Search results

Mahango - Rundu. 1-2 January. Day One. Cracking way to start the year - dawn at Mahango, mentioned above, then a 220 km drive back to Rundu, stopping several times in better-looking patches of forest habitat west of Divundu. Not bad this was - while some patches were pretty quiet, others were...

(y) That's interesting to know, didn't even consider this - using 2007 edition of Chris & Tilde Stuart guide, this species doesn't even exist :) Just shows Vervet for the whole area, many thanks for the update

Doh, my bad, mixed up names in my report somehow :) Of course, what I actually meant was Quailfinch!

Locustfinch , Locust Finch :) No plans to look for Souza's Strike, been more and more concentrating on butterflies since the New Year - numbers and diversity at their best after the good rains

Unfortunately not, way down in Windhoek now and won't be going north again, so not on this trip.

Oops, that's what you get for writing trip reports in the mobile phone :)

Popa Falls & Mahango. 29 December 2020 - 1 January 2021. The Okavango Pan Handle, magical stuff. Due to Covid issues, not very practical to pop over the border for the short hop down to Shakawe for the near guaranteed Pel's Fishing Owls and White-backed Night Herons (done that before anyhow)...

Will be (y)

Rundu. 28-29 December. On route east, a brief taster of the Rundu area, staying overnight at Camp Hogo on the banks of the Okavango River. Hot and humid, green and lush, quite a contrast to most of Namibia. Arriving late afternoon in this semi-tropical setting, I had expected a butterfly...

Day Eight. 28 December. Final day in Etosha. Ended in style with a dawn drive out to Ngobib waterhole notching up a family of three Cheetahs en route, frollicking in the grass, plus a few Spotted Hyena and, at Ngobib itself, one White Rhino. As everywhere in Etosha, a selection of birds too...

Day Seven. 27 December. Notwithstanding a Honey Badger, a couple of Spotted Hyena and Elephant, a moderately quiet on the mammal front this day, neither Lion nor any rhinos seen for the first time since entering Etosha. Not bad for birds though, with a continuing feast of raptors, including a...

Day Six. 26 December. Mega day - on a drive from Halali to Namitoni, a real bumper crop of species, starting with a family of Cape Foxes, then continuing with a mother and calf Black Rhino, a Honey Badger and then a White Rhino grazing on grasses adjacent to Etosha Pan. And then, crown of the...

Day Four. 24 December. Relocation to Halali camp. Another excellent start to the day - all in the space of twenty minutes, one Black Rhino just outside Okakuojo camp, two Lions dozing under an Acacia nearby, then a pride of eight Lions a few kilometres further, this latter group three lionesses...

Day Three. 23 December. Amazing morning run - first mammals, literally minutes after leaving camp, two impressive full mane Lions sauntering across the track, nicely catching the first rays of the morning sunshine. Metres further, one Black Rhino grazing acacia bushes, then not much further, at...

To be fair to the guy, he was in an area where people sit and wait every night overlooking the waterhole, the last persons often there totally on their own. I wandered over there a few times alone at night, including when I heard the Lions calling. Mind you, I accept some might say I am stupid...

Indeed, very few tourists around, generally campsites are empty or near empty. Most of the few tourists are doing similar to me, spending the entire season here rather than sitting it out in Europe.

Regarding the lion attack, a 1993 copy of newspaper article

It was 1993. I was at Etosha in that era too, it was a German guy and he had been watching the waterhole and fell asleep/decided to sleep in the area near the waterhole, the fence is low here, and still is.

Day Two. 22 December. Woken at 4.00 am by Lions passing by, the deep throaty roars penetrating out from the darkness, most magical. An hour later, they passed by again, still in mighty voice! Decided to get up this time ...and good job I did, not only were the two Lions my temporary neighbours...

My excuse is that I'm still in Namibia and the birding takes precedence :)