This post shows a small selection of the piscivorous (fish eating) birds that you can see travelling up the Chobe River along Botswana’s northern border with Namibia. The Chobe River is perennial and flows past the main town Kasane on its way to join the mighty Zambezi River at Kazungula. The level of the Chobe river varies significantly according to the season with the highest water level usually seen in March to June period each year.

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” ~ Aristotle

Many piscivorous birds are nomadic moving according to the level of the water and abundance of food. I have seen African darters every time I have visited the Chobe river regardless of the level of water. The African darter is affectionately called the “snake bird” because of the way it swims through the water with just its head and long thin ‘snake-like’ neck above the water. The darter is a spear fisherman. It uses its large webbed feet feet to dive underwater before stabbing its targeted fish with its beak. It swims more slowly than a cormorant, but compensates by being more stealthy. The next image shows an adult darter throwing a Blackspotted squeaker up in the air to reorient it to be able to swallow it.

Unlike many other waterbirds, the feathers of the African darter do not contain any oil and are therefore not waterproof. This feature makes the bird less positively buoyant which enhances its diving ability. After diving for fish, the feathers become waterlogged reducing its ability to fly and maintain heat insulation. Its need to dry its feathers dictates that we regularly see the African darter sitting along the waterside wings spread, drying its feathers in the wind and the sun.

Reed cormorants share their watery habitat with African darters and I have never seen the two species fighting over territory. Both species are nomadic according the availability of food. Reed cormorants are diurnal and inhabit most freshwater rivers, where it is quiet, relatively shallow and well vegetated. This species mainly hunts fish but will feed on frogs, crustaceans and molluscs, when available. Reed cormorants can feed on fish up to 20 centimetres in length. In the next image, a Reed cormorant had caught a Blackspotted squeaker among the water lilies.

This species of cormorant feeds mainly on fish which it catches by diving under the water and chasing them. It is quick and lithe and can stay submerged for up to 40 seconds. To reduce its buoyancy, this species and African darters are known to swallow a few small stones or pebbles to increase its weight so it can dive faster. The larger fish caught are brought back to the surface to kill by biting them and suffocating them out of the water. Similar to many fish eating waterbirds, the Reed cormorant throws its catch into the air to reposition so it can swallow it head first. This manoeuver is needed to prevent the spines on the fish’s dorsal fin from getting caught in its throat while swallowing.

Faansie Peacock’s excellent app, Firefinch, notes that cormorants lack a preening gland, making them less waterproof and less buoyant, which enhances their underwater hunting capability, similar to African darters. This also explains why they spend much of their time out of the water with wings spread to dry.

“The soul never thinks without a picture.” ~ Aristotle

In a fascinating article on “Why do birds have different eye colours?” by Eamon Corbett, on the British Ornithologist’s Union (BOU’s) website, notes that cormorants are not the most colourful bird family – until you look at their eyes. When considering this incredible variation, the obvious question to ask is “why?” Explanations focus on a different levels of causation: from mechanistic, to genetic, to evolutionary. In bird feathers, the predominant pigments are melanins (black, brown, grey, rufous), and carotenoids (red, yellow, orange). Both are also present in bird eyes, but two other types of pigments – pteridines and purines – account for many brightly coloured bird eyes. Other contributing factors beyond pigments, include blood vessels, collagen fibres, cholesterol crystals, lipid droplets, and structural elements. What advantages do colourful eyes provide? One possibility is that they affect birds’ survival, through effects on their vision or camouflage. The idea that eye colour could influence visual acuity, perhaps by reducing glare, has yet to be tested. In many birds, signalling may play a greater role in the evolution of eye colour. This is a fascinating but still not well understood feature of birds.

The ability of a piscivorous bird to cope with light refraction at the air/water interface is intriguing, especially as light bends down when entering water from air. The capture rate of small stationary underwater prey by both egrets and herons is high from a variety of angles, implying a well honed ability to correct for refraction. Herons and egrets employ various methods to hunt fish. Some stand and wait for prey to come within striking distance, some walk very slowly towards their prey. Others use their feet, head, wings or full body in various ways to access particular prey opportunities. Herons and egrets usually catch their prey with a “beak stab”.

“Nearness to nature… keeps the spirit sensitive to impressions not commonly felt and in touch with the unseen powers.” ~ Charles Eastman

Head posture is an important component of egret and heron feeding behaviour. Egrets and herons hold their head in one of several ways, usually to make optimal use of its narrow binocular field of vision. It may extend its neck and tip its head so that its beak points straight down towards the prey. This ‘peering over’ head posture reduces glare and distortion. It also provides a binocular view of a potential prey item by looking down the tip of the beak rather than beneath it. When ‘neck swaying’, the neck and sometimes the body is moved from side to side, the head tending to be almost stationary. Neck swaying while feeding may be a method of enticing small movements of prey, while the bird’s head remains ready to strike.

The four species of kingfisher found along the Chobe river are piscivores (fish-eaters), the Malachite, Pied, Half-collared and Giant. The Striped, Woodlands, Brown-hooded and Pygmy kingfishers eat invertebrates such as insects, lizards, frogs and even small snakes and scorpions. The Malachite kingfisher is the second smallest kingfisher in southern Africa after the Pygmy kingfisher. The Malachite is like a brightly collared jewel which is normally seen perched on a reed or stem of grass. The Malachite, Pied and Giant kingfishers are residents but can be nomadic if water conditions change. These are diurnal fishermen relying on sight to find prey. The Giant and Pied kingfishers are dimorphic, meaning that the male and female have different plumage colouring, while both sexes of the Malachite have the same coloured and patterned plumage.

