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21 Day Namibia, Okavango and Victoria falls Birding Adventure Date: 2-22 December 2007 Participants: Bill Tucker and Eben Muller Guided by (and trip report wrotten by): Chris Lotz Top 20 birds seen (difficult to choose!): Cinderella Waxbill, Grey Kestrel, Bat Hawk, African Hobby Falcons at nest, Herero Chat, Souza’s Shrike with young near nest, Racket-tailed Rollers at nest, Rufous-bellied Tits at nest, Spotted Crake, Striped Crake, Dwarf Bittern, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Boulder Chat, Dune Lark, Hartlaub’s Francolin, Dune Lark, Caspian Plover, Burchell’s Courser, Black-winged Pratincole, Pel’s Fishing Owl. TRIP REPORT Pre-tour, 30 Nov – 1 Dec: Chris fetched Bill from Johannesburg International Airport and we embarked on our 2-day drive from Johannesburg to Walvis Bay along the Trans-Kalahari Highway. Day 1, Dec 2: Bill and I fetched Eben from Walvis Bay Airport at 3 pm and we immediately drove to the DUNE LARK site, where we found two fairly confiding birds running over the red dunes and calling from atop bushes. We then birded the Walvis Bay Lagoon, finding a pair of DAMARA TERNS foraging, bathing and resting right next to the vehicle, a host of shorebirds such as Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Black-crowned Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, CHESTNUT-BANDED PLOVER and tons of others, many in huge numbers. We spent the night at the Lagoon Lodge in Walvis Bay. Day 2, Dec 3: Before breakfast, we looked for ORANGE RIVER WHITE-EYE, eventually (after 45 minutes) finding a couple. After a good breakfast, we went to Swakopmund to find GRAY’S LARK, and encountered loads of them (all apparently the slightly darker forms with reddish backs), and we also found a pair of STARK’S LARKS and many Red-capped Larks. We found two or three of the extremely pale Namib Desert form of Tractrac Chat sitting atop bushes and mounds. We then birded the Swakopmund Salt Works for a host of terns, shorebirds, etc. On a pier off Swakopmund itself, we located four cormorant species including BANK and CROWNED CORMORANTS. We spent the afternoon birding Walvis Bay Lagoon again, which was as always extremely pleasant, with vast numbers of birds. We spent a second night at the Lagoon Lodge. Day 3, Dec 4: After final coastal birding, we started driving inland. We found good numbers of the red-eyed Namib form of KAROO EREMOMELA in Euphorbia bushes and also along drainage lines. LUDWIG’S BUSTARD, RUPPELL’S KORHAAN, CHAT FLYCATCHER and other good birds provided some entertainment as we drove further inland. Eventually, we reached the Spitzkoppe, where we found AUGUR BUZZARD, HERERO CHAT, WHITE-TAILED SHRIKE, MONTEIRO’S HORNBILL, SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATER, ASHY TIT, LAYARD’S TIT-BABBLER, MARICO FLYCATCHER, PALE-WINGED STARLING, DUSKY SUNBIRD, GREAT SPARROW, various canaries, very small numbers of LARK-LIKE BUNTING, PRIRIT BATIS, KAROO LONG-BILLED LARK and GRAY’S LARK (both pale and reddish-backed races). When it started getting later, ROSY-FACED LOVEBIRDS began arriving at their roost sites. BLACK MONGOOSE, KLIPSPRINGER, SPRINGBOK, DASSIE RAT and ROCK HYRAX were good mammals seen at the Spitzkoppe. We spent the night at the Spitzkoppe Community Campsite, which is rustic but is nicely located. Day 4, Dec 5: After seeing many of the birds listed above again, we started looking for ROCKRUNNER. We could not find it at the Spitzkoppe, so we departed for the Erongo Mountains, where this bird is numerous. We had to wait until late afternoon (when it became cooler) to locate several of these excellent and rather bizarre birds, however. Another great bird we found was CARP’S TIT. We found our first of many Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Northern Black Korhaan, Double-banded Courser, Common Scimitarbill, Acacia Pied Barbet and many others. We spent the night at the White Lady B&B in Uis near the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain. Day 5, Dec 6: We left at dawn for the Brandberg, where we quickly located BENGUELA LONG-BILLED