Tag Archives: Chobe River

Bird Photography, Birding Spots, Game Reserves

Chobe River and Game Reserve – the Final Visit …. (Part 2)

March 7, 2026 Don Reid 7 Comments

Just to repeat the intro from Part 1….. briefly –

I made my last visit to Kasane in November 2018 for the final formal handover of the Kasane Airport project in northern Botswana to the Client. I had made many adhoc visits to Chobe Game Reserve during the course of the project and decided to spoil myself with one last “grande finale” photographic safari, expertly run by Pangolin Photo Safaris, both on land and on the river, soaking up the incomparable African game-viewing and bird-watching on offer.

Aerial view of the Chobe River while landing at Kasane

I have written several posts about some of my memorable experiences in Chobe over the years, but never got around to ‘finishing the story’ as it were, so bear with me as I reminisce about my final visit to Kasane.

Part 1 covered the Boat Trip on the river, Part 2 is all about ….

The Game Drive…

It was Friday morning and my mind was spinning with the memories of the boat trip the previous afternoon, but now it was time to do the land-based version – same guests, same driver (nicknamed ‘Killer’ – I never asked why), same guide and photography expert (Janine), different transport – a game drive vehicle kitted with bean bags to support cameras both sides.

Janine collected me at 5am, drove to the Pangolin Lodge, newly built and overlooking the flood plains of Chobe, picked up the other couple and off we went. The early start was a good idea as we were well ahead of the other game drive vehicles, a crucial advantage which paid off in spades – as you will see…

Janine started by suggesting that the small group, being seasoned game drivers, should look for special sightings and photo opportunities only – Killer asked what we would really like to see and as one we answered “Leopard!”

So we bypassed the “ordinary stuff” initially and bumped along the sandy track that follows the southern shore of the Chobe River, its banks wide and dry at this time of year.

Killer suddenly brought the vehicle to a halt, as he did we saw what he had spotted a split second before – a beautiful female Leopard lying on all fours and ignoring us with a slightly disdainful expression

As Janine gave exposure instructions (under expose a tad for the dark background), we all rattled off a number of shots, fearing the leopard would move away.

And that’s what she did, moving behind a bushy tree to her right, where we could just make out the Impala kill which she proceeded to drag a little, then lick and eventually chew with some satisfaction.

Once sated, she left the prey and came back to check us out, sitting upright and staring straight at us, with a look that said ‘now they could make a tasty dessert’ .

A few minutes later she moved away from her kill and from us and we eventually moved on ourselves, fairly trembling from the excitement of such a magnificent sighting.

Anything after that was bound to be tame by comparison, but we pushed on, just enjoying the feel of the bush and its multitude of wildlife, including, as we were soon to discover, one of the most dangerous of all.

A Black-backed Jackal drew our attention and although quite far off, we tried a few shots – it too was looking at us but with none of the charisma of the leopard, more of a ‘nice doggy’ sort.

Black-backed Jackal, Chobe Riverfront game drive

A group of Warthogs approached and some of them got into mock fighting mode, meeting each other head on. This one continued grazing in peace

Chacma Baboons are always a delight to watch, such as this youngster riding like a jockey on Mother’s back

Chacma Baboon, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Moving along the track, which gets inundated in the rainy season, there was a sudden call of ‘Snake!’ and we shouted ‘Stop!’ in unison.

Killer knew better and only came to a halt at a safe distance, knowing the snake to be one of the most dangerous and venomous around and capable of raising itself to two-thirds of its length to strike – not a comfortable thought when you are in an open safari vehicle.

The driver of an open safari vehicle is particularly vulnerable, being at an ideal strike level with a convenient (for the snake) forearm often resting on the open sill of the door….

It was of course a large Black Mamba, most feared of snakes, and it was already raised about 1 metre high and looking mean.

Black Mamba, Chobe Riverfront game drive

There was just time for one snatched shot before it lowered to the ground and slid off into the bush, leaving us once again in an elevated state of excitement.

Not long after another reptile crossed our path, this time a non-threatening Water Monitor, looking quite prehistoric

Water Monitor, Chobe Riverfront game drive

By now we had gone well past the usual picnic spot, so Killer stopped at a ‘Stretch point’ where we had coffee and biscuits before heading back along the upper road.

Stretch point on Chobe Riverfront Game Drive

On the way back various wildlife presented some further photo opportunities

Banded Mongoose, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Three young Impala, still in ‘Nursery school’, made for a charming sight with their oversized ears alert to our presence

Impala nursery school, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Puku are not found in South Africa, occurring mostly in the wet grasslands and floodplains of central Africa, so are a particular pleasure to see as they graze, often ankle deep in the water

The Birds

Birding was secondary to game-chasing on this trip, nevertheless I was able to spot a broad selection of the birds that I have become accustomed to when traversing the Chobe Waterfront

This Hamerkop posed nicely in the early morning light, giving it a handsome golden appearance

**Red-billed Spurfowl**, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Spur-winged Geese are often seen in the distance, but this one gave us close up views as it swam along the river’s edge

Spur-winged Goose, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Yellow-billed Kites visit southern Africa in our summer and are widespread across the region, usually seen singly in the air as they cruise not far above the ground. What we encountered was very unique, with upwards of 30 Kites gathered in one small area along the river bank, some just resting, others making short flights and returning to the same spot.

