Namibia and Botswana: The Living Desert and Okavango 19 June - July 4, 2008 Guides: Benji Schwartz and Ken Behrens Participants: Rob and Luann Wiedenmann, Paul Ode, Kelly Collier, Marv Piwoni, David and Carol Thomas, Mike Jeffords, Sue Post All photos taken on this tour

From magnificent sand dunes and stunning desert landscape to the forests of the Caprivi Strip and mammal filled parks such as Etosha, Namibia is one of Africa's premier travel destinations. Less visited than many of the more famous regions of East Africa, the still pristine landscape, unique culture, and amazing mammal and bird viewing opportunities make Namibia a unique and fabulous African experience. With two weeks to explore this fantastic country we concentrated our efforts in the north where the majority of specialty species occur. Though most of the Palearctic migrants weren't yet around, we managed to pick up an amazing 330 species including almost all of the specialties we were looking for. While birds were our pirmary interest, the mammal viewing was spectacular and we managed to see nearly fifty species as well as a remarkable array of insects and some of the oddest plant species found on the planet.

Scaly-feathered Finch is a southwestern Africa endemic.	White-fronted Bee-Eater is common in the Okavango Delta.

Day 1: Daan Viljoen and Avis Dam
    Our first full day of birding was spent exploring the areas immediately surrounding Windhoek, Namibia’s capital city. Our first stop came just moments after leaving our hotel. Within 50 meters of the entrance we heard Pearl-spotted Owlet calling and immediately jumped out of the vehicles. Not only did we pick up our first owl, but also got an excellent introduction to common species such as Black-fronted Bulbul, Fork-tailed Drongo, and a lovely Marico Sunbird perched up in the morning light. Ecstatic with our start and thirsting for more we continued on to our primary destination for the morning. Just 25km from the city center, Daan Viljoen Game Reserve holds an amazing array of birds. However, before even managing to reach the park, another quick roadside stop was called for. Slamming on the brakes we pulled over for views of our first Namibian specialty: Montero’s Hornbill! On our way again we entered the rolling hills of Daan Viljoen. This stunning area is fairly typical of Africa’s acacia woodland and is an excellent introduction to the continent. We soon started racking up species with highlights including Violet-eared Waxbill, Red-headed finch, and Pririt Batis. While birds were definitely our highest priority, no trip to Africa is complete without seeing a host of large mammals and Daan Viljoen is an excellent place for this as well. With sightings of eight ungulates, including giraffe and blue wildebeest, our time spent here was a non-stop flurry of new mammals and birds.
    The afternoon was spent at another site very close to the heart of Windhoek: Avis Damn. After the constant excitement of the morning, the afternoon birding seemed to be quiet but we still picked up some excellent birds. With Black-cheeked Waxbill greeting us at the entrance we soon picked up such species as White-backed Mousebird, Black-chested Prinia, and White-throated Swallow. However, the absolute highlight of the afternoon came just before the sun disappeared behind the mountains. From the rocky cliffs above us the distinctive call of the Rockrunner echoed down. After some frantic scanning the bird was found and we were able to enjoy another Namibian specialty. With such a wonderful end to our first day, we couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the trip had in store.

Red-headed Finch was first encountered at Daan Viljoen.	Monteiro's Hornbill was one of the first Namibian specialties we found.

