& The Audubon Shop Custom tour

16th September – 1st October, 2011

Tour leader: Charley Hesse. Report by Charley Hesse. Photos by Charley Hesse & Jerry Connolly.

Our group in front of the Giant Baobab Tree in Mahango Game Reserve (Jerry Connolly)

This trip was a repeat of last year‟s very successful Audubon Shop Namibia custom tour. It was another immensely enjoyable trip and marked by the changes due to the record rainfall this year. Even though arriving 6 weeks later, it should have been even drier, the landscape was a good deal greener and some of the rivers even had water left in them. Amazing to see in this normally bone-dry landscape. We again picked up the vast majority of escarpment, desert and Kalahari specialties. With some highlights being the charismatic Rockrunner singing right above our heads, dozens of delightful Rosy-faced Lovebirds coming into feed on grain at Erongo and watching Hartmann‟s Mountain Zebras feeding on the lush grass of the plains having descended from the escarpment. Etosha was again dazzling, and although we didn‟t have such huge concentrations of game at waterholes like last year, we had fantastic views of lions and elephants as well as the wonderful bonus of a Leopard in a tree at close range. In Botswana we tracked down the huge Pel‟s Fishing-Owl along with many memorable water . One of the reasons for running the trip later this year was to catch the Southern Carmine Bee-eaters which we had been too early for last year. In Botswana we visited a wonderful nesting colony which turned out to be the trip highlight for many. As well as the outstanding birding and game-viewing, both Namibia and Botswana charmed us with their beautiful and diverse landscapes, people and cultures.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 1 16th September – Windhoek area Having arrived the previous day and seen a few common birds in the lodge grounds, we started our first scheduled birding at the wonderful Avis dam just out of town. We walked a trail with an excellent view over the water where we spotted a distant African Fish-Eagle along with many other common water birds such as White-breasted & Reed Cormorants, Great, Little & Cattle Egrets and Egyptian Geese, while Bradfield's, African Palm- & Little Swifts flew over head. We turned to the land birds and a little bit of „psshing‟ brought in many small birds such as Green-winged Pytilia, Blue, Violet-eared & Black-faced Waxbills, and Marico & Dusky Sunbirds. The fairest of them all though, was the stunning Crimson- breasted Shrike, but not all were quite so pretty. We had a fair few LBJs too in the form of Sabota Lark, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Rattling and Black-chested . We also had the interesting Brown-crowned Tchagra and a Barred Wren Warbler. Avis Dam being one of the best sites for the latter. We reached the other end of the lake where some ladies asked us to hold up for a few minutes while they finished their dog trials. Grassland by the lake edge here produced African Pipit, Kittlitz's & Three- banded Plovers, Blacksmith Lapwing (named for its call that sounds like a blacksmith hitting his anvil) along with more waterbirds in the form of Wood Sandpiper, Ruff and a surprise African Spoonbill. On the way back to the car park we added the pretty Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Acacia Pied Barbet and the some White-backed Mousebirds. Before leaving I came upon the uncommon Cape Penduline-Tit and I made sure that everybody was in no doubt what a find this drab little was. We also had a distant raptor that when it came closer turned out to be a Black-chested Snake-Eagle.

The ravishingly beautiful Crimson-breasted Shrike (Charley Hesse)

Construction at Daan Viljoen Game reserve meant that there was no access to the dam but on a short game drive we kick started our mammal lists with Greater Kudu, Red Hartebeest and Blue Wildebeest. On our way out we also came across a family of Chacma Baboons that eyed us with interest. We headed back to the comfortable Arebbush Lodge where we watched Southern & Lesser Masked Weavers and Red-headed Finches weaving their nests as we ate. We also had our first hornbill in the shape of Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill. In the afternoon we headed to the excellent Windhoek sewage works in search of water birds. As we entered we were treated to the sight of thousands of Wattled Starlings in the trees. We drove through the back of the complex which had a less pungent smell and has some nice reed- fringed lakes. At the first pond we saw our first water birds in the form of South African Shelduck, Red- billed & Hottentot Teals, Common Moorhen, Red-knobbed Coot and even a Hamerkop. At further ponds we saw African Darter, Grey, Squacco & Striated , African Sacred Ibis with our first Black-shouldered Kite and White-throated Swallows in flight. African Reed- & Lesser Swamp- Warblers gave us the run-around but finally showed themselves in the reed beds while a gorgeous male Scarlet-chested Sunbird flitted in the trees. At our last stop we added our first African Jacana and the diminutive Little Stint. It had been a tremendously productive first day.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 2 17th September – Windhoek to Swakopmund Today we left the capital heading for the coast along the very scenic but rather bumpy C28 road. We were to make many stops along here sampling the birdlife in each distinct habitat type. At our first stop, still on the escarpment, we found a key bird for the trip, the endemic White-tailed Shrike. This taxonomic enigma was once lumped with the shrikes but is now considered by many to be closer to the batises. We also saw some other very attractive birds in the form of Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, a beautiful male Short-toed Rock-Thrush and a pair of Pririt Batises. Further along we stopped for a magnificent perched by the roadside and the first of many Southern Pale Chanting-Goshawks we would see. At a spot that always seems to be productive, we saw a Rock Kestrel fighting with a Gabar Goshawk, both Lilac-breasted & Purple Rollers, the interesting Anteating Chat and Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver whose messy stick nests had actually been built into a windmill‟s structure. We stopped at a bridge over a normally dry river but unusually it still had water. A reminder of the record-breaking rainfall this year. Here we had great views of Pearl-spotted Owlet and even saw it chasing a Cape Bunting. Rock Hyrax, the strange distant relative of the elephant, looked more like pigs as they scurried over the rocks while an African Hawk-Eagle soared just over our heads. We found more water lower down in the form of a lake where we saw Little Grebe, nesting Grey Herons, African Sacred Ibis & African Spoonbill. At another stop further on Jerry spotted our next important endemic, the charismatic Rockrunner. Previously considered a warbler it has now been placed with the rockjumpers. An endemic family to Southern Africa. We heard the distinctive call of the Orange River Francolin across the valley but scanning the rocky hillside, we could only find a covey of Red-billed Spurfowl. Before leaving the highlands we added Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Scaly-feathered Finch and Common Scimitar-bill along with another troop of Chacma Baboons. We had our packed lunch at the Boshua Pass where we enjoyed the scenery but found little birdwise except for the endless stream of Lark-like Buntings.

White-tailed Shrike and Short-toed Rock-Thrush trying to out-compete each other in looks (Charley Hesse)

We now began losing altitude quickly and as the habitat opened out we found Greater Kudu and our first Gemsbok (also known as Southern Oryx). We were disappointed not to have seen the rare Hartmann's Mountain Zebra as we descended onto the grassy plains. Here the habitat and birdlife changed dramatically. In an isolated tree we saw a huge Sociable Weaver nest and were lucky enough to soon find the endemic Ruppell's Korhaan with its head sticking out of the grass. We saw Common Fiscal, Chat Flycatcher & Tractrac Chats along the roadside fence posts and we soon spotted our first Springbok and a surprise pair of Kori Bustards. In the heat haze we saw what looked like zebras although the Burchell’s Zebra was out of range here. When we got closer we got out to scope them and found that they were actually Hartmann's Mountain Zebras that we thought we had missed. It was a real shock to find them down here but they must have descended to take advantage of the bumper grazing. We spotted a flock of

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 3 what looked like pigeons but on closer inspection turned out to be Namaqua Sandgrouse. They landed behind us and we went back along the road where we saw them flush up again. The further towards the coast we got, the drier it was. Here we kept an eye out for Meercats but only found the more common South African Ground Squirrel. A Lappet-faced Vulture soared over the road and we finally found our first wild Common Ostriches. One of the only original wild populations in Southern Africa, most being from reintroductions. Our last bird of the day was a juvenile Martial Eagle which looked a bit lost in its stark surroundings. It had been an amazing day and we settled in to the delightful Eberwein Hotel before heading out for some very tasty seafood.

18th September – Rooibank & Walvis Bay Although Namibia has many endemic bird species, the distribution of almost all of these creeps into neighbouring countries. All except for the Dune Lark, and it is this species that we went in search of this morning at Rooibank on the dry Kuiseb river. Luckily we arrived early enough to catch one still singing and we found it quickly. Walking back over the dry riverbed, we saw Pearl-breasted Swallow, very vocal Tractrac Chats, the interesting “white-browed” subspecies of Common Fiscal, many Cape Sparrows and fantastic views of the wonderfully named Bokmakierie. Once everyone had the correct pronunciation, we were allowed to have our packed breakfast.