Yellow-billed Kite, Chobe Riverfront game drive

**Crested Francolin**, (photo taken in Kruger Park)

The African Fish-Eagle occurs all along the river at intervals which allow each one enough territory in which to hunt for their fish prey, which are abundant

**African Fish-Eagle**, Chobe Riverfront game drive

And then it was the turn of …… BEAUTY

**Southern Carmine Bee-eater**, Chobe Riverfront game drive

And the …… BEAST

**Marabou Stork**, Chobe Riverfront game drive

**Squacco Heron** (photo taken elsewhere)

**Kori Bustard**, (photo taken in Kruger Park)

**Collared Pratincole**, Chobe River trip

And that’s the end of this tail … er tale

Time to go ……

Leaving Chobe Game Reserve after the game drive on my last morning along the familiar sandy, bumpy track, through the Sedudu gate and out on to the tar road back to Kasane, it momentarily struck me that this was possibly the last time I would see this place and an almost tangible sadness washed over me for a few seconds, only to be replaced with the happy thought of all the memories I had gathered over more than 3 years. Maybe one day I’ll return …..

Bird in the Lens, Bird Photography, Birding Spots, Game Reserves

Chobe River and Game Reserve – the Final Visit …. (Part 1)

February 16, 2026 Don Reid 6 Comments

The last major project that I was involved in before finally retiring from Quantity Surveying in 2019, was the Kasane Airport project in northern Botswana. Monthly visits spread over 3 years meant I spent an accumulative 60 days or more in Kasane, which is the gateway to the Chobe Game Reserve, and I used every free moment to spend time exploring this special place and on the Chobe River, soaking up the incomparable African game-viewing and bird-watching on offer.

So where is this leading? Well, I made my last visit to Kasane in November 2018 for the final formal handover of the airport terminal buildings to the Client. During the visit I found time to join a photographic safari, expertly run by Pangolin Photo Safaris, both on land and on the river, which left me with a head full of special memories and a memory card full of treasured images.

Aerial view of the Chobe River while landing at Kasane

The Occasional Birding

Before getting to the organised safaris, I found other opportunities to wander…… and wonder at the birdlife

While trying to check in at my booked accommodation, a Trumpeter Hornbill wailed nearby, sounding like a baby crying – perhaps it already knew my booking had somehow been mysteriously cancelled and there were no rooms available.

Trumpeter Hornbill (Male) (Photo taken inKruger Park)

Undaunted, I headed to Thebe Lodge, which I had frequented before and which lies on the Chobe River. The extensive grounds had previously proved to be a compact yet lively birding destination in their own right, so I was more than happy to find comfortable accommodation for my three-night stay.

I didn’t waste a moment and paid a quick visit to the nearby sewage works ponds (as one does) which produced Ruff and Lesser Grey Shrike amongst others, then followed that with a walk around the lush Thebe Lodge grounds in light rain, which was a relief from the oppressive summer heat.

The Thebe Lodge grounds were alive with birdlife, feasting on the flying ants which were emerging all over. The strident calls of the ‘frontline’ songsters such as White-browed Robin-Chat and Tropical Boubou were backed up by a further layer of quieter calls of Dark-capped Bulbuls, Grey Go-away Birds, Mourning Doves and Water Thick-Knees.

White-browed Robin-Chat (Photo taken in Kruger Park)

In the rapidly fading light I made out Violet-backed Starlings and Fork-tailed Drongos participating in the flying ant frenzy

The next morning, before breakfast and my project commitments, another walk around the lodge grounds produced about 20 species with two Kingfishers prominent – Brown-hooded and Woodland Kingfishers.

Common Scimitarbill and Green Woodhoopoe were active and at the riverside Broad-billed Rollers were harassing a Woodlands Kingfisher.

There was no shortage of birdlife in the verdant garden bush of the lodge grounds with Terrestrial Brownbul, Southern Brown-throated Weaver and Grey-backed Camaroptera all showing nicely.

Boat Trip

During previous trips I had done a couple of boat outings on the river, fairly basic ones in a small boat but nevertheless exciting and memorable.

However, the Pangolin Photo Safaris trip from 3.30 to 6.30pm in the afternoon was a whole different experience, being transported on a purpose-built aluminium boat with swivel chairs and special camera mounts for each of the 6 or so passengers and an expert photographer guide to show us how.

Our guide, Janine, started by explaining that we would be looking for more than pretty photos and would be exploring various techniques while looking for unusual angles and actions. Canon cameras with telephoto Sigma lenses were provided for the trip as part of the deal for those who had not brought their own camera. I had my Nikon camera but decided to use the Canon along with the others on the boat, which would allow me to follow Janine’s guidance

I struggled with the settings at first, being used to my then Nikon camera, but as we headed out I started getting used to the Canon buttons and dials while Janine gave us running advice on exposures, speeds, etc – a lot to take in and utmost concentration was needed!

