NAMIBIA, OKAVANGO AND VICTORIA FALLS TRIP REPORT … · [email protected] NAMIBIA, OKAVANGO...

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www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] NAMIBIA, OKAVANGO AND VICTORIA FALLS TRIP REPORT 20 NOVEMBER - 7 DECEMBER 2015 By Jason Boyce Rosy-faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicollis. One of the birds of the trip!

Transcript of NAMIBIA, OKAVANGO AND VICTORIA FALLS TRIP REPORT … · [email protected] NAMIBIA, OKAVANGO...

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NAMIBIA, OKAVANGO AND VICTORIA FALLS

TRIP REPORT 20 NOVEMBER - 7 DECEMBER 2015

By Jason Boyce

Rosy-faced Lovebird – Agapornis roseicollis. One of the birds of the trip!

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ITINERARY

Date Location Overnight

20 November Walvis Bay, Namibia Lagoon Lodge

21 November Walvis Bay, Namibia Lagoon Lodge

22 November Kamanjab, Namibia Huab Lodge

23 November Kamanjab, Namibia Huab Lodge

24 November Opuwo, Kunene Kunene River Lodge

25 November Opuwo, Kunene Kunene River Lodge

26 November Western Etosha Dolomite Camp

27 November Etosha National Park Okaukuejo Rest Camp

28 November Etosha National Park Mokuti Lodge

29 November Rundu, Namibia Hakusembe River Lodge

30 November Western Caprivi Strip Mahangu Safari Lodge

01 December Shakawe, Botswana Xaro Lodge

02 December Shakawe, Botswana Xaro Lodge

03 December Kongola, Namibia Mazambala Island Lodge

04 December Kongola, Namibia Mazambala Island Lodge

05 December Mwandi, Zambia Shackletons Tiger Fishing Lodge

06 December Livingstone, Zambia Camp Nkwazi

OVERVIEW

A truly mouthwatering itinerary lay before us, one with great diversity and stark contrast.

Birding was to be both rewarding and simply extraordinary from day one in Walvis Bay,

Namibia, right through to the final day’s birding in Livingstone and Victoria Falls, Zambia

and Zimbabwe. Four eager birdwatchers were to join me and embark on one of Africa’s

greatest 18-day birding safaris. We would travel through the open desert plains of the Namib

Desert and through the escarpment to the borders of Angola. We would cruise the panhandle

of Botswana’s Okavango Delta by boat and bird the small islands within the beginning of the

delta itself. We would traverse Namibia’s Caprivi Strip and bird southern Zambia on the way

to the breathtaking Victoria Falls. A trip total of 370 species was enough to keep us all

completely content, not to mention the number of lifers for most people on the tour.

Day 1, November 20. Walvis Bay lagoon and Dune Lark

The tour kicked off with a trip to the little town of Rooibank to the southeast of Walvis Bay.

We didn’t waste much time after a lovely breakfast, and once we arrived we were soon

adorned with the necessary optics and other equipment and started our walk toward the

dunes. The picturesque setting of Rooibank compliments not only one of the only two true

endemics of Namibia, the Dune Lark, but a couple of other excellent species as well. Some

of the first species that made their way onto the trip list at Rooibank included Dusky

Sunbird, Namaqua Dove, Cape Sparrow, Bokmakierie, and Rock Martin. The first forty-

five minutes of the walk did not produce any sign of the lark, but soon enough we had an

individual displaying and calling 20 meters above some dunes in the distance. We were onto

them! It took at least another 30 minutes for us to locate some on the ground, but soon

enough we had good visuals of a pair under a solitary acacia tree. A big flock of Grey-

backed Sparrow-Larks landed nearby and were also thoroughly enjoyed by everyone in the

group. Birding at the Walvis Bay lagoon was absolutely brilliant – hundreds of Flamingos

(Greater and Lesser), shorebirds, gulls, and terns were on display the whole afternoon.

Some of the more interesting finds were Chestnut-banded and White-fronted Plovers, Bar-

tailed Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, Pied Avocet, Whimbrel, and Damara, Greater

Crested, and Sandwich Terns, as well as Kelp and Hartlaub’s Gulls.

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Damara Tern

Day 2, November 21. Boat cruise and Swakopmund

Before the day’s activities began, Orange River White-eye was located in the gardens of the

guest house – a species not easily encountered in other parts of the trip. Peter and Frayda

joined a boat cruise from Walvis Bay this morning in order to look for some dolphins,

whales, and pelagic birds. They managed to connect with Heaviside’s and common

bottlenose dolphins but were unlucky with the other attractions. Neville, Judith, and I birded

parts of the lagoon as well as some of the coastline to the north of Walvis Bay. Birding was

productive as we managed to see Cape and White-breasted Cormorants, the former in their

thousands, as well as more gulls and terns of the same species we managed yesterday

afternoon. We also added Ruddy Turnstone, Red-capped Lark, Cape Wagtail, and Red-

faced Mousebird to the list. After a very enjoyable lunch in the picturesque town of

Swakopmund we headed north of the town in search of the nomadic Gray’s Lark. It took us

some time in the persistent wind, but we managed excellent views of a group of five

individuals – much to the delight of the group! Our day drew to a close in the late afternoon

in almost sandstorm-like conditions, but not before a quick stop at the sewage works. Some

of the species that ended off a good day were Cape Teal, Cape Shoveler, Red-knobbed

Coot, and Blacksmith Lapwing.

Day 3, November 22. Birding the Spitzkoppe

A travel day was in store for us today, but not without a few excellent birds to keep us

distracted as well as the spectacular Spitzkoppe. Visiting the Spitzkoppe during your stay in

Namibia is a must; not only is it a truly remarkable sight but it is also one of the only places

that one has a decent chance of seeing the tricky Herero Chat. After completing our coastal

birding for the tour we headed inland bright and early, and soon enough we had the

Spitzkoppe on the horizon in front of us. Our first few new species included Rüppell’s

Korhaan, Karoo Chat, and the very smart-looking Mountain Wheatear – all at the

entrance road. One of the highlights of the day, though, was a flock of Rosy-faced

Lovebirds, also hanging around the entrance to the Spitzkoppe. They were joined by the

likes of Lark-like Bunting, Dusky Sunbird, Acacia Pied Barbet, and Pale-winged

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Starling. Birding was good in general all over Spitzkoppe, even though temperatures were

nearing 40 degrees Celsius by lunch. A quick walk to one of the more productive areas

yielded the sought-after Herero Chat, seen well by all in the group. Other highlights on the

walk included Pririt Batis, Short-toed Rock-Thrush, Cape Bunting, Yellow-bellied

Eremomela, White-throated Canary, and the impressive Monteiro’s Hornbill. After a

really nice morning in the area we started a fairly long drive into the Namibian escarpment.

