Waterberg NP - Windhoek
This morning was my last chance of finding a Hartlaub’s Spurfowl and so I had no choice but to wake up at 5am and start and finish the ascent onto the plateau in the dark. However soon after starting I got lost and instead of turning around and re-starting like a normal person, my tripod came in handy in smashing the undergrowth to pieces, and eventually after climbing two fences and a few cuts I made it onto the rocky path at the foot of the cliff face. By this time the light had crept up on me and I had already heard a Spurfowl calling, which was far from ideal. Still, I made it onto the ridge and waited. After 90 minutes there was surprisingly no more calls from any Spurfowl and so that was that. It wasn’t wasted though, a good number of near endemics were seen from my position including only my third sighting of Monteiro’s Hornbills this trip, a Carp’s Tit and some superb aerial displays from many Bradfield’s Swifts. Baboons were also in good numbers (possibly explaining the lack of Spurfowl) and posed beautifully for the camera.
The 330km drive to Windhoek was up next and I made very good time arriving before 2pm, and also having a car wash on the journey down.
Vineyard B&B is situated on the east side of Windhoek on the way to the airport and is surrounded by some good looking acacia hillsides. After a catch up on WiFi and a swim, I walked a long circuit around the hillsides finding myself a lifer, this being a Barred Wren-Warbler. Other good birds were found, but mammals took over slightly with two Scrub Hare, a Steenbok and best of all a Four-striped Grass Mouse.
This now was my final evening in Namibia and I was hoping to end it in fine African style, however this soon turned into a Nando’s as the restaurant was closed! Still one more morning to soak in and enjoy what has been a fantastic trip.
Highlights for today are as follows:
Bateleur - 1
Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk - 2
Freckled Nightjar - 1
Alpine Swift - 50
Bradfield’s Swift - 75
White-backed Mousebird - 2
Swallow-tailed Bee-eater - 4
Common Scimitarbill - 2
Monteiro’s Hornbill - 2
Pririt Batis - 1
Carp’s Tit - 1
Cape Penduline Tit - 2
Rattling Cisticola - 3
Black-chested Prinia - 2
BARRED WREN-WARBLER - 1
Yellow-bellied Eremomela - 1
Green-winged Pytilia - 6
Cape Wagtail - 1
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Baboon also enjoying the views
on Waterberg Plateau
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| Alpine Swift |
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| Bradfield's Swift |
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| Sunrise on Waterberg Plateau |
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| Looking onto the plateau |
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| The last part of the ascent |
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| Countryside east of Windhoek |