Janine’s exposure advice, particularly relevant to bird photography, which I took away with me and have used ever since was –

Background darker than subject : reduce exposure; ie dial exposure compensation to negative side. This avoids an over-exposed subject and creates an even darker background for better contrast
Background lighter than subject : increase exposure; ie dial exposure compensation to positive side. This avoids an under-exposed subject and although it also increases the exposure of the background this can be adjusted while editing in eg Lightroom.

Janine and Killer (his nickname!) the boatman proved to be an amazing team on the boat, taking us on a route along the river and its side channels, seeking and finding many photo opportunities for the super-keen group of photographers on the boat.

Let’s take a look at what they came up with and how we progressed :

Jacana Magic

The first side channel produced one of those special moments you never forget – an African Jacana with two tiny juveniles with outsized feet, walking about on the surface of the lily covered water. Janine encouraged us to get off the swivel chairs and crouch low in the boat so as to get level with the subject. Beyond cute!

Darters and Cormorants

Stopping near a dead tree in the river which was being used by African Darters and White-breasted Cormorants, Janine talked us through the technique used to blur the subject in flight while retaining focus on This which involved setting the shutter to a very slow speed, waiting for the bird to take off, finger poised on the shutter button, then panning smoothly while locking on to the bird in flight and releasing the shutter.

This was a lot more difficult than it sounds and my attempts turned out too blurry, as the photo shows. Ideally part of the bird should be in focus, contrasting with the rest of the body which is blurred. But that’s what makes photography an ongoing challenge – there’s always a chance of doing it better next time….

It’s a lot easier taking a conventional perched photo of the birds…

A Reed Cormorant with a small fish catch then caught our attention as it landed not far from the boat

I was quite pleased with this “landing“ shot of the cormorant, with just a hint of splash from the tail feathers

Pods of Hippos

Approaching a pod of Hippos grazing on the bank, we waited at a distance – Hippos can be very intimidating, even dangerous so are best given enough space. These two kept an eye on us while munching away at the yummy grass.

As Killer slowly edged the boat closer, some of the hippos decided to seek the safety of the water – as we had hoped – creating some “splash” to liven up the photo.

Further on, Janine guided us through the technique used to create those “High-Key” photos of a hippo almost submerged in the water – achieved by over-exposing by up to 3 steps so that subject and water come out bright and light.

Baboons doing their thing

By now we were well up the river and heading to the sloping shoreline where a troop of baboons were active, which promised a few interesting photos of these photogenic animals – they didn’t disappoint and provided plenty of entertainment and kodak moments for the group.

Further experiments with over-exposed portraits produced good results as Janine had forecast, bringing out the orange-brown eye colour as the baboon watched us intently.

More Birds

The boat headed further upstream (towards the west, with Namibia just across the water to the north), past Chobe Game Lodge (think Liz Taylor and Richard Burton) looking for interesting birds. One target was Giant Kingfisher but it didn’t show so we had to be content with the many Pied Kingfishers along the banks.

Cattle Egrets take on more colour during breeding season and the plumes on the back appear

African Fish-Eagles are often prominent along the river, usually perched on a branch with a good view of the water. The juvenile differs markedly from the adult, which has led me to incorrect ID’s on more than one occasion.

African Fish-Eagle (Juvenile), Chobe River Trip

Oxpeckers are a favourite of mine, especially when perched on their host for the moment

This front-on photo of a White-crowned Lapwing appealed to me – and to Janine who encourages different views of familiar subjects (The heading image is the same photo cropped)

Impala with an M

This is the closest you will come to seeing a famous McDonald’s “M” in wild Botswana

The end of our trip came all too soon but there was the exciting prospect of going on an early morning game drive through Chobe with the same team – more about that in Part 2

But before that, Chobe River has some of the most glorious sunsets you will find anywhere – best enjoyed with a suitable beverage to hand…

Bird Photography, Birding Spots, Game Reserves

Chobe River and Game Reserve – a Special Place

February 28, 2019 Don Reid 7 Comments

I have been fortunate during my working career to have been involved in construction projects which have taken me to some interesting, even exciting, parts of the world. Top of that list is Kasane, a small town on the Chobe River in the far north of Botswana, South Africa’s neighbour on its northern side and one of the nicest countries you will find just about anywhere.

Aerial view of the Chobe River while landing at Kasane

Nice because it is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, with just 2,3m people at an average density of 3 people per square kilometre, and the vast majority are inherently friendly, decent people. The country is blessed with large tracts of unspoilt wilderness where you will find some of the last vestiges of the Africa that existed before human interference made its mark.

The Flood plain

My involvement in the Kasane Airport project, now complete and functioning well, meant I spent an accumulative 60 days or more in Kasane during monthly visits spread over 3 years and I used every opportunity to spend free time in Chobe Game Reserve and on the Chobe River, soaking up the incomparable African game-viewing and bird-watching on offer.

So where is this leading? Well, I made what is likely to be my last visit to Kasane in November 2018, during which I joined a “farewell” photographic safari both on land and on the river, which left me with a head full of special memories and a memory card full of treasured images.

