Kwando Nov & Dec 2014

[CDL111]

Thank you all for your kind comments regarding the report and the best wishes for Stephanie. Although I have only been a member for a short time, we both enjoy reading the reports and looking at the fantastic pics, please keep them coming. Yes we shall keep reading them it is great to read a report from somebody who is a dedicated to going on safari. For those that can, I hope you are watching Big Cat Week on Nat Geo Wild.

[Peter Connan]

@@CDL111, may I add my wishes for a speedy recovery for your wife!

[CDL111]

@@CDL111, may I add my wishes for a speedy recovery for your wife!

Thankyou @@Peter Connan

[pault]

+1 hoping you'll be on your next safari earlier than expected.

 

Thanks for the report. Not looking at Botswana again any time soon, but you never know and these are all places in which I am interested and a time of year I like to travel.

[CDL111]

+1 hoping you'll be on your next safari earlier than expected.

 

Thanks for the report. Not looking at Botswana again any time soon, but you never know and these are all places in which I am interested and a time of year I like to travel.

 

+1 hoping you'll be on your next safari earlier than expected.

 

Thanks for the report. Not looking at Botswana again any time soon, but you never know and these are all places in which I am interested and a time of year I like to travel.

So where are you thinking of going @@pault, quite a few people that we had met on our holiday suggested that we do a self drive in Namibia.

[inyathi]

Great to catch up on some of these amazing places in Botswana, I’ve really enjoyed reading through your report. You did say in your first post “if I’m getting it wrong please say so” taking you at your word, I have to point out that some of your ids are wrong. In post 9 the bee-eater is a blue-cheeked although there are differences in size and colour the tail is the obvious give away also the whydah is a shaft-tailed the male of this species when breeding is pale yellow and black as opposed to the pin-tailed which is black and white and which also despite its name has thicker tail feathers. In post 34 the mongooses look to me more like young yellow mongooses rather than slenders the colour and the head shape is wrong for slender mongoose. The heron with the frog in post 84 is a grey heron, I’m pretty sure that the flying raptor in post 90 that you couldn’t id is a brown snake eagle. Finally the owlet in post 94 is a barred owlet as it doesn’t have the white spots on the back that the pearl spotted has, always a nice bird to find. I do hope you don’t mind me correcting you as I wouldn’t wish to deter you from writing further reports.

 

I hope when your wife has recovered you make it back to Africa to enjoy another safari as great as this one evidently was.

[CDL111]

Great to catch up on some of these amazing places in Botswana, I’ve really enjoyed reading through your report. You did say in your first post “if I’m getting it wrong please say so” taking you at your word, I have to point out that some of your ids are wrong. In post 9 the bee-eater is a blue-cheeked although there are differences in size and colour the tail is the obvious give away also the whydah is a shaft-tailed the male of this species when breeding is pale yellow and black as opposed to the pin-tailed which is black and white and which also despite its name has thicker tail feathers. In post 34 the mongooses look to me more like young yellow mongooses rather than slenders the colour and the head shape is wrong for slender mongoose. The heron with the frog in post 84 is a grey heron, I’m pretty sure that the flying raptor in post 90 that you couldn’t id is a brown snake eagle. Finally the owlet in post 94 is a barred owlet as it doesn’t have the white spots on the back that the pearl spotted has, always a nice bird to find. I do hope you don’t mind me correcting you as I wouldn’t wish to deter you from writing further reports.

 

I hope when your wife has recovered you make it back to Africa to enjoy another safari as great as this one evidently was.

I do not mind that you have corrected some of my ids @@inyathi, next time we go, and we will, I will slap the guides on the wrist for getting some of them wrong, but I must put my hand up to a lot of the mistakes. I need to buy a better book on mammals of Botswana, because neither of them show a yellow mongoose, and also take more care when looking Sasol's bird book.

[KaingU Lodge]

 

+1 hoping you'll be on your next safari earlier than expected.

 

Thanks for the report. Not looking at Botswana again any time soon, but you never know and these are all places in which I am interested and a time of year I like to travel.

 

+1 hoping you'll be on your next safari earlier than expected.

 

Thanks for the report. Not looking at Botswana again any time soon, but you never know and these are all places in which I am interested and a time of year I like to travel.

So where are you thinking of going @@pault, quite a few people that we had met on our holiday suggested that we do a self drive in Namibia.

 

 

@@CDL111 I also hope your wife makes a good recovery and that you get back as soon as possible.

A self drive Namibia trip is something I think everyone should experience at least once. Although often seen as the 'beginners' country for self driving it can be as easy or hard as you like. Accommodation can be a basic or as deluxe as you like. Good infrastructure, some of the most amazing scenery in the world. The biggest risks are driving too fast as the roads are so good!

[Seniortraveller]

Not sure how I missed this report, brought back happy memories. My friend and I were just behind you at Lagoon and Lebala. In fact the interlopers with Spencer, that you referred to in post 60, were probably us with a group of four Americans!

When we arrived at Lebala, there was only one other person staying. He was an elderly gentleman from Israel. Another couple did arrive before we left, but we were surprised at how quiet it was.

 

For anyone considering going at this time of year, I would strongly recommend taking good waterproof clothing. After Lebala we moved to Kwara and while there experienced heavy, and on one drive prolonged, rain .The ponchos provided, while new, were totally useless. I had a lightweight goretex jacket with me, so was better off than some. I was just sorry that I had not taken my trousers as well!

 

I do hope that your wife makes a quick recovery and that you will both soon be planning your next trip.

[Atravelynn]

Thumbs up for all the good leopard poses. The sky behind the leopard draped on the limb was a lovely setting. Thumbs down for the motormouth. I've used the excuse that I am hard of hearing and would like to hear what the guide has to say when I get big mouthed vehicle mates. But it doesn't always work.

[Atravelynn]

I just read the comments about your wife's health. Wishing her a quick return to good health again.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Atravelynn

[CDL111]

@@Atravelynn, I only use the excuse of hard of hearing when I miss what the wife says (often).

[graceland]

I just read the comments about your wife's health. Wishing her a quick return to good health again.

 

I send well wishes myself. I am returning from a visit with my only brother. Wondering how long I now have with him. I happily took him to another world with pics and words from all here on ST ...it took him away from his own illness and regrets and

Naturally I am appreciative of the healing effect everyones' contributions have been ✨

[madaboutcheetah]

Just catching up with the updates to this report - here's wishing Stephanie all the best for a quick and speedy recovery!