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Short Namibia
13-20 January 2007
Guide: Malcolm Wilson Co-guide: Josh Engel
Participants: Berend and Sarah van Baak
Report and photos by Josh Engel.
All photos taken on this trip.

Left: Drinking lion Right: White Helmetshrike
| January 13 |
Arrival. Windhoek to Walvis Bay. |
| January 14 |
Walvis Bay area. |
| January 15 |
Walvis Bay to Erongo via Spitzkoppe. |
| January 16 |
Erongo to Etosha National Park. |
| January 17 |
Etosha N.P. |
| January 18 |
Etosha N.P. |
| January 19 |
Etosha N.P. to Waterberg Plateau Park. |
| January 20 |
Waterburg Plateau Park to Windhoek. Departure. |
This eight day tour visited many of the top birding and mammal watching areas of northern and central Namibia. The birding was fantastic—highlights included Monteiro’s Hornbill, Rockrunner, White-tailed Shrike, Hartlaub’s Francolin, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Ruppell’s Parrot, and Dune and Gray Lark—but the birds were nearly surpassed in quality by the incedible mammals. We watched as a black rhino took an evening drink and bath, and watched a pride of lions—with four small cubs—react to too-close-for-comfort jackal. From Walvis Bay and its tens of thousands of waders, flamingos, and other waterbirds to Etosha’s massive ungulate herds—this was a fantastic trip for all.
13 January: We met at the airport in the early afternoon, and, one bag too few,
began our drive to the coast. The drive passes through some beautiful mountain
scenery before dropping into the coastal plain and across stark rocky desert.
We stopped many times for birds along the way. One of our first stops was
because there was a whole family group of the scarce Orange River Francolin
right at the roadside. Another stop was at a mostly dry rivercourse,
where the last puddle of water attracted a variety of finches, including the
stunning Violet-eared Waxbill, Black-eared Waxbill, and Green-winged
Pytilia, all came to drink. Even better, however, was the group of Rockrunners
we noticed just as we were getting ready to leave. This beautiful endemic
showed extremely well hopping about on some rocks, completely unconcerned
by our presence. Upon dropping into the coastal plains’ grassland we came
across a couple more endemics: Ruppell’s Korhaan and Stark’s Lark.
We also found an adult Lappet-faced Vulture sitting atop the only tree
for kilometers around. As we reached the coast, we found a beachfront
bar that also happened to have an excellent deck for seawatching, so with
beers in hand we saw several cormorant species, Cape Gannet, and Parasitic
Jaeger. Now dark, we reached our hotel in Walvis Bay, where we could
see several Greater Flamingos close to shore.

In good light, we could see the green sheen on the upperparts of male
Dusky Sunbirds.
14 January: We spent the first part of the morning checking out the
massive numbers of waterbirds around Walvis Bay. This is a spectacle that
should not be missed: ten thousand Greater Flamingoes feeding in the
shallow bay, thousands of Common Terns patrolling the air, and tens
of thousands of waders crowding the shallow water and mudflats. Among the
waders we managed to find two rarities for Namibia: Greater Sandplover
and several Red-necked Phalaropes, including a breeding plumaged female.
We also saw many Chestnut-banded Plovers among the hundreds of White-fronteds
and had smashing looks at a feeding Damara Tern. All told we saw
22 species of waders today! A midday trip to Dune Lark habitat was
very productive for this species, the only true Namibian endemic. We were
incredibly lucky to watch a male in display flight right in the heat of the
midday sun! After lunch we headed further inland, finding a small party
of the localized Gray’s Lark fairly quickly, as well as very white
forms of Tractrac and Karoo chats. We finished the day at our
favorite bar, where with more time we were able to see both Parasitic
and Pomarine Jaegers (the latter an adult with a full spatulate tail),
four species of cormorants including the uncommon Bank, and Sooty
Shearwater.


