Galana's. Third big year.

[Galana]

Heading further north now via teh dusty road through Sesfontein, where we had entered the Hoanib river but we  now turn north for the Kunene river and the Angolan border.

 

The birding has to await our arrival at Epupa Falls Camp but is no unrewarding-

 

221. Southern Anteater Chat.  Sesfontein.

 

Unpacked and out birding at Epupa Falls Lodge whilst my companion goes to look at the falls.

222. Cape Pendline Tit. Epupa Falls Lodge.

 

Looking up in the Palm trees....

223. Rosy-faced Lovebirds. Epupa Falls Lodge.

 

224. Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush. Epupa Fals Lodge. A special bird for this area.

 

225. Wire-tailed Swallow. Epupa Falls. Again a bird you need to travel north to find in Namibia.

 

That's about it for Epupa Falls. Tomorrow we take the much improved road east along the Kunene to our next destination.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Galana
Additional updated comment.

[Dave Williams]

Good to hear you survived the tent! I'm beginning to think my cancelled trip to SA and Namibia last year might have been a blessing. The roof top tent might have been even worse than one at ground level, especially with another alongside too.

Still, you got some excellent birds!

[Galana]

@Dave Williams Thanks. More to come. Ground tents are OK as long as big enough to get your kecks on and off. And less to fall after a glass of Malt.

Yes, despite the schedule I managed a few decent bird moments.

[Galana]

So leaving Epupa Falls along the previously 'forbidden' D3700 riverside track we head east having reached the apogee of our drive. Our destination is the lovely Kunene River Lodge, set as you would expect, along side the Kunene River with Angola within a stones throw. Not that throwing stones at Angolans is recommended!

My companion rigged his tent but I was booked into one of the lovely bungalows in verdant grounds.

 

On the way we got our first clear shots at two birds although the offering below is from a later time.

226. Emerald Spotted Wood-dove. (I never know where to put the hyphen with these things) Roadside Kunene.

 

227. Namaqua Sand Grouse. Actually in Etosha.

 

228. Meve's Starling. Kunene River Lodge.

 

229. Yellow-bellied Greenbul. Came to check out the seating area. Who needs a tent?

 

Now a short Drumroll. Worth the effort and a main driver for my suffering.....

 

230. Cinderella Waxbill. In the garden. Kunene River Lodge. Tricky beggars to snap as they love to hide in long grass. One would think that after all the effort of coming up to see them they could be more co-operative.

A Kunene Lodge special but we are not done there yet.

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

Good to hear you survived the tent! I'm beginning to think my cancelled trip to SA and Namibia last year might have been a blessing. The roof top tent might have been even worse than one at ground level, especially with another alongside too.

Still, you got some excellent birds!

 

Rooftop tents?? Way too much hassle when you need to get up for a pee in the middle of the night. 

[Soukous]

Cindarella Waxbill, never seen one, now I have to find one.

[Galana]

3 hours ago, Soukous said:

Cindarella Waxbill, never seen one, now I have to find one.

Well time to start packing. Apart from this small seasonal population in Kunene Region it is endemic to Angola.

Breeding is confirmed in Namibia but they 'vanish' after the first drop of rain. Been twice, seen 'em once.

I am giving serious thought to a return in 2020.

[pedro maia]

55 minutes ago, Galana said:

Breeding is confirmed in Namibia but they 'vanish' after the first drop of rain.

 

Do they turn into pumpkins?

[Galana]

4 hours ago, pedro maia said:

Do they turn into pumpkins?

Very good but was that not the carriage? Perhaps keep an eye on the car!

[Galana]

So I had got my Cinderellas and the other "area speciality" need more time than we had available so I contented myself with checking out for the local variation of the ubiquitous Red-necked Spurfowl to no avail. Then it was suggested we take a sundowner cruise to the local 'falls' which is not really my thing but as I knew the boatman was a birder I concurred. Wise move.

As we set off, four Belgians, one Canadian and myself I did not think we would see much but some nice crocs. One of the eleven surviving hippos on the whole Kunene had been sighted too.

But as we closed on a rock on which a large bird was perched I noted it was a Darter. I could not get close to two other species seen, Giant Kingfisher and Little BeeEater but the trip turned into a success.

 

231. African Darter. Kunene River.

We lost the Kingfisher and BeeEaters but did manage this:-

232. Goliath Heron. Kunene River.

Then we swerved across the river to see a Black Crake and found this instead:-

 

233. Water Thick-knee or Dikkop. As it was on the north bank perhaps I can use it to to start my Angola list?

 

We then explored the falls and shot a few rapids before landing in Angola for the Sundowner:-

After sundown we untied and set off with few birds in mind.

Then, there was a flurry on a bush in the dimity and the boat headed for it. We could see it but it took time to fiddle with the ISO to get any sort of image hence the poor quality and the rocking boat did not help.

BUT:-

Hows this for an EBC??

234. White-backed Night Heron. Always a special bird but when one looks at the distribution charts it becomes even more special to me.

As it as now moonlight there as little hope of more but just for fun, and a point to help along a meagre score I include yet another EBC:_

235. Freckled Nightjar. Kunene River. ID not in doubt. We saw the field marks, heard its yapping call and anyway boatman Pete said it was and that's Pete in the photo with it, so who am I to argue?

 

Back to base for an excellent T-Bone Steak, cooked to my taste and a fine Bottle of Nederburg Shiraz.

Tomorrow we follow the river to where it leaves Angola at Ruacane but we turn south for Etosha.