We started to see a few new species on the way into the lodge, some of these real treats:

Namaqua Sandgrouse, the stunning Shaft-tailed Whydah, Southern Yellow-billed

Hornbill, Purple Roller, and some Crowned Lapwings, as well as a flyby Rüppell’s

Parrot. We arrived safely at the beautiful Huab Lodge after an eventful day, which included

almost 25 new species for the trip.

Herero Chat

Day 4, November 23. Birding the Namibian escarpment

The Namibian escarpment has incredible beauty. Rocky outcrops are strewn over the

landscape, along with beautiful river beds and vegetation. So with a few targets in mind we

set off for a mornings birding. It wasn’t long before we managed to find the striking White-

tailed Shrike (which is rather like a large batis) as well as Rüppell’s Parrot, which was

missed by some the afternoon before. Some of the other species that had us intrigued this

morning were Pearl-spotted Owlet, Southern White-crowned Shrike, Black-backed

Puffback, and Grey Go-away-bird. The area around the lodge itself has good numbers of

seedeaters coming to drink in the heat of the day. We enjoyed watching the likes of Red-

headed Finch, Cinnamon-breasted and Lark-like Buntings, Black-throated Canary, and

Red-billed Quelea. One of the treats of the area was definitely the great numbers of Olive

Bee-eaters with their almost perpetual piercing call overhead. The afternoon was spent

searching for our two biggest target birds for the area, both near-endemics, Rockrunner and

Hartlaub’s Spurfowl. Both occupy the large rocky outcrops that cover the area, but this of

course makes finding them rather challenging. We managed to hear a Rockrunner at the

back of one of these outcrops, and with a bit of effort we had good views of an individual

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calling from a small bush. As the afternoon wind picked up the calls of Hartlaub’s Spurfowl

echoed in the distance, but time was not on our side – we would try again the next morning.

Day 5, November 24. Escarpment Birding, travel to the Kunene River area

An early start before breakfast was the order of the day, in the hope of relocating Hartlaub’s

Spurfowl, previously heard but not seen. We were rewarded with not only fantastic views of

the spurfowl but also got excellent visuals of Carp’s Tit. After breakfast we set off in a

northerly direction into the Kunene region, one of Namibia’s best birding spots. We made

sure to stop for one or two smart birds on the way; the most notable were Augur Buzzard

and Yellow-billed Oxpecker, the latter is one of only two species in the family Buphagidae,

which is endemic to Africa. Birding started to pick up with just 10 kilometers to go to the

beautiful Kunene River Lodge. We found the likes of Double-banded Sandgrouse, Meves’s

Starling, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Fork-tailed Drongo, and more White-tailed

Shrikes. The lodge itself had a few treats for us before we settled in to a glorious ‘full’

moonlit dinner; some of these were Swamp Boubou, Holub’s Golden Weaver, Goliath

Heron, and Bare-cheeked Babbler.

Double-banded Sandgrouse

Day 6, November 25. Kunene birding and the Zebra Mountains

Well, a jam-packed day was in store for us today, and little did we know that it was to be one

of the best days of the whole tour! We set off in the dark with the Zebra Mountains firmly in

our sights (figuratively of course). If you are going to be successful in finding the Angolan

Cave Chat and other specials of the region, such as Cinderella Waxbill, you are going to need

to get to the site as early as possible. We arrived at the foot of the Zebra Mountains before

sunrise to find the Angolan Cave Chats already in full song. We sat quietly for about 20

minutes before we had the first glimpses of the chats and another 10 minutes of patience to

get them right out in the open. Oh, what a sight!

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Angolan Cave Chat

We were also treated to really nice looks at Carp’s Tit as well as a pair of African Hawk-

Eagles and Verreaux’s Eagle soaring above us. After spending just the right amount of time

at the Zebra Mountains we headed off in search of Cinderella Waxbill. Sure enough, we

were right on time and had a good 20 birds come to drink at a small puddle in a dry drainage

line. The “cindies” were joined by Pririt Batis, White-tailed Shrike, Yellow-bellied

Eremomela, and Southern Grey-headed Sparrow. The trip back to the lodge didn’t yield

much, but the afternoon birding in the lodge grounds certainly didn’t disappoint. African

Paradise Flycatcher and Meves’s Starling were abundant, while Grey-backed

Camaroptera, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, and a single Lesser Honeyguide were very

enjoyable. Our superb day was certainly not over yet, and a boat cruise on the Kunene River

was the consensus among the group, and so we cruised down the river in search of, among

other things, Grey Kestrel. Luck was certainly on our side; as we had barely cracked open a

cold beverage that we spotted the kestrel heading directly for us after being harassed by a

Yellow-billed Kite, a sighting that was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Other distractions included

Grey-rumped Swallow, Banded and Brown-throated Martins, Barn Swallow with

beautiful tail streamers, and Red-necked Spurfowl on the banks of the river on the Angolan

side. Further upstream we had nice sightings of Goliath Heron, White-backed Night

Heron, Water Thick-knee, African Pied Wagtail, and a magnificent Western Osprey right

before sunset – a day’s birding not to be forgotten soon.

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Cinderella Waxbill

Day 7, November 26. Kunene River Lodge to Dolomite Camp, western Etosha

The morning was spent in the grounds of the lodge to find the really smart-looking Rufous-

tailed Palm Thrush among others. The palm thrush takes up residence around the chalets of

the lodge, so, with a little bit of time spent listening out for their sweet song, we located a few

pairs and had really good looks. We were also entertained by the local Woodland Kingfisher

and Bare-cheeked Babbler as well as Olive Bee-eater. After spending what feels like no

time at all in the Kunene region we headed south toward western Etosha’s Dolomite Camp.

The camp is situated on a beautiful dolomite hill, overlooking the dry plains of Etosha

National Park. We were welcomed with a drink and taken to our rooms before spending dusk

looking down across the simply stunning landscape. In the distance on the dry plains we

could make out good numbers of mammals that we were looking forward to finding in the

days to come.