Leaving Chobe Game Reserve after the game drive that morning along the familiar sandy, bumpy track, through the Sedudu gate and out on to the tar road back to Kasane, it momentarily struck me that this was possibly the last time I would see this place and an almost tangible sadness washed over me for a few seconds, only to be replaced with the happy thought of all the memories I had gathered over more than 3 years, memories that I would love to share in the best way I can.

I have written several posts about some outstanding experiences in Chobe over the last few years, but there is so much more to tell, so expect a short-ish series of further posts over the next few weeks -or months featuring some or all of the following :

The iconic species, both animal and avian, that call Chobe home, from Elephants to Hornbills, Leopards to Fish Eagles
The bird atlasing trips that I squeezed into a busy schedule while in Kasane
Stylish photographic safaris with Pangolin Safaris
Whatever else pops up in my memory bank (aka my journals)

African Fish-Eagles are numerous along the Chobe River

Bradfield’s Hornbill

*It’s scenes like this that had me going back for more*

Bird Photography, Game Reserves, Holiday Trips, National Parks, Special Birds

My Photo Picks for 2018

January 5, 2019 Don Reid 16 Comments

With the new year in its first week, it’s time to select a few photos which best represent our 2018. In some cases, selection is based on the memory created, in others I just like how the photo turned out, technically and creatively

If you have any favourites, do let me know by adding your comment!

The Places

This was an unusual year for us, in that for the first time in several years we did not journey outside Southern Africa once during the year. But we made up for that with plenty of local trips, such as –

Champagne Valley resort in the Drakensberg

Annasrust Farm Hoopstad (Free State)

Pine Lake Resort near White River (Mpumulanga Province)

Mossel Bay – our second “Home” town

Oaklands Country Manor near Van Reenen (Kwa-Zulu Natal)

La Lucia near Durban (Kwa-Zulu Natal)

Shongweni Dam (Kwa-Zulu Natal)

Onverwacht Farm near Vryheid (Kwa-Zulu Natal)

Kruger Park Olifants camp

Herbertsdale area (Western Cape) – atlasing

Karoo National Park near Beaufort West (Western Cape)

Kuilfontein Guest Farm near Colesberg (Northern Cape)

Kuilfontein, Colesberg – the drought has hit this area badly

Verlorenkloof (Mpumulanga)

Lentelus Farm near Barrydale (Western Cape)

The Wildlife

With visits to Kruger National Park, Karoo National Park and Chobe Game Reserve in Botswana, there was no shortage of game viewing opportunities and it turned out to be a great year for Leopards

Kruger National Park

Karoo National Park

Chobe Game Reserve

The eyes have it

Wild but beautiful

Who needs a horse when you have a mom to ride on

Oh, and the news is hippos can do the heart shape with their jaws – they don’t have fingers you see

The Birds

Bird photography remains the greatest challenge – I am thrilled when it all comes together and I have captured some of the essence of the bird

Great Egret flying to its roost

White-fronted Bee-eaters doing what they do best – looking handsome

White-fronted Bee-eater, Kruger Day Visit

White-browed Robin-Chat

The usually secretive Green-backed Camaroptera popping out momentarily for a unique photo

Green-backed Camaroptera, Kruger Day Visit

African Fish-Eagle – aerial king of the waters

Kori Bustard – heaviest flying bird

Little Bee-eater

Black-chested Snake-Eagle

Crowned Hornbill – he’ll stare you down any day

Kittlitz’s Plover

Large-billed Lark in full song

Village Weaver – busy as a bee

Thick-billed Weaver – less frenetic, more particular about its nest-weaving

African Jacana with juveniles

Juvenile African Jacana – a cute ball of fluff with legs longer than its body

Reed Cormorant with catch

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater

White-crowned Lapwing

Wishing all who may read this a 2019 that meets all of your expectations!

Bird Photography, Holiday Trips

My Photo Picks for 2017 – Part 2

January 8, 2018 Don Reid 4 Comments

Here’s a further selection of my favourite photos taken during 2017 – from our travels, holidays and birding trips

If you have any favourites, do let me know by adding your comment!

The Birds (Continued)

Southern Ground Hornbill, Chobe Game Reserve, Botswana

Southern Double-collared Sunbird, Mossel Bay

Chinspot Batis, Verlorenkloof in Mpumulanga

Yellow-billed Stork, Phinda Game Reserve in North Kwazulu-Natal

Red-capped Robin-Chat, Pigeon Valley Durban

Southern Carmine Bee-eater, Chobe Riverfront

Pied Starling, Vlaklaagte near Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng

Mountain Wheatear (female), near Oudtshoorn

Fork-tailed Drongo, north of Herbertsdale, Western Cape

The Reptiles

Boomslang, Bushfellows Game Lodge near Marble Hall

The Butterflies

Guineafowl (Hamanumida daedalus), Mabusa Nature Reserve in Mpumulanga

Poplar leopard butterfly (Phalanta phalanta aethiopica), Vic Falls NationalPark

Butterfly, Mossel Bay (No ID yet – can’t find it in the book)

Mauritius

Le Victoria hotel, Mauritius -early morning

Flock at sea cruise

Other stuff

Wishing all who may read this a 2018 that meets all of your expectations!