LARK. We heard RUPPELL’S PARROT as some flew overhead. A foray to the Ugab River – a huge, dry sandy riverbed – was productive, with a group of BARE-CHEEKED BABBLERS sitting on a rock and then babbling away in the nearby trees. We also found very fresh signs of DESERT ELEPHANT, plus we saw other good birds, in the dry riverbed. We found our first desert Ostriches, a pale phase Booted Eagle, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Namaqua Sandgrouse, several new hornbill species, Bradfield’s Lark, Marico Sunbird, Red-headed Finch and various canaries. Burchell’s Courser was so far evading us here in the Namib. We heard an African Cuckoo calling at another crossing of the Ugab River. We eventually headed further north-east to Tandala Ridge B&B, where the owner Tim Osborne showed us a nesting Little Sparrowhawk, Gabar Goshawk, CHESTNUT WEAVER (in non-breeding plumage), ORANGE RIVER FRANCOLIN, and others. We encountered our first DAMARA HORNBILLS here. We saw an AFRICAN WILD CAT (in addition to a semi-tame one!) and various other good mammals drinking water. Day 6, Dec 7: After some early morning birding and breakfast at the B&B (including some good birds such as SHORT-TOED ROCK-THRUSH), we headed for the Okaukuejo area of Etosha National Park (about 80 km from Tandala Ridge). We found good numbers of BURCHELL’S COURSER as well as the usual Double-banded Coursers. Big numbers of Lark-like Buntings, like the Burchell’s Coursers, may have been in Etosha at the time because of the extremely dry conditions we encountered in the Namib (the driest I have seen it in the last 3 or 4 years at least), and the fact that western Etosha was also very dry. An influx of desert birds into the park may have occurred. We did not find any Pink-billed Larks or Chestnut-backed Sparrow-larks, usually common around Okaukuejo, but we did find lots of STARK’S LARKS, Grey-backed Sparrow-larks, Spike-heeled Larks, Southern Ant-eater Chats, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Double-banded Sandgrouse, African Cuckoo, South African Shelduck and all the others. LUDWIG’S BUSTARD and the usual Kori Bustards were seen. Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, Martial Eagle, Bateleur, Tawny Eagle, Lanner Falcon, Greater Kestrel and other raptors provided good entertainment in the park. We saw lots of big mammals, Lions certainly not being the least among them (we found loads of lions the next day as well). When we got back to Tandala Ridge (where we were to spend a second night), we located a couple of HARTLAUB’S SPURFOWL, with Tim Osborne’s kind help. After this, a visit to a waterhole on the property produced loads of Lark-like Buntings, Red-billed Queleas, Red-headed Finches, a couple of Black-cheeked Waxbills, a Gabar Goshawk, followed eventually just after dark by thousands of Double-banded Sandgrouse and a couple of Rufous-cheeked Nightjars. Day 7, Dec 8: We left Tandala Ridge for another full day of birding Etosha National Park. Today, we drove eastwards through the park, as we were to spend the night at Mokuti Lodge just outside the eastern gate to the park (near Namutoni Rest Camp). A highlight was stopping at Halali Rest Camp for lunch, where we saw African Scops and Southern White-faced Scops Owls at their daytime roosts, Pearl-spotted Owl, Southern White-crowned Shrike, VIOLET WOODHOOPOE (including young), and good numbers of other new birds for the trip. A pair of RED-NECKED FALCON’S was a true highlight of the day. BLUE CRANE, Crimson-breasted Shrike and a plethora of other birds were good to see, as were lots of big and small mammals such as Lion, Elephant and White Rhino (no Black Rhinos this time). When we arrived at Mokuti Lodge, BLACK-FACED BABBLERS greeted us with their lovely calls. Day 8, Dec 9: We birded around Mokuti Lodge before breakfast, finding some good birds. After breakfast, we departed for Etosha again, finding good numbers of CASPIAN PLOVER, followed by flocks of both Namaqua and BURCHELL’S SANGROUSE flying in to drink at a waterhole, as well as a family of lions (including very young cubs). On the Andoni Grasslands just before exiting