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    • michael-ibk
      Agree, some stunning birds - and photos.
    • TonyQ
      @PeterHGbeautiful birds from this section 
    • Miss Biscuit
      The dogs are so beautiful. I actually love that last one of them all lying down. I also love the lions lounging on their backs. Great sightings and photos!
    • kittykat23uk
      Thank you, I'd say it was mostly warm, bordering on uncomfortably hot a lot of the time.    Also, re the flights it's branded as lufthansa but was outsourced to discover airlines. I 'discovered' that this airline is such a bunch of cheapskates that they don't include any alcoholic beverages on their complimentary in flight service, despite the flights costing over £1100! What is the world coming to?! 😩😩😩
    • Zubbie15
      You're off to a great start @kittykat23uk, even with the travel challenges. I have to say I want aware that Lufthansa flies directly into Windhoek, so just that info is very useful for me! I would definitely like to see some of the species you've already shown, and from the tags it seems there might be some other treats to come.    Out of curiosity, what were the temperatures like? 
    • kittykat23uk
      25/9/2023 - Day 3 Erindi to Okonjima     Erindi by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Erindi by Jo Dale, on Flickr   White-browed Sparrow-weaver by Jo Dale, on Flickr   The guys were keen to see the cheetah family, black wildebeest (which we wouldn’t see elsewhere) and get better views of the wild dogs, so we made those a priority for our morning drive, beginning with the Cheetahs. They were in the same area as before, and again were playing around on the termite mounds, it was such a treat to spend time with this family!    Cheetah by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Cheetah by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Cheetah by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Cheetah by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Cheetah by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Cheetah by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Cheetah by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Cheetah by Jo Dale, on Flickr   On our way to look for the wildebeest, we passed some Kopjes where a troop of Chacma Baboons were on the move climbing the rocks and foraging for their breakfast. They were particularly dark individuals, almost black in colour. We also surprised an African wildcat whilst we were checking some high ground for radio signals.   Chacma baboon by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Chacma baboon by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Chacma baboon by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Chacma baboon by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Angolan Giraffe by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Angolan Giraffe by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Erindi by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Erindi by Jo Dale, on Flickr   We came  out onto an open plain surrounded by red hills where a nice herd of Black Wildebeest were galloping around, making for an impressive vista. Ludwig’s Bustard, Lappet-faced vulture, a Verreaux Eagle Owl and a Common Scimitarbill added some avian interest to the drive.    Black Wildebeest by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Black Wildebeest by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Black Wildebeest by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Springbok by Jo Dale, on Flickr   On the way back towards camp we stopped off at the two male lions that I’d seen before and then paid a brief visit to the wild dogs who were resting by a boma. After the drive we said our goodbyes to our guide and finished packing.   Ludwig's Bustard by Jo Dale, on Flickr   South African Ground Squirrel - Xerus inauris by Jo Dale, on Flickr   South African Ground Squirrel - Xerus inauris by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Grey-backed Sparrow-lark by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Lappet-feced Vulture by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Verreaux's Eagle Owl by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Verreaux's Eagle Owl by Jo Dale, on Flickr   Angolan Giraffe by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African  Wild Dogs by Jo Dale, on Flickr   African Lion by Jo Dale, on Flickr   With a bit of a drive ahead we decided to get lunch at the lodge before we headed out. It should have been a transfer of 158kms to Okonjima Nature Reserve, which was meant to take less than two hours.
    • kittykat23uk
      Thanks all! Yes a rather inauspicious start for my companions that's for sure and I was having kittens waiting for them to arrive, I can tell you that! 