Swift Tern. One of several tern species present in Walvis Bay (Charley Hesse)

Next we drove to Walvis Bay where we were looking for waterbirds. At the waterfront, we saw Kelp, Grey- headed & Hartlaub's Gulls and looking across the bay we had Great White Pelican and what was to be our only African Black Oystercatcher of the trip. We continued birding along the waterfront finding Common, Swift and a few Sandwich Terns but unfortunately no Damaras, to Jerry‟s dismay. Shorebirds were well represented by Grey Plover, Common Greenshank, Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel. From here we drove to the Salt works where we added Cape Teal, Caspian Tern, White- fronted & the target Chestnut-banded Plover. On the drive out to the ocean view point we found thousands Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stints with dozens of Ruddy Turnstones mixed in. At the beach we saw hundreds of Cape Cormorants and found our hoped for Cape Gannet which appeared to be surfing the waves. Back in Walvis we had one last look at the bay and were treated to great views of Cape Fur Seal and Bottlenose Dolphin. On the way back to Swakopmund, we stopped at a guano platform where we found Cape & Crowned Cormorants. We were back in Swakopmund by early afternoon and we had time for a nice stroll around the centre and in the evening went for more delicious seafood.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 4 19th September – Spitzkoppe to Omaruru We were leaving the coast with its bizarre cool and misty weather and heading back inland. First stop was the Spitzkoppe inselberg. Dramatic scenery and home to one of Namibia‟s most elusive endemics, the Herero Chat (Namibornis herero). We set off in the dark and were able to watch a spectacular sunrise over the dry landscape. We wanted to get there early to catch the birds singing, but of course had to make the odd stop too. On the way we added some great birds, like Northern Black Korhaan, Double-banded , White-throated Canary and Pale-winged Starlings. We stopped at a territory of Karoo Long- billed Lark and sure enough the birds were in the same spot as usual. We also spotted a cute Steenbuck, a small type of antelope with big ears. As soon as we arrived at the base of the spectacular mountain, we spotted a pair of Verreaux's Eagles soaring majestically above. A Mountain Wheatear hopped on a rock nearby and several Rock Hyraxes scurried over the face of the rocks. There was no time to lose to catch the chats singing, so we immediately walked to a nearby territory. Unfortunately it was getting hot already but we finally heard the call and made our way towards it. We spotted a bird on top of a tree but before I could get it in the scope it had flown. Then Jerry called over that he had it just 30 metres away. Then it was gone, not to return. The next surprise was the rare Black Mongoose that only revealed itself to some of us. Then we were lucky enough to flush a Kurrichane Buttonquail and this time everybody had flight views of this rarely seen bird. We had a well-deserved breakfast, during which we were visited by Ashy Tit, Pririt Batis and a delightful Brubru which happily hopped around above our heads. Before leaving we had excellent views of a Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler and another White-tailed Shrike. We had seen some real quality this morning. Before leaving the area we went looking for a couple of tricky larks we had missed between Windhoek and Swakopmund. We headed westward again through the ever drier habitat. It wasn‟t long before we came across some small birds in the road. Once in the scope I saw that it was in fact the 2 birds we were looking for. Both Gray's & Stark's Larks. What a stroke of luck. We were treated to much better looks at Starks Lark heading east again, but now the day had really heated up and it was time to get back in the car and put the AC on full blast.

A male Northern Black Korhaan descending after its flight display (Charley Hesse)

Before reaching Omaruru we birded the Khan river, looking for several birds specialising in the gallery forest found alongside dry riverbeds in Namibia. There had been a recent fire and the place smelled of smoke and ash. The first target we found easily. First we heard the cackle of the Violet Wood-Hoopoe, then we saw a group of them as they flew into a nearby tree. White flashes in their wings and white tips to their long tails. Red-billed Spurfowl ran quickly across the dry river bed and Burchell's Starling gave their parrot-like calls, but when we heard the call of the rare endemic Ruppell’s Parrot there was no mistaking it. We saw a pair well in the scope and then further up the riverbed, another pair and 2 juveniles. What luck. Another target was the Damara Hornbill. A pair of Monteiro's Hornbills got our hopes up briefly

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 5 but the Damaras never showed. We did find a Southern White-crowned Shrike though which was a nice surprise. We arrived at Omaruru Guest House to find another juvenile Ruppell’s Parrot in the garden! I was starting to feel a bit foolish now after protesting how rare the dam things were. After a nice dinner we took a short night drive nearby spotting a couple of Scrub Hares and a Duiker. We also had some Crowned Lapwings in the road and we managed locate a Spotted Eagle-Owl which gave us a couple of fly-overs.

20th September – Omaruru & Erongo Before breakfast we walked the dry Omaruru River bed behind the guest house. Here our main target was Southern Pied Babbler which we found without too much trouble, but the real surprise was a White- browed Coucal. A species normally found near water. Until recently this river had actually been flowing after record rainfall this year. We also had our first African Hoopoe, Bearded Woodpecker and Grey Go- away Birds. After breakfast, it was a short drive to the idyllic Erongo Wilderness Lodge during which we found Southern Yellow-billed & Monteiro's Hornbills, Pearl-breasted Swallow and Desert Cisticola. We also managed to find Slender Mongoose and Hartlaub's Spurfowl. The latter normally difficult to find outside the lodge itself. Just before entering the lodge grounds, we found a wonderfully productive spot where many birds came in to my Pearl-spotted Owlet call (including the owlet itself). The others were Pririt Batis, Crimson-breasted & White-tailed Shrikes, Shaft-tailed Whydah and Golden-breasted Bunting.

The charismatic Rockrunner has a beautiful, melodious song (Charles Hesse)

We parked the vehicle and loaded our bags into theirs. Ours would never make it up the steep road to the lodge. We took the opportunity to walk in, lucking upon a juvenile Verreaux's Eagle and a Klipspringer. A species of antelope adapted to steep rocky slopes. The main species we wanted to find on the way up though was the Carp's Black Tit and sure enough there it was. Next we saw a flock of Rosy-faced Lovebirds posing beautifully at the top of a tree. We walked up to the restaurant where we enjoyed a light lunch and the amazing scenery before retiring to our rooms to shelter from the midday sun. When it had cooled somewhat, we ventured forth for an afternoon walk. It was still a little too hot to be so productive but we still found some good birds, like Common Scimitar-bill, Cape Penduline-Tit, Violet-eared Waxbill and Barred Wren-Warbler. The highlight though was getting great views of Rockrunner which sat at the top of a tree singing its heart out. Before dinner we looked out for Freckled Nightjar. We saw them but unfortunately way over on the other side of the valley.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 6 21st September – Erongo Wilderness to Okakuejo We gathered early for breakfast in order to watch the birds being fed. Of course the main target was the Hartlaub's Spurfowl but we also enjoyed a close encounter with dozens of Rosy-faced Lovebirds just a few feet away. As the morning sun hit them we got great photos of these delightful birds. We saw the ever present Dassie Rat but also got fleeting views of the rarely seen elephant shrew. We were sad to leave this truly special place but had a long drive today. We first headed to another dry river bed to look again for Damara Hornbill. On the way there we had our first Damara Dikdik, Namibia‟s smallest antelope. At the river bed we added White-browed Scrub-Robin which delighted us with its varied vocalisations. We also had better views of African Hoopoe, Violet Wood-Hoopoe, White-tailed Shrike and Southern White- crowned Shrike but the real surprise was a flock of 11 Ruppell's Parrots. I now felt very sheepish having protested how rare they were. On the way out of the conservancy we found our first Helmeted Guineafowl and a Purple Roller before hitting the highway towards Etosha National Park. We had a brief lunch stop in Outjo where we even managed to find a new trip bird in the garden. The Long-billed Crombec.

Erongo Wilderness Lodge is one of the best places to photograph Rosy-faced Lovebirds (Charley Hesse)

On the last hour of the drive we stopped when we saw dozens of soaring vultures and I pointed out the differences between White-backed & Lappet-faced Vultures. Several Greater Striped-Swallows perched in a nearby tree. These (austral) summer visitors may have been recent arrivals or just passing through. Our last stop before reaching the park was for a family of Warthogs which comically ran off with their tails in the air. After receiving our entry permit we entered the park proper and now were only allowed out at the rest camps due to the presence of potentially dangerous . We drove the short distance to the first waterhole where we added Cape Crow and saw a few Common Ostrich, Springbok and Impala. We continued our drive to rest camp spotting more game on the way. Burchell's Zebra, Greater Kudu, Blue Wildebeest along with Southern Pale Chanting-Goshawk, a magnificent pair of Kori Bustards and Red-crested Korhaan. The latter a new trip bird and our 4th member of the bustard family. After checking in at the Okakuejo rest camp, we walked to the famous waterhole before dinner. The air echoed with the calls of Helmeted Guineafowl, both Namaqua & Double-banded Sandgrouses, Sociable Weavers busily constructing their huge nest above our heads and Crowned & Blacksmith Lapwings in a constant state of alert from the several patrolling Black-backed Jackals. The tourists really come here for the large mammals though, and they don‟t come much larger than African Elephant, Black Rhino and Giraffe, all of which made dramatic entrances with the backdrop of a spectacular sunset. We really had to drag ourselves away for dinner but returned later to find Cape Fox and the electrically charged scene of 2 adolescent Lions stalking a Giraffe. Too inexperienced to realise that it was a little too big to handle, the young lions looked hungrily up at their would be prey and licked their lips.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 7 22nd September – Okakuejo We met before dawn at the waterhole again, and the early risers were rewarded with the sight of hundreds of Double-banded Sandgrouse coming in to drink. After breakfast we took a morning drive hitting several of the waterholes in the area. At the unpronounceable Gemsbokvlakte we saw dozens of Burchell’s Zebras, hundreds of Chestnut-backed & Grey-backed Sparrowlarks and a sprinkling of Great Sparrows and Red-headed Finches. At Olifantsbad we had a fine herd of Red Hartebeest and at Aus, many water birds, including Little Grebe, Red-knobbed Coot, Red-billed Teal and our first Maccoa Duck. We continued the loop picking up our first Greater Kestrel and even a Rufous-eared Warbler in the low vegetation by the pan‟s edge. At Nebrowni we saw what looked like a white elephant. The white sediment in the muddy water had given it a ghostly appearance after it had bathed there. We also had 2 close Lions coming in to drink and our first Secretarybird of the trip, before we started heading back to the rest camp. In the car park a few of us saw the very drab Burnt-necked Eremomela which we had missed thus far.

