Namibia & Botswana The Audubon Shop Custom tour

Transcription

1 Namibia & Botswana The Audubon Shop Custom tour 16 th September 1 st October, 2011 Tour leader: Charley Hesse. Report by Charley Hesse. Photos by Charley Hesse & Jerry Connolly. Our group in front of the Giant Baobab Tree in Mahango Game Reserve (Jerry Connolly) This trip was a repeat of last year s very successful Audubon Shop Namibia custom tour. It was another immensely enjoyable trip and marked by the changes due to the record rainfall this year. Even though arriving 6 weeks later, it should have been even drier, the landscape was a good deal greener and some of the rivers even had water left in them. Amazing to see in this normally bone-dry landscape. We again picked up the vast majority of escarpment, desert and Kalahari specialties. With some highlights being the charismatic Rockrunner singing right above our heads, dozens of delightful Rosy-faced Lovebirds coming into feed on grain at Erongo and watching Hartmann s Mountain Zebras feeding on the lush grass of the plains having descended from the escarpment. Etosha was again dazzling, and although we didn t have such huge concentrations of game at waterholes like last year, we had fantastic views of lions and elephants as well as the wonderful bonus of a Leopard in a tree at close range. In Botswana we tracked down the huge Pel s Fishing-Owl along with many memorable water birds. One of the reasons for running the trip later this year was to catch the Southern Carmine Bee-eaters which we had been too early for last year. In Botswana we visited a wonderful nesting colony which turned out to be the trip highlight for many. As well as the outstanding birding and game-viewing, both Namibia and Botswana charmed us with their beautiful and diverse landscapes, people and cultures. Tropical Birding 1

2 16 th September Windhoek area Having arrived the previous day and seen a few common birds in the lodge grounds, we started our first scheduled birding at the wonderful Avis dam just out of town. We walked a trail with an excellent view over the water where we spotted a distant African Fish-Eagle along with many other common water birds such as White-breasted & Reed Cormorants, Great, Little & Cattle Egrets and Egyptian Geese, while Bradfield's, African Palm- & Little Swifts flew over head. We turned to the land birds and a little bit of psshing brought in many small birds such as Green-winged Pytilia, Blue, Violet-eared & Black-faced Waxbills, and Marico & Dusky Sunbirds. The fairest of them all though, was the stunning Crimsonbreasted Shrike, but not all were quite so pretty. We had a fair few LBJs too in the form of Sabota Lark, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Rattling Cisticola and Black-chested Prinia. We also had the interesting Brown-crowned Tchagra and a Barred Wren Warbler. Avis Dam being one of the best sites for the latter. We reached the other end of the lake where some ladies asked us to hold up for a few minutes while they finished their dog trials. Grassland by the lake edge here produced African Pipit, Kittlitz's & Threebanded Plovers, Blacksmith Lapwing (named for its call that sounds like a blacksmith hitting his anvil) along with more waterbirds in the form of Wood Sandpiper, Ruff and a surprise African Spoonbill. On the way back to the car park we added the pretty Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Acacia Pied Barbet and the some White-backed Mousebirds. Before leaving I came upon the uncommon Cape Penduline-Tit and I made sure that everybody was in no doubt what a find this drab little bird was. We also had a distant raptor that when it came closer turned out to be a Black-chested Snake-Eagle. The ravishingly beautiful Crimson-breasted Shrike (Charley Hesse) Construction at Daan Viljoen Game reserve meant that there was no access to the dam but on a short game drive we kick started our mammal lists with Greater Kudu, Red Hartebeest and Blue Wildebeest. On our way out we also came across a family of Chacma Baboons that eyed us with interest. We headed back to the comfortable Arebbush Lodge where we watched Southern & Lesser Masked Weavers and Red-headed Finches weaving their nests as we ate. We also had our first hornbill in the shape of Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill. In the afternoon we headed to the excellent Windhoek sewage works in search of water birds. As we entered we were treated to the sight of thousands of Wattled Starlings in the trees. We drove through the back of the complex which had a less pungent smell and has some nice reedfringed lakes. At the first pond we saw our first water birds in the form of South African Shelduck, Redbilled & Hottentot Teals, Common Moorhen, Red-knobbed Coot and even a Hamerkop. At further ponds we saw African Darter, Grey, Squacco & Striated Herons, African Sacred Ibis with our first Black-shouldered Kite and White-throated Swallows in flight. African Reed- & Lesser Swamp- Warblers gave us the run-around but finally showed themselves in the reed beds while a gorgeous male Scarlet-chested Sunbird flitted in the trees. At our last stop we added our first African Jacana and the diminutive Little Stint. It had been a tremendously productive first day. Tropical Birding 2

