DOCSLIB.ORG

Namibia, Botswana & Zambia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA & ZAMBIA AUGUST 19–SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 NAMIBIA: WALVIS BAY PRE-TRIP AUGUST 16–20, 2018 Schalow’s Turaco © Geoff Lockwood LEADER: GEOFF LOCKWOOD LIST COMPILED BY: GEOFF LOCKWOOD VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM The Namibian coastal pre-tour, and also the main tour of Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia, ran a week later than these tours in 2017 – this in the hope that the delay of 7 days would see the arrival of more intra-African and Palearctic migrant species in the region. This certainly bore fruit on the pre-tour - with larger numbers of migratory shorebirds and terns on the coast, and also during the main tour where we had excellent sightings of a number of intra-African migrants including groups of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters in vivid breeding dress, and also a calling Black Cuckoo at Nxamaseri Lodge. Apart from the coastal section, the areas we visited had experienced good rains during the previous summer, and veld conditions were generally good throughout the main tour. Water flow in the Zambezi River was also considerably higher than during last year’s tour, and the Victoria Falls were spectacular – particularly when contrasted with the isolated trickles we witnessed last year. ITINERARY Pre-trip August 17 Flight to Walvis Bay; Kuiseb Delta and Walvis Bay Sewage Works; drive to our hotel in Swakopmund August 18 Swakop River mouth; coastal drive to Walvis Bay and the Walvis Bay Salt Works August 19 Swakopmund Salt Works, Swakop River valley & Rossmund Golf Course August 20 Short return visit to the Walvis Bay Salt Works; Walvis Bay airport to meet the participants on the main tour; flight to Huab Lodge for the start of the main tour. Main Tour August 20 Afternoon drive upstream in the bed of the Huab River August 21 Early morning drive upstream; birding around the lodge then a drive into the hills; afternoon drive along the river August 22 Birding around the Huab Conservancy August 23 Early birding around the lodge, travel to Okaukeujo Camp, Etosha via Kamanjab August 24 Early birding in camp; drive to Okondeka contact spring (am), Newbrowni waterhole and Gemsbokvlakte August 25 Drive eastwards through the park to Halali Camp via Newbrowni, Pan’s Edge, Sueda, Salvadora Rietfontein and Goas waterholes August 26 Halali Camp to Namutoni Camp via Goas, Batia, Kalkheuwel, Chudop waterholes and Dikdik Drive. August 27 Namutoni and surrounds (Klein Namutoni waterhole and Dikdik drive; Klein and Groot Okeivi, Tsumcor and Andoni waterholes) August 28 Namutoni to Mokuti Lodge; flight to Bagani airstrip in the Caprivi; drive through the Mahango Game Reserve to Nxamaseri, Botswana August 29 Boat trip downstream (am); Mekoro (dug-out canoe) trip and walk on an island (pm); August 30 Walk around the airstrip/ or trip to Tsodilo Hills World Heritage Site (part of group) (am); drive to along the Nxamaseri lagoons (pm) August 31 Early morning boat trip downstream; flight to Xakanaka Camp, Moremi and afternoon game drive Sept 01 Morning and afternoon game/birding drives around Xakanaka Sept 02 Early morning game/birding drive; flight to Livingstone via Kasane Sept 03 Early morning boat trip on the Zambezi River above the Falls; afternoon game/birding drive through the Mosi oa Tunya National Park Sept 04 Early morning walk to the Falls; flight to Johannesburg and onward flights home. TOUR SUMMARIES Walvis Bay Pre-trip The pre-tour to the Namibian coast gave us our best day ever for the endemic Dune Lark in the Kuiseb Delta – with sightings of at least eight of these beautiful larks before heading for Swakopmund and checking into our hotel. Other birds were inexplicably thin on the ground in the delta, however, in comparison with previous tours. Walvis Bay and the two large coastal salt works gave customary great views of thousands of Greater and Lesser flamingos, Great White Pelicans, and a variety of early-arriving shorebirds, as well as numbers of endemic and near-endemic terns, gulls, and cormorants. A pair of Red-necked Phalaropes busily feeding on one of the salt pans at the Walvis Bay works gave great views, and we had some of our best sightings of Artic Tern on these tours. A single Damara Tern – a breeding endemic, made a fleeting appearance, but we were unfortunately clearly too early for the mass arrival of this tiny tern species. Great White Pelicans (with Kelp Gulls and Common Greenshank) Male Chestnut-banded Plover Away from the coast, we were treated to great views of several regional endemics – Gray’s Larks, White- backed Mousebirds, Tractrac Chats, and Orange River White-eyes, as well as superb, extended views of feeding Scarlet-chested Sunbirds. A beautiful male Mountain Wheatear – another regional endemic – was another welcome addition to the bird list. Gray’s Lark White-backed