We felt rather embarrassed to witness this private moment between 2 Yellow Mongooses (Charley Hesse)

After lunch we went to take a look again at the Okakuejo waterhole to find a throng of vultures that had not been there in the morning. On closer inspection we managed to make out the carcass of a Burchell's Zebra. We found out later, this had not been predated but had been staggering around and died naturally. Park scientists had apparently come in earlier to test for Anthrax, but allowed the gathered hoards to continue their feast. Scanning the scene we saw Black-backed Jackal, White-backed, Lappet-faced & Cape Vultures. We even spotted several wind-tagged individuals of the latter which we hoped to submit sightings of later. In the afternoon we took another drive north on the Okondeka loop. The first of our targets were the larks, which abound in these open habitats. Red-capped, Spike-heeled & Pink-billed Larks. The latter 2 showing much paler plumage than in the east of their range. Perfectly camouflaged against the pale soil. We also picked up Double-banded Courser, Capped Wheatear, Anteating Chat & South African Ground Squirrel. It is also one of the best places for African Pygmy Falcon which uses the nests of Sociable Weaver. A mutually beneficial relationship, where in return for a nest site, they give added protection to the colony. We found a female at the usual spot and also had a Kalahari Scrub-Robin hopping round on the ground nearby. At the Okondeka waterhole the gathered cars betrayed a group of sleepy Lions but we also found a Cape Hare. A nocturnal , rarely seen during the day. On the drive back we saw several Kori Bustards, Northern Black Korhaans and even watched Yellow Mongooses mating right next to the car. The trip highlight for one participant who shall remain nameless. You know who you are. After dinner we were treated to the spectacle of more Lion and Giraffe interactions.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 8 23rd September – Okakuejo to Halali In the morning, the Okakuejo waterhole still had vultures and jackals although not much was left of the zebra. We left after breakfast heading for the Halali restcamp where we would spend the night. On the way, I spotted what looked like some lapwings in flight, but the shape didn‟t seem quite right. I pulled up and the 3 birds came down ahead of us in the road. When I got my bins on them I saw that they were not lapwings after all, but Burchell's . Two adults and a juvenile. A really good bird. Some birdwatchers behind stopped to take advantage of our find. We stopped at the Rietfontein waterhole where we had one of the trip highlights. A group of about 80 African Elephants drinking, mud-bathing, fighting and generally being elephants. We watched mezmerized for half an hour and this was a trip highlight for some. We arrived for lunch in Halali and then took a quick walk in the grounds to see Red-billed Hornbill, which was new for the trip.

Burchell’s Courser with a chick (Charley Hesse)

In the afternoon, we took another drive. The Mopani woodland was typically quiet and we failed to find our target Bare-cheeked Babbler but we did have better views of Carp's Black Tit, Southern Pied Babbler, Double-banded Sandgrouse, African Hoopoe and Common Scimitarbill. We also added White- crested Helmet-Shrike to the list. Back at Halali I managed to locate a security guard who knew the day roosts of some owls. He first showed us the nest of Southern White-faced Scops Owl with 2 fluffy chicks in. By standing on a chair they could be viewed from a distance without disturbing them. Next he took us to see an African Scops-Owl which had some impressive camouflage against the trunk of the Mopani tree in which it was roosting. We also saw a Tree Squirrel scurrying on the ground and a pair of wood-hoopoes which may actually be violet/green hybrids. After dinner we went to the waterhole, hoping for Leopard which had been seen by some friends of mine 2 nights ago. In the end we saw no mammals except several Scrub Hares. We were also on the look out for night birds and picked up Rufous-cheeked Nightjar and a real surprise, Marsh Owl. We got good scope views of an adult and a recently fledged chick.

24th September – Halali to Namutoni At dawn we drove to the Halali waterhole again but only saw the same Rufous-cheeked Nightjar and juvenile Marsh Owl. From here we birded the edge of the camp in a fruitless search for Bare-cheeked Babblers. We did find more Carp's Black Tits, added Emerald-spotted Dove and even flushed a Barn Owl and had nice scope views of it in a tree. We were really clearing up on owls. We left Halali after

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 9 breakfast heading to our final base in Etosha, Namutoni rest camp. We drove past lots of burning which we later learned to be controlled burns that had gone out of control. Some hornbills seemed to be gathering by the edge of the fire in the hope of fleeing prey. We photographed the dramatic scenes of herds of Burchell’s Zebras with huge flames behind them and a pride of Lions laying in the ash. We saw several Kori Bustards, Bateleurs and a pair of distant Blue Cranes on the pan‟s edge. A real score. At one spot, the road came near water on edge of pan and we had the chance to see some waterbirds. Here we saw Black-necked Grebe, Whimbrel, Black-winged Stilt and finally some Greater Flamingos. Closer to Namutoni we found a pair of Red-breasted Swallows perched in a tree and one eagle-eyed tour participant spotted a Black Rhino laying down in the shade.

Staring into a Leopard’s eyes just a few metres away is an indescribable feeling (Jerry Connolly)

We checked in to the rest camp and were welcomed by the resident Banded Mongooses. After lunch we escaped the heat of the day in our luxurious air-conditioned rooms before heading out on the Fisher‟s Pan loop for our afternoon drive. At the Twee Palms waterhole we saw numerous Common Ostrich and also an Elephant showing aggression towards a Warthog. Some of us felt that he should pick on somebody his own size. We continued the loop seeing many of the species which by now we were very familiar with but also added Rufous-naped Lark and Yellow Canary. At the end of the loop we visited the Klein & Groot Okevi waterholes where we saw both Red-billed and our first Swainson's Francolins. Luckily, the only remaining water in Fisher‟s Pan seemed to be close to the road and some time here produced many waterbirds including: Cape & Hottentot Teals, Cape Shoveler, Chestnut-banded Plover and Grey- headed Gull. Our last stop of the day was at the Klein Namutoni waterhole which always seems to hold something interesting. On the entrance road we saw Damara Dikdik and the waterhole itself was filled with Red-billed Teal with just one South African Shelduck sticking out. A White-backed Vulture had come down to drink, Tawny Eagle perched in a nearby tree and we spotted a Lappet-faced Vulture nest in the distance with an ugly chick‟s head sticking out. It had been a great day but it was about to get even better. Driving back towards Namutoni, a car had pulled up and the occupants were looking at something in a tree. Apparently I said, “Oh…My…God!” before making everybody very happy by telling them there was a Leopard in the tree. The glowing eyes looking right at us and the beautiful pattern of the fur were things that will stay with us for a long time.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 10 25th September – Namutoni to Shamvura A Pearl-spotted Owlet was calling all night long outside our rooms and was a mild irritation to some. We had a very long drive today so had an early breakfast and a quick check of the waterhole where a couple of us saw Black Crake and Coppery-tailed Coucal. We left, checking the Leopard spot for those who had missed it yesterday but it was gone. Before leaving the park we, had our best views of Double-banded Sandgrouse. We were now back on the paved road, and making time. We tried to be strict with stops but had to take brief views of our first Yellow-billed Kite. We would see many more of these along the road. Our first proper birding stop was at Roy‟s camp. The most famous site for the Black-faced Babbler. We found them straight away along with a host of new birds like Meyer's Parrot, Common Scimitar-bill, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Purple-banded & White-bellied Sunbirds and Black-backed Puffback. We had a long way to go, so set off again and stopped for lunch near Rundu. A spot with great birds possible, but in the heat of the day, all we managed to find was a single Red-headed Weaver.

