Kwando`s Green Season

[Kitsafari]

Ohh that Ms Leopard is a real stunner. Your pictures really show off her beauty well.

[johnkok]

Enjoyed reading your TR immensely.

 

My wife and I have returned recently from 6 nights at Lagoon (end-April, early-May) but have not had enough time to do all the needful. Just wanted to add that the pack of 20 dogs to the north (we did not see them) were sighted by others. We did get to follow the pack of 8. They are still rather inexperienced at hunting, and tried and missed warthogs several times that we saw. We did get to witness an entire confrontation they had with a lone hyena - which ended up a little bloodied before it got away from the pack.

 

With the hyena and as with the warthogs, some of the males are not pulling their weight - they hang back from the task. Our Guide Sugar (actually Sugah) pointed this out and we saw it ourselves. Sugah pointed out that the females are pregnant (I forget how many) but one was heavily so apparently.

 

Got to see the 3 cubs with mum and dad feasting on a fresh zebra kill - so they are doing well.

 

We saw "Blondie" mating - so that bodes well too for Lagoon.

 

Sugar was at Kwara over February/March and he told us how the new boys had ousted the Magnificent Seven that we had seen on our visit there in March 2013. His description of them made us want to visit, although our memory of the conditions at Little Kwara gave us pause. There is no fan inside the tent and I was almost always lying on the "cooler" wooden floor in the lounge area on the hot afternoons. But your pictures of the Marsh boys are tilting the balance :-) What impressive fellows they appear to be. And making a habit of hunting adult hippos??? Amazing.

 

Oh - and narry a sight of a cheetah. Not been seen for 7 days since before we arrived.

 

We had a private vehicle and we also asked for Spencer in advance (all down to @@madaboutcheetah of course - both Lagoon and Spencer). But Kwando were not as accommodating as andBeyond, who moved their Guide Tshabo over to Nxabega for us as we had had a wonderful experience with him in Sandibe in April 2013.

Edited May 21, 2014 by johnkok

[madaboutcheetah]

@@johnkok - some fantastic sightings ........ sorry, that they didn't have Spencer guiding you - Wow - Thanks for the updates. Hopefully a report in the making soon?

[michael-ibk]

@@johnkok

 

Thanks. Great to read about your experiences, that hyena confrontation must have been awesome. Glad that the lion cubs are well.

 

Well, the dogs must have had better luck while you weren´t looking. A warthog killl is prominently featured in the sightings report for April.

 

A pity that Kwando´s cheetahs and us Safaritalkers don´t seem to cooperate right now.

 

I´ll echo what @madaboutcheetah said, really hoping for a report and pics from you, the Pel´s and the lions are hopefully just a start.

[johnkok]

I'll get around to it. The spirit is willing. So many crappy photos to cull before other things can happen :-D

[michael-ibk]

Birds, pt. 11 (Misc.)



Where there´s water there´s a Blacksmith Lapwing. With the exception of the Kalahari they were everywhere. Abundant in the Okavango, numerous in Lagoon, and even made themselves at home in the few waterholes in Nxai Pan. The vernacular name derives from the repeated metallic 'tink, tink, tink' alarm call, which suggests a blacksmith´s hammer striking an anvil.




The Crowned Lapwing is a bird of the Kalahari. One of the most numerous birds there, and still in good numbers at Nxai Pan. None in the wetter areas farther north.




African Wattled Lapwing, the largest of the family. Only seen in Lagoon.




Where we also saw its much smaller relative, the Three-Banded-Plover.




Spotted Thick-Knee in Nxai Pan. Largely nocturnal, this one was out shortly before dusk.






Black-Winged Pratincole. Though they are classified as waders they hunt in flight. Not quite up to Quelea level, but their flocks are an impressive sight. Increasingly scarce now, near-threatened, habitat loss of their Eurasian breedings ground thought to be the cause.




Not completely sure, but probably a Bearded Woodpecker. (Bennet´s looks very similar.) Next to my deck in Lagoon Camp. Only Woodpecker seen.




We saw lots and lots of glossy starlings but apparently took almost no pics of them. Just this Burchell´s Starling.




This Red-Winged Starling was seen in Vic Falls.




The only time we caught a Pin-Tailed Whydah motionless. They are a nice sight with their incredibly long tails, but mostly just seen in flight, in very distinctive sine-like curves.