3 17 th September Windhoek to Swakopmund Today we left the capital heading for the coast along the very scenic but rather bumpy C28 road. We were to make many stops along here sampling the birdlife in each distinct habitat type. At our first stop, still on the escarpment, we found a key bird for the trip, the endemic White-tailed Shrike. This taxonomic enigma was once lumped with the shrikes but is now considered by many to be closer to the batises. We also saw some other very attractive birds in the form of Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, a beautiful male Short-toed Rock-Thrush and a pair of Pririt Batises. Further along we stopped for a magnificent Tawny Eagle perched by the roadside and the first of many Southern Pale Chanting-Goshawks we would see. At a spot that always seems to be productive, we saw a Rock Kestrel fighting with a Gabar Goshawk, both Lilac-breasted & Purple Rollers, the interesting Anteating Chat and Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver whose messy stick nests had actually been built into a windmill s structure. We stopped at a bridge over a normally dry river but unusually it still had water. A reminder of the record-breaking rainfall this year. Here we had great views of Pearl-spotted Owlet and even saw it chasing a Cape Bunting. Rock Hyrax, the strange distant relative of the elephant, looked more like guinea pigs as they scurried over the rocks while an African Hawk-Eagle soared just over our heads. We found more water lower down in the form of a lake where we saw Little Grebe, nesting Grey Herons, African Sacred Ibis & African Spoonbill. At another stop further on Jerry spotted our next important endemic, the charismatic Rockrunner. Previously considered a warbler it has now been placed with the rockjumpers. An endemic family to Southern Africa. We heard the distinctive call of the Orange River Francolin across the valley but scanning the rocky hillside, we could only find a covey of Red-billed Spurfowl. Before leaving the highlands we added Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Scaly-feathered Finch and Common Scimitar-bill along with another troop of Chacma Baboons. We had our packed lunch at the Boshua Pass where we enjoyed the scenery but found little birdwise except for the endless stream of Lark-like Buntings. White-tailed Shrike and Short-toed Rock-Thrush trying to out-compete each other in looks (Charley Hesse) We now began losing altitude quickly and as the habitat opened out we found Greater Kudu and our first Gemsbok (also known as Southern Oryx). We were disappointed not to have seen the rare Hartmann's Mountain Zebra as we descended onto the grassy plains. Here the habitat and birdlife changed dramatically. In an isolated tree we saw a huge Sociable Weaver nest and were lucky enough to soon find the endemic Ruppell's Korhaan with its head sticking out of the grass. We saw Common Fiscal, Chat Flycatcher & Tractrac Chats along the roadside fence posts and we soon spotted our first Springbok and a surprise pair of Kori Bustards. In the heat haze we saw what looked like zebras although the Burchell s Zebra was out of range here. When we got closer we got out to scope them and found that they were actually Hartmann's Mountain Zebras that we thought we had missed. It was a real shock to find them down here but they must have descended to take advantage of the bumper grazing. We spotted a flock of Tropical Birding 3

4 what looked like pigeons but on closer inspection turned out to be Namaqua Sandgrouse. They landed behind us and we went back along the road where we saw them flush up again. The further towards the coast we got, the drier it was. Here we kept an eye out for Meercats but only found the more common South African Ground Squirrel. A Lappet-faced Vulture soared over the road and we finally found our first wild Common Ostriches. One of the only original wild populations in Southern Africa, most being from reintroductions. Our last bird of the day was a juvenile Martial Eagle which looked a bit lost in its stark surroundings. It had been an amazing day and we settled in to the delightful Eberwein Hotel before heading out for some very tasty seafood. 18 th September Rooibank & Walvis Bay Although Namibia has many endemic bird species, the distribution of almost all of these creeps into neighbouring countries. All except for the Dune Lark, and it is this species that we went in search of this morning at Rooibank on the dry Kuiseb river. Luckily we arrived early enough to catch one still singing and we found it quickly. Walking back over the dry riverbed, we saw Pearl-breasted Swallow, very vocal Tractrac Chats, the interesting white-browed subspecies of Common Fiscal, many Cape Sparrows and fantastic views of the wonderfully named Bokmakierie. Once everyone had the correct pronunciation, we were allowed to have our packed breakfast. Swift Tern. One of several tern species present in Walvis Bay (Charley Hesse) Next we drove to Walvis Bay where we were looking for waterbirds. At the waterfront, we saw Kelp, Greyheaded & Hartlaub's Gulls and looking across the bay we had Great White Pelican and what was to be our only African Black Oystercatcher of the trip. We continued birding along the waterfront finding Common, Swift and a few Sandwich Terns but unfortunately no Damaras, to Jerry s dismay. Shorebirds were well represented by Grey Plover, Common Greenshank, Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel. From here we drove to the Salt works where we added Cape Teal, Caspian Tern, Whitefronted & the target Chestnut-banded Plover. On the drive out to the ocean view point we found thousands Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints with dozens of Ruddy Turnstones mixed in. At the beach we saw hundreds of Cape Cormorants and found our hoped for Cape Gannet which appeared to be surfing the waves. Back in Walvis we had one last look at the bay and were treated to great views of Cape Fur Seal and Bottlenose Dolphin. On the way back to Swakopmund, we stopped at a guano platform where we found Cape & Crowned Cormorants. We were back in Swakopmund by early afternoon and we had time for a nice stroll around the centre and in the evening went for more delicious seafood. Tropical Birding 4

5 19 th September Spitzkoppe to Omaruru We were leaving the coast with its bizarre cool and misty weather and heading back inland. First stop was the Spitzkoppe inselberg. Dramatic scenery and home to one of Namibia s most elusive endemics, the Herero Chat (Namibornis herero). We set off in the dark and were able to watch a spectacular sunrise over the dry landscape. We wanted to get there early to catch the birds singing, but of course had to make the odd stop too. On the way we added some great birds, like Northern Black Korhaan, Double-banded Courser, White-throated Canary and Pale-winged Starlings. We stopped at a territory of Karoo Longbilled Lark and sure enough the birds were in the same spot as usual. We also spotted a cute Steenbuck, a small type of antelope with big ears. As soon as we arrived at the base of the spectacular mountain, we spotted a pair of Verreaux's Eagles soaring majestically above. A Mountain Wheatear hopped on a rock nearby and several Rock Hyraxes scurried over the face of the rocks. There was no time to lose to catch the chats singing, so we immediately walked to a nearby territory. Unfortunately it was getting hot already but we finally heard the call and made our way towards it. We spotted a bird on top of a tree but before I could get it in the scope it had flown. Then Jerry called over that he had it just 30 metres away. Then it was gone, not to return. The next surprise was the rare Black Mongoose that only revealed itself to some of us. Then we were lucky enough to flush a Kurrichane Buttonquail and this time everybody had flight views of this rarely seen bird. We had a well-deserved breakfast, during which we were visited by Ashy Tit, Pririt Batis and a delightful Brubru which happily hopped around above our heads. Before leaving we had excellent views of a Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler and another White-tailed Shrike. We had seen some real quality this morning. Before leaving the area we went looking for a couple of tricky larks we had missed between Windhoek and Swakopmund. We headed westward again through the ever drier habitat. It wasn t long before we came across some small birds in the road. Once in the scope I saw that it was in fact the 2 birds we were looking for. Both Gray's & Stark's Larks. What a stroke of luck. We were treated to much better looks at Starks Lark heading east again, but now the day had really heated up and it was time to get back in the car and put the AC on full blast. A male Northern Black Korhaan descending after its flight display (Charley Hesse) Before reaching Omaruru we birded the Khan river, looking for several birds specialising in the gallery forest found alongside dry riverbeds in Namibia. There had been a recent fire and the place smelled of smoke and ash. The first target we found easily. First we heard the cackle of the Violet Wood-Hoopoe, then we saw a group of them as they flew into a nearby tree. White flashes in their wings and white tips to their long tails. Red-billed Spurfowl ran quickly across the dry river bed and Burchell's Starling gave their parrot-like calls, but when we heard the call of the rare endemic Ruppell s Parrot there was no mistaking it. We saw a pair well in the scope and then further up the riverbed, another pair and 2 juveniles. What luck. Another target was the Damara Hornbill. A pair of Monteiro's Hornbills got our hopes up briefly Tropical Birding 5

