Up the Coast

After we landed and sorted out the minibus, we headed north along the coast towards Essouria.

Last Day and Home

Our last morning in Namibia. Our main target for the day was Rockrunner so we made a walk up and along the Mountain Trail at first light. There was little to be heard or seen at first but a short burst of tape quickly induced several birds into song with one male coming to within about 30m to investigate. Having had this success we made our way down for breakfast with a Pearl-spotted Owlet, Rosy-faced Lovebirds, White-browed and Kalahari scrub-robins, Mariqua Sunbirds, several Grey-backed Camaroptera and Brown-crowned Tchagra en route. We checked out but made a short stop along the entrance track which amazingly produced two Hartlaub’s Spurfowl crossing the road and wandering around in the roadside scrub.

We then made the three hour drive to Windhoek with little time for further birding although we did see several White-backed Vultures, a Black-chested Snake-eagle and lots of Little Swifts from the car. Several hillsides were on fire and appeared to be of natural origin. On arrival at Windhoek we were told that our departure was delayed, apparently due to high runway temperatures (33.6C) and this resulted in a hectic and fraught transfer at Johannesburg Airport but we eventually made the flight on time and arrived via Zurich back at Heathrow at 0800hrs on 7^th. 

Waterberg

A long line of red cliffs shining in the sun. An early morning start and we found rockrunner.

We made a pre-breakfast walk around the campsite and Dik-dik Trail and then the campsite area again after breakfast. We then headed to Waterberg via the Hoba Meteorite and along the D2152 gravel road. We arrived at Waterberg at about 1630 and after checking in we walked part way up the Mountain Trail.

It was fairly quiet at first but our second walk was more productive with good views of one of our target species, Rosy-faced Lovebird, a flock of 13. Common Scimitar-bill, five Black-faced Babblers, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, White Helmet-shrikes, Bru-bru, Ashy Tit, Violet-eared Waxbill, Green-winged Pytilia and over100 Blue Waxbills.

We stopped off at the Hoba Meteorite site where it was extremely hot. There was a bit of activity around the water taps and a small group of Chestnut-backed Finch-lark came in to drink. A pair of Pririt Batis were also seen, There was also a small seepage which proved very attractive to butterflies. As we left Hoba a small group of Greater striped Swallows were seen.

The drive along the D2152 was quite hard work at times but a number of good birds were seen. A mixed flock of Southern White Babbler and Damara Violet Wood-hoopoes flew across the road and Swallow-tailed and Little Bee-eaters were common. A party of Swainson’s Spurfowl, two pairs of Cape Penduline Tit, a Barred Wren-babbler and lots of Groundscraper Thrushes were also seen.

Waterberg

A Red-crested Koorhan, six Ruppell’s Parrot, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Karoo Scrub-robin and Brown-crowned Tchagra were seen on the approach and Rosy-faced Lovebirds, Alpine, Bradfield’s and Little Swifts were seen above the accommodation. Marique and White-bellied Sunbirds and Crimson-breasted Shrikes were drinking around the reception area and Pale-winged Starlings were seen throughout the area.

Damara Dik-dik were feeding on the lawns in the evening and Chacma Baboons and Banded Mongeese were scavenging around the accommodation.

Roy's Camp

Another interesting site with new birds.

The day began with a pre-breakfast walk around the grounds of Lawdons and then a fairly long drive to Roy’s Camp.

The lodge produced two Black-collared Barbets, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, good views of White-fronted Bee-eater, more Yellow-bellied Greenbul, a stunning Orange-breasted Bush-shrike, our only Icterine Warbler of the trip, a Green-capped Eremomela, four Collared Sunbirds and a flock of 20 Brown Firefinches.

We left Lawdons and between there and the border we saw a Marabou Stork, three Lappet-faced Vultures, four Bateleurs, our only two Bradfield’s Hornbills, ten Magpie Shrikes and a Brown-crowned Tchagra.

Our return into Namibia was made with the minimum of fuss, the staff in the Botswana office even recognizing us from two days earlier and engaging us in very friendly conversation.