White-Browed Sparrow-Weaver. From the Kalahari to the Linyanti, they are everywhere.




Grey Go-Away-Bird. Mainly a Delta bird for us, just a few in Lagoon. So called because of its very loud "Kwoahhh"-sound - though you need quite a bit of imagination to hear a "Go Away" in that.

[michael-ibk]

And now, it really came to an end - our last safari drive, our last day in Botswana. How could the time have passed so quickly? Surely, only a few days ago we had only arrived after all? I was sad, of course. But somehow almost in a good way, because I also had a strong feeling of gratitude. It is a huge privilege to see all of this, to experience the wilderness of Botswana, to have so close - and so intimate - encounters with Africa´s magnificent animals, and especially on this last day here I was very much conscious of that, feeling humble. And just enjoyed this last day.



This had been a safari of so many "firsts" for me - first Kudu, first Eland, first Steenbok, first Honey Badger, first Gemsbok, first Wild Dogs, first Lechwe, and so on. On the drive whenever we found something I would always kind of ask myself if this would be a "last" for this journey, the more so the closer the clock got to 11:00 a.m., the time of our plane´s departure.

So, last Ostrichs:




Not the last sightings of Giraffes, plenty of them around this day:





With this one I somehow had the impression that the painter couldn´t be bothered to finish his job.






Last Tsessebes. This was very close to where we had found the lion cubs, and they seemed to sense their enemies´ presence, they were very nervous.

With good reason, because only 500 metres away we found the Kings of Lagoon, Blondie and his brother. Magnificent specimens, and it was nice to see them in daylight after our first encounter with them in pitch-black night.










Our next "last" was a breeding herd of elephants. A very peaceful, relaxing sighting, we stayed with them for a good half hour before they retreated.

Our last Kudu, politely having dressed up for the occasion:




Last giraffes. These youngsters gave off a bit of a Yin-Yang vibe with their "black-and-white" pose. Giraffes turn darker with age, but some of them get born this way - genetics!

After probably thousands of Impalas this solitary one said his good byes representative of all of them:




And of course, also the Wildebeest just sent a single emissary to bid us farewell - they really don´t seem to like each other´s company in Botswana:

 

 

Our tracker James was delighted with our very last sight - a quite sizable herd of zebras. As mentioned before, they are his favourite animals next to leopards.







Good bye guys! See you next time!

And then it was really over!

We said Good Bye to Paul and James, told them they were just the best (which they were) and promised to get back soon. Kwando had been great to us, and I´m sure I will return before long.



The airstrip with Lagoon camp in the background to the right.

After the flight to Kasane we were driven to the boarder (in an open car), passing by the Chobe River. Some antelopes in the distance near the river, mostly Impalas. And then one of the most surprising sights of this trip happened!

Two magnificent huge and beautiful antelopes with long curved hurnes galloped over the road, just 10 metres before us. And off into the thickish to the right. Of course we didn´t have our cameras ready, and cursing I frantically took them out of the bag, just pointed in their general direction and clicked. To luckily get at least a "proof pic" that we really had seen Sable Antelope, probably my "most wanted" herb for this trip.





A lesson learned for me. A safari is not over as long as you are on African soil. Always expect the unexpected.

[AKR1]

Thanks for an excellent report, Michael. I liked your writing style and pictures.

[Big_Dog]

Very poignant last day writings, Michael. An excellent trip. The last, lone Impala I found quite moving in an odd way.
Really love after all that safari you finally saw Sable bulls by the side of the road! Amusing and excellent and a fine end to a fine safari.

Looking back through, is it just me or is there an absence of hyaena in the trip? When I was in kwando they were seen nightly...perhaps they're less visible in the green season.

[TonyQ]

Thanks for the very enjoyable report

I remember that contrast between the first of everything, and then the last of everything.

[michael-ibk]

Thanks guys.

 

Actually I'm not completely finished yet, I will cover our last two days spent in Vic Falls.

 

@@Big_Dog

 

It's not you, it's me.

 

Sorry about the lack of hyenas, I know you like them. I do, too.

 

Was surprised about that myself. Saw just one spotted hyena near our first proper leopard sighting in Lagoon (the only hyena pic in this report), and another one basically in camp just when we were returning from a drive. Several times in Kwara and Lagoon their tracks were pointed out to us, so they were definitely around. But remained invisible.

