Etosha NP to Rundu
Up early ready for a 500km drive to Rundu, based at the western edge of the Caprivi Strip. Being at Okaukuejo meant a long drive through Etosha NP before getting onto the tarmac roads heading SE to Grootfontein and then due north to Rundu. With my typical rally style of driving I got out of Etosha in under two hours, which could be a record. It wasn’t without any stops though, a pair of Spotted Hyenas showed well and then a roadside Elephant got very friendly as it sized up our car.
Getting onto tarmac roads was a relief and I was tempted to go directly across on a dirt road but I wimped out having already got a puncture this trip. Heading north I stopped off at Roy’s Camp, a well known site for Black-faced Babblers. As I walked up the staff knew what I wanted to see but it was obvious due to the time of day that I wasn’t going to see one, but thankfully they invited me back next week for another go.
The drive north turned into proper Africa with constant roadside scanty villages, children walking home from school and dare I say, no whites.
Thankfully after a lengthy day behind the wheel I arrived into Rundu and the exquisite Tambuti Lodge right alongside the Okavango River with Angola a stones throw away. With three hours of light remaining I headed to the very attractive Rundu Sewage Works. A wealth of birds present including what could be one of the highlights of the trip, a flock of five Black-winged Pratincoles flew through as it neared dusk, only the second occurrence I’ve seen this species (first in Kent), and great to hear their diagnostic single note flight call. Also it was great to finally see an African Rail. There were many Warblers in the reedbeds but most were very skulky, but thankfully the one that showed brilliantly was a Little Rush Warbler, an unexpected new bird.
The final few minutes of light was spent on the riverside watching Rufous-cheeked Nightjars over Angola.
Hottentot Teal - 10
Squacco Heron - 1
Black-chested Snake Eagle - 2
AFRICAN RAIL - 1
African Swamphen - 7
Three-Banded Plover - 3
African Snipe - 10
Black-winged Pratincole - 5
Emerald-spotted Wood Dove - 3
Senegal Coucal - 2
White-browed Coucal - 1
Black Cuckoo - 1
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar - 4
Giant Kingfisher - 1
Green Wood Hoopoe - 2
Red-necked Falcon - 1
Rosy-faced Lovebird - 3
SWAMP BOUBOU - 4
Banded Martin - 1
LITTLE RUSH WARBLER - 1
Arrow-marked Babbler - 5
HARTLAUB’S BABBLER - 2
Burchell’s Starling - 10
Kurrichane Thrush - 1
Spectacled Weaver - 1
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| Okaukuejo Camp area |
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| Etosha Pan |
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| True African roadsides |
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| Sunset looking over Angola |
