All posts by Don Reid

South African nature enthusiast with a passion for Birding, Photography and Travelling to interesting places to discover more about Southern Africa and the World

Birding Spots

Kasane Botswana – Birding Spots in and around town

September 27, 2016 Don Reid Leave a comment

Kasane is a small town in northern Botswana, close to the Sududo Gate into Chobe National Park.

I would guess that most birders passing through Kasane are on their way from or to Chobe Game Reserve or further afield to Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia, the borders of which are all in close proximity.

As you drive around the town and the surrounding area, you realize that this is very much “Wild Africa”, a feeling which is reinforced by the signs on the main road past town that declare it a wildlife corridor. It is not unusual to encounter, as we did, Elephant, Wild Dogs, Hyena and Buffalo close to Kasane as we were on our way for a drive through the Riverfront section of Chobe (covered in my earlier blog) and before getting to the entrance gate!

The project in Kasane that I am involved in requires monthly visits to this small but interesting town and in the process I have discovered a few birding spots, with the assistance of my colleagues who know the town better, that are easy to visit for an hour or two in between other commitments.

I try to visit one of the birding spots during every visit and have built up a very basic knowledge of what to expect – the following notes are based on my limited knowledge and are not meant to be comprehensive, but can hopefully provide a starting point for the birder spending time in this special corner of Botswana.

Kasane Water Treatment Works

Location : On the eastern side of Kasane, off the intersection of the main road from town and the road to Zimbabwe

Description : The Treatment Works have the customary treatment ponds in a fenced off area – ask permission at the small office just inside the gate if you want to walk around, but some of the ponds are visible from the tar road that runs alongside, so that you don’t necessarily have to enter the site. As always, the quality of birding varies with the level of the ponds.

In addition there is a fair-sized dam alongside the works and being outside the fenced off area, you can approach it by taking the track that leads off to the left as you approach the Treatment Works. Do be aware however, that elephants use the dam as a watering spot so keep an eye out for them.

Kasane water treatment works - elephants drinking in the distance! — Dam at Kasane water treatment works – elephants drinking in the distance!

Elephants drinking, Kasane Water Treatment works dam

Bird life : Many water birds are attracted by the ponds and adjoining dam – all the usual ones such as Cormorants, Herons, Egrets and Ducks and depending on the time of year and water levels you can expect numbers of waders including African Jacana, Ruff, Black-winged Stilts and Wood Sandpipers. Smaller waders such as Three-banded Plover, Kittlitz’s Plover and Little Stint are common here.

Black-winged Stilt, Kasane Water Treatment — Black-winged Stilt

Egyptian Goose, Kasane Water Treatment — Egyptian Goose

Marabou Stork, Kasane Water Treatment — Marabou Stork – they congregate in the trees around the Treatment works at dusk

Red-billed Firefinch, Kasane Water Treatment — Red-billed Firefinch

Seboba Nature and Recreation Park

Location :This is a real gem which I covered in more detail in a separate post – suffice to say it is well worth a visit.

The small park lies along the river at the spot known as the Seboba rapids and has a nice mix of habitats and a variety of bird life.

I have covered this spot in a separate post : Kasane, Botswana – Seboba Nature Park

Camping Site and Sundowner Spot

Location : Chobe Safari Lodge camping site on the outskirts of town on the western side

Description : The main attraction of this spot is the deck overlooking the Chobe river – treat yourself to one of the most spectacular African sunsets you are likely to see, as you enjoy a drink on the deck late afternoon. The channel in front of the deck gets quite crowded with boats in season, all loaded with tourists enjoying the sunset and its reflection, which transforms the Chobe waters into a deep red as you watch.

Sunset, Chobe Game Reserve — Sunset viewed from the deck at Chobe Safari Lodge camping area

Bird life : while waiting for the sun to set and after it has disappeared beyond the horizon, listen for the bird life in the adjoining bushes which are favoured by the likes of White-browed Robin-Chat and Tropical Boubou, while the rank vegetation adjacent to the deck is home to Red-faced Cisticola whose ringing call is quite distinctive. There will more than likely be a Kingfisher or two in the vicinity and the floodplain on the opposite banks of the river is often occupied by tens if not hundreds of birds – Cormorants, Ibises, Openbills and the like. At certain times African Skimmers may be around flying in their unique way close to the water.

Glossy Ibis, Chobe Game Reserve — Glossy Ibises making their way down river at dusk

Afrcan Skimmer, Chobe Game Reserve — Afrcan Skimmers at sunset

Thebe Safari Lodge

Location : Compared to some of the well-known lodges in Kasane, Thebe caters mostly for more economical tour groups and particularly the large safari trucks full of younger tourists wanting an adventurous trip through Southern Africa’s wilder spots.

I have stayed there a few times and found the rooms comfortable and clean and, importantly, not “over-the-top” expensive as some of the more upmarket lodges tend to be

Description : The lodge grounds boast a variety of trees and shrubs which attract many birds and are a delight for the birder who chooses to take an early morning or late afternoon walk.

Bird Life : Birding around the grounds and gardens is excellent and best done by walking the property as thoroughly as time allows and covering all the habitats. Even before sunrise the bird calls will have you up and eager to get outside as the birds compete for “best call in garden”. Expect to hear and see Mourning Dove, Tropical Boubou, Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike, White-browed Robin and Spectacled Weaver without too much trouble.

White-browed Robin-Chat, Thebe Safari Lodge

Bush lovers such as Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Red-billed Firefinch and Blue Waxbill are not difficult to find, while closer to and over the river there is a chance for various water birds doing a fly past and perhaps an African Pied Wagtail …. or two.

Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Thebe Safari Lodge

African Pied Wagtail, Thebe Safari Lodge (could that be the female on the right I wonder?)

Senyati Safari Camp

Location : This spot is not as close to Kasane as the spots described above, nevertheless it is close enough (20Km) to make it an easy place to visit even if time is limited. Take the road from Kasane to Kazangulu, some 10 Km away, then turn off on the A33 towards Pandamatenga and look for the camp turn-off after about 7 Km. Best time for birding is probably late afternoon but if you use their accommodation (self-catering) you can spend more time there in the morning.

