This was a 14-day tour in March 2009, with focus on birds.
Areas visited: Namib Desert, Spitzkoppe, Etosha, Okavango Panhandle,
Mahango Timing: this tour was held
during one of the wetter summers in northern Namibia. The Kavango
River was at its highest level in 40 years and many areas were flooded.
Number of bird species seen: 370 species (356 species on
average among the participants) Number of mammal species
seen: 42 species (please scroll down for the
detailed list) Number of reptile species
seen: 14 species (please
scroll down for the detailed list)
Chacma Baboon
Vervet Monkey
Lesser Bushbaby
Scrub Hare
S. African Ground Squirrel
Tree Squirrel
Dassie Rat
Sriped Mouse
Black-backed Jackal
Spotted-necked Otter
Yellow Mongoose
Banded Mongoose
Spotted Hyaena
African Lion
Cape Rock Hyrax (Dassie)
African Elephant
Burchell's Zebra
Hartmann's Mountain Zebra
Black Rhinocerous
Hippopotamus
Warthog
Southern Giraffe
Greater Kudu
Bushbuck
Sitatunga
Steenbok
Klipspringer
Damara Dikdik
Springbok
(Black-faced) Impala
Red Hartebeest
Blue Wildebeest (Gnu)
Southern Oryx (Gemsbok)
Atlantic Bottle-nosed Dolphin
Cape Fur Seal
Red Lechwe
Common Reedbuck
Waterbuck
Common Duiker
Woodland Dormouse
Common Slit-faced Bat
Straw-coloured Fruit Bat
Reptile species seen on tour:
Shovel-snouted Lizard Meroles anchietae
Giant Plated Lizard Gerrhosaurus validus
Namibian Rock Agama Agama planiceps
Flap-necked Chameleon Chamaeleo dilepsis
Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus
Water Monitor Varanus niloticus
Marsh Terrapin Pelomedusa subrufa
Striped Skink Mabuya striata
Mole Snake Pseudaspis cana
Boomslang Dispholidus typus
Mozambique Spitting-Cobra Naja mossambica
Striped Skaapsteker Psammophylax tritaeniatus
Stripe-bellied Sand Snake Psammphis subtaeniatus
Eastern Tiger Snake Telescopus semiannulatus
Birding
Africa Trip Report by Tour Leader Joe
Grosel .
Many of the birding sites on this trip are described in detail in
the Southern African
Birdfinder which is widely available in South African bookshops
and on the internet. (e.g., www.netbooks.co.za
or www.wildsounds.co.uk). However
you're always welcome to contact
us if you're interested in a guided trip in this area.
For keen birders and mammal
enthusiasts. The tour focuses on most of Namibia's endemic birds
as well as the Okavango region specials, like Pel's Fishng Owl
and White-backed Night Heron. A boat trip on the Kavango river
is included. While the tour is designed to see as many as possible
endemic birds, we are also able to spend a lot of time looking
for other aspects of wildlife such as mammals, chameleons, geckos,
butterflies and interesting plants, such as Welwitschia and
Hudia. We can also customise any itinerary to suit to the keen
birder, the wildlife enthusiast or both.
Photography
Many participants on our trips are amateur
wildlife photographers. And when we get excellent views of a
bird or mammal, some time is usually spent watching and photographing
it. However, this is not a photographic tour and once the majority
of the people have felt that they have absorbed the animal or
bird to their satisfaction, then we move on in search of the
next encounter. Thus, while the photographic opportunities are
very good, the group will only occasionally wait for somebody
who wants to spend even longer getting better photos.
Have a look at Wim de Groot's Namibia pictures,
taken on a Birding Africa Namibia & Okavango trip.
Fitness
No fitness is required. The few walks
are generally in relatively flat areas with occasional small
inclines.
Timing
Good year round. At Etosha, birding
is best in summer, but game viewing is easiest in winter. September
to November may be best for birding at the panhandle as Afritropical
and Palaearctic migrants begin to arrive. However, late summer
is equally interesting.
Climate
Hot, especially in summer.
Comfort
A good standard of accommodation in
guest houses, lodges and small hotels.
Transport
We travel by minibus or four wheel drive
vehicle. The tour starts and ends in Windhoek.
Group Size
This depends on the specific tour. Please
enquire.
Top birds
Namibia: One endemic and almost 20 near-endemics
in a spectacular setting; Herero Chat, White-tailed Shrike,
Carp's Tit, Monteiro's Hornbill, Rockrunner, Rosy-faced Lovebird,
Ruppell's Parrot, Hartlaub's Francolin, Dune Lark, Blue Crane,
Secretarybird, Ludwig's Bustard, Wattled Crane, Southern Ground
Hornbill, Burchell's Courser, Rosy-breasted Longclaw
Please email
us if you wish to book. You will receive the booking form
and conditions and a tour information pack.
About
Birding Africa Birding Africa is a specialist birding
tour company customising tours for both world listers and more relaxed
holiday birders. We combine interests in mammals, butterflies,
dragonflies, botany and other natural history aspects and will guide
you to Africa's and Madagascar's most diverse birding destinations.
Our guides' knowledge of African
birds and birding areas is our greatest strength and together we
have rediscovered species, shared exciting observations with the
birding community and had a fun time exploring our home continent.
We've even written two acclaimed guide
books on where to find Southern Africa's and Madagascar's best
birds. Birding is more than our passion, it's our lifestyle, and
we are dedicated to making professional, best value trips filled
with endemic species and unique wildlife experiences. Since 1997,
we've run bird watching tours
in South Africa and further into Africa for individual birders,
small birding groups and top international tour companies. We've
run Conservation Tours
in association with the African Bird Club and work with and consult
for a number of other top international tour companies and the BBC
Natural History Unit.
