BLOG - Travel
Road trip into the Miombo
16th November 2011 - 0 comments
16th November 2011 - 0 comments
Yesterday, I decided to explore a little bit of the interior of the park, the 40km wide strip away from the river. As you leave the valley floor, the temperature changes noticeably, and the surrounding vegetation changes even more. At this stage, you are beginning to enter the vast central African plain, which is mostly covered in Miombo woodland.
This miombo habitat is made up mostly of Brachystegia, Julbernadia and Isoberlina tree species, and supports a very different variety of life from the valley floor. In fact, as someone who is very familiar with the wildlife of this area, it's a bit of a shock (and a pleasure) to be thrown into an environment where I can't identify things at a glance!
The scenery is also stunning as you get into the foothills of the escarpment which marks the edge of the bottom of the Rift Valley.
I was in search of Sable, Roan, Eland and Hartebeest, all antelope species which can survive in the more marginal areas, and thrive doing so. Unfortunately, apart from a line of Sable tracks which I followed for about a kilometre (with no luck) I saw no sign of these big mammals. No worries, there were plenty of unrecognisable birds to keep me (and my bird book) busy.
The Red-headed Weaver is a charismatic mixed woodland dweller which builds messy nests in the mature trees.
I didn't recognise this little brown and white bird, except to know from its behaviour that it must be a flycatcher of some type. It took me a long while to get a photo because it kept flitting from branch to branch and the dappled light made it hard to follow. But lucky I perservered, because it is a Collared Flycatcher. So what? Well, after consulting the experts, it's only the second time that this species has been recorded in the Valley, and the first time so low down off the escarpment plateau! You never know what you are going to find in the bush.
To top it off, as I was coming down off the ridge, I found this Leopard Tortoise on the road. Initially nervous, he kept his head deep inside his shell, but soon worked out that I wasn't planning to eat him, so continued his journey.
This miombo habitat is made up mostly of Brachystegia, Julbernadia and Isoberlina tree species, and supports a very different variety of life from the valley floor. In fact, as someone who is very familiar with the wildlife of this area, it's a bit of a shock (and a pleasure) to be thrown into an environment where I can't identify things at a glance!
The scenery is also stunning as you get into the foothills of the escarpment which marks the edge of the bottom of the Rift Valley.
I was in search of Sable, Roan, Eland and Hartebeest, all antelope species which can survive in the more marginal areas, and thrive doing so. Unfortunately, apart from a line of Sable tracks which I followed for about a kilometre (with no luck) I saw no sign of these big mammals. No worries, there were plenty of unrecognisable birds to keep me (and my bird book) busy.
The Red-headed Weaver is a charismatic mixed woodland dweller which builds messy nests in the mature trees.
I didn't recognise this little brown and white bird, except to know from its behaviour that it must be a flycatcher of some type. It took me a long while to get a photo because it kept flitting from branch to branch and the dappled light made it hard to follow. But lucky I perservered, because it is a Collared Flycatcher. So what? Well, after consulting the experts, it's only the second time that this species has been recorded in the Valley, and the first time so low down off the escarpment plateau! You never know what you are going to find in the bush.
To top it off, as I was coming down off the ridge, I found this Leopard Tortoise on the road. Initially nervous, he kept his head deep inside his shell, but soon worked out that I wasn't planning to eat him, so continued his journey.
Kasanka & Bangweulu
29th June 2011 - 0 comments
29th June 2011 - 0 comments
A friend and I just enjoyed a fantastic trip up the Great North Road to Kasanka NP and Bangweulu Swamps. While both areas are famous for their birdlife, Kasanka is also home to the world's most visible popuation of the shy Sitatunga antelope, and the plains surrounding the Bangweulu swamps provide grazing for 100,000 Black Lechwe.
The birdlife at Kasanka is astonishing, and we didn't have to try too hard to see lots of new species, as well as large numbers of species that are much rarer down here on the Valley floor. Bohm's bee-eater was a new one, although they seemed to be restricted to a stand of Red Mahoganies along the Kasanka river.
We were also lucky to see the famous Shoebill, although in the distance. Much better sightings were to follow in Bangweulu.
Heading along the bumpy road that leads to the swamps, we came across Lake Waka Waka which is a little gem in an otherwise dry, barren patch of miombo woodland. The name means 'something shiny' in Bemba and it certainly lives up to that name.
Endlessly we followed the dry dirt track, wondering when it would end, until finally, we burst out onto the open plains of Chikuni and were met with an unbelieveable sight. As far as the eye can see, on all sides, Black Lechwe feed on the closely cropped grass. No wide angle lens can do justice to that view.
Out into the swamps on the first morning, we were lucky and got a tip from a fisherman that there was a Shoebill nearby. Approaching slowly over a couple of hours, we managed to get in very close and enjoy this bizzare sight.
Early morning mists on the swamps were particularly beautiful and especially on the day we left, when I just managed to get a shot of some Red Billed Teal landing on the water against the rising sun.
The birdlife at Kasanka is astonishing, and we didn't have to try too hard to see lots of new species, as well as large numbers of species that are much rarer down here on the Valley floor. Bohm's bee-eater was a new one, although they seemed to be restricted to a stand of Red Mahoganies along the Kasanka river.
We were also lucky to see the famous Shoebill, although in the distance. Much better sightings were to follow in Bangweulu.
Heading along the bumpy road that leads to the swamps, we came across Lake Waka Waka which is a little gem in an otherwise dry, barren patch of miombo woodland. The name means 'something shiny' in Bemba and it certainly lives up to that name.
Endlessly we followed the dry dirt track, wondering when it would end, until finally, we burst out onto the open plains of Chikuni and were met with an unbelieveable sight. As far as the eye can see, on all sides, Black Lechwe feed on the closely cropped grass. No wide angle lens can do justice to that view.
Out into the swamps on the first morning, we were lucky and got a tip from a fisherman that there was a Shoebill nearby. Approaching slowly over a couple of hours, we managed to get in very close and enjoy this bizzare sight.
Early morning mists on the swamps were particularly beautiful and especially on the day we left, when I just managed to get a shot of some Red Billed Teal landing on the water against the rising sun.