Description : The main feature is the deck with a cash bar and seating overlooking the plains in front of the camp, stretching to the distant Zambesi River, with the focus point being an artificial waterhole which is frequented during the day by a variety of game and, of course, birds.

There is also an underground tunnel which you can walk along to a ground level hide right next to the waterhole – quite exciting if there are elephants present as you are literally metres away from them!

Bird Life : My one visit so far produced a good list of species in a short time, including Arrow-marked Babbler, Red-billed Hornbill, Wood Sandpiper, Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, Knob-billed (Comb) Duck and Red-billed Spurfowl. The potential for some excellent birding at this spot seems good. Unfortunately I had left my camera at the guest house so had to make do with non-digital memories other than the above taken with my pocket camera (which I also occasionally use to phone)

Birding Spots

Kasane, Botswana : Chobe River Birding

September 10, 2016 Don Reid 2 Comments

Of all the birding experiences you can have, the water-based ones seem to be the most memorable. I had been looking for an opportunity to do a boat trip on the Chobe River in northern Botswana for a year or more and in July this year I decided to make it happen.

There are a few boat rental companies in Kasane and I chose Kalahari Tours based on a colleague’s recommendation – they were able to accommodate me early on the Friday of my monthly visit and I arrived at the reception on the stroke of 7 am, armed with my binos, camera, snacks and a warm jacket to ward off the cool wind that was coming up.

The boat was of aluminium construction, sturdy looking, hopefully Hippo-proof and fitted with 2 rows of three comfy seats with a fold-down canopy over. I took up position in the middle seat of the front row, being the only guest that morning, doing my best to look as if this was my customary position in all boats I travelled in, and spread my gear on the adjoining seats.

Richard, Chobe River Boat Trip — Richard, boatman and bird guide extraordinaire

The boatman, Richard, took us out smoothly, initially downstream and around a wide bend in the majestic river, to the Seboba rapids where the river runs faster over unseen obstacles below the water. As we approached the rapids hundreds of Cormorants, Gulls and other large water birds were heading out from their roosts to feeding areas upstream.

There were still many birds roosting in the trees at the rapids, on the banks and on small islands in the middle of the river and Richard carefully approached as close as possible to allow intimate views of the birds and their youngsters.

Yellow-billed Stork, Chobe River Boat Trip — Yellow-billed Stork

Most visible were many Yellow-billed Storks with their fluffy grey and white youngsters crowded into one part of a tree. White-breasted Cormorants were numerous, some tending to nests in the tops of trees. My neck was already feeling the effects of trying to keep up with the action and the constant movement of the birds in and out of the trees, and up, down and across the river. We were literally surrounded by birds, in numbers second only to the masses that gather at trawlers on pelagic trips.

White-breasted Cormorant, Chobe River Boat Trip — White-breasted Cormorant

Amongst the massed Storks and Cormorants were many other species such as Purple Heron, African Spoonbill, Great Egret and Green-backed Heron.

Once I was sated with the spectacular bird life at the rapids, I indicated to Richard that we could proceed and he headed upstream, staying close enough to the banks to spot birds in the overhanging reeds, bushes and trees. His eyes proved sharper than mine as he spotted and pointed out everything from the tiny Malachite Kingfishers to their larger cousin the Giant Kingfisher, not to mention Brown-hooded Kingfishers.

Malachite Kingfisher, Chobe River Boat Trip — Malachite Kingfisher

Giant Kingfisher, Chobe River Boat Trip — Giant Kingfisher

Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Chobe River Boat Trip — Brown-hooded Kingfisher

Water Thick-knees skulking in the shade of the riverside bush are particularly difficult to spot but Richard’s sharp eyes found them easily. On our way upstream we passed by some of the well-known lodges with their decks overlooking the great river.

Wire-tailed Swallows swooped over our boat continuously and a pair even decided that our boat would be a good vantage point as we glided along the smooth waters.

Wire-tailed Swallow, Chobe River Boat Trip — Wire-tailed Swallow gets a lift

Further upstream we entered the Chobe National Park and Richard docked briefly at a small hut to sign us in. From there we made our way slowly along the side channels with the Park on our left and the large mass of Impalila Island on our right.

African Fish-Eagle, Chobe River Boat Trip — African Fish-Eagle

With the water having subsided from its post-summer highs, the island was now occupied by many Buffalos – a safe haven for them away from the big cats.

African Buffalo, Chobe River Boat Trip — African Buffalo

Here and there we saw Hippos and a couple appeared in the river just ahead of us, causing Richard to give them a wide berth – Hippos are one animal you do not mess with in the river, or on land for that matter.

Hippo, Chobe River Boat Trip — Hippo – best avoided

A mid-sized Crocodile on the bank drew us nearer to have a look and we literally peered down its throat as the bow of the boat bumped up against the bank just in front of it. While admiring its rows of teeth and taking photos I was looking for any signs of movement as, by my calculations, one lunge would have seen it land in our boat, but fortunately crocs are content to just lie there (most of the time) and regulate their body temperature by opening their jaws wide. Must remember to take dental floss next time.

Crocodile, Chobe River Boat Trip — Crocodile up close and personal

The island was home to many bird species – Lapwings (White-crowned and Long-toed), Squacco Herons, Geese in large numbers (Spur-winged and Egyptian) African Openbills, all the “White” Egrets except Cattle Egret (Great, Yellow-billed and Little), Ibis’s galore (Glossy, Sacred), many White-faced Ducks and larger waders such as African Jacana and Black-winged Stilt. A veritable feast of birding.

Long-toed Lapwing, Chobe River Boat Trip — Long-toed Lapwing

African Openbill, Chobe River Boat Trip — African Openbill

Red-billed Firefinch, Chobe River Boat Trip — Red-billed Firefinch

A smallish sandbar pretending to be an island was home to the bird highlight of the day – 50 or so African Skimmers using it as a roost in between sorties over the river, allowing a close approach to view these unique birds with their vivid colours. Their black and white plumage contrasts with their bright red bills, which look out of proportion but are perfectly designed for their function of skimming the surface of the water in search of small prey.