Rosy-faced Lovebirds. Right: lovebirds in love.
15 January: We departed the cool coastal climes of Walvis Bay for
the scorching interior this morning, arriving at the beautiful granite inselbergs
of Spitzkoppe when it was already getting hot. Herero Chats wouldn’t come
out for us this morning, but we saw our first White-tailed Shrike,
a striking, enigmatic endemic, Rosy-faced Lovebirds, a stunning little
parrot, added the endemic Monteiro’s Hornbill and Karoo Long-billed
Lark, and saw more Ruppell’s Korhaans. The surrounding area was
excellent for raptors, and we saw both the rock loving Verreaux’s Eagle
and Augur Buzzard and the plains dwelling Black-breasted Snake Eagle
and Martial Eagle. We stopped for lunch at the always productive (and
bone dry) ana tree forest along the Khan River. Birds were active despite
the heat, and in just a short period we had some great finds, including two
key endemics: Ruppell’s Parrot and Violet Wood-Hoopoe. Other
birds at along the river included Burnt-necked Eremomela, Red-billed
Francolin, Bearded and Golden-tailed Woodpeckers, and African
Gray and Southern Yellow-billed Hornbills. We then made our way
to the stunning Erongo Wilderness Lodge. With its well-placed pools of water,
we were able to pass the entire afternoon sitting on the deck watching and
photographing the various birds and mammals that came in to drink and bathe.
Among the more than twenty species that came in to take advantage of the water
was the normally very shy and difficult Hartlaub’s Francolin (thus
saving much early morning rambling among the boulders!), the endemic Carp’s
Tit, many Rosy-faced Lovebirds, a variety of buntings, seedeaters,
finches, and starlings, a warthog, and the endemic antelope Damara dik-dik.
As evening set in the Freckled Nightjars became active, swooping around
the restaurant in search of bugs.

Southern Masked Weaver bathing in the pools at Erongo.
16 January: We got up early for a short walk on some of Erongo’s excellent
footpaths. Not much was being vocal, but we managed to find lots of birds
anyway. Among the highlights were great looks at many of the endemics we
had previously seen, like Carp’s Tit, Hartlaub’s Francolin,
White-tailed Shrike, Rockrunner, Monteiro’s Hornbill,
Rosy-faced Lovebird, plus new birds like an electric Violet-backed
Starling, Pririt Batis, and Golden-breasted Bunting. After a lovely
breakfast at the bird pools we started north to the famed Etosha National
Park. With brief stops for provisions, to talk our way out of a ticket, and
large group of White-backed and Lappet-faced Vultures, Tawny Eagles,
and Yellow Billed Kites, we entered the park in the early afternoon.
It was hot and the birds were quiet, but we soon saw our first of the mammals
that make Etosha famous: zebra, giraffe, gemsbok, wildebeest.
Upon reaching the first waterhole we were accosted by Sociable Weavers
and South African ground squirrels wanting bites of our sandwiches.
We rested, watching the various birds and animals around the waterhole, then
drove around the open, stony plains of that part of Etosha. There we found
birds typical of this habitat, including the tough Burchell’s Courser,
Double-banded Courser, and a group of Spotted Thick-Knee sharing
the shade of a small acacia with a Greater Kestrel. Arriving to
our beautiful lodge and chasing a bat out of the bathroom, we were greeted
with a game barbeque and cold beer under an incredibly starry sky.


All are species we saw on our first afternoon in Etosha: giraffe,
Double-banded Courser, Lilac-breasted Roller.
17 January: We began the day around our lodge, where several species
of hornbills including Damara Red-billed were flying around feeding
on fruits, and I got a quick look at a Common Whitethroat, unusual
for this part of Namibia. We then made our way to the park. After passing
through the first camp, we visited an area where Caspian Plover had been reported
the day before, but instead of any plovers we found a recent kill! A spotted
hyena was feasting on a dead wildebeest, possibly a lion kill from the
previous night, with vultures and black-backed jackals hovering around.
Eventually the hyena had eaten its fill, and wandered off to lie down under
a nearby bush, and the jackals moved in, eating and trying to keep the numerous
White-backed Vultures away at the same time. Finally the jackals were
full, and the vulture mob rushed in, with over 60 White-backeds, several
Lappet-faced, and a Tawny Eagle all trying to get some breakfast.
We spent the middle of the day at Halali Camp, where we quickly added several
new birds, including roosting Southern White-faced and African Scops-Owl,
White Helmetshrike, and White-crowned Shrike, and watched as
a Marabou Stork at the watering hole tried to figure out how to eat
a turtle. Stopping at a watering hole full of birds and mammals, yielded
our first lion, a beautiful female coming to drink. Along the roadside
we found a variety of big birds, including Kori Bustard, Northern
Black Korhaan, Secretarybird, and, of course, Ostriches.
Before sunset we stopped one last time at Okaukuejo Camp’s watering hole,
where we watched a massive black rhino saunter in for a drink of water
and a quick bath before returning to the bush for the night. Then on our
way out of the park, trying to beat the sunset closing time, we were blocked
by a group of female and young elephants crossing the road—at Etosha
there is always something look at—then Malcolm spent the drive home
carefully avoiding hitting the numerous Rufous-cheeked Nightjars sitting
on the road.