The resident pair of African Barred Owlets are readily seen at Shamvura (Jerry Connolly)

Where the road crossed a wetland, we found our first Southern Pochard and a Three-banded Plover. Further on along the road, we had the very long-tailed Magpie Shrike and closer to our destination we pulled off on to a side road and had a nice view of the river where a crowd of kids gathered to watch us watching Coppery-tailed & White-browed Coucals and Pied & Giant Kingfishers. We were welcomed to Shamvura Fishing Lodge by the friendly host Charlie. It was certainly confusing having 2 Charlies there. We walked around the garden and out to the deck where we saw Black-headed Oriole, Red-faced Mousebird, Little Bee-eater and Golden Weaver. As dusk came, an African Barred Owlet flew in nearby and started calling. What a welcome to the Caprivi strip.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 11 26th September –Shamvura After an early breakfast, we headed to some local sites for interesting forest birds. At the first place we saw some starlings coming down to drink from a leaky tap. I assumed they would be one of the commoner species but when they flew up into the top of a tree, something seemed a bit different. On closer inspection, I found them to be a mixture of Wattled and Sharp-tailed Starlings. The latter a very rare bird, a top target for the area and a lifer for the guide. What a find! We also had our first Striped Kingfisher in the tree behind. We took a stroll around the forest site and found other good birds like Meyer's Parrot, Yellow- fronted Tinkerbird, Arrow-marked Babbler, Violet-backed Starling and Southern Black Tit. We drove on to the next site stopping along the road to look at a Dark Chanting-Goshawk and Green Woodhoopoe. Birding in this habitat is tricky. It gets hot and quiet very quickly but we did fairly well, picking up Cardinal Woodpecker, Southern Black & Pale Flycatchers, both Brown-crowned & Black-crowned Tchagras, the latter giving a wonderful rendition of its song. Finally we found a vocal flock of Green- capped Eremomelas, another excellent bird. Back at the gardens some of us kept birding and saw Crested Francolin, Red-breasted Swallow, Swamp Boubou and Marico & Purple-banded Sunbirds. Quite a productive morning.

We were very lucky to get such close views of Rock (Charley Hesse)

In the afternoon we had a boat ride planned. Walking down the steep steps to the jetty, some of us had a Golden-tailed Woodpecker. We started the boat ride checking the fields by the river where we saw African Wattled Lapwing, Water Thick-knee, Fan-tailed Widowbird and African Stonechat. Next, on the sandbanks along the river we saw many Collared and the unique African Skimmer. Skimmers are the only birds with their lower mandible longer than the upper. Reed beds held African Reed- & Lesser Swamp-Warblers, which look very similar but sound very different. We had a nice view of Little and nice photo opportunities for many Little Bee-eaters and Malachite Kingfishers. Unfortunately one of our group got sick and we had to turn back. After dropping her off, we headed straight back to where we had left off. We continued seeing many good water birds, including Purple & Rufous- bellied Herons, African Openbill and large numbers of White-faced Ducks. All the way along the river we saw many Brown-throated & Banded Martins and a few Grey-rumped Swallows, Southern Carmine & White-fronted Bee-eaters. We entered an oxbow lake, where we saw Southern Pochard, many African Purple Swamphens, African Jacana and Glossy Ibis. Our last stop before turning back were some rocks in the middle of the river where we had incredible views of Rock Pratincole but we failed to find White-backed Night- at the guide‟s usual sites. A couple of surprises on the trip though were a White-winged Tern and some Comb Ducks. Both difficult in the area. We had seen many hippos along the river but just at the end we had to pass some at speed as they were doing threat displays with their mouths wide open. Quite an exhilarating moment.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 12 27th September – Shamvura to Nguma lodge After an early breakfast we had one last bit of birding along the road near Shamvura, adding Neddicky, Chinspot Batis & African Yellow White-eye before heading to Popa Falls. Normally a target here, we had got great views of Rock Pratincole already, so we tried (unsuccessfully) for the target Brown Firefinch, but only finding Blue & Violet-eared Waxbills coming in to drink at a bird bath. Onto Mahango Game Reserve, our last birding site in Namibia before crossing the border into Botswana. We picked up the long-tailed Meve's Starling straight away and then started birding the flood plain of the Kavango River. In Etosha we had been strictly confined to our cars and we now enjoyed the exhilaration of stepping out of the vehicle to look at some distant Elephants. We stayed close to the vehicle, always remaining vigilant as we used the scopes to look at African Openbill, Yellow-billed Stork, White-faced Duck, Yellow-billed Egret, Rufous-bellied Heron and Long-toed Lapwing. At further stops we found many Spur-winged Geese and African Jacanas plus a distant Goliath Heron and Saddle-billed Stork. Mahango was one of our last chances to pick up new mammals and further along we found Red Lechwe & Southern Reedbuck on the flood plain and Bushbuck & Vervet Monkey by the edge of the forest. We stopped for lunch by the Giant Baobab, where after eating and taking some group photos we saw a pair of Bradfield's Hornbills, Brubru, Golden-tailed Woodpecker at a nest hole and the rare Luapula Cisticola. Before leaving the reserve we picked up our first Hartlaub's Babblers and at the border itself some shining Greater Blue-eared Starlings coming in to drink at a leaky pipe.

The delightful Malachite Kingfisher (Charley Hesse)

We started the final leg of our tour in Botswana driving in to Shakawe where we had to change money at the bank. We remained ever vigilant and got a very lucky Eurasian Hobby flying by as we waited in line at the ATM. We drove on to our meeting point for the Nguma Island Lodge vehicle. The road in was 4WD so after we parked our car at a secure spot we drove in with their open truck spotting some nice birds like Giant Kingfisher & African Openbill on the way. We were greeted by the friendly owner, Nookie (and a group of Vervet Monkeys) before being ushered straight into a boat for the sunset boat ride. In the papyrus edged lagoon we found Greater Swamp-Warbler, Pied & Malachite Kingfishers and many Banded Martins flying over the water but we also enjoyed the spectacular sunset. As the light began to fade, we crossed the lake to see some Hamerkops going to roost in the top of a tree when our local guide Max saw a large bird perched in the distance. We got closer to find it was actually a Pel's Fishing-Owl sitting out on a palm stump. We set up the scope and enjoyed nice views of this, our main target for this section of the tour. What a day it had been!

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 13 28th September –Nguma lodge to Nxamaseri Lodge We heard Hippos and Coppery-tailed Coucals all night long and woke to a dawn chorus of melodic White-browed Robin-Chats and raucous Hartlaub's Babblers starting their day. Some of us took a morning walk and added Black Heron, Wood Sandpiper and saw many more African Openbills and African Jacanas. We also saw Black-collared Barbet, African Green-Pigeon, but only heard the very distinctive call of African Mourning Dove. Back at the lodge, we added Crested Barbets and a noisy flock Retz's Helmetshrikes. Beautiful little black birds with red eye rings. After breakfast we took another boat ride around the lagoon where we had nice views of African Fish-Eagle, several Striated Herons and finally Chirping Cisticola. The latter demonstrated its interesting vocalizations and flight display. After our short stay, it was time to leave and our wonderful guide, Max, drove us back out to the main road. On the way we had better views of Crested Francolin, Bradfield's Hornbill and a very stately Saddle-billed Stork.

Long-toed Lapwings show almost completely white wings in flight (Charley Hesse)

Our next destination was the unpronounceable Nxamaseri Lodge, and again the driver met us at the main road and we transferred to their vehicle. On yet another productive drive in, we saw several African Pygmy-geese, Long-toed Lapwings, Ruff and a Red-billed Oxpecker perched on a cow‟s back. After lunch we took a wonderfully productive boat ride along the Okavango River, which was full of African Darters, Pied & Malachite Kingfishers, Striated & Rufous-bellied Herons We found our first Hadeda Ibis and had great views of a perched out in the open while Hamerkops and Collared Pratincoles flew overhead. We had numerous groups of White-faced Ducks in V-formation and a plethora of swallows, including Wire-tailed, Red-breasted & Lesser Striped. Just before sunset we came across a very productive spot where we witnessed a Blacksmith Lapwing mobbing an African Fish-Eagle on the ground, a Water Thick-knee sat on the bank next to a Nile Crocodile which was so still we began to question whether it was still alive; and also magnificent views of a White-fronted Bee-eater catching insects with remarkable accuracy. Just as it was getting dark we heard the distinctive sound of the Dwarf Bittern croaking from within the reeds, saw a pair of noisy Giant Kingfishers perched nearby and tree full of Slaty Egrets coming in to roost.