Day 2: Spreetshoogte Pass
    While birding the first day was extremely rewarding, we all decided that we wouldn’t feel that our birding had truly commenced without a trip to the local sewage treatment plant. The birding here turned out to be spectacular and we began picking up thornveld species as soon as we entered the grounds. Black-throated Canary could be seen feeding on the grasses below trees filled with roosting Wattled Starling and the stunning blue and green coloration of the Swallow-tailed Bee-eater took our breath away. We soon made it to the wetlands and began seeing even more exciting species. Among the hordes of Great White Pelican we soon started spotting new species such as South African Shelduck, Squacco Heron, and African Marsh Warbler. An almost essential stop in any location, Windhoek’s water treatment plant definitely did not disappoint us.
    Leaving the city we began our journey to Spreetshoogte Pass. The landscape around us soon flattened out with only the occasional rocky outcrop adding to the stunning scenery. The birds also changed dramatically as we made  our way into much drier habitat; going from fairly thick acacia woodland to grassland with only a smattering of smaller bushes. The plains here held large numbers of Lark-like Bunting, a few spectacular Secretarybird, and astounding Sociable Weaver nests, some of which took up entire trees! Stopping at a dried up river bed we soon zeroed in on a pair of Yellow-billed Hornbill but the best was yet to come. With its sleek black back and shockingly bright red belly, the Crimson-breasted Gonolek was definitely a highlight of the day. The plains here also held quite a few mammals and we managed excellent looks at springbok, gemsbok, and kudu. The best mammal however came just as we were reaching our lodging for the night; out in the middle of the road stood a beautiful aardwolf. These primarily nocturnal mammals are often quite difficult to see and we were all thrilled to see one so well during the day!

Herero Chat finally showed well at the bottom of Spreetshoogte Pass	Rosy-faced Lovebird is a common resident over much of Namibia

Day 3: Spreetshoogte to Walvis Bay
    While the desert regions of Western Namibia aren’t rich in total species diversity, the species found here all tend to be regional specialties and the day was spent tracking down as many of these as possible. Reaching Spreetshoogte Pass early in the morning brought us to the edge of the escarpment with an expansive vista of open plains before us. As we made our way down we tried relentlessly to pick up Herero Chat with no luck. Thinking our efforts were in vain, we made one last attempt at the bottom of the pass. Within moments of exiting the car a Herero Chat could be heard calling off in the distance and a quick search found three of these Namibian specialties perched in the open as if waiting for us to look at them! Thrilled with having seen our first target of the day we continued on through the sparsely covered grasslands in search of more key species. A black-backed jackal in the middle of the road had us screeching to a halt and as it ran off to the side we quickly spotted two Rueppell’s Korhaan hiding discreetly in the grass; a great stop for our second specialty as well as a new mammal for the trip! We soon picked up Ludwig’s Bustard and Greater Kestrel as well as we made our way through the constantly changing scenery. Before continuing in earnest for Walvis Bay we made a quick stop at a petrol station where, to everyone’s surprise, an African Fish Eagle could be seen soaring over this barren landscape. Just on its heels came a spectacular White-headed Vulture. While neither of these species are extremely limited in range or uncommon, they were definitely not expected in this region.
    As we drove up to the magnificent sand dunes surrounding Walvis Bay we decided to continue with our lucky streak by searching for Namibia’s only true endemic species. While the middle of the day is not the best time for larks, our fingers were crossed as we scoured the sparsely vegetated dunes. Then, to everyone’s glee, the shout of Dune Lark! came and we all zeroed in as this spectacularly adapted species perched up on top of a dune for us all to see. Thinking our search was going to take longer, we were left in a bit of a conundrum as to which way to head next. However, continuing with our theme for the day we decided to try for one more specialty. Heading down to the local salt works we were immediately in awe of the stunning sight of thousands of Greater and Lesser Flamingoes gathered as the sun sank low over the bay. After taking in this astounding sight we set to work sorting through the large number of White-fronted Plover until coming upon our target, the quite similar Chestnut-banded Plover. This wide ranging species tends to be quite localized and provided an excellent finish to a day full of amazing birds.

Sabota Lark is the common lark throughout most of Namibia.	Ruppell's Korhaan was remarkably common on this trip.

