We were keen to watch the flocks of Sandgrouse that fly in to drink at the waterholes. Cubutje Quap is a great spot to visit to witness this daily event. You can almost set your watch by the time they arrive, 0800 hrs. On the day we were there a large herd of Blue Wildebeest decided to come and drink. They took forever to slack their thirsts, and in the meantime the Sandgrouse were circling patiently overhead. Finally the Wildebeest moved off and then we were able to watch this amazing spectacle as wave after wave of birds landed, moved up to the waters edge, drank and then departed in a flurry of wing beats. A male Burchell's Sandgrouse Male Burchell's Sandgrouse A male Burchell's Sandgrouse A female Burchell's Sandgrouse. A male Namaqua Sandgrouse. Note the long tail in this species A female Namaqua Sandgrouse
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The birding was certainly keeping us busy with species being recorded thick and fast. The campsites with their lovely large trees and permanent water were also surprisingly productive A Pearl-spotted Owlet. This bird was heard calling one evening after we had arrived in camp. Luckily we managed to track it down before the light faded entirely A Common Fiscal (western race) Note the white superciium, a feature of the birds found in the arid west A Secretary bird circles overhead a waterhole Having landed it approaches the water to slack its thirst A Wattled Starling in non-breeding plumage A Southern Pied Babbler seen in camp one evening A female Yellow Canary We came across a breeding pair of Bateleur's busy with the construction of their nest. Here the female perches in the vicinity of the nest A female Bateleur soaring characteristically with stiffly held wings Adult Pale Chanting Goshawk Juvenile Pale Chanting Goshawk for comparison A Tawny Eagle. Note the full crop
We started out early in the morning and headed further north towards Nossob camp situated in the heart of the reserve.The birding and game viewing was excellent throughout the day. Gabar Goshawk Lanner Falcon A male Great Sparrow, another lifer for me The near endemic Kalahari Scrub-robin clearly showing the russet rump and upper tail A male Yellow Canary coming to drink in the heat of the day An African Harrier-hawk takes to flight after a midday drink at a water hole Another near endemic, this Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler was investigating something on the ground Yet another near endemic the Burchell's Starling seen here in camp Crimson-breasted Shrike, another camp regular and near endemic A red-eyed Bulbul A Pririt Batis gives me the beady eye. The distinctive buff-washed throat and breast identify it as a female bird A female Cardinal Woodpecker busy searching for a tasty morsel in the bark of this tree A White-backed Vulture perches on this tree during the heat of the day A well camouflaged Spotted Thick-knee resting up in the shade of a small shrub A juvenile Swallow-tailed Bee-eater just starting to show the beginnings of a blue collar
Two hundred and sixty four species of birds have been recorded in the Park. However not all are resident. Many of the birds can't survive all year round in the Kalahari and fly to areas experiencing favourable conditions seasonally or as they occur. Of the species recorded only 78 are residents, 16 are seasonal migrants and 18 are nomads. The large majority of birds (152 species) are vagrants/irregular visitors to the Park. Two-thirds of the raptor species found in southern Africa can be seen in the Kalahari. We were making good progress with our sightings against this list, but more details on statistics later Namaqua Sandgrouse male Namaqua Sandgrouse female Namaqua Dove male Lark-like Bunting Red-headed Finch Shaft-tailed Whydah male in breeding plumage Half grown Common Ostrich chick Brubru Tawny Eagle. Note the large bill and short gape Tawny Eagle. These two birds were perched together in a tree allowing for comparison. There are several morphs of theses eagles ranging from dark through to pale buff.
After overnighting at Twee Riverien we set out for Mata-Mata camp in the west of the Park in an area adjacent to Namibia. The road leading to the camp runs alongside to the Auob River. Here a series of boreholes have been sunk which supply life sustaining water to the animal and bird inhabitants. Traditionally the water has pumped using windmills. These are now being replaced by more environmentally friendly pumps powered by solar panels. Obviously these water-points witness a hive of activity as there is a constant flow of residents approaching them to quench their thirsts Kalahari Scrub-robin A Lilac-breasted Roller showing off its striking colours Familiar Chats were to be found at all the camp sites Cape Glossy Starling. Common throughout the park. In the camp sites they were quite bold and would approach to within a few feet A Rock Kestrel perched in the shade on the lookout for unsuspecting prey Southern White-faced Owl Verreaux's Eagle-Owl. Grahame our guide had an unbelievable knack of locating the owls within the thick cover of the trees where they were resting up during the day. We would be driving along and he would suddenly back the vehicle up and there an owl would be perching quietly on a branch The iconic Secretary Bird slaking its thirst at a water-hole. They seemed to drink around midday when we would see several birds gathered in the vicinity of the water A male Northern Black Korhaan. A common endemic Fork-tailed Drongo. A well known mimic with a variety of different calls A juvenile Lanner Falcon seen flying overhead in the early morning light Karoo Scrub Robin. An endemic bird and another lifer for me A Capped Wheatear seen here early in the morning
The Twee Riverien camp which is just inside the reserve was our first stop-over. It is situated near the confluence of the Nossob and Auob Rivers. These rivers are ephemeral and only flow for short periods during very good rainy seasons. The Nossob river last flooded in 1963 and the Auob in 2000. I was finally in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, something which had been on my to do list for several years. Now for some serious birding!! The Sociable Weaver. The iconic endemic co-operative breeder was another lifer for me An example of a communally thatched Sociable Weaver nest. The largest nest of any bird species A male White-browed Sparrow-Weaver. A bird we encountered throughout the park Striped Kingfisher Marico Flycatcher. A near endemic common resident A Swallow-tailed Bee-eater seen hawking insects from the lower branches of this Acacia Black-chested Prinia. Seen every day on our trip The first of many Pale Chanting Goshawks we came across. This was a juvenile that was observing a Cape Cobra that had caught and was swallowing a bat. Scaly-feathered Finch. The pink bill and broad malar stripes make these little birds stand out in a mixed flock The endemic White-backed Mousebird. Another lifer for my list A Black Harrier. Listed as Vulnerable, this uncommon endemic resident was another lifer for me A Martial Eagle on its nest The breeding partner perches nearby
We set out at 0500 early in the morning for the long drive to take us within striking distance of reaching the park. As we drove through the farmlands we managed to pick up a few interesting species to start up our bird count for the trip Many raptors were to be seen perched on the roadside poles and wires early in the morning. Here a Red-footed Falcon gets my count up and running. A Lesser Kestrel female flies overhead Male Lesser Kestrel Female Pygmy Falcon. My first lifer of the trip Steppe Buzzard Goliath Heron We spent our first night at the Kalahari Guest House where our hosts spoilt us with traditional farmer hospitality. During this stopover we managed to chalk up a few more interesting sightings Karoo Korhaan my second lifer, and still only day one Jacobin Cuckoo A lovely B.I.F. shot of a Red-billed Teal
Watch this space for images from my recent trip to the magnificent Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Duelling Gemsbok at a waterhole Rainbow after a thunderstorm A Kori Bustard. Reputed to be the heaviest flying bird in the world
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