and getting a Square-tailed Nightjar to sit on a branch out in the open.

 

July 14th: Kavango River

 

In the morning we tried for the Narina Trogon but could only find a calling bird away in the distance. At breakfast we watched Wire-tailed Swallows zipping up and down the river and noisy Pied Kingfishers squabbling. Back at Mahango we found a small herd of Elephant and spent a great half an hour watching the huge beasts. Swainson’s Francolin popped out in front of the vehicle and an Eastern Clapper Lark made an appearance. Raptors were good here with great views of Lizard Buzzard, a black morph Gabar Goshawk, Lanner and a Dark Chanting Goshawk, a denizen of more lush habitats than its arid country cousin. We were again very luck to see a single Wattled Crane fly across the floodplain. Back in Namibia we picked off species like Striped Kingfisher, Southern Black Tit, Marico and Purple-banded Sunbirds, Pin-tailed Whydah, and a beautiful pair of courting Cut-throat Finch, the male giving his delightful bobbing and seductive little dance. Back at the camp we had a last supper together and tried to convince David that the Puff Adder in Mark’s snake bag would not escape and was destined to be released away from the premises the next day!

 

 

July 15th: Windhoek

 

This day literally flew by with a long drive to the capital ahead of us we set off after breakfast making Windhoek that afternoon. On the trip back the only birds of note included a Tawny Eagle perched on the side of the road, a Martial Eagle, Brown Snake-eagle and a breeding Long-tailed Paradise Whydah. Our trip birdlist ended up at 352 which was great. We also managed a great haul of endemic and near-endemic birds of the region.

 

 

Species Checklist.

 

The nomenclature and taxonomy followed here is according to Sinclair & Ryan’s Bird’s of Africa – south of the Sahara. 2003.

 

         Roberts VII                               Scientific Name

1.     

Common Ostrich                                                 Struthio camelus

2.     

Black-necked Grebe                                            Podiceps nigricollis

3.     

Little Grebe (Dabchick)                                       Tachybaptus ruficollis

4.     

Great White Pelican                                             Pelecanus rufescens

5.     

White-breasted Cormorant                                Phalacrocorax onocrotalus

6.     

Cape Cormorant                                                  Phalacrocorax capensis

7.     

Long-tailed (Reed) Cormorant                          Phalacrocorax africanus

8.     

Crowned Cormorant                                           Phalacrocorax coronatus

9.     

African Darter                                                        Anhinga rufa

10. 

Grey Heron                                                            Ardea cinerea

11. 

Black-headed Heron                                           Ardea melanocephala

12. 

Goliath Heron                                                       Ardea goliath

13. 

Purple Heron                                                        Ardea purpurea

14. 

Great Egret                                                            Casmerodius albus

15. 

Little Egret                                                             Egretta garzetta

16. 

Yellow-billed (Intermediate) Egret                    Mesophoyx intermedia

17. 

Cattle Egret                                                           Bubulcus ibis

18. 

Black Heron                                                          Egretta ardesiaca

19. 

Squacco Heron                                                    Ardeola ralloides

20. 

Green-backed Heron                                          Butorides striatus

21. 

Rufous-bellied Heron                                         Ardeola rufiventris

22. 

White-backed Night-Heron                                Gorsachius leuconotus

23. 

Black-crowned Night Heron                               Nycticorax nycticorax

24. 

Little Bittern                                                           Ixobrychus minutus

25. 

Hamerkop                                                             Scopus umbretta

26. 

White Stork                                                              Ciconia ciconia

27. 

Black Stork                                                            Ciconia nigra

28. 

African Openbill                                                    Anastomus lamelligerus

29. 

Marabou Stork                                                      Leptoptilos crumeniferus

30. 

Saddle-billed Stork                                              senegalensis

31. 

Yellow-billed Stork                                               Mycteria ibis

32. 

Sacred Ibis                                                            Threskiornis aethiopicus

33. 

Glossy Ibis                                                            Plegadis falcinellus

34. 

Hadeda Ibis                                                          Bostrychia hagedash

35. 

African Spoonbill                                                  Platalea alba

36. 

Greater Flamingo                                                 Phoenicopterus ruber

37. 

Lesser Flamingo                                                 Phoenicopterus minor

38. 

White-faced Duck                                                 Dendrocygna viduata

39. 

Egyptian Goose                                                    Alopochen aegyptiacus

40. 

South African Shelduck                                       Tadorna cana

41. 

Yellow-billed Duck                                               Anas undulata

42. 

African Black Duck                                               Anas sparsa

43. 

Cape Teal                                                              Anas capensis

44. 

Hottentot Teal                                                       Anas hottentota

45. 

Red-billed Teal                                                     Anas erythrorhyncha

46. 

Cape Shoveller                                                     Anas smithii

47. 

African Pygmy Goose                                          Nettapus auritus

48. 

Knob-billed Duck                                                 Sarkidiornis melanotos

49. 

Spur-winged Goose                                            Plectropterus gambensis

50. 

Maccoa Duck                                                        Oxyura maccoa

51. 

Secretarybird                                                         Sagittarius serpentarius

52. 

African White-backed Vulture                             Gyps africanus

53. 

Lappet-faced Vulture                                           Torgos tracheliotos

54.   

White-headed Vulture                                         Trigonoceps occipitalis

55. 

Yellow-billed Kite                                                 Milvus parasitus

56. 

Black-shouldered Kite                                        Elanus caeruleus