Etosha NP Day 4
I stayed up watching the waterhole into the early hours where me and only a few others witnessed seven different Black Rhinos coming in for a drink (with a couple showing very close) and seeing some very odd behaviour. A couple of Rufous-cheeked Nightjars and a Barn Owl were also flying around.
From first light a two hour drive in the western section produced some quality in the form of an Aardwolf and three Lions that had made a kill in the night. The Aardwolf, although distant, was particularly rewarding as I missed one in Ethiopia because I went off to photograph the Bush-Crows. A Ludwig’s Bustard also showed superbly enabling some very nice photos to be taken.
After breakfast another long drive along the southern section was fairly quiet, although four Lions can’t be too bad, and a thermalling Secretarybird was also a sight I hadn’t seen before, and at long last I’ve now seen a Southern Fiscal on this trip. Plenty of other mammals were encountered but still no Cheetah. The afternoon was generally a lazy affair but a walk around the grounds was brilliant for the fact that two African Hoopoes and a Crimson-breasted Shrike showed within touching distance.
A night drive produced lovely views of Lions including a group of six in a tactical mission for prey. A trio of Bat-eared Fox were my personal highlight, and a Spotted Hyena finished off a double Hyena day. The floodlit waterhole had three Black Rhinos and a family group of ten Elephants.
Highlights are as follows:
Secretarybird - 2
Ludwig’s Bustard - 1
Spotted Thick-Knee - 3
Kittlitz’s Plover - 1
Double-Banded Courser - 6
Namaqua Sandgrouse - 50
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar - 2
Bradfield’s Swift - 1
African Hoopoe - 2
Pygmy Falcon - 1
Greater Kestrel - 1
Southern Fiscal - 1
Wattled Starling - 1
Great Sparrow - 2
 |
| Ludwig's Bustard |
 |
| Pygmy Falcon |
 |
| Spotted Thick-Knees |
 |
| Sociable Weaver |
 |
| Crimson-breasted Shrike |
 |
| African Hoopoes |
 |
| Barn Owl |
 |
| A typical sight at the waterholes |
 |
| Okaukuejo Water Tower |
