Karoo Mammals and Birds One of four Aardvark seen at Karoo Gariep © Tertius Gous 2020 Tour Report by Michael Mills Photos by Terti us Gous and Don Macgillivray TOUR SUMMARY Our inaugural Karoo Mammals and Birds Tour During the day our main focus was on birds, and was an overwhelming success with several rarely- we enjoyed some great sightings, logging 175 seen nocturnal mammals observed well and a good species. Highlights included Eastern Clapper Lark, selection of Karoo birds watched at close range. The Spike-heeled Lark, Melodious Lark, Blue Korhaan, food, accommodation and company matched our time Karoo Korhaan, Northern Black Korhaan, Ludwig’s in the field. Bustard, Kori Bustard, Namaqua Warbler, Rufous- eared Warbler, Greater Painted-Snipe, hundreds of The four night drives on the back of an open vehicle Blue Crane, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Violet-eared were the most memorable component of the trip and Waxbill, Buffy Pipit, Nicholson’s Pipit, Rufous-cheeked produced some terrific mammals: four Aardvark, five Nightjar, African Rail, Double-banded Courser, South African Hedgehogs, two sightings of Hewitt’s Verreaux’s Eagle, White-backed Mousebird, Cape Red Rock Rabbit, three sightings of Striped Polecat, Penduline Tit, Greater Kestrel, Fairy Flycatcher, Fawn- four Aardwolf, one Brown Hyaena, more than 15 Bat- coloured Lark, Sabota Lark, Pearl-breasted Swallow, eared Fox, several African Wild Cat, one Cape Fox, no Bradfield’s Swift, Cloud Cisticola, Orange River White- less than 25 South African Porcupine, two Long-eared eye, Sickle-winged Chat and White-throated Canary. Mice and a couple of African Pygmy Mice. One of four Aardwolf seen during the tour © Tertius Gous Blue Korhaan at Karoo Gariep © Tertius Gous ITINERARY 30 Oct Met at Marrick Game Reserve in the mid 2 Nov Pre-breakfast outing (07h00-09h30) followed afternoon and settled into comfortable by breakfast (09h30-10h45). Then drove accommodation. Early dinner (18h30) to Karoo Gariep via Orania on the Orange followed by first night drive (20h00-23h00). River, arriving 17h00 after seeing Ludwig’s Highlights included Aardwolf, Striped Bustard at locust swarm. Dinner (18h30) Polecat, Hewitt’s Red Rock Rabbit and Long- followed by third night drive (20h00-23h30) eared Mouse. with two Aardvark , two South African 31 Oct Pre-breakfast outing (07h00-09h30) to Hedgehog, Striped Polecat and 13 Porcupine! plains followed by breakfast (09h30-10h45) 3 Nov Pre-breakfast outing (07h00-09h30) with and late morning outing to (10h45-13h00). Melodious Lark and Blue Korhaan, followed Highlights included Eastern Clapper Lark, by breakfast (09h30-10h45). Late morning Secretarybird, Cape Penduline Tit, Double- (10h45-13h00) and afternoon outings banded Courser and Rufous-eared Warbler. (16h00-18h45) to wetlands, with Namaqua Afternoon outing (15h00-18h30) followed by Warbler. Dinner (19h00) followed by fourth dinner. Night drive postponed due to rain. night drive with two more Aardvark, three 1 Nov Pre-breakfast outing (07h00-09h30) to plains Hedgehog and best Aardwolf views. followed by breakfast (09h30-10h45) and late 4 Nov Pre-breakfast outing (07h00-09h30) to rocky morning outing (10h45-13h00). Highlights areas with Layard’s Tit-Babbler and Fairy included Spotted Eagle Owl and Kori Flycatcher, followed by breakfast (09h30- Bustard. Afternoon outing (15h30-18h30), 10h45). Afternoon outing (15h30-18h45) followed by dinner and second night drive with Karoo Korhaan. Dinner (19h00) with Brown Hyaena and Bat-eared Fox. followed by night drive produced best views of African Wild Cat and only Cape Fox. 5 Nov Departure after 07h00 breakfast. BIRDING AFRICA Karoo Mammals and Birds Tour Report 2020 Karoo Mammals and Birds Tour Report 2020 BIRDING AFRICA List OF BIRDS RECORDED Struthionidae Cape Teal Anas capensis – About 20 at Karoo Gariep Common Ostrich Struthio camelus – Common at Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha – Quite a few at Marrick Karoo Gariep and one at Marrick Numididae Caprimulgidae Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris – Common Rufous-cheeked Nightjar Caprimulgus rufigena – at Marrick and Karoo Gariep Very good views of a few at Marrick Anatidae Apodidae Apodidae – White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata – African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus – Seen at A flock at Karoo Gariep Marrick Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis – Seen at Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba – Several seen well Marrick and Karoo Gariep at Marrick Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca – Seen at Bradfield’s Swift Apus bradfieldi – Very good views at Marrick and Karoo Gariep Marrick South African Shelduck Tadorna cana – Numerous at Little Swift Apus affinis – Seen at Marrick and Karoo Rufous-cheeked Nightjar at Marrick © Tertius Gous Karoo Gariep Gariep Otididae Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata – Seen at Cape Shoveler Spatula smithii – A few at Karoo Horus Swift Apus horus – A couple seen well at Marrick and Karoo Gariep Gariep Marrick Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori – Two seen at Marrick Cape Turtle Dove Streptopelia capicola – Seen