Namibia/Botswana/Zambia 7

Tags

African white-backed vulture, blacksmith lapwing, Burchell's sandgrouse, Double-banded courser, elephant, giraffe, grey heron, grey-headed gull, Impala, kudu, marabou stork, marsh terrapin, Mokuti lodge, northern black korhaan, Pale chanting goshawk, pied avocet, Tawny eagle, termite mound

As I walked back to my room at Mokuti Lodge for a rest after lunch, I felt uncomfortable, not for the last time, to see lawn-watering going on for the pleasure of tourists, in a country so afflicted by drought.

In due course, we went out for our late afternoon drive.

Blacksmith lapwings, impala, and the only elephant who visited this watering hole while we were there.

… Though more elephants were hanging around at a distance when we arrived, facing in both directions, and took some time to move off. It was as if they couldn’t decide whether to come closer. (I refrain from making current political analogies.)

The vulture (which is tagged) does not seem bothered by the giraffe passing behind it.

A grey heron lords it over the blacksmith lapwings

I don’t think you can have too much of giraffes.

Pied avocets. (It’s not for nothing that in French the avocet is ‘Avocette élégante.)

We moved on – as I recollect to a sewage works.

The Marsh terrapin hangs his legs out to air the rest of his body, as I see it.

As we drove back to the lodge, I tried to capture some of the termite mounds which were to be seen almost everywhere.

These korhaans started a lekking display but moved off into the privacy (?) of the bushes so we were unable to observe it. Pity!

But still kept threatening. Pale chanting goshawk.

We spent our second night at Mokuti Lodge, to move on the next day.

11 thoughts on “Namibia/Botswana/Zambia 7”

maryh said:

27/03/2019 at 19:23

I agree, you cannot have too much of giraffes.

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- Musiewild said:
  
  27/03/2019 at 19:29
  
  Bit like elephants really… as you will see in due course..
  
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susanpoozan said:

27/03/2019 at 21:45

Wow! Another amazing set of photographs, thank you so much for sharing your experiences.

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- Musiewild said:
  
  27/03/2019 at 21:56
  
  Thank you Susan, and for following.
  
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  - susanpoozan said:
    
    27/03/2019 at 23:17
    
    It is a great pleasure.
    
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tootlepedal said:

27/03/2019 at 23:55

I am glad to see that Mr Grumpy has an African cousin.

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- Musiewild said:
  
  28/03/2019 at 00:19
  
  His cousins get everywhere.
  
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Olive Simpson said:

28/03/2019 at 12:11

Awww – what a pretty bird is the avocet – definitely my favourite so far. And I know what you mean about use of water. I would harbour the same feelings re golf courses!

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- Musiewild said:
  
  28/03/2019 at 13:40
  
  The avocet may be seen in the UK, if you’re in the right place. (No, I don’t know off-hand.) And, yes, golf courses too, though I’m not sure that golfers would agree!
  
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Christine said:

11/04/2019 at 15:27

To see avocets, one address, le Golfe du Morbihan 😉 Mmm, this dramatic sky (pity for the land that it came to nothing). Seeing only part of the legs of the giraffes gives a pretty good idea of their height!

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- Musiewild said:
  
  11/04/2019 at 17:43
  
  Living near the Gulf of Morbihan, you are very fortunate. Yes about the giraffe – and the vulture isn’t exactly small!
  
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