Bird Photography, Holiday Trips

My Photo Picks for 2017 – Part 1

January 3, 2018 Don Reid 6 Comments

Here’s a selection of my favourite photos taken during 2017 – from our travels, holidays and birding trips – chosen from my collection of over 2500 photos for the year. Each one has a story attached which I have tried to capture in a few words………..

If you have any favourites, do let me know by adding your comment!

The Places

Kasane Forest Reserve – lush after good summer rains

Early morning, Delmas area – on my way to do some bird atalsing

Champagne Valley – a weekend in the Drakensberg

Bourkes Luck Potholes – on tour with our Canadian family

Thaba Tsweni lodge – near Sabie, Mpumulanga

Victoria Falls National Park – more touring with the canadians

Flock at Sea Cruise – back in Cape Town Harbour early morning

Top dam, Verlorenkloof – our favourite breakaway spot

Bronkhorstspruit area – another early morning of bird atlasing

Atlasing north of Herbertsdale, near Mossel Bay

Mossel Bay golf estate – our home for part of the year

Gamkakloof near Calitzdorp – Klein Karoo

The Wildlife

Lions, Phabeni area, Kruger National Park

Impala, Chobe game drive – M for McDonalds

Chacma Baboon (Juvenile), Chobe game drive

African Elephant greeting, Game cruise Chobe

The Birds

Amur Falcon, Garingboom Guest farm, Springfontein

Long-tailed Widow, Mabusa Nature Reserve

Double-banded Sandgrouse, Chobe Game Reserve

Bronze-winged Courser, Kasane Airport perimeter

Lilac breasted Roller, Chobe Game Reserve

Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Chobe Game Reserve

Part Two includes more birds, the reptiles, butterflies and other stuff

Wishing all who may read this a 2018 that meets all of your expectations!

Birding Spots

Chobe River Birding – Pratincoles, Storks and other delights

October 29, 2017 Don Reid 2 Comments

If you ever find yourself in Kasane wondering how to spend the morning, you can’t go far wrong by doing a boat trip on the Chobe River – a small boat is fine if you are alone or up to 3 or 4 people and various tour companies rent out such boats with drivers.

Last November (2016), I found myself in that position and chose to approach one of the local tour companies, based on my previous good experience with Richard as guide and driver – they were able to accommodate me early on the Friday of my visit, having assured me that Richard was available to take myself and colleague Deon out for the morning.

This time around however, the trip did not start well – we waited for almost half an hour for someone to appear at reception and were then told Richard was “not there” and David would take us out. On enquiring about his birding skills I was told “I’m a beginner”, which did not fill me with enthusiasm.

Nevertheless, we set off in the aluminium boat, comfortable and with camera at the ready as we headed in the direction of Seboba Rapids, where I hoped to find Rock Pratincole in particular, being a potential lifer for me. According to information I had gleaned from books and the internet, Rock Pratincoles are Intra-African migrants which typically frequent the rocks at the rapids from September to January, providing the conditions suit them and the river is not in flood.

There are just a handful of possible sites to see this bird in Southern Africa, all of them along the Zambesi and Chobe Rivers, so this would be my first and possibly last chance to “tick” this desirable bird.

Heading downstream towards the rapids, the first part of our trip was about as good as it gets with river-based birding, with constant sightings of birds as we glided along the smooth surface in perfect cool conditions.

Wire-tailed Swallows (Draadstertswael) and Rock Martins (Kransswael) swooped by as David steered the boat across to the opposite bank, where some large raptors were partially hidden in the long grass. I was puzzled about what they could be as they were not immediately recognisable at all, so I took numerous photos in order to help me confirm an ID later. An adult Long-crested Eagle (Langkuifarend) was nearby, perched in a tall tree, only serving to lead my thoughts in the wrong direction as it turned out.

Later, using the time on the hour and a half flight back to Jo’burg and at home, I eventually solved the puzzle – Juvenile African Fish-Eagle (Visarend) ! Sometimes a tricky ID can really have you going in the wrong direction.

Soon after, we approached the Seboba rapids and almost immediately found what I had been hoping for – Rock Pratincoles (Withalssprinkaanvoël) , relaxing on the rocks on islets in the middle of the river. A lifer at this stage of my birding career is really special, particularly in such a perfect location, so I may even have let out a subdued whoop! We spent some time with them and getting good photos proved to be quite simple, as they seemed totally undisturbed by our presence, even when the boat bumped up against the islet a couple of metres from where they perched.

Rock Pratincole, Chobe River trip — Rock Pratincole living up to its name

Having proved yet again that a “scarce” bird that you have wanted to see for many years is suddenly common when you are in the right place, we continued our trip, checking the nearby bushy shoreline and the other islets, adding Black Crake (Swartriethaan), Pied Kingfisher (Bontvisvanger) and a juvenile Malachite Kingfisher (Kuifkopvisvanger) to the morning’s list. Yellow-billed Kites (Geelbekwou) were doing there usual low-level cruising along the shoreline, turning frequently to show their distinctive deeply forked tails and close enough to make out their yellow bills.