Etosha, we located a SECRETARYBIRD, Rufous-naped Lark and other fine birds. In the overgrazed grassland just outside of the park, we found BURCHELL’S COURSER (more of them!) and other birds of very short grassland. A stop at an Artesian well generated BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE, Lesser Flamingo, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet and several other shorebirds and wildfowl. We then reached the paved road leading all the way to Ruacana through some of the most densely-populated parts of Namibia. Ruacana is an excitingly remote birding location bordering on Angola on the Kunene River. Descending into the river valley and seeing Angola’s mountains is a spectacular sight, plus this foray to the border generated excellent birds such as MADAGASCAR BEE-EATER, MONTEIRO’S HORNBILL, Yellow-billed Oxpecker and others. The Kunene River Lodge, where we were to stay two nights, had a RUFOUS-TAILED PALM-THRUSH nest, a BAT HAWK entertaining us while having dinner overlooking the river, Rufous-cheeked Nightjars, and others. But we had to wait until the following day to encounter some of Ruacana’s most special birds… Day 9, Dec 10: We birded the grounds of the Kunene River Lodge, eventually finding a couple of CINDERELLA WAXBILLS feeding high in a large tree. Peter Morgan, the owner of the lodge, reckons they may have come back to the river and lodge area from their usual haunts up dry tributaries, because of the drought. I have never seen north-western Namibia looking so dry before! We located the interesting Kunene River subspecies of Red-necked Spurfowl next to the lodge. Red-billed Hornbill were present, but we did not find Damara Hornbill here at Ruacana. The nesting Rufous-tailed Palm-thrush in the camp and other class birds prevented us from getting too bored as we began struggling to add new birds to our growing list. We did add a few river-associated birds to our list – things like Hamerkop, Water Thicknee and Goliath Heron. We saw a Bearded Woodpecker, GREY-HEADED KINGFISHER, Woodland Kingfisher, three weaver species and as always loads more. CARP’S TIT, MONTEIRO’S HORNBILL, VIOLET WOOD-HOOPOE and BARE-CHEEKED BABBLER were Namibia/Angola endemics we found lurking around, but which we had already seen earlier during the trip. We spent many hours in the afternoon looking for GREY KESTREL, but had to wait until just before dark (7:25 pm) before one “popped” out at the stakeout we had 6 km west of the lodge where Brian and others had seen it the day before – we had checked the sight a few times earlier, without success. What a stunning way to end the day – a day that began with no other than Cinderella Waxbill. Day 10, Dec 11: After final birding in the Kunene River area, finding some new trip birds such as HARTLAUB’S BABBLER, Shikra (Little Banded Goshawk), African Fish Eagle and others, we embarked on the long drive to Roy’s Camp just north of Grootfontein. At Roy’s Camp, we found a group of Banded Mongooses, and heard BLACK-FACED BABBLERS. Good news was that the area we had just entered – starting around Tsumeb/Grootfontein, all the way north-eastwards into the Caprivi was green and had obviously seen a lot of recent rain – in stark contrast to the areas from where we had just come. We found good numbers of cuckoos en route, including Jacobin and Black. Day 11, Dec 12: Today was an exciting day as we headed towards Shamvura Camp about 100 km east of Rundu. We found many raptors between Roy’s Camp and Rundu, including Steppe and Wahlberg’s Eagles. A WOOD PIPIT was a highlight, and so was TINKLING CISTICOLA. The Rundu Sewage Works and the floodplain of the nearby Kavango River (known as the Okavango River in Botswana) were excellent. We saw LESSER JACANA, LESSER MOORHEN, Hottentot Teal, White-faced Duck, several shorebirds, GREATER PAINTED SNIPE, African Snipe, COPPERYTAILED COUCAL, SOUTHERN CARMINE BEE-EATER, BLUE-CHEEKED BEE-EATER, Little Bee-eater, GREY-RUMPED SWALLOW, hunting EURASIAN HOBBY FALCONS, YELLOW WAGTAIL, HARTLAUB’S BABBLER and many others. The sight of a couple of DWARF BITTERNS out on the floodplain drew us closer, and