6 but the Damaras never showed. We did find a Southern White-crowned Shrike though which was a nice surprise. We arrived at Omaruru Guest House to find another juvenile Ruppell s Parrot in the garden! I was starting to feel a bit foolish now after protesting how rare the dam things were. After a nice dinner we took a short night drive nearby spotting a couple of Scrub Hares and a Duiker. We also had some Crowned Lapwings in the road and we managed locate a Spotted Eagle-Owl which gave us a couple of fly-overs. 20 th September Omaruru & Erongo Before breakfast we walked the dry Omaruru River bed behind the guest house. Here our main target was Southern Pied Babbler which we found without too much trouble, but the real surprise was a Whitebrowed Coucal. A species normally found near water. Until recently this river had actually been flowing after record rainfall this year. We also had our first African Hoopoe, Bearded Woodpecker and Grey Goaway Birds. After breakfast, it was a short drive to the idyllic Erongo Wilderness Lodge during which we found Southern Yellow-billed & Monteiro's Hornbills, Pearl-breasted Swallow and Desert Cisticola. We also managed to find Slender Mongoose and Hartlaub's Spurfowl. The latter normally difficult to find outside the lodge itself. Just before entering the lodge grounds, we found a wonderfully productive spot where many birds came in to my Pearl-spotted Owlet call (including the owlet itself). The others were Pririt Batis, Crimson-breasted & White-tailed Shrikes, Shaft-tailed Whydah and Golden-breasted Bunting. The charismatic Rockrunner has a beautiful, melodious song (Charles Hesse) We parked the vehicle and loaded our bags into theirs. Ours would never make it up the steep road to the lodge. We took the opportunity to walk in, lucking upon a juvenile Verreaux's Eagle and a Klipspringer. A species of antelope adapted to steep rocky slopes. The main species we wanted to find on the way up though was the Carp's Black Tit and sure enough there it was. Next we saw a flock of Rosy-faced Lovebirds posing beautifully at the top of a tree. We walked up to the restaurant where we enjoyed a light lunch and the amazing scenery before retiring to our rooms to shelter from the midday sun. When it had cooled somewhat, we ventured forth for an afternoon walk. It was still a little too hot to be so productive but we still found some good birds, like Common Scimitar-bill, Cape Penduline-Tit, Violet-eared Waxbill and Barred Wren-Warbler. The highlight though was getting great views of Rockrunner which sat at the top of a tree singing its heart out. Before dinner we looked out for Freckled Nightjar. We saw them but unfortunately way over on the other side of the valley. Tropical Birding 6

7 21 st September Erongo Wilderness to Okakuejo We gathered early for breakfast in order to watch the birds being fed. Of course the main target was the Hartlaub's Spurfowl but we also enjoyed a close encounter with dozens of Rosy-faced Lovebirds just a few feet away. As the morning sun hit them we got great photos of these delightful birds. We saw the ever present Dassie Rat but also got fleeting views of the rarely seen elephant shrew. We were sad to leave this truly special place but had a long drive today. We first headed to another dry river bed to look again for Damara Hornbill. On the way there we had our first Damara Dikdik, Namibia s smallest antelope. At the river bed we added White-browed Scrub-Robin which delighted us with its varied vocalisations. We also had better views of African Hoopoe, Violet Wood-Hoopoe, White-tailed Shrike and Southern Whitecrowned Shrike but the real surprise was a flock of 11 Ruppell's Parrots. I now felt very sheepish having protested how rare they were. On the way out of the conservancy we found our first Helmeted Guineafowl and a Purple Roller before hitting the highway towards Etosha National Park. We had a brief lunch stop in Outjo where we even managed to find a new trip bird in the garden. The Long-billed Crombec. Erongo Wilderness Lodge is one of the best places to photograph Rosy-faced Lovebirds (Charley Hesse) On the last hour of the drive we stopped when we saw dozens of soaring vultures and I pointed out the differences between White-backed & Lappet-faced Vultures. Several Greater Striped-Swallows perched in a nearby tree. These (austral) summer visitors may have been recent arrivals or just passing through. Our last stop before reaching the park was for a family of Warthogs which comically ran off with their tails in the air. After receiving our entry permit we entered the park proper and now were only allowed out at the rest camps due to the presence of potentially dangerous animals. We drove the short distance to the first waterhole where we added Cape Crow and saw a few Common Ostrich, Springbok and Impala. We continued our drive to rest camp spotting more game on the way. Burchell's Zebra, Greater Kudu, Blue Wildebeest along with Southern Pale Chanting-Goshawk, a magnificent pair of Kori Bustards and Red-crested Korhaan. The latter a new trip bird and our 4 th member of the bustard family. After checking in at the Okakuejo rest camp, we walked to the famous waterhole before dinner. The air echoed with the calls of Helmeted Guineafowl, both Namaqua & Double-banded Sandgrouses, Sociable Weavers busily constructing their huge nest above our heads and Crowned & Blacksmith Lapwings in a constant state of alert from the several patrolling Black-backed Jackals. The tourists really come here for the large mammals though, and they don t come much larger than African Elephant, Black Rhino and Giraffe, all of which made dramatic entrances with the backdrop of a spectacular sunset. We really had to drag ourselves away for dinner but returned later to find Cape Fox and the electrically charged scene of 2 adolescent Lions stalking a Giraffe. Too inexperienced to realise that it was a little too big to handle, the young lions looked hungrily up at their would be prey and licked their lips. Tropical Birding 7