 

Brown Hyena is (a very faint) possibility in Tau Pan, but I think it's really only in the dry season when one can hope to spot them there. and even then you need to be very lucky.

[Big_Dog]

Interesting; maybe they all just slink away into the thicker bush come the green season?
If you like the Kwando Facebook group you can see the photos from the Brown hyaena den at Tau Pan from the summer. Cubs photographed! They're also my most wanted species on safari...

[madaboutcheetah]

Down Lebala side there are two big clans ...... Up at lagoon too- usually in the dry season when some of the animals die due to thirst we end up seeing more of them.

[johnkok]

Birds, pt. 11 (Misc.)

 

 

 

Not completely sure, but probably a Bearded Woodpecker. (Bennet´s looks very similar.) Next to my deck in Lagoon Camp. Only Woodpecker seen.

 

I got him and a "her" in close proximity at Lagoon camp around the Lodge. Among other things (according to Roberts' Birds) the male Bennett's has a dark red malar stripe (a "marking on a bird's face that extends from the base of the bill to the side of the neck" and a white throat. [side note - Roberts' Multimedia has bird calls and just to add to our confusion, we think we heard the Bennett's]. This one's markings are all over the shop - nothing clearly distinct and diagnostic (for me) - but what clinches the deal for me is there was another woodpecker, one without any red on the crown following this one around. The female Bearded looks like that. The rear half of the crown in a female Bennett's is red.

 

This is a Bearded Woodpecker (Q.E.D.)

 

Now waiting for a real expert (Houston to @@Rainbirder Steve) to put me in my place, including the egg on my face.

[Big_Dog]

Down Lebala side there are two big clans ...... Up at lagoon too- usually in the dry season when some of the animals die due to thirst we end up seeing more of them.

Very interesting. Studies in Chobe show in the dry season Impala and Warthog are the preferred prey, in the green season almost exclusivley migratory zebra. Maybe that has something to do with it too?

[Rainbirder]

I've no experience of Southern African Woodies and have never seen Bennett's but it apparently looks very similar to Nubian. At first glance I thought that this was a Nubian -but that species does not extend so far south. Bearded is a big Woodpecker which exists in a number of slightly varied races but it always has a very prominent facial pattern with two broad black stripes on a whitish face (white is always clearly visible above and below the upper black facial stripe). Bearded also looks quite dark and doesn't seem to show the same contrast between the dark background and the pale spotting on the upper parts that is seen on Campethera Woodies.

 

The bottom line is I don't know but I don't think it's a Bearded.

[michael-ibk]

I think (referring to deleted post here) you´re right with Golden-Tailed, my "Birds of South African" says Bennett´s moustachial stripes are contrasting with a plain face. Not the case here, the kind-of-streaked coverts would match a Golden-Tailed. Still, the black eyering doesn´t seem to fit. But out of the three possible, very similar contenders it does seem to be the most probable choice.

 

Still wouldn´t account for @@johnkok ´s female, both Golden-Tailed and Bennett´s do have a red nape. Could of course simply have been another species.

 

Anyway, Paul and Spencer weren´t sure neither, so it can´t be too easy with this one.

Edited December 14, 2018 by michael-ibk

[SSF556]

Thanks guys.

 

Actually I'm not completely finished yet, I will cover our last two days spent in Vic Falls.

 

@@Big_Dog

 

It's not you, it's me.

 

Sorry about the lack of hyenas, I know you like them. I do, too.

 

Was surprised about that myself. Saw just one spotted hyena near our first proper leopard sighting in Lagoon (the only hyena pic in this report), and another one basically in camp just when we were returning from a drive. Several times in Kwara and Lagoon their tracks were pointed out to us, so they were definitely around. But remained invisible.

 

Brown Hyena is (a very faint) possibility in Tau Pan, but I think it's really only in the dry season when one can hope to spot them there. and even then you need to be very lucky.

 

The elusive hyaena..we did not see one. We saw tracks as well....oh well next time.

 

Great report again.

[michael-ibk]

Interesting; maybe they all just slink away into the thicker bush come the green season?

If you like the Kwando Facebook group you can see the photos from the Brown hyaena den at Tau Pan from the summer. Cubs photographed! They're also my most wanted species on safari...