As we had a long drive we tried not to stop too often but as we drove through Mahanga we saw Chin-spot Batis and three Pale Flycatcher and a herd of Zebra.

We arrived at Roy’s Camp around mid-afternoon. It was very hot so we chilled for a while before taking a short walk around the grounds. This produced a Bearded Woodpecker, ten Black-faced Babbler, four Yellow-breasted Apalis, two White-browed Scrub-robin, four Carp’s Tits, a Brown-crowned Tchagra, Black-faced and Blue Waxbills and Golden-breasted Buntings.

A vigil over the small waterhole in evening produced a Barn Owl along with Eland, Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Damara Dik-dik and Steenbock all coming into drink.

River Trip

We were collected at 9.00 in the morning and spent 3 hours on the river seeing hundreds of egrets and herons.

We had made a request for the use of a boat but were not entirely sure what we were going to get. In the event we had a boat to ourselves for eight hours which gave us a four hour trip downriver in the morning, a break for lunch during the heat of the day and a further trip up river in the afternoon. It proved to be yet another superb day.

We shared breakfast with White-browed Robin-chats and Yellow-bellied Greenbuls and then boarded the boat. The morning produced fantastic views of hundreds of herons including well in excess of 100 Black Egrets and Squacoo Herons, a few Little Bitterns, about 40 Openbill Storks, two Lappet-faced Vultures, Water Dikkop, plenty of Chirping Cisticola and a few Luapula Cisticolas (from call and habitat), A few crocodiles were seen and a Cape Clawless Otter appeared close to the boat but was very active and quickly disappeared.

Fish Eagles, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers and White-fronted and Little Bee-eaters and Swamp Boubou were almost constant companions throughout the day.

The lunch break produced Brown-throated Weaver and a very confiding Giant Kingfisher at the restaurant and Bearded Woodpecker, a party of five Retz’s Helmet-shrike, Terrestrial Bulbuls, Arrow-marked and Hartlaub’s Babblers, two Lesser Masked Weavers, four Brown Firefinches and four Collared Sunbirds around Lawdons Camp.

The afternoon trip produced our main target bird with good views of two Pel’s Fishing Owls but we failed to find White-backed Night Heron. Other highlights included two Rufous-bellied Herons, 20 Yellow-billed Storks, 30 White-faced Whistling Ducks, three Comb Ducks, a Rock Pratincole, a few Long-toed Lapwing and a Kittltiz’s Plover, about 40 African Skimmers and ten Collared Pratincoles, Several Crocodiles and a Monitor Lizard were seen at close range and we had great views of several small herds of Hippopotamus, about 30 animals in total.

After dinner a pair of African Wood Owls gave great views just outside our cabin.

Lawdon's in Botswana

We spent the day travelling through the Mahanga Reserve where we saw lots of birds but also lots of different mammals, including hippos.

The first parts of the morning were spent along the trail and by the Popa Falls before we made a short drive to Mahanga. We drove the 2WD track (barely in parts before entering Botswana and heading for Lawdons Camp.

Popa Falls

New or interesting birds around the camp were two Fish Eagle, Rock Pratincole on the rocks again, Emerald-spotted Wood-dove, Southern Carnine Bee-eater, a pair of colourful Black-collared Barbet, a pair of African Pied Wagtail, a dozen or so Hartlaub’s Babbler, a pair of Collared Sunbird and a party of Brown Firefinches.

A couple of unexpected birds were also seen. The first was a pair of what appeared to be Tropical Boubou. Popa is outside the range give by Sinclair but there seemed little doubt that this was what they were (the underparts were clearly a rich cream in colour) and a group of four Violet-backed Starlings were seen outside our accommodation.