8 22 nd September Okakuejo We met before dawn at the waterhole again, and the early risers were rewarded with the sight of hundreds of Double-banded Sandgrouse coming in to drink. After breakfast we took a morning drive hitting several of the waterholes in the area. At the unpronounceable Gemsbokvlakte we saw dozens of Burchell s Zebras, hundreds of Chestnut-backed & Grey-backed Sparrowlarks and a sprinkling of Great Sparrows and Red-headed Finches. At Olifantsbad we had a fine herd of Red Hartebeest and at Aus, many water birds, including Little Grebe, Red-knobbed Coot, Red-billed Teal and our first Maccoa Duck. We continued the loop picking up our first Greater Kestrel and even a Rufous-eared Warbler in the low vegetation by the pan s edge. At Nebrowni we saw what looked like a white elephant. The white sediment in the muddy water had given it a ghostly appearance after it had bathed there. We also had 2 close Lions coming in to drink and our first Secretarybird of the trip, before we started heading back to the rest camp. In the car park a few of us saw the very drab Burnt-necked Eremomela which we had missed thus far. We felt rather embarrassed to witness this private moment between 2 Yellow Mongooses (Charley Hesse) After lunch we went to take a look again at the Okakuejo waterhole to find a throng of vultures that had not been there in the morning. On closer inspection we managed to make out the carcass of a Burchell's Zebra. We found out later, this had not been predated but had been staggering around and died naturally. Park scientists had apparently come in earlier to test for Anthrax, but allowed the gathered hoards to continue their feast. Scanning the scene we saw Black-backed Jackal, White-backed, Lappet-faced & Cape Vultures. We even spotted several wind-tagged individuals of the latter which we hoped to submit sightings of later. In the afternoon we took another drive north on the Okondeka loop. The first of our targets were the larks, which abound in these open habitats. Red-capped, Spike-heeled & Pink-billed Larks. The latter 2 showing much paler plumage than in the east of their range. Perfectly camouflaged against the pale soil. We also picked up Double-banded Courser, Capped Wheatear, Anteating Chat & South African Ground Squirrel. It is also one of the best places for African Pygmy Falcon which uses the nests of Sociable Weaver. A mutually beneficial relationship, where in return for a nest site, they give added protection to the colony. We found a female at the usual spot and also had a Kalahari Scrub-Robin hopping round on the ground nearby. At the Okondeka waterhole the gathered cars betrayed a group of sleepy Lions but we also found a Cape Hare. A nocturnal animal, rarely seen during the day. On the drive back we saw several Kori Bustards, Northern Black Korhaans and even watched Yellow Mongooses mating right next to the car. The trip highlight for one participant who shall remain nameless. You know who you are. After dinner we were treated to the spectacle of more Lion and Giraffe interactions. Tropical Birding 8

9 23 rd September Okakuejo to Halali In the morning, the Okakuejo waterhole still had vultures and jackals although not much was left of the zebra. We left after breakfast heading for the Halali restcamp where we would spend the night. On the way, I spotted what looked like some lapwings in flight, but the shape didn t seem quite right. I pulled up and the 3 birds came down ahead of us in the road. When I got my bins on them I saw that they were not lapwings after all, but Burchell's Coursers. Two adults and a juvenile. A really good bird. Some birdwatchers behind stopped to take advantage of our find. We stopped at the Rietfontein waterhole where we had one of the trip highlights. A group of about 80 African Elephants drinking, mud-bathing, fighting and generally being elephants. We watched mezmerized for half an hour and this was a trip highlight for some. We arrived for lunch in Halali and then took a quick walk in the grounds to see Red-billed Hornbill, which was new for the trip. Burchell s Courser with a chick (Charley Hesse) In the afternoon, we took another drive. The Mopani woodland was typically quiet and we failed to find our target Bare-cheeked Babbler but we did have better views of Carp's Black Tit, Southern Pied Babbler, Double-banded Sandgrouse, African Hoopoe and Common Scimitarbill. We also added Whitecrested Helmet-Shrike to the list. Back at Halali I managed to locate a security guard who knew the day roosts of some owls. He first showed us the nest of Southern White-faced Scops Owl with 2 fluffy chicks in. By standing on a chair they could be viewed from a distance without disturbing them. Next he took us to see an African Scops-Owl which had some impressive camouflage against the trunk of the Mopani tree in which it was roosting. We also saw a Tree Squirrel scurrying on the ground and a pair of wood-hoopoes which may actually be violet/green hybrids. After dinner we went to the waterhole, hoping for Leopard which had been seen by some friends of mine 2 nights ago. In the end we saw no mammals except several Scrub Hares. We were also on the look out for night birds and picked up Rufous-cheeked Nightjar and a real surprise, Marsh Owl. We got good scope views of an adult and a recently fledged chick. 24 th September Halali to Namutoni At dawn we drove to the Halali waterhole again but only saw the same Rufous-cheeked Nightjar and juvenile Marsh Owl. From here we birded the edge of the camp in a fruitless search for Bare-cheeked Babblers. We did find more Carp's Black Tits, added Emerald-spotted Dove and even flushed a Barn Owl and had nice scope views of it in a tree. We were really clearing up on owls. We left Halali after Tropical Birding 9