29th September – Nxamaseri Lodge This morning we enjoyed a Makoro ride. These are canoes traditionally made from hollowed out logs, but nowadays fibreglass ones are used which last longer and reduce the impact on the environment. Instead of paddling, they are pushed using a pole. Our group of 8 was put into 4 Makoros and we started our morning

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 14 trip. They were busy taming a African Fish-Eagle which we saw being fed on a fish caught that day. On the way out we had good views of the target Southern Brown-throated Weaver perched on top of the Papyrus. Among the many African Jacanas and Long-toed Lapwings we saw several Lesser Jacana and African Pygmy-goose in flight. Our guide Mr P seemed to have found what he was looking for and moved us closer. We saw a large raptor in a tree which turned out to a juvenile Western Banded Snake- Eagle. What a find! We got out at a large island and had a walk around. Here we had nice scope views of Slaty Egret showing its characteristic chestnut throat, African Mourning Dove showing its yellow eye, a distant Bearded Woodpecker on top of a tree and a Coppery-tailed Coucal. Just before leaving I managed to flush our hoped for Greater Painted-snipe. An interesting species in which the female is more colourful than the male and also takes several mates. On the way back we tried another island for Pel‟s Fishing-Owl but the habitat appeared to have been trashed by elephants recently, scaring off the owls. It was hot by the time we got back but the hardcore went for a short walk picking up the Brown Firefinch which we had previously missed.

The Southern Carmine Bee-eater nesting colony was a hive of activity (Charley Hesse)

On our afternoon boat ride, we headed upstream at a fair rate of knots in order to see a very special place indeed. A nesting colony of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters. One of the few stops we had was a sand bank with a pair of African Skimmers roosting on it. We also caught up with the other guests at the lodge who were here for fishing. At the moment there was a Barbel run. A type of big catfish gathering to spawn. While they were busy casting into the water we stopped nearby to look at the numerous Little Egrets, Purple & Squacco Herons which had gathered to feast on them. We continued on passing hundreds of Brown- throated Martins. We slowed the boat and as we approached the colony hundreds of bee-eaters emerged from their holes in the bank and flew over our heads all calling excitedly. It was absolutely breath-taking. As well as Southern Carmine Bee-eater, there were lower numbers of White-fronted Bee-eater and Banded Martins also nesting in the cliff. We got very close to the base and enjoyed what was to be the trip highlight for many people. To make things more interesting, there was even a Black Mamba going from hole to hole looking for eggs or chicks to devour. We wondered why the birds didn‟t attack it, but when it entered certain holes, they began dive-bombing it. Competition for the holes seemed intense and several birds were fighting „hammer & tongs‟. The light was perfect for photography and brought out the bird‟s colors beautifully. We finally had to drag ourselves away to start heading back. On way back, we enjoyed another trip highlight. The humungous Goliath Heron flushing up and flying alongside our boat. We tried in vain for the White-backed Night-Heron but only heard it. The last birds of the day were trees full of African Openbills coming in to roost. I had never seen so many in one spot before. Another amazing day in the Okavango.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 15 30th September – Nxamaseri Lodge to Maun Standing on the jetty to enjoy the sunrise in the morning, we saw many African Green-Pigeons coming in to a fruiting tree. Jerry was up even earlier and spotted an African Goshawk diving at some African Green- Pigeons. We also finally found Little Rush Warbler and had great views of its interesting flight display, fluttering between stems. Before leaving, some of us took a morning walk and saw Collared Sunbird, Yellow White-eye, Lesser Masked Weaver and some tricky Brown Firefinches which evaded us for some time. On the boat ride out we had another majestic Goliath Heron flying ahead of the boat, an African Openbill feeding on large snails for which its strange shaped bill seems to be designed, our best looks at several African Pygmy-Goose and even an African Jacana chasing a Lesser Jacana. We transferred from the boat to the truck and on the drive finally saw dozens of Marabou Stork circling overhead.

The modest little Brown Firefinch is an uncommon resident of riparian frest edge (Charley Hesse)

On the drive to Maun we saw a possible escapee ostrich and then a large flock of White-backed & Cape Vultures along with several Marabou Storks which were picking clean the carcass of a dead cow. Other interesting sightings on the way were a Tawny Eagle trying to catch a chicken in someone‟s garden, a White-winged Tern at a roadside lake and finally a Hamerkop on the ground. Fulfilling a long-standing request by one member of the group. We settled in to the comfortable Sedia Hotel in Maun. Sadly our last night of the trip.

