Thursday 30 September 2021

Southern Namibia: Aus & Luderitz

A little joke!

We drove from Upington to the Namibian border on 27th September. The Ariamsvlei Border Post was very quiet & we had all our papers & PCR tests in order. No people, No queing, so we were in Namibia! They gave us 90 days, which was brilliant! We don't expect to use all of this time, but these days planning is a precarious activity!

My Namibian breakfast!

Once we crossed the border, we stocked up on fuel (fuel is much cheaper in Namibia) & supplies. We then drove a few kilometers & enjoyed a peaceful breakfast stop with a couple of Rosy-faced Lovebirds zooming overhead. We then pressed on, as we had another 600 km to drive. The drive itself was long but a pleasure, as next to no traffic on the roads & passing through interesting scenery. 

Our camp.

Our surroundings!

The very comfortable lodge.

We arrived at our destination The Desert Horse Inn Campsite at Klein-Aus Vista, just a few kilometers outside of Aus. And what a great campsite it was! Delana had asked for a large site away from other people & that is exactly what we got! It was brilliant, with lots of shade. We quickly set up camp & then drove the short distance to the Lodge for a very welcome dinner. 


The Sociable Weaver colony, which was our shade!

A close up.

Delana & friends!

Sociable Weaver


Bokmakerie


We also had an active Sociable Weaver colony actually in our campground! Which made for both entertainment & shade in the heat of the day.

Three Striped Mouse

The 28th September was a bit of a lay-in, as we had had two long days of driving previously. 

Very arid & very few species here.

Pale winged Starling

Immature Mountain Chat


We then conducted a birding walk within a couple of kilometers of the camp. Birds were scarce, but species like Pale winged Starling & Mountain Chat were common. 

The end of a nice first day!


We enjoyed a lazy time in camp & then went walking again in the late afternoon. A nice evening eating & drinking around the campfire followed.

The site!

The habitat!

Getting the birdie!

Barlow's Lark

Got ya!

Been wanting to see this species for a long time!

Very clean flanks, no hybridization here!

My 7,685th species for the world!



The 29th September was THE DAY! We were up before dawn & on the road to Luderitz just as the sun was coming up. Our goal was Barlow's Lark, a very range restricted species. We arrived at the site but it was blowing a real gale out there & freezing cold! We trudged across the desert in silence for a couple of kilometers before we saw a brief flight view of a lark. A second view confirmed the identity & I managed to track a pair down with Delana's help & get some decent photographs. It was so difficult keeping th big lens still in the wind & I was shooting at 8,000th of a second to try & freeze the action! After an hour or so we drove on to Luderitz & enjoyed a fine breakfast while trying to warm up. 

The bay north of Luderitz.

Delana on Shark Island.

The lighthouse there is interesting!

Black necked Grebe

Capped Wheatear

We then had a birding drive around town, seeing very few species but there were three Black necked Grebes on the sea. We visited Shark Island & drove a little north of town finding a tiny wetland with a trickle of water in it. A surprise was a Capped Wheatear there. In the tiny patches of dry reeds a Lesser Swamp Warbler was singing, but keeping low out of the strong wind. 

Then it was time for lunch & we enjoyed a really great seafood meal at the Waterfront Restaurant. probably our last time to eat seafood for a very long time!

There were some lovely coastal areas
 just outside the town.

Islands offshore have breeding African Penguins.
It was too windy to get the scope out to see them!

Greater Flamingo

We probably saw over 200 birds around the coast.

The desert next to the coast is also interesting.

There are both rocky & sandy areas.

Tractrac Chat, our only land bird species 
in the entire afternoons birding!



There is a nice little cafe there
 which gives respite from the wind.

In the afternoon we drove to Dias Point & explored the bays & desert around there. It was very scenic & very like parts of Arabia. Greater Flamingos & Black necked Grebes seemed to be around every bay. The desert itself seemed to be birdless but a lone Tractrac Chat was welcome & in the early evening a pair of Namaqua Sandgrouse flew by. 

Karoo Chat

A very localized species in 
this part of Namibia.


Last day of the month & out birding around the camp. The highlight being a Karoo Chat which eventually gave excellent views. This bird was of the namaquaensis race & is a low density species in this vast habitat so pleased to see it. 

The afternoon was spent birding the 6km road to Eagles Nest. Not a lot was seen, but it was interesting scenery.

Southern Namibia has a lot of space! Distances are huge, with few people. In parts the scenery is spectacular, but lack of available water keeps species to a bare minimum. A great place to explore slowly, camping & hiking. We really enjoyed our time here & hopefully will return in the not too distant future.

Wednesday 22 September 2021

Kruger in the Spring!

Young Elephants

A bit of push & shove!

This animal had large, slender tusks.

We entered the park on 2nd September for a quick drive down the Sabie River Road. Our main purpose for the trip was shopping in Hazyview! It was a nice morning without seeing anything exceptional.

Along the Salitje Road.