10 breakfast heading to our final base in Etosha, Namutoni rest camp. We drove past lots of burning which we later learned to be controlled burns that had gone out of control. Some hornbills seemed to be gathering by the edge of the fire in the hope of fleeing prey. We photographed the dramatic scenes of herds of Burchell s Zebras with huge flames behind them and a pride of Lions laying in the ash. We saw several Kori Bustards, Bateleurs and a pair of distant Blue Cranes on the pan s edge. A real score. At one spot, the road came near water on edge of pan and we had the chance to see some waterbirds. Here we saw Black-necked Grebe, Whimbrel, Black-winged Stilt and finally some Greater Flamingos. Closer to Namutoni we found a pair of Red-breasted Swallows perched in a tree and one eagle-eyed tour participant spotted a Black Rhino laying down in the shade. Staring into a Leopard s eyes just a few metres away is an indescribable feeling (Jerry Connolly) We checked in to the rest camp and were welcomed by the resident Banded Mongooses. After lunch we escaped the heat of the day in our luxurious air-conditioned rooms before heading out on the Fisher s Pan loop for our afternoon drive. At the Twee Palms waterhole we saw numerous Common Ostrich and also an Elephant showing aggression towards a Warthog. Some of us felt that he should pick on somebody his own size. We continued the loop seeing many of the species which by now we were very familiar with but also added Rufous-naped Lark and Yellow Canary. At the end of the loop we visited the Klein & Groot Okevi waterholes where we saw both Red-billed and our first Swainson's Francolins. Luckily, the only remaining water in Fisher s Pan seemed to be close to the road and some time here produced many waterbirds including: Cape & Hottentot Teals, Cape Shoveler, Chestnut-banded Plover and Greyheaded Gull. Our last stop of the day was at the Klein Namutoni waterhole which always seems to hold something interesting. On the entrance road we saw Damara Dikdik and the waterhole itself was filled with Red-billed Teal with just one South African Shelduck sticking out. A White-backed Vulture had come down to drink, Tawny Eagle perched in a nearby tree and we spotted a Lappet-faced Vulture nest in the distance with an ugly chick s head sticking out. It had been a great day but it was about to get even better. Driving back towards Namutoni, a car had pulled up and the occupants were looking at something in a tree. Apparently I said, Oh My God! before making everybody very happy by telling them there was a Leopard in the tree. The glowing eyes looking right at us and the beautiful pattern of the fur were things that will stay with us for a long time. Tropical Birding 10

11 25 th September Namutoni to Shamvura A Pearl-spotted Owlet was calling all night long outside our rooms and was a mild irritation to some. We had a very long drive today so had an early breakfast and a quick check of the waterhole where a couple of us saw Black Crake and Coppery-tailed Coucal. We left, checking the Leopard spot for those who had missed it yesterday but it was gone. Before leaving the park we, had our best views of Double-banded Sandgrouse. We were now back on the paved road, and making time. We tried to be strict with stops but had to take brief views of our first Yellow-billed Kite. We would see many more of these along the road. Our first proper birding stop was at Roy s camp. The most famous site for the Black-faced Babbler. We found them straight away along with a host of new birds like Meyer's Parrot, Common Scimitar-bill, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Purple-banded & White-bellied Sunbirds and Black-backed Puffback. We had a long way to go, so set off again and stopped for lunch near Rundu. A spot with great birds possible, but in the heat of the day, all we managed to find was a single Red-headed Weaver. The resident pair of African Barred Owlets are readily seen at Shamvura (Jerry Connolly) Where the road crossed a wetland, we found our first Southern Pochard and a Three-banded Plover. Further on along the road, we had the very long-tailed Magpie Shrike and closer to our destination we pulled off on to a side road and had a nice view of the river where a crowd of kids gathered to watch us watching Coppery-tailed & White-browed Coucals and Pied & Giant Kingfishers. We were welcomed to Shamvura Fishing Lodge by the friendly host Charlie. It was certainly confusing having 2 Charlies there. We walked around the garden and out to the deck where we saw Black-headed Oriole, Red-faced Mousebird, Little Bee-eater and Golden Weaver. As dusk came, an African Barred Owlet flew in nearby and started calling. What a welcome to the Caprivi strip. Tropical Birding 11