1st October – Maun On our last morning‟s birding we just took a relaxing walk around the gardens, reacquainting ourselves with some old favourites like Red-billed Spurfowl, Grey Go-away Bird, Bradfield's Hornbill and Black-faced Waxbills. The gardens bordered the river and here we saw Squacco Heron, Hamerkop, African Openbill, and our best views so far of African Pygmy-goose and Black Crake. At breakfast we enjoyed a wide variety of visitors to the bird table, including: Arrow-marked & Hartlaub's Babblers, Red-eyed & African Mourning Doves, Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver and Southern & Lesser Masked Weavers. Our birding was at an end and we relaxed in the shade of the open air restaurant for a light lunch and some action from the Rugby World Cup. Our trip list was an impressive 336 species of birds and 40 species of mammals. For the first-timers to Africa and first-timers on a bird tour, it was certainly an eye-opener, but for everybody it was an unforgettable experience.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 16 BIRD LIST follows Birds of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Sinclair et al, 2002 1 Common Ostrich Struthio camelus Seen on the C28 road, in Etosha and Maun. 2 Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis Seen in Etosha. Seen at the Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, on 3 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis the C28 road, in Etosha and Maun. 4 Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus Seen at Walvis Bay. 5 Cape Gannet Morus capensis Seen at Walvis Bay. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works & 6 White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Walvis Bay. 7 Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis Seen at Walvis Bay. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, Walvis 8 Reed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus Bay, Shamvura, Nguma, Nxamaseri & Maun. 9 Crowned Cormorant Phalacrocorax coronatus Seen at Walvis Bay. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, 10 African Darter Anhinga rufa Nguma & Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, Walvis 11 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Bay, on the C28 road, in Etosha & Maun. 12 Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala Seen at Etosha. 13 Goliath Heron Ardea goliath Seen at Mahango & Nxamaseri. 14 Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 15 Great White Egret Ardea alba Seen at most sites with water. 16 Little Egret Egretta garzetta Seen at most sites with water. 17 Yellow-billed Egret Mesophoyx intermedia Seen at Mahango. 18 Black Heron Egretta ardesiaca Seen at Nguma & Nxamaseri. 19 Slaty Egret Egretta vinaceigula Seen at Nxamaseri. 20 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Seen at most sites with water. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, 21 Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides Mahango, Nguma, Nxamaseri and in Maun. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, 22 Striated Heron Butorides striatus Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 23 Rufous-bellied Heron Ardeola rufiventris Seen at Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 24 Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Seen at Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 25 White-backed Night-Heron Gorsachius leuconotus Heard at Nxamaseri. 26 Little Bittern minutus Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 27 Dwarf Bittern Ixobrychus sturmii Heard at Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, 28 Hamerkop Scopus umbretta Shamvura, Nguma, Nxamaseri and in Maun. Seen at Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma, Nxamaseri & 29 African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus Maun. 30 Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis Seen at Mahango & Nguma. 31 Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus Seen en route to Maun. 32 Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis Seen at Mahango. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, on the C28 road & 33 African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus at Mahango. 34 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus Seen at Shamvura & Nguma. 35 Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia hagedash Seen at Nxamaseri. 36 African Spoonbill Platalea alba Seen at Avis Dam & on the C28 road. 37 Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber Seen at Etosha. 38 White-faced Duck Dendrocygna viduata Seen at Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, on the 39 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus C28 road, at Etosha & Mahango. 40 South African Shelduck Tadorna cana Seen at Windhoek sewage works & Etosha.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 17 41 Cape Teal Anas capensis Seen at Walvis Bay & Etosha. 42 Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota Seen at Windhoek sewage works & Etosha. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Etosha, 43 Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha Shamvura and in Maun. 44 Cape Shoveler Anas smithii Seen at Etosha. 45 Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma Seen at Shamvura. 46 African Pygmy-goose Nettapus auritus Seen at Nxamaseri and in Maun. 47 Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos Seen at Shamvura. 48 Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis Seen at Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 49 Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa Seen at Etosha. 50 Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius Seen at Etosha. 51 Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres Seen at Etosha & in Maun. 52 White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus Seen at Etosha, Mahango & Maun. 53 Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos Seen on the C28 road & Etosha. Seen at Roy's Camp, Mahango, Nguma, Nxamaseri 54 Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptius & Maun. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, C28 road, Etosha, 55 Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus Roy's Camp & Shamvura. 56 Verreaux's Eagle Aquila verreauxii Seen at Spitzkoppe & Erongo. 57 Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax Seen on the C28 road, at Etosha & Maun. 58 African Hawk-Eagle Aquila spilogaster Seen on the C28 road. 59 Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus Seen on the C28 road. 60 Black-chested Snake-Eagle Circaetus pectoralis Seen at Avis Dam, C28 road & Etosha. 61 Western Banded Snake-Eagle Circaetus cinerascens Seen at Nxamaseri. 62 Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus Seen at Etosha, Shamvura, Mahango & Nguma. Seen at Avis Dam, Shamvura, Mahango, Nguma & 63 African Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer Nxamaseri. 64 African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro Seen at Nxamaseri. 65 Gabar Goshawk Melierax gabar Seen on the C28 road, at Etosha & Nxamaseri. 66 S. Pale Chanting-Goshawk Melierax canorus Seen on the C28 road & Etosha. 67 Dark Chanting-Goshawk Melierax metabates Seen at Shamvura. 68 African Marsh-Harrier Circus ranivorus Seen at Nguma. 69 African Harrier Hawk Polyboroides typus Seen at Etosha. 70 Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo Seen at Nguma. Seen at Avis Dam, C28 road, Walvis Bay, 71 Rock Kestrel Falco rupicolus Spitzkoppe & Erongo. 72 Greater Kestrel Falco rupicoloides Seen at Etosha. 73 African Pygmy Falcon Polihierax semitorquatus Seen at Etosha. 74 Crested Francolin Francolinus sephaena Seen at Shamvura & Nguma. 75 Orange River Francolin Francolinus levaillantoides Heard on the C28. 76 Red-billed Spurfowl Pternistes adspersus Seen at most sites. 77 Hartlaub's Spurfowl Pternistes hartlaubi Seen at Erongo. 78 Swainson's Francolin Pternistes swainsonii Seen at Etosha & Shamvura. 79 Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris Seen at Erongo, Etosha and heard in Maun. 80 Kurrichane Buttonquail Turnix sylvatica Seen at Spitzkoppe. 81 Blue Crane Grus paradisea Seen at Etosha. 82 Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra Seen at Etosha, Shamvura, Nxamaseri & Maun. 83 African Purple Swamphen Porphyrio madgascariensis Seen at Shamvura. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, on the C28 road, 84 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus at Etosha, Shamvura & Maun.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 18 Seen at Windhoek sewage works, on the C28 road, 85 Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata at Etosha & Shamvura. 86 Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori Seen on the C28 road & at Etosha. 87 Ruppell's Korhaan Eupodotis rueppellii Seen on the C28 road. Heard at Spitzkoppe. 88 Red-crested Korhaan Eupodotis ruficrista Seen at Etosha & Nguma. 89 Northern Black Korhaan Eupodotis afraoides Seen at Spitzkoppe & Etosha. 90 African Jacana Actophilornis africana Seen at most sites with water. 91 Lesser Jacana Microparra capensis Seen at Nxamaseri. 92 Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis Seen at Nxamaseri. 93 African Black Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini Seen at Walvis Bay. 94 White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus Seen at Walvis Bay. 95 Chestnut-banded Plover Charadrius pallidus Seen at Walvis Bay & Etosha. 96 Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius Seen at Avis Dam, Shamvura & Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Swakopmund, Shamvura & 97 Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris Nguma. 98 Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Seen at Walvis Bay. Seen at Erongo, Etosha and in Maun. Heard at 99 Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus Omaruru. 100 Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus Seen at most sites with water. 101 African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegallus Seen at Shamvura & Nguma. 102 Long-toed Lapwing Vanellus crassirostris Seen at Mahango & Nxamaseri. 103 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Seen at Walvis Bay. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Shamvura, 104 Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos Mahango & Maun. 105 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Seen at most sites with water. 106 Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Seen at Walvis Bay, Shamvura & Mahango. 107 Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Seen at Walvis Bay. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Walvis Bay & 108 Little Stint Calidris minuta Etosha. 109 Sanderling Calidris alba Seen at Walvis Bay. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works & 110 Ruff Philomachus pugnax Nxamaseri. 111 Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica Seen at Walvis Bay. 112 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Seen at Walvis Bay & Etosha. 113 Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Seen at Etosha. 114 Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 115 Burchell's Courser rufus Seen at Etosha. 116 Double-banded Courser africanus Seen at Spitzkoppe & Etosha. 