Dragonflies

Mahanga

This reserve was excellent if a bit tough going in places. Despite being allowed to wander on foot we still did most of our birding from the comfort of the car. Waterbirds were in abundance and included Rufous-bellied Heron, Goliath Heron, Hamerkop, African Openbill along with Gabar Goshawk, Lizard Buzzard, Fish Eagle, Tawny Eagle and Martial Eagle. Black Crake was seen at the picnic spot and four Wattled Cranes were visible from the Giant Baobab. The plains also had White-faced Whistling-ducks, Long-toed Lapwing, African Skimmer, Coppery-tailed Coucal and Southern Carmine Bee-eater,

Mammals are an important feature of this reserve and we managed to see 16 Sable, numerous Red Lechwe, Southern Reedbuck, Waterbuck and Red Hartebeast, Several groups of Hippopotamus were among the pools and about ten Elephant were seen along with Water Buffalo.

Looking across from the “Giant Baobab” a Crocodile and a large Monitor Lizard were seen.

Dragonflies

We departed from Mahanga and headed south towards the border with Botswana. We had little problem passing through and were not charged anything to do so. At the Botswana post the staff were very friendly and seemed almost pleased to see us. Having negotiated the border we drove to Drotsky’s Camp although we ended up staying at Lawdons Camp next door. It was nearly dark when we arrived so we saw very little.

Lawdons Camp is very new (in fact not everything is finished off. The accommodation was excellent but the restaurant area was not finished so we taken by boat to Drotsky’s for breakfasts and evening meals which were very good.

Popa Falls

Much more basic and the electricity failed in the night. The river was close but no hippos.

The morning was spent in the grounds of the lodge and along the bank of the Kavango. We then left the Lodge and headed west along a dirt road to the “sewage” works although we probably never found the best pools and then on another 210km to Popa Falls.

Sarasunga

The grounds and banks of the river were excellent. Two Rufous-bellied Herons, a party of Black-winged Stilts and Wire-tailed Swallows, Rattling Cisticola, Grey-backed Camaroptera and African Yellow White-eye all gave good views along the river whilst the grounds produced Acacia Pied Barbet, Lesser Honeyguide, Kurrichane Thrush, a pair of African Paradise-flycatcher, six Arrow-marked Babblers and several family parties of Hartlaub’s Babbler, several pairs of Swamp Bou-bou, Burchell’s Starling and a pair of Holub’s Golden Weaver,

We then made the short drive to the sewage farm and although we saw we never made it to them as there were a couple of ponds alongside the road and we were a bit wary of leaving the car unattended. As everywhere, there were plenty of interesting birds with numerous Reed Cormorants, a Little Bittern, a pair of Hottentot Teal, a female Southern Pochard, an Osprey and Purple Swamphen calling from deep within the reeds, Waders were plentiful and included Black-winged Stilt, Ruff, four Curlew Sandpipers, a Little Stint, four Marsh Sandpiper and a Turnstone. A Giant Kingfisher and four Pied Kingfishers fed over one the ponds along with Little Bee-eater, Hoopoe, African Pipit and Wattled Starling,

Dragonflies included Orange Emperor, Banded Groundling

Drive

We then began our 210km drive to Popa Falls, Although we tried not to stop too often we still saw Brown Snake-eagle, Bateleur and African Harrier-hawk from the car whilst a stop for lunch about 30km out of Sarasunga was remarkably good, given the heat, with Striped Kingfisher, Bearded Woodpecker, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Southern Black Tit, Amethyst Sunbird, Black-backed Puffback, White Helmet-shrike, African Golden Oriole, Red-headed Weaver and Golden-breasted Bunting all being seen, As we approached Divundu Yellow-billed Kite, Red-faced Mousebird Magpie Shrike were seen,

Popa Falls

We arrived at Popa falls at about 615 so we checked in, sorted out our equipment then walked and scrambled over various streams to the actual “falls”. After a couple of false starts we eventually got into a spot where we could watch the river where six Rock Pratincoles gave superb close up views, a party of three Wattled Cranes and an Osprey flew over. Five Terrestrial Bulbuls and five White-browed Robin-chats were running around our feet and four Yellow-bellied Bulbuls, two Red-breasted Swallows, a pair of African Pied Wagtail amongst the falls, a noisy, family party of Hartlaub’s Babbler and a flocks of African Yellow White-eye, After an excellent steak dinner we returned to our cabins and shortly after an African Wood-owl began calling over our heads. A look outside saw the bird fly off from an overhanging branch.