Malachite Kingfisher (Juvenile), Chobe River trip — Malachite Kingfisher (Juvenile)

Further along a Yellow-billed Stork (Geelbekooievaar) “crèche” was filled with what I guessed were mostly the “Class of 2016”, with just a single adult keeping watch nearby. The juveniles only obtain adult plumage after some 3 years, so these could have ranged in age from 1 to 3 years. The population in South Africa on its own, according to reference books, is only around 300 (although I find that hard to believe) so this group possibly represented a significant proportion of the overall population, even in southern Africa.

Yellow-billed Stork creche, Chobe River trip — Yellow-billed Stork creche, Chobe River

Yellow-billed Stork, Chobe River trip — Yellow-billed Stork – adult in charge

Turning upstream we hugged the river banks along the stretch which is the home of some well-known lodges – Mowana, Chobe Marina and Chobe Safari, all with lush vegetation and large trees, many of which overhang the greasy brown waters of the river. Another African Fish-Eagle, this time an adult, flew majestically overhead.

African Fish-Eagle, Chobe River trip — African Fish-Eagle

It’s not that easy to see the birds when they are ensconced in the depths of the riverside bush, but we did spot Black-crowned Night-Heron (Gewone Nagreier) , several Malachite Kingfishers and a community of nests with African Golden Weavers (Goudwewer) present. The strident, piercing call of Red-faced Cisticola (Rooiwangtintinkie) added to the birding pleasure.

African Golden Weaver nests, Chobe River trip — African Golden Weaver nests

African Golden Weaver (Male), Chobe River trip — African Golden Weaver (Male), Chobe River

From there the river widened out as we passed our favourite sundowner spot, before stopping briefly at the small cabin on a jetty where our guide signed us into the Chobe Game Reserve, while we watched an African Openbill (Oopbekooievaar) at close quarters nearby

African Openbill, Chobe River trip — African Openbill

Typical Chobe River habitat followed – flat islands covered in grass and marshy areas, inhabited by Cape Buffalo and Lechwe and in the water along the edge by Hippos and Crocodiles, all giving us the look as we puttered slowly by.

Lechwe, Chobe River trip — Lechwe, Chobe River

As usual the Egrets and Herons were plentiful, the larger Great Egret (Grootwitreier) and Goliath Heron (Reusereier) standing out above the rest. Long-toed Lapwings (Witvlerkkiewiet) were so numerous they were probably the most populous bird at that point.

Goliath Heron, Chobe River trip — Goliath Heron

Long-toed Lapwing, Chobe River trip — Long-toed Lapwing

We encountered African Skimmers (Waterploeër) a few times and marveled at their brightly coloured bill with the elongated lower mandible, which allows it to skim the water’s surface in flight and latch onto any small organism that may cross its path.

African Skimmer, Chobe River trip — African Skimmer

Collared Pratincoles (Rooivlerksprinkaanvoël) flew by, looking very Tern-like, then settled on the grassy flats of the island to join the resident Skimmers. Both of these species seem to have a relaxed attitude towards life as a bird, spending a lot of time resting on the ground with occasional sorties to find their next meal.

By this time a fresh wind was blowing upriver, creating ever-increasing wavelets. Suddenly our boatman seemed to have an inspiration as he revved the engine and headed upstream (with the wind) at speed, without telling us what he had in mind.

No problem, we thought, as we assumed he had a special spot with other bird species to show us, but no, it seems he just took us on a “joyride” – which turned out to be just the opposite when he suddenly turned the boat around and raced back. Small wavelets had by now turned into mini swells, enough to cause a bone-jarring, teeth-clenching, kidney-battering ride all the way back. Climbing out at the jetty, I felt quite shaken and stirred – James Bond would not have approved.

Nevertheless it was a successful morning , which left us with many more memories to savour of this supreme stretch of unspoilt African river.

Holiday Trips

Touring with Canadians – Part 5 : Chobe

August 7, 2017 Don Reid 2 Comments

The Story so far..

The previous posts on this “Trip of a Lifetime” to Southern Africa by our Canadian family, covered the time spent in Kruger National Park, the nearby Panorama route and the first leg of our trip to Victoria Falls and Chobe Safari lodge in Kasane, Botswana.

Kasane lies in northern Botswana just 80 kms west of Vic Falls and has become well-known to me after a dozen or more visits over the last couple of years for a project in which I’m involved.

With our visit to Victoria Falls behind us, the transfer to Kasane including the Zimbabwe/Botswana border formalities at the border post just outside Kasane went fairly quickly and smoothly and we found ourselves settled in at Chobe Safari Lodge with time to relax for the rest of the afternoon at poolside.

Sundowners

One of my favourite “sundowner” spots is the riverside bar deck in the Chobe Safari camping area right next to the lodge and this is where I took our small group late afternoon.