Several piscivorous raptors can be seen when travelling along the Chobe river. These are the African fish eagle which is resident and territorial. Migratory piscivorous raptors include the Yellow-billed and Black kite and I am told that there are Ospreys along the Chobe river, but have never seen one. Fish eagles hunt from a perch high in a large tree overlooking the river and also from a sandbank which gives an elevated view of the adjacent water.

“Nature is not a place to visit, it is home.” ~ Gary Snyder

I am always intrigued by how African fish eagles can see fish below the water’s surface. In Timoty Cornwell’s Blog, ‘quailandaardvark.workpress.com’, he explains several of the unique features of birds in general and raptors eyes in particular. The adaptations that make avian eyes so remarkable are more impressive when you understand how they are are different from the human eye. There is a small depression in the retina called the fovea which is more densely packed with colour detecting cone cells than other parts of the retina. This is where most of our sharply focused highly detailed vision occurs. Raptors have a second fovea which makes for a larger field of sharp focus. Avian eyes have evolved a structure called the pecten which resides in the vitreous humour (inner eye fluid) of the eye and bathes the tissues in nutrients allowing for fewer blood vessels across the surface of the retina resulting in higher visual resolution. Birds also have far more photoreceptor cells than other animals. The sclerotic ring is a series of small bone plates encircling the eyes of birds and reptiles. This ring provides protection and support for the large eyes most birds have and creates additional anchors for muscles that help with focusing and blinking. Raptors have lenses which can see extremely far and use unique Crampton’s muscles to apply pressure to reshape the cornea and aid in close up vision. These muscles allow them to have a much deeper field of sharp focus than we do.

How do birds of prey see fish in the water? They use all of aforementioned adaptive advantages to hunt for distant prey but birds hunting for fish have one other behaviour that is important when catching prey that is underwater and it is to attack from a steeper angle than they would when hunting prey on land. This is vitally important because it cuts down on the refraction caused by the water and means the fish they see are closer than where they appear to be. The Pied kingfisher is a master hoverer and uses this steep angle of attack to dive for its underwater prey.

“Fresh air is good for the mind as for the body. Nature always seems to be trying to talk to us as if she had some great secret to tell. And so she has.” John Lubbock

Like many birds, kingfishers have two foveae in their eyes. Kingfishers are able to switch from the main central fovea to the auxiliary fovea as they enter the water, so they can maintain visual acuity, or sharpness of vision. The kingfisher has monocular vision in the air and binocular vision underwater, which helps it overcome the challenges of the change in refraction between air and water.

After a successful catch the kingfisher emerges beak first and flies back to its perch. It will then wriggle the fish about until it is held by its tail, before bashing it against the perch several times to kill it. This makes the fish easier to swallow and relaxes the fish’s dorsal fin spines to stop it become trapped in the kingfisher’s throat. Several times a day kingfishers will regurgitate small pellets of fish bones and other indigestible remains.

Once I have taken a photograph of a wild animal or bird and begin to edit the image I get to see the subject close up which, more often than not, pricks my curiosity as to why it’s beak or wing is structured in a particular way, what role does the colour of the eye play and so on. Birds have some remarkable adapted features. Increasingly scientist and engineers are using nature’s best ideas and imitating natural designs and processes to solve human problems in a discipline called biomimicry. One example pertaining to kingfishers is in the aerodynamics of the nose of bullet trains.

“Biomimicry is the conscious emulation of life’s genius.” ~ Janine Benyus

In the 1990s, train engineers in Japan built bullet trains able to travel over 300 kilometres per hour. They used the shape of a bullet to make the nose of the train more aerodynamically efficient. The problem was that when the train exited a tunnel, the air in front of their bullet-shaped nose expanded rapidly, creating a loud “tunnel boom.” Looking for a solution, engineers began studying why kingfishers diving into the water at high speed did so with almost no splash. Analysis revealed the linear flow of water past a kingfisher’s beak which reduced the splash when entering the water at speed. The nose cone of the bullet train was changed to the shape of a kingfisher’s beak and the train moved through the tunnel at high speed without a boom and was 10% to 15% more energy efficient.

When Albert Einstein was five, his father gave him a compass. He noticed that the needle always pointed north. This was his first encounter with the idea that something invisible underlies our reality. This is the sense I get when I look more closely at my wildlife photographs. The closer I look at them the more my curiosity is pricked. The more I look, the more curious I become, the more I see and the better I understand.

“If you look at nature carefully, and really pay attention and you are lucky, you will catch a glimpse of something deeply hidden.” ~ Albert Einstein

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

About ten to eleven kilometres up river from Kasane on Botswana’s northern border with Namibia flows the Chobe River on its way from Angola to meet the Zambezi at Kazungula. A favourite place to watch wildlife come down to drink water along the river is the Kalwisi Nkanga viewpoint which we fondly referred to as Elephant Valley. This is a place where you are likely to see family herds of elephants streaming down the shallow valley to the Chobe River water’s edge.

“I appreciate these moments where I can get away from life and focus on living” ~ TJ Thorne

The impala seemed to feel safer when one or two family herds of elephant were drinking at the water’s edge. If too many elephants come down to drink they are too disruptive and scare the impala away.