117 Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 118 Rock Pratincole Glareola nuchalis Seen at Shamvura. 119 Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus Seen at Walvis Bay. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, Walvis Bay & 120 Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus Etosha. 121 Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii Seen at Walvis Bay. 122 Caspian Tern Sterna caspia Seen at Walvis Bay. 123 Swift Tern Sterna bergii Seen at Walvis Bay. 124 Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis Seen at Walvis Bay. 125 Common Tern Sterna hirundo Seen at Walvis Bay. 126 Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus Seen at Nxamaseri. 127 White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus Seen at Shamvura, Nxamaseri and in Maun. 128 African Skimmer Rynchops flavirostris Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 19 129 Namaqua Sandgrouse Pterocles namaqua Seen on the C28 road, Spitzkoppe & Etosha. 130 Double-banded Sandgrouse Pterocles bicinctus Seen at Etosha. 131 Feral Pigeon Columba livia Seen at Avis Dam, Shamvura and in Maun. 132 Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea Seen at Windhoek sewage works & Walvis Bay. 133 Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata Seen at Shamvura, Nxamaseri and in Maun. 134 African Mourning Dove Streptopelia decipiens Seen at Nxamaseri and in Maun. 135 Cape Turtle Dove Streptopelia capicola Seen at most sites. 136 Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis Seen at most sites. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, on the C28 road, 137 Namaqua Dove Oena capensis Etosha, Shamvura and in Maun. 138 Emerald-spotted Dove Turtur chalcospilos Seen at Etosha, Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 139 African Green-Pigeon Treron calva Seen at Nguma, Nxamaseri and in Maun. 140 Meyer's Parrot Poicephalus meyeri Seen at Roy's Camp & Shamvura. 141 Ruppell's Parrot Poicephalus rueppellii Seen at Khan River & Erongo. 142 Rosy-faced Lovebird Agapornis roseicollis Seen at Spitzkoppe, Erongo & Omaruru. 143 Grey Go-away Bird Corythaixoides concolor Seen at most sites. Seen at Etosha, Shamvura, Nguma, Nxamaseri & 144 Coppery-tailed Coucal Centropus cupreicaudus Maun. 145 Coucal Centropus senegalensis Seen at Nxamaseri. 146 White-browed Coucal Centropus superciliosus Seen at Omaruru, Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 147 Barn Owl Tyto alba Seen at Etosha. 148 African Wood-Owl Strix woodfordi Heard at Shamvura. 149 Marsh Owl Asio capensis Seen at Etosha. 150 African Scops-Owl Otus senegalensis Seen at Etosha. 151 S. White-faced Scops Owl Otus leucotis Seen at Etosha. Seen on the C28 road, at Spitzkoppe, Erongo & 152 Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum Etosha. 153 African Barred Owlet Glaucidium capense Seen at Shamvura & Nguma. 154 Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus Seen at Spitzkoppe & Erongo. 155 Pel's Fishing-Owl Scotopelia peli Seen at Nguma. 156 Fiery-necked Nightjar Caprimulgus pectoralis Seen at Shamvura. 157 Rufous-cheeked Nightjar Caprimulgus rufigena Seen at Etosha. 158 Freckled Nightjar Caprimulgus tristigma Seen at Erongo. 159 Square-tailed Nightjar Caprimulgus fossii Heard at Shamvura. 160 Bradfield's Swift Apus bradfieldi Seen at Avis Dam & Windhoek sewage works. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, on the 161 Little Swift Apus affinis C28 road, at the Khan River, Etosha & Roy's Camp. 162 African Palm-Swift Cypsiurus parvus Seen at most sites. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, 163 White-backed Mousebird Colius colius Spitzkoppe & Omaruru. 164 Red-faced Mousebird Urocolius indicus Seen at Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 165 Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Seen at Shamvura, Nguma, Nxamaseri and in Maun. 166 Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima Seen at Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 167 Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata Seen at Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 168 Striped Kingfisher Halcyon chelicuti Seen at Shamvura. 169 Southern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicoides Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 170 White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 171 Little Bee-eater Merops pusillus Seen at Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, C28 172 Swallow-tailed Bee-eater Merops hirundinaceus road, Spitzkoppe, Erongo & Etosha.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 20 Seen at Windhoek sewage works, on the C28 road, 173 Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudata at Etosha, Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. Seen on the C28 road, at Spitzkoppe, Erongo, 174 Purple Roller Coracias naevia Omaruru, Etosha, Shamvura & Nguma. Seen at Erongo, Omaruru, Etosha, Nxamaseri and in 175 African Hoopoe Upupa africana Maun. Heard on the C28 road. 176 Green Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus Seen at Shamvura, Popa Falls & Nxamaseri. 177 Violet Woodhoopoe Phoeniculus damarensis Seen at Spitzkoppe, Erongo & Etosha. Seen on the C28 road, at Erongo, Etosha, Roy's 178 Common Scimitar-bill Rhinopomastus cyanomelas Camp and in Maun. Seen on the C28 road, at Etosha, Shamvura, Popa 179 African Grey Hornbill Tockus nasutus Falls, Nxamaseri and in Maun. 180 Red-billed Hornbill Tockus erythrorhynchus Seen at Etosha, Roy's Camp and in Maun. 181 S.Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus leucomelas Seen at most sites. 182 Bradfield's Hornbill Tockus bradfieldi Seen at Mahango, Nguma and in Maun. Seen at Spitzkoppe, the Khan River, Erongo & 183 Monteiro's Hornbill Tockus monteiri Etosha. 184 Black-collared Barbet Lybius torquatus Seen at Nguma & Nxamaseri. Heard at Shamvura. 185 Acacia Pied Barbet Tricholaema leucomelas Seen at most sites. 186 Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus Seen at Shamvura. Heard at Nxamaseri. 187 Crested Barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii Seen at Nguma. Heard at Nxamaseri. 188 Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor Seen at Popa Falls. 189 Golden-tailed Woodpecker Campethera abingoni Seen at Shamvura, Mahango & Nxamaseri. 190 Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens Seen at Shamvura. 191 Bearded Woodpecker Dendropicos namaquus Seen at Omaruru & Nxamaseri. 192 Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana Seen at Etosha. Seen at Avis Dam, Daan Viljoen, on the C28 road, at 193 Sabota Lark Mirafra sabota Spitzkoppe & Etosha. 194 Karoo Long-billed Lark Certhilauda subcoronata Seen at Spitzkoppe. 195 Dune Lark Certhilauda erythrochlamys Seen at Walvis Bay. 196 Spike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata Seen at Spitzkoppe & Etosha. 197 Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea Seen at Etosha. 198 Pink-billed Lark Spizocorys conirostris Seen at Etosha. 199 Stark's Lark Eremalauda starki Seen at Spitzkoppe. 200 Gray's Lark Ammomanes grayi Seen at Spitzkoppe. 201 Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark Eremopterix leucotis Seen at Etosha. 202 Grey-backed Sparrowlark Eremopterix verticalis Seen at Etosha. 203 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Seen at Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, Etosha 204 White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis & Nxamaseri. 205 Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii Seen at Nxamaseri. 206 Pearl-breasted Swallow Hirundo dimidiata Seen at Walvis Bay, Erongo & Nxamaseri. Seen at Etosha, Roy's Camp, Shamvura & 207 Red-breasted Swallow Hirundo semirufa Nxamaseri. 208 Greater Striped-Swallow Hirundo cucullata Seen at Etosha. 209 Lesser Striped-Swallow Hirundo abyssinica Seen at Shamvura, Mahango & Nxamaseri. 210 Rock Martin Hirundo fuligula Seen at most sites in the west. 211 Grey-rumped Swallow Hirundo griseopyga Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 212 Brown-throated Martin Riparia paludicola Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 213 Banded Martin Riparia cincta Seen at Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 214 Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis Seen most sites. 215 Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus Seen at Shamvura. Heard at Mahango.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 21 216 Cape Crow Corvus capensis Seen at Etosha & Mahango. 217 Pied Crow Corvus albus Seen at Etosha, Shamvura & Mahango. 218 Ashy Tit Parus cinerascens Seen at Spitzkoppe. 219 Southern Black Tit Parus Seen at Shamvura & Nguma. 220 Carp's Black Tit Parus carpi Seen at Erongo & Etosha. 221 Cape Penduline-Tit Anthoscopus minutus Seen at Avis Dam & Erongo. 222 Arrow-marked Babbler Turdoides jardineii Seen at Shamvura and in Maun. 223 Black-faced Babbler Turdoides melanops Seen at Roy's Camp. 224 Hartlaub's Babbler Turdoides hartlaubii Seen at Mahango, Nguma, Nxamaseri and in Maun. 225 Southern Pied Babbler Turdoides bicolor Seen at Omaruru & Etosha. 226 African Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus nigricans Seen at most sites. 227 Dark-capped Bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor Seen at all sites in the east. 228 Terrestrial Brownbul Phyllastrephus terrestris Seen at Popa Falls. 229 Yellow-bellied Greenbul Chlorocichla flaviventris Seen at Shamvura & Popa Falls. 230 Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyanus Seen at Shamvura, Popa Falls & Nguma. 231 Groundscraper Thrush Psophocichla litsipsirupa Seen on the C28 road & Etosha. 232 Short-toed Rock-Thrush Monticola brevipes Seen at Arebbusch & on the C28 road. Seen at Avis Dam, on the C28 road, Spitzkoppe & 233 Mountain Wheatear Oenanthe monticola Erongo. 234 Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata Seen at Etosha. 235 Familiar Chat Cercomela familiaris Seen at Daan Viljoen, on the C28 road & at Erongo. 236 Tractrac Chat Cercomela tractrac Seen on the C28 road & at Walvis Bay. 237 Karoo Chat Cercomela schlegelii Seen at Spitzkoppe. 238 Anteating Chat Myrmecocichla formicivora Seen on the C28 road & at Etosha. 239 African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus Seen at Shamvura. 240 White-browed Robin-Chat Cossypha heuglini Seen at Shamvura, Popa Falls, Nguma, Nxamaseri. 241 White-browed Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas leucophrys Seen at Erongo, Etosha & Shamvura. 242 Kalahari Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas paena Seen on the C28 road & at Etosha. 243 Herero Chat Namibornis herero Seen at Spitzkoppe. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, on the 244 Chestnut-vented Titbabbler Sylvia subcaeruleum C28 road, at Spitzkoppe, Erongo & Roy's Camp. 245 African Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus Seen at Windhoek sewage works & Shamvura. Seen at Windhoek sewage works & Shamvura. 246 Lesser Swamp-Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris Heard at Nxamaseri. 247 Greater Swamp-Warbler Acrocephalus rufescens Seen at Nguma & Nxamaseri. 248 Little Rush Warbler Bradypterus baboecala Seen at Nguma & Nxamaseri. Heard at Shamvura. 249 Yellow-breasted Apalis Apalis flavida Seen at Roy's Camp. 250 Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens Seen at Outjo, Etosha, Shamvura & Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Spitzkoppe, Erongo, Omaruru & 251 Yellow-bellied Eremomela Eremomela icteropygialis Shamvura. 