Day 4: Walvis Bay
    With the previous days clean up of local specialties, we decided to spend our time taking in some of the other amazing sights around Walvis Bay. We started off the morning by heading to Pelican Point on the far side of the bay. This area is famous for its huge cape fur seal colonies and there’s no better way to experience these than by kayak. Heading out onto the open water we were soon surrounded by these playful creatures. Jumping and splashing all around us we were able to get an up-close-and-personal view as the young and adults alike frolicked close enough for us to reach out and touch. To add to the excitement, we were able to get very close to pods of both Heaviside and bottle-nosed dolphins and watch as humpback whales breached in the distance. This truly amazing experience was definitely a highlight of our trip! Even in the midst of all of our excitement birds were still on our mind and we managed to pick up species such as Cape Gannet, African Oystercatcher, and a White-chinned Petrel surfing the waves. The birding highlight however was a group of Red-necked Phalarope which were unexpectedly found in the salt pans. In spectacular breeding plumage, the oohs and ahhs of our excitement could probably be heard clear across the bay!
    The afternoon was spent heading away from the water into the vast landscape of the Namib Desert. The combination of barren plains and lichen covered hills (“like the Badlands but badder” as one participant called them) made for amazing scenery as we drove to find one of the worlds oddest plants. The welwitschia has adapted remarkably to survive in this harsh climate. With only two leaves that separate to crawl along the desert floor, this plant lives for thousands of years and is quite the enigma for botanists studying the taxonomic relationship of species. Though not overly impressive to look at, seeing something so odd is always exciting and the awe-inspiring scenery (as well as finding the extremely pale form of Stark’s Lark nearby) definitely made the trip worthwhile!

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater was one of our first Namibian specialties	Purple Roller was extremely common in central Namibia

Day 5: Spitzkoppe and Erongo Wilderness Lodge
    Returning to the salt works at Walvis Bay, we spent the morning getting to grips with more of the waders present in this remarkable area. Along with the common species seen on our previous visit, we managed to pick up an overwintering Marsh Sandpiper as well as a Little Stint being chased for about ten minutes by a Curlew Sandpiper. Deciding we had cleaned up on the waders present we worked our way further afield. Heading for Spitzkoppe the absolutely spectacular scenery was puncuated by the large granite outcrops that rise from the flat arid plains. As we had already seen Herero Chat in the Spreetshoogte region we spent our time focusing on the larks we had so far missed. We soon picked up the very pale form of Spike-heeled Lark as well as a plethora of Stark’s Lark but our target, Gray’s Lark, seemed to be eluding us. Our search did however produce excellent views of both Double-banded and the near-endemic Burchell’s Coursers. Just as we were about to give up hope on the Gray’s Lark one was found and an attempt was made to flush it towards the rest of the group. Unfortunately they were too far to hear the frantic cries and a mad sprint across the sparsely vegetated fields was needed to get everyone on the bird! Having found our target species we continued on towards Erongo. A final stop at the Khan River provided an excellent close to the day as we picked up species such as Southern Pied-Babbler, Violet Woodhoopoe, and Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver.

The buzzy song of the Cinnamon-breasted Bunting is a characteristic sound at Erongo.	Rock Hyrax is a common and charismatic resident of the red rocks of Erongo.

Day 6: Erongo Wilderness Lodge
    Nestled between massive rocky outcrops, Erongo Wilderness Lodge provides not only fantastic birding opportunities, but spectacular scenery to be found at each new bend in the path. The morning began by walking the trails around the lodge in search of some of the specialties of this area. With the raucous calls of Hartlaub’s Francolin in the background we soon began picking up species such as Carp’s Tit and Common Scimitarbill. Our whistled calls of Pearl-spotted Owlet managed to attract this tiny owlet as well as a host of other species which came in to mob it. The highlight however was cracking views of a Rockrunner that came along to join in the fun. Having postponed breakfast to get an early start on the birds we were all feeling the need for coffee as we returned to the lodge after a fantastic early morning foray.
    Walking through riverbeds in the early afternoon Rueppell’s Parrot managed to elude us but this was more than made up for with the other species we picked up. The highlight came in the form of a very cooperative Damara Red-billed Hornbill that sat perched in the open for all to see. This sub-species of Red-billed Hornbill looks strikingly different and is possibly a proper species in its own right. Scanning the sky for raptors as we returned to camp we soon picked up what we at first assumed to be a Verreaux’s Eagle. On closer inspection however we found we had three African Hawk-Eagle soaring in the distance. This unexpected surprise boosted our energy levels and we continued to scan the rocky hillsides until we found an absolutely enormous nest with a pair of Verreaux’s Eagle perched atop it with their young. Following these birds back to the lodge we made one last foray along the trails where we picked up birds such as Barred Wren-Warbler and White-tailed Shrike. The highlight of the afternoon however were the mammals found around the lodge. Our walk produced the near-endemic black mongoose while sitting around at dinner brought us dassie rat and, amazingly, a family of African porcupine which came into the waterhole just meters away! With mammals now in the forefront of our mind, we couldn’t wait to reach Etosha and see what else was in store.

