We (my husband Peter and myself) spent 3 weeks in Namibia from January 25th to February 16th. Our main focus of the trip was birdwatching but we also intended to spend time experiencing the unique scenery and also other forms of wildlife.

These notes are intended specifically to be of use to other people planning to travel at this time of year. They are not intended to be a blow-by-blow account of our trip.

We chose to travel in the "wet" season for the following reasons:

We were correct on most counts. It was rarely unbearably hot - usually the mid to low 30s - and most places were very quiet (we had the campsites at Daan Viljoen, Hobatere and Nakluft to ourselves). We did not get much rain (but see below) though we could often see it raining elsewhere. What rain we did have was in the late afternoon or at night - it never rained in the morning which is when most of the birdwatching was done. (We found that the birds did quieten down in the afternoon but not till about 1:00 or 2:00 o'clock. There was then another brief period of activity before dark.)

We did have one night of heavy rain and fearsome thunderstorms at Okuakuejo and the campsite was flooded in all the lower areas.  A number of campers were flooded out but we were OK in our roof tent. At the end of our trip, on speaking to other travellers in Windhoek, it was clear that there had been a lot of recent rain in the hill areas - Okanjima had 3 inches in one day and visitors there could not get out because of flooded river crossings. So obviously at this time of year you have to be prepared for significant rain - you just don't know when or where it is going to happen!

One interesting aspect of the "wet" season was the profusion of large insects especially 4 inch wide mopane moths and huge beetles. This made doing anything outside after dark, such as cooking, very difficult as they would bang into the lights and flap around in a completely uncontrolled fashion. A very small halogen torch seemed to be ignored by the insects but on the other hand wasn't much use to us either! Biting insects were not too much of a problem though.

We are not sure whether the birds were easier to see or harder than during the "traditional" October - November period. It was clear that some birds had finished breeding and were keeping a low profile  - I think most of the bustards fell into this category - whereas other birds, such as Monotonous and Sabota Larks, were singing all day and every day. We did see most of the species we were looking for - the exceptions are mentioned below.

We also did quite well on mammals though this may be because Etosha had been very dry for several weeks when we arrived. There were elephants around Fischer's Pan and we saw lions at Okuakuejo and Klein Namutoni waterholes. We also saw plenty of game in Damaraland and the Namib whilst Daan Viljoen was positively teeming and we had views of most species on foot. We saw Hartmann's Mountain Zebra at Daan Viljoen, the Namib and the Nakluft.

We flew from Heathrow via Frankfurt to Windhoek on BA and Air Namibia - quite cheap at £550 per head (from Wildwings) and perfectly OK.

We hired a 4WD pickup with a rooftop tent and all camping gear (plus an extra table so that we could cook and do bird lists at the same time!) from Camping Car Hire for about £2000 and this was also fine. We also had one or two stays in B&Bs to clean up and get organized and one luxury night at Erongo Wilderness Lodge. (Hartlaub's Francolin and Freckled Nightjar are "garden birds"!)

We booked our campsites in the National Parks in advance with NWR via email, though we did have some problems getting the correct email address and then getting them to reply. (The address is reservations@nwr.com.na, also try info_resorts@nwr.com.na)  All other bookings (B&B, Car Hire) were arranged via email though we always sent Credit Card details by post.

We used the SASOL guide in the field but found it frustrating. In a number of cases the text disagreed with the pictures, and often space was wasted comparing a species with another that you were very unlikely to find in the same place. We wished we had taken our old Roberts with us as it is good on birds of prey and much better on behaviour. We also had the Guy Gibbons CDROM set  "Birds of Southern Africa" - this was very useful for confirming identity though we did not use it to call up birds.

In preparation for the trip we used the Bradt Namibia Guide and a number of trip reports. The most useful were those by Brian Gee, Phil and Charlotte Benstead and Jos Stratford plus those from Birdquest. Also useful were the notes on Namibian sites from the Southern African Birding website, www.sabirding.co.za.

The itinerary was:

Whilst Etosha and the Walvis Bay area provided the most bird sightings, we very much enjoyed Ruacana, seeing 61 species in and around the camp site. Avis Dam was also productive (58 species) as was Daan Viljoen with 83 species.

Comments on bird sightings by grouping:

Sea birds: The sheer number of Cape Cormorants at the Guano platform was mind boggling. The continuous skeins of flying birds and the distant views of thousands of birds fishing was extraordinary. We failed to find a Bank Cormorant but Crowned Cormorants were fishing inshore along the rocks at the Guano platform. This was also a good spot for Black Oystercatcher and terns - Common, Sandwich, Caspian and Damara - quite a size range there!

Waders: We did not search hard for rare waders but were quite happy with the large variety on display at Walvis Bay. Chestnut Banded Plovers seemed to be displaying on the gravel areas behind the shore - we had them in the same binocular view as Grays Lark - and we did not see them in the bay or salt pans.  White Fronted Plovers were common around the salt pans and we saw one very cute baby. There were also plenty of waders at Fischer's Pan in Etosha which had a little water in it - Painted Snipe were feeding with Ruff and Wood Sandpipers and Kittlitz's and Three Banded Plovers and were very tame.