The weather obliged, making for a sensational sunset and the chance to savour our G and T’s while we watched the spectacle unfold.

Later we made our way to the restaurant for the buffet dinner which was more than pleasant.

Chobe Game Drive

The game drive we had booked for the following morning started at 6 am when we met Bogatsi, our driver and guide for the morning, at the reception. With a vehicle to ourselves, we had plenty of room and we set off to the Sedudu gate just a few kms from the lodge.

Entering the reserve, we headed down the sandy, bumpy track (some call it the “African massage”) towards the river, through pristine woodland, which opens up at one point to allow a wide vista of the river in the distance. Just driving along the Chobe Riverfront route is an experience in itself, particularly for visitors from the northern hemisphere, with any game being a bonus.

Naturally, game sightings are welcome and there was enough to keep everyone interested, despite not having the added excitement of any big cat sightings, which were more than likely close by but hidden by the bush, still quite dense at the tail end of summer.

African Elephant, Game cruise Chobe — African Elephants

Hippos were plentiful in the pools adjoining the main river, munching on the partly submerged grasses as only hippos can do, giving us the eye and an occasional yawn or two.

Other game we came across –

the inevitable and numerous Impalas, still enjoyable to see after so many sightings

Kudu

Kudu, Game cruise Chobe — Kudu, Chobe game drive

numbers of Baboons

Buffaloes, one of which had an interesting interaction with a Hippo emerging from a pool, the two eyeing each other cautiously before passing by and continuing with their lives.

Our guide made a point of showing us the distinctive marking on the rear end of Impalas, intimating that this was where McDonalds got the inspiration for their famous “M” logo.

There was no shortage of bird sightings, but the birding tends to take a back seat (where I happened to be as it turned out) when on a game drive such as this, unless the majority on the vehicle are into birding. Nevertheless we chalked up a few special sightings :

a majestic Verraux’s Eagle Owl high in the branches of a tall tree
Long-tailed Paradise Whydah with its spectacular tail

Long-tailed Paradise-Whydah, Chobe game drive

African Fish Eagles seemingly every km or so along the riverfront
Red-backed Shrikes
Black Heron performing its “umbrella” shading act to help it find aquatic prey
Little Bee-eaters hawking insects in a small clearing

We continued along the river at a slow pace until we reached the picnic spot at Serondela, where coffee was served, after which we returned along the upper road to the exit gate and back to the lodge. It was time for lunch, some time to relax at poolside while the kids swam and before we knew it, it was time to board the river boat for the sun downer cruise.

Chobe Game Cruise

The cruise turned out to be more than I expected – having had the experience of small boat trips along the river in the past, I imagined a large boat with 40 or so passengers would not be anything like as enjoyable. Well, I was pleasantly surprised, with the boat hugging the banks of the river wherever possible and stopping for up close and personal views of everything from birds to crocodiles and hippos, as well as a group of elephants.

The weather played its part, with warm rather than hot conditions and just a light breeze causing hardly a ripple as we cruised gently along and into the Chobe game reserve, wending our way through the channels between the grassy flood plains which attract herds of animals during the winter months.

Here is a portfolio of some of the sightings ……..

Sacred Ibis and Cape Buffalo, Game cruise Chobe

Little Sparrowhawk (Juvenile), Chobe Safari Lodge — Little Sparrowhawk (Juvenile), – Not on the cruise, this one was a great find in the gardens of the Chobe Safari Lodge

The stay at Chobe Safari Lodge was just two days in extent but seemed much longer, with lovely game experiences on land and on water and enough time in between to relax by the pool. A fitting conclusion to a successful couple of weeks touring with “the Canadians”

Special Birds

A family of Bateleurs

June 8, 2017 Don Reid 6 Comments

During a visit to Chobe Game Reserve in April this year, I saw many of the birds that I have become accustomed to in this special slice of African wilderness. After substantial summer rains Chobe Riverfront was greener and more lush than I have ever seen it, and with the river in flood from the rains in the catchment area in Angola, the “River road” was slightly more river than road….

This meant I had to stick to the upper road for most of the way, not that this detracted from the experience in any way.

The highlight of the morning was being treated to a fly past by a family group of Bateleurs – male, female and juvenile – which swooped by in a great circle above my vehicle. They were good enough to repeat this a couple of times, allowing me the opportunity to view them from my vehicle and take a few in flight shots which perfectly showed the differences between them.

What a graceful picture they present when in their element in the air, making small adjustments to their wing’s plane in flight, flying with such precision and elegance that it is like watching a cirque de soleil performance.

This species is one of the delights of visiting the larger game reserves in the northern part of our region, particularly Kruger Park where they are relatively common and often the most numerous raptor in the air. However in all my years of birding I have never seen a “complete set” in one spot before.

The male is distinguished in flight by the broad, black trailing edge to its wings :

Male Bateleur with broad black leading edge to wings

The female can be told by the much narrower, black trailing edge to its wings :

Female Bateleur with narrow black trailing edge to wings

The juvenile has the same short tail and overall “giss” as the adults, but the plumage is in several shades of brown, seemingly designed to throw you off the track when identifying them, unless you see them in the company of the adults as I was fortunate to do.