The loud calls of Hartlaub's Francolin provided an early morning chorus during our stay at Erongo Wilderness Lodge	The pure white face differentiates Damara Red-billed Hornbill from Red-billed Hornbill

Day 7: Etosha
    With no sign of the near-endemic Rueppell’s Parrot and having only heard the highly localized Hartlaub’s Francolin on the previous day we decided to focus all our energy this morning on finding these two specialty species. Perched at a good vantage point before dawn we waited patiently for the francolins to start their morning chorus on the hillside above us. While waiting, scope views provided an excellent shot of Jupiter with five of its moons showing as well as the famous storm brewing on its surface. As the sun rose and Jupiter disappeared we were pulled from lethargy as the francolins began calling. Their far-carrying echoes had us scanning the top of the cliffs but we were all shocked to discover that the bird itself was calling from quite close by at the base of the hill. Out in perfect view atop a rock we all had amazing looks before our target took off; as a shock to us all, five extremely tiny young came darting out behind it!
    With one target down we felt we deserved some coffee and breakfast. The excitement didn’t end though as short-snouted elephant-shrew was soon found scurrying through the rocky outcrops. Ready to find our second target we left the lodge and headed to a dry river bed. Within minutes of arrival we could hear the faint calls of our parrot up ahead. Stumbling through the sand we made it to the tree they were feeding in and managed some excellent looks before our second target, Rueppell’s Parrot, once again disappeared into the distance. Having cleaned up in the area we began the drive to Etosha and a new host of species to find.

Northern Black Korhaan was present in great numbers in Etosha.	Double-banded Coursers were also remarkably common around Okaukuejo.

    Early afternoon found us at the waterhole at Okaukuejo watching as a horde of zebra and two lone elephants drank in leisure just in front of us. As the day cooled down we began our drive and were immediately overwhelmed by the number of ground dwelling birds around us. Double-banded Courser was so thick on the ground that it almost got voted trash bird of the day! Searching through the larks we soon found Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark and the diminutive Pink-billed Lark feeding on the gravel plains while the much more numerous Spike-heeled Lark flew all around us. Shifting our focus to larger species, we soon picked up huge numbers of White-quilled (Northern Black) Korhaan, Red-crested Korhaan, and the amazingly large Kori Bustard which seemed to tower over the ever-present springbok. Returning to camp just as the gates were closing we went directly to the waterhole where a family of elephant was quenching its thirst after a long day of patrolling the plains. Just as we were about to head in for dinner we were stopped in our tracks as a stunning black rhino came down to drink as well. This often difficult to find mammal is quite numerous in Etosha and we were thrilled to have such stunning views!

The waterholes of Etosha are often graced by Giraffe.	A male Namaqua Sandgrouse.

