Paul Buckley
New member
Dear all
My partner and I just returned from a great trip to Namibia - my first. We hired a car and visited Windhoek area, Walvis Bay, Brandberg, Etosha, Kavanago area, Shakawe (Botrswana) and Waterberg. We saw around 330 species. We were surprised how few birders or birding groups we met - just one group in three weeks. We will post a report and add to Birdtrack in due course
Anyway an observation and some questions.
1. 8th March Sandwich Harbour. We visited this fascinating area south of Walvis Bay. Not that many birds but well worth a visit. Anyway I was watching a group of 5 whimbrel at some distance on the beach when they took flight. One of them clearly lacked a white rump. I didnt get a good view so not sure what to say but worth looking out for is youre in the area. I know hudsonian Whimbrel is recorded in Africa but very rare..
2. 13th March just west of Halali Etosha. We were watching a yellow mongoose when it flushed a small quail like bird. It flew just a couple of metres and then rushes straight back into cover. all I got on was some rufous flashes around the wing but I instantly wondered if it was a small button quail. SABAP has records of this from the area but no other quail. So I just wondered if anyone has seen small button quail or any other quail or button quail in this area
3. 23rd March Waterberg We took an early morning walk from the NWR camp west on the Kambazebi trail. Large numbers of red-billed francolins were around but we also disturbed at least two birds who scattered quickly but had white supercillia. I immediately thought they must be crested francolin although they didnt look quite right. It was only subsequently that I discovered this was the main area to look for Hartlaub’s spurfowl which I had thought were only seen in more remote parts of the Plateau. So probably that’s what they were but I wondered if anyone had ever seen crested francolin in this area?
Sorry no photos these are all very poorly seen birds but I would welcome any comments on the questions I raise
Thanks Paul
My partner and I just returned from a great trip to Namibia - my first. We hired a car and visited Windhoek area, Walvis Bay, Brandberg, Etosha, Kavanago area, Shakawe (Botrswana) and Waterberg. We saw around 330 species. We were surprised how few birders or birding groups we met - just one group in three weeks. We will post a report and add to Birdtrack in due course
Anyway an observation and some questions.
1. 8th March Sandwich Harbour. We visited this fascinating area south of Walvis Bay. Not that many birds but well worth a visit. Anyway I was watching a group of 5 whimbrel at some distance on the beach when they took flight. One of them clearly lacked a white rump. I didnt get a good view so not sure what to say but worth looking out for is youre in the area. I know hudsonian Whimbrel is recorded in Africa but very rare..
2. 13th March just west of Halali Etosha. We were watching a yellow mongoose when it flushed a small quail like bird. It flew just a couple of metres and then rushes straight back into cover. all I got on was some rufous flashes around the wing but I instantly wondered if it was a small button quail. SABAP has records of this from the area but no other quail. So I just wondered if anyone has seen small button quail or any other quail or button quail in this area
3. 23rd March Waterberg We took an early morning walk from the NWR camp west on the Kambazebi trail. Large numbers of red-billed francolins were around but we also disturbed at least two birds who scattered quickly but had white supercillia. I immediately thought they must be crested francolin although they didnt look quite right. It was only subsequently that I discovered this was the main area to look for Hartlaub’s spurfowl which I had thought were only seen in more remote parts of the Plateau. So probably that’s what they were but I wondered if anyone had ever seen crested francolin in this area?
Sorry no photos these are all very poorly seen birds but I would welcome any comments on the questions I raise
Thanks Paul
