My dad retired early
from Southern Water in 1983 and took up a two year contract running the water
department in Selebi-Pikwe, a nickel mining town in north-east Botswana. Mum went too, leaving me at home to look
after their house. They joked (I hope!)
that as they could not get me to leave home they felt forced to do so
themselves. A little unfair I thought as
I had been away for four years while at University in Cardiff. My younger sister Ruth, who was living in
Luton, and I went out to visit them over Christmas 1984. This blog recounts that visit and is based on
my unreliable memories, rather scant notebook entries and degraded digitised
slides.
Ruth and I flew overnight
from Heathrow to Harare with British Airways.
We arrived in the morning of 20
December and in an hour’s stop-over around the airport I saw a few common species
including my first Go-away-birds and a male Red Bishop. We continued on to Bulawayo where mum met us,
having driven up from Selebi-Pikwe that morning. The road was good, with little traffic and we
stopped briefly several times on the 100km section to the border to see birds in
the roadside scrub. Levaillant’s Barbet,
Rufous-chested Swallow, Boulder Chat, Piping Cisticola, Southern Black Tit,
Long-tailed Shrike and excellent Shaft-tailed Whydahs were all new while it was
nice to renew my acquaintance with Grey-hooded Kingfisher, Lilac-breasted
Roller, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, White-winged Widowbird and Golden-breasted
Bunting that I had seen before in Kenya.
We crossed into Botswana, after which mum was noticeably more relaxed -
she had been stopped on the way north that morning and the boot searched. We were waved through going back and continued
south, stopping briefly in the dry scrubby woodland before detouring to Shashe
Reservoir, just off the main road south of Francistown. Red-faced Mousebird, Long-billed Crombec,
Mariqua Flycatcher, a stunning Crimson-breasted Shrike, Scaly-feathered Finch
and Cordon-bleu were further new birds while Didrik Cuckoo, Rufous-crowned
Roller, Brubru, Green-winged Pytilia and Cinnamon-breasted Rock Bunting were
the best of the rest. We rejoined the
main road and turned off east to Selebi-Pikwe, finishing the journey in the
dark and seeing a Gabon Nightjar on the road.
It was good to see mum and dad again.
21
December was a day
catching up with mum and dad and wandering out into a scrubby area with a few kopjes
(rocky outcrops) that their house backed onto on the edge of Selebi-Pikwe.
Brown Parrot, Sabota Lark, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, White-bellied Sunbird
and Cape Glossy Starling were new birds for me and I also saw Jacobin Cuckoo, a
superb Pearl-spotted Owlet, Little Bee-eater, Grey Hornbill, Levaillant’s
Barbet, Familiar Chat, 6 migrant Spotted Flycatchers and 2 male Paradise
Whydahs.
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| Levaillant's Barbet |
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| looking towards the mine from the edge of Selebi-Pikwe |
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| scrub behind Selebi-Pikwe |
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| Kopjes |
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| Pearl-spotted Owlet |
We visited the Motloutsie River
and the local sewage pools on 22
December and, with an early wander into the scrub beyond the house, I saw
over 100 species. African Black Duck,
Natal Francolin, an excellent White-throated Robin-Chat, much wanted
Groundscraper Thrush, Tit-Warbler, a huge Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, Meve’s
Long-tailed Starling and Jameson’s Firefinch were new for me. Other highlights were Woodland Kingfisher,
Broad-billed Roller, Green Wood-Hoopoe, Bearded Woodpecker, White-winged and
Kalahari Scrub-Robins, Golden-breasted and Cinnamon-chested Buntings and an
elephant shrew.
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| male Red Bishop |
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| Grey Heron |
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| Violet-backed Starling |
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| Natal Francolin and Rock Hyrax |
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| Didrik Cuckoo |
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| Groundscraper Thrush, its short tail added to its allure |
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| Golden-breasted Bunting |
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| all buntings are good and this was no exception |
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| Green-winged Pytilia or Melba Finch |
I saw less variety
around Selebi-Pikwe and the mine pools on 23
December but still managed to see three new birds - Pied Barbet, Black-chested Prinia and
Red-headed Finch as well as Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Maccoa Duck, Black
Crake, African and Red-breasted Cuckoos, Ground Hornbill, White-winged and
Kalahari Scrub-Robins, Groundscraper Thrush, Scaly-feathered Finch and
Golden-breasted and Cinnamon-chested Buntings.
