Finally International: Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana

I have traveled widely in South Africa, and this year I got the opportunity to broaden my horizons and go international, so on the 16th of October I flew from Johannesburg to Maun, Botswana. I was picked up at Maun by my friend and we traveled to the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. We were to spend the next few days driving up and down the river photographing birds.

The park is composed of arid savannah and is the heart of the Kalahari region. The desert stretches out in all directions, but the Boteti River brings moisture deep into the desert and this attracts many animals. Huge herds of Zebra and Wildebeest are constantly coming to the water to drink, all around the the surrounding area there are zebra carcasses attracting hundreds of vultures including the mighty Lappet-faced Vulture. The zebras probably succumbed to anthrax which is prevalent in the area. There are also many elephants and it is a pleasure to watch them playing in the water, getting respite from the dry heat of the Kalahari.

I saw a great variety of birds and was pleased with my first international birding foray. What struck me was the variety of families and not just species. Below is the list generated for the few days we were in the park and photographs.

Double-banded Sandgrouse (Pterocles bicinctus subsp. bicinctus)

Crimson-breasted Shrike (Laniarius atrococcineus)

Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

Swalow-tailed Bee-eater (Merops hirundineus subsp. hirundineus)

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus subsp. tracheliotus)

Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida subsp. sclateri)

Southern Black Tit (Parus niger subsp. xanthostomus)

Golden-tailed Woodpecker (Campethera abingoni subsp. abingoni)

Meyer's Parot (Poicephalus meyeri subsp. damarensis)

Black-Chested Snake-Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis)

Kalahari Scrub-Robin (Cercotrichas paena subsp. paena)

Pied Crow (Corvus albus)

Lamprotornis chalybaeus subsp. sycobius

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill (Tockus leucomelas subsp. leucomelas)

Red-billed Spurfowl (Pternistis adspersus subsp. adspersus)

African Spoonbill (Platalea alba)

White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)

Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus subsp. tracheliotus)

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus subsp. himantopus)

Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)

Squacco Heron (Ardeola ralloides subsp. paludivaga)

Green-backed Heron (Butorides striata subsp. atricapilla)

Cape Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia capicola subsp. damarensis)

Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori subsp. kori)

Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus subsp. rufirostris)

Zebra carcasses littered the area, no doubt they were victims of anthrax.

African Fish-Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer)

Red-billed Spurfowl (Pternistis adspersus subsp. adspersus)

Bird list

Red-Billed Spurfowl; Crested Francolin; Helmeted Guineafowl; Egyptian Goose; Spur-winged Goose; Golden-tailed Woodpecker; Bearded Woodpecker; Acacia Pied Barbet; Red-billed Hornbill; Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill; African Grey Hornbill; Southern Ground Hornbill; Common Scimitarbill; Lilac-breasted Roller; Malachite Kingfisher; Woodland Kingfisher; Brown-hooded Kingfisher; Grey-headed Kingfisher; Giant Kingfisher; Pied Kingfisher; Little Bee-eater; Swallow-tailed Bee-eater; European Bee-eater; Klaas’s Cuckoo; Senegal Coucal; Meyer’s Parrot; African Palm Swift; Grey Go-away Bird; Southern White-faced Scops-owl; African Scops-owl; Pearl-breasted Owlett; Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl; Fiery-necked Nightjar; Freckled Nightjar; Laughing Dove; Cape Turtle-Dove; Emerald-spotted Wood-dove; Kori Bustard; Northern Black Korhaan; Double-banded Sandgrouse; Common Greenshank; Ruff; Wood Sandpiper; Common Sandpiper; Black-winged Stilt; African Jacana; Water Thick-knee; Three-banded Plover; Blacksmith Lapwing; Crowned Lapwing; Whiskered Tern; Black Shouldered Kite; Yellow-billed Kite; African Fish-Eagle; White-backed Vulture; Lappet-faced Vulture; White-headed Vulture; Black-chested Snake Eagle; Brown Snake-Eagle; Bateleur; Wahlberg’s Eagle; African Darter; Little Grebe; Black Heron; Little Egret; Yellow-billed Egret; Squacco Heron; Cattle Egret; Grey Heron; Green-backed Heron; Hamerkop; Glossy Ibis; African Spoonbill; Fork-tailed Drongo; Brubru; Black-backed Puffback; Brown-crowned Tchagra; Crimsom-Breasted Shrike; Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike; Cape Crow; Pied Crow; Magpie Shrike; Southern Black Tit; Lesser-striped Swallow; African Red-eyed Bulbul; Long-billed Crombe; Southern Pied Babbler; Cape White-eye; Rattling Cisticola; Black-chested Prinia; Yellow-breasted Apalis; Grey-backed Camaroptera; Ground-scraper Thrush; Marico Flycatcher; White-browed Scrub-Robin; Kalahari Scrub-Robin; Burchell’s Starling; Greater Blue-eared Starling; Wattled Starling; Red-billed Oxpecker; White-bellied Sunbir; Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver; Lesser Masked-WeaverRed-headed Quelea; Green-winged Pytilia; Violet-eared Waxbill; Blue Waxbill; Red-billed Firefinch; Southern Grey-headed Sparrow; African Pipit