    Etosha is justly famous as one of Southern Africa’s premier mammal watching destinations and rivals any other destination on the continent for pure numbers. Driving through the open plains in the early morning hours we were constantly surrounded by herds of springbok and zebra numbering in their hundreds. Scanning the low scrub we managed to spot two distant lions on the prowl; only a taste of what the afternoon had in store. Birds were of course not forgotten and we quickly picked up Rufous-eared Warbler. This stunning specialty has only an isolated population this far north and we were absolutely thrilled to be able to find it. Continuing on our way we soon began picking up other species such as the diminutive Tawny-flanked Prinia, enormous Bateleur and Lappet-faced Vulture, and the ever-present Sabota Lark. In need of lunch we began making our way to Halali only to slam on the brakes for superb views of a lovely pair of Red-necked Falcon perched in a small roadside bush. We began our afternoon with a quick walk around Halali Camp. White-crowned shrikes were numerous as they fed on left over scraps at the camp ground and day roosting Southern White-faced Owl was a real treat. A noisy trio of Violet Woodhoopoe came to display in front of us granting us the opportunity to scrutinize them up close and separate them from the Violet/Green Woodhoopoe hybrids which seem to abound in the region. With their loud calls and constant tail wagging this was a sight not to be missed! Leaving the camp grounds to further explore the region around Halali we soon encountered the stunning Blue Crane mixed in with huge groups of Kori Bustard numbering in their thirties. The absolute highlight of the day however came as we sped back to camp trying not to miss the closing of the gate. Any worry of being locked out was soon stricken from our heads as we found a fantastic lioness right on the side of the road. Often fairly lethargic during the day, this magnificent beast had just taken down a springbok and was dragging it through the brush. As we sat patiently watching, the lioness crossed the road right in front of us, springbok in tow! Being able to see just how powerful this animal is and watch it in such an ideal setting is something that won’t soon be forgotten by anyone in the group.

Found perched in the palms of Etosha, Red-necked Falcon was quite common this year	Seeing this lioness with a newly killed springbok was one of the highlights of our tour

Day 9: Etosha
    As is often the case in the game parks of Southern Africa, birding around the camps is phenomenal. Acting as on oasis in the otherwise arid savannahs, we spent the morning wandering the grounds of Halali in search of new species for the trip. We were soon caught up in a flurry of activity as we found one small bush that held around 15 Yellow-bellied Eremomela, 5 Long-billed Crombec, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Carp’s Tit, and a host of other common species. With such a boon of birds it was hard to tear ourselves away but a Brubru heard off in the distance soon had us all heading towards its telephone-like call. A gaggle of White-crested Helmetshrike had us all stopped again as we made our way to the vehicles for our drive to Namutoni.
On arrival at Namutoni we quickly made our way straight to the waterhole to see what was around in the heat of the day. Passerines were few with only groups of Red-headed Finch and the stunning Eastern Paradise-Whydah being seen. Raptors were quite numerous though and as we scanned the sky we soon found both White-backed and Lappet-faced Vultures as well as the distinctively shaped Bateleur. A distant cry of the Crimson-breasted Gonolek had us once again birding the grounds of one of Etosha's camps. Along with the gonolek we quickly picked up species such as Burnt-necked Eremomela and Black-backed Puffback before heading back into the open plains. Bird activity around the large salt pan was slow but the mammals more than made up for this. Giraffe numbered in their hundreds and we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to watch as two young males battled it out for dominance. With their long necks swinging they head-butted and circled each other until the winner was proclaimed (although we couldn’t seem to make out which one this ended up being). Birds weren’t completely forgotten though and as we returned to camp a large pan of water was found. Although we were once again in a rush to beat the closing of the gates, a quick scan produced South African Shelduck, Southern Pochard, and Comb Duck mixed in with the thousands of Red-billed Teal present.

Springbok were present in tremendous numbers in Etosha.	Grey-backed Camaroptera was one of the species in the splendid flock we encountered at Halali.

Day 10: Shamvura
    Though we had a long day of driving ahead of us, we decided to make the most of the early morning by returning to the wetlands visited on the previous evening. With a bit more time to spare we scanned the open water and managed to pick up species such as African Spoonbill and the stunning Saddle-billed Stork before beginning our trek north. Driving was of course not completely bird-free and roadside stops produced Brown Snake-Eagle, Chinspot Batis, and the near-endemic Bradfield’s Hornbill. Upon arrival at Shamvura we were immediately blown away by the drastic change in scenery and the amazing beauty of the area. With half an hour before sunset, we ventured onto the deck overlooking the Kavongo River to see what goodies we could pick up. Within minutes a group of Arrow-marked Babbler came to investigate our presence while Coppery-tailed Coucal and Swamp Boubou gave their burbling calls from the riverbank beneath us. As the sun set we made our way to the cabins only to flush over five Square-tailed Nightjar that had been warming themselves on the path. With such an auspicious start, we couldn’t wait to see what the next day held in store!