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| African Black Duck - following two on the sewage pools the previous day we saw one on the mine pools |
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| White-faced Whistling Duck |
We returned to the Motloutsie River on 24 December although one of the day’s highlights was a Kurrichane
Thrush in the garden. My other new birds
were Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Burnt-necked Eremomela and Southern
White-crowned Shrike. I also saw Lesser
Flamingo, Southern Pochard, Wahlberg’s Eagle, several waders, Southern Carmine
Bee-eater, Brown-headed Bush-Shrike and a male Golden Oriole as well as the
more usual Scrub-Robins, White-throated Robin-Chat (a firm favourite),
Groundscraper Thrush and Scaly-feathered Finches made this my most enjoyable
day to date.
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| Blacksmith Plover |
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| Black-winged Stilt |
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| Greater Flamingo, one of three that dropped into the sewage pools |
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| ... two ... |
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| all three and a selection of waders. Wood Sandpiper and Little Stint were the commonest with about 100 of each present |
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| Motloutsie River in its usual dry state |
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| Red-billed Oxpecker |
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| a full-sized Chin-spot Batis chick in the nest |
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| being visited by dad |
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| Long-tailed Glossy Starling |
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| sunset at Selebi-Pikwe |
Christmas Day was a family affair but I managed to see 80 species
walking around the kopjes behind the house and borrowing mum’s car to visit the mine
pools. Buffy Pipit, Barred Cameroptera,
7 brilliant Violet-eared Grenadiers and a Lark-like Bunting were all new with Brown
Harrier-Eagle, 8 Temminck’s Coursers (one a juvenile), Collared Pratincole, 8 Southern Carmine Bee-eaters (4 adults & 4 juveniles), Chestnut-backed Finch-Lark,
Groundscraper Thrush, Lesser Grey Shrike
and Cut-throat also notable. It was probably my best day for photography too with the car acting as a hide allowing close approach to various birds sat on roadside fence posts.
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| Southern Carmine Bee-eater |
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| with juvenile |
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| Golden-breasted Bunting |
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| Buffy Pipit |
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| Violet-cheeked Grenadier |
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| a superb Christmas present! |
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| Rufous-naped Lark |
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| Shaft-tailed Whydah |
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| Chestnut-backed Finch-Lark |
On 26 December we returned to the sewage pools and Motlousie River
also visiting a nearby quarry. I saw over 100
species including Levaillant’s Cuckoo and
Bennett’s Woodpecker which were both new. I
also saw Arrow-marked Babbler and amongst the regular favourites White-winged
Scrub-Robin, White-throated Robin-Chat, Grey-headed Bush-Shrike and
Scaly-feathered Finch.
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| Scaly-feathered Finch |
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| a return to the Chin-spot Batis nest where mum was in attendance |
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| the only snake I saw on the trip and, more surprisingly, the first my dad had seen in 18 months in Botswana |
Dad found some
pretext to visit Shashe Reservoir near Francistown on 27 December. It was nice to
visit a different area change of scenery
after almost a week in Selibe-Pikwe.
Afrcian Crake, Arnot’s Chat (a pair at km 70), Pied Babbler and Acacia
Grey Tit were new while other highlights were a selection of herons including
Little Bittern, Black Stork, Tawny Eagle, displaying Buff-crested Bustard, 10 Southern Carmine and 6 European Bee-eaters and Long-billed Crombec.
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| Darter as Shashe Reservoir |
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| Purple Heron |
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| Pied Crows |
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| Pink-backed Pelican |
On 28
December mum took us to Monolinare, a dried up river with large overhanging
tress where Verreaux’s Eagle Owls roosted.
We found one after much searching.
Other highlights on an otherwise low-key day were Black Cuckoo (keeping
up my run of at least one new bird per day), Southern Carmine Bee-eater, White-throated
Robin-Chat and Groundscraper Thrush.
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| Verreaux's Eagle Owl, with pink eyelids just about visible |
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| Paradise Whydah |
We
revisited the mine pools on 29 December
where Dusky Lark was my new bird of the day and other highlights were 85
Abdim’s Storks, 2 juvenile Kittlitz’s Plovers, Black Cuckoo-Shrike, Kurrichane
and 3 Groundscraper Thrushes and Scaly-feathered Finch.
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| Vitelline Masked Weaver in the garden |
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| Namaqua Dove nearby |
30 December was our last full day in Selebi-Pikwe and I revisited
the sewage pools and Motolutse River.
Swainson’s Francolin and Senegal Coucal were new birds, the last an
adult with a juvenile. I also saw Natal
Francolin, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Brown-headed Kingfisher, Kalahari Scrub-Robin,
Groundscraper Thrush (still enjoying seeing these), Arrow-marked Babbler and
Scaly-feathered Finch.
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| Namaqua Dove coming to drink |
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| Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove |
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| Ring-necked Dove |