we realised there were good numbers of this species (some hunting in the flooded grass and others sitting atop Acacia trees). We also got superb views of RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON, Purple Heron, Squacco Heron, Yellow-billed (Intermediate) Egret, Yellow-crowned Bishop, Fan-tailed Widowbird and as usual many more. We flushed an AFRICAN CRAKE, and then got fantastic views of it on the ground later, and then we saw a Black Mamba near it! Finally, we left Rundu and went to Shamvura Camp where we were to spend two nights. Day 12, Dec 13: This was another day of megaticks, which came in slowly but surely. The woodland birding in this area is slow, but gradually one picks up the birds one needs. In the morning, we birded with Mark Paxton and found lots of Meyer’s Parrots, five GREY-HEADED PARROTS, four RACKET-TAILED ROLLERS at a nesting area, a pair of SOUZA’S SHRIKES with their young, near their nest (thanks to Mark, who has been keeping track of the nest), ARNOTT’S CHAT, Southern Black Tit, Long-tailed Paradise Whydah, good numbers of Black Cuckoos, Yellow-throated Petronia, Striped Kingfisher, African Yellow White-eye and all the others. After lunch, we did some relaxed birding. In the late afternoon, we found Square-tailed Nightjars. Day 13, Dec 14: After breakfast, we did a 2-hour boat trip on the Kavango River, which proved good for a probable WESTERN MARSH HARRIER, LONG-TOED LAPWING, LUAPULA CISTICOLA, CHIRPING CISTICOLA, GREATER SWAMP WARBLER, SOUTHERN BROWN-THROATED WEAVER, LESSER GALLINULE, LESSER JACANA and many other fine birds. Later that morning, we left the lodge and continued driving eastwards, finding RUFOUS-BELLIED TITS at a nest, AFRICAN GOLDEN ORIOLE, GREEN-CAPPED EREMOMELA and other fantastic birds. After lunch, we stopped briefly to look at ROCK PRATINCOLES near Popa Falls, and then finally reached the Mahango Game Reserve on the Botswana border, where we found a pride of LIONS, as well as a fair amount of other game, and excellent birds such as WATTLED CRANE, SLATY EGRET, BLACK COUCAL and African Comb Duck. After birding the reserve for a couple of hours, we arrived at the Botswana border post, and had fine views of DICKINSON’S KESTREL (on the Namibian side), along with more common species such as Klaas’s Cuckoo. After passing through the border post, we soon reached Drotsky’s Cabins on the Panhandle of the magnificent Okavango Delta. Day 14, Dec 15: We spent most of the morning birding by boat upstream from Drotsky’s Cabins, finding good numbers of SLATY EGRET, RUFOUS-BELLIED HERON, Black Egret, a pair of WHITE-BACKED NIGHT HERONS, many other herons and egrets, LONG-TOED LAPWING, AFRICAN SKIMMER (including some immature birds), several Long-crested Eagles, Whiskered Terns in full breeding plumage, lots of Collared Pratincoles, several bee-eaters and kingfishers and as always many others. After lunch, we went downstream to Xaro Lodge where we were to spend the night. On the lodge grounds, we found three owl species – PEL’S FISHING OWL, AFRICAN BARRED OWLET and African Wood Owl. We also heard Pearl-spotted Owlet. We failed to find Brown Firefinch (but were to find it back in Namibia) – this species is usually common on the lodge grounds. In the afternoon, we did a boat trip downstream from Xaro Lodge, locating PYGMY GOOSE, LESSER JACANA, LESSER GALLINULE, CHIRPING CISTICOLA, GREATER SWAMP WARBLER and other excellent birds. Day 15, Dec 16: After final birding on the Okavango Delta’s Panhandle, we re-entered Namibia and departed for Mazambala Island Lodge in the eastern Caprivi. As we approached the lodge, storms started brewing and termite emergences attracted all kinds of birds such as BRADFIELD’S HORNBILL, other hornbill species and several species of brown eagle. We eventually reached the lodge, which is on the marshes of the Kongola River Floodplain. We found some nice birds on the grounds of the lodge, such as Black-crowned Tchagra and African Golden Oriole, plus we heard BLACK COUCAL. A short night drive before it started raining produced a Marsh Owl. Day 16, Dec 17: The bird-feeding table at the lodge produced superb