Along the river from Chobe Game lodge to Puku Flats there is a ridge with a steep bank down to the river. Elephant valley has a corridor which cuts through that ridge and opens up to a wide sand beach front. This is an ideal place for wildlife to come down to drink.

“In the presence of elephants, one cannot help but feel awe and wonder, a reminder of the beauty of creation.” ~ Lawrence Anthony

On the Chobe River, we photograph wildlife from CNP Safari’s specialised photographic boat. It is a boat with a shallow draft for access to shallow areas and is fitted with specialised rotating seats that have attached gimbal-fitted camera supports. This boat allows us to get close without disturbing the wildlife. It also means that we get to view the wildlife at eye level which is ideal. In general, wildlife seems more relaxed with boats than road vehicles. The exception is with hippos which readily show their displeasure if the boat get too close to their pod.

Elephant Valley attracts a variety of wildlife from herds of elephant to pods of hippos and many species of antelope including Sable antelope, Kudu and impala. Giraffe, buffalo, and antelope like Lechwe and Puku prefer the open flat grass lands on the river’s flood plain. The antelope are very wary when coming down into Elephant Valley to drink because there are ideal ambush positions on either side of the entrance and corridor, provided by large bushes. I have never seen lions or leopards at Elephant valley but this may be because of the time we arrive in the morning and leave in late afternoon. These predators probably come down to drink and hunt at night.

The youngsters are always kept in the middle of the herd for protection.

The red dust on their backs mixed with the white chalk from the cliff behind them and with their dark colour, once these elephants get wet, provides some wonderful shapes and colours to photograph.

“It is my intention to present -through the medium of photography- intuitive observations of the natural world which may have meaning to the spectators “ ~ Ansel Adams

We often see troops of Chacma baboons on the beach at Elephant valley. They drink from the river but also forage through the elephant dung for seeds and berries. There is a white cliff on the left-hand side of Elephant Valley when looking from the water towards the land. The young baboons love play fighting on this steep cliff.

The white chalk-like soil attract elephants and antelope alike who seek the minerals provided by this soil and so doing exhibit behaviour called geophagy. Elephants engage in a form of geophagy to acquire essential minerals. These large mammals rely on the minerals from the soil as much as they depend on vegetation. The elephants actively dig into the white cliff with their tusks to break off smaller pieces. Soil analysis would probably reveal that these areas comprise significantly higher quantities of vital minerals, including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and clay, compared to other soils in the area. The knowledge of these mineral rich locations is passed down through the generations and each “lick” is visited by many elephant herds. We have also regularly seen kudu and impala licking the lower section of the white cliff.

In the process of digging for minerals, the elephants have also dug holes at the base of the white cliff big enough for an adult elephant or two to three hippo. Inevitably, elephant and hippos cover themselves in white dust and mud which can provide interesting photographic opportunities.

“The more time you spend quietly watching wildlife, the more become aware of the subtle dynamics and influences that dictate mammals’ and birds’ behaviour. Understanding behaviour is fundamental to anticipation. Preparation and anticipation together create potential for unique wildlife images.” ~ Mike Haworth

When antelope such as Sable come down to drink, they prefer not to drink directly from the river because of the threat from crocodiles, but rather from small pools a metre or so from the water’s edge. The small pools are created by elephants’ footprints which are replenished by the lapping waves from the passing boats.

“Where your passion meets your talent, that’s the place you want to be.” ~ Roie Galitz

Nile crocodiles of all sizes lie in wait for unsuspecting prey coming down to drink at Elephant Valley. These reptiles reveal fascinating hunting behaviour. Small crocodiles lie in wait submerged at the water’s edge ready to launch themselves at guineafowl and doves which come down to drink. The larger crocodiles watch the water’s edge from a few metres out with only their eyes and nostrils above water. As soon as they see potential prey they submerge and move closer to the bank in an attempt to ambush prey like baboons and smaller antelope such as impala.

The light changes significantly at Elephant Valley because it is north facing. So early in the morning the white cliff is in shadow and the western side is illuminated with sunshine from the eastern morning sun. In the afternoon the white cliff is illuminated. This is the time when we photograph young baboons playing on the white cliff and white fronted bee-eaters nesting in the higher section.

Elephant Valley attracts a variety of birds. Helmeted guineafowl come down to drink in flocks. The whole flock does not drink at the same time but small groups drink from the river while one member of the group stands guard keeping an eye on the surrounds for any threat. This would be an ideal place for a Martial eagle to attack the flock, but I have never seen this at Elephant Valley.

We have seen Gabar goshawks hunting smaller birds foraging for seeds amongst the elephant dung. We have seen Red-billed spurfowl coming down to drink but usually only one or a pair at a time. Little egrets are often seen hunting along the water’s edge.

The elephant dung attracts insects, so we see wagtails, lapwings and plovers foraging at the water’s edge and amongst the dung. A variety of sandpipers, Pied wagtails and diminutive White-fronted plovers patrol the water’s edge for insects. Blacksmith and White-crowned lapwings forage through the dried elephant dung across the beach for insects.

“You learn to see by practice. It’s just like playing tennis, you get better the more you play. The more you look around at things, the more you see. The more you photograph, the more you realise what can be photographed and what can’t be photographed. You just have to keep doing it “ ~ Eliot Porter

An adult Wattled lapwing stretching its wings as it forages along the water’s edge for insects and molluscs. The Wattled and White crowned lapwings both have vivid yellow facial wattles. The Wattled lapwing also has a white forehead but no white crown and the base of its forehead has exposed red skin just above the beak. This lapwing is a light brown in colour and has a white neck with fine brown streaks.

