Namibia – the living deserts

1-16 July 2004

 

 

The Northern Black Korhaan, a spectacular bustard species always seen on our trips to arid but spectacular Namibia

 

Trip summary and checklist

 

Leaders: Patrick Cardwell & Duan Biggs

Participants: WBST group of 14

 

Namibia in the winter months with its warm dry days and cool still nights is indeed   ‘ Big Sky ‘ country. Wide horizons of sprawling savanna and seemingly endless desertscapes set against azure skies by day and a kaleidoscope of stars at night.  Such is the scenic mood that characterizes this sparsely populated country.

 

Namibia, even in the austral winter months when many of the intra-African  and palearctic migrants have departed, is a delight for the intrepid naturalist in search of something new and exciting within what is essentially an arid land of geological  contrast and great many photo opportunities.

 

And so it was for the 14 members of the WBST who notched up 40 mammals and 334 bird species , including all of the Namibian endemics, as well as a significant proportion of Southern Africa’s near-endemics confined to the arid west.

 

From close up views of African Elephant, Black Rhino, Lion, Zebra, Giraffe and a wide range of antelope in Etosha to the progressive thrill of ‘collecting’ Namibia’s Big Five birds – Martial Eagle, Saddle-billed Stork, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Lappet-faced Vulture and Kori Bustard – along with the visual delights of diminutive Pygmy Falcons in duetting display, the action was continuous and varied as habitats gave way to biomes anew.

 

 Aside from the thrill of the larger raptors and bustards the group successfully located all of the babbler species including the highly localized Black-faced Babbler and the striking Pied Babbler. Due to the characteristically dry winter conditions concentrations of game and birdlife constitute a rolling progression of sightings around perennial water points providing unrestricted views of Namaqua and Double-banded Sandgrouse along with flocks of passerines, including Chestnut Weaver, Red-headed Finch, Green-winged Pytilia, Blue Waxbill, Black-faced Waxbill and the visually stunning Violet-eared Waxbill. Beyond the salt pans Double-banded and Burchell’s Coursers scroll in stop-start motion across the veld amongst flocks of Grey-backed Finch Lark and Red-capped Lark while the fringing acacia thickets support Barred Warbler, Sabota and Rufous-naped Lark.

 

Delights encountered in the continuous belt of woodland along the Caprivi Strip to the north included Dark Chanting Goshawk, Arnot’s Chat, Striped Kingfisher, Meyer’s Parrot, Golden-breasted Bunting and Bradfield’s Hornbill. Beyond, the Kavongo floodplain yielded views of Red Lechwe, Cape Buffalo and Hippopotamus in the company of Goliath Heron, Wattled Crane, Rufous-bellied Heron, Long-toed Plover, African Jacana, Slaty Egret, Yellow-billed Stork and African Skimmer over the river itself. Highlight of the riverine bush was unquestionably a pair of Pel’s Fishing Owls sunning themselves in full view providing multiple exposure opportunities for the photo record…..

 

For most the successful search for Hartlaub’s Francolin amongst the massive granite domes of the Erongo mountains was unquestionably a highlight that was further complemented by multiple sightings of Rosy-faced Lovebirds, Damara Rockrunner, Augur Buzzard, White-tailed Shrike, Carp’s Black Tit and Pirit Batis - all before breakfast !

 

Finally the dune fields around Walvis Bay provided close up views of Dune Lark and Ashy Tit while the bay and salt pans added White-chinned Petrel, Caspian, Swift and Damara terns, Chestnut-banded Sandplover, Kittlitz Sandplover, Pied Avocet, Black Heron, Cape Teal, Cape Shoveler and African Black Oyster-catcher. Undulating flight-lines of Lesser and Greater Flamingoes in vivid pink glided across the sunset over the Atlantic ocean to bring to an end another perfect birding day in the outback of Namibia.

 

Triplist of birds according to Roberts VII.

 

Common Ostrich                          Struthio camelus

Crested Francolin                         Dendroperdix sephaena

Orange River Francolin                  Scleroptila levaillantoides

Hartlaub's Spurfowl                       Pternistis hartlaubi

Red-billed Spurfowl                       Pternistis adspersus

Natal Spurfowl                              Pternistis natalensis

Swainson's Spurfowl                     Pternistis swainsonii

Helmeted Guineafowl                    Numida meleagris

White-faced Duck                         Dendrocygna viduata

Maccoa Duck                              Oxyura maccoa

Egyptian Goose                           Alopochen aegyptiaca

South African Shelduck                Tadorna cana

Spur-winged Goose                      Plectropterus gambensis

Comb Duck                                 Sarkidiornis melanotos

African Pygmy-goose                   Nettapus auritus

Cape Teal                                    Anas capensis

Cape Shoveler                              Anas smithii

Red-billed Teal                             Anas erythrorhyncha

Hottentot Teal                              Anas hottentota

Kurrichane Buttonquail                  Turnix sylvaticus

Lesser Honeyguide                       Indicator minor

Bennett's Woodpecker                  Campethera bennettii

Golden-tailed Woodpecker            Campethera abingoni

Cardinal Woodpecker                   Dendropicos fuscescens

Bearded Woodpecker                   Dendropicos namaquus

Acacia Pied Barbet                      Tricholaema leucomelas

Black-collared Barbet                   Lybius torquatus

Crested Barbet                             Trachyphonus vaillantii

Monteiro's Hornbill                        Tockus monteiri

Red-billed Hornbill                        Tockus erythrorhynchus

Damara Hornbill                           Tockus damarensis

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill       Tockus leucomelas

Bradfield's Hornbill                        Tockus bradfieldi

African Grey Hornbill                     Tockus nasutus

African Hoopoe                            Upupa africana

Green Wood-Hoopoe                    Phoeniculus purpureus

Violet Wood-Hoopoe                     Phoeniculus damarensis

Common Scimitarbill                    Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

Lilac-breasted Roller                     Coracias caudatus

Purple Roller                                Coracias naevius

Malachite Kingfisher                     Alcedo cristata

Striped Kingfisher                         Halcyon chelicuti

Giant Kingfisher                           Megaceryle maximus

Pied Kingfisher                             Ceryle rudis

White-fronted Bee-eater                Merops bullockoides

Little Bee-eater                            Merops pusillus

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater               Merops hirundineus

White-backed Mousebird              Colius colius

Red-faced Mousebird                    Urocolius indicus

Coppery-tailed Coucal                   Centropus cupreicaudus

Senegal Coucal                            Centropus senegalensis

Meyer's Parrot                             Poicephalus meyeri

Rüppell's Parrot                            Poicephalus rueppellii

Rosy-faced Lovebird                     Agapornis roseicollis

African Palm-Swift                        Cypsiurus parvus

Alpine Swift                                 Tachymarptis melba

African Black Swift                       Apus barbatus

Bradfield's Swift                            Apus bradfieldi

Little Swift                                   Apus affinis

Grey Go-away-bird                       Corythaixoides concolor

Barn Owl                                     Tyto alba

African Scops-Owl                        Otus senegalensis

Southern White-faced Scops-Owl  Ptilopsus granti

Verreaux's Eagle-Owl                   Bubo lacteus

Pel's Fishing-Owl                         Scotopelia peli

African Wood-Owl                        Strix woodfordii

Pearl-spotted Owlet                      Glaucidium perlatum

African Barred Owlet                     Glaucidium capense

Fiery-necked Nightjar                    Caprimulgus pectoralis

Freckled Nightjar                          Caprimulgus tristigma

Swamp Nightjar                            Caprimulgus natalensis

Rock Dove                                   Columba livia

Speckled Pigeon                          Columba guinea

Laughing Dove                             Streptopelia senegalensis

African Mourning Dove                  Streptopelia decipiens

Cape Turtle-Dove                          Streptopelia capicola

Red-eyed Dove                             Streptopelia semitorquata

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove         Turtur chalcospilos

Namaqua Dove                             Oena capensis

African Green-Pigeon                    Treron calvus

Kori Bustard                                Ardeotis kori

Red-crested Korhaan                    Lophotis ruficrista

Northern Black Korhaan                Afrotis afraoides

Rüppell's Korhaan                        Eupodotis rueppellii

Wattled Crane                              Bugeranus carunculatus

African Rail                                  Rallus caerulescens

Black Crake                                 Amaurornis flavirostris

African Purple Swamphen             Porphyrio madagascariensis

Common Moorhen                        Gallinula chloropus

Red-knobbed Coot                        Fulica cristata

Namaqua Sandgrouse                  Pterocles namaqua

Double-banded Sandgrouse           Pterocles bicinctus

African Snipe                               Gallinago nigripennis

Bar-tailed Godwit                          Limosa lapponica

Common Whimbrel                       Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian Curlew                           Numenius arquata

Common Redshank                      Tringa totanus

Marsh Sandpiper                          Tringa stagnatilis

Common Greenshank                   Tringa nebularia

Ruddy Turnstone                          Arenaria interpres

Sanderling                                   Calidris alba

Little Stint                                    Calidris minuta

Curlew Sandpiper                         Calidris ferruginea

Ruff                                             Philomachus pugnax

Greater Painted-snipe                   Rostratula benghalensis

African Jacana                             Actophilornis africanus

Spotted Thick-knee                      Burhinus capensis

African Black Oystercatcher          Haematopus moquini

Black-winged Stilt                        Himantopus himantopus

Pied Avocet                                 Recurvirostra avosetta

Grey Plover                                  Pluvialis squatarola

Common Ringed Plover                 Charadrius hiaticula

Kittlitz's Plover                             Charadrius pecuarius

Three-banded Plover                     Charadrius tricollaris

Chestnut-banded Plover                Charadrius pallidus

White-fronted Plover                     Charadrius marginatus

Long-toed Lapwing                       Vanellus crassirostris

Blacksmith Lapwing                     Vanellus armatus

Crowned Lapwing                         Vanellus coronatus

Double-banded Courser                 Rhinoptilus africanus

Burchell's Courser                        Cursorius rufus

African Skimmer                          Rynchops flavirostris

Kelp Gull                                     Larus dominicanus

Grey-headed Gull                         Larus cirrocephalus

Hartlaub's Gull                             Larus hartlaubii

Caspian Tern                               Sterna caspia

Swift Tern                                    Sterna bergii

Sandwich Tern                             Sterna sandvicensis

Common Tern                              Sterna hirundo

Damara Tern                                Sterna balaenarum

White-winged Tern                        Chlidonias leucopterus

Bat Hawk                                    Macheiramphus alcinus

Black-shouldered Kite                   Elanus caeruleus

Black Kite                                   Milvus [migrans] migrans

African Fish-Eagle                        Haliaeetus vocifer

Hooded Vulture                            Necrosyrtes monachus

White-backed Vulture                   Gyps africanus

Lappet-faced Vulture                     Torgos tracheliotus

Black-chested Snake-Eagle          Circaetus pectoralis

Brown Snake-Eagle                      Circaetus cinereus

Bateleur                                      Terathopius ecaudatus

African Marsh-Harrier                    Circus ranivorus

African Harrier-Hawk                     Polyboroides typus

Dark Chanting Goshawk               Melierax metabates

Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk  Melierax canorus

Gabar Goshawk                           Melierax gabar

Shikra                                         Accipiter badius

Augur Buzzard                             Buteo augur

Tawny Eagle                                Aquila rapax

Verreaux's Eagle                          Aquila verreauxii

Booted Eagle                               Aquila pennatus

Martial Eagle                               Polemaetus bellicosus

Secretarybird                               Sagittarius serpentarius

Pygmy Falcon                             Polihierax semitorquatus

Rock Kestrel                                Falco rupicolus

Greater Kestrel                            Falco rupicoloides

Lanner Falcon                              Falco biarmicus

Peregrine Falcon                          Falco peregrinus

Little Grebe                                  Tachybaptus ruficollis

Black-necked Grebe                     Podiceps nigricollis

Cape Gannet                               Morus capensis

African Darter                               Anhinga rufa

Reed Cormorant                           Phalacrocorax africanus

Crowned Cormorant                      Phalacrocorax coronatus

White-breasted Cormorant            Phalacrocorax lucidus

Cape Cormorant                           Phalacrocorax capensis

Slaty Egret                                  Egretta vinaceigula

Black Heron                                 Egretta ardesiaca

Little Egret                                   Egretta garzetta

Great Egret                                  Egretta alba

Grey Heron                                  Ardea cinerea

Black-headed Heron                     Ardea melanocephala

Goliath Heron                               Ardea goliath

Purple Heron                                Ardea purpurea

Cattle Egret                                 Bubulcus ibis

Squacco Heron                            Ardeola ralloides

Rufous-bellied Heron                     Ardeola rufiventris

Green-backed Heron                     Butorides striata

Black-crowned Night-Heron           Nycticorax nycticorax

Hamerkop                                    Scopus umbretta

Greater Flamingo                         Phoenicopterus ruber

Lesser Flamingo                          Phoenicopterus minor

African Sacred Ibis                       Threskiornis aethiopicus

Great White Pelican                     Pelecanus onocrotalus

Yellow-billed Stork                        Mycteria ibis

African Openbill                            Anastomus lamelligerus

Saddle-billed Stork                       Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis

White-chinned Petrel