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| Sunrise on the Etosha plain |
Namibia - The Desert
Namibia - The Ocean and Mountains
Namibia - Hobatere
After our amazing day at Hobatere just outside the park, we moved into Etosha National Park proper for the next four days. Etosha is in northwestern Namibia and encompasses 8,600 square miles. It includes the Etosha Pan, a normally dry lake bed of 1,840 square miles. In good rain years the pan can fill completely. So far this summer the rains at Etosha have been lacking and the pan was dry. That was good for us as it forces the animals to numerous man-made and natural water holes scattered throughout the park. The habitat outside the pan is mostly dry acacia scrub, savanna, and woodlands, with many scattered large trees. You can read more about Etosha National Park here. We moved from west to east, staying at several fenced government run lodges inside and just outside the park. Floodlit waterholes at two of the lodges allowed for some fantastic evening views of usually difficult species like leopard and Black Rhino. We were even fortunate enough to see TWO of the seven highly endangered White Rhino in the park during daytime hours. The birding was spectacular and we added many dozens of new species during our visit.
Here are a select sample of the many bird lists Susan did for Etosha:
List 1
List 2
List 3
List 4
List 5
List 6
List 7
List 8
List 9
List 10
And finally, some of the sights of Etosha National Park.
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| African Grey Hornbill |
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| Ant-eating Chat |
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| Banded Martin |
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| Black-chested Snake-Eagle |
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| Black Rhino |
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| Black Rhino |
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| Blacksmith Lapwing |
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| Blue Crane |
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| Blue Wildebeest |
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| Burchell's Sandgrouse |
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| Burchell's Zebra |
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| Burchell's Zebra |
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| Crowned Lapwing |
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| Damara Dik-dik |
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| Damara Dik-dik |
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| Damara Dik-dik |
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| Double-banded Sandgrouse |
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| African Elephant |
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| Baby African Elephant |
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| African Elephant at the waterhole |
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| Sunset at the waterhole with Elephant |
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| The Etosha Pan in the distance |
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| Wintering European Bea-eater |
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| Giraffe |
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| Giraffe |
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| Lots of Giraffes |
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| Greater Kestrel |
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| Grey-hooded Gull |
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| Hartebeest |
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| Honey Badger |
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| Impala |
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| Impala |
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| Black-backed Jackal on an Impala kill |
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| Kori Bustard |
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| Kori Bustard with young |
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| Lark-like Bunting |
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| Lilac-breasted Roller |
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| Lily |
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| Lion |
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| Lion |
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| Long-tailed Paradise Whydah |
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| Maribou Stork |
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| Mountain Zebra and Giraffes |
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| Namaqua Dove |
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| Northern Black Korhaan |
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| Purple Roller |
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| Giraffe Rainbow |
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| Red-billed Buffalo Weaver |
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| Red-crested Korhaan |
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| Red-necked Falcon |
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| Secretarybird |
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| Secretarybird |
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| Clouds over Etosha |
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| Southern African Ground Squirrel |
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| Southern Red-billed Hornbill |
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| Southern Red-billed Hornbill |
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| Spike-heeled Lark |
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| Spotted Hyaena |
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| Spotted Hyaena |
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| Spotted Thick-knee |
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| Sunset over Etosha |
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| Swainson's Spurfowl |
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| Temminck's Courser |
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| Violet Wood-hoopoe |
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| Warthogs |
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| White Rhino |
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| White Rhino |
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| White Rhino |
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| Baby Blue Wildebeest |
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| Yellow Mongooe |
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| Yellow Mongoose |
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| Yellow Mongoose |
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| Zebra reflection |
What an extraordinary mix of animals! And some great opportunities like the Giraffe rainbow and babies. The Honey Badger was the subject of a program we enjoyed. An amazing animal.
ReplyDeleteThe Burchell's Zebra stripes made my eyes cross - what a pattern. The bird photos really bring home the similar evolution around the world to fit into a particular habitat.
I'm really enjoying your personal wildlife safari encounters.
Thank you so much.