African Skimmer, Chobe River Boat Trip — African Skimmer

Pied Kingfishers are common throughout Southern Africa but never in numbers as we came across them along the river. I would guess we saw more than 100 during the trip and there were signs of them nesting in the sandy banks, where they occurred at a rate of one every 5m or so.

Pied Kingfisher, Chobe River Boat Trip — Pied Kingfisher

The return trip was along the main channel, by now rippled by the fresh wind which had come up, but not enough to cause any discomfort. Along the way we added Red-billed Teal and Knob-billed Ducks to our sightings as well as a lone Red Lechwe in long grass on a waterlogged plain.

Red Lechwe, Chobe River Boat Trip — Red Lechwe

Amazingly, three hours had passed without me noticing and we returned to the jetty where we had started – what an outing!

Bird in the Lens

Bird in the Lens – Sociable Weaver

August 28, 2016 Don Reid 1 Comment

The Sociable Weaver, chosen by Birdlife South Africa as their “Bird of the Year” for 2016, is unique in many respects and more than worthy of its selection.

It is also a bird that has fascinated me ever since I first saw their massive nest structures on Camelthorn trees in the Free State, long before my interest in birding began. This was in the early 1970’s when I moved to Bloemfontein, Free State and developed two loves – for my wife and for the wide open spaces of the Free State, represented by the family farm near Hoopstad.

Although the farm we used to visit every couple of weeks is no longer in the family, the same massive Sociable Weaver nest sits securely in the same Camelthorn tree in the family cemetery, watching over the generations of the family who have found their final resting place in its dappled shade.

Why Unique?

Apart from being endemic to Southern Africa, the Sociable Weaver’s nest is the largest built by any bird in the world, large enough to house more than a hundred pairs of birds, often of several generations (why am I thinking of the Dallas Ewings right now?). They construct these enormous nests of stiff grasses, forming chambers at different distances from the outside face, which provide protection from the temperature extremes of Southern Africa’s arid zones.

Described as being like “giant haystacks”, the nests are constructed in trees or on artificial structures such as telephone and electricity poles, windmills and the like and have become an icon of the arid areas of Southern Africa.

Closer view of nest showing construction from stiff grass and some of the entrance holes

Species Names

Scientific : Philetairus socius – from the Greek philos = love and hetairos = companion

Afrikaans: Versamelvoël

Indigenous : Thantlagane(NS), Kgwêrêrê (Tw)

German : Siedelweber

French : Républicain social

Portuguese : Tecelão-sociável

Dutch : Republikeinwever

Distribution

Distribution is across north-western South Africa, south-west Botswana and northwards across Namibia and is strongly associated with the arid savannahs of the southern Kalahari region.

The SABAP2 distribution map looks like this :

Identification

The nest is unmistakable, so once you have found the nest the birds will not be far away. Although classed as Weavers they are more Sparrow-like in appearance, small (14cm) and fairly drab-coloured to match the dry browns of the habitat they prefer. Their outstanding features are the black chin contrasting with a light-coloured front and face, black barred flanks and scalloped back

Images

Other Stuff

Several other species “borrow” nest chambers for their own breeding – such as mud-nesting wasps, nesting Pygmy Falcons, Red-headed Finches and Rosy-faced Lovebirds. Others use them as roosts including Ashy Tits, Familiar Chats, Acacia Pied Barbets and Pearl-spotted Owlets. So the great nest becomes a “bird hotel” for many, even snakes like visiting for a nestling or egg take-away.

There is certainly nothing else quite like it in the bird world.

Additional sources :

Robert’s Multimedia Birds of Southern Africa

Latin for Birdwatchers (Roger Lederer and Carol Burr)

Wikipedia

Birdlife SA Media Release – Bird of the Year 2016

Birding Spots

Kasane, Botswana – Seboba Nature Park

August 21, 2016 Don Reid 2 Comments

Ever wondered what it would be like to have your own private Nature Reserve – one you can explore at your leisure, with a major African river on its doorstep?

That seems to be part of the deal when you visit the Seboba Nature Park in Kasane, northern Botswana. Introduced to it by a colleague, I have been fortunate to visit this idyllic spot a few times this year and each time I have been the only visitor. Clearly it is not always as quiet, particularly when school and other groups visit – it was probably a question of being lucky in choosing the times we did.

Seboba Nature Park is a small nature reserve located on the outskirts of Kasane, bordered on the one side by a stretch of the Chobe River and on the other by the tarred road into Kasane, and was developed by the Botswana Government to support tourism in the area – by all accounts it has proved to be successful up to a point, but I would say it needs the support of tourism companies to persuade more tourists to visit.

The notice board and map near the entrance spells out its origin and some of the attractions, which include cultural villages, information centre, curio shop, dance arena and walking trails :

There are paths from the parking area that meander down to the river’s edge and to the top of a low hill, called Commissioner’s Kop, which has a deck with tables and chairs and magnificent views up and down the river.

Deck on Commissioner's Kop — Deck on Commissioner’s Kop

View from deck over Chobe River — View from deck on Commissioner’s Kop

A raised boardwalk leads off the reception area and meanders through the riverine forest and bush, creating opportunities to see some of the variety of bird life and a few animals.

The boardwalk ends at the picnic site, but paths take you further through the dense bush should you want to be a little adventurous – it’s best to have a ranger accompanying you from here as the chances of “bumping into” wild life increase.

A small deck at the end of the boardwalk allows you to view the part of Chobe River known as the Seboba Rapids – a section of river with faster flowing water and small islands, some bedecked with trees and favoured by hundreds of birds for roosting and nesting.

Seboba is not a game park as such, but a wildlife corridor to the river has been maintained by leaving openings in the fence between the adjoining road and the park, which is regularly used by elephant and other wild life to gain access to the river, as they have for millennia in all likelihood.

