brianfm
Sunday 5th December 2004, 20:17
I returned from Zambia on 29th November, having visited Kasanka, Bangwealu and South Luangwa. (does Birdforum have any members from Zambia I wonder?) Kasanka is a privately run park with much miombo woodland and hosts the congregation of Fruit Bats at this time of year. No scientific count has been made of the bats but numbers suggested range upwards of 5million and they are certainly a sight to behold when leaving the roost at sunset. Bangwealu is the swamp lands which hold Shoebill but at this time of year, rainy season just beginning, the area is dry and chances of seeing Shoebill virtually nil. Southern Luangwa probably needs no introduction.
One advantage of visiting at this time of year is that you seem to have the place to yourself as the mention of rain seems to keep tourists away not that Kasanka or Bangwealu has many at any time of year I'm told. There was a little rain but generally it was dry and hot. It was fantastic to see the African thunderstorms and the magnificent cloud formations, almost as exciting as the wildlife. Only once was our activities rained off but the threat of rain storms were never far away, perhaps enough to make me think that if I went to the area again I would not risk a total wash out and so go a little earlier. The birdlife and mammal life was good but I have learnt that even bigger concentrations of birds would be seen about May time when you also see the Shoebills unless extremely unlucky.
One of many highlight was flying in a five seater cesna aircraft, doors taken off to allow for good photographic opportunities, and flyoing over large herd of Black Lechwe and flocks of Cattle Egrets. Not such a highlight was being attacked by large ants and having to pull 'me' trousers down in the woods so as to pull each one off my skin with the kind help of a Zambian guide. It did 'narf' sting but give my companions a good laugh over dinner.
Anyone interested in the area might find the following Sites useful
www.kasanka.com
www.normancarrsafaris.com
I will try to list birds and mammals seen below.
Little Grebe, Reed Cormorant, Goliath Heron, Grey Heron, Black Headed Heron, Great White Egret, Yellow Billed Egret, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Black Egret, Squacco Heron, Rufous Bellied Heron, Little Bittern, Green backed Heron, White Stork, Abdims Stork, Wooly Necked Stork, Yellow Billed Stork, Saddle Billed Stork, Marabou Stork, African Openbill Stork, African Spoonbill, HamerKop, African Sacred Ibis, Hadeda Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Egyptian Goose, Spur-winged Goose, Knob Billed Duck, White Faced Duck, Red Billed Teal, White-headed Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, African White-backed Vulture, Hooded Vulture, African Fish Eagle, Bateleur, Brown Snake Eagle, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Wahlbergs Eagle, African Hawk Eagle, Booted Eagle, African Harrier Hawk, Pallid Harrier, Yellow Billed Kite, Lizard Buzzard, Gabar goshawk, African Goshawk, Common Kestrel, European Hobby, Red-footed Falcon, Red-neckedFrancolin, Swainsons Francolin, Natal Francolin, Helmeted Guineafowl, European Marsh Harrier, African Marsh Harrier, African Jacana, Black Crake, Wattled Crane, Southern Crowned Crane, Denhams Bustard, Black-bellied Bustard, Black-winged Stilt, Kittlitz's Plover, Three-banded Plover, Blacksmiths Plover, White-crowned Lapwing, Crowned Lapwing, African Wattled lapwing, Ruff, Marsh Sandpiper, Greenshank, Wood Sanpiper, Common Sandpiper, Water Thick Knee, Spotted Thick Knee, Spur Winged Plover, African Skimmer, Red-eyed Dove, Cape Turtle Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, African Green Pigeon, Lillians Lovebird, Grey Lourie, Ross's Turaco, Jacobin Cuckoo, Striped Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Coppery Tailed Coucal, Senegal Coucal, White-browed Coucal, Vereauxs Eagle Owl, Pels Fishing Owl, Pearl Spotted Owlet, Square Tailed Nightjar, Pennant-winged Nightjar, European Swift, Little swift, Horus Swift, White-rumped Swift, African Palm Swift, Red Faced Mousebird, Speckled Mousebird, Giant Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Grey Headed Kingfisher, Brown