A pair of Fish eagles are resident at Elephant valley. We usually see at least one Fish eagle watching the activity in Elephant Valley from the large trees at the top of the ridge. The Chobe river has many pairs of Fish eagles territorially spaced along the river from Kasane to Serondela.

As the name suggests, Elephant Valley is a perfect place to watch elephants drinking and swimming.

It was remarkable to see a family herd wait patiently for one and other to finish drinking. Their behaviour is orderly and respectful of each other. This says alot about the sentience of elephants and the respect they have for each others’ young which could get injured by the much larger adults and teenagers if there was too much jostling at the water’s edge.

On our last morning we went down to Elephant Valley which was quiet, so we travelled further up river towards Puku Flats. The ridge through which Elephant Valley cuts progressively flattens towards Puku Flats. We were privileged to see several family herds drinking together. The larger elephants walk deeper to access cleaner water. It was an impressive and serene sight. Once they had sated their thirst they all walked back over the ridge to continue foraging inland. We watched this scene for a magical fifteen minutes..

We traverse the Chobe river from the rapids next to Impalila Island which are about two kilometres down river from Kasane to Serondela which is about 20 kilometres up river. We do not go further than Serondela because of the time and fuel it takes to get there and back. It is not so much the distance but more that there is so much to see and photograph from wildlife to the scenery on the way .

“Travel is the best investment you can make in yourself. It teaches you that there are many ways to live a good, fulfilled life. It broadens your world’s view, yet makes you appreciate home all the more” ~ Joel Sartore

The level of the water in the Chobe river changes according to the time of the year. It is usually at peak flow in May-June and at its lowest around November. The changing level of the river means completely different areas are accessible by boat. When the river is in full flood we can cross Sedudu island by boat and see bird activity which do we would not see in summer. When the river is high we can get closer to the ridge on the southern bank which increases the potential for predator sightings. When the river level falls, islands reappear and with them new birds appear such as the endangered African Skimmers. I have been on the Chobe river many times and every time has been different.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

Helen and I travelled to Chobe River with CNP Safaris in March this year. That time of the year is fondly called ”the Jacana season” because African Jacanas were normally in the midst of their breeding season. This was the time when wildlife photographers would be able to see and photograph Jacana chicks with their fathers and all the fascinating behaviour that entailed.

“The river has great wisdom and whispers its secrets to the hearts of men.” ~ Mark Twain

During this trip, the Chobe River levels were considerably lower than average. Measurements of the water level of the Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo (which usually pushes water into the Chobe) were approximately four metres lower than last year. While of concern, there was some relief for the Chobe Riverfront from late rains in the latter part of May.

The level of water in the Chobe river has a distinct effect on the breeding behaviour of the African Jacanas. We saw very few adult Jacanas and even fewer chicks. A favourite place to see and photograph Jacanas, and many other species of water birds, is “Jacana alley”, a small inlet west of the Jackalberry trio (three large Jackalberry trees growing on the sandbank at the very northern edge of Sedudu Island).

We did not find any chicks in the usual places in “Jacana alley”. It looked as if the breeding had not begun in earnest delayed by the low water levels. African jacanas are not migratory, but are nomadic, driven along the river by the changing water levels.

Interestingly, there was not the usual plethora of water lilies in the inlets where we usually found the Jacanas. Water lily plant growth is known to be distinctly seasonal with plants at all water levels producing more and larger leaves and more flowers in the warmer months. Plants in deeper water have significantly greater biomass allocated to leaves and roots, while plants in shallow water around 30 cm deep have significantly greater biomass allocated to their rhizomes.

“Rivers flow not past, but through us; tingling, vibrating, exciting every cell and fiber in our bodies, making them sing and glide.“ ~ John Muir

This water lily was surrounded by what I think were water chestnut plants but I cannot find any definitive descriptive articles on it. This trip revealed a relative dearth of water lilies and a plethora of water chestnut plants with their serrated triangular leaves green above and red below.

Finding African jacana nests is difficult because they are usually, along the Chobe River, made of loosely knitted water lily stems to form a platform for the eggs and the platform is well camouflaged. One of the unusual places we found African jacanas was in the western channel past Sedudu Island close to the Chobe Water Villas on the Namibian side of the Chobe river. This was unexpected because of the high density of boat traffic along this channel. There were more lily pads probably because level of the water was much deeper in the western channel than in the “Jacana alley” inlet.

We did not get to see the polyandrous behaviour of African Jacanas. In behavioural ecology, polyandry is a mating system where one female mates with several males in a breeding season. The male must compete for the female’s attentions which he does mainly with his nest-building skills. The male mates with only one female and then takes on sole responsibility for raising the chicks. He builds the nest and incubates the eggs with no help from the female. The male is also responsible for the parental care of the chicks for around three weeks after hatching.

Well-known ornithologist, Warwick Tarboton wrote in the Ostrich, Journal of African Ornithology Volume 66, 1995 – Issue 2-3 that in the flood year, the African jacana’s breeding season was 30% longer than in the drought year, more birds bred (27–29 vs 8), more clutches were laid (39 vs 16) and hatching success was much greater (36% vs 0%). In the flood year all breeding females (n = 7) had polyandrous matings (with between 2–7 males) whereas in the drought year only two of five breeding females were polyandrous. In a drought year, opportunities for females to mate polyandrously were minimal because of the rapid rate of clutch loss and the aggressive behaviour of dominant males which prevented access of lower ranked males to breeding females.