One of my visits turned into a bit of an adventure and reminded me that the area is very much “Wild Africa”…….

After parking near reception, I slung my binoculars around my neck and my camera over my shoulder (two items which have become part of my outfit when birding) and headed down the track to the river. I could not help noticing the fresh-looking elephant tracks in the sand and equally fresh-looking elephant dung, which I had to step around in places, bush signs which had my senses on high alert.

The river was not far, so I carried on to the river bank and started birding, while looking around carefully all the while. Just then, one of the rangers came down the track to tell me there were elephants in the bushes to my right and suggested, with a hint of urgency, that I move away . I could see the elephants through a gap in the trees and decided the ranger had a point, so I followed his further suggestion that we head along the river, the ranger in front and me behind. We stuck to the river’s edge, which was flowing high, wide and strong from the rains in Angola some weeks prior.

We were now walking away from the elephants, so I was feeling a tad more relaxed and enjoying the solitude of the river and the adjoining thick bush – until I started thinking about crocodiles, having seen the warning notices. Besides that, we were now literally on the edge of the Chobe River, even treading in the water where the steep bank caused my shoes to slip here and there.

I casually asked the ranger whether crocodiles were present and he nodded to say yes – not a minute later a loud splash ahead of us announced the first croc as he was scared off by our approach. Further ahead we spotted a croc about 50m away, lying in the shallows next to the bank – we approached slowly and cautiously and as we got closer the croc slid silently into the river, swam behind a partly submerged tree and eyed us as we passed.

The croc slides into the river as we get closer

All in all, an eventful and exciting walk that I had not planned for at all – Africa can make you feel very small and vulnerable at times!

The Birding

My primary purpose in visiting Seboba was, of course, to do some birding and the park did not disappoint. My first sighting on my first visit was Collared Palm-Thrush on the reception building’s roof – a most desirable species for Southern African birders. This set the tone for what could be expected and as I explored further the list grew, including a pleasing number of “specials” –

Along the boardwalk –

Grey-headed Sparrow, not scarce by any means but interesting because Kasane is one of the few places in Southern African region where both Southern and Northern species occur. This one turned out to be the Southern species
Noisy Arrow-marked Babblers
Trumpeter Hornbills with their eerie “crying-baby” calls echoing through the woodland
Bradfield’s Hornbill
Broad-billed Roller
Woodland Kingfisher, its position given away by its trilling call

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Seboba Nature Park Kasane

Woodland Kingfisher, Seboba Nature Park - Kasane — Woodland Kingfisher, Seboba Nature Park – Kasane

Commisioner’s Kop viewing point –

African Golden Oriole in its bright yellow plumage
African Green Pigeon – good at hiding behind foliage
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

African Golden Oriole, Seboba Nature Park Kasane

African Green Pigeon, Seboba Nature Park Kasane

Down by the riverside –

African Jacana
African Darter
Yellow-billed Stork
Pygmy Goose
African Openbill in the shallows, probing for molluscs
Reed and White-breasted Cormorants in numbers
Water Thick-knee, flying away low over the river when disturbed
White-crowned Lapwing, also prone to flying off but often landing a short distance further

Reed Cormorant, Seboba Nature Park Kasane — Water Thick-knee, Seboba Nature Park Kasane

White-crowned Lapwing, Seboba Nature Park - Kasane — White-crowned Lapwing, Seboba Nature Park – Kasane

Hillside and open areas –

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Blue Waxbill
Little Bee-eater

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Seboba Nature Park - Kasane — White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Seboba Nature Park – Kasane

This small park is well worth a visit even if for just an hour or two – the variety of habitats in a concentrated area can be covered in a short time, although the longer you can stay the better … oh and don’t wander around too much unless there’s a ranger nearby (which they tend to be)

Special thanks to Derek Thomas for showing me this spot, and others, in Kasane.

Holiday Trips

Danube River Cruise – Just Cruising

August 7, 2016 Don Reid 2 Comments

Previous posts on our Danube River Cruise were about the places visited during the eight-day cruise, this one is about the river cruising experience itself and some of the special the sights along the way……….

The Route

Cruise route map - Passau to Budapest and back — Cruise route map – Passau to Budapest and back through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary

The Boat

The Amadeus Royal was our home for the cruise duration and provided all the comforts we expected

Tea and Apfelstrudel in Passau just before boarding (What’s on Gerda’s mind?)

Amadeus Royal - the compact bathroom — Amadeus Royal – the compact bathroom

Amadeus Royal - our cabin — Amadeus Royal – unpacking in our cabin

Riverside Scenery

Schloss Schonbuhel, Melk District Austria

The Locks

Here you will have to bear with me – I am interested in all things mechanical, even boring things such as locks on the river. During the 1160 km cruise, we passed through 22 locks, often at night, changing altitude by some 360 metres. The average lock entailed a lift or drop of about 8 metres – now that doesn’t sound much, but consider that the cruise boat is 110m long x 11,4m wide with a tonnage of 1,556t, that means a lot of water has to be pumped in a short space of time to accomplish it efficiently.

Don't stick your head out in the lock — Don’t stick your head out too far in the lock

Donau-Auen National Park

During one afternoon we cruised through the Donau-Auen National Park, a section of the Danube which has been declared part of a UNESCO Biosphere park. Along this stretch, downstream of Vienna, the natural floodplains form a green corridor with a large area of lowland forests, meadows, wetlands and other riparian habitat.

We relaxed in our cabin with curtains fully open, taking in the greenery of the forests lining the river bank, with sightings every now and then of birds and occasionally other wildlife.

The surprise of the trip was undoubtedly the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) which I spotted trotting along a ridge of rocks on the bank of the river, with an enormous fish in its jaws. It is not often one gets to see “real” wildlife in Europe so this was very special. Fortunately I had my camera and telephoto lens ready for passing birds and managed to rattle off a few shots of the fox carrying the fish, before the boat had passed it by.