hooded Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, White-fronted Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, White Cheeked Bee-eater, Bohms Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, European Bee-eater, Sothern Carmine Bee-eater, European Roller, Lilac-breasted Roller, Broad Billed Roller, Crowned Hornbill, Red-billed Hornbill, Trumpeter Hornbill, Sothern Ground Hornbill, Green Woodhoopoe, African Hoopoe, Greater honeyguide, Black-collared Barbet, Black-backed Barbet, Crested barbet, Bennets Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Bearded Woodpecker, Rufous-nappe Lark, Flappet Lark, Barn Swallow, White-throated Swalow, Wire-tailed Swallow, Lesser-striped Swallow, House Martin, Banded Martin, Fork Tailed Drongo, Black Cuckooshrike, Pied Crow, Whit-winged Black Tit, Hartlaubs Babbler, Black-eyed Bulbul, Sand Martin, Capped Wheatear, Stonechat, White-browed Robin chat, Collared Palm thrush, Icterine Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, African Reed Warbler, European Marsh warbler, Sedge warbler, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Long Billed Crombec, Chirping Cisticola, Sooty Chat, Rattling Cisticola, Red faced Cisticola, Tawny- flanked Prinia, Spotted Flycatcher, African Paridise flycatcher, African Pied Wagtail, Cape Wagtail, Grassveld Pippit, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Fiscal Shrike, Red-backed Shrike, Black-backed Puff Back, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Tropical Boubou, Orange-breasted Bush Shrike, Marsh Tchagra, Yellow Wagtail, Retz's Helmet Shrike, Meves Starling, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Red-billed Oxpecker, Collared Sunbird, White-bellied Sunbird, Coppery Sunbird, Purple Banded Sunbird, House sparrow, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Spectacled Weaver, Golden Weaver, Lesser masked Weaver, Village Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, Pin-tailed Wydah, Red-shouldered Widow, Long Tailed Widow, Red-billed Firefinch, Jameson's Firefinch, Common Waxbill, Blue Waxbill, Melba Finch, Yellow Fronted Canary, Yellow Canary, Brown Firefinch.
Mammals
Yellow Baboon, Vervet Monkey, Strw-coloured Fruit Bat, Four-toed Elephant Shrew, Sothern Scrub Hare, Mopani Tree Squirrel, South African Porcupine, Side-stiped Jackal, African Wild Dog, Slender Mongoose, White-tailed Mongoose, Banded Mongoose, Spotted Hyena, Small Spotted Genet, Large Spotted Genet, Lion, African Elephant, Burchell's Zebra, Hippopotamus, Warthog, Thornicroft's Giraffe, Cape Buffalo, Bushbuck, Greater Kudu, Sitatunga, Bush Duiker, Sharpe's Grysbok, Oribi, Sothern Reedbuck, Puku, Common Waterbuck, Black Lechwe, Impala, Tsessebe.
Repiles included
Crocodile, Water monitor, Leopard tortoise, Blue Headed Agame, Green Spotted Tree Snake.
My bird list included 58 lifers.
One advantage of visiting at this time of year is that you seem to have the place to yourself as the mention of rain seems to keep tourists away not that Kasanka or Bangwealu has many at any time of year I'm told. There was a little rain but generally it was dry and hot. It was fantastic to see the African thunderstorms and the magnificent cloud formations, almost as exciting as the wildlife. Only once was our activities rained off but the threat of rain storms were never far away, perhaps enough to make me think that if I went to the area again I would not risk a total wash out and so go a little earlier. The birdlife and mammal life was good but I have learnt that even bigger concentrations of birds would be seen about May time when you also see the Shoebills unless extremely unlucky.
One of many highlight was flying in a five seater cesna aircraft, doors taken off to allow for good photographic opportunities, and flyoing over large herd of Black Lechwe and flocks of Cattle Egrets. Not such a highlight was being attacked by large ants and having to pull 'me' trousers down in the woods so as to pull each one off my skin with the kind help of a Zambian guide. It did 'narf' sting but give my companions a good laugh over dinner.
Anyone interested in the area might find the following Sites useful
www.kasanka.com
www.normancarrsafaris.com
I will try to list birds and mammals seen below.
