Birding with Bob

Bob has thirty-five years birding experience throughout eastern and central Africa, plus sorties into Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Africa.

Up to four people, traveling in a swift and comfortable modern Landrover, with lightweight camping and cooking facilities. An assistant will travel with us to help set up camp, cook, and guard. He is also an excellent bird spotter.

Mobility and flexibility is of the essence ; exclusively camping helps to avoid the necessity of keeping to a schedule of hotel bookings. Trips are tailored to suit requirements, but some standard itineraries are offered. One would expect some 3 - 4,000 km to be covered in a three week safari.

Zambia fills a gap between Southern Africa and Eastern Africa, which are the parts most visited by tours. Only one species is totally endemic to Zambia, the Chaplin's Barbet of fig trees in the Kafue basin. The Blackcheeked Lovebird's breeding population is confined to an area in SW Zambia, only stragglers reach neighbouring countries making it a second virtual endemic....Zambia's ornithological riches lie in the moist Central African woodland zone which here reaches the peak of its development. In addition the large river systems with associated lakes and wetlands draining both into the Zambezi and north into the Congo system provide rich habitats.

• Following the Zambezi up to its source and back through the Kafue National Park

• Along the Caprivi strip and westwards along the Namibia/Angola border to the coast.

for example:

• Explore Zambezi gorges with a chance of seeing the rare Taita Falcon.
• Drive 150 km in search of the Black cheeked Lovebird.

The trip can be taken at anytime of year. The best season for birding in Zambia is the rainy season (November to May) however, game viewing is always better during the dry season.

Tongabezi

A renowned site on the banks of the mighty Zambezi 20 km upstream from the Victoria Falls FinFoot, Rock Pratincole, Whitebacked Night heron

Simungoma

140 km

Acacia savannah bordering the Zambezi floodplain A southwestern avifauna special for Zambia. Crimson breasted Boubou, Tit Babbler, 4 species of Bustard/Korhaan, Burchell's Sandgrouse

Mziba Bay

175 km

Another idyllic spot on the Zambezi with a small falls and good Kalaharii sands woodland. Bradfield's Hornbill, Sharptailed Starling, Pied barbet.

Liuwa Plain

280 km

The major National Park of the Zambezi Floodplain famous for its Wildebeeste migration, large numbers of Pratincoles, Bustards, and Cranes

. Wattled & Crowned Crane, Black winged Pratincole Denham's Bustard, Sakabula, Rosybreasted Longclaw.

Lukulu

250 km

Travelling across the Zambezi floodplain, birdwatching as we go.

Pel's Fishing Owl, Fawn coloured & Pink billed Larks White bellied Korhaan/Bustard

Minyanya Plain

270 km

Near where the Zambezi leaves Angola, a Watershed Plain with some specials. Cloud Cisticola, Clapper lark, White throated and Red winged Francolins.

Mayau

395 km

A long drive through miombo woodland with intervening watershed plains to a famous locality with "mavunda" Cryptosepalum forest, a special habitat where the only specimen of the White chested Tinker Barbet was collected many years ago, The species has not been relocated. Gorgeous Bush Shrike, Crested Guineafowl, Margaret's Batis, White chested Tinker Barbel

Hillwood Farm

Mwinilunga

194 km

For the next five days we work that special little corner of Zambia where the Congo Rainforest ecosystem enters and there are 30 or more species of birds not found elsewhere in Zambia or anywhere South of here. There are also many special plants, butterflies, and some mammals such as the Tree pangolin and the White nosed Monkey. The source of the Zambezi is well marked spring in one such forest patch.

Olive longtailed Cuckoo, Blue breasted Kingfisher Bristlebill, Honeyguide Greenbul, Rufous Ant Thrush Sooty Flycatcher and many others.

Chitunta Plain

55 km return

There are waterlogged plains or "dambos" also with specialities Grimwood's Longclaw, Dambo Cisticola, Bocage's Weaver Angola Lark

Salujinga

50 km

The best spot of all in the far northern tip of the area. A few of the specialities White spotted & Buff spotted Flufftails, Afep Pigeon, Grey winged Robin, Spotted Thrush Babbler, Bates, Bannerman's, Green throated & Orange tufted SunbirdsShrike Flycatcher, etc etc..

523 km

A long drive to start our way back to the Kafue National Park, mostly through virgin "miombo" woodland where we hope to find time to stop occasionally and sample its riches.Bar winged Weaver, Souza's Shrike, Black collared Eremomela, Racket tailed Roller Boehm's Flycatcher, Chestnut mantled Sparrow Weaver

99km

Forest fringed rivers abutting the Busanga floodplain A wildlife refuge with Cranes, Storks, Bustards & herons in abundance and good "mushitu" forest. Blackbacked Barbet, Ross's Loerie, Wattled Crane Yellow throated Leaflove, Whitecheeked Bee Eater Pel's Fishing Owl,

Nanzhila

404 km

A long drive along the border of the Kafue National Park, stopping probably at Nanzhila in the South. Pink backed Pelican, Secretarybird, Saddlebill, Black-cheeked Lovebird

Livingstone

247km

Back to base, hopefully with time to stop at Bruce-Millers Game Ranch which has 5 species of Francolin, and good -place to see Zambia's endemic;Chaplin's Barbet

TOTAL = 3137 km