Water birds:  A flock of Black Necked Grebes in full summer plumage at Walvis Bay was nice, as were Avocets feeding in the pink salt pan water. We saw very few ducks as the "Bird Sanctuary" (sewage lagoons) at Walvis Bay were virtually dry and the access track was shut. We also didn't visit the Sewage Plant at Windhoek (we like to do our birdwatching in nice places!)

Herons and Storks: There were flocks of Abdim's Storks all over northern Namibia, feeding as far as we could tell on grasshoppers. Other storks were in short supply. Dwarf Bitterns were easy to see at Ruacana - even in the camp site.

Birds of prey:  We saw 29 species of birds of prey, including vultures, but very few were new to us. Pale Chanting Goshawks were conspicuous and beautiful and shared the telephone poles with Steppe Buzzards and Greater Kestrels. A group of Red Footed Falcons hunched miserably on a tree in a thunderstorm on our last day was a memorable site, as were a pair of Black Eagles in the Nakluft drifting along cliffs looking for hyraxes.

Francolins, cranes and moorhens: We found our Hartlaub's Francolins at Erongo Wilderness Lodge, where they called just after dawn but not very enthusiastically. We saw the distinctive cunensis race of Red Necked Spurfowl at Ruacana. We only found two Blue Cranes in Etosha - they were nesting on a sandbank at Springbokfontein.

Bustards: We found all the bustards we expected too but not easily - I feel they may be easier to see in November when they are actively calling and displaying. The exception were the Northern Black Korhaans which were "crekk crekk crekk" ing all over Etosha very close to the road giving remarkable views. 

Coursers and Sandgrouse:  We found Temmink's and Double Banded Courser in Etoaha but not Burchell's. (We met another group which had also failed to find it). We thought we may have missed sandgrouse - we did not realise that they come to the waterholes at Etosha just after sunset - we were usually eating at that time! However we caught up with Namaqua and Double Banded later in Damaraland and Sesriem.

Pigeons and Doves: Green Pigeons were in the campsite at Ruacana. We saw Ruppells' Parrot only at Waterberg. Rosy Face Lovebirds were common wherever there were cliffs and trees.

Cuckoos: Red Chested Cuckoos were calling all over Daan Viljoen in what appears to be an isolated outpost of distribution. Didric Cuckoo were also everywhere. There were many African Cuckoos around but they were not calling.

Owls: African Scops Owl and White Faced Owl were both roosting in trees at Halali. Pearl Spotted Owlet was easy to find at Waterberg and Halali  - they were not calling but there were young birds around and they were being mobbed especially by Cameropteras.  Barn Owls were quite vocal at each camp site in Etosha and at Erongo and Waterberg.

Nightjars: Freckled Nightjar is a garden bird at Erongo! Rufous Cheeked Nightjar hunted round the waterholes at Etosha.

Swifts: We thought that Bradfield's Swifts sounded different to Common Swifts, and in any case the latter apparently don't scream when on their wintering grounds which should make identification easy. We did see huge flocks of Common Swifts feeding very low over the ground after rain - an ant or termite hatch perhaps?

Mousebirds: Our Windhoek B&B had nesting White Backed Mousebirds in the garden! Otherwise we only saw them at Homeb. The Red Faced Mousebirds had no pink wash to the face and breast.

Kingfishers: Pied, Great, Malachite and Grey Headed at Ruacana.

Bee Eaters: Lovely little flocks of European Bee Eaters, other wise plenty of Swallow Tailed. Also Olive and Little at Ruacana.

Wood Hoopoe: Violet Wood Hoopoe was at Halali and Ruacana

Hornbills: We could not find Bradfield's Hornbill at Waterberg but otherwise managed to locate all the others, though they were often quite inconspicuous and not calling.

Larks: Stark's Larks were quite widespread - they crept along the ground and were quite tame.  Sabota Larks were extremely common and singing from virtually every bush, Fawn Coloured Larks were also singing and very similar to Sabota but the song was less expert. Spike Heeled Larks were numerous north of Okuakuejo but it was the only place we saw them. Monotonous Larks were singing their splendid song "My new blue JEEP" all over central Etosha. Eastern Clapper, Red Capped and Rufous Naped were at Andoni and Pink Billed also at Andoni and north of Okuakuejo. We found Grays Lark north of Swakopmund but also found it on "Welwitchia Drive". Long Billed Larks (presumably Karoo) we found on our last day around the Spreetshoogte pass area - we were unable to find the Benguela form in Damaraland. But our major failure was the Dune Lark - we searched quite hard at Rooibank and at Sossusvlei with no success. (I think some groups tape them in but we were not prepared to do that)

Swallows: It was fascinating to see small flocks of Barn Swallows gathering on the wires (and on the ground where there were no wires) looking as though they were just about to depart northwards. I couldn't help wondering which country they were going back to.

