Click to visit the Moremi Game Reserve page.

 

 

 

Grab this swicki from eurekster.com

Click on Dumela Botswana Page.

 

 

SATELLITE TRACKING OF WATTLED CRANES IN SOUTH-CENTRAL AFRICA

 

In 1993, the International Crane Foundation hosted the African Crane and

 

Wetland workshop in Maun.  Crane experts from all over Africa pooled their

 

knowledge of cranes in their countries, in an attempt to derive an estimate of

 

their numbers – an important exercise to assess their threat status. Although the

 

global Wattled Crane population was pegged at 15,000 birds, there was general concern

that there could have been some double- counting as it was suspected that this

species moves widely throughout its range. A suggestion was made that satellite

transmitters be fitted to some birds to determine whether this was the case.

 

 

 

Fifteen years later, we are none the wiser about regional movements of

 

Wattled Cranes. However, we are about to find out! Thanks to the generous

 

sponsorship of Ngami Toyota, Ngamiland Adventure Safaris and CCAfrica, we

 

have ordered six satellite transmitters which will be put on birds from the

 

Makgadikgadi area, the Okavango Delta and Linyanti.

 

 

The rationale for targeting birds from these three areas is as follows:

 

 

• Cranes are found in the Makgadikgadi Pans area only during the summer

 

months. As the area dries out they definitely move away – to where, we

 

do not know;

 

 

• The Okavango Delta is the main Wattled Crane breeding area in

 

Botswana – in biological terms, it is a ‘source’ area from which birds

 

disperse. Again, we do not know to where the surplus birds move.

For more information contact Birdlife Botswana webpage.

 

Click to see a selection of videos in and around the Okavango Delta. Yours truly is truly amazed at the viewership of the video. It is great that so many people having qlimpses of the Okavango Delta and it's wildlife - looking at my shaky, 1950's kind of home movies style, a kind of 'delta minimalism.'

 

There are also a few shots of construction equipment in operation.

 

News Flash!

For people who create plenty of information of who consume lots of information, FriendFeed is the new colour of the day. For people who would like to be up-to-date with news, video and photos of the Okavango River in Botswana - click on Okavango River of News and have a look. If you like it, subscribe to the page.

 

 

Game Flight or Game Drive?

 

Let’s assume you have just arrived in Maun, Botswana and you have to plan your activity for the next day. If you have to choose between either doing a game flight or going on a day game drive to Moremi Game Reserve, what should you consider?

 

 

 

The game flight only takes about an hour. It leaves you plenty of time during the next day to rest, shop or catch up on some writing or reading. Mainly the participants seem to remember seeing herds of elephant or cape buffalo. Flying in a small Piper Cub is fun and if you are like me, you see the ground as a real life map.

 

 

On the other hand, a game drive starts early in the morning and is a full day activity. The potential to get close to lions, leopards, elephant, giraffe, hippo, wildebeest and a bounty of bird life are reasonably high. The packed lunch and chance for a short midday rest never disappoint.

 

 

If getting close to nature in a world renowned game reserve is your idea of fun, then the game drive is for you. If you need a rest and prefer a unique aerial perspective of the Okavango Delta, then go for the game flight.

 

Gemsbok and Impala.

 

 

 

 

Bird Watching With Kelly.

 

 

 

We rise and shine just before 6 am and down some strong coffee, toast, jam and boilded eggs. With a thermos filled with boiling water for our mid morning tea, we head off in search of game. Shylook takes us around the edges of flood plains that are filling up with the flood water from Angola. We move off, down stream from the Kwai River Bridge in the Moremi Wildlife Reserve.

 

 

Along the way we view some impala, kudu and baboons. Two elephants are spotted foraging for their breakfast. Fresh lion tracks get us excited, but prove elusive. Vehicles are not permitted off existing paths.

 

 

The highlight of the morning is stopping near a 30 metre round pool of water, left over from our recent rainy season. The menagerie of birds co-existing peacefully during their morning feeding is impressive. Black Crake, Marabou Storks and Grey Herons mix with Sacred Ibis, African Jacana and 2 Great White Pelicans.

 

 

Kelly, one of our fellow travellers from Australia and a bird lover, spots 2 Wattled Cranes flying over our vehicle. After some discussion about their endangered species status and recent migratory bird counting activities, Kelly starts to hum to himself and soon recites bits and pieces of something like: "A funny old bird is the Pelican; His beak holds more food than his belican..."

 

 

Before we return to camp for midday feed and some rest, there is one more treat. The Lilac-breasted Roller - Botswana's National Bird is spotted. With good natured talk of our luck and spotting skills, we arrive back at basecamp.

 

Since this posting I have been advised by a member of Birdlife Botswana that Botswana does not have a national bird. Maybe it should. The zebra is on the coat of arms - so I guess it makes it the national animal. It is also the name of the national football team.

 

Birdlife Botswana is a must visit for bird lovers. The following is an introduction to their 'Bird of the Month' postings - click The Masked Weaver link below and read the complete article.

 

 

The Masked Weaver

 

Botlhaga, Bofefo, Botswerere, Botho, Bonatla – the five Bs epitomise this industrious bird, and it is small wonder that it has been chosen as a symbol of productivity in Botswana. A breeding colony of weavers is a hive of frenetic activity during summer as the males construct their beautifully woven, spherical nests and then hang below them, flapping feverishly to attract the drab females, each making a continuous swizzling call to outdo his neighbour. There is nobody in Botswana who hasn’t been impressed by the innovation, responsiveness, creativity, and diligence of the weaver-bird.

 

 

The male weavers develop their bright yellow breeding plumage in spring following the onset of warmer weather and the first rains. They begin the painstaking task of constructing their specialised nests, unique among birds, by flying to tall grasses or palms and tearing off long strips. They do this by nipping a blade of grass or frond tightly in their beaks and then flying sharply and strongly upwards, carrying the strip for sometimes several hundred metres to their chosen nesting site.

 

They start the nest by wrapping the strips around the fork of a pendant twig – after a number of pieces have been added, the loose ends hang down in two separate, trailing tassels. These are then brought together to form a circle which becomes the structural basis for the whole nest. More and more strips are added to this ring, the male standing on it as he carries out his intricate weaving. Stretching out as far as possible with each building action, the bird gradually forms the dome of the nest. The construction of the nest involves deft beak-and-claw actions of a highly specialised kind, and the male weaver uses three main types of stitching: knotting, weaving and twining. When knotting, he holds the grass with one or both feet and then pulls, pushes and twists it around his bill. He is capable of tying slip-knots, overhand knots and half-hitches. When weaving, he performs the complex movements of the best of the Etsha basket-weavers as he forms and extends the fabric of his remarkable nest. When twining, he uses his beak like the fingers of a tapestry weaver from Oodi, threading a new grass strand in and out of the nest wall, and adding strength by employing a variety of loops.

 

 

The following picture is of my favourite Masked Weaver. Last year it had some problems. The female rejected his first nest, so he tore it apart and built a successful second nest. Now his building skills are much recognized and he has three females to service. His nests are located at The French Connection, Maun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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