South African Country Life – September 2019

SEASONSANDWEATHER

TheOkavangochangesmarkedlythroughouttheyearasfloodwatersarriveand

leave,butthebirdingis excellentyear-round.It’sanaverage32°Cmidsummer,

droppingto 18°Cat night.In midwinterit’s25°C,droppingto about6°Cat night.

Annualrainfallat Maun,averages500mm,butthisfigureincreasesto thenorth.

GETTINGTHERE

TherearetwowaystoexperiencetheOkavango–lodgesorcamping/self-

catering.BudgettravellersneedtogettothetownofMaun(theroadfrom

Joburgis nowtarred),beforeheadingouton4x4trackstovariouscampsites.

Thelodgesarereachedonshortcharterflights(oftenincludedin thepackage).

ACCOMMODATION

TheBotswanagovernmenthasa policyoflow-density,high-incomeecotourism

tominimiseenvironmentalimpact.Qualitytimein theOkavangodoesnotcome

cheap,buttheexperienceis notmarredbyvehiclecongestionandotherissues

typicalofmanywildlifereserves.Therearenumerousluxurylodges,simple

lodgesandcampingsites.Forthebestbirding,it is vitaltohavetimeondry

landaswellasonthewater.

HABITATS

Muchofthepermanentlydrylandis dominatedbymopanewoodland,with

enormousbaobabandumbrellathorntrees.Opengrasslandis dottedwith

talllalapalms,andnarrowstripsofforestontheislandfringes.Theseasonal

floodplainsareusuallyinundatedwithwildlifefromJunetoSeptember,while

permanentswamp(mostlyin thenorthernpanhandle)is characterisedbydense

standsofpapyrus.

FURTHERREADING

BirdsofBotswanabyPeteHancockandIngridWeiersbye

WildlifeoftheOkavangobyDuncanButchart

RobertsBirdGuidebyHughChittenden,GregDaviesandIngridWeiersbye

onfloodplainswhereSouthernCarmine-,
European-,Blue-cheeked-,Little-,Swallow-
tailed-andWhite-frontedBee-eatershawk
fordragonfliesandbees.
Mixedflocksofegrets,herons,ibisesand
storkscrowdaroundshrinkingpoolsto seize
trappedfrogsandfish.Rivalpairsof African
FishEaglescryoutto oneanotherfromtreetops
orengagein aerialbattles.Marico-,Scarlet-
chested-andWhite-belliedSunbirdsjostlefor
nectarat floweringtrees,whileWhite-crested-
andRetz’sHelmetshrikesmercilesslymob
AfricanBarredOwletsat theirdaytimeroosts.
AlongsideBlack-collared-andCrested
Barbets,Violet-backedStarlingsandGrey
Go-away-birds,AfricanGreenPigeons
feastonripefigs.Indry,thornscrub,snow-
whiteSouthernPiedBabblersandblood-red
Crimson-breastedShrikeshopaboutin

startlingjuxtaposition,whileViolet-eared

WaxbillsandGreen-wingedPytiliaprovide

evenmorecolour.

Inthepermanentchannelsandlagoonsare

numerousMalachite-andPiedKingfishers,and

PygmyGeese(2)andWhite-backedDucksthat

feedquietlyamongthewater-lilypads.Every

littlewoodedislandis inhabitedbya pairof

vocalWhite-browedRobin-Chats(5),aswell

as AfricanYellowWhite-eyesandtheArrow-

marked-andHartlaub’sBabblers.

Botswana’sOkavangoDeltais oneof

Africa’slastremainingwildernessregions,

a fabledwetlandthatis aninlanddeltacreated

astheOkavangoRiverspillsitscontentsnot

intoanocean,butintotheKalahariBasin.

Ironically,it is duringthedrywintermonths

(Mayto August)thatthefloodlevelsin the

deltaareat theirhighest,asitstakesseveral

monthsforrainfallin theAngolancatchment

areato reachnorthernBotswana.

Virtuallyallof Africa’s‘BigBirds’are

here,fromeaglesandvultures,to bustardsand

GroundHornbills.Thereareredlechwesand

sitatungas,twosemiaquaticantelopespecies,

andthewoodlandsarealsohometo abundant

elephants,buffalosandlions,sobirdwatching

is limitedto vehicles.

GuideJoeMakhulopointsto a smallhole

in thesandonthevergeofourtrackandI

climboutto takea look.“It’sa Swallow-tailed

Bee-eaternest,”hesays,“Theyraisedthree

chicksherelastmonth.”Aswearetalking,the

familiardistresscallofRed-billedOxpeckers

comessuddenly,anda smallgroupofimpala

burstintotheclearing,a packof Africanwild

dogsin pursuit.It’stimeto getbackintothe

LandRover.■

ABOVE LEFT: Knowledgeable Joe Makhulo is a resident guide at Tubu Tree Camp. ABOVE: The serene floodplain view from Tubu Tree Camp where Wattled
Cranes, African Fish Eagles and Slaty Egrets are rarely out of sight, and where African elephant, red lechwe and African wild dog are regularly seen.

September 2019 076 http://www.countrylife.co.za