 

[pedro maia]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

Very good but was that not the carriage? Perhaps keep an eye on the car!

 

I know, it was a bit forced...

[pedro maia]

I think the 2019 EBC competition is finished.

[PeterHG]

I'm glad you did get some of the specialties up north. At Kunene River Lodge last year we miseed out on both the Cinderella Waxbill and the boat trip (nobody there to man the boat...), but it was still a very enjoyable place. Good job on the Nightjar! Pete appears to be freckled as wel.

[Galana]

3 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

Pete appears to be freckled as wel.

I blame the sundowners he had! It was good to see him back.

[Galana]

14 hours ago, pedro maia said:

I think the 2019 EBC competition is finished.

Say's who?  Nothing is really over til the fat lady has sung!

Try these....

236, Black-backed Puffback. Kunene River Lodge.

 

Now after an interesting drive via Ruacane we reach Galton Gate into Etosha where even a keen BY fan may get distracted from time to time by four legged pachderms.

But meanwhile, sticking to our feathered friends,

 

237. Kori Bustard. Etosha. 2nd one was at Okaukuejo Waterhole among the elephants.

See end of post:-

 

238. Red-crested Bustard. Etosha. I did not record where.

 

239. Bataleur. Juv and Adult.  Spotted in among a pile of Vultures which I think I have completely omitted to record. I will check that out. I need all the points I can get.

 

240. Pale Chanting Goshawks. Again readily overlooked when speeding along.

 

Want a pachyderm?

Here is one with a Kori Bustard.

Just there by his leg.

The bird in picture keeps the post legal.

So does this one ......

 

That's it for now..

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by Galana
Additional photo.

[pedro maia]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

Say's who?  Nothing is really over til the fat lady has sung!

Try these....

236, Black-backed Puffback. Kunene River Lodge.

 

 

 

 

Not the same level, one can see feathers in these 2 pictures...

[Kitsafari]

lovely birds at the falls. 

 

wow, never seen a cinderella waxbill and now you've gone and make me wish for one. 

 

 

[Galana]

2 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

wow, never seen a cinderella waxbill and now you've gone and make me wish for one.

That's two of you on here so far. I see a trip coming on soon. Can I join in? Low maintenance, clean licence, has own binoculars. 

[Galana]

Still in  Etosha in between mammals I present another five:-

 

241. Common Fiscal. NB Subcoronatus in SW Africa has the supercileum which is a nice distinguishing feature that enhances the birds appearance.

 

242. A finch with a red head. Red-headed Finch. Sometimes birding is that easy. If only I could have got him away from that darn branch.

 

243. Northern Black Koorhan.

 

244. Double-banded Courser. If only I could have turned it you would see the Double bands.

 

Serendipity comes to my aid.

My companion wanted to see a Lion so I drove him to Okendeka waterhole where some often hang out.

Thus.

Watching lions is akin to watching paint dry in my book but as a reward I noted these two birds too at the same waterhole.

 

245. South Africa Sheldduck. Virtue brings its own rewards. I got a tick and Danny got his lions.

[Zim Girl]

Just catching up with your Namibian birds @Galana, congratulations on the 200.

[Galana]

More to reach 250.

 

246. Cape Rook. Etosha and everywhere. Just hard to get them to sit still.

 

247. Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark. I think the most common small bird in Etosha this trip.

 

248. Sociable Weaver. These are permanent residents at the waterhole at Okaukuejo.

 

249. Pied Crow. I nearly forgot to nail this common bird. Okaukuejo.

 

Finally a big surprise;-

Watching Kudu and Rhino at Gemboksvlaakt and noticed a bird.

Wassat?

 

250. African Harrier Hawk-Gymnogne. A resident of woodlands and forests. In Etosha?

 

And BTW the Kudu gave ground to the Rhino and the Gymnogene flew away.

 

So Gertrude was left in charge to keep an eye on me!

 

 

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by Galana
More text.

[Galana]

Some tough ones here.

251.  Cape Teal. Etosha. Up sun and hard to get to raise the heads it took some tweaking to even get an image that would enable any ID. Rietfontein Waterhole. Etosha. The only duck we saw this trip.

 

The next one was a little easier. Whilst at Okaukuejo my peace was disturbed by the pecking and after a search of a dead stump in the car park I got this. The only Woodpecker of the trip.

252. Cardinal Woodpecker. Okaukuejo Waterhole.

 

Now a bigger problem:-

Way out west I saw this:-

So, large bill, arid area

253. Bradfield's Lark. Amspoort, Hoanib River track.

 

Then while I was off doing a solo drive around the Ombika loops in Etosha came this:-

254. Sabota Lark. Near Ombika. Not a lot of difference. Maybe darker with smaller bill. Ambivalence sets in some times.

 

Finally on the same solo drive there was not much doubt here and I was pleased to see these.

and to show the main Field mark....

255. Burchell's Courser. The uncommon cousin of the more usual Temminck's.

 

That's it for now.

• Sign Up

 

Edited July 19, 2019 by Galana
More text.

[Galana]

Not sure where that "Sign up" note came from.

[Peter Connan]

I saw Gymnogene in Etosha too. But not such a great sighting as yours! There are large areas which are quite heavily wooded.

 

The read-headed Finch is a little beauty.

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Peter Connan said:

I saw Gymnogene in Etosha too.

Thinking back -- so have I on previous trip. Raiding a nest on the Grunewald track. I suppose it was the surprise of seeing it on the ground with the Kudu that threw me.