views of BROWN FIREFINCH and SOUTHERN BROWN-THROATED WEAVERS. TINKLING, LUAPULA and CHIRPING CISTICOLAS were found near the lodge, as were Orange-breasted Bush-shrike, COPPER SUNBIRD, Purple-banded Sunbird, Eurasian and African Golden Orioles and many others. Good birds were found as we drove eastwards to Island View Lodge near Katima Mulilo, including White-crowned Lapwing, African Wattled Lapwing, Spotted Crake, African Pygmy Goose, Comb Duck, Brown Snake Eagle, Gabar Goshawk, Grey Penduline Tit, Bearded Robin and as always tons of others. SCHALOW’S TURACO was seen on the grounds of Island View Lodge. Day 17, Dec 18: Before leaving Namibia and entering Zambia, we found Pink-backed Pelican, African Rail, Pygmy Goose and many other good birds. The flooded grasslands and woodlands north of the Zambezi River as we drove eastwards towards the town of Livingstone to see Victoria Falls had STRIPED CRAKE (good numbers calling), LESSER MOORHEN and lots of egrets of several species. When we reached Livingstone, we found COLLARED PALM THRUSH and other good birds at the Zambezi Waterfront where we were to spend two nights. A short drive towards the Falls got us RED-FACED CISTICOLA, ROCK PRATINCOLE and others. Day 18, Dec 19: Before breakfast, we obtained superb views of AFRICAN HOBBY FALCONS resting and hunting near their nest. Later, we saw these beautiful falcons hunting over the town of Livingstone, but birding today was not as productive as usual because of rain that really set in after breakfast. We did, however, find a few nice birds around Victoria Falls – things like Tropical Boubou, African Black Swift and Palm Swift. We were hoping to find some of the Miombo woodland birds we usually locate near Livingstone, but added nothing new to our list, although nice birds included Copper Sunbird. Day 19, Dec 20: After dropping Eben at Livingstone airport (still raining at lunch time!), Bill and I used the Kazangula Ferry to cross the Zambezi into Botswana, and headed for Nata Lodge for the night, finding a Peregrine Falcon perched close to the road before leaving Zambia. Late afternoon birding at the Nata Sanctuary generated excellent birds, such as YELLOW-THROATED SANDGROUSE (several small flocks, one of which came in and landed close to the car), Grey Crowned Crane, Montagu’s Harrier, lots of BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE, Saddle-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Day 20, Dec 21: Highlights of today’s drive back towards Johannesburg were BOULDER CHAT north of Francistown and quite a number of more widespread new birds for the trip, such as White Stork, Burchell’s Coucal, Natal and Crested Francolins. Good mammals were lots of elephants (as usual for north-eastern Botswana), and Roan Antelope. We spent the night just within the borders of South Africa, in Limpopo Province, at “Die Bosveld Skerm”. Here, we found the accommodation and food good, and we were treated very well by the new owners. Day 21, Dec 22: As we departed the guest farm, two DUSKY LARKS were waiting for us at the gate. On the drive southwards, highlights were MONOTONOUS LARKS (these and the Dusky Larks probably enjoying the very green conditions we found from the eastern half of Namibia, eastwards – in stark contrast to the current drought of western Namibia). OLIVE-TREE WARBLER was the last great bird before we reached the N1 and headed for Johannesburg International Airport for Bill’s flight back to the USA. We expect to post trip photos, a full bird list (416 species in total) and a mammal list on our website (www.birdingecotours.co.za) in January. Between Jan and June 2008, we hope to bird other parts of Botswana ( Lake Ngami has water and nearby areas could be hosting Striped Crake and many others), Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Judging from this last trip focussing on Namibia and Botswana, birding conditions in southern Africa are currently very interesting!
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© 2008-2010 Birding Ecotours · www.birdingecotours.co.za was updated July 2010 |
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