Lilac-breasted Roller is common throughout northern Namibia.	Bradfield's Hornbill replaced Monteiro's in the Caprivi Strip.	The huge, hawk-sized Coppery-tailed Coucal is one of the most special birds of the Okavango Delta.

Day 11: Shamvura
    With an early wake-up we loaded ourselves with coffee and began birding as the sun rose. The host of new bird calls that greeted us had everyone excited to begin birding in this new region. Directly across the border from Angola, the Caprivi Strip holds many species more commonly found in Central Africa and nowhere else in Southern Africa. The number of new trip birds gotten today was astounding and even just mentioning the specialties would create a huge list. We started the morning birding around the lodge grounds and soon picked up species such as Hartlaub’s Babbler, Swamp Boubou, and the stunning Orange-breasted Bushshrike. Heading further afield into the surrounding acacia woodland we were shocked by how lush this area was compared to the rest of our travels in Namibia. Finding many feeding parties we searched through them and were again amazed by the diversity found. With Meyer’s Parrot flying all around us and hordes of gorgeous Plum-colored Starling  filling the trees, we picked up smaller birds including Green-capped Eremomela, Green-backed Honeyguide, and Arnott’s Chat. Scanning the tree tops another absolute stunner soon made itself known. Not known to occur with any regularity until recently, we were thrilled to obtain fantastic views of Shelley’s Sunbird with its shockingly bright blood-red chest-band. 

Rufous-bellied Herons thrive in the endless reedbeds of the Kavango River.	African Skimmers were just returning to the area as water levels dropped and sand bars became exposed.

    With our blood still pumping from the mornings excitement we felt a leisurely cruise down the Kavongo River would be the perfect way to spend our afternoon. This of course didn’t stop us from picking up a huge array of species as we floated down the river while our boat driver fished off the back. Having picked up very few kingfishers so far in the trip, we were thrilled to see the reeds filled with three different species: Malachite, Pied, and Giant. Squacco Heron, Little Bittern, and Rufous-bellied Heron were all quite common and cape clawless otters could be seen frolicking mid-stream. As we continued to the sandy shores of an oxbow lake we picked up stunning species including African Skimmer, Black Heron, Greater Painted-Snipe, large numbers of African Openbill, Spur-winged Goose, and Water Thick-knee. As the sun began to set our driver cast his fishing line one last time. Having not had any luck we were thrilled to see the bend of his pole as a fish latched on. Passing the rod to our guide to pull in we watched as an absolutely beautiful tiger fish was slowly brought into the boat. While none of us were especially interested in fishing, being able to see this stunning striped fish, with its bright red tail and large teeth, was a great experience. Before releasing it back to the wild we weighed it only to find that it was an impressive 3.8 kg! As we sped back towards the lodge we could barely believe what an incredible day we had had.

Tinkling Cisticola is a specialty of northern Namibia	Magpie Shrike is a spectacularly atypical member of the shrike clan.	The beautiful Violet-eared Waxbill is quite common in mixed feeding flocks