Day 8, November 27. Dolomite Camp to Okaukuejo Rest Camp, Etosha National Park

Etosha National Park obviously brought a whole new dynamic to the trip, our speed reduced

to a nice game viewing, bird-spotting speed, and large and small mammals as well as other

animals could be around every turn. Before breakfast today we had a walk on the hill that the

camp is situated on, and we found a few interesting birds, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Dusky

Sunbird, Short-toed Rock Thrush, African Red-eyed Bulbul, Green-winged Pytilia, and

Greater Striped Swallow, as well as a few Rock Martins zooming past our heads every few

seconds. Arguably the nicest sighting of the morning, though, was watching a lioness come

down to drink at the drinking hole at the bottom of the hill. Today we would head in an

easterly direction to Okaukuejo Rest Camp, birding the western landscape on the way. Before

things got too hot we managed to get into the car and find a few treats, some of them in real

good numbers. Burchell’s and Double Banded Coursers were found around the drinking

hole; they were accompanied by two other terrestrial species, Red-capped and Stark’s

Larks. We bumped into our first big herd of African elephant around the next corner; they

were very friendly, one could say, and allowed us to occupy their space for a few minutes

while they were feeding. Many more species of birds were seen throughout the morning,

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these included Bateleur, Tawny Eagle, Ant-eating Chat, Scaly-feathered Weaver, Cape

Crow, Common Ostrich, Banded Martin, Red-crested and Northern Black Korhaans,

Capped Wheatear, and Pale Chanting Goshawk. Mammals included an old, lonesome

male lion, African elephant, Plains zebra, giraffe, gemsbok, black-faced impala, common

warthog, and yellow mongoose. There is a water hole situated right alongside the fence at

Okaukuejo, and a late evening vigil or an early morning visit can be very rewarding. We

opted to hang around at the water hole after dinner and managed to see brown hyaena, black-

backed jackal, and three black rhinos. The black rhinos were there all the time, wallowing

away in the water, while the jackal and the hyaena could only spare a few minutes to get

some water. The waterhole has large floodlights that not only make viewing excellent but

also attract insects and, in turn, nightjars. Identifying nightjars is a tricky art at the best of

times, but after getting a few shots of them from underneath and above we found that most

were Rufous-cheeked Nightjars.

Burchell’s Courser

Day 9, November 28. Birding Etosha National Park, Okaukuejo to Mokuti Lodge

This was to be our last day within Etosha National Park. A long but very enjoyable day – a

day filled with herds of elephant coming to drink at waterholes and many new species of

birds. Just before sunset we emerged and headed straight for the waterhole outside our

chalets. One of the immediate highlights for the day was a Crimson-breasted Shrike that,

with it’s brilliant crimson breast and underparts, was difficult to miss hopping around the

benches and trees near the viewing point. Quite a few species were seen this morning around

the camp, these included Sociable Weaver, Common Scimitarbill, Red-billed Spurfowl,

Red-backed Shrike, Brubru, and White-bellied Sunbird. Kori Bustard, Desert Cisticola,

Greater Kestrel, Purple Roller, and European Bee-eater were thoroughly enjoyed along

the way toward Halali Rest Camp. Bat-eared fox was the mammalian treat for the morning –

a pair came trotting toward us from a distance and then disappeared underneath the road into

their den. A stop for lunch around Namutoni was productive, and between the camp and the

hide close by White-crested Helmetshrike was a highlight, some others were Marico

Sunbird, Southern Red-billed Hornbill, Buffy Pipit, Marabou Stork, White-backed

Vulture, Lilac-breasted Roller, and Three-banded, Kittlitz’s, and Chestnut-banded

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Plovers, as well as Burchell’s Starling. With that we left the park. Mokuti Lodge is situated

just outside the eastern gate of the park, and not long after we had arrived we picked up

Grey-backed Camaroptera, a second Buffy Pipit for the day, Groundscraper Thrush,

Blue Waxbill, Yellow-breasted Apalis, and African Palm Swift.

Black-faced Babbler

Day 10, November 29. Transfer to the Rundu area

A stroll around the lodge grounds that morning yielded some really nice sightings. Violet-

backed Starling was a real treat, and others included African Paradise Flycatcher, Willow

Warbler, Blue Waxbill, Golden-breasted Bunting, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Common

Whitethroat (a fairly strange record for these parts), and Black-faced Babbler. The babblers

were confiding, and this sighting turned out to be the only sighting of this species on the trip.

We were also lucky enough to get a good look at the endemic and odd-looking Damara dik-

dik as well as the near-endemic Bradfield’s Hornbill before we headed into the Rundu area.

We stopped for lunch at the well-known Roy’s Rest Camp, which does well to break the

long, very straight drive to Rundu. We managed to get nice visuals of Emerald-spotted

Wood Dove here and of the stunning Violet-eared Waxbill, both male and female. Before

we made our way to our lodge we stopped at any birder’s favorite destination, a sewage

works! The Rundu sewage works was good to us; we managed nice sightings of Blue-

cheeked Bee-eater, Marico Sunbird, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Coppery-tailed Coucal,

Greater Painted-snipe, Squacco Heron, Hottentot Teal, African Jacana, and Giant and

Pied Kingfishers, as well as a couple of White-winged Terns. Namibia hadn’t seen rain in a

very long time, and even in the more tropical northeastern parts things were very dry, but that

afternoon our birding at Rundu sewage works was cut short by a serious downpour – just

what was needed to settle the dust and hopefully send the birds into a singing and feeding

frenzy. The rain lasted for about half an hour, and so we still managed some late-afternoon

birding close to the lodge. The open floodplain area south of Hakusembe was good for

Caspian Plover and African Pipit, while flocks of Wattled Starling passed by. The scrub

just before the lodge gave us our first looks at Hartlaub’s Babbler and Dark-capped

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Bulbul – the former decided that the deck of the lodge was a good spot to hop about. One of

my highlights of the trip was watching a pair of Rock Pratincole cruise around above the

deck of the lodge – meters above our heads at times! – in the evening after a sundowner.

