From Dawn Till Dusk - A Botswana Green Season Mobile

[screentraveller]

Safaris are not only about animals,  I am learning, they also mean landscaping and skyscaping  and rainbowscaping. How beautiful life is.

 

 

[Atravelynn]

The blush of rainbow in your Deception Pan and springbok shots is lovely.  Leopard cub with kill, now that is a rarity.  Your picture of Doug is priceless.  Nice birding at Riley's but you should not have to pay for it with stomach troubles.

[Zubbie15]

As usual I’m behind and just catching up, but that leopard and cub are so precious. Definitely some wall worthy photos there!

[Alexander33]

On 6/20/2019 at 12:15 PM, michael-ibk said:

 

At the veterinary checkpoint we had the first of many sightings of Peter´s next birding obsession - a Shaft-Tailed Whydah.

 

 

Well, yes, looking back at all my photos, it seems I did request we stop for these quite often.  But they at least were fairly cooperative, and my vehicle mates were very understanding when I wanted to climb out of the vehicle on our way into the Reserve that first afternoon to see if I could approach one a little closer for this shot:.

 

 

 

We had also seen its relative, the Broad-tailed Paradise Whydah, on the way out of Moremi a few days earlier.

 

 

 

But, to my recollection, if I had a birding obsession in the Kalahari, it was with this dastardly little thing, the aforementioned violet-eared waxbill, which loved nothing more than to torment me by hiding in the depth of thickets and tall grass.

 

 

 

The green wood-hoopoes had given me a final kiss-off in Moremi without even a modicum of success, and we wouldn’t see them in the Kalahari.  So with that project left in utter tatters, I really set a challenge for myself in CKGR with these tiny, colorful, and very active little waxbills.

 

 

In any event, as Michael said, it had been a long day, but we finally had made it into the Deception Valley area of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, and what a welcome we received. 

 

Just a few more photos of the monumental landscape that we encountered.

 

 

 

 

 

All eyes focused on the distant cheetah.

 

 

 

But he seemed to know that this wasn't the best opportunity, and instead splayed out in repose to survey the immense landscape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2019 by Alexander33

[Alexander33]

The next day, we had the opportunity to see a number of Kalahari specialties.

 

Right off the bat, bat-eared foxes.

 

 

 

 

 

And a little later, in better light.

 

 

 

Oryx at sunrise.

 

 

 

One of the most enjoyable moments was when we stopped to watch a yellow mongoose on the prowl.

 

 

 

 

 

Doug and Matambo let us out of the vehicle for closer looks.  I love the animation of these little carnivores.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nearby, some Cape ground squirrels cavorted.  It didn’t take much for them quickly to scurry into their burrow. Often, however, they just couldn’t resist their own curiosity, and would poke their heads out for a quick survey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made our way from camp that afternoon in much the same fashion as we had in the morning.

 

 

 

But the clouds began to gather and darken; the wind picked up; and we ended up having a pretty gloomy setting for our sundowners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had enjoyed our first full day in the Kalahari, but there was one target I still was anxious to see: the famous black-maned Kalahari lions. We had seen a pair of males in Deception Valley well before dawn, but they had moved on before first light.  Would we have the opportunity to see them again?

 

(And, of course, we also had some interesting bird sightings, but I will let @michael-ibk jump in with those, as well as to fill in any gaps I've left).

 

Edited June 23, 2019 by Alexander33

[Atravelynn]

My what big teeth you have!  Big for a yellow mongoose.

[Zubbie15]

Lovely yellow mongoose photos! Was it really cold enough to need a fleece?

[Atdahl]

What great Mongoose photos Peter!  It's almost like you saw a meerkat....

[Alexander33]

13 hours ago, Atravelynn said:

My what big teeth you have!  Big for a yellow mongoose.

 

@Atravelynn

 

Indeed. Funny, I almost used, “My, what big teeth...” as a title for one of the photos. 

 

 

3 hours ago, Zubbie15 said:

Was it really cold enough to need a fleece?

 

@Zubbie15

 

Thanks. Only occasionally. The mornings in the Kalahari were definitely cooler than in the Okavango, and even though I tend to be warm-natured, I was glad to have a fleece to cut the chill on a few mornings where the cloud cover kept the temperature down. By mid-morning, usually it was no longer necessary. 

 

 

3 hours ago, Atdahl said:

What great Mongoose photos Peter!  It's almost like you saw a meerkat....

