Botswana (Okavango Delta) Trip Report

[David]

Juliet and I have recently returned from a trip to Botswana.  Our journey started in Maun, the main town in the Okavango region.  We drove northwards up the western side of the Okavango area to a place called Shakawe.  Here we boarded a houseboat and spent three days travelling along the Okavango river.
We then continued travelling north and crossed the border into Namibia, then travelling eastwards along the Caprivi Strip towards the Zambian border and our destination of Livingstone.  Here we spent a day viewing Victoria Falls.
Next we headed to Kazungula and back to Botswana via a ferry across the Zambezi River.  At this stage of our journey we were starting a seven-night bush camping period in two people tents.  Our route would take us from Kasane on the shores of the Zambezi River back to Maun.  Most of this 370km journey was done on bush tracks.
Our first destination in Botswana was the Chobe National Park where we camped for three nights.  The first two nights were spent in the Serondela region and during this period we spent a half-day on the Chobe River, one of the main tributaries of the Zambezi.  We then spent many hours watching wildlife.  This was followed by a nights camping in the Savuti area.  On reaching Savuti we had completed 160km of our journey and were still inside the Chobe National Park.  All our travelling so far has been done on dirt tracks.
Leaving our Savuti campsite we continued over dirt tracks to the Moremi Game Reserve – one of Botswana’s most diversified reserves in terms of scenery and wildlife.  Here we spent two nights camping and many hours watching wildlife.  This reserve is tucked into the north-eastern area of the Okavango Delta and is thought by to be the country’s most beautiful game land.
The final two nights camping was spent in an area called Xaxanaka, which is located close to the Okavango River.  Here we spent many more hours watching the incredible wildlife of Botswana.
Finally we returned to Maun for an overnight rest before flying home.
The birds we saw are listed below: (R = Resident, BM = Breeding Migrant, NBM = Non-breeding Migrant)
1.   Common Ostrich (Struthio camelus) R
2.   Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris) R
3.   Red-billed Francolin (Francolinus adspersus) R
4.   Swainson's Francolin (Francolinus swainsonii) R
5.   White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) R
6.   Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis) R
7.   Comb Duck ((Knob-billed) Sarkidiornis melanotos) R
8.   Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) R
9.   African Pygmy-Goose (Nettapus auritus) R
10.   Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata) R
11.   Red-billed Duck (Teal) (Anas erythrorhyncha) R
12.   Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) R
13.   Yellow-billed Stork (Mycteria ibis) R
14.   African Openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus) BM
15.   Marabou (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) R
16.   African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus aethiopicus) R
17.   Hadada Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) R
18.   Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) R
19.   African Spoonbill (Platalea alba) R
20.   Striated Heron (Butorides striata) R
21.   Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides) R
22.   Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) R
23.   Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) R
24.   Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath) R
25.   Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) R
26.   Great Egret (Ardea alba) R
27.   Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) R
28.   Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) R
29.   Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) R
30.   Long-tailed Cormorant (Phalacrocorax africanus) R
31.   White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo lucidus) R
32.   African Darter (Anhinga melanogaster rufa) R
33.   Dickinson's Kestrel (Falco dickinsoni) R
34.   Red-necked Falcon (Falco chicquera) R
35.   Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) R
36.   Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus) R
37.   Secretary-Bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) R
38.   Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) R
39.   African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) R
40.   African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) R
41.   White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis) R
42.   Black-breasted Snake Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis) R
43.   Brown Snake Eagle (Circaetus cinereus) R
44.   Western Banded Snake Eagle (Circaetus cinerascens) R
45.   Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus) R
46.   African Marsh Harrier (Circus ranivorus) R
47.   African Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides typus) R
48.   Pale Chanting Goshawk (Melierax canorus) R
49.   Gabar Goshawk (Micronisus gabar) R
50.   Shikra (Accipiter badius) R
51.   Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) R
52.   African Hawk-Eagle (Hieraaetus spilogaster) R
53.   Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) R
54.   Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis) R
55.   Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) R
56.   Red-crested Korhaan (Eupodotis ruficrista) R
57.   Black Crake (Amaurornis flavirostra) R
58.   Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) R
59.   Water Dikkop (Burhinus vermiculatus) R
60.   Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) R
61.   Long-toed Lapwing (Vanellus crassirostris) R
62.   Blacksmith Plover (Vanellus armatus) R
63.   Crowned Lapwing (Vanellus coronatus) R
64.   African Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus) R
65.   Three-banded Plover (Charadrius tricollaris) R
66.   African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus) R
67.   Collared (Red-winged) Pratincole (Glareola pratincola) R
68.   Grey-hooded Gull (Larus cirrocephalus) R
69.   Double-banded Sandgrouse (Pterocles bicinctus) R
70.   Mourning Collared Dove (Streptopelia decipiens) R
71.   Red-eyed Turtle Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata) R
72.   Ring-necked Dove (Streptopelia capicola) R
73.   Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) R
74.   Emerald-spotted Wood Dove (Turtur chalcospilos) R
75.   Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) R
76.   Brown Parrot (Poicephalus meyeri) R
77.   Grey (Lourie) Go-away Bird (Corythaixoides concolor) R
78.   Coppery-tailed Coucal (Centropus cupreicaudus) R
79.   White-browed Coucal (Centropus superciliosus) R
80.   Spotted Eagle-Owl (Bubo africanus) R
81.   Verreaux's (Giant) Eagle-Owl (Bubo lacteus) R
82.   Pearl-spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum) R
83.   African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) R
84.   Red-faced Mousebird (Urocolius indicus) R
85.   Rufous-crowned Roller (Coracias naevius) R
86.   Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) R
87.   Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris) R
88.   Malachite Kingfisher (Alcedo cristata) R
89.   Giant Kingfisher (Megaceryle maxima) R
90.   Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) R
91.   Swallow-tailed Bee-Eater (Merops hirundineus) R
92.   Little Bee-Eater (Merops pusillus) R
93.   White-fronted Bee-Eater (Merops bullockoides) R
94.   Carmine Bee-Eater (Merops nubicus) BM
95.   Green Wood Hoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) R
96.   Bradfield's Hornbill (Tockus bradfieldi) R
97.   African Grey Hornbill (Tockus nasutus) R
98.   Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus) R
99.   Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas) R
100.   Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) R
101.   Black-collared Barbet (Lybius torquatus) R
102.   Crested Barbet (Trachyphonus vaillantii) R
103.   Cardinal Woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens) R
104.   Grey-headed Bush Shrike (Malaconotus blanchoti) R
105.   Black-backed Puffback (Dryoscopus cubla) R
106.   Swamp Boubou (Laniarius bicolor) R
107.   Crimson-breasted Gonolek (Laniarius atrococcineus) R
108.   Brubru (Nilaus afer) R
109.   Magpie Shrike (Urolestes melanoleucus) R
110.   White-crowned Shrike (Eurocephalus anguitimens) R
111.   Eastern Black-headed Oriole (Oriolus larvatus) R
112.   Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) R
113.   Cape Crow (Corvus capensis) R
114.   Pied Crow (Corvus albus) R
115.   Collared Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) NBM
116.   White-throated Swallow (Hirundo albigularis) BM
117.   Wire-tailed Swallow (Hirundo smithii) R
118.   Greater Striped Swallow (Cecropis cucullata) BM
119.   Lesser Striped Swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) BM
120.   Dusky Lark (Pinarocorys nigricans) NBM
121.   Piping Cisticola (Cisticola fulvicapilla) R
122.   Tawny-flanked Prinia (Prinia subflava) R
123.   Bleating Warbler (Calamonastes brochyura)
124.   Black-fronted Bulbul (Pycnonotus nigricans) R
125.   Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) R
126.   Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) NBM
127.   Arrow-marked Babbler (Turdoides jardineii) R
128.   Hartlaub's Babbler (Turdoides hartlaubii) R
129.   Wattled Starling (Creatophora cinerea) R
130.   Cape Glossy Starling (Lamprotornis nitens) R
131.   Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus) R
132.   Meves's Long-tailed Starling (Lamprotornis mevesii) R
133.   Burchell's Starling (Lamprotornis australis) R
134.   Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) R
135.   Yellow-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus africanus) R
136.   Groundscraper Thrush (Psophocichla litsitsirupa) R
137.   Common Stonechat (Saxicola torquatus) R
138.   Capped Wheatear (Oenanthe pileata) BM
139.   White-headed Black Chat (Myrmecocichla arnotti) R
140.   Mariqua Flycatcher (Melaenornis mariquensis) R
141.   Mariqua Sunbird (Cinnyris mariquensis) R
142.   White-breasted Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala) R
143.   White-browed Sparrow Weaver (Plocepasser mahali) R
144.   Red-billed Buffalo Weaver (Bubalornis niger) R
145.   Holub's Golden Weaver (Ploceus xanthops) R
146.   African Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus) R
147.   Village (Spotted-backed) Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) R
148.   Red-billed Quelea (Quelea quelea) R
149.   Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala) R
150.   Blue-breasted Cordon-Bleu (Uraeginthus angolensis) R
151.   Cape Wagtail (Motacilla capensis) R
152.   African Pied Wagtail (Motacilla aguimp) R
153.   African Pipit (Anthus cinnamomeus) R
154.   Plain-backed Pipit (Anthus leucophrys) R
155.   Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) NBM
156.   Yellow Canary (Serinus flaviventris) R