Mousebird Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Namibia, Botswana & Zambia, 2018 Main Tour Our flight to Huab was a pleasant surprise as our aircraft – a state-of-the art Mitsubishi M2 – was a big step up on the Cessna Grand Caravan we have previously used on this leg, and our flight over the Skeleton Coast passed amazingly quickly and in great comfort. Huab had experienced excellent rains – and a variety of seedeaters were back in their usual numbers. We soon had recorded most of the usual species, along with Damara Red-billed- and Monteiro’s hornbills, Rüppell’s Parrots, Rosy-faced Lovebirds, White-tailed Shrikes, Bare-cheeked Babblers, Short-toed Rock- Thrushes, and Carp’s Tits. Raptors were represented by wonderful flight views of Verreaux’s Eagles and African Hawk-Eagles, and Augur Buzzard, while we also recorded our first Pearl-spotted Owlets of the tour. Bare-cheeked Babbler Black Mongoose Highlights were several great views of Black Mongoose – a mammal that we last recorded over 8 years ago; a Damara Rockrunner warbling away quietly from the base of a large Koppie (or rocky hill) close to our vehicle; and stunning full-frame scope views of a male and female Hartlaub’s Francolin raucously duetting from atop a large boulder. Male Hartlaub’s Francolin Male Short-toed Rock-Thrush The drive through to Etosha was not as productive as last year but did produce our first sightings of the striking Lilac-breasted Rollers, Kalahari Scrub-Robins, Scaly Weavers, and the tiny Pygmy Falcon, as well as further sightings of many regional endemics first recorded at Huab. We also recorded our only Brown Snake-Eagle of the tour. Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Namibia, Botswana & Zambia, 2018 The most spectacular sighting of the drive, however, came when Steve suddenly stopped the vehicle and asked if the group would like to see a White-faced Owl. Of course we all said yes, and he backed up the vehicle . and we were soon treated to stunning views of this gorgeous owl as it sleeked down its plumage, closed its eyes, and simply merged with the background. How he managed to pick up this cryptic bird while driving was simply incredible! Southern White-faced Owl in alert posture Our two-night stay in the Okaukeujo Camp in Etosha gave us extended access to the dry western part of this stunning national park. A walk around camp on our first evening had us studying the amazing colonial nests of the Sociable Weavers and gave our first close views of these master builders as they busily went about extending their nests. We also had the experience of watching a breeding herd of elephants, two Black Rhinos, and several Giraffes coming to drink at the floodlit waterhole next to camp. A drive to the Okondeka contact spring on the western edge of the pan brought a parade of endemic and near endemic larks, bustards, and coursers – including several Double-banded Coursers – and a wonderful view of a stunning White-quilled Bustard right next to our vehicle. We also managed to call up a Rufous-eared Warbler at the picnic stop near Okondeka and had a hunting Pygmy Falcon on the drive back to camp. The drive back also gave us views of a Lappet-faced Vulture, along with no fewer than three – (an adult male, an adult female, and a juvenile) White-headed Vultures that had been drawn to a Black-backed Jackal carcass. This vulture species is rare in Etosha, and on the rest of the tour itinerary, and these were the best views we had ever had on these tours! Double-banded Courser Male White-quilled Bustard Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Namibia, Botswana & Zambia, 2018 Rufous-eared Warbler Female Pygmy Falcon Birding around camp gave good sightings of a number of colorful waxbills and finches, as well as Crimson- breasted Gonoleks (or Shrikes) and White-crowned Shrikes, feeding Eurasian (or African) Hoopoes, and our best yet views of Barred Wren-Warbler. Large flocks of Shaft-tailed Whydahs and Eastern Paradise-Whydahs – all unfortunately in non-breeding plumage – were coming in to drink at the waterhole, and a pair of young Tawny Eagles kept the local flock of Helmeted Guineafowl in a state of alert! Large mammals were also well-represented around Okaukeujo, although not as numerous as on some previous tours, and we enjoyed great views of elephant, Black Rhino – drinking in daylight at Gemsbokvlakte waterhole, Giraffe, Oryx, Zebra, Black-faced Impala, and Blue Wildebeest coming to drink at the waterhole next to camp. Our second evening in camp brought great, ultra-close views of a Common (or Small Spotted) Genet hunting insects in the light of the floodlights. Black Rhinoceros Crimson-breasted Gonolek Halali Camp in the center of Etosha gave a number of great sightings of nesting Violet Woodhoopoes and Bare-cheeked Babbler, but we could not locate the normally confiding African Scops-Owls – probably the biggest ‘miss’ of the tour.
Recommended publications
  • Mozambique 30/10-11/11 2011