Although we found fewer African Jacanas, we saw large flocks of Collared pratincoles. These summer migrants feed mainly in flight, catching prey aerially like swallows sweeping back and forth. The Collared pratincoles do most of its foraging in the evening or on moonlight nights. During the day they catch invertebrates on the ground such as grasshoppers, dragonflies, spiders and small molluscs. Collared pratincoles put wonderful murmuration displays which are mesmerising.

Although we saw very few African jacanas in “Jacana alley” we saw many other birds in the reeds around the inlet. We always see Malachite kingfishers hunting from the overhanging reeds. These minute fishermen look like colourful gems gleaming in the sunlight.

A Tawny flanked prinia building its nest on reeds overhanging “Jacana alley” waters. It was building a typical prinia-type pear shaped ball nest with its entrance on the one side near the top. The nest was finely knitted from lengths of grass and reed leaf strips.

“Rivers have what man most respects and longs for in his own life and thought-a capacity for renewal and replenishment, continual energy, creativity, cleansing.” ~ John M. Kauffmann

We saw many Squacco herons which were very busy in the reeds along the river’s channels. They feed in one section for a period and move frequently so as to not over work a particular area.

Squacco herons feed mainly on fish, frogs and insects which are in abundance among the reeds and grasses growing in the water.

Although, we saw many Squacco herons, we never saw any fighting like you could see when Great White egrets and other herons when they get too close to each other. Squaccos appeared to hunt in well spaced sections of the reed and grass beds.

Purple herons are secretive, spending less time out in the open than the Grey heron and tend to skulk in reed beds. Their long toes enable them to walk on floating vegetation and bushes, while not making any attempt to grip the branches. Purple herons always nest over water usually deep inside reed beds. The nest is a platform of reeds or rushes in the reedbed or papyrus, and sometimes in a tree lined with reed leaves and small water plants. Differences in habitat preference reduce competition with the reed-bed dwelling Purple heron, the dryland feeding Black-headed heron and the water’s-edge feeding Grey heron.

The Chobe River in northeast Botswana is part of the vast and interconnected Okavango-Kwando-Zambezi catchment system covering approximately 693,000 square kilometres, with its headwaters in the highlands of Angola. This region has highly variable seasonal rainfall with nearly all the annual rainfall, averaging 604 mm, occurring during the summer wet season (December–April), and minimal precipitation during the dry season (May–November).

“Life is like a river, it is always flowing, it can flow slowly or it can flow quickly, it can change course but nothing can stop the river from flowing. The same happens with life, there are no external circumstances that can stop it from flowing. One thing is sure: Life always goes on.” ~ Vasanth Pai

The Chobe River flows into the Zambezi river at the Kazungula quadripoint (where the borders of four countries meet: Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe). The combined flow cascades over the Victoria Falls about 80 kilometres down river from the Chobe-Zambezi confluence. To underline the seasonality, the peak flow over the iconic Victoria Falls is experienced between March and May. Thereafter its flow progressively drops until November when the cycle starts again. Interestingly, daily flow hydrographs, where measurements were taken at Victoria Falls, show peak flow over the Falls has been getting progressively earlier shifting from late April in 1990s to early and mid-March in recent years and the flow rate peaks have declined from over 6000 m3/sec in 1978 to just above 4000 m3/sec recently and 3600 m3/sec in 2021. The highest ever recorded flow rate over Victoria Falls was in March 1958 at 10 000 m3/sec which must have been spectacular, and somewhat frightening. Compare this to the Congo river which has an average discharge or flow rate of around 41 000 m³/sec with a peak of 73 000 m³/sec during the exceptional flood in 1962.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

The Chobe river is the east section of the northern border between Botswana and Namibia. The Chobe river starts at the south east section of Lake Liambezi flows to Ngoma and on to Kasane. The so-called “Chobe riverfront” spans from Ngoma in the west to the rapids below Kasane town. From the rapids, the Chobe river flows a further eight kilometres past Impalila island before it joins the mighty Zambezi river at Kazungula. We normally only venture higher up river from Kasane to Serondela because of time and fuel limitations. Up river from Kasane, the Chobe splits into two channels one on each side of Sedudu island. We usually travel up river in the southern channel and return via the northern channel. We travel up river along the southern channel for about two kilometres to Pygmy Geese bend after which the river joins and we travel for about five or six kilometres up to Elephant Valley and then on to Puku flats. Serondela is another seven to eight kilometres further up river. The amount and variety of wildlife along this stretch of river is astounding and keeps us occupied with our cameras for hours and days.

“Shallow ecology is anthropocentric, or human-centred. It views humans as above or outside nature, as the source of all value, and ascribes only instrumental, or ‘use’, value to nature. Deep ecology does not separate humans – or anything else – from the natural environment. It does see the world not as a collection of isolated objects but as a network of phenomena that are fundamentally interconnected and interdependent. Deep ecology recognizes the intrinsic value of all human beings and views humans as just one particular strand in the web of life.” ~ Fritjof Capra

I have been fortunate enough to have photographed with CNP Safaris on the Chobe river since 2009. I have only seen lions on three occasions. These two lionesses were just resting early in the morning on the river bank close to the water. We did not see any male lions or cubs.