 

Thanks, Alan. That one definitely acted like it might be having an identity crisis!

[Atravelynn]

2 hours ago, Alexander33 said:

 

@Atravelynn

 

Indeed. Funny, I almost used, “My, what big teeth...” as a title for one of the photos. 

 

Great minds think alike! 

[michael-ibk]

Almost getting to the end of this report now...

 

 

 

On 6/23/2019 at 3:33 AM, Alexander33 said:

We had seen a pair of males in Deception Valley well before dawn, but they had moved on before first light.

 

 

And then they were doing typical thrilling male Lion stuff - sleeping the day away, and even far from the road. Not the most cooperative chaps. This was a really weird safari for lions by the way - we had our share of good sightings of impressively maned good-looking boys - but we did not see a single female all over Botswana!

 

On 6/23/2019 at 3:33 AM, Alexander33 said:

And, of course, we also had some interesting bird sightings, but I will let @michael-ibk jump in with those,

 

At your command, Sir!

 

 

Acacia Pied Barbet

 

 

Red-Crested Korhaan

 

 

Red-Eyed Bulbul - one of the most attractive representants of this family.

 

It´s hard to believe how an arid place like the Kalahari can support such an incredible number of birds. Not species-wise but when it comes to quantity there are certainly way more individuals than in lush Northern Botswana. Every bush is full of chirping and calling, especially smaller chaps like Finches or Waxbills are abundant.

 

 

Red-Capped Lark - one of the few of this group which is quite easy to ID.

 

 

These ones were seriously lost - no idea what Red-Billed Teals were doing here.

 

 

Caspian Plover - one of many waders seen far less nowadays than they used to be according to Doug.

 

 

The default raptor of the Kalahari - Pale Chanting Goshawk. You quickly start ignoring them.

 

 

This one had me puzzled for a while but it´s just a juvenile PCG.

 

 

Greater Kestrel

 

 

Cape Glossy Starling

 

 

I hunted this one for quite a while in a lovely little grove until it would allow me to get a bit closer - a Green-Winged Pytilia.

 

 

A safari classic - Fork-Tailed Drongo.

 

 

Crimson-Breasted Shrike, seen in almost every second bush but infuriatingly hard to get.

 

 

 

Pririt Batis, male and female. I love these cute litte fellows and was delighted they eventually allowed me a closer shot.

 

 

The only Owl seen - Spotted Eagle-Owl.

 

 

Northern Black Korhaan - THE Kalahari bird to me. Their raucous call is everywhere, they really don´t appreciate anybody trespassing through their territory and make sure their displeasure is heard near and far.

 

Edited June 25, 2019 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

Why do I love the Kalahari? No other place seems that vast, that harsh and beautiful simultaneously.

 

 

 

So let´s see what else did we see on the non-feathered front? Not repeating the Yellow Mongoose, would only embarass myself after Peter´s awesome "shots of the trip" sequence. But some more Ground Squirrels just because they are so kalahary.

 

 

Like most animals here this little chap usually doesn't have to drink as it gets moisture from the food it eats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steenbok were seen fairly often, and we also saw (only one) Common Duiker - no presentable photo of the latter.

 

 

Hare taxonomy is pretty complicated, and IDing them just as tricky as Larks - for me at least. Both Cape Hare and Scrub Hare seem to occur in the CKGR, and even with all the suggested ID features in the book I´m at quite a loss which one this would be. Opinions?

 

 

Springbok, Springbok, Springbok everyhwere.

 

 

For some strange reason I almost took no photos of Gemsbok. They are among my favourite antelopes, really a stunning species. Well, most of them, some would not exactly win the "Cool Horns Beauty Contest".

 

 

 

Surprisingly we saw only a handful of Red Hartebeest. They were very common during our last trip in the Tau Pan area. This one liked to try to pass off as being part of the Gemsbok gang.

 

 

There was one surprising mammal we found but I will let Peter cover that. I will give you a hint - I hope it´s not too difficult to work this out.

 

 

 

The weather ... as Peter already alluded to this is where the Green Season caught up with us a bit. We had been pretty lucky so far but both our full Kalahri days were mostly grey and gloomy.