    Mozambique 30/10-11/11 2011

    Mozambique 30/10-11/11 2011 Nyati Lodge, Saõ Sebastiaõ Introduction This former Portuguese colony, with a bad history of a recent civil war, is not a well visited area for bird watching. This was fully clear when my non birding, but wildlife interested wife came up with this as our autumn destination for 2011. Searching the internet for trip reports, bird guides and other what-to-do and what-to-see activities resulted in almost nothing. Because we both have had quite a tough working period just before our leave this was more like a real family vacation in the end. That meant less local activities than expected. For example, we had the intention of rent a car and drive our selves. Nothing we tried, though it is possible. Not much of traffic, almost no signs of military activity or police ditto and the roads not as bad as expected. Your hotel can easily arrange this if you wish. This trip was bought from the Swedish agency Sydafrikaresor www.sydafrikaresor.se web page only in Swedish. They organized with flights and hotel when we had decided to go to Vilanculos, a small seaside town about 700 km north of Maputo, the capitol city of Mozambique. The total cost for flights and room, with breakfast included, ended up with 2840 Euros each. We flew with SAS to London and then with the excellent South African Airways to Jo’burg. The last leg we flew with Mozambique Air to Vilanculos, with a short stopover in Inhambane. The return flight was directly from Vilanculos to Jo’burg.
  • Species List

    Species List

    Mozambique: Species List Birds Specie Seen Location Common Quail Harlequin Quail Blue Quail Helmeted Guineafowl Crested Guineafowl Fulvous Whistling-Duck White-faced Whistling-Duck White-backed Duck Egyptian Goose Spur-winged Goose Comb Duck African Pygmy-Goose Cape Teal African Black Duck Yellow-billed Duck Cape Shoveler Red-billed Duck Northern Pintail Hottentot Teal Southern Pochard Small Buttonquail Black-rumped Buttonquail Scaly-throated Honeyguide Greater Honeyguide Lesser Honeyguide Pallid Honeyguide Green-backed Honeyguide Wahlberg's Honeyguide Rufous-necked Wryneck Bennett's Woodpecker Reichenow's Woodpecker Golden-tailed Woodpecker Green-backed Woodpecker Cardinal Woodpecker Stierling's Woodpecker Bearded Woodpecker Olive Woodpecker White-eared Barbet Whyte's Barbet Green Barbet Green Tinkerbird Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird Red-fronted Tinkerbird Pied Barbet Black-collared Barbet Brown-breasted Barbet Crested Barbet Red-billed Hornbill Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill Crowned Hornbill African Grey Hornbill Pale-billed Hornbill Trumpeter Hornbill Silvery-cheeked Hornbill Southern Ground-Hornbill Eurasian Hoopoe African Hoopoe Green Woodhoopoe Violet Woodhoopoe Common Scimitar-bill Narina Trogon Bar-tailed Trogon European Roller Lilac-breasted Roller Racket-tailed Roller Rufous-crowned Roller Broad-billed Roller Half-collared Kingfisher Malachite Kingfisher African Pygmy-Kingfisher Grey-headed Kingfisher Woodland Kingfisher Mangrove Kingfisher Brown-hooded Kingfisher Striped Kingfisher Giant Kingfisher Pied
  • Biodiversity Surveys in the Forest Reserves of the Uluguru Mountains

    Biodiversity Surveys in the Forest Reserves of the Uluguru Mountains

    Biodiversity surveys in the Forest Reserves of the Uluguru Mountains Part II: Descriptions of the biodiversity of individual Forest Reserves Nike Doggart Jon Lovett, Boniface Mhoro, Jacob Kiure and Neil Burgess Biodiversity surveys in the Forest Reserves of the Uluguru Mountains Part II: Descriptions of the biodiversity of individual Forest Reserves Nike Doggart Jon Lovett, Boniface Mhoro, Jacob Kiure and Neil Burgess Dar es Salaam 2004 A Report for: The Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania (WCST) The Uluguru Mountains Biodiversity Conservation Project in collaboration with the Uluguru Mountains Agricultural Development Project The Regional Natural Resources Office, and the Regional Catchment Forest Project With support from the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group TABLE OF CONTENTS PART II 1) Introduction to Part II ............................................................................................................... 4 2) Forest Reserve descriptions ..................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Bunduki I and III Catchment Forest Reserves .................................................................... 7 2.2 Kasanga Local Authority Forest Reserve ......................................................................... 14 2.3 Kimboza Catchment Forest Reserve ................................................................................ 23 2.4 Konga Local Authority Forest Reserve ............................................................................
  • Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections

    Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections

    SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOLUME 131, NUMBER 9 BREEDING AND OTHER HABITS OF CASQUED HORNBILLS (BYCANISTES SUBCYLINDRICUS) (With 6 Plates) By LAWRENCE KILHAM Bethesda, Md. (Publication 4259) CITY OF WASHINGTON PUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NOVEMBER 8, 1956 THE LORD BALTIMORE PRESS, INC. BALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A. PREFACE I went to Uganda at the invitation of the East African High Com- mission to carry on virus research as a visiting scientist at the Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, where I worked from August 1954 until mid-May 1955. My ornithological observations were made as an ama- teur in the early mornings and evenings, and on weekends. It had been my hope to study some particular field problem in addition to making a general acquaintance with African bird life. The nature of the prob- lem was determined soon after my arrival. In my bird notes, black- and-white casqued hornbills [Bycanistes suhcylindricits (Sclater)] soon took up more pages than any other species. They came to our garden frequently. In addition, a pair of them roosted and carried on courtship activities in a tree above our house. When I discovered a concentration of hornbill nests in the Mpanga Research Forest, it was apparent that I had an unusual opportunity to study the natural history of casqued hornbills. Present studies did not begin until many females were already walled in. A few pairs of late-nesting hornbills, however, enabled me to witness the beginning stages of nesting ac- tivity. Observations on 16 nesting pairs gave, in the aggregate, a rounded picture of breeding and other habits of these birds.
  • True Shrikes), Including 31 Specieswithin Genera Are Coveredin Singlepage Overviews.Line Lanius, Coruinella and Eurocephalus

    True Shrikes), Including 31 Specieswithin Genera Are Coveredin Singlepage Overviews.Line Lanius, Coruinella and Eurocephalus

    Books SHRIKES. Norbert Lefranc. 1997. Yale University Some species have bright rufous or sandy caps Press, New Haven, Connecticut. Hard cover, 192 and backs. A few, such as the Long-tailedShrike, pp. $35.00 U.S. have strikinggeographic plumage variations. Some shrikesare as small as House Sparrows. The recentflood of world-wideidentification guides for specific groups of birds, such as seabirds, In 35 pages of introductorymaterial, the author waterfowl and shorebirds, has now reached presents informationon: taxonomy,overviews of passerine groupings, and the treatment has the genera, and a brief guide to the features of the expanded to include life history information.This species accounts. The overview of the genus is a welcome addition, as many bird enthusiasts Laniuscovers: names; morphology,plumages and have expanded their interests, and wish to learn molts; origins, present distribution,migration 'and more about the birds they see. Many of these wintering areas; habitat; social organization and guides are being written in Europe and cover general behavior;food habits,larders and foraging groupswhich occur primarilyin the Old World. behavior; nests, eggs and breeding behavior; population dynamics; population changes and Shrikes covers the three genera of the family presumedcauses; and conservation.The othertwo Laniidae(true shrikes), including 31 specieswithin genera are coveredin singlepage overviews.Line Lanius, Coruinella and Eurocephalus. Twenty- drawings in the introduction supplerbent the color sevenof thesespecies are in the firstgenus, whose plates. name is the Latin word for butcher, perhaps referringto their habit of hangingprey on spines. Species accounts average three pages (range 1- 9), and include a clear range map (1/4 to 1 page), Scientistsbelieve that the family Laniidae evolved identification details, measurements, distribution in Australia as part of a great radiation that and status, molt, voice, habitat, habits, food, produced the corvids, a number of Australian breeding and references.
  • The Birds (Aves) of Oromia, Ethiopia – an Annotated Checklist

    The Birds (Aves) of Oromia, Ethiopia – an Annotated Checklist

    European Journal of Taxonomy 306: 1–69 ISSN 2118-9773 https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.306 www.europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu 2017 · Gedeon K. et al. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Monograph urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A32EAE51-9051-458A-81DD-8EA921901CDC The birds (Aves) of Oromia, Ethiopia – an annotated checklist Kai GEDEON 1,*, Chemere ZEWDIE 2 & Till TÖPFER 3 1 Saxon Ornithologists’ Society, P.O. Box 1129, 09331 Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany. 2 Oromia Forest and Wildlife Enterprise, P.O. Box 1075, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia. 3 Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Centre for Taxonomy and Evolutionary Research, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany. * Corresponding author: [email protected] 2 Email: [email protected] 3 Email: [email protected] 1 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:F46B3F50-41E2-4629-9951-778F69A5BBA2 2 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:F59FEDB3-627A-4D52-A6CB-4F26846C0FC5 3 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:author:A87BE9B4-8FC6-4E11-8DB4-BDBB3CFBBEAA Abstract. Oromia is the largest National Regional State of Ethiopia. Here we present the first comprehensive checklist of its birds. A total of 804 bird species has been recorded, 601 of them confirmed (443) or assumed (158) to be breeding birds. At least 561 are all-year residents (and 31 more potentially so), at least 73 are Afrotropical migrants and visitors (and 44 more potentially so), and 184 are Palaearctic migrants and visitors (and eight more potentially so). Three species are endemic to Oromia, 18 to Ethiopia and 43 to the Horn of Africa. 170 Oromia bird species are biome restricted: 57 to the Afrotropical Highlands biome, 95 to the Somali-Masai biome, and 18 to the Sudan-Guinea Savanna biome.
  • Effects of Habitat Disturbance on Distribution and Abundance Of

    Effects of Habitat Disturbance on Distribution and Abundance Of

    EFFECTS OF HABITAT DISTURBANCE ON DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF PAPYRUS ENDEMIC BIRDS IN SIO PORT SWAMP, WESTERN KENYA By Stellah Nekesa Wanyonyi (B.Ed Science, Nairobi) (Reg. No. I56/80824/2012) A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Science (Biology of Conservation) in the School of Biological Sciences, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI May 2015 i DECLARATION I declare that this thesis is my original work and has not been submitted for examination in any other University for the award of a degree. ________________________________ _______________________ Stellah Nekesa Wanyonyi Date (Reg. No. I56/80824/2012) SUPERVISORS This thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as the university supervisors. ________________________________ _______________________ Dr. Evans Mwangi Date School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi ________________________________ _______________________ Prof. Nathan Gichuki Date School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my family and the community in Sio Port swamp. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to sincerely thank my supervisors; Dr. Evans Mwangi, Prof. Nathan Gichuki and Prof. Agnes Muthumbi for their effort and time to share knowledge with me. I would also like to thank the following: Mr. Martin Odino from National Museums of Kenya for working as my research assistant throughout the research period; Mr. Mutiso the plant identification specialist at the University of Nairobi Herbarium for assisting in the identification of plant specimens collected from Sio Port Swamp; Mr. Elisha Were for offering a camping site and taking me around the swamp in a canoe; Sio Port Community at large for their warm welcome.
  • South Africa: Magoebaskloof and Kruger National Park Custom Tour Trip Report

    South Africa: Magoebaskloof and Kruger National Park Custom Tour Trip Report

    SOUTH AFRICA: MAGOEBASKLOOF AND KRUGER NATIONAL PARK CUSTOM TOUR TRIP REPORT 24 February – 2 March 2019 By Jason Boyce This Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl showed nicely one late afternoon, puffing up his throat and neck when calling www.birdingecotours.com [email protected] 2 | TRIP REPORT South Africa: Magoebaskloof and Kruger National Park February 2019 Overview It’s common knowledge that South Africa has very much to offer as a birding destination, and the memory of this trip echoes those sentiments. With an itinerary set in one of South Africa’s premier birding provinces, the Limpopo Province, we were getting ready for a birding extravaganza. The forests of Magoebaskloof would be our first stop, spending a day and a half in the area and targeting forest special after forest special as well as tricky range-restricted species such as Short-clawed Lark and Gurney’s Sugarbird. Afterwards we would descend the eastern escarpment and head into Kruger National Park, where we would make our way to the northern sections. These included Punda Maria, Pafuri, and the Makuleke Concession – a mouthwatering birding itinerary that was sure to deliver. A pair of Woodland Kingfishers in the fever tree forest along the Limpopo River Detailed Report Day 1, 24th February 2019 – Transfer to Magoebaskloof We set out from Johannesburg after breakfast on a clear Sunday morning. The drive to Polokwane took us just over three hours. A number of birds along the way started our trip list; these included Hadada Ibis, Yellow-billed Kite, Southern Black Flycatcher, Village Weaver, and a few brilliant European Bee-eaters.
  • The Austral African Races of the Rush Warbler Bradypterus Baboecala.Pdf

    The Austral African Races of the Rush Warbler Bradypterus Baboecala.Pdf

    VOL. XI, PART 0 ISSUED 30th SEPTEM BER, 1976 MISCELLANEOUS TAXONOMIC NOTES ON AFRICAN BIRDS XLV b y P. A. CLANCEY (Director, Durban M useum , Durban) THE RACES OF THE W HITETHROAT SYLVIA COMMUNIS L A T H A M REACHING THE SOUTH AFRICAN SUB-REGION Following the findings of Stresemann and Stresemann , Journ.f. Ornith., vol. cix, 3, 1968, pp. 303 - 314, nom inate Sylvia communis Latham , 1787: Kent, England, is currently not consi dered to reach the South A frican Sub-R egion during its non-breedin g soj ou m in E th i­ opian Africa, the tw o races wintering in the Sub-Re gion being S.c. volgensis Domaniewski, 1915: Saratov, Volga R., U.S.S.R., an d S.c.icterops Menetries, 1832: Talych=Talyshskiye Gory, south­ eastern Azerbaydzhan, U.S.S.R. I have recently rese a r c h e d the races of S.communis to be adm itted to the South A frican list and conclude on the basis of m aterial from Rhodesia and Botswana, in addition to specim ens from Zam bia and southern-west ern Tanzania, that while it is true enough that m ost specim ens ar e clearly attri­ butable to both volgensis a n d icterops, som e elem ents of S.c.communis do reach the drier interior of southern A frica duri ng their non-breed­ ing stay in Africa, where they m oult, and that the exclusion of this taxon from the list is indefensible. W hile m uch of the m aterial available is in a seriou sly abraded and insolated condition, a sufficiency of m oulting or c om pletely m oulted [P rice R l , 5 0 nett] Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) 1 2 0 Miscellaneous Taxonomic Notes on African Birds Atlantic or, better highland Britain, population is sufficiently dis­ crete as to be recognised as a fourth subspecies.
  • 29Th 2019-Uganda