12 26 th September Shamvura After an early breakfast, we headed to some local sites for interesting forest birds. At the first place we saw some starlings coming down to drink from a leaky tap. I assumed they would be one of the commoner species but when they flew up into the top of a tree, something seemed a bit different. On closer inspection, I found them to be a mixture of Wattled and Sharp-tailed Starlings. The latter a very rare bird, a top target for the area and a lifer for the guide. What a find! We also had our first Striped Kingfisher in the tree behind. We took a stroll around the forest site and found other good birds like Meyer's Parrot, Yellowfronted Tinkerbird, Arrow-marked Babbler, Violet-backed Starling and Southern Black Tit. We drove on to the next site stopping along the road to look at a Dark Chanting-Goshawk and Green Woodhoopoe. Birding in this habitat is tricky. It gets hot and quiet very quickly but we did fairly well, picking up Cardinal Woodpecker, Southern Black & Pale Flycatchers, both Brown-crowned & Black-crowned Tchagras, the latter giving a wonderful rendition of its song. Finally we found a vocal flock of Greencapped Eremomelas, another excellent bird. Back at the gardens some of us kept birding and saw Crested Francolin, Red-breasted Swallow, Swamp Boubou and Marico & Purple-banded Sunbirds. Quite a productive morning. We were very lucky to get such close views of Rock Pratincole (Charley Hesse) In the afternoon we had a boat ride planned. Walking down the steep steps to the jetty, some of us had a Golden-tailed Woodpecker. We started the boat ride checking the fields by the river where we saw African Wattled Lapwing, Water Thick-knee, Fan-tailed Widowbird and African Stonechat. Next, on the sandbanks along the river we saw many Collared Pratincoles and the unique African Skimmer. Skimmers are the only birds with their lower mandible longer than the upper. Reed beds held African Reed- & Lesser Swamp-Warblers, which look very similar but sound very different. We had a nice view of Little Bittern and nice photo opportunities for many Little Bee-eaters and Malachite Kingfishers. Unfortunately one of our group got sick and we had to turn back. After dropping her off, we headed straight back to where we had left off. We continued seeing many good water birds, including Purple & Rufousbellied Herons, African Openbill and large numbers of White-faced Ducks. All the way along the river we saw many Brown-throated & Banded Martins and a few Grey-rumped Swallows, Southern Carmine & White-fronted Bee-eaters. We entered an oxbow lake, where we saw Southern Pochard, many African Purple Swamphens, African Jacana and Glossy Ibis. Our last stop before turning back were some rocks in the middle of the river where we had incredible views of Rock Pratincole but we failed to find White-backed Night-Heron at the guide s usual sites. A couple of surprises on the trip though were a White-winged Tern and some Comb Ducks. Both difficult in the area. We had seen many hippos along the river but just at the end we had to pass some at speed as they were doing threat displays with their mouths wide open. Quite an exhilarating moment. Tropical Birding 12

13 27 th September Shamvura to Nguma lodge After an early breakfast we had one last bit of birding along the road near Shamvura, adding Neddicky, Chinspot Batis & African Yellow White-eye before heading to Popa Falls. Normally a target here, we had got great views of Rock Pratincole already, so we tried (unsuccessfully) for the target Brown Firefinch, but only finding Blue & Violet-eared Waxbills coming in to drink at a bird bath. Onto Mahango Game Reserve, our last birding site in Namibia before crossing the border into Botswana. We picked up the long-tailed Meve's Starling straight away and then started birding the flood plain of the Kavango River. In Etosha we had been strictly confined to our cars and we now enjoyed the exhilaration of stepping out of the vehicle to look at some distant Elephants. We stayed close to the vehicle, always remaining vigilant as we used the scopes to look at African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork, White-faced Duck, Yellow-billed Egret, Rufous-bellied Heron and Long-toed Lapwing. At further stops we found many Spur-winged Geese and African Jacanas plus a distant Goliath Heron and Saddle-billed Stork. Mahango was one of our last chances to pick up new mammals and further along we found Red Lechwe & Southern Reedbuck on the flood plain and Bushbuck & Vervet Monkey by the edge of the forest. We stopped for lunch by the Giant Baobab, where after eating and taking some group photos we saw a pair of Bradfield's Hornbills, Brubru, Golden-tailed Woodpecker at a nest hole and the rare Luapula Cisticola. Before leaving the reserve we picked up our first Hartlaub's Babblers and at the border itself some shining Greater Blue-eared Starlings coming in to drink at a leaky pipe. The delightful Malachite Kingfisher (Charley Hesse) We started the final leg of our tour in Botswana driving in to Shakawe where we had to change money at the bank. We remained ever vigilant and got a very lucky Eurasian Hobby flying by as we waited in line at the ATM. We drove on to our meeting point for the Nguma Island Lodge vehicle. The road in was 4WD so after we parked our car at a secure spot we drove in with their open truck spotting some nice birds like Giant Kingfisher & African Openbill on the way. We were greeted by the friendly owner, Nookie (and a group of Vervet Monkeys) before being ushered straight into a boat for the sunset boat ride. In the papyrus edged lagoon we found Greater Swamp-Warbler, Pied & Malachite Kingfishers and many Banded Martins flying over the water but we also enjoyed the spectacular sunset. As the light began to fade, we crossed the lake to see some Hamerkops going to roost in the top of a tree when our local guide Max saw a large bird perched in the distance. We got closer to find it was actually a Pel's Fishing-Owl sitting out on a palm stump. We set up the scope and enjoyed nice views of this, our main target for this section of the tour. What a day it had been! Tropical Birding 13

14 28 th September Nguma lodge to Nxamaseri Lodge We heard Hippos and Coppery-tailed Coucals all night long and woke to a dawn chorus of melodic White-browed Robin-Chats and raucous Hartlaub's Babblers starting their day. Some of us took a morning walk and added Black Heron, Wood Sandpiper and saw many more African Openbills and African Jacanas. We also saw Black-collared Barbet, African Green-Pigeon, but only heard the very distinctive call of African Mourning Dove. Back at the lodge, we added Crested Barbets and a noisy flock Retz's Helmetshrikes. Beautiful little black birds with red eye rings. After breakfast we took another boat ride around the lagoon where we had nice views of African Fish-Eagle, several Striated Herons and finally Chirping Cisticola. The latter demonstrated its interesting vocalizations and flight display. After our short stay, it was time to leave and our wonderful guide, Max, drove us back out to the main road. On the way we had better views of Crested Francolin, Bradfield's Hornbill and a very stately Saddle-billed Stork. Long-toed Lapwings show almost completely white wings in flight (Charley Hesse) Our next destination was the unpronounceable Nxamaseri Lodge, and again the driver met us at the main road and we transferred to their vehicle. On yet another productive drive in, we saw several African Pygmy-geese, Long-toed Lapwings, Ruff and a Red-billed Oxpecker perched on a cow s back. After lunch we took a wonderfully productive boat ride along the Okavango River, which was full of African Darters, Pied & Malachite Kingfishers, Striated & Rufous-bellied Herons We found our first Hadeda Ibis and had great views of a Little Bittern perched out in the open while Hamerkops and Collared Pratincoles flew overhead. We had numerous groups of White-faced Ducks in V-formation and a plethora of swallows, including Wire-tailed, Red-breasted & Lesser Striped. Just before sunset we came across a very productive spot where we witnessed a Blacksmith Lapwing mobbing an African Fish-Eagle on the ground, a Water Thick-knee sat on the bank next to a Nile Crocodile which was so still we began to question whether it was still alive; and also magnificent views of a White-fronted Bee-eater catching insects with remarkable accuracy. Just as it was getting dark we heard the distinctive sound of the Dwarf Bittern croaking from within the reeds, saw a pair of noisy Giant Kingfishers perched nearby and tree full of Slaty Egrets coming in to roost. 29 th September Nxamaseri Lodge This morning we enjoyed a Makoro ride. These are canoes traditionally made from hollowed out logs, but nowadays fibreglass ones are used which last longer and reduce the impact on the environment. Instead of paddling, they are pushed using a pole. Our group of 8 was put into 4 Makoros and we started our morning Tropical Birding 14

15 trip. They were busy taming a African Fish-Eagle which we saw being fed on a fish caught that day. On the way out we had good views of the target Southern Brown-throated Weaver perched on top of the Papyrus. Among the many African Jacanas and Long-toed Lapwings we saw several Lesser Jacana and African Pygmy-goose in flight. Our guide Mr P seemed to have found what he was looking for and moved us closer. We saw a large raptor in a tree which turned out to a juvenile Western Banded Snake- Eagle. What a find! We got out at a large island and had a walk around. Here we had nice scope views of Slaty Egret showing its characteristic chestnut throat, African Mourning Dove showing its yellow eye, a distant Bearded Woodpecker on top of a tree and a Coppery-tailed Coucal. Just before leaving I managed to flush our hoped for Greater Painted-snipe. An interesting species in which the female is more colourful than the male and also takes several mates. On the way back we tried another island for Pel s Fishing-Owl but the habitat appeared to have been trashed by elephants recently, scaring off the owls. It was hot by the time we got back but the hardcore went for a short walk picking up the Brown Firefinch which we had previously missed. The Southern Carmine Bee-eater nesting colony was a hive of activity (Charley Hesse) On our afternoon boat ride, we headed upstream at a fair rate of knots in order to see a very special place indeed. A nesting colony of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters. One of the few stops we had was a sand bank with a pair of African Skimmers roosting on it. We also caught up with the other guests at the lodge who were here for fishing. At the moment there was a Barbel run. A type of big catfish gathering to spawn. While they were busy casting into the water we stopped nearby to look at the numerous Little Egrets, Purple & Squacco Herons which had gathered to feast on them. We continued on passing hundreds of Brownthroated Martins. We slowed the boat and as we approached the colony hundreds of bee-eaters emerged from their holes in the bank and flew over our heads all calling excitedly. It was absolutely breath-taking. As well as Southern Carmine Bee-eater, there were lower numbers of White-fronted Bee-eater and Banded Martins also nesting in the cliff. We got very close to the base and enjoyed what was to be the trip highlight for many people. To make things more interesting, there was even a Black Mamba going from hole to hole looking for eggs or chicks to devour. We wondered why the birds didn t attack it, but when it entered certain holes, they began dive-bombing it. Competition for the holes seemed intense and several birds were fighting hammer & tongs. The light was perfect for photography and brought out the bird s colors beautifully. We finally had to drag ourselves away to start heading back. On way back, we enjoyed another trip highlight. The humungous Goliath Heron flushing up and flying alongside our boat. We tried in vain for the White-backed Night-Heron but only heard it. The last birds of the day were trees full of African Openbills coming in to roost. I had never seen so many in one spot before. Another amazing day in the Okavango. Tropical Birding 15

16 30 th September Nxamaseri Lodge to Maun Standing on the jetty to enjoy the sunrise in the morning, we saw many African Green-Pigeons coming in to a fruiting tree. Jerry was up even earlier and spotted an African Goshawk diving at some African Green- Pigeons. We also finally found Little Rush Warbler and had great views of its interesting flight display, fluttering between stems. Before leaving, some of us took a morning walk and saw Collared Sunbird, Yellow White-eye, Lesser Masked Weaver and some tricky Brown Firefinches which evaded us for some time. On the boat ride out we had another majestic Goliath Heron flying ahead of the boat, an African Openbill feeding on large snails for which its strange shaped bill seems to be designed, our best looks at several African Pygmy-Goose and even an African Jacana chasing a Lesser Jacana. We transferred from the boat to the truck and on the drive finally saw dozens of Marabou Stork circling overhead. The modest little Brown Firefinch is an uncommon resident of riparian frest edge (Charley Hesse) On the drive to Maun we saw a possible escapee ostrich and then a large flock of White-backed & Cape Vultures along with several Marabou Storks which were picking clean the carcass of a dead cow. Other interesting sightings on the way were a Tawny Eagle trying to catch a chicken in someone s garden, a White-winged Tern at a roadside lake and finally a Hamerkop on the ground. Fulfilling a long-standing request by one member of the group. We settled in to the comfortable Sedia Hotel in Maun. Sadly our last night of the trip. 1 st October Maun On our last morning s birding we just took a relaxing walk around the gardens, reacquainting ourselves with some old favourites like Red-billed Spurfowl, Grey Go-away Bird, Bradfield's Hornbill and Black-faced Waxbills. The gardens bordered the river and here we saw Squacco Heron, Hamerkop, African Openbill, and our best views so far of African Pygmy-goose and Black Crake. At breakfast we enjoyed a wide variety of visitors to the bird table, including: Arrow-marked & Hartlaub's Babblers, Red-eyed & African Mourning Doves, Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver and Southern & Lesser Masked Weavers. Our birding was at an end and we relaxed in the shade of the open air restaurant for a light lunch and some action from the Rugby World Cup. Our trip list was an impressive 336 species of birds and 40 species of mammals. For the first-timers to Africa and first-timers on a bird tour, it was certainly an eye-opener, but for everybody it was an unforgettable experience. Tropical Birding 16