Below are attached some photographs we took.

[Peter]

David,

Fantastic trip report and what can I say other than I am extremely jealous! Having said that, Pieter and I are off there next year on a 'recce' trip with any friends that want to come along?

Thanks for the report and species listing, very impressive.

Peter 

[David]

Peter,

I would love to go back again but I am not sure I would be allowed!!

I have attached some more photographs below.

Regards
David

[Peter]

So lovely images to compliment the trip report David, any more???

Peter

[David]

I have now completed sorting all my Botswana photos out so I have lots.  I have attached some more below

(The messaging seems to restrict me to only attaching two photographs at a time).

David

[David]

Another Photograph from my Botswana Trip

We had a Field Trip on Saturday in the Sierra Nevada area of Andalucia in the province of Granada. It was hot but we saw quite a few birds including Blue Rock Thrush, Black Wheatear, Black-eared Wheatear, Melodious Warbler, Dartford Warbler, European Bee-eater, Short-toed Eagle, Booted Eagle, Chough and many others.  See the trip report under Calander Events for a full list.

Alexander (Marbella_bird) was among the group and I promised her this picture of a Pied Kingfisher, her favourite bird.  I took the picture when I was in Botswana.

David

[Marbella_bird]

Beautiful picture of this stunning little bird, thank-you David!

[Peter]

I'm sure there are many more photographs to come???

Peter

[David]

Yes there are lots more.  I will start posting them on a regular basis.  Here are two more.

Red-crested Korhaan - The red crest is rarely visible except on a displaying male and I think the photograph is of a female.

Pied-billed Crow - Is the only white-bellied crow in the region and is quite common.

David

[Peter]

And theres more?? Great pics David and thoroughly enjoyed them all to date.


Peter