Etosha:Onguma

Our home for the next three nights.

The view.

Impala drinking at dusk.

Dusk,

 We arrived at Onguma Bush Camp mid-afternoon on 5th November. It was hot, very hot, so we spent the afternoon settling in to our very nice accommodation. We enjoyed a lazy afternoon looking at the waterhole from our chalet & then drinks & dinner in the restaurant.

Onguma Bush Camp

Up early on 6th November & birded the immediate vicinity of the bush camp. Early on, the weather was superb, but it very quickly heated up! The outstanding bird was an Ovambo Sparrow hawk which was hunting birds close to the waterhole. Didn't manage to get a photo of it though! Other good species included Sothern Pied Babbler & Carp's Tit.

Impala drinking.

Emerald spotted Wood Dove

Green winged Pytilia

Spent most of the day looking out over the waterhole before another walk around in late afternoon.

Giraffes drinking.

The worst photograph ever of a Leopard?

Dinner overlooking the waterhole was quite entertaining, Lots of Giraffes, Black backed Jackal, Common Duiker, Impala, Zebra coming to drink. But the highlight was a young male Leopard which snuck in! It was nervous & eventually left without drinking. Guess who never took his camera to dinner?

Plains Zebra.

Impala

The 7th November was a lounging around day. Delana was working on her project & I tried to catch up on my blog.

We recorded a modest 52 species here, but most of the time just relaxing & not birding.

Best birds: Ovambo Sparrow-hawk & European Nightjar.

Onguma is a lovely place to do nothing after you have been travelling. Very comfortable accommodation, wonderful food in a brilliant setting. We will be back!

Etosha: Onkoshi Camp

Our accommodation, which was rather nice.

 

We arrived late afternoon at Onkoshi, our home for the next three nights. Delana had booked the honeymoon suite, which was terrific apart from the fact it was at the very end of the resort & no way of getting our car or luggage to the chalet. They didn't even have a trolley!

We were right on the 

edge of the pan.

Being blown about

 in the wind!

The view from the chalet.

Steenbok hiding from the sun

 under our chalet!

Birthday dinner table.

The birthday girl!

Sunset over the pan.

However, we did manage after a lot of effort & no one helping us! Time to relax & getting ready for Delana's birthday dinner. As the heat dissipated the views from the chalet got better & better & we had drinks on the veranda. Then it was time for dinner & a nice dinner it was. 

Stunning views greeted us on arising on 3rd November. We had breakfast outside & then set out for our morning trip to Andoni Flats. We didn't see a great deal in the bush until we got to the open grasslands where we found lots of plains game again both in the grasslands & at the waterhole. 

Caspian Plovers

The bird list was again impressive, best being 7 Caspian & 13 Chestnut banded Plovers. We arrived back at camp in early afternoon & spent time working on the computers. 

Then late afternoon it was birding from the deck & sundowners!

Tawny Eagle

Common (Steppe) Buzzard

Dark chanting Goshawk

Rare here.

Common Ostrich

There were 35 chicks!

Burchell's Sandgrouse

Spotted Dikkop

Fawn coloured Lark

Here it comes!

Caracal!

We were lucky, as the car was stationary

 & the engine switched off!

We watched this fantastic animal

 for around seven minutes

Up early on 4th November & took the track around the edge of the pan to Tsumcor. It was a beautiful morning & it paid off big time with the finding of a Caracal on the track! We enjoyed great views for around ten minutes. 

Six Lions.

We then had a quick look at Tsumcor waterhole & found two huge female Lions with four well grown cubs under a shady tree. They had full stomachs after feeding on an Elephant!

Spent rest of the time in camp during the heat of the day.

Greater Flamingo

Gemsbok

Mid afternoon we again went to the Andoni Flats.

Greater Flamingo.

Two Greater & a Lesser Flamingo

Southern Pochard

Blacksmith Plover & Cape Teal

Ruff

Namaqua Sandgrouse

Around 580 birds came in to drink.

It is an amazing sight to see these flocks flighting in.

Plains Zebra

These two started fighting!

It was protracted & violent!

Normally these fights are short lived,

 but this kept going on & on!

A very young one!

We left camp early on 5th November & headed for Andoni Flats & its associated waterhole again. it was a beautiful morning & nice to be there before the heat set in. Less animals at this time but far more birds.

Bat eared Fox

One of the benefits of arriving early.

Pallid Harrier

Uncommon to rare here.

Blue Crane

This is an isolated population here'

This individual has been ringed.

Greater Kestrel

Burchell's Sandgrouse

Small numbers are found around the

 edge of the grasslands.

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

African Pipit

Lesser Grey Shrike

They have just arrived back!