Another feature of this stretch was the small “fishermen’s cabins” dotted at intervals along the river bank, most with a net in a large frame ready to drop into the river. Word on board was that these cabins cannot be bought or sold, but have to be passed on to the next generation in their original state and no extensions are allowed. So they remain small and simple – often just space for a couple of beds and basic facilities for the fishermen to spend the night camping there.

Bridges

There were numerous bridges over the river, some functional, others handsome, old and new

Bridge at Bratislava — Bridges at Bratislava

Other Stuff

Waiters Zizi and Ivan - Pirates dinner — Waiters Zizi and Ivan – Pirates dinner

Until Next Time …..

International Birding

Eastern Europe – a Bit of Birding

July 28, 2016 Don Reid 6 Comments

I was not expecting to do much birding during our short tour of two weeks in Eastern Europe but, as always, I was constantly on the lookout for bird life and was rewarded with five new birds (“lifers”) during our tour, which consisted of four days in Prague, an eight-day cruise of the Danube with stops in four countries, and a short stay in Passau, Germany.

The best birding was while relaxing in our cabin, sliding door open to the fresh air and binos and camera at the ready as the boat cruised at a steady pace along the Danube. The only problem with this was the limited field of vision and the speed of the boat, which meant I had a very short time to react if I saw anything and I mostly had to rely on photographs for an ID of the bird species. The Danube at times widens out into a lake-size body of water, so any birds along the banks tended to be quite far away and it proved difficult to get a decent photo.

The photos showcased here represent the best shots I could get under the circumstances.

Prague

The best way of seeing a new city is to walk the streets and parks, which we did during our stay in this handsome city. European cities are not known for their variety of birds and Prague was no exception, with Jackdaws, Magpies and Blackbirds being the most common birds.

One city park had a Eurasian Jay which was a new species for me

One fine day we took the funicular to the top of the hill which overlooks the city and walked through the extensive parkland and forests of Petrin Park. Here we came across a Common Chiffchaff and on the walk down saw Wood Pigeons. A Eurasian Green Woodpecker drew our attention with its call but did not hang around long enough for a photo.

Cesky Krumlow

We took a day trip to this historic town a couple of hours bus ride from Prague. With time to spare after the walking tour of the town, we found a pleasant riverside café for coffee which also turned out to be a good spot for viewing some birds as they came to the river. Apart from the ubiquitous Blackbirds, we found Grey and Pied Wagtails on the banks of the strongly flowing Elbe River (both eluded my camera) and a few Black Redstarts, one of which looked remarkably similar to the Familiar Chat we know from SA.

Black Redstart, Cesky Krumlow — Black Redstart (Female/Immature Male), Elbe River in Cesky Krumlow – having a striking resemblance to the Familiar Chat we know from SA

Danube Cruise

A selection of the birds we spotted while cruising :

Mute Swans were seen frequently

A single sighting of Mandarin Duck was a surprise and a new species for me

Grey Herons were seen regularly

Great Cormorants in the protected area

Goosanders were another regular sighting but always at a distance

Caspian Gull in the protected area

Vienna

Our extended stop at Vienna allowed for a walk along the riverside, which was good for a few land-based species

House Sparrow, Danube — Common Chaffinch, Danube

Linz

While moored in Linz, Common Martins and Barn Swallows suddenly appeared in numbers over the river. I surmised that they had just returned from their annual African summer safari and were revelling in being back “home”, judging by the enthusiastic way they were swooping over the river, despite the bitterly cold weather

Passau

This delightful town was a highlight of our trip (more about it in a later post). The birding was limited but a Lesser Kestrel flying high above the Castle was an interesting sighting

Other than that the ubiquitous Mallard Duck was the only water bird of note

I had downloaded Collins Bird Guide for Europe prior to the trip – it has a useful bird listing function which I used to list the species we encountered. At the end of the two weeks I had a grand total of just 33 species – par for the course in Europe when the focus is not on birding.

I regularly see that many species in an hour, walking around our neighbourhood in SA – I’m just saying.

Holiday Trips

Danube River Cruise – Budapest to Bratislava

July 14, 2016 Don Reid 2 Comments

Continuing the story of our eight-day, seven night “Danube Rhapsody” cruise, starting from and returning to Passau in Germany with the furthest point reached being Budapest in Hungary and traversing 4 countries along the way …………..

Monday 25 April

Budapest – Horse Farm

Still moored in Budapest, we enjoyed a quick breakfast before boarding the bus once again for the trip out of town to a horse-riding show farm. Our cheerful guide gave us a run-down on the significant places we passed, many of which we had seen during the city tour the previous day, but it all helps to cement them into our senior brains.

Soon we were at the Lazar Farm having a welcoming scone with a powerful liquor called …… er, I seem to have forgotten, I just know it went down well in the cold weather.

Then we climbed onto horse-drawn wagons for a short ride along tree-lined tracks, muddy from the recent rain – the cold wind was biting with nowhere to hide, so we were glad to have packed our warm jackets and wooly hats.

Next up was a horse show viewed from a seating area next to a short sandy oval track, including a series of displays of the horse-riding skills particular to the region, which celebrate the unique relationship between Hungarian horsemen and -women with their horses :

2 pairs of horses pulling a heavy wagon, galloping by us at full speed, mud flying from the hooves

2 pairs of ponies drawing a smaller wagon, a lot more sedately

an archer on horseback, shooting at a fixed target and mostly hitting it as he galloped past
a brave rider standing on two horses while controlling a team of five horses

other riders performing in traditional costumes

Not just horses either — Not just horses on this farm

All in all a memorable show and most enjoyable to be out in the countryside, despite the cold weather

Just Cruising

The morning tour was enough for us for the day, so we decided to skip the afternoon tour (through the countryside to meet the boat further upstream) and spent the afternoon pleasantly cruising along the Danube as the boat started the return journey. More about the “Just Cruising” part in a forthcoming post. (I know you can’t wait, but I have to stretch this trip out to get my money’s worth from it – that’s what comes from having a Scottish heritage)

Tuesday 26 April

Bratislava – City Tour

By the time we awoke in the morning, the boat was already docked in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, and by 9 am we were on the bus for the City Tour. The young guide, who looked like a student, gave us a summary of Slovakia’s history (in good English, flavoured with a strong eastern European accent) as we drove up to the first stop at the Castle which, compared to others we have seen, is quite plain and of simple design.