 

@@Big_Dog

 

Thanks, just found the cubs. Wonderful sighting! I suppose if you´d like to see Brown Hyenas the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park would seem to be a very good choice.

[Big_Dog]

Yeah, from both trip reports on here and guides to the area it seems to the no.1 place for them!
Madikwe also seems like a good place...a family I met at Kwara said they say them often there and ranger diaries photographed a really cool incident of one chasing a leopard.

[michael-ibk]

Victoria Falls

Proceedings at the boarder to Zimbabwe went smoothly, in about 20 minutes we had our (very pretty looking) visa and entered the country. I was pretty surprised about the conditions of the road. Perfectly smooth tarmac all the way, and we made the 80 kms in less than an hour. The road leads straight through the Zambezi National Park, but we didn´t see anything.

We had chosen "The Elephant Camp", simply because it´s part of the Five Rivers package, and I had liked the fact that it´s quite small (12 tents) and a bit outside town (a 10 minutes drive). We really, really liked it here, it´s a well-managed and very beautiful place.



Lobby








These are the falls above. Loved watching the "creation of clouds".

The lodge is in a private (fenced) concession, they have Impala, Waterbuck, Wildebeest, Eland, Buffalo and more. No predators, but the odd Caracal or Leopard has occassionally been spotted by staff. It´s all pretty new, so they haven´t really started making use of their concession for guests, but plan to build a few roads and offering more extensive walking trips in the future.

It is very scenic, especially the view to the Zambezi gorges.





These elephants are not wild but part of the Wild Horizons Elephant Sanctuary near camp (in the concession), used for Elephant Back Rides. Often seen from tent or the terrace.

The tents were very comfy and relaxing.

[johnkok]

@@Rainbirder, 

 

In Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa, the Bennett's and the Golden-tailed (& other red crowned woodpeckers) all have a red malar stripe AND do not have the black eyeline except for the Bearded. This one at Lagoon has the black eyeline.

 

My shots of the male woody on several days yielded very poor results (shaded and I was foiled many times by branches and twigs fooling my auto-focus). Here is one with the red crown and two shots of woodies without

 

 

 

 

Bottom line - I'm still rooting for Bearded :-)

[Rainbirder]

John, your second image above is a female Bearded. The first image looks more like a Campethera Woodpecker -I don't know which are found in Botswana but it looks like a Golden-tailed. I'm not sure what the third bird is but it seems to have a noticeably smaller bill than the other two.

 

This is where you tell me that they are all images of the same bird! ;-)

[Soukous]

Not only am I enjoying this TR immensely but I'm getting a woodpecker tutorial thrown in as well. Brilliant.

[michael-ibk]

 

Part of our Vic Falls package was a Zambezi Sunset Cruise. Hadn´t expected much of this, and when we first came to the two-deck-boat with about 50 people on it I regretted not having chosen some more private activity or at least a smaller boat. The number of people, the big hotels we passed, the singers and drummers everywhere giving performances - an incredibly touristy feel after the wonderful remoteness of our Botswana safari.

But after a short while I quite enjoyed it, I just needed to get over the "shock" of being back in civilization. Snacks were tasty, beer was cold, and the Zambezi was beautiful. There are certainly far worse places to just sit back and relax.





And we did see more animals than I had expected. A few Waterbucks, several Bee-Eaters, Kingfishers, a Water Thick-Knee and a Southern Red Bishop.

 

Also a lot of Hippos.



Clearly, they were pretty much ok with all the boats passing by - but as we observed they are not amused about someone getting too close into their comfort zones. One smaller boat did, and everyone was quite surprised how fast a grumpy hippo can be - it tried to attack its admirers almost in jumps, and it was quite a close call for the intruders, they nearly didn´t get away in time.

 

We also saw some Elephants.





They love the rich, lush vegetation on the islands in the middle of the river and find their private paradise here, they are pretty much the only land-based mammals powerful enough to pass the river, the current is much too strong for other animals.

We also had our only clear sighting of a Croc here. They were around in Botswana of course, but we only ever saw some eyes, never one on land.

 

After the 2-hour-cruise we returned to camp. Another nice surprise was waiting shortly after leaving town next to the road: A herd of Cape Buffaloes. None of them around in the Kwando concessions, they vacate these areas in the Green Season, so I was happy to see them. (Sorry about the quality, no spotlighting here, and I do not have a decent flash.)