 

 

But a few moments late afternoon and early morning compensated for that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bat-Eared Fox and Black-Backed Jackal were both very common, especially in the mornings. But the Foxes mostly kept their distance to the roads, and we did not bother anymore about Jackals anymore after lots of good opportunities earlier in the trip. Excitingly we saw a Brown Hyena late last night when returning from Leopard Pan - no photos though. And another Honey Badger - but it disappeared in the high grass immediately.

 

 

One of my most vivid memories of our first Kalahari trip was the incredible number of Butterflies, and the joy of driving through hundreds and thousands of them flying around the car. I´d say there were slightly less of them this time but still completely uncountable. And yes, that is Elephant dung - some had obviously ventured down into the Kalahari. We did not see them though.

 

 

 

 

An African Striped Skink?

 

 

Kalahari Ground Agama?

 

Don´t really know but I do know that a reptile did provide one of the most intense Kalahari experiences. We stopped for a coffee break in a small copse, and I was all set to bless a tree with "water" - but Matambo firmly told me to stay put. "Look", he said.

 

 

I did. We did. But though it was there in plain sight it took us more than a minute to realize what mortal danger was lurking there. Almost like some of those 90ies 3d-pictures finally taking shape.

 

 

A Puff Adder! Responsible for more snake bite fatalities than every other species in Africa. Trouble with them is unlike their cousins they don´t flee but completely trust in their camouflage. A good thing Matambo had made it, not sure how it would have reacted to me, uhm, irrigating it.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2019 by michael-ibk

[Atravelynn]

Good thing nobody decided to sit down in the shade and lean against the tree trunk.  If the hare taxonomy is difficult, try figuring out what the ticks on the ears are.  Delightful butterflies.

[marg]

@Alexander33 @michael-ibk....very interesting trip report and great photos!  It's hard to believe the variety of birds that you found.  Thank you!!!!!

[pedro maia]

I remember you telling me about the puff ader, that could have been a huge scare, to say the least.

 

The Kalahari landscapes are just gorgeous.

[panamaleo]

Only into your first part of this amazing trip report. Wow! NatGeo quality photography and narration.

 

[colbol]

Beautiful bird pictures of all - the Greater Kestrel is special -oh and those korhann and their noise is so Africa.

Have yet to encounter the butterflies  that you guys witnessed. One day -one day itt will happen !!

We encounterd a similar Puff Adder episode in SA but it was the guide who disturbed it at a tree 

Cheers Colbol

[TonyQ]

Finally caught up!

Landscapes look beautiful. Leopard and cub- amazing.

Spectacular bird, and the Carmine Bee-eaters using the car was wonderful.

The contributions from all of you works really well, photos, videos and the writing.

A great trip

[Alexander33]

Thanks, everyone, for your kind comments and for the “likes.”

 

Michael has done a great job of describing our remaining time in CKGR.  While venomous snakes always stoke fear in people, myself included, it was fascinating to observe that puff adder.  The poor thing wanted nothing to do with us, quickly making its way to the base of the nearest tree to take advantage of its camouflage and “hide.”  It remained motionless the entire time we were there.

 

 

 

 

 

While we were finishing our coffee, another vehicle pulled up and told us that they had spotted a male lion some ways away.  It likely was one of the two we had seen the morning before.  Did we want to go find it?

 

Although seeing a single male lion might not be the be-all and end-all of a safari, these black-maned males are a Kalahari signature, and we hadn’t gotten a very good look one.  So I voted “yes,” and my safari companions, being good sports, didn’t object in spite of the warning that it would take us some time to get to the place where he had been spotted.

 

Along the way, we encountered giraffes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then, finally, our target.

 

 

 

 

 

He didn’t give us a whole lot, much preferring to sleep than to show off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But at least we had the opportunity to see one.

 

[Alexander33]

Throughout the morning, my aforementioned “obsession” bird, the violet-eared waxbill, had been vexing me as usual.  Back at camp, just after we had finished lunch, I spied a flurry of color out of the corner of my eye.

 

Another violet-eared waxbill.  But this one was too mesmerized by all the juicy seeds growing from the long grasses by the side of the road to heed the waxbill creed of inflicting torture on me.  And so, ignored and on foot for once, I was able to get reasonably close.

 

Male

 

 

 

 

 

Female

 

 

[Alexander33]

If the previous evening had been gloomy, sunrise the next day, as well as our last afternoon in the Kalahari, was glorious.  Although we didn’t have a select sighting that was particularly noteworthy, aside from the few already mentioned, it was the overall environment, the expansive landscape, and the beautiful sunlight illuminating it all, that made its impression on us.