Bratislava - the Castle — The old Castle on the hill

Particularly the inner courtyard, where I noticed no one was inclined to take photos, as there were none of the elaborate features and details we have become used to seeing. This was refreshing in a way and set the tone for the rest of the city, parts of which we saw later during our walk through the Old Town.

Quirky architecture on the Castle facade

The castle has a long and chequered history, having been destroyed and rebuilt several times.

Wikipedia says of the castle’s earliest history :

“The castle, like today’s city, has been inhabited for thousands of years, because it is strategically located in the centre of Europe at a passage between the Carpathians and the Alps, at an important ford used to cross the Danube river, and at an important crossing of central European ancient (trade) routes running from the Balkans or the Adriatic Sea to the Rhine river or the Baltic Sea, the most important route being the Amber Route.

The people of the Boleráz culture were the first known culture to have constructed settlements on the castle hill, around 3500 BC. Their “castle” was a fortified settlement and a kind of acropolis for settlements in today’s Old Town of Bratislava.”

From the castle there were great views across the Danube, with the standout feature being the rows of communist-era apartment blocks, taking up most of the space beyond the river and painted in cheerful pastel shades.

Bratislava - city views — Communist era housing in pleasing pastel colours

The walking part of the tour commenced at our second stop and took us through several old town squares (called Namesti), some very old, others newer, all interesting with handsome buildings and that very European sense of scale – comfortable rather than overwhelming.

Bratislava - Old Town Hall — The Town Hall

Primate's Residence — Primate’s Residence

Primate's Residence : Fountain of St George and the dragon — Primate’s Residence : Fountain of St George and the dragon

And a reminder that we were quite far from home……

One of the features of Bratislava is its collection of quirky statues, sprinkled around the city, none more so than the tourist favourite, “Man at Work”, which depicts a “worker” partly emerging from a manhole and clearly not at work.

Bratislava old town. "Man at work" — Bratislava old town. “Man at work”

Another in the main square has a Napoleonic soldier leaning over your shoulder, if you choose to sit on the bench in front of it, as many tourists elect to do.

Our new pal - the Napoleonic Soldier in the Main Square — Our new pal – the Napoleonic Soldier in the Main Square

He's really quite friendly — He’s really quite friendly

And there are others – spot the living one……….

Hint – note the basket for donations

Hans Christian Andersen - well a statue of him actually — Hans Christian Andersen – well a statue of him actually

A party of colourful kids pass another figure

The main square, Hlavne Namesti, drew us back after the official tour was done, to enjoy a “Big Cappuccino” and the local version of apple pie at an outside table, nicely positioned to watch the passing people traffic and the goings on in the square.

Bratislava old town - the Main Square — The Main Square

Fountains are also big in Bratislava – this pretty one is called Ganymede’s Fountain

There was time for some window shopping (which for Gerda means going inside every interesting shop and chatting to the assistants) before making our way back to the boat just a couple of blocks away.

Wednesday 27 April

Our last day of cruising as the boat proceeded to Linz in Austria, docking around lunchtime. The walking tour of the town was cancelled due to too few participants, so we set off on our own along the waterfront and into town, encased in several layers of warm clothing to ward off the bitter cold.

Linz was clearly not on many people’s list of places to visit and seemed almost deserted – perhaps because of the weather. That might also explain why we found it one of the less inspiring places we have visited – apart from the usual complement of churches, abbeys and cathedrals, none of which stood out for any particular reason, we did not encounter much of interest as we wandered through the streets around the main, very large square and adjoining old town.

Linz - street scenes — Linz – not much going on

The main square is lined with old patrician houses, the 17th century Town Hall and St Ignatius church with its two towers, while the centre of the square has the Trinity Column, erected by grateful citizens after the town managed to escape a trio of severe threats to their lives – the pest, a massive fire and a Turkish invasion – good enough reason, I reckon. What spoils it all is the scale of the square – too big – and the fact that the tram system runs right through the middle of it, completely destroying any intimate character it may have had.

Linz - Hauptplatz — Linz – Hauptplatz with the Trinity column in the middle

We did find a cosy café in one of the side streets in the Old Town and had an exceptional tea but a disappointing version of the local speciality cake – Linzertorte – which was crumbly and not particularly memorable. (Oh, how fussy we get at our age!) Maybe it was just a poor example. My German pronunciation was not up to scratch either – when I asked the waiter for “milch, bitte” with our tea he brought us a cute little timer for measuring how long the tea bag should stay in – fortunately the timer was useful and the tea so good it was actually better off without any “milch”.

Linz - best tea in a long time (asked for milk, got a timer!) — Linz – best tea in a long time (asked for milk, got a timer!)

As we sat in the café the rain started falling, soon turning to sleet for a few minutes, just to reinforce how cold it was.

Linz - sleet falling in the Old Town — Linz – sleet falling in the Old Town

After some further wandering we came across the Mozarthaus, where he composed the Linz Symphony during a short stay of a few days.

Linz – Mozarthaus

We made our way back to the boat and were soon immersed in the last day festivities including the Captain’s gala dinner with multiple courses. The cruise was coming to an end ………

More to come…

So what’s left to tell? Well there’s the “Just Cruising” bit – birding and other special sights along the river during the course of the cruise. After that, more about the places visited before and after the cruise – the two “P’s” – Prague and Passau, both unique and both full of highlights……..

Holiday Trips

Danube River Cruise – Vienna to Budapest

June 23, 2016 Don Reid 2 Comments

Saturday 23 April

Vienna – Riverside Walk

Having docked in Vienna the previous afternoon and attended a concert in the evening, we already had a good feeling about the city we last visited in December 1971.

