In the latter part of 2008, Japie Claassen sent out an email
saying that he had some spare spaces on his trip heading to
The three of us set out from
On the Saturday we set out on the
lengthy drive to Noordoewer (North Bank), just across
the
The next morning we were up early,
all meeting for breakfast and coffee at the campsite, with the calls of the
highly adaptable Hadeda Ibis greeting us, showing how their range
is clearly expanding. Namaqua
Warblers were calling in the reedbeds,
frustrating the photographers in the group as we tried to get acceptable photos
of them. The Orange River White-eyes were far more co-operative, sitting nicely
out in the open in the early morning sunshine. We added other trip species such
as Willow Warbler,
African Reed Warbler, Cape Wagtail, Karoo Thrush, Grey Heron, African Darter, Cardinal Woodpecker
and Pied Kingfisher.
We set off on our way to Aus, travelling along the
The following morning a brave few got up early and headed back out to the Lark site, to try and get better views. Philip and I got average shots in the same area we had seen it the previous evening. We headed back, and soon saw another sitting fairly close to the road, giving slightly better views. We were also to add Pink-billed Lark and saw some more Stark's Larks, which were proving to be very common. Cape Bunting was added at the drinking trough, seen alongside what was most likely the same Damara Canary as seen the previous day. Acacia Pied Barbet and Bokmakierie were added before we set on our way Northwards, to Solitaire. A few Ludwig's Bustards were seen on the way, and soon pair of Pygmy Falcons, very shortly after I was explaining to Jean how they were tiny, smaller than the white insulators on the telephone poles, there he sat! This of course meant the Sociable Weavers couldn't be far, too true, we soon saw a large colony. We added White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Common Scimitarbill, Fork-tailed Drongo, another lifer in the form of Ruppell's Korhaan, thereafter adding the likes of Great Sparrow, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Grey Shrike, a Kori Bustard with two youngsters, mini replicas of the adult, in tow, Black-chested Prinia, the Bradfield's form of Sabota Lark, Desert Cisticola (a lifer for some), then at a water hole, South African Shelduck, Red-billed Teal, Yellow-billed Duck, Cape Shoveler, Little Egret, Pied Avocet, Egyptian Goose, Red-knobbed Coot, Cape Teal, Black-winged Stilt and Three-banded Plover. We drove on adding the likes of Yellow Canary, Common Swift, a Steppe Eagle causing much debate as to it's ID, South African Cliff Swallow, White-rumped Swift, Greater Striped Swallow, Northern Black Korhaan, Red-billed Francolin and Gabar Goshawk. Our first Monteiro's Hornbill was worth a stop, where we also saw our first Rosy-faced Lovebird. Pririt Batis was found a little further along the road, plus Short-toed Rock-Thrush. We stopped at the "oasis" of Solitaire in the middle of no-where, and had a couple of frosties to cool down.
The following morning we saw a
flock of Lovebirds coming in to drink. Scaly-feathered
Finches (Piet's lifer "Baardmannetjie") were also seen. We were off on a
detour to
The following morning, the consensus
had been that we go to Rooibank for the Dune Lark.
We drove to Rooibank, and within 15 minutes we had
found it, a lifer again for most of us. A slight argument with a local later,
we were on our way to
On the road again..... We headed
further Northwards the next day, destination Omaruru,
with a detour via Spitskoppe. The first lifer of the
day was Carp's Tit
followed by the White-tailed Shrike,
quite a charismatic little bird. An Augur Buzzard was
seen by some, out of sight for others, we were to see this again at
Off we set to Kamanjab, a few more specials in store en-route. Before setting on our way, we went birding in the South of Omaruru. This produced David's long awaited lifer, Bradfield's Swift, although far better views would be had later that day, Great-spotted Cuckoo, the first lifer, Violet Wood-Hoopoe, soon afterwards Damara Hornbill, Burnt-necked Eremomela was a lifer for Jean, Lesser masked Weaver, Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver, Barred Wren-Warbler and another Pririt Batis were seen before heading off. Our next lifer was the Benguela Long-billed Lark, quite a few seen in a fairly small area. We soon added my second ever sighting of Burchell's Courser, another Ludwig's Bustard and a Temminck's Courser. The second Augur Buzzard of the trip was also seen, plus Shikra, Spotted Eagle-Owl and the first of many Madagascar Bee-eaters. We stayed in pre-erected tents that night and awoke with Barn Owl and Pearl-spotted Owlet calling around us. Jacobin Cuckoo, Black-faced Waxbill and Brubru were added, then just before departure, a nice lifer, a party of Bare-cheeked Babblers, seen the previous evening by some of the group.
