This was a relaxed 15-day tour, from 15 to 29 November 2009
Areas visited: Sossusvlei, Walvis Bay, the Erongo Mountains, Brandberg,
Etosha and the Waterberg Plateau Number of bird species: 254 species seen, 3 heard, 4 seen
by the participants only, 1 seen by the leader only
Number of mammal species seen: 42 species, including striped Polecat!
We also saw 15 reptile species, the Marbled Rubber Frog and the
Namib burrowing Spider.
seen by leader only:
Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea (seen by leader only)
seen by participants only:
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides (seen by participants only)
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus (seen by participants only)
Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata (seen by participants only)
Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus (seen by participants only)
Mammal species seen on tour:
(42 species)
Chacma Baboon
Lesser Bushbaby
Scrub Hare
South African Ground Squirrel
Smith's Bush Squirrel
Congo Rope Squirrel
South African Porcupine
Dassie Rat
Sriped Mouse
Black-backed Jackal
Bat-eared Fox
Cape Fox
Yellow Mongoose
Slender Mongoose
Banded Mongoose
Black Mongoose
Suricate (Meerkat)
Spotted Hyaena
Small-spotted Genet Striped Polecat
African Lion
Caracal
African Wild Cat
Cape Rock Hyrax (Dassie)
African Elephant
Burchell's Zebra
Hartmann's Mountain Zebra
Black Rhinoceros
Common Warthog
Southern Giraffe
Greater Kudu
Steenbok
Klipspringer
Damara Dikdik
Springbok
(Black-faced) Impala
Red Hartebeest
Blue Wildebeest (Gnu)
Southern Oryx (Gemsbok)
Cape Fur Seal
Atlantic Bottle-nosed Dolphin
Heaviside's Dolphin
Birding
Africa Trip Report by Tour Leader Michael
Mills .
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.
Please click this link for more
detailed information about our upcoming tours to Botswana.
Focus
For keen birders and mammal
enthusiasts. The tour focuses on most of Namibia's endemic birds
and wildlife, including unique desert-adapted species. The extension
to the Okavango Panhandle offers specials such as Pel's Fishing
Owl, Slaty Egret and White-backed Night Heron and involves an
Okavango River boat trip. While the tour is designed to see
as many endemic birds as possible, we are also able to spend
a lot of time looking for other aspects of wildlife such as
mammals, chameleons, geckos, butterflies and interesting desert-adapted
plants, such as Welwitschia and Hoodia. We can also customise
any guided or self-drive 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.
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 in the Okavango panhandle
region 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 rest camps.
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,
Rueppell's Parrot, Hartlaub's Francolin, Dune Lark, Blue Crane,
Secretarybird, Ludwig's Bustard, Southern Ground Hornbill, Burchell's
Courser, Rosy-breasted Longclaw.
African Elephant, Black Rhinoceros,
Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Springbok, Damara Dik-dik, Klipspringer,
Gemsbok (Southern Oryx), Burchell's Zebra, Hartmann's Mountain Zebra, Hartebeest,
Black-faced Impala, Meerkat, Dassie Rat. In the Okavango Panhandle,
there is a chance of seeing Sitatunga and Hippopotamus.
Booking
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.