We were due to do the city tour in the morning but decided to skip it and conserve our energy, physical and mental, for the excursion to Schönbrunn Palace in the afternoon. This gave us a chance to have a late breakfast and explore the top deck of the boat (not much there, just an open area with deck chairs but way too cold to enjoy at this time of year), then relax until lunchtime. I took the opportunity to walk along the riverfront and enjoyed a peaceful hour or two of relaxed birding and photography.

It was nice to see a sprinkling of Viennese people at play, some rowing on the river in a protected tributary of the Danube, others cycling and jogging along the riverside pathways, which are pleasantly bordered by green grass and lined with trees and bushes just coming into bloom, creating an attractive park-like area all along the river.

Vienna - walk along the river — Walk along the river

Vienna – Schönbrunn Palace

After lunch we joined the group for the tour of Schönbrunn – once again it was a re-living of our trip of some 44 years ago as newly weds, but none of it seemed familiar after such a long time. The bus stopped close to the entrance gates and, walking into the palace grounds, we had a great view of the main buildings which have been superbly maintained.

And a lot further back in time……

Schonbrunn Palace - view towards the hill — Schonbrunn Palace – view towards the hill which since 1775 has been crowned by the Gloriette structure

Call back the past - my 1972 photo of Schonbrunn — Call back the past – my 1972 photo of the hill with the Gloriette structure

Golden Eagle - meet live Crow — Golden Eagle – meet live Crow

We learnt later that the palace attracts some 8 million visitors each year – that’s more than 20,000 per day! It didn’t seem that busy or overcrowded, probably due to the efficient systems that are in place to regulate the flow of tourists.

Heading inside, our guide took us through the main ceremonial rooms, just touching on the 1441 rooms that make up the whole palace. No internal photography is allowed so I could not do my usual photo record – suffice to say the internal design and finishes were very much up to “Grand European Palace” standards and worthy of its World Cultural Heritage status. Here is one photo from Wikipedia which illustrates the opulence of the interior design –

Interior of the Great Gallery (Wikipedia)

Palace Gardens

With no restrictions on external photography, I took a walk around the impressive gardens while Gerda did some gift shopping and took in the colourful early spring displays of flowers as I wandered around the extensive pathways. Despite the numbers of other tourists I found some quiet spots away from the madding crowd.

No tour would be complete without a visit to a coffee shop and Schönbrunn’s was up to standard with its offerings. We enjoyed a Wiener Melange (similar to cappuccino) and a taster plate of three of the famous cakes – Mozart, Zachertorte and Himbeer-Topfen – all very tasty.

Trio of cakes and a Wiener Melange coffee

Not having done the city tour, it was nice to get a brief glimpse of Vienna during the 40 minute drive there and back – a couple of unique sights caught our eye : the “underground” train that travels for kilometres through the city on an elevated track and the most unusual “Incinerator” building which is beyond quirky.

Incinerator building glimpsed from the bus

Sunday 24 April

Budapest

Another day, another new city – and country – this time Budapest in Hungary. The boat had travelled through the night to our new destination. Breakfast was a bit later as we were only due to dock in Budapest at 10h30.

The approach into Budapest to our dock gave us good views of both “halves” of the city, Buda and Pest on opposite sides of the river, each with several impressive buildings on view.

Monument to St Gerard who was rolled down the hill in a barrel

We relaxed on board until lunchtime, then took the city tour after lunch which included a drive-by of some of the main historical features of Buda and Pest. An extended stop allowed a short walk up a hill to the St Matthews Church which had a less gilded interior than others we have seen, but almost more attractive for it.

Our charming guide gave us an insight into the history of the once divided city and how the two halves were united. Wikipedia’s version is a neat summary of events :

“The history of Budapest began with Aquincum, originally a Celtic settlement that became the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia. Hungarians arrived in the territory in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–42. The re-established town became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century. Following the Battle of Mohács and nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule, the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest became a global city after the unification of Buda and Óbuda on the west bank, with Pest on the east bank on 17 November 1873. It also became the second capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a great power that dissolved in 1918, following World War I. Budapest was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Hungarian Republic of Councils in 1919, the Battle of Budapest in 1945, and the Revolution of 1956″.

The bridges between the two halves of the city are a feature of Budapest, making crossing the Danube an interesting affair. Old cast iron bridges vie with more recent suspension bridges for “Best Bridge in Budapest” (no, there is no such competition but the alliteration is irresistible).

The only other longish stop was at the commemorative Hero’s Square with the usual complement of monumental structures and statues, including a circle of imposing Magyar horsemen.

Less imposing but more fun was the sight of tourists on a “Beer bike” enjoying a beer or two while pedalling in unison on a 4 wheeled contraption with draught on tap and space for about 5 or 6 pedallers/revellers – not sure how many of the sights they will remember.

Back on the boat there was time for a leisurely dinner before the evening cruise through Budapest began, preceded by locals performing folk music and dancing. We chose to miss the latter and made our way to our cabin where we did the evening cruise in style, lying in bed with the cabin lights off and the curtains wide open.

Budapest’s significant river frontage buildings are brilliantly lit up at night and presented quite a sight as we cruised gently down the river and back up again for over an hour – what a way to end the day!

More to come…

A horse farm near Budapest, then on to Bratislava in Slovakia. But that will have to wait for the next post.

Special Birds

It’s Donald’s birthday!

June 16, 2016 Don Reid 2 Comments

That’s right! Donald Duck recently celebrated his 82 nd Birthday – how do I know this? Well, National Geographic told me :

“Donald Fauntleroy Duck entered the world on June 9, 1934, as a sailor suit-wearing cartoon character in The Wise Little Hen. Since then, he’s flown on the nose of military aircraft, hosted the Oscars, and been honoured with his own asteroid.” (Click on any of the underlined bits for more info)

So in celebration, here are a few photos of other ducks that all have one thing in common with Donald – they don’t wear pants either…

Happy birthday Donald!

Holiday Trips

Danube River Cruise – Passau to Vienna

May 30, 2016 Don Reid Leave a comment

For many years we have dreamt of cruising down the Danube in one of those river cruise boats that one sees on the pages of travel magazines and newspapers.

