A Bedtime Story for Toko

Michele Nel
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:19 am
Country: South Africa
Location: Cape Town
Contact:

A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by Michele Nel »

So you would like to know about my Aardvark sighting ?

Well we had been invited to attend a wedding in Swakopmund…my husband’s long standing school friend’s daughter was getting married. Swakopmund has never really been my most favourite place but we would never had missed Melanie’s wedding. Her wedding was scheduled for the 11th July..my daughter and grandson were arriving from New Zealand on the 13th..a bit tight !! But it really is a waste just flying to Swakopmund for the weekend...well that was my way of thinking anyway. O** I soon propositioned Doug with the following plan. We fly out on Monday,hire a car and drive to Erindi for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. Drive back to Swakopmund on Friday, Wedding on Saturday, fly home on Sunday, fetch Meg and Sam from airport on Monday…and of course it didn’t take much to convince Doug that my plan was a good one. O/\

So airtickets were booked and before I knew it I was photographing these beautiful Flamingos at Walvis Bay Lagoon….

Image

Image Lesser Flamingo

Seeing it was winter there were not many waders around but the Flamingos kept me happy enough. A quick stop at the Swakopmund Peir to watch the sunset

Image

….before joining the parents of the bride for dinner. 
The next morning before heading off to Erindi we popped into the Swakopmund Saltworks..a profitable visit as I found a Damara Tern as well as a Gray’s Lark ( Lifer )

Image

We took a slow drive to Erindi..which is here http://www.erindi.com/?gclid=CMydzqTCzMkCFUNf2wodGw0MEw by the way ….stopping for many birds along the way. I had a brief sighting of a Southern Pied Babbler and I asked Doug to stop. Of course the bird flew and as I was bemoaning that fact I saw many other little birds flitting around. Doug reminded me that we were not in a gamepark and I could get out of the car. I duly did so and I had the most amazing 15 minutes of bush birding….Green-winged Pytilia, Violet –eared Waxbill, Pririt Batis, Damara, Southern Yellow-billed and Monteiro’s Hornbills, Fork-tailed Drongo, Red-crested Korhaan and Brown-crowned Tchagra..just to mention a few. But yes Erindi was calling….
I also managed to tick a few raptors along the way as well…Booted Eagle, Greater Kestrel, Brown Snake Eagle and Black-chested Snake Eagle…I was in my element !

Image Booted Eagle

Eventually we reached Erindi…in time for the afternoon game drive. We were staying at Old Trader’s Lodge where all meals and game drives are part of the deal. The dining room overlooks a waterhole so meal times liken to being on a game drive. Our accommodation also overlooked a waterhole and there was plenty to see there as well. Nothing too shabby about seeing a Brown Hyena and a Rhino from your balcony. Your days pretty much consist of gameviewing, eating, napping and birding . I am sure you know by now who does the napping and who does the birding. =O:
Birding in camp was awesome and I was thrilled to get the following…

Image Red-billed Francolin

Image Short-toed Rock Thrush

Image Golden-tailed Woodpecker

Image Groundscraper Thrush

Image Acacia Pied Barbet

Image Red-eyed Bulbul.

There were plenty of other birds as well but as I said this is a bedtime story for Toko and I cannot keep her up all night long. ;-) ;-)
Birding from the vehicle is not that easy though. Apart from the birds taking off long before the vehicle has come to a halt most other guests are more interested in seeing lions than birds. So I tended not to stop the guide unless I was absolutely desperate to get a shot of that bird. But some stops paid off and I was beginning to notice that the other guests were starting to take notice of the birds as well.

Image Lappet-faced Vulture

Image Tawny Eagle

Image Damara Hornbill

Image Marabou Stork

Fortunately the guide knew his birds well and his interesting bits of information made the guests sit up and take more notice of Namibia’s Feathered creatures. We saw lions, cheetah elephant and rhino…but all very quiet and serene.