    • Dave Williams
      Another two nights gone and it was time to move on, this time heading to Bijagua , an easy drive northwards so there was no rush to leave. Up before breakfast I had a wander  around the grounds where the chalets were and was delighted to actually find the Ferruginous Owl who had driven us mad looking for it trying to find where it was calling from. It seemed to be able to throw its voice because every time you moved to the tree you thought it was in, it sounded as if it was in another one. This time though it gave away it's position by moving and I was lucky enough to see it. Ferruginous Owl by Dave Williams, on Flickr and despite daylight it was still calling constantly. Ferruginous Owl by Dave Williams, on Flickr Further down from the Howler Monkey spot the two British birders had found the Lineated Woodpecker.  Lineated Woodpecker by Dave Williams, on Flickr Excellent views but not as nice a setting as the original sighting. Lineated Woodpecker by Dave Williams, on Flickr During breakfast a small flock of White-throated Magpie-Jays arrived and a couple of them sat in the rafters of the restaurant waiting to raid the tables of any leftovers, this one however spotted a Grasshopper and proceeded to eat it on a nearby post. White-throated Magpie--Jay by Dave Williams, on Flickr While Phil and Christian finished packing I hung around a blossoming tree and was rewarded with several new birds and this handsome Variegated Squirrel. Variegated Squirrel by Dave Williams, on Flickr a Spot-breasted Oriole Spot-breasted Oriole by Dave Williams, on Flickr and a pair of distant duelling Rufus-tailed Hummingbirds. Rufus-tailed Hummingbird by Dave Williams, on Flickr       With the other two ready and packed we moved on . Would I stay at La Ensenada again? Probably not. The Owls and Woodpecker saved the birding experience from being poor in my opinion so a 5/10. The place is isolated, you have to eat there, the accommodation is OK, basic but clean cabins with a fan to keep them cool . I think we paid $530 for two rooms for two nights including 2 breakfasts. 2 dinners and 1 lunch each plus a few beers. A bit too expensive for what they were offering , again, in my opinion anyway.       next stop the Cataratas Bijagua Lodge, another collection of wood cabins in a garden setting. On arrival Phil negotiated a change of rooms and providing we paid cash we had a room for three instead of two separate cabins. A bit crowded but by doing so we guaranteed we would recoupe the $500 driving fee we had paid without receiving the service. A bit of a misunderstanding about dinner arrangements meant when we turned up at 7.00pm there was no meals to be had in the restaurant as we hadn't chosen and booked the meals before 5.00pm. Never mind we ended up having a take away pizza which we collected from the nearby town, dining in style sitting on the floor of our cabin. We did however discover that the road up to our Lodge was a regular roost for Common Pauraque so that was a target for the following evening. leading from our Lodge grounds was a track to some distant waterfalls, and use was free for residents...$6pp if you were not! Christian and I had had a quick explore before it went dark and found two new birds, one of which we got a few reasonable shots of. Rufous Motmot Rufous Motmot by Dave Williams, on Flickr Tomorrow then, we'd explore the track further and see what it had to offer TBC.
    • Zarek Cockar
      It is, but it's dry heat, so it's much more bearable than if it was humid. I'm now back home on the Kenya coast where it's a mild 36 degrees in the early afternoon, but the humidity makes it feel hotter than I was in Zakouma. 
    • Dave Williams
      @AtravelynnDid you show him the tree trunk they were climbing ? Enough to make me weak at the knees thinking about it!
    • pscrimshaw
      Wow this is absolutely crazy to find. I was in Ndutu during the exact same time at the exact same sightings! So wild to see photos from the opposite angles that I was at! I saw the coalition of males that morning as each came to drink and then jumped across the river. And I was also there when the lion cub was in the tree. Unfortunately I was on the opposite side hoping that the cub would turn and look my way but, when it finally did I got photo bombed by some inconsiderate tourist vehicles. I'm hoping that wasn't you! Anyways such a small world it seems!    
    • ice
      It depends on what you are looking for: calving may start as early as late December and usually peaks in January and February. But as@Atravelynnhas pointed out: wanting to see calving and the biggest herds comes with a price: camps and lodges that are completely out and conditions that may remind you of Masai Mara, especially at cheetah sightings: 20 cars circling and pushing around. More times than not aggressive drivers will make it impossible for cats to hunt. That's why I have chosen March as my preferred month: less cars and more lost calves, both increasing the chances to see a lot predator action. 
    • Treepol
      Sorry that you had such a mixed-up start to your safari, however the early sightings certainly paid off. Love the introductory photo of the brown hyena.
    • Atravelynn
      44-45 in the afternoon is hot.  Thanks for those specifics and general comments on when to go.
    • Atravelynn
      It is a cinematic experience!  Starting with the balloon was very effective. It seems you had some excellent sightings from the balloon. The video and music are so professional.  You have a gem of memories here.
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