Day 11, November 30. Birding the Caprivi Strip, Hakusembe River Lodge to Mahangu

After a quick bit of birding around the lodge, where we picked up a few species such as

Kurrichane Thrush, Red-eyed Dove, Black-crowned Night Heron, and Giant Kingfisher,

we pushed on to try and get to the next spot before things got too hot too quickly. We had a

couple of targets in mind on the way to the Divundu area. Out of the three Caprivi specials

that we would target that morning, Cinnamon-breasted Tit and Sharp-tailed Starling

played along nicely, and all enjoyed great visuals. Souza’s Shrike, however, didn’t want to be

seen. We did enjoy a couple other species in the teak woodland while trying to find our

targets, these included African Harrier-Hawk, White-crested Helmetshrike, Southern

Black Tit, Ashy Flycatcher, Rattling Cisticola, Black-headed Oriole, and Bearded

Woodpecker. The Divundu/Mahangu area boasts some amazing diversity, and we were

starting to see that as we got closer to Mahangu Safari Lodge, our accommodation for the

night. We arrived with ample time for a good bout of birding in the afternoon, which was

very rewarding. Little Bee-eater, Magpie Shrike, Lilac-breasted Roller, Yellow-billed

Kite, and Red-breasted Swallow were seen on the way in, while later we found Brown

Firefinch, Mourning Collared Dove, Black Crake, White-browed Coucal, Swamp

Boubou, Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Terrestrial Brownbul, and Arrow-marked

Babbler around the lodge.

Cinnamon-breasted Tit

Day 12, December 1. Into Botswana (Xaro Lodge)

One of the best things about this tour is the river frontage birding, and this morning we

enjoyed breakfast overlooking the Okavango River. Obviously there were good numbers of

aquatic species such as African Skimmer, African Darter, Goliath and Grey Herons,

Little and Great Egrets, and Knob-billed Duck, as well as both Spur-winged and

Egyptian Geese. Before we had finished breakfast we were alerted to some chaos in the tall

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trees above us, as a Southern African python lying very still on a branch was being harassed

by many birds! Swamp Boubous, Brown Firefinches, White-browed Robin-Chats, and

Dark-capped Bulbuls all wanted a piece of the action – a great sight! After breakfast we

headed into Mahango Game Park and were quickly treated to many new trip species. Fawn-

colored and Rufous-naped Larks, Kalahari Scrub Robin, Broad-billed Roller, African

Golden Oriole, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Collared Pratincole, African Openbill,

Burchell’s Starling, and Red-billed Oxpecker showed nicely, while Western Osprey was

perched on an open branch to enjoy a freshly-caught meal. White-headed Vulture, Yellow-

billed Kite, and Wahlberg’s, Lesser Spotted, and African Fish Eagles soared overhead,

some of them almost perpetually. Soon we crossed into Botswana with no trouble at all and

made our way through Shakawe to Xaro Lodge. While we waited for our boat to arrive we

saw Southern Brown-throated Weaver as well as a hepatic morph of Common Cuckoo in

the grounds of Drotsky’s Cabins. The short boat trip to the lodge was slightly longer than

anticipated because of all the birding stops we had to make. White-backed Night Heron,

Greater Swamp Warbler, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Banded Martin, Long-toed Lapwing,

and more Collared Pratincoles were some of the major distractions.

Pel’s Fishing Owl

Day 13, December 2. Exploring the Okavango Panhandle by boat

Today kicked off with a walk to look for, among others, Pel’s Fishing Owl. We were

fortunate enough to not only find one, but two Pel’s Fishing Owls behind the lodge. One

individual posed rather nicely, allowing for extended views and even a few photographs.

Other attractions this morning included Black-collared Barbet, Spectacled Weaver,

African Yellow White-eye, Hartlaub’s Babbler, Grey Tit-Flycatcher, and Yellow-bellied

Greenbul. It also included a sighting of the elusive swamp antelope, the sitatunga! We

jumped into a boat (which would be our only form of transport for the day) to cruise through

the channels around the panhandle. The boat allowed us to get really close not only to birds

but to other animals as well, which is excellent for great viewing and, of course, photography.

Brown-throated and Sand Martins as well as Wire-tailed and Barn Swallows were seen

throughout the day over the river and often right alongside the boat. The songs and chirps of

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birds coming from the reeds were also always present; these included Luapula and Chirping

Cisticolas, Greater Swamp Warbler, and Tawny-flanked Prinia, all of which were seen

sometime throughout the day. A major highlight was parking the boat right alongside the

bank that was occupied by a breeding colony of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters. The birds

flitted back and forth over our heads for a good half hour, some landing just meters away

with food for their chicks. With so many highlights to a day’s birding it’s difficult to pick out

a single one. Another highlight was finding a couple of pairs of African Pygmy Geese – the

males in stunning plumage with iridescent green sheen on their cheeks. African Skimmers

sitting on one or two banks were also a welcome sight! Other great birds for the day included

African Marsh Harrier, Western Yellow Wagtail, Malachite Kingfisher, Allen’s

Gallinule, Purple Heron, Marabou Stork, and Glossy and Hadada Ibis, as well as both

African Wattled and Long-toed Lapwings. We ended an amazing day’s birding with a pair

of African Wood Owls calling away beautifully at the lodge just after dinner.

African Pygmy Goose

Day 14, December 3. From Botswana back into the Caprivi, Namibia

After having heard African Barred Owlet in the morning, we decided to give it one more

shot. Good sightings of Southern Masked, Holub’s Golden, and Southern Brown-

throated Weavers, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Rattling

Cisticola, and Common Waxbill were had while we searched for the elusive owlet. It was

only on the way back to the lodge that we heard the call and then managed some awesome

views of the stunning little African Barred Owlet. It was time to say good-bye to Botswana

and the Okavango Panhandle for now, and time to greet Namibia once again. Red-billed

Buffalo Weaver, Red-crested Korhaan, Common and White-rumped Swifts, and Lesser

Striped Swallow were some of our first distractions back in Namibia. Lunch and some

birding around Popa Falls gave us some more visuals of the brilliant little Rock Pratincole,

six birds on this occasion, cruising around over the rapids, some perched for scope views.

The drive to Mazambala Island Lodge took some time, but we did manage a few stops along

the way for species such as Martial and Tawny Eagles, Bateleur, and Common Buzzard.

The lodge is built between a stand of mature trees and surrounded by a beautiful floodplain –

birding is excellent! Some species we connected with this afternoon included African Grey

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Hornbill, Yellow-breasted Apalis, and African Paradise Flycatcher. Overcast conditions

and some spitting with rain ended our afternoon a bit earlier than normal, but nonetheless an

amazing day’s birding was had!

African Barred Owlet

Day 15, December 4. Caprivi birding

The lodge has a tower built on one end, which allows for awesome viewing across the plain.