One of the reasons for going to the Chobe in the summer is that it was hot. This caused major cumulus cloud build ups from early in the afternoon. The storm clouds provided wonderful moody backgrounds.

Jacana ally is one of our favourite spots to stop early in the morning because there is usually plenty of Jacana activity on the rafts of water lily and pond weed. This protected inlet is also home to many other waders such as herons, moorhens and the secretive Black crakes. There are also various ducks species and Pygmy geese in the ally.

“Look closely at nature. Every species is a masterpiece, exquisitely adapted to the particular environment in which it has survived. Who are we to destroy or even diminish biodiversity?” ~ EO Wilson

We usually find Pygmy geese at Pygmy Geese corner, hence the name. There are lots of reeds and water grass to feed on and they roost in the large Jackalberry trees on the river bank. The male Pygmy goose is more glamorously coloured that than female.

A white water lily flower which opens with the sunlight during the day and closes at night. When open it is a magnet for insects which attracts the Jacanas when there is a raft of water lily pads and flowers.

Afternoon skies over the Chobe river. This was the start of the Water cart river loop, a sand track along the river. We have seen everything from elephants and buffalo to lions at this bend in the river bank.

“A rainbow is the product of physics working for your appreciation of beauty.” ~ Kyle Hill

You have to be ready because when Pygmy geese take off from the water they are fast, so much so that we call them “pocket rockets”. Usually the female takes off first but in this instance the male was the “early riser”.

In the afternoons on the boat, the rain filled skies would darken the background while the sun illuminated the river in the foreground creating that mood of expectation.

A Little bee-eater warming itself in the early morning sun in Jacana ally.

This bull elephant is immersed in the reed beds foraging happily on his own. Although the Chobe is full of large Nile crocodiles they know better than to tangle with one of these giants. The White Cattle egrets benefit from all the insects which are disturbed by the elephant’s movement in the reeds.

Looking down river from just below Elephant Valley. A beautiful rainbow rising from the Kasane ridge.

“Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.” ~ Lord Byron

A pair of Wire-tailed swallows on a dead tree trunk at the entrance to the main channel leading up river. The male on the left of the image had been trying to mate with the female but she was having none of it.

A White-browed coucal in the Chobe Safari Lodge grounds at the water’s edge. The white eyebrow is distinctive. Its black head and nape are clearly marked with white streaks.

The reason for the presence of the adult White-browed coucal was this juvenile White-browed coucal in the thick vegetation next to the river.

An adult Fish eagle landed on the bank on Sedudu island and was calling its mate with the distinctive throwing back of its head while it was calling. It does this whether on the ground or flying. The African fish eagle is probably the most recognised and vocal eagle in Africa, with its evocative “weeah-kyow-koy-koy-koy” call.

The Chacma baboon troops are an endless source of entertainment and photographic opportunities. The youngsters are always playing and when one or two are being scolded they let the whole troop know with their screeches.

“The human family has invaluable friends and irreplaceable allies in the plant and animal worlds. We cannot continue to tug at the web of life without tearing a hole in the very fabric of our earthly existence – and eventually falling through that hole ourselves.” ~ Van Jones

A Pied kingfisher with its sizeable meal that it had just caught by diving into the water from above. This kingfisher will beat the fish to death on the dead tree trunk. Once dead it will manoeuvre the fish and swallow it whole and head first so that the sharp spines on its dorsal fin do not get caught in its throat.

We always make a point of stopping at the eastern most part of Sedudu island to photograph the iconic three Jackalberry trees at sunset. The colours and mood of the sunsets vary enormously and always create a sense of wonder and enormity.

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” ~ John Muir

Some of the sunsets looking west over Namibia were so vivid that the sky looked like it was on fire. We were on the Chobe in early April which is the end of the rainy season but there were still dramatic cloud formations.

I have been to the Chobe river to photograph wildlife more than twenty times. You might ask why the same place. The answer is that the mood of river, the skies and the wildlife we see have never been the same. We very seldom see the same thing in the same place. One afternoon we will see a herd of Sable antelope drinking at Elephant valley and then never see them there again on that trip. We could see many White-fronted bee-eaters along a particular section of the river one day and they will gone the next never to return to that spot.

“Perhaps the most poignant image of our time is that of Earth as seen by the space voyagers: a blue sphere, shimmering with life and light, alone and unique in the cosmos. From this perspective, the maps of geopolitics vanish, and the underlying interconnectedness of all the components of this extraordinary living system – animal, plant, water, land, and atmosphere – becomes strikingly evident.” ~ Richard Benedick

My photobuddy and long standing friend, Elana Erasmus, was our guide on the CNP photographic boat. Thank you Elana, your knowledge, patience and love of wildlife and photography added enormously to the enjoyment and productivity on the trip. I am looking forward to our next trip in March 2024.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

In April this year, Helen and I joined CNP Safaris on their photographic boat on the Chobe river. This has become a tradition which we have done since 2009. The Chobe river has a wonderful diversity of wildlife, both mammals, reptiles and birds. Photographing wildlife from a boat specially equipped for photography offers a unique shooting perspective. The wildlife is less intimidated by a nearby boat in the river than it is from a nearby safari vehicle on land.