Image

Image

Image

After each drive I was quite happy with the sightings….. well sort of…I couldn’t help wishing that we would see something exciting or at least some action of some kind.
We did see a Honey Badger but that disappeared very quickly….
I finally got my excitement on our second last game drive. O/\ At about 17h12 I spotted the Aardvark on the side of the road. O\/ I spotted it …my sighting…my Aardvark but it was on the opposite side of the vehicle to me and for the first few seconds I couldn’t see it for bodies blocking my view. I thought the Aardvark would run and I would totally miss out on it….but the aardvark just continued walking and the other guests moved themselves around a bit so that I could see. It sauntered across the road behind the vehicle and into the bush. Our guide followed it slowly but kept his distance . The aardvark was walking with a purpose and after following it for a couple of minutes it arrived at it’s hole which it promptly disappeared into. Not only was I excited but the guide was besides himself. He drove the vehicle a fair distance away from the hole and one by one we accompanied him to have a look inside the hole. How awesome was that…. ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^

So my sighting..my Aardvark…and my photos. X#X

Image

Image

Image

Image

There is always one sighting that makes a trip worthwhile and this was it…I was quite happy to leave the next day and head back to Swakopmund. I had finally seen an Aardvark –and I had a photo !!! O\/
We had a pleasant drive back to Swakopmund but not as many birds alongside the road as our trip up to Erindi. We arrived back in Swakopmund in time to catch the sunset.

Image

We attended the Wedding the next day – a beautiful setting in the dunes.

Image

Unfortunately the weather did not play nicely – but it was a beautiful wedding despite that.
Sunday saw us heading back to the Walvis Bay Airport – I just had to have one more look at the Flamingos at the Lagoon though.

Image Greater Flamingo

All in all a successful trip….
1 X Aardvark
And
35 birds for Birds captured 2015. ^Q^


User avatar
Mel
Global Moderator
Posts: 28221
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Germany
Location: Föhr
Contact:

Re: A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by Mel »

What an extraordinary story!!! Although I might be a bit annoyed that this is supposed a bedtime story for Toko only. ^0^
Well, I guess I'll give you credit for the fact that you didn't pm her but posted it on the open forum lol lol lol

That thrush... is it eating something... or throwing up... =O: =O: =O:


God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 67237
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by Lisbeth »

What a nice story, even if it was only for Toko :twisted:

Splendid birds and also the aardvark is not bad ;-) lol

^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75834
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by Richprins »

What a great story, Michele! Thanks very much! :shock: :shock: :shock:

I assume you had a swim in the sea? :twisted:

Lovely wedding setting indeed! ^Q^

I would suggest sending this link to Erindi? -O-

:ty:


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
Michele Nel
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:19 am
Country: South Africa
Location: Cape Town
Contact:

Re: A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by Michele Nel »

Aw..thx all...:)

That thrush... is it eating something... or throwing up... =O: =O: =O:
It was throwing up what it had already eaten Mel...and it just missed me ... :twisted:

:-) at you all about just a story for Toko....
Toko asked for a story...Toko got one....:)

Noooo Richprins....Seas are for photographing ....not for swimming in... O-/ O-/ O-/
Maybe I will send link to Erindi...:)


User avatar
nan
Posts: 26304
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:41 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Central Europe
Contact:

Re: A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by nan »

superb, magnificnt... magic O/\ O/\ O/\ O/\ O/\
:ty: Toko for asking lol
Last edited by nan on Tue Dec 08, 2015 9:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.


Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
User avatar
Flutterby
Posts: 44150
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Gauteng, South Africa
Contact:

Re: A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by Flutterby »

Wow, what an amazing trip! So many beautiful birds ^Q^ and the aardvark is just awesome! O/\ O/\ O/\


User avatar
Alf
Posts: 11606
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:40 pm
Country: south africa
Location: centurion
Contact:

Re: A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by Alf »

Stunning pictures ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^


Next trip to the bush??

Let me think......................
User avatar
Toko
Posts: 26619
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:29 pm
Country: -

Re: A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by Toko »

O\/ O\/ O\/ O\/ O\/ O\/ O\/ O\/ O\/ O\/ This is my first ever bed time story in decades

i will read it then tonight =O: :ty: Michele


.... well I couldn't resist and what do I see, you found a Gray's Lark ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ it will get its spot in the AW bird book O/\


Excellent birds there in Namibia, even from a vehicle birder!


This aardvark looks cute and not too shy? I love the burrow photo :yes:


Very good weddingscenery!


Michele, you are very good at turning any trip into a bird festival and en passant you even find some blackies, aardvarks etc. :-0


ExFmem
Posts: 4525
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2012 6:56 pm
Contact:

Re: A Bedtime Story for Toko

Post by ExFmem »

Lovely, lovely photos, as always. The flamingo one w/ only the bird in the middle's head up looks like a postcard. They were very cooperative. Beautiful! ^Q^ ^Q^


Post Reply

Return to “Travel Tales of Namibia Parks”