I left Chobe with the sighting of these elegant birds imprinted on my mind.

Holiday Trips

Touring with Canadians – Part 1 : The Highlights

April 20, 2017 Don Reid 5 Comments

The Planning

When “Overseas Family” come to visit us in South Africa, it is always a big occasion which is eagerly anticipated, so we were thrilled when niece Sarah announced more than a year ago that she was bringing their family from Canada over to Southern Africa for a “Trip of a Lifetime” in March 2017. Even better was the news that my sister Sheila (Sam to them) would be joining them for the trip and brother Andrew would join them for the southern leg.

Our task was to organise the northern leg of the trip, which had to include Kruger National Park with Victoria Falls and Botswana being high on their wish list. We soon had a Kruger booking pinned down, together with a short stay on the Panorama route in Mpumulanga, which took care of most of week 1 of the two-week northern leg. A while later we secured a travel package which included a couple of nights each in Victoria Falls and Kasane Botswana which filled week 2, so we were all set.

The Highlights – Places, Sights, Food

The following is a brief diary of the two weeks, which I will no doubt expand on in further posts.

Monday 6th – Pretoria

The family arrived on Sunday evening (Alex, Sarah, Cassie and Rio) and Monday morning (Sheila) so Monday was a day of recovery and orientation for their travel-befuddled and time-zoned brains. Gerda prepared a nice supper with “just enough chicken” to go around (3 whole chickens with one in the wings just in case!)

Tuesday 7th – Pretoria to Satara Camp in Kruger

We set off for Kruger in the morning, loaded to capacity in our SUV plus luggage trailer. Mid-morning we stopped at Milly’s for the customary brunch and a good coffee, which set us up nicely for the rest of the day.

The journey took more or less the whole day and included an unexpected deviation in Kruger so we arrived at Satara just as the gate was closing at 6.05 pm (more on that story in another post!)

The evening braai allowed us time to reflect on the long day’s travelling and sights seen on the way to Satara, albeit a bit rushed!

Wednesday 8th – Satara to Nwanetsi

We had just two nights in Satara camp in Kruger so made the most of it with a long morning game drive on the Wednesday to Nwanetsi, where we prepared a genuine Kruger brunch. The afternoon nap time allowed everyone to rekindle their energy.

Elephant, Satara-Lower Sabie — Elephant near Satara

Thursday 9th – Satara – Phabeni – Thaba Tsweni Lodge

The route to from Satara to Phabeni Gate took almost the entire day, travelling at a slower and far more respectable pace, with stops at Tshokwane, Lower Sabie and the Lake Panic hide along the way. From Phabeni it was a short drive to Graskop and onwards to Thaba Tsweni Lodge for a two-night stay. The day was filled with interesting and exciting sightings with Kruger in superb condition after the good summer rains.

The evening meal was not in a restaurant as planned (we just could not face the trip to Graskop and back at night having seen the state of the road) , but a Chef’s Table conjured up by Gerda and Sarah with all the goodies packed by Gerda “just in case”.

Lions, Phabeni area — Lion, Phabeni area

Friday 10th – Panorama Route (Lite)

Sarah’s birthday was celebrated at Harrie’s Pancakes in Graskop, after a late start and a visit to Bourke Luck Potholes (the kind formed by eons of water and grit action on soft rocks) and a section of the Panorama Route. A cabbage bought for R5 from a farmer was turned into a delicious fried dish that evening by inventive Sarah.

Sarah's birthday, Harries Pancakes, Graskop — Sarah’s birthday, Harries Pancakes, Graskop

Saturday 11th – Graskop to Pretoria

Our first stop after breakfast at the lodge was God’s Window for a walk to the viewpoints and up the path to the rain forest.

From there we headed homewards to a “meeting of the cousins” , only stopping for lunch at Milly’s.

Sunday 12th – Pretoria

More family time as the cousins and their progeny got to know each other, interspersed with some of Gerda’s home cooking and much excitement amongst the youngsters.

Monday 13th – Pretoria to Victoria Falls

Off to OR Tambo for the flight to Victoria Falls, where we landed just after 1 pm and we were soon at the Kingdom Hotel.

We did the “Sunset Cruise” (Luxury version) which was “super-cool” in Sarah’s words, seeing Hippos and Crocs up close, followed by a meal in the local Spur.

Tuesday 14th – Victoria Falls

After a good buffet breakfast we walked down to the Falls and meandered along the path with heavy spray drenching us in parts but not enough to spoil the views.

We whiled away the afternoon at the poolside and dinner was at Mama Afrika restaurant with a genuine African flavour.

Wednesday 15th – Victoria Falls to Kasane

Another sumptuous breakfast and a short visit to the adjoining historical Victoria Falls Hotel, then it was time for our transfer to Kasane by small bus. There we checked into the Chobe Safari Lodge and relaxed over a light lunch and swimming at the pool.

A walk to the riverside “Sundowner Spot” was the opportunity for G&T’s and a spectacular sunset, followed by the Lodge’s Buffet Dinner to round off the day.