Lilac breasted Roller


Desert Cisticola

The next day on the 3rd September we spent all day in the park. The weather was mixed early on but it soon turned out to be a lovely spring day. We drove along the southern bank of the Sabie River & on to the Salitje Road. This dirt road doesn't get much traffic & is a firm favorite of ours. 

Zebras drinking.
 There was a large crocodile in the water
 which kept panicking the herd.

Distant Yellow billed Storks.

We enjoyed a nice breakfast at Mlondozi Picnic Site overlooking the dam. The dam had plenty of water in it with both a few birds & herds of Elephant & Zebra coming to drink. 


Crossing the Sabie River close to
Lower Sabie Camp


Grey Heron

Yellow billed Stork



Wood Sandpiper




A recently returned early migrant.


Three banded Plover

Our next stop was Sunset Dam close to Lower Sabie Camp. We were looking for a vagrant Pink backed Pelican reported there in the morning but we couldn't find it!

The unfortunate Hippo!

Our first Lion in six weeks!

We returned home on the tar seeing a dead Hippo being consumed by many Crocodiles while two Lions looked on. It should have been the sighting of the trip but distance combined with poor afternoon light made for a frustrating sighting. 






Our last stop was at Nkuhlu Picnic Site on the banks of the river where we were treated to great views of a Giant Kingfisher eating a rather large fish! Unfortunately yet again the light was terrible & it was difficult to get the correct exposure on this bird.

Spotted Hyena with food!


On 6th September we went shopping in Hazyview & came back through the park through Phabeni Gate. In the late afternoon we saw a lone Wild Dog on the road, but untypically it made itself scarce. Further along the tarred road a Civet crossed. This is a rare sighting in the daytime. As we drove along the Sabie River Road thee Spotted Hyenas were eating entrails from a recent kill. So it turned out to be an eventful last hour of the day.

Natal Francolin

White backed Vulture

There was a kill quite close
 to the road, but unfortunately
 just out of sight!

A very wet Tawny Eagle!

Slender Mongoose after eating Termites!

Woolly necked Stork

Steenbok

Elephant at Leeupan.

Mourning Dove

I don't see this species too often.

Greater Blue eared Starling

The star of the day!

Greater Painted Snipe

It is not often I get to see this species!




The 8th September saw us back in the park driving north along the main road to Tshokwane Picnic Site. Game viewing was good without being exceptional. When we arrived I photographed the most southerly population of Mourning Doves in the park. They seem to be spreading south as they were not here a few years ago. However the highlight was the discovery of two Greater Painted Snipe in the muddy small drainage ditch next to the picnic tables. One bird disappeared quickly into the vegetation but the other bird remained on view. 

It still looks like winter here.

Swainson's Francolin

A common species in the more open areas.

Red crested Bustard

Male

We also took a brief drive along the Orpen Dam Loop Road & a quick look at the dam itself. It is a grand place to be spend some time but we were only there a matter of minutes as we had to exit the park at Phabeni Gate in order to pick up an electrical inverter in Hazyview. On the way we saw ten Wild Dogs but they were elusive & no photos were obtained.

Cape Buffalo

Female Spotted Hyena with pups.



Adult Ground Hornbill

Immature


On 10th September we drove through the park on our way to White River. We exited the park at Numbi Gate.  It was a beautiful morning but yet again we didn't see very much! We sill haven't seen a Rhino on this trip yet, which is a bit worrying. 

We did our errands & then met up with Rob & Gita Palmer old friends of Delana's. We sat & chatted on their verandah looking down the valley. A pleasant time was had by all. 

Hammerkop

This pair were mating.

Great White Egret

Fishing from the back of a Hippo 
is quite common in Kruger.

And it pays dividends!

Eating the small fish!

Back in the park on 14th September driving the main tar road to Lower Sabie. It was a wonderful spring day & game viewing was good, but rather frustrating! We managed to see four different Leopard sightings but didn't get any photos because of branches in the way etc. The last sighting was quite memorable. We pulled up behind cars who said the had a Leopard on their side of the road. However we saw nothing! Then Delana let out an exclamation as the leopard, a huge male was next to the car about two or three feet from Delana's face! It gave her the stare & walked around to the back of the car, where it promptly sat down in the car's shade! We couldn't see it but everyone else got great views! When it was so close to Delana it was too close for the camera so we didn't get any photos!

Lion

There were three females & 
two immature males together.


They were pretty close!

See what I mean?

Immature male.

We also saw five Lions along the same road, one of whom had a bad limp in its left rear leg & foot. We watched them for sometime but there were a lot of other people as well which rather spoilt the sighting. 

Nile Crocodile

Sunset Dam is a Crocodile paradise!

Yet another Great White Egret fishing from
 the back of a Hippo!
This time at Sunset Dam.

Sometimes you have to share!





Egyptian Goose

African Jacana



Common Sandpiper


We then did a quick stop at Sunset Dam & Lower Sabie Rest Camp, where we had lunch.

Mocking Cliff Chat

Village Indigobird

There was a flock of nine birds
 feeding in the parking area.

 A quick drive up to the Mlondozi Picnic Site was very pleasant without seeing anything too special.