Kunene, here we come - Dusky Lark, my second ever, seen along the road, a group of Abdim's Storks, then a nice group of Chestnut Weavers, the first lifer of the day, these and Red-billed Queleas being terrorised by a Lanner Falcon. Yellow-billed Oxpeckers were seen, not being very photogenic, as they were on a group of Donkeys! Meve's Starling, Red-crested Korhaan, Green-backed Heron and Wire-tailed Swallow were added. A walk around produced White-browed Coucal, Swamp Boubou, African Paradise-Flycatcher, the Cunensis race of Red-necked Spurfowl, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, African Mourning Dove, Groundscraper Thrush, Levaillant's Cuckoo, Spectacled Weaver and Red-headed Weaver. Next morning, the mega special, a lifer even for Japie, we went hunting for Grey Kestrel, finding a pair quite easily. We searched in the morning to give us a second crack at it in the afternoon, if required, which it fortunately wasn't. Grey-headed Kingfisher was also added. Returning to the camp, we found another lifer, Rufous-tailed Palm-Thrush, more Babblers, African Golden Oriole and African Cuckoo. Then off for the next special, a walk up the river bed for the localised Cinderella Waxbill, we found a group of 8! On the walk we saw another Augur Buzzard, flying low over our heads, as well as Eurasian Hobby. I walked along the river in the afternoon, finding a snoozing Square-tailed Nightjar, another Bradfield's Swift, Grey-backed Camaroptera and the local buysi or capricorni race of Bennett's Woodpecker, with it's totally unmarked chest. Golden Weaver was also added at the camp, before going on a rain shortened booze cruise up the river.
The next morning, destination Sachsenheim to the East of Etosha, we set off with the first stop scheduled at Ruacana falls. On arriving there, we discovered the river had been totally re-routed via the power station, the falls were dry. We did however see another Grey Kestrel, which appeared to be raiding Buffalo Weaver nests. Common House Martins were added as well, a few more Bare-cheeked Babblers seen as well. The area we drove through had seen heavy rains, flooding large areas. Two Pygmy Geese were seen in one of the temporary pans. At Sachsenheim, we added Woolly necked Stork and heard Black Cuckoo calling near the newly finished chalets. Debbie and I went for a walk, being very lucky to find a group of Black-faced Babblers. The following morning we headed to Etosha, seeing another Carp's Tit and some White-crested Helmet-Shrikes soon after entering the park. Marabou Stork and another Dusky Lark were seen, while on the loop looking for the Black-faced Babblers, which were to remain unseen until the next morning, back at Sachsenheim. Lesser Moorhen was seen by our vehicle and we radioed Japie to come back, as David still needed this as a lifer. As we drove further, a group of Red-footed Falcons was seen flying above the road, as well as our first Bateleur. Other additions to the list included Saddle-billed Stork, Wood Sandpiper, my second ever Tinkling Cisticola, some Cape Penduline Tits, Icterine Warbler and Comb Duck.
We now had a long drive to the Waterberg, and the heavy rain that the country had seen was
worrying, as access roads could be flooded. After succesfully
relocating the Babblers, we set on our way and added Wahlberg's
Eagle, Lesser-Spotted and
African Hawk-Eagle.
The roads were wet, but not impassable, we arrived at Waterberg
Mountain Camp after worrying that we'd missed the turning,
no cellphone signal meant kept persevering. Shortly
after arriving, the heavens opened and we had no option but to sit it out, with
the comfort of a couple of beers. I decided to brave the drizzle and set off up
the "koppie", to the disbelief of
some. It was slippery and hard going, but getting to the top, I heard my lifer
target, the Rockrunner,
calling. I looked down on the camp and others called up asking if I'd seen it.
"Of course" I yelled, followed by "I'm only joking, not just
yet!". They didn't hear that, they were grabbing
raincoats and binoculars, on their way up! Very fortunately, the bird that was
calling was very obliging and sat in clear view on a rock. David and Piet who had braved the climb both saw it. (Was I glad when
I found out they hadn't heard my second call down!). Freckled Nightjar yelped
through the night, but none were seen. A further Rockrunner
was heard and found the next morning on our way out, all of
the group getting decent views. We had one more bird (
We were now more or less homeward bound, stopping at Mariental and Springbok on the way home. The only addition of note was Hottentot Teal just outside of Mariental, some good sightings of a large group of Namaqua Sandgrouse seen on the way down South. We arrived back at Rick's just before 15h00 on the Saturday, having thoroughly enjoyed the trip.
These sightings and many many more have all been recorded on http://www.natworld.org
If any errors are found or incorrect links in my report, please email me.