Over the years, the guides and boatmen on the photographic boat have learnt to cope with the persistent water current and know where to find particular wildlife at particular times of the year. Jacana ally is one such understanding. Jacanas can breed all year round due to the permanent water but most of the breeding seems to occur between April and June of each year when the water level in the Chobe river is rising to peak around June/July.

“Fresh air is as good for the mind as for the body. Nature always seems trying to talk to us as if she had some great secret to tell. And so she has.” ~ John Lubbock

Jacana ally is an inlet at the east end of the Sedudu island just upriver from the iconic three Jackalberry trees and upriver from Kasane on the northern Botswana border. The tall reeds around the inlet provide protection from the westerly winds and is home to rafts of waterlilies and pondweed. This protected inlet is preferred by the breeding African Jacanas.

The African jacana is one of two jacana species found in Africa, the other is the Lesser jacana, which is much less common but can be seen on the waterlily and reed beds along the Chobe river. A week old African jacana chick must weigh only a few grams and is probably just 60mm in height. The chicks are minute bundles of fluff with two disproportionately large grey legs and feet.

“Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.” ~E.B.White

The chicks hatch from beautiful eggs which are a chocolate brown camouflaged with thick, wavy lines of dark brown and black. The chicks are precocial, meaning they are able to fend for themselves from the time they hatch. Given that the nest is so flimsy, it is easy to see why Jacana chicks need to be precocial.

When small chicks, these Jacanas hunt small insects on the surface of the lily pads and pond weeds.

Adult Jacanas have long and slender necks and their toes and claws are extremely long – up to 10.2 cm. The newly hatched chicks have legs and feet which appear to be nearly half their body length.

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” ~ Vincent van Gogh

Despite their large feet and long thin toes, these Jacana chicks are able to swim surprisingly well. If there is immediate danger and their father is too far away to gather them under his wings, the chicks are able to dive into the water and remain submerged with just their beak and nostrils above the water until the danger has passed.

Although the chicks are able to leave the nest and feed themselves very soon after hatching, their father plays a shepherding and protection role in the early weeks after hatching. The chicks are looked after by their father for between 40 and 70 days and reach adult plumage around one year of age.

The adult African jacana has striking plumage. It has a black crown, nape and eyestripe. Its cheek patches and neck are white and it has a golden necklace in the front of its neck between its white neck plumage and the rich chestnut brown upper and lower parts. The adult African jacana also has a sky blue frontal shield above its upper mandible which is thought to protect it when foraging among reeds with sharp leaves, and mate identification, sexual selection, and territorial defense.

The responsibility of caring for the chicks falls solely on the Jacana father, who incubates and raises the chicks. The male will protect the chicks and has also developed the ability to lift and carry the chicks under his wings.

“I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.”  ~ Sigmund Freud

These huge feet enable them to occupy a very specialised ecological niche. They can walk right into the heart of the lily field and avoid ground predators. In the face of danger from above, they dive into the water and use their beak as a snorkel to stay underwater until the danger passes.

The male’s ability to carry his chicks under his wings helps him run across the lily pads to escape danger with all of his chicks at once. He is capable of carrying four small chicks under his wings.

Most species of jacanas are polyandrous, meaning that a single female will mate with several males and then lay eggs in each of their nests. Typically, a female will mate with two to four males. The female defends the territories of the males while incubation is occurring but abandons the nest and territory once the young hatch. The females are noticeably larger than the males but the plumage of both sexes is similar.

The male walks across the lily pads standing just long enough for the lily pad to support him. The adult’s feet are unique and the toes are around one third of the length of the body and distribute the weight of the bird over a wide area which substantially slows the sink rate on top of the lily pad.

When foraging the adult Africa jacana has a high stepping gait, primarily to lift its toes clear of the lily pad.

The preferred diet of an African jacana is freshwater insects and larvae, spiders, crustaceans and molluscs, even small fish if they can catch them. The adults are not bound by one lily pad patch and do fly from one floating lily pad raft to another. Both the male and female African jacanas are territorial so they often noisily tangle with newcomers which can makes wonderful photographic opportunities for wildlife interaction. African jacanas are non migratory but relatively nomadic driven by droughts and flooding which forces them to seek new habitats.

“Everything is unusual about it. Colours, breeding behaviour and parenting. It calls water lilies home and has feet large enough to trot on water lilies. The more you look at it, the stranger it seems and the more bewitched by the wonder of it you become.” ~ Mike Haworth

The female African jacana is around twice as big as the male, averaging 260 grams compared to 140 grams of the male. Jacanas average 240 mm in length and have a wingspan averaging 510 mm. The adult has a short tail adapted for its short flight behaviour.

African jacanas have short rounded wings which enable them to fly short distances from one lily pad raft to another, but usually not more than 100 metres. When flying their necks and legs are outstretched much like stork, a configuration suited for longitudinal balance. They normally have to run across lily pads to take off mainly because the lily pad floats and is not stable.

African Jacanas are fascinating waders by virtue of their breeding behaviour, role play, morphology and their preferred habitat. They are diurnal feeders and are found along most river banks and on floating vegetation in rivers and dams.

“Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering – because you can’t take it in all at once.” ~ Audrey Hepburn

Inevitably, when quietly drifting among the water lilies we see many more species of birds such as Little and Blue-cheeked bee-eaters, many species of heron, Brown-throated weavers, coucals, and Black crakes to name just a few. When watching African jacanas there is always something happening. These unique waders are photogenic, very active and get involved in numerous interactions with competing jacanas, ideal for bird photography.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

The Collared Pratincole, also known as the Common Pratincole or Red-winged Pratincole, is a wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae. As with other pratincoles, it is native to the “Old World”. The “Old World” generally refers to Africa, Asia, and Europe. It has a Latin name Gareloa Pratincola where the term “glarea” means gravel as these birds are frequently found foraging or roosting in open gravel-like fields or floodplains.