After a cup of coffee we spotted three Wattled Cranes in the distance feeding in the

floodplain, and also enjoyed Common and Little Swifts and Collared, Marico, and Copper

Sunbirds, as well as a flock of brilliant Meyer’s Parrots. Little Bee-eater, Marsh

Warbler, and African Stonechat were active around the lodge this morning, and Yellow-

fronted Tinkerbird showed off at the top of a small tree. After breakfast we jumped into a

small boat and cruised over pods of hippos to our open game drive vehicle, which we could

use for the day. We headed into the woodland of the Bwabwata National Park in search of a

couple of tricky species. We were delighted when we heard the calls of Racket-tailed Roller

as well as Retz’s Helmetshrike. Both species put on a bit of a show after a burst of playback

to get their attention. Later on we bumped into another party of the rollers, which were even

more obliging – great views of an awesome and sometimes difficult-to-locate species. Some

other treats that afternoon were Purple-banded Sunbird, Chinspot Batis, Long-billed

Crombec, Southern Black Flycatcher, Collared Pratincole, Pin-tailed Whydah, Flappet

Lark, Eurasian Hobby, Red-footed Falcon, and a handsome pair of African Hawk-Eagles.

14 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Little Bee-eater

Day 16, December 5. Caprivi into Zambia

A fairly early start this morning meant that we could only afford a short amount of time on

the way out of the lodge. We did manage nice visuals of both Neddicky and Black-crowned

Tchagra, which were new for the group. Katima Mulilo was a fair drive, but once we were

there we could see a change in habitat and, of course, also birds. Tropical Boubou and

Bronze Mannikin were found with not too much difficulty, while Schalow’s Turaco took

some time to track down. However, once we finally found the turaco it allowed for prolonged

views – much to the delight of the group. Brown-hooded Kingfisher as well as White-

bellied Sunbird were hanging around our lunch spot, while White-crowned Lapwing was

spotted flying along the Zambezi. Just before we moved on into Zambia and made our way

across to our lodge for the evening we spotted a raptor in a tree at our lunch spot – low and

behold, a European Honey Buzzard, a rather smart-looking individual too. Once we had

crossed the boarder and found our accommodation for the evening we were treated to an

awesome sundowner boat cruise on a section of the mighty Zambezi. Some observations that

afternoon included Great Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, African Sacred Ibis,

Marsh Sandpiper, Long-crested Eagle, Black-winged Stilt, and African Skimmer.

Day 17, December 6. Exploring southern Zambia

Black-faced Lovebird is one of Zambia’s two endemics, and it occupies the Mopane

woodlands of southern Zambia. We decided to give this bird a try; so with an early start we

headed off toward the lovebird area. Even though our main focus was to get to the lovebird,

the birding was excellent this morning; we found Long-tailed Paradise Whydah, Blue

Waxbill, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Shikra, Northern

Grey-headed Sparrow, Mosque Swallow, Grey-headed Bushshrike, Levaillant’s

Cuckoo, and the handsome Lizard Buzzard. So the day’s birding was generally very good,

and exploring the beautiful woodland of Zambia was loads of fun. We did, however, not

manage to see the lovebird after running into a few too many problems throughout the day.

15 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Camp Nkwazi near Livingstone was our last destination for the trip, and we arrived safely to

enjoy a drink and an excellent, well-deserved dinner.

Day 18, December 7. Birding the Victoria Falls area

For the last time on the trip we grabbed a quick cup of tea/coffee and then the necessary

optics and did some birding on the grounds of the lodge. There was a rumor going around

that we could see African Finfoot from the deck in the morning – we tested the theory. Soon

enough this mythical creature was paddling quietly right below us along the bank – probably

one of the best ways we could have hoped to end the trip! Other great birds this morning

included Ashy Flycatcher, African Emerald Cuckoo, Cardinal Woodpecker, African

Reed Warbler, Red-faced Cisticola, Thick-billed and Holub’s Golden Weavers, Tropical

Boubou, Brown Firefinch, and Scarlet-chested Sunbird. A visit to Victoria Falls, “the

smoke that thunders”, was definitely on the cards after breakfast, and so we made our way

across the border to the Zimbabwe side of the falls. A walk around to different parts of the

falls was absolutely beautiful, and there were a couple of birds to boot. Brown Snake Eagle

came cruising by, while Red-winged Starling showed nicely around the walkways and the

restaurant. Trumpeter Hornbill was one of the highlights around the falls, a pair eating fruit

showed nicely in the forested section of the walkways. Due to this last day of the trip being a

true scorcher, consensus lead to making our way back slightly early to enjoy a drink – and a

swim for some – back at the lodge.

African Finfoot

NAMIBIA, OKAVANGO AND VICTORIA FALLS

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 BIRD LIST

Status: NT = Near-threatened, VU - Vulnerable, EN = Endangered

Common name (IOC 5.4) Scientific name (IOC 5.4) Trip

16 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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STRUTHIONIFORMES

Ostriches Struthionidae

Common Ostrich Struthio camelus 1

ANSERIFORMES

Ducks, Geese and Swans Anatidae

White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata 1

Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis 1

Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos 1

Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca 1

African Pygmy Goose Nettapus auritus 1

Cape Teal Anas capensis 1

Cape Shoveler Anas smithii 1

Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha 1

Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota 1

GALLIFORMES

Guineafowl Numididae

Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris 1

Pheasants and allies Phasianidae

Crested Francolin Dendroperdix sephaena 1

Hartlaub's Spurfowl Pternistis hartlaubi 1

Red-billed Spurfowl Pternistis adspersus 1

Natal Spurfowl Pternistis natalensis 1

Red-necked Spurfowl Pternistis afer 1

Swainson's Spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii 1

PODICIPEDIFORMES

Grebes Podicipedidae

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 1

PHOENICOPTERIFORMES

Flamingos Phoenicopteridae

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus 1

Lesser Flamingo - NT Phoeniconaias minor 1

CICONIIFORMES

Storks Ciconiidae

African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus 1

Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumenifer 1

PELECANIFORMES

Ibises, Spoonbills Threskiornithidae

African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus 1

Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash 1

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus 1

Herons, Bitterns Ardeidae

Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus 1

17 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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White-backed Night Heron Gorsachius leuconotus 1

Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 1

Striated Heron Butorides striata 1

Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides 1

Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 1

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 1

Goliath Heron Ardea goliath 1

Purple Heron Ardea purpurea 1

Great Egret Ardea alba 1

Intermediate Egret Egretta intermedia 1

Little Egret Egretta garzetta 1

Hamerkop Scopidae

Hamerkop Scopus umbretta 1

Pelicans Pelecanidae

Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus 1

SULIFORMES

Cormorants, Shags Phalacrocoracidae

Reed Cormorant Microcarbo africanus 1

White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax lucidus 1

Cape Cormorant - EN Phalacrocorax capensis 1

Anhingas, Darters Anhingidae

African Darter Anhinga rufa 1

ACCIPITRIFORMES

Ospreys Pandionidae

Western Osprey Pandion haliaetus 1

Kites, Hawks and Eagles Accipitridae

Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus 1

African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus 1

European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus 1

White-backed Vulture - EN Gyps africanus 1

White-headed Vulture - VU Trigonoceps occipitalis 1

Lappet-faced Vulture - VU Torgos tracheliotos 1

Brown Snake Eagle Circaetus cinereus 1

Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus 1

Martial Eagle - VU Polemaetus bellicosus 1

Lesser Spotted Eagle Clanga pomarina 1

Wahlberg's Eagle Hieraaetus wahlbergi 1

Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax 1

Verreaux's Eagle Aquila verreauxii 1

African Hawk-Eagle Aquila spilogaster 1

Lizard Buzzard Kaupifalco monogrammicus 1

Dark Chanting Goshawk Melierax metabates 1

18 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax canorus 1

Shikra Accipiter badius 1

African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus 1

Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptius 1

African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer 1

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 1

Augur Buzzard Buteo augur 1

OTIDIFORMES

Bustards Otididae

Kori Bustard - NT Ardeotis kori 1

Rüppell's Korhaan Eupodotis rueppelii 1

Red-crested Korhaan Lophotis ruficrista 1

Northern Black Korhaan Afrotis afraoides 1

GRUIFORMES

Finfoots Heliornithidae

African Finfoot Podica senegalensis 1

Rails, Crakes and Coots Rallidae

African Rail Rallus caerulescens 1

Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra 1

African Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis 1

Allen's Gallinule Porphyrio alleni 1

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 1

Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata 1

Cranes Gruidae

Wattled Crane - VU Grus carunculata 1

CHARADRIIFORMES

Stone-curlews, Thick-knees ) Burhinidae

Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus 1

Stilts, Avocets Recurvirostridae

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus 1

Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta 1

Plovers Charadriidae

Long-toed Lapwing Vanellus crassirostris 1

Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus 1

White-crowned Lapwing Vanellus albiceps 1

Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus 1

African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegallus 1

Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola 1

Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula 1

Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius 1

Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris 1

White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus 1

19 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Chestnut-banded Plover - NT Charadrius pallidus 1

Caspian Plover Charadrius asiaticus 1

Painted-snipes Rostratulidae

Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis 1

Jacanas Jacanidae

African Jacana Actophilornis africanus 1

Sandpipers, Snipes Scolopacidae

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica 1

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 1

Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis 1

Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia 1

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola 1

Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 1

Sanderling Calidris alba 1

Little Stint Calidris minuta 1

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea 1

Ruff Philomachus pugnax 1

Coursers, Pratincoles Glareolidae

Burchell's Courser Cursorius rufus 1

Double-banded Courser Rhinoptilus africanus 1

Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola 1

Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis 1

Gulls, Terns and Skimmers Laridae

African Skimmer - NT Rynchops flavirostris 1

Grey-headed Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus 1

Hartlaub's Gull Chroicocephalus hartlaubii 1

Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus 1

Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii 1

Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis 1

Damara Tern - NT Sternula balaenarum 1

Common Tern Sterna hirundo 1

Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 1

Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida 1

White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus 1

PTEROCLIFORMES

Sandgrouse Pteroclidae

Namaqua Sandgrouse Pterocles namaqua 1

Double-banded Sandgrouse Pterocles bicinctus 1

COLUMBIFORMES

Pigeons, Doves Columbidae

Rock Dove Columba livia 1

Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea 1

20 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Mourning Collared Dove Streptopelia decipiens 1

Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata 1

Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola 1

Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis 1

Emerald-spotted Wood Dove Turtur chalcospilos 1

Namaqua Dove Oena capensis 1

African Green Pigeon Treron calvus 1

MUSOPHAGIFORMES

Turacos Musophagidae

Schalow's Turaco Tauraco schalowi 1

Grey Go-away-bird Corythaixoides concolor 1

CUCULIFORMES

Cuckoos Cuculidae

Senegal Coucal Centropus senegalensis 1

Coppery-tailed Coucal Centropus cupreicaudus 1

White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus 1

Levaillant's Cuckoo Clamator levaillantii 1

Diederik Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius 1

Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas 1

African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus 1

Black Cuckoo Cuculus clamosus 1

Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 1

STRIGIFORMES

Owls Strigidae

Pel's Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli 1

African Wood Owl Strix woodfordii 1

Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum 1

African Barred Owlet Glaucidium capense 1

CAPRIMULGIFORMES

Nightjars Caprimulgidae

Rufous-cheeked Nightjar Caprimulgus rufigena 1

Freckled Nightjar Caprimulgus tristigma 1

Square-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus fossii 1

APODIFORMES

Swifts Apodidae

African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus 1

Common Swift Apus apus 1

Little Swift Apus affinis 1

White-rumped Swift Apus caffer 1

COLIIFORMES

Mousebirds Coliidae

White-backed Mousebird Colius colius 1

21 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Red-faced Mousebird Urocolius indicus 1

CORACIIFORMES

Rollers Coraciidae

Purple Roller Coracias naevius 1

Racket-tailed Roller Coracias spatulatus 1

Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudatus 1

European Roller - NT Coracias garrulus 1

Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus 1

Kingfishers Alcedinidae

Brown-hooded Kingfisher Halcyon albiventris 1

Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti 1

Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis 1

Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis cristatus 1

Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima 1

Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis 1

Bee-eaters Meropidae

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundineus 1

Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus 1

White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides 1

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus 1

Olive Bee-eater Merops superciliosus 1

European Bee-eater Merops apiaster 1

Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides 1

BUCEROTIFORMES

Hoopoes Upupidae

African Hoopoe Upupa africana 1

Wood Hoopoes Phoeniculidae

Green Wood Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus 1

Violet Wood Hoopoe Phoeniculus damarensis 1

Common Scimitarbill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas 1

Hornbills Bucerotidae

Southern Red-billed Hornbill Tockus rufirostris 1

Monteiro's Hornbill Tockus monteiri 1

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus leucomelas 1

Bradfield's Hornbill Lophoceros bradfieldi 1

African Grey Hornbill Lophoceros nasutus 1

Trumpeter Hornbill Bycanistes bucinator 1

PICIFORMES

African Barbets Lybiidae

Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus 1

Acacia Pied Barbet Tricholaema leucomelas 1

Black-collared Barbet Lybius torquatus 1

22 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Crested Barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii 1

