Back into Botswana

We had a nice walk around the area from the lodge this morning and the undoubted highlight was finding a singing Eastern Nicator – a lifer for everyone and a really big surprise. There was also Red-faced Mousebird, Olive and Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Black-collared and Crested Barbet, and tons of previously seen species.

Loved this Orange-breasted Bushshrike

We left this wonderful lodge and drove some 50+ kms to the border and then crossed over into Botswana, where from the overlook at the passport control we saw 3 Southern Ground Hornbills – just a shame the people at the border crossing were such idiots! The drive through Chobe National Park to Kisane produced another 5 groups of Southern Ground Hornbills totalling maybe 20 individuals! 

Southern Ground Hornbill

We also saw Spur-winged Goose, African Openbill, Great White Pelican, Rufous-bellied Heron, Red-crested Korhaan, White-headed Vulture, Tawny Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle, a Gabar Goshawk being chased by a Dark Chanting Goshawk, Lizard Buzzard, Striped Kingfisher, Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling on the drive this morning.

Red-crested Korhaan

Lunch in Kisane was tedious but eventually our jeeps arrived and we drove off into the bush towards our remote lodge seeinga  Black-chested Snake-Eagle along the way.

Our rooms sort of overlooked a waterhole, but there was a viewing platform anyway and we spent the remainder of the day and up to 11.15pm scanning for anything that moved which included numerous Magpie Shrikes, Swainson’s Francolin, Kori Bustard, Tropical Boubou, and both oxpeckers amongst others.

Magpie Shrike

At night the waterhole was floodlit and we saw 2 Verreaux’s Eagle Owls, plus an African Scops Owl was spotlighted in the Acacia behind us, but there was a distinct lack of mammals tonight apart from a brief Spotted Hyena.