Little Grebe, Reed Cormorant, Goliath Heron, Grey Heron, Black Headed Heron, Great White Egret, Yellow Billed Egret, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Black Egret, Squacco Heron, Rufous Bellied Heron, Little Bittern, Green backed Heron, White Stork, Abdims Stork, Wooly Necked Stork, Yellow Billed Stork, Saddle Billed Stork, Marabou Stork, African Openbill Stork, African Spoonbill, HamerKop, African Sacred Ibis, Hadeda Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Egyptian Goose, Spur-winged Goose, Knob Billed Duck, White Faced Duck, Red Billed Teal, White-headed Vulture, Lappet-faced Vulture, African White-backed Vulture, Hooded Vulture, African Fish Eagle, Bateleur, Brown Snake Eagle, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Steppe Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Wahlbergs Eagle, African Hawk Eagle, Booted Eagle, African Harrier Hawk, Pallid Harrier, Yellow Billed Kite, Lizard Buzzard, Gabar goshawk, African Goshawk, Common Kestrel, European Hobby, Red-footed Falcon, Red-neckedFrancolin, Swainsons Francolin, Natal Francolin, Helmeted Guineafowl, European Marsh Harrier, African Marsh Harrier, African Jacana, Black Crake, Wattled Crane, Southern Crowned Crane, Denhams Bustard, Black-bellied Bustard, Black-winged Stilt, Kittlitz's Plover, Three-banded Plover, Blacksmiths Plover, White-crowned Lapwing, Crowned Lapwing, African Wattled lapwing, Ruff, Marsh Sandpiper, Greenshank, Wood Sanpiper, Common Sandpiper, Water Thick Knee, Spotted Thick Knee, Spur Winged Plover, African Skimmer, Red-eyed Dove, Cape Turtle Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, African Green Pigeon, Lillians Lovebird, Grey Lourie, Ross's Turaco, Jacobin Cuckoo, Striped Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Coppery Tailed Coucal, Senegal Coucal, White-browed Coucal, Vereauxs Eagle Owl, Pels Fishing Owl, Pearl Spotted Owlet, Square Tailed Nightjar, Pennant-winged Nightjar, European Swift, Little swift, Horus Swift, White-rumped Swift, African Palm Swift, Red Faced Mousebird, Speckled Mousebird, Giant Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Grey Headed Kingfisher, Brown hooded Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, White-fronted Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, White Cheeked Bee-eater, Bohms Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, European Bee-eater, Sothern Carmine Bee-eater, European Roller, Lilac-breasted Roller, Broad Billed Roller, Crowned Hornbill, Red-billed Hornbill, Trumpeter Hornbill, Sothern Ground Hornbill, Green Woodhoopoe, African Hoopoe, Greater honeyguide, Black-collared Barbet, Black-backed Barbet, Crested barbet, Bennets Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Bearded Woodpecker, Rufous-nappe Lark, Flappet Lark, Barn Swallow, White-throated Swalow, Wire-tailed Swallow, Lesser-striped Swallow, House Martin, Banded Martin, Fork Tailed Drongo, Black Cuckooshrike, Pied Crow, Whit-winged Black Tit, Hartlaubs Babbler, Black-eyed Bulbul, Sand Martin, Capped Wheatear, Stonechat, White-browed Robin chat, Collared Palm thrush, Icterine Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, African Reed Warbler, European Marsh warbler, Sedge warbler, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Long Billed Crombec, Chirping Cisticola, Sooty Chat, Rattling Cisticola, Red faced Cisticola, Tawny- flanked Prinia, Spotted Flycatcher, African Paridise flycatcher, African Pied Wagtail, Cape Wagtail, Grassveld Pippit, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Fiscal Shrike, Red-backed Shrike, Black-backed Puff Back, Brown-crowned Tchagra, Tropical Boubou, Orange-breasted Bush Shrike, Marsh Tchagra, Yellow Wagtail, Retz's Helmet Shrike, Meves Starling, Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Red-billed Oxpecker, Collared Sunbird, White-bellied Sunbird, Coppery Sunbird, Purple Banded Sunbird, House sparrow, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Spectacled Weaver, Golden Weaver, Lesser masked Weaver, Village Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, Pin-tailed Wydah, Red-shouldered Widow, Long Tailed Widow, Red-billed Firefinch, Jameson's Firefinch, Common Waxbill, Blue Waxbill, Melba Finch, Yellow Fronted Canary, Yellow Canary, Brown Firefinch.
Mammals
Yellow Baboon, Vervet Monkey, Strw-coloured Fruit Bat, Four-toed Elephant Shrew, Sothern Scrub Hare, Mopani Tree Squirrel, South African Porcupine, Side-stiped Jackal, African Wild Dog, Slender Mongoose, White-tailed Mongoose, Banded Mongoose, Spotted Hyena, Small Spotted Genet, Large Spotted Genet, Lion, African Elephant, Burchell's Zebra, Hippopotamus, Warthog, Thornicroft's Giraffe, Cape Buffalo, Bushbuck, Greater Kudu, Sitatunga, Bush Duiker, Sharpe's Grysbok, Oribi, Sothern Reedbuck, Puku, Common Waterbuck, Black Lechwe, Impala, Tsessebe.
Repiles included
Crocodile, Water monitor, Leopard tortoise, Blue Headed Agame, Green Spotted Tree Snake.
My bird list included 58 lifers.