at Ludwig’s Bustard Neotis ludwigii – One seen at Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata – Common at White-rumped Swift Apus caffer – Seen at Marrick Marrick and Karoo Gariep Karoo Gariep and Karoo Gariep Marrick, and two at a locust swarm as we neared Karoo Gariep Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis – Seen at Karoo Korhaan was seen alongside Blue Korhaan at Karoo Gariep © Tertius Gous Marrick Blue Korhaan Eupodotis caerulescens – Terrific views of several at Karoo Gariep Namaqua Dove Oena capensis – Seen at Marrick and Karoo Gariep Karoo Korhaan Eupodotis vigorsii – Excellent views of a pair at Karoo Gariep Rallidae Northern Black Korhaan Afrotis afraoides – Common African Rail Rallus caerulescens – Seen at Karoo at Marrick and Karoo Gariep Gariep Cuculidae Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus – Seen at Karoo Gariep Diederik Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius – Seen at Marrick Gruidae Pteroclidae Blue Crane Grus paradisea – More than 100 seen at Karoo Gariep Namaqua Sandgrouse Pterocles namaqua – One seen in flight near Karoo Gariep Podicipedidae Columbidae Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis – A few at Karoo Gariep Rock Dove or Feral Pigeon Columba livia – Seen Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis – Two seen at Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea – Seen at Marrick Karoo Gariep and Karoo Gariep BIRDING AFRICA Karoo Mammals and Birds Tour Report 2020 Karoo Mammals and Birds Tour Report 2020 BIRDING AFRICA Phalacrocoracidae Accipitridae Reed Cormorant Microcarbo africanus – One at Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus – Seen at Karoo Karoo Gariep Gariep White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax lucidus – White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus – Several at Many at Karoo Gariep Marrick Threskiornithidae Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax – One at Marrick African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus – Seen at Verreaux’s Eagle Aquila verreauxii – Great views of Karoo Gariep one near Karoo Gariep Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash – Seen at Marrick Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax canorus – Seen at and Karoo Gariep Marrick and en route to Karoo Gariep Ardeidae African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer – Seen at Karoo Gariep Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides – One at Karoo Gariep Tytonidae Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis – Seen at Marrick Western Barn Owl Tyto alba – Great views at Marrick Grey Heron Ardea cinerea – Seen at Karoo Gariep Strigidae Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala – Seen at Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus – Great views at The diminutive Cape Penduline Tit was seen well at Marrick © Tertius Gous Marrick Marrick Phoenicopteridae Rostratulidae African Great Egret Ardea [alba] melanorhynchos – Coliidae Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus – A few at Greater Painted-snipe Rostratula benghalensis – One Seen at Karoo Gariep White-backed Mousebird Colius colius – Seen at Karoo Gariep male seen well at Karoo Gariep Sagittariidae Karoo Gariep Burhinidae Scolopacidae Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius – Great views at Red-faced Mousebird Urocolius indicus – Seen at Spotted Thick-knee Burhinus capensis – Seen at Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea – A few at Marrick Marrick Marrick and Karoo Gariep Karoo Gariep Eastern Clapper Lark was seen regularly during the tour © Tertius Gous Recurvirostridae Sanderling Calidris alba – Two at Karoo Gariep Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus – Seen at Little Stint Calidris minuta – Several at Karoo Gariep Karoo Gariep African Snipe Gallinago nigripennis – Quite a few at Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta – Seen at Karoo Karoo Gariep Gariep Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola – One at Karoo Charadriidae Gariep Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus – Seen at Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia – Common at Marrick and Karoo Gariep Karoo Gariep Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus – Seen at Glareolidae Marrick and Karoo Gariep Double-banded Courser Rhinoptilus africanus – Kittlitz’s Plover Charadrius pecuarius – Quite a few at Fantastic views at Marrick Karoo Gariep Laridae Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris – Seen at Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida – About 20 seen Marrick and Karoo Gariep in breeding plumage at Karoo Gariep BIRDING AFRICA Karoo Mammals and Birds Tour Report 2020 Karoo Mammals and Birds Tour Report 2020 BIRDING AFRICA Laniidae Remizidae Southern Fiscal Lanius collaris – Seen a few times Cape Penduline Tit Anthoscopus minutus – Fantastic views at Marrick Dicruridae Alaudidae Southern Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus [adsimilis] adsimilis – Seen at Marrick Spike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata – Many good sightings Rhipiduridae Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark