Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Private Guided Trip, Namibia, April/May 2015 - By Trevor Kleyn

After meeting my guests at the Sossusvlei airstrip, we headed out in our small charter plane to Swakopmund.  As we flew the clouds parted giving us a spectacular view of the coastline from up above.  
The birding opportunities in Swakoopmund and Walvisbaai area were great and included both Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Great White Pelicans and a variety of waders.  Inland we got Tractrac Chat, and an abundance of reptiles in the dunes.  
From there we flew to Erongo, a special wilderness area surrounded by the Erongo Mountains, where the desert, mountain and bushveld ecosystems meet.  Here we had fantastic birding and photographic opportunities of Rosy-faced lovebirds, Hartlaubs Spurfowl, Rockrunner and Monteiro’s Hornbill to mention just a few.
Next stop was Serra Cafema Camp in the Namib Desert with breathtaking scenery.  Activities included a boat trip up the Kunene River, the lifeline to many species in the area, as well as a visit to the local Himba village providing different photo opportunities.
I knew Etosha was going to be good when shortly after arriving a Carp’s Tit flittered around in the tree above us while having lunch.  We also had good opportunities with crimson-breasted shrikes and short-toed rock thrush.  A definite highlight was spending an afternoon in a hide at a waterhole watching animals and birds coming down for their afternoon drink.
Last stop was the Caprivi Strip.  Here we enjoyed some scenic boat trips where we were rewarded with sightings of Long-toed Lapwings, Little Bee-eaters and Hartlaub’s Babbler.

Himba Villlage
 
Hartlaub's Gull

Lesser and Great Flamingo



Horned Adder

Tractrac Chat

Rosy-faced Lovebird


Female Green-winged Pytilia

Female Short-toed Rock Thrush

Female Waterbuck

Jancana

Little Bee-eater



Text and Photographs By: Trevor Kleyn

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