17 BIRD LIST Taxonomy follows Birds of Southern Africa 3 rd edition. Sinclair et al, Common Ostrich Struthio camelus Seen on the C28 road, in Etosha and Maun. 2 Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis Seen in Etosha. 3 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 4 Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus Seen at Walvis Bay. 5 Cape Gannet Morus capensis Seen at Walvis Bay. 6 White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo 7 Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis Seen at Walvis Bay. 8 Reed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus 9 Crowned Cormorant Phalacrocorax coronatus Seen at Walvis Bay. 10 African Darter Anhinga rufa 11 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 12 Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala Seen at Etosha. Seen at the Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, on the C28 road, in Etosha and Maun. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works & Walvis Bay. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, Walvis Bay, Shamvura, Nguma, Nxamaseri & Maun. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, Walvis Bay, on the C28 road, in Etosha & Maun. 13 Goliath Heron Ardea goliath Seen at Mahango & Nxamaseri. 14 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 15 Great White Egret Ardea alba Seen at most sites with water. 16 Little Egret Egretta garzetta Seen at most sites with water. 17 Yellow-billed Egret Mesophoyx intermedia Seen at Mahango. 18 Black Heron Egretta ardesiaca Seen at Nguma & Nxamaseri. 19 Slaty Egret Egretta vinaceigula Seen at Nxamaseri. 20 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Seen at most sites with water. 21 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides 22 Striated Heron Butorides striatus Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma, Nxamaseri and in Maun. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 23 Rufous-bellied Heron Ardeola rufiventris Seen at Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 24 Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Seen at Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 25 White-backed Night-Heron Gorsachius leuconotus Heard at Nxamaseri. 26 Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 27 Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii Heard at Nxamaseri. 28 Hamerkop Scopus umbretta 29 African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, Nguma, Nxamaseri and in Maun. Seen at Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma, Nxamaseri & Maun. 30 Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis Seen at Mahango & Nguma. 31 Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus Seen en route to Maun. 32 Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis Seen at Mahango. 33 African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus Seen at Windhoek sewage works, on the C28 road & at Mahango. 34 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Seen at Shamvura & Nguma. 35 Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia hagedash Seen at Nxamaseri. 36 African Spoonbill Platalea alba Seen at Avis Dam & on the C28 road. 37 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Seen at Etosha. 38 White-faced Duck Dendrocygna viduata Seen at Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 39 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, on the C28 road, at Etosha & Mahango. 40 South African Shelduck Tadorna cana Seen at Windhoek sewage works & Etosha. Tropical Birding 17

18 41 Cape Teal Anas capensis Seen at Walvis Bay & Etosha. 42 Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota Seen at Windhoek sewage works & Etosha. 43 Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha 44 Cape Shoveler Anas smithii Seen at Etosha. 45 Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma Seen at Shamvura. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Etosha, Shamvura and in Maun. 46 African Pygmy-goose Nettapus auritus Seen at Nxamaseri and in Maun. 47 Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos Seen at Shamvura. 48 Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis Seen at Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 49 Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa Seen at Etosha. 50 Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius Seen at Etosha. 51 Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres Seen at Etosha & in Maun. 52 White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus Seen at Etosha, Mahango & Maun. 53 Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos Seen on the C28 road & Etosha. 54 Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptius 55 Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus Seen at Roy's Camp, Mahango, Nguma, Nxamaseri & Maun. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, C28 road, Etosha, Roy's Camp & Shamvura. 56 Verreaux's Eagle Aquila verreauxii Seen at Spitzkoppe & Erongo. 57 Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax Seen on the C28 road, at Etosha & Maun. 58 African Hawk-Eagle Aquila spilogaster Seen on the C28 road. 59 Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus Seen on the C28 road. 60 Black-chested Snake-Eagle Circaetus pectoralis Seen at Avis Dam, C28 road & Etosha. 61 Western Banded Snake-Eagle Circaetus cinerascens Seen at Nxamaseri. 62 Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus Seen at Etosha, Shamvura, Mahango & Nguma. 63 African Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer 64 African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro Seen at Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 65 Gabar Goshawk Melierax gabar Seen on the C28 road, at Etosha & Nxamaseri. 66 S. Pale Chanting-Goshawk Melierax canorus Seen on the C28 road & Etosha. 67 Dark Chanting-Goshawk Melierax metabates Seen at Shamvura. 68 African Marsh-Harrier Circus ranivorus Seen at Nguma. 69 African Harrier Hawk Polyboroides typus Seen at Etosha. 70 Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Seen at Nguma. 71 Rock Kestrel Falco rupicolus 72 Greater Kestrel Falco rupicoloides Seen at Etosha. 73 African Pygmy Falcon Polihierax semitorquatus Seen at Etosha. Seen at Avis Dam, C28 road, Walvis Bay, Spitzkoppe & Erongo. 74 Crested Francolin Francolinus sephaena Seen at Shamvura & Nguma. 75 Orange River Francolin Francolinus levaillantoides Heard on the C Red-billed Spurfowl Pternistes adspersus Seen at most sites. 77 Hartlaub's Spurfowl Pternistes hartlaubi Seen at Erongo. 78 Swainson's Francolin Pternistes swainsonii Seen at Etosha & Shamvura. 79 Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris Seen at Erongo, Etosha and heard in Maun. 80 Kurrichane Buttonquail Turnix sylvatica Seen at Spitzkoppe. 81 Blue Crane Grus paradisea Seen at Etosha. 82 Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra Seen at Etosha, Shamvura, Nxamaseri & Maun. 83 African Purple Swamphen Porphyrio madgascariensis Seen at Shamvura. 84 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Seen at Windhoek sewage works, on the C28 road, at Etosha, Shamvura & Maun. Tropical Birding 18