Honeyguides Indicatoridae

Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor 1

Woodpeckers Picidae

Bennett's Woodpecker Campethera bennettii 1

Golden-tailed Woodpecker Campethera abingoni 1

Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens 1

Bearded Woodpecker Dendropicos namaquus 1

FALCONIFORMES

Caracaras, Falcons Falconidae

Greater Kestrel Falco rupicoloides 1

Grey Kestrel Falco ardosiaceus 1

Red-footed Falcon - NT Falco vespertinus 1

Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo 1

Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus 1

PSITTACIFORMES

African & New World Parrots Psittacidae

Meyer's Parrot Poicephalus meyeri 1

Rüppell's Parrot Poicephalus rueppellii 1

Old World Parrots Psittaculidae

Rosy-faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicollis 1

PASSERIFORMES

Wattle-eyes, Batises Platysteiridae

Chinspot Batis Batis molitor 1

Pririt Batis Batis pririt 1

White-tailed Shrike Lanioturdus torquatus 1

Helmetshrikes Prionopidae

White-crested Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus 1

Retz's Helmetshrike Prionops retzii 1

Bushshrikes Malaconotidae

Grey-headed Bushshrike Malaconotus blanchoti 1

Orange-breasted Bushshrike Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus 1

Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus 1

Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis 1

Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus 1

Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla 1

Tropical Boubou Laniarius major 1

Swamp Boubou Laniarius bicolor 1

Crimson-breasted Shrike Laniarius atrococcineus 1

Brubru Nilaus afer 1

Cuckooshrikes Campephagidae

Black Cuckooshrike Campephaga flava 1

23 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Shrikes Laniidae

Magpie Shrike Urolestes melanoleucus 1

Southern White-crowned Shrike Eurocephalus anguitimens 1

Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio 1

Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor 1

Southern Fiscal Lanius collaris 1

Figbirds, Orioles Oriolidae

African Golden Oriole Oriolus auratus 1

Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus 1

Drongos Dicruridae

Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis 1

Monarchs Monarchidae

African Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis 1

Crows, Jays Corvidae

House Crow Corvus splendens 1

Cape Crow Corvus capensis 1

Pied Crow Corvus albus 1

Tits, Chickadees Paridae

Southern Black Tit Melaniparus niger 1

Carp's Tit Melaniparus carpi 1

Rufous-bellied Tit Melaniparus rufiventris 1

Ashy Tit Melaniparus cinerascens 1

Cinnamon-breasted Tit Melaniparus pallidiventris 1

Nicators Nicatoridae

Eastern Nicator Nicator gularis 1

Larks Alaudidae

Gray's Lark Ammomanopsis grayi 1

Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix verticalis 1

Sabota Lark Calendulauda sabota 1

Fawn-colored Lark Calendulauda africanoides 1

Dune Lark Calendulauda erythrochlamys 1

Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana 1

Flappet Lark Mirafra rufocinnamomea 1

Stark's Lark Spizocorys starki 1

Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea 1

Bulbuls Pycnonotidae

African Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus nigricans 1

Dark-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor 1

Yellow-bellied Greenbul Chlorocichla flaviventris 1

Terrestrial Brownbul Phyllastrephus terrestris 1

Swallows, Martins Hirundinidae

Grey-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga 1

24 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Brown-throated Martin Riparia paludicola 1

Sand Martin Riparia riparia 1

Banded Martin Riparia cincta 1

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 1

Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii 1

Pearl-breasted Swallow Hirundo dimidiata 1

Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula 1

Greater Striped Swallow Cecropis cucullata 1

Lesser Striped Swallow Cecropis abyssinica 1

Red-breasted Swallow Cecropis semirufa 1

Mosque Swallow Cecropis senegalensis 1

Crombecs, African Warblers Macrosphenidae

Rockrunner Achaetops pycnopygius 1

Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens 1

Leaf Warblers and allies Phylloscopidae

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 1

Reed Warblers and allies Acrocephalidae

Greater Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus rufescens 1

Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris 1

Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus 1

African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus 1

Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris 1

Grassbirds and allies Locustellidae

Little Rush Warbler Bradypterus baboecala 1

Cisticolas and allies Cisticolidae

Red-faced Cisticola Cisticola erythrops 1

Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chiniana 1

Luapula Cisticola Cisticola luapula 1

Chirping Cisticola Cisticola pipiens 1

Neddicky Cisticola fulvicapilla 1

Desert Cisticola Cisticola aridulus 1

Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava 1

Black-chested Prinia Prinia flavicans 1

Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida 1

Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brevicaudata 1

Stierling's Wren-Warbler Calamonastes stierlingi 1

Yellow-bellied Eremomela Eremomela icteropygialis 1

Burnt-necked Eremomela Eremomela usticollis 1

Laughingthrushes Leiothrichidae

Black-faced Babbler Turdoides melanops 1

Arrow-marked Babbler Turdoides jardineii 1

Hartlaub's Babbler Turdoides hartlaubii 1

25 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Bare-cheeked Babbler Turdoides gymnogenys 1

Sylviid Babblers Sylviidae

Common Whitethroat Sylvia communis 1

Chestnut-vented Warbler Sylvia subcaerulea 1

White-eyes Zosteropidae

Orange River White-eye Zosterops pallidus 1

African Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis 1

Starlings, Rhabdornis Sturnidae

Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea 1

Cape Starling Lamprotornis nitens 1

Greater Blue-eared Starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus 1

Meves's Starling Lamprotornis mevesii 1

Burchell's Starling Lamprotornis australis 1

Sharp-tailed Starling Lamprotornis acuticaudus 1

Violet-backed Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster 1

Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio 1

Pale-winged Starling Onychognathus nabouroup 1

Oxpeckers Buphagidae

Yellow-billed Oxpecker Buphagus africanus 1

Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorynchus 1

Thrushes Turdidae

Groundscraper Thrush Turdus litsitsirupa 1

Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyana 1

Chats, Old World Flycatchers Muscicapidae

Kalahari Scrub Robin Cercotrichas paena 1

White-browed Scrub Robin Cercotrichas leucophrys 1

Grey Tit-Flycatcher Myioparus plumbeus 1

Southern Black Flycatcher Melaenornis pammelaina 1

Pale Flycatcher Melaenornis pallidus 1

Chat Flycatcher Melaenornis infuscatus 1

Marico Flycatcher Melaenornis mariquensis 1

Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata 1

Ashy Flycatcher Muscicapa caerulescens 1

Angolan Cave Chat Cossypha ansorgei 1

White-browed Robin-Chat Cossypha heuglini 1

Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush Cichladusa ruficauda 1

Short-toed Rock Thrush Monticola brevipes 1

African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus 1

Karoo Chat Emarginata schlegelii 1

Ant-eating Chat Myrmecocichla formicivora 1

Mountain Wheatear Myrmecocichla monticola 1

Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata 1

26 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Familiar Chat Oenanthe familiaris 1