Day 12: Shamvura to Shakawe
    Birding the early hours of the morning around Shamvura we found a couple more species for the trip before beginning our journey into Botswana. Located right on the Namibia-Botswana border, Mahango Game Reserve encompasses beautiful acacia woodland surrounding the floodplain of the Kavongo River. While the day had heated up substantially by the time we arrived, many of the birds seemed to pay this no mind and were still quite active. Our first shocker came as we scanned the horizon. Perched atop a large tree, three Southern Carmine Bee-eater could be seen hawking for insects. On many of our top-ten most wanted lists, this absolutely stunning species is normally a summer visitor to the region and we were thrilled to be able to pick them up out of season. The floodplains themselves were also quite productive and though the grass was extremely long, we found many species including Long-toed Lapwing, Sacred Ibis, and the overly large Goliath Heron. Try as we did, only brief views were obtained of Slaty Egret: a specialty of the area. Luckily we had other opportunities to search for this species and felt confident in finding it. Along with all the birds present, Mohango is unique in that visitors are allowed to exit the vehicles despite the presence of large mammals. As we journeyed through the park we spotted large groups of roan antelope and impala while the floodplains were covered with red lechwe and hippo.
    As we crossed the border we quickly picked up our first new Botswana birds with a Gymnogene soaring over passport control and a pair of African Morning Dove on the telephone line leading to customs. Arriving at Shakawe near sundown we were treated to the spectacle of hundreds of White-fronted Bee-eater coming in to roost just outside the bar. A brief search for Pel’s Fishing Owl turned out fruitless as it was already a bit too dark to really see. We did however manage a gorgeous African Wood Owl found calling just outside our cabins. Though not the owl we were truly after, it buoyed our spirits for the next day’s attempt!

Swamp Boubou is one of the specialties of the Okavango.	African Jacana, Cattle Egret, and... a Hippo.

Day 13: Shakawe
    The shockingly cold early morning temperatures had us all huddled, coffee in hand, into the small patches of light as the sun rose over the Okavango Delta. With an excellent view of the canopy, we watched as Black-collared Barbet, Green Woodhoopoe, and hordes of Meve’s Starling moved into the tree tops to catch the early morning rays. In the reeds across the river our first specialty of the day, Greater Swamp Warbler, could be seen working its way amongst the thickets while Lesser Striped Swallow and an out of season White-throated Swallow dashed through the sky overhead. As the sun rose, and we were once again able to feel our toes, we journeyed into the forest. Black Cuckooshrike and both Southern Brown-throated and Spectacled Weavers were some of the first denizens to greet us. Our first priority was still in finding Pel’s Fishing Owl and we were thrilled when we found not one, but two of these magnificent birds roosting in a fig tree just outside of camp. Their bright rufous feathers and shocking size was enough to get even the non-birders amongst us excited! Though quite widespread this bird is often extremely difficult to find and Shakawe is one of the best places in the world to see it. With our number one most wanted bird still visible in the background, we began searching for other specialties. Standing on the river bank to watch the massive numbers of White-fronted Bee-eater nearby, we soon picked up Chirping Cisticola in the reeds while a noisy party of Retz’s Helmetshrike fed around us. Having had a truly phenomenal morning we made our way back to the lodge for lunch.
    Having picked up almost all the key species we were in search of, we decided to spend the afternoon on a relaxing boat ride up the Kavongo River. With only a couple of species still needed along the river we concentrated in earnest on finding them. Past nesting sites and roosts were searched until we finally encountered our first specialty of the afternoon: White-backed Night-Heron. This shy and skulking species spends its days roosting in dense riverside vegetation and, as it’s often very difficult to see, we were ecstatic to have such wonderful views. Continuing upstream we soon came to a halt as our guide saw a flock of small birds flitting around on a small island. Disembarking from the boat we searched the small bushes and were soon rewarded with a small group of Brown Firefinch: yet another specialty of the area. Meandering downstream as the sun sank on the horizon we were quite pleased with our day’s efforts and looked forward to seeing what the next day would bring.

Hartlaub's Babbler is common at Shakawe.	Crimson-breasted Shrike is the stunning national bird of Namibia.

