Our great little camp site along the Zambezi River.
Tom & Stoffel.
The view of the river from our camp.
The 31st January was mainly a travel day driving into Namibia to the Mubala River Camp. After a largely uneventful drive, the camp proved to be an absolute delight! The camp site was superb, right on the river & the grounds proved to hold one or two specials.
Schalow's Turaco
There was a pair of these magnificent birds
in the camp ground.
Great views in the open, which rarely happens
with this species.
Golden tailed Woodpecker
Brown hooded Kingfisher
White fronted Bee-eater
Common Scimitarbill
Crested Barbet
White browed Robin Chat
Fork tailed Drongo
Hartlaub's Babbler
Terrestrial Brownbul
Tree Squirrel
The rare Rufous bellied Heron
African Darter
Reed Cormorant
White faced Whistling Duck & Spur winged Goose
White crowned Lapwing
Always on the sandbanks.
Long toed Lapwings
Whiskered Tern
In full summer plumage.
White winged Black Terns
Pied Kingfisher
Wire tailed Swallow
Red Bishop
Holub's Golden Weaver
Tom & I birded the camp grounds, which was quite good birding but then we ventured further afield but found not much interesting habitat was left: All cleared by villagers!
Best birds:
African Hobby; Schalow's Turaco 2; Common Scimitarbill; Southern Brown throated Weaver & Fan tailed Widowbird.
Best birds:
African Hobby; Schalow's Turaco 2; Common Scimitarbill; Southern Brown throated Weaver & Fan tailed Widowbird.
After a stormy & wet night,
the day dawned like this!
It was a magnificent morning!
Our little boat for the morning trip.
Goliath Heron
The area is a mix of reeds & papyrus beds.
Blue throated Bee-eater
Malachite Kingfisher
There are some side pools with lots of water lily's
Other areas are much denser.
Purple Herons like these areas.
These wide channels were loved by Fish Eagles
African Fish Eagle
Hippos were common along the river.
Crocs were never far away.
Water Monitor
Nice to see so many together.
They have come a long way!
Female Southern Brown throated Weaver
We were two months too late to view
this Carmine Bee-eater colony.
But this is a good excuse to return!
The next day, 1st February was an excellent one. We enjoyed a five hour river cruise in the morning which turned out to be excellent for birds. This is the main reason for visiting Mubala Camp.
89 species seen on the river trip.
The afternoon was spent birding around the grounds again.
The Okavango River at Ngepi.
Very stormy!
A stormy sunset over the river.
It was a dismal dawn!
Ngepi is next to the river & Swamp Boubou's
are in the camp.
It is not everyday that one sees this species
out in the open.
Red headed Weaver
This individual is coming into summer plumage.
On the main Caprivi Strip road.
are in the camp.
out in the open.
Green Chameleon crossing the main road.
The 2nd February, was mainly a travel day, driving down the Caprivi Strip through Babaweta National Park the 360 kms to Ngepi.
A few species were seen en route including:
A few species were seen en route including:
African Pygmy Goose; Fulvous & White faced Whistling Ducks; Steppe Buzzard; Bateleur & five Tinkling Cisticola. A species which I don't see very often. At dusk at Ngepi 5 Rock Pratincoles hawked over the river. However, most of the afternoon was lost to heavy rain.
White browed Coucal
Sunbathing after all the rain.
Swamp Boubou in papyrus.
Duet-ting.
Red billed Teal
The track to Ngepi!
Dawn at Mahango; very drab!
Waiting for the rain to clear!
Looking towards the Okavango flood plain.
Starting to get a little brighter.
Yes! At last!
Cape Buffalo with friends!
Puku
Later in the morning the light got a little better.
Wattled Crane
Adults with an immature.
Burchell's Zebra
Red Lechwe
A very dark immature Marabou Stork
Birding along the edge of the flood plain.
Amur Falcon
Pale Chanting Goshawk
Meyer's Parrot
Red billed Spurfowl
Spotted Dikkop
Giant Baobab.
Immature Red backed Shrike
Marico Flycatcher
Green winged Pytilia
Violet eared Waxbill
The next morning (3rd) found us in Mahango National Park. At first light there was heavy rain but it soon cleared & we had a great days birding particularly along the river drive.
The 4th saw us back in Mahango for a few hours.
This track goes through the center of the park
Cape Buffalo
Burchell's Zebra
Sable
Always very shy.
A distant Roan was also seen.
Kudu
Tessebe
This is a nice park, with very few visitors.
Best birds:
Black Heron; African Pygmy Goose; Steppe Buzzard; African Marsh Harrier; Eurasian Hobby; Amur Falcon; Wattled Crane 3; Collared Pratincole 6; Black winged Pratincole 300+; Long toed Lapwing 20; Meyer's Parrot 4; Striped Cuckoo; White browed Coucal; Coppery tailed Coucal; Senegal Coucal; Grey headed Kingfisher; Bradfield's Hornbill ;Bennett's Woodpecker; Banded Martin; Hartlaub's Babbler 8; Plain backed Pipit 2; Swamp Boubou; Meeve's Starling & Southern Brown throated Weaver 50+.
124 species seen.
Best mammals:
Elephant 60+; Hippo 25; Giraffe 15; Cape Buffalo 75; Blue Wildebeast 10; Tseebe 8; Roan Antelope 1; Sable 7; Burchell's Zebra 300; Kudu 40;Impala 500; Bushbuck 2; Red Lechwe 250; Puku 10; Steenbok 2 & Slender Mongoose 3.
21 species seen.
Drotsky's Lodge
Camping here was excellent, with plenty of space
& great ablutions.
Broad billed Roller
White fronted Bee-eater
Harlaub's Babbler
Holub's Golden Weaver
The next day was mainly a driving day & re-crossing the border back into Botswana. We stayed the night at Drotsky's Cabins at their campsite, which proved to be a delight.
Island Safari Lodge, where it all began!
Powering up the fridges in the two trucks.
A little unwanted help at hand!
The view from the lodge.
The 5th February was a driving day to Maun to meet up with Delana at the Island Safari Lodge.
On the Boteti River birding.
A really nice place to bird watch
& so close to town.
& so close to town.
White faced Whistling Duck
Whiskered Tern
Delana & Tom
Jacobin Cuckoo
Crimson breasted Boubou.
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