Tits: We only saw one Ashy Tit - it was feeding young in a nest hole and Carp's Black Tit gave us a hard time. I feel they may be easier earlier in the season when they are singing.

Babblers: We just could not find the Bare Cheeked Babblers at Halali though other people had  seem them. Luckily we caught up with them at Ruacana. No sign of Pied Babblers and another group had also not seen them,

Thrushes, Chats etc: We saw Short Toed Rock Thrush wherever there were hills but they were not singing and weren't that easy to find.  Karoo Chat tended to be skulking under bushes and we only saw it in the Abu Huab and Homeb areas. Mountain Wheatear was very common at Daan Viljoen and every bird seemed to have a different plumage. Groundscraper Thrush and Familiar Chat were also common here. White Browed Scrub Robin were singing at Waterberg and Kalahari Robin was seen a number of times but rarely well. Rockrunners were singing and nestbuilding at Avis Dam and Daan Viljoen. We didn't even search for Herero Chat  as we didn't go to Spitzkopje, we had no special local knowledge and weren't prepared to use tapes.

Tit Babblers: Chestnut Vented Tit Babblers were conspicuous and everywhere. We checked each one but never found Layards.

Warblers: It was bizarre to find singing Willow Warblers all over Namibia, and also a few singing Icterine Warblers too. Careful scrutiny of all small birds was rewarded with Yellow Bellied and Burnt Necked Eremomelas and Yellow Breasted Apalis. Orange River White-eyes were numerous and singing at Homeb in the Kuiseb river bed. African Wren  Warblers were singing from the top of small trees - a repetitive two note song  which sounded as if it ought to be a barbet. (It was the third song example on the Gibbon CD)

Flycatchers: Marico and Chat Flycatchers were common but in different areas - Marico in Etosha, Chat in the desert with scallop-patterned young. Spotted Flycatchers were everywhere.

Shrikes: Lesser Grey and Red Backed shrikes were common roadside birds. Crimson Breasted Shrike popped out of the bushes in a number of places including Avis Dam and Daan Viljoen. White Crowned Shrike was feeding nestlings in a tree by reception at Waterberg and a group of White Crowned Helmet Shrikes were at Halali. Swamp Boubou was calling beautifully at Ruacana. Pririt Batis and Black Backed Puffback were widespread. We saw White Tailed Shrike at Erongo (where a group of 4 young birds were roosting on a waving stem next to our tent), Hobatere and Nakluft but they were quite inconspicuous.  I think they may be much harder to see at this time of year, presumably just after breeding. They were certainly not "hopping around the ground in noisy groups". We failed to find Bokmakierie.

Starlings: Juvenile Purple Starlings are a puzzle till you realise what they are! There were big flocks of Wattled Starlings in Etosha.

Orioles: We saw several small parties of European Golden Orioles, typically in large trees such as at Waterberg.

Sunbirds: Dusky Sunbird was exceptionally common in drier areas, continuously singing from the top of bushes. Most did not look like the picture in SASOL being much darker underneath. Their behaviour was very warbler like, not like a sunbird at all.

Sparrows and weavers: Great Sparrows were smart birds, as were the Cape Sparrows. At Solitaire there were Cape/House Sparrow crosses. Chestnut Weavers had eluded us until Ruacana where we a saw a flock (including some full plumage males) at some distance across the river. On arriving at Hobatere we were shown a tree full of Chestnut Weaver nests which had been constructed in the last few days - only 8 days earlier there had been no Chestnut Weavers there at all and they had never nested there before! A truly nomadic bird. Scaly Feathered Finches were very common in dry areas but they are a delightfully dapper little bird. Chestnut Backed and Grey Backed Finch Larks were in small parties in dry areas.

Whydahs and Waxbills: Violet-Eared and Black Faced waxbills were gratifyingly common at Avis Dam, Erongo and Daan Viljoen. Pin Tailed, Shaft Tailed and Paradise Whydah were all displaying at Avis Dam.

Finches: Black Throated Canaries (a terrible name - hardly any black throat) were singing delightfully at Daan Viljoen, and White Throated Canary were at Nakluft. Red Headed Finch were common in Etosha.

Buntings: Cinnamon Breasted Bunting and Golden Breasted Bunting were singing at Daan Viljoen and Etosha and Larklike Bunting were everywhere in flocks and also singing. (They had a much stronger buff eyebrow than shown in SASOL)

SPECIES LIST:  (Total of 276) (using names from SASOL)

MAMMAL LIST:

Whilst waterhole activity was reduced due to the time of year, we still saw plenty of mammals. One of the notable features of the these sightings was how tame the animals were compared with our experience elsewhere in Africa. Zebras came too close to photograph and wouldn't move off the road, and a female warthog with young was only 20 yards away and actually walked towards us - the usual view of warthogs is running away with their tails up!