Herero Chat Namibornis herero 1

Sunbirds Nectariniidae

Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris 1

Scarlet-chested Sunbird Chalcomitra senegalensis 1

Marico Sunbird Cinnyris mariquensis 1

Purple-banded Sunbird Cinnyris bifasciatus 1

White-bellied Sunbird Cinnyris talatala 1

Dusky Sunbird Cinnyris fuscus 1

Copper Sunbird Cinnyris cupreus 1

Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches Passeridae

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali 1

Sociable Weaver Philetairus socius 1

House Sparrow Passer domesticus 1

Great Sparrow Passer motitensis 1

Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus 1

Northern Grey-headed Sparrow Passer griseus 1

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow Passer diffusus 1

Weavers, Widowbirds Ploceidae

Red-billed Buffalo Weaver Bubalornis niger 1

Scaly-feathered Weaver Sporopipes squamifrons 1

Thick-billed Weaver Amblyospiza albifrons 1

Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis 1

Holub's Golden Weaver Ploceus xanthops 1

Southern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus xanthopterus 1

Southern Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus 1

Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus 1

Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea 1

Fan-tailed Widowbird Euplectes axillaris 1

Waxbills, Munias and allies Estrildidae

Green-winged Pytilia Pytilia melba 1

Red-headed Finch Amadina erythrocephala 1

Brown Firefinch Lagonosticta nitidula 1

Jameson's Firefinch Lagonosticta rhodopareia 1

Blue Waxbill Uraeginthus angolensis 1

Violet-eared Waxbill Uraeginthus granatinus 1

Cinderella Waxbill Estrilda thomensis 1

Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild 1

Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullata 1

Indigobirds, Whydahs Viduidae

Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura 1

Shaft-tailed Whydah Vidua regia 1

27 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Long-tailed Paradise Whydah Vidua paradisaea 1

Wagtails, Pipits Motacillidae

Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 1

Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis 1

African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp 1

African Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus 1

Buffy Pipit Anthus vaalensis 1

Finches Fringillidae

Black-throated Canary Crithagra atrogularis 1

White-throated Canary Crithagra albogularis 1

Buntings, New World Sparrows Emberizidae

Lark-like Bunting Emberiza impetuani 1

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting Emberiza tahapisi 1

Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris 1

Cape Bunting Emberiza capensis 1

TOTAL 370

NAMIBIA, OKAVANGO AND VICTORIA FALLS

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 WILDLIFE LISTS

Status: NT = Near-threatened, VU = Vulnerable, CE = Critically Endangered

MAMMALS

Common Name Scientific Name Trip

CHIROPTERA

Pteropodidae

Angolan fruit bat Lissonycteris angolensis 1

RODENTIA

Sciuridae

South African ground squirrel Xerus inauris 1

Congo rope squirrel Funisciurus congicus 1

Smith's bush squirrel Paraxerus cepapi 1

Petromuridae

Dassie rat Petromus typicus 1

LAGOMORPHA

Leporidae

Cape hare Lepus capensis 1

HYRACOIDEA

Procaviidae

Rock hyrax Procavia capensis 1

PROBOSCIDEA

28 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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Elephantidae

African elephant - VU Loxodonta africana 1

PERISSODACTYLA

Equidae

Plains zebra Equus quagga 1

Rhinocerotidae

Black rhinoceros - CE Diceros bicornis 1

ARTIODACTYLA

Hippopotamidae

Hippopotamus - VU Hippopotamus amphibius 1

Suidae

Common warthog Phacochoerus africanus 1

Giraffidae

Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis 1

Bovidae

Blue wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus taurinus 1

Red hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus caama 1

Tsessebe Damaliscus lunatus lunatus 1

Common duiker Sylvicapra grimmia 1

Springbok Antidorcas marsupialis 1

Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus 1

Damara dik-dik Madoqua kirkii damarensis 1

Steenbok Raphicerus campestris 1

Common impala Aepyceros melampus melampus 1

Black-faced impala - VU Aepyceros melampus petersi x

Roan antelope Hippotragus equinus 1

Gemsbok Oryx gazella 1

African buffalo Syncerus caffer 1

Greater kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros 1

Sitatunga Tragelaphus spekei 1

Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus 1

Southern reedbuck Redunca arundinum 1

Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus 1

Red lechwe Kobus leche leche 1

Delphinidae

Heaviside's dolphin Cephalorhynchus heavisidii 1

Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus 1

CARNIVORA

Hyaenidae

Brown hyaena - NT Parahyaena brunnea 1

Spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta 1

Felidae

29 | T R I P R E P O R T Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls, November - December 2015

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African lion - VU Panthera leo leo 1

Canidae

Bat-eared fox Otocyon megalotis 1

Black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas 1

Herpestidae

Yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata 1

Slender mongoose Galerella sanguinea 1

Banded mongoose Mungos mungo 1

Otariidae

Cape fur seal Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus 1

PRIMATES

Cercopithecidae

Chacma baboon Papio ursinus 1

Vervet Chlorocebus pygerythrus 1

TOTAL 44

REPTILES

Common Name Scientific Name Trip

SQUAMATA

Viperidae

Horned adder Bitis caudalis 1

Pythonidae

Southern African python Python natalensis 1

Agamidae

Namib rock agama Agama planiceps 1

Southern ground agama Agama aculeata 1

Varanidae

Nile monitor Varanus niloticus 1

CROCODILIA

Crocodylidae

Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus 1

TESTUDINES

Pelomedusidae

Marsh terrapin Pelomedusa subrufa 1

TOTAL 7