From left: African Scops-Owl at day roost; black rhino drinking in
the evening; Marabou Stork trying to figure out how to eat a turtle.
18 January: Today we had another full day in Etosha, entering through
the south gate and leaving the east gate. Not long after passing through
the first camp we came across our first maned lion, with two females.
We soon had found a whole pride coming from all directions to meet at a waterhole
and watched as they ceremoniously greeted each other. The numerous lions
made the other animals leery, so the zebra, red hartebeest,
gemsbok, and others stayed well away from the hole, keeping their eyes
on their predators. Driving through the park yielded many other birds an
mammals, including Montague’s Harrier, African Harrier-Hawk,
Caspian Plover, and Kalahari Scrub-Robin. Driving around Fischer’s
Pan in the evening, Malcolm spotted a Red-necked Falcon in a palm—this
uncommon species’ favorite habitat, along with impressive numbers of ungulates.
Driving outside of the park on the way to our lodge we came across two female
lions lying in the scrub. Then another female came out, quickly followed
by four adorable, curious cubs, who approached the vehicle and just sat, staring
at us. Then the groups adult male, a huge, healthy individual sauntered out
of the bush and laid down. All of the sudden, every lions’ head turned in
unison—a jackal had come to close. One of the mothers immediately stood,
staring at the jackal. When it didn’t move, she let out a deafening roar
then charged, taking several sprinting strides towards the jackal. That was
enough the keep the jackal at bay, and the lions all crossed the road mere
meters behind our car. The adults laid down on the other side of the road,
while the cubs sat on the road, staring at us once again. It was an incredible
lion encounter, surely one of the highlights of the trip, and a great way
to end the day.

Two mammals that symbolize Africa: lion and zebra.
19 January: We awoke this morning to find a Barn Owl being
chased by a Gabar Goshawk and several Fork-tailed Drongos on
the lodge grounds. Returning to the park, we drove the Dik-dik Loop, finding
several very confiding Damara dik-diks. A couple more lions were at
the great waterhole at the end of the loop, bringing to over thirty the number
of lions seen on the tour. Driving to other waterholes yielded nice looks
at Red-breasted Swallow, Southern Pied Babbler, and Icterine
Warbler, as well as more elephant and lion. We left the
park mid-morning to be sure to arrive at Waterberg Plateau Park in the early
afternoon. Upon arrival, Berend immediately found a Pearl-spotted Owlet
being mobbed by a family of Gray-backed Cameropteras. After watching
and photographing the owl, we returned to our room settle in. After a few
minutes I noticed a bit of commotion in the area, and a quick check revealed
that the owlet had caught a cameroptera! During an afternoon swim we were
serenaded by the song of a Rockrunner, and returning to our room in
the evening revealed a large flock of Bradfield’s Swifts overhead,
numerous confiding Red-billed Francolins on the lawn, and a Little
Sparrowhawk.


This Gray-backed Cameroptera's sibling got eaten by this Pearl-spotted Owlet. Right: Red-billed Francolin from our patio at Waterburg.
20 January: We only had time for a quick look around breakfast before our return to Windhoek. This short time proved worthwhile, as Malcolm quickly located a male Chestnut Weaver with a group of Southern Masked Weavers, and we found African Paradise-Flycatcher and Black-backed Puffback, both new for the trip. A stop by some sewage ponds north of Windhoek produced a cooperative Black Crake. After some nice souvenir shopping in Windhoek, we were off to the airport for the departure after an outstanding and memorable trip.


Hartlaub's Francolins (left) and Carp's Tit, two Namibian near-endemics.
Bird and mammal lists
Mammal species Scientific name
Taxonomy follows J.Kingdon, The Kingdon Field Guide to African
Mammals, 1997
1 Striped Mouse Rhabdomys pumilio
2 Dassie Rat Petromus typicus
3 Chacma Baboon Papio ursinus
4 South African Galago Galago moholi
5 Congo Rope Squirrel Funisciurus congicus
6 South African Ground Squirrel Geosciurus inauris
7 Scrub Hare Lepus capensis
8 Black-backed Jackal Canis mesomelas
9 Spotted Hyaena Crocuta crocuta
10 Lion Panthera leo
11 Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis
12 Elephant Loxodonta africana
13 Giraffe Camelopardus giraffa
14 Burchell's Zebra Equus burchelli
15 Black Rhino Diceros bicornis
16 Warthog Phacochoerus africanus
17 Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros
18 Gemsbok (Southern Oryx) Oryx gazella
19 Springbok Antidorcas marsupialis
20 Bush Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia
21 Steenbuck Raphicerus campestris
22 Kirk's (Damara) Dikdik Madoqua kirkii
23 Impala Aepyceros melampus
24 Red Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus
25 Blue Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus
26 Slender Mongoose Herpestes sanguinea
27 Yellow Mongoose Cynictis penicillata
28 Suricate (Meerkat) Suricata suricatta