    29Th 2019-Uganda

    AVIAN SAFARIS 23 DAY UGANDA BIRDING AND NATURE TOUR ITINERARY Date: July 7 July 29, 2019 Tour Leader: Crammy Wanyama Trip Report and all photos by Crammy Wanyama Black-headed Gonolek a member of the Bush-shrikes family Day 1 – July 7, 2019: Beginning of the tour This tour had uneven arrivals. Two members arrived two days earlier and the six that came in on the night before July 7th, stayed longer; therefore, we had a pre and post- tour to Mabira Forest. For today, we all teamed up and had lunch at our accommodation for the next two nights. This facility has some of the most beautiful gardens around Entebbe; we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon here watching all the birds you would not expect to find around a city garden. Some fascinating ones like the Black-headed Gonolek nested in the garden, White-browed Robin-Chat too did. The trees that surrounded us offered excellent patching spots for the African Hobby. Here we had a Falco patching out in the open for over forty minutes! Superb looks at a Red-chested and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds. The gardens' birdbath attracted African Thrush that reminded the American birders of their American Robin, Yellow- throated Greenbul. Still looking in the trees, we were able to see African Grey Woodpeckers, both Meyer's and Grey Parrot, a pair of Red-headed Lovebirds. While walking around the facility, we got good looks at a flying Shikra and spent ample time with Ross's Turaco that flew back and forth. We had a very lovely Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird on the power lines, Green-backed Camaroptera, a very well sunlit Avian Safaris: Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.aviansafaris.com AVIAN SAFARIS Spectacled Weaver, was added on the Village and Baglafecht Weavers that we had seen earlier and many more.
  • The Herpetofauna of the Cubango, Cuito, and Lower Cuando River Catchments of South-Eastern Angola

    The Herpetofauna of the Cubango, Cuito, and Lower Cuando River Catchments of South-Eastern Angola

    Official journal website: Amphibian & Reptile Conservation amphibian-reptile-conservation.org 10(2) [Special Section]: 6–36 (e126). The herpetofauna of the Cubango, Cuito, and lower Cuando river catchments of south-eastern Angola 1,2,*Werner Conradie, 2Roger Bills, and 1,3William R. Branch 1Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), P.O. Box 13147, Humewood 6013, SOUTH AFRICA 2South African Institute for Aquatic Bio- diversity, P/Bag 1015, Grahamstown 6140, SOUTH AFRICA 3Research Associate, Department of Zoology, P O Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031, SOUTH AFRICA Abstract.—Angola’s herpetofauna has been neglected for many years, but recent surveys have revealed unknown diversity and a consequent increase in the number of species recorded for the country. Most historical Angola surveys focused on the north-eastern and south-western parts of the country, with the south-east, now comprising the Kuando-Kubango Province, neglected. To address this gap a series of rapid biodiversity surveys of the upper Cubango-Okavango basin were conducted from 2012‒2015. This report presents the results of these surveys, together with a herpetological checklist of current and historical records for the Angolan drainage of the Cubango, Cuito, and Cuando Rivers. In summary 111 species are known from the region, comprising 38 snakes, 32 lizards, five chelonians, a single crocodile and 34 amphibians. The Cubango is the most western catchment and has the greatest herpetofaunal diversity (54 species). This is a reflection of both its easier access, and thus greatest number of historical records, and also the greater habitat and topographical diversity associated with the rocky headwaters.
  • South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 6Th to 30Th January 2018 (25 Days) Trip Report

    South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 6Th to 30Th January 2018 (25 Days) Trip Report

    South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 6th to 30th January 2018 (25 days) Trip Report Aardvark by Mike Bacon Trip report compiled by Tour Leader: Wayne Jones Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to South Africa Trip Report – RBT South Africa - Mega I 2018 2 Tour Summary The beauty of South Africa lies in its richness of habitats, from the coastal forests in the east, through subalpine mountain ranges and the arid Karoo to fynbos in the south. We explored all of these and more during our 25-day adventure across the country. Highlights were many and included Orange River Francolin, thousands of Cape Gannets, multiple Secretarybirds, stunning Knysna Turaco, Ground Woodpecker, Botha’s Lark, Bush Blackcap, Cape Parrot, Aardvark, Aardwolf, Caracal, Oribi and Giant Bullfrog, along with spectacular scenery, great food and excellent accommodation throughout. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Despite havoc-wreaking weather that delayed flights on the other side of the world, everyone managed to arrive (just!) in South Africa for the start of our keenly-awaited tour. We began our 25-day cross-country exploration with a drive along Zaagkuildrift Road. This unassuming stretch of dirt road is well-known in local birding circles and can offer up a wide range of species thanks to its variety of habitats – which include open grassland, acacia woodland, wetlands and a seasonal floodplain. After locating a handsome male Northern Black Korhaan and African Wattled Lapwings, a Northern Black Korhaan by Glen Valentine