
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