252 Green-capped Eremomela Eremomela scotops Seen at Shamvura. 253 Burnt-necked Eremomela Eremomela usticollis Seen at Etosha. Seen at Avis Dam, Khan River, Erongo, Etosha & 254 Grey-backed Cameroptera Camaroptera brevicaudata Shamvura. Heard in Maun. 255 Barred Wren Warbler Calamonastes fasciolatus Seen at Avis Dam & Erongo. Heard at Etosha. 256 Rockrunner Achaetops pycnopygius Seen on the C28 road & at Erongo. 257 Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis Seen at Windhoek sewage works. 258 Desert Cisticola Cisticola aridulus Seen on the C28 road, at Erongo & Etosha. 259 Luapula Cisticola Cisticola luapula Seen at Mahango. 260 Chirping Cisticola Cisticola pipiens Seen at Nguma & Nxamaseri. Heard at Shamvura.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 22 261 Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chinianus Seen at most sites. 262 Neddicky Cisticola fulvicapillus Seen at Shamvura. Seen at Spitzkoppe, Khan River, Shamvura & 263 Tawny-flanked Prinia Prinia subflava Nxamaseri. 264 Black-chested Prinia Prinia flavicans Seen at all sites in the west. 265 Rufous-eared Warbler Malcorus pectoralis Seen at Etosha. 266 Southern Black Flycatcher Melaenornis pammelaina Seen at Shamvura 267 Marico Flycatcher Bradornis mariquensis Seen at most sites. 268 Pale Flycatcher Bradornis pallidus Seen at Shamvura & Nguma. 269 Chat Flycatcher Bradornis infuscatus Seen on the C28 road, Spitzkoppe & Etosha. 270 Chinspot Batis Batis molitor Seen at Shamvura. Seen at Avis Dam, on the C28 road, Spitzkoppe, 271 Pririt Batis Batis pririt Erongo & Etosha. 272 African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp Seen at Popa Falls. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, Walvis 273 Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis Bay, Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 274 African Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus Seen at Avis Dam, Etosha, Mahango & Nxamaseri. Seen on the C28 road, at Walvis Bay, Spitzkoppe & 275 Common Fiscal Lanius collaris Etosha. 276 Magpie Shrike Corvinella melanoleuca Seen at Shamvura & Mahango. 277 Swamp Boubou Laniarius bicolor Seen at Shamvura, Nguma, Nxamaseri and in Maun. 278 Crimson-breasted Shrike Laniarius atrococcineus Seen at most sites. 279 Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla Seen at Roy's Camp. 280 Brubru Nilaus afer Seen at Spitzkoppe & Mahango. 281 Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis Seen at Avis Dam, Erongo, Etosha & Shamvura. 282 Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegala Seen at Shamvura. 283 Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus Seen at Walvis Bay & Spitzkoppe. Seen on the C28 road, Spitzkoppe, Erongo & 284 White-tailed Shrike Lanioturdus torquatus Omaruru. 285 White-crested Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus Seen at Etosha & Shamvura. 286 Retz's Helmetshrike Prionops retzii Seen at Nguma. Heard at Nxamaseri. 287 S. White-crowned Shrike Eurocephalus anguitimens Seen at the Khan River, Erongo & Etosha. 288 Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea Seen at most sites. 289 Violet-backed Starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster Seen at Shamvura. 290 Burchell's Starling Lamprotornis australis Seen at most sites. 291 Meve's Starling Lamprotornis mevesii Seen at Mahango & Nxamaseri. 292 Cape Glossy Starling Lamprotornis nitens Seen at most sites. 293 Greater Blue-eared Starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus Seen at Mahango & Nxamaseri. 294 Sharp-tailed Starling Lamprotornis acuticaudus Seen at Shamvura. 295 Pale-winged Starling Onychognathus nabouroup Seen at Spitzkoppe, Erongo & Omaruru. 296 Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus Seen at Nxamaseri. 297 Marico Sunbird Nectarinia mariquensis Seen at most sites. 298 Purple-banded Sunbird Nectarinia bifasciata Seen at Roy's Camp & Shamvura. Seen at Roy's Camp, Shamvura, Nguma, Nxamaseri 299 White-bellied Sunbird Nectarinia talatala and in Maun. 300 Dusky Sunbird Nectarinia fusca Seen at most sites in the west. Seen at Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage works, on the 301 Scarlet-chested Sunbird Nectarinia senegalensis C28 road & at Shamvura. 302 Collared Sunbird Hedidypna collaris Seen at Popa Falls & Nxamaseri 303 Yellow White-eye Zosterops senegalensis Seen at Shamvura & Nxamaseri. 304 Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver Bubalornis niger Seen on the C28 road, at Etosha and in Maun.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 23 White-browed Sparrow- 305 Plocepasser mahali Seen at most sites. Weaver 306 Sociable Weaver Philetairus socius Seen on the C28 road & at Etosha. 307 House Sparrow Passer domesticus Seen on the C28 road & at Walvis Bay. Seen on the C28 road, Spitzkoppe, Erongo, Etosha 308 Great Sparrow Passer motitensis and in Maun. 309 Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus Seen at Walvis Bay. 310 S. Grey-headed Sparrow Passer diffusus Seen at Erongo, Etosha, Roy's Camp & Shamvura. 311 Scaly-feathered Finch Sporopipes squamifrons Seen on the C28 road, at Spitzkoppe & Etosha. 312 Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis Seen at Nxamaseri. 313 Golden Weaver Ploceus xanthops Seen at Shamvura, Nguma, Nxamaseri and in Maun. 314 Southern Masked-Weaver Ploceus velatus Seen at most sites. 315 Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius Seen at Arebbusch, Nxamaseri and in Maun. 316 S. Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus xanthopterus Seen at Nxamaseri. 317 Thick-billed Weaver Amblyospiza albifrons Seen at Nxamaseri. 318 Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps Seen at Rundu & Shamvura. 319 Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea Seen at most sites. 320 Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix Seen at Arebbusch. 321 Fan-tailed Widowbird Euplectes axillaris Seen at Shamvura. 322 Green-winged Pytilia Pytilia melba Seen at Avis Dam, Erongo, Shamvura & Popa Falls. 323 Brown Firefinch Lagonosticta nitidula Seen at Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, Etosha, Roy's Camp, Shamvura, 324 Blue Waxbill Uraeginthus angolensis Popa Falls, Mahango. Seen at Avis Dam, on the C28 road, at Spitzkoppe, 325 Violet-eared Waxbill Uraeginthus granatina Erongo, Etosha & Popa Falls. 326 Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild Seen at Walvis Bay, Omaruru & Nxamaseri. Seen at Avis Dam, on the C28 road, at Spitzkoppe, 327 Black-faced Waxbill Estrilda erythronotos Erongo, Etosha and in Maun. 328 Red-headed Finch Amadina erythrocephala Seen at Arebbusch & Etosha. Seen at Windhoek sewage works, on the C28 road, 329 Shaft-tailed Whydah Vidua regia at Erongo, Etosha & Mahango. 330 Yellow-fronted Canary Serinus mozambicus Seen at Shamvura. Seen at Arebbusch, Avis Dam, Windhoek sewage 331 Black-throated Canary Serinus atrogularis works, Erongo, Etosha & Shamvura. 332 Yellow Canary Serinus flaviventris Seen at Etosha. 333 White-throated Canary Serinus albogularis Seen at Spitzkoppe. 334 Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris Seen at Erongo, Etosha, Roy's Camp & Shamvura. 335 Cape Bunting Emberiza capensis Seen on the C28 road & at Spitzkoppe. 336 Lark-like Bunting Emberiza impetuani Seen on the C28 road & Spitzkoppe.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 24 MAMMAL LIST Mammal Taxonomy follows J.Kingdon, The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals, 1997 1 Western Rock Elephant Shrew Elephantulus rupestris Seen at Erongo. 2 Four-Striped Grass Mouse Rhabdomys pumilio Seen at Spitzkoppe. 3 Dassie Rat Petromus typicus Seen at Erongo. 4 Cape Fur Seal Actophilornis pusillus Seen at Walvis Bay. 5 Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus Seen at Walvis Bay. 6 Chacma Baboon Papio ursinus Seen at Daan Viljoen, the C28 road & at Roy's Camp. 7 Vervet Monkey Cercopithecus aethiops Seen at Mahango, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 8 South African Ground Squirrel Geosciurus inauris Seen on the C28 road, at Spitzkoppe & Etosha. 9 Tree Squirrel Paraxerus cepapi Seen at Etosha. 10 Scrub Hare Lepus capensis Seen at Erongo & Etosha. 11 Cape Hare Pronolagus randensis Seen at Etosha. 12 Black-backed Jackal Canis mesomelas Seen at Etosha. 13 Cape Fox Vulpes chacma Seen at Etosha. 14 Lion Panthera leo Seen at Etosha. 15 Leopard Panthera pardalis Seen at Etosha. 16 Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis Seen on C28, at Spitzkoppe, Khan River & Erongo. 17 Elephant Loxodonta africana Seen at Etosha & Mahango. 18 Giraffe Camelopardus giraffa Seen at Etosha. 19 Burchell's Zebra Equus burchelli Seen at Etosha & Mahango. 20 Hartmann's Mountain Zebra Equus hartmannae Seen on the C28 road. Seen at Shamvura and heard at Nguma & 21 Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibious Nxamaseri. 22 Black Rhino Diceros bicornis Seen at Etosha. 23 Warthog Phacochoerus africanus Seen at Etosha & Mahango. 24 Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus Seen at Mahango. Seen at Daan Viljoen, on the C28 road, Erongo, 25 Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros Etosha & Mahango. 26 Gemsbok (Southern Oryx) Oryx gazelle Seen on the C28 road & in Etosha. 27 Springbok Antidorcas marsupialis Seen on the C28 road & in Etosha. 28 Red Lechwe Kobus lechwe Seen at Mahango. 29 Duiker Cephalophus harveyi Seen at Erongo & Etosha. 30 Steenbuck Raphicerus campestris Seen at Spitzkoppe & Etosha. 31 Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus Seen at Erongo & Etosha. 32 Damara Dikdik Madoqua kirkii Seen at Erongo & Etosha. 33 Southern Reedbuck Redunca arundinum Seen at Mahango. 34 Impala Aepyceros melampus Seen at Etosha & Mahango. 35 Red Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus Seen at Daan Viljoen & Etosha. 36 Blue Wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus Seen at Daan Viljoen & Etosha. 37 Slender Mongoose Herpestes sanguinea Seen at Erongo. 38 Black Mongoose Herpestes nigrata Seen at Spitzkoppe. 39 Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo Seen at Etosha. Seen at Arebbusch, Swakopmund, Spitzkoppe, 40 Yellow Mongoose Cynictis penicillata Erongo & Etosha.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 25 REPTILE LIST Reptile taxonomy follows B.Branch, Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa, 1998 1 Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus Seen at Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 2 Namibian Rock Agama Agama planiceps Seen at Spitzkoppe & Erongo. 3 Turner‟s Thick-toed Gecko Pachydactylus turneri Seen at Etosha. 4 Nile Monitor Varanus niloticus Seen at Shamvura, Nguma & Nxamaseri. 5 Rock Monitor Varanus albigularis Seen at Etosha. 6 Striped Skink Mabuya striata Seen at Etosha. 7 Black Mamba Dendroaspis polylepis Seen at Nxamaseri. 8 Marsh Terrapin Pelomedusa subrufa Seen at Etosha. 9 Leopard Tortoise Geochelone pardalis Seen at Etosha.

AMPHIBIAN LIST Amphibian taxonomy follows V.Carruthers & L.du Preez, Frogs & Frogging in , 2011 1 Mascarene Grass Frog Ptychadena mascareniensis Seen at Nguma.

FISH LIST 1 Sharptooth Catfish (Barbel) Clarias gariepinus Seen at Nxamaseri.

Tropical Birding www.tropicalbirding.com 26