 

 

 

 

 

Doug and Matambo scout the lay of the land.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No carmine bee-eaters here, unfortunately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alexander33]

Our drive back to camp after sundowners that last evening was quiet and pensive, as game drives often are when you realize your safari is just about over.  So I was really excited to encounter the spotted eagle-owl, as I had never seen one before, and to find it against the sunset sky was spectacular.  But in order to try to get a quality photo of it, I needed to switch my big lens (which was on my cropped-sensor camera) to my full-frame camera (which had the shorter f/2.8 lens on it), and there wasn’t time before the owl flew off.

 

 

 

So there’s another photo wish that I will carry with me henceforward. 

 

I was reminded then of some words I wrote in my trip report about our only other experience in the Kalahari, much farther to the south at Tswalu in South Africa in 2015:

 

“You never know what you are going to get.  Sometimes you will be rewarded.  Sometimes you will go without.  And sometimes the desert will offer up something you weren’t looking for and didn’t even know you wanted.”

 

I felt the same way on this trip.  And then those words turned prophetic. 

 

Matambo suddenly slowed the vehicle, and he and Doug pointed to the left and started talking.  I heard the word “hyena.”  Doug pointed the spotlight into the brush and, there, silhouetted against the darkness, was a strange-looking, long-haired creature.

 

It was a hyena all right.  Brown hyena!

 

Okay, it’s safe to say I “wanted” to see a brown hyena, my first, but we certainly hadn’t been expecting to see one.  It was impossible to get any photos, but I’ll always recall with fondness our sitting there, scratching our heads, trying to figure out what we were looking at, before it gratifyingly dawned on us all.

 

The Kalahari had struck again. 

[Atravelynn]

I believe you conquered the violet-eared waxbill and have an evocative spotted eagle owl, also pensive about what the night might bring.  You saw a brown hyena.  Hurray.

[Alexander33]

Back in Maun the next day, we had one last safari activity planned: a short (45-minute) afternoon helicopter ride over the Okavango Delta.  We had thought this might have to be postponed to the next morning due to rain, but the skies cleared up enough for us to proceed as planned.

 

From the air, I readily was able to see for the first time all the components of the Delta: the array of channels and the various, naturally built-up islands.  At this time of the year, before the waters from the Angolan highlands have made their way down, much of the Delta is dry, and for me, that only accentuated the mechanics of this unique ecosystem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will say that this was quite an expensive outing.  I’m certainly glad to have done it once, for the unique perspective that it gave, but given the cost, I’m not sure I’d do it again.  Of course, that’s just my perspective.  @AndMic, @michael-ibk, and I were all in the second row, behind the pilot, and it was a bit tight and cramped in there to accommodate six long arms and sharp elbows.

 

JB, on the other hand, was up front by himself, seated next to the pilot, with an expansive, bird’s eye view of everything.  He absolutely loved the experience, and now says he wants to include a helicopter ride on every safari we take from now on.

[Alexander33]

As I said at the outset, I went on this safari without any expectations.  It turned out to be a wonderful experience.  Although there were times when game was sparser than on other safaris I’ve taken, it reconfirmed my devotion to the Green Season.  I love the clean air, dramatic skies, the light, and the backdrop of lush foliage and flowers. 

 

And the lack of other visitors!  We often were alone, without another vehicle in sight, for hours at a time.  That experience thoroughly enhanced the incomparable sensation that we are just miniscule beings in an enormous and wondrous world.

 

Someone asked me to describe my favorite thing on this safari, and my immediate reaction was: leopards.  We had some great leopard sightings. 

 

But then I gave it some thought.  No, actually, to me the best discovery on this safari was not necessarily the leopards themselves, but, rather, the other people with whom we shared those cherished moments: our genial safari companions, @michael-ibk and @AndMic, and our enthusiastic and good-natured guide, @Doug Macdonald.

 

I’m reminded of a passage in the nonfiction book Into the Wild, in which the young Christopher McCandless, who has decamped to live in the wilderness of Alaska by himself, learns a critical life lesson too late before his tragic end: “[He] had happily escaped humanity his whole life, only to find that happiness itself can only be amplified when shared.”

 

Thanks for the many memories.  I hope that we will have the opportunity someday to reconnect.

 

Edited June 27, 2019 by Alexander33