In April 2016 we turned the dream into reality, using as an excuse our upcoming major anniversary to treat ourselves to a special trip.

The cruise was an eight-day, seven night cruise, starting from and returning to Passau in Germany with the furthest point reached being Budapest in Hungary and traversing 4 countries along the way.

Embarkation in Passau

Thursday 21 April at 16h00 was the time for embarkation, according to the info we had been given. We had played it safe and had the pre-booked shuttle pick us up at 10h30 from our hotel in Prague to make sure we would be in good time. We travelled through Czech countryside for a couple of hours, then through twisty mountain passes into Germany and reached Dock A13 in Passau some four hours later in comfortable and safe style (CK Shuttle are highly recommended).

Our home for the next week, the Amadeus Royal, awaited us in all its splendour at the dockside.

We were too early to board, but fortunately the cruise boat accepted our luggage, so we were able to go and find a relaxing cup of tea at a nearby café, where we sat outside and soaked up the atmosphere until 3 pm at which time we were allowed to board.

The cabin was similar to the one we had during our Alaska cruise – on a large cruise ship – but with no balcony, just a sliding door. However we saw the reason for that when we went through some of the locks, with just enough space to squeeze the boat in. The afternoon on the boat was taken up with relaxing in the forward panorama lounge and a briefing by the cruise director in German and excellent English.

We were curious to find out whether the dining experience would be as good as anticipated and were not disappointed – the first meal set the standard with a four course dinner including starter, soup, main meal and dessert, all nicely presented and quite delicious, fortunately in fairly small portions, so that we never felt bloated.

Our waiter Ivan, from Croatia, was excellent, looking after our every whim and he was quick to get us into a routine of deciding on our main course for the next meal in advance, so that he was always fully prepared. The wine waiter Zi-zi , also from Croatia, made sure we had our share of the complimentary wines at dinner, a happy situation for South Africans paying in our weak Rands.

The Maitre’d had placed us in a section of the dining room amongst two groups of other South Africans, which was a pleasant surprise and made for a convivial atmosphere for most of the trip.

Friday 22 April

Our first full day on board and, as it turned out, a busy one indeed! After breakfast and docking at Emmersdorf, a small town in Austria (Population 1731 according to Wikipedia), we were collected by bus, taken across a nearby bridge and for a short drive to Melk Abbey, a magnificent example of Baroque architecture, with curves in all the right places.

Melk Abbey - modern replacement of bomb damaged facade — Melk Abbey – modern replacement of bomb damaged facade

The abbey guide was a demure looking young lady, who turned out to have a mischievous sense of humour and a full complement of informative and interesting facts as she led us through a series of rooms, each depicting an aspect of the history of the Abbey and the religious beliefs of the time. Many of the displays were done in a modern way using lighting and projection to add to the impact.

Melk Abbey - lady in a painting — Melk Abbey – lady in a painting

Melk Abbey - strange figure in a painting — Melk Abbey – strange figure in a painting

We were guided through the abbot’s chambers, along the imperator’s walk, through the marble hall, the balconies and the library.

Melk Abbey - one of the highly decorated ceilings — Melk Abbey – one of the highly decorated ceilings

Melk Abbey - oef this is heavy — Melk Abbey – this is hard work!

Melk Abbey - Views from the balcony — Melk Abbey – Views from the balcony

The abbey church was last on the list and the opulence of it was astounding, with so many gilded statues and decorations it was hard to take it all in.

Melk Abbey - stairway to heaven? — Melk Abbey – stairway to heaven?

Melk Abbey - the Church — Melk Abbey – the Church

The history of the abbey goes a long way back – all the way to the 10th century to be inexact – when it started out as a castle, later being handed over to the Benedictines. Over the years it was variously sacked and burnt by succeeding marauders, but survived until it was rebuilt in the early 1700’s, since when it has stood as a supreme example of the Baroque period.

Melk Abbey - beautiful architecture — Melk Abbey – beautiful architecture

In case, like me, you are desperate to know more about Baroque architecture, here is an extract from Wikipedia :

Baroque architecture is the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late 16th-century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and the absolutist state. It was characterized by new explorations of form, light and shadow, and dramatic intensity.

So now you know……….

This is what I think of it –

Just joking…

After the abbey tour there was time for a tea and (wait for it) apfelstrudel at the restaurant, which was superb.

Melk Abbey - apfelstrudel — Melk Abbey – stylish apfelstrudel

The tour rounded off with a stop at a wine-tasting venue and a sampling of the local Wachau wines – the wines were not particularly memorable, the venue was crowded and the presentation rather too “touristy” for our liking, so we were happy when it was done and we could walk the short distance back to the boat.

We were just in time for lunch, while our boat headed east towards our next stop at Vienna – the day was not yet done!

By late afternoon we had docked in Vienna, a city we last visited as newly weds some 44 years ago, so our memories were faded at best, totally absent at worst and it was like visiting a new place. We had pre-booked a package of tours which included a “Sound of Vienna” evening tour so, just after an early dinner, we were once again taken by bus into the city and to the Kursalon Wien for a concert in a large “salon” – a hall packed with about 500 straight-backed chairs.

Vienna - sounds of Vienna — Vienna – sounds of Vienna

The music and accompanying performances by singers and dancers was beautiful and good for the soul, just a pity they find it necessary to pack in so many people, 99% tourists, into a venue that is not designed for it.

More to Come………

While in Vienna we visited Schonbrunn Palace and I had a walk along the river – more about that and the next stop in the next post

Mostly Birding

All posts by Don Reid

Kasane Botswana – Birding Spots in and around town

Kasane, Botswana : Chobe River Birding

Bird in the Lens – Sociable Weaver

Kasane, Botswana – Seboba Nature Park

Danube River Cruise – Just Cruising

Eastern Europe – a Bit of Birding

Danube River Cruise – Budapest to Bratislava

Danube River Cruise – Vienna to Budapest

It’s Donald’s birthday!

Danube River Cruise – Passau to Vienna

Adventurous Birding, Atlasing and Travel