Day 14: Shakawe to Shamvura
    Making the most of our last full day of birding we had our breakfast just as the sun was rising and immediately made our way towards the Namibia-Botswana border. While the border guards don’t tend to like the use of cameras and binoculars, we couldn’t help but raise our bins to view all the Grey-rumped Swallow circling overhead; our first new trip bird of the day. Entering Namibia we once again drove through the lovely Mahango Game Reserve. Almost as soon as we entered we were confronted with a massive vulture spectacle. The trees seemed to be filled to the point of overflowing with White-backed Vulture. Sorting through these we soon managed to pick out Lappet-faced and Hooded Vultures mixed into the throng. Bateleur, Marabou Stork, and Fawn-colored Lark all also made an appearance before we loaded back into the vehicles and made our way to the floodplain. Having gained only brief views of Slaty Egret on our previous visit, this was definitely our number one target species at Mahango. Unfortunately the extremely tall grass made our search all that much more difficult. As the morning wore on we began to fret that even with all our effort our search would turn out to be in vain. As we were leaving the park a final stop was made to view the stunning sable antelope rutting and, lo and behold, we finally picked up our Slaty Egret calmly feeding along a muddy riverbank. With our mornings mission complete we left the park and pulled into Popa Falls for a relaxing lunch.
    Our afternoon birding began almost as soon as we opened our sandwiches for lunch. While watching Red-billed Firefinch in a mixed flock of seedeaters we were soon enthralled as Brown Firefinch came to join the throng. As many of us had missed this species on the previous day we were thrilled to have the opportunity to see it once again. Continuing our birding around Popa Falls we soon discovered a African Wood Owl being mobbed by Arrow-marked Babbler and Yellow-bellied Greenbul while Terrestrial Brownbul and White-browed Robin-Chat fed unobtrusively in the leaf litter below. As activity quieted down in the heat of the day we made our way to Shamvura where we decided to take yet another boat ride. While we weren’t hoping for many new species, the chance to relax on the boat and view the amazing surroundings was well worth the time. A pod of nearly 30 hippos made the journey quite exciting and new birds included Cape Reed-Warbler and Collared Pratincole. All told we amassed a whopping 143 species in the single day; an excellent last day of birding for what had already been an absolutely fantastic experience!

Confined to Central Africa and Northern Namibia, Souza's Shrike was a wonderful surprise on the final day of our tour	The magnificent Pel's Fishing Owl is enough to get even non-birders hearts racing

Day 15: Shamvura to Windhoek
    With a long drive ahead of us we started early on our way to Windhoek. However, our initial drive was cut short as we screeched to a halt just outside the lodge’s gate. Perched in a tree across the road were two interesting starlings and we couldn’t help but hope they were the Sharp-tailed Starling we had missed on our previous visit. As this species is often quite difficult to separate from the much more numerous Cape Glossy-Starling we were extremely hesitant in identifying the birds. Running across the road we sat under the birds and examining their tails were thrilled to see the long central retrices. Still not quite convinced we waited for the birds to fly and were thrilled when we saw the chestnut tinge of the underwing confirming our identification. A fantastic species to start off our day of driving!
    Our next stop was at a well known site just south of Rundu. After exiting the car we quickly found a small group of Tinkling Cisticola; an often difficult to find species. Our main target here however was Rufous-bellied Tit. Searching through the secondary acacia woodland we struggled in vain to find this species. However, our search ended up paying off with an unexpected rarity. Just as we were about to give up and continue on our drive the sudden cry of shrike! had us all scrambling for views. Perched atop a small snag was a stunning Souza’s Shrike. This rare resident of northern Namibia is one of the most sought after species for anyone keeping a Southern Africa list and we were all thrilled to be able to pick up this specialty!
    Our final stop for the day was at Roy’s Camp for lunch. While here we decided to go after one of our missing babblers. Though we were told that banded mongoose in the area had chased the birds away we decided to search none the less. Within minutes we found a small flock containing five Crimson-breasted Gonolek and a number of Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver. As we continued on the flock seemed to follow us. Taking a second look we found that mixed into the flock were a handful of Black-faced Babbler! While very similar to the Hartlaub’s and Arrow-marked Babblers we had seen earlier, this species has a shockingly white eye which separates it from the other two species. Having picked up our last specialty we continued to Windhoek for a wonderful dinner of Oryx steak. After such an amazing Namibian experience it was sad to part ways. But, with further exploration of South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana planned for the future, we all looked forward to meeting up again for more adventures!

Double-banded Sandgrouse	Lesser Striped Swallow