“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” ~Mark Twain.

There are four types of pratincole species, the Oriental, Collared or Red-winged, Black-winged Pratincole and Rock Pratincole. The Collared and Rock species are found along the Chobe river. The Collared can be often seen on the banks of Sedudu Island in the Chobe river just up river from Kasane. The Rock Pratincole is found mainly on rocks in fast-flowing rivers. These pratincoles are usually found on the rocks around the Seboba rapids in the Chobe river down river from Kasane. The Rock Pratincole is different to other pratincoles by virtue of its small size, dark colouration, and stripes under the wings. It has a similarly shaped beak to the other pratincoles but has distinct red legs. We did not see any in June as the water level was very high and all the rocks down at the rapids were covered by water.

We typically found flocks of Collared Pratincoles roosting on the sand banks of Sedudu Island along the north channel of the Chobe river as it flowed past the island. It appeared that breeding and incubating had started.

Collared Pratincoles prefer sandbanks, mudflats, and grassy flood plains, especially if adjacent to stretches of water such as lakes, pans or large rivers. In the next image, Collared Pratincoles can be seen roosting on a narrow sand bank which was on the route taken by buffaloes and elephants moving along the northern section of Sedudu Island. Every time buffalo or elephants passed by, they took flight until the threat had passed and then returned to the same place to roost.

Breeding season is from June-December, peaking from October-December. The Collared Pratincole typically lays one to two eggs which are incubated for around 18 days. The chicks leave the nest after three days and fledge after about 25 days. Like the courser, young pratincoles are precocious, hatching with their eyes open and being able to walk one day after birth. The young birds are well camouflaged to blend in with their surroundings.

These waders have short black legs and a very long-winged “horizontal” profile. Its head is shaped like that of a courser and it has long slender wings like a courser but its legs are very short quite unlike a courser.

The Collared Pratincole is unusual, having migratory populations in both the southern and northern hemispheres. Northern birds breed in open steppes, savannas, and dry mudflats in southern Europe and southwestern Asia, and in winter in Africa. Birds that breed in southern Africa, migrate to northern Africa to spend their non-breeding season. These southern pratincoles breed in southern Africa from June-February, although along the Zambezi River they are known to breed from April-November.

The Collared Pratincole has narrow white trailing edges to wings and dark rusty underwings which distinguishes this species from similar pratincoles. It is easily distinguished by its forked tail and swallow like high aspect ratio wings. High aspect ratio wings have a narrow wingtip area, which creates less vortex induced downwash, which means a lot less induced drag. Accordingly, pratincoles are highly efficient and fast fliers.

They feed mainly in flight, catching prey aerially in a manner similar to swallows sweeping back and forth. The Collared Pratincole does most of its foraging in the evening or on moonlight nights. It will also catch invertebrates on the ground such as grasshoppers, dragonflies, spiders and molluscs.

“This world is but a canvas to our imagination.” ~ Henry David Thoreau.

The Collared Pratincole has a distinctive fawn collared throat and a black collar. Its back and upper area of it wing feathers are brown in colour and its belly is white. All pratincole species have a small sharp beak which is slightly decurved. The beak is red with a black tip. This pratincole has a wide gape typical of an aerial insect hunter, much like a swallow or nightjar.

“Our imagination flies – we are its shadow on the earth.” ~Vladimir Nabokov.

At times in the early morning or evening you might be privileged to watch a pratincole murmuration. This is a amazing spectacle. A murmuration is a large flock of birds that twist, turn, swoop and swirl across the sky in spectacular shape-shifting clouds. The flock moves in unison in what appears to be an aerial dance that reveals flashes of white as they turn to reveal the white of their bellies in the evening light. At first glance it looks as if the murmuration develops just for the sheer delight of flying but there is a less romantic more practical reason for these mass flights. Scientists believe that murmurations offer safety in numbers. The flock normally takes flight when a raptor approaches attracted by the sheer number of birds. Murmurations usually form over the birds’ communal roosting site.

Pratincoles occur in groups and nest in large, loosely structured colonies. Coursers are less social than this and do not nest in colonies. The nests of coursers and pratincoles are simple scrapes made in the open.

“Reason can answer questions, but imagination has to ask them.” ~ Ralph W. Gerard.

I thought I would dedicate a post to these fascinating birds. Once you have seen a pratincole murmuration is will capture your imagination. A closer look reveals a beautiful, delicate and intriguing insectivore which has features of several different birds all in one body. It is a beautiful easy flier just like swallow.

“The world is full of magic things patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ~ William Butler Yeats

This is the last post from our photographic trip with CNP Safaris in June last year to the Chobe river. A big thank you goes to Elana Erasmus our CNP Safari guide and long standing photo-buddy. Elana, you found us some fascinating scenes, positioned the photographic boat really well in order to take full advantage of the sightings, and your knowledge of the Chobe river was a major advantage for your photographic guests. You kept us safe but allowed us to get to dramatic, almost inaccessible scenes in shallow water with tangles of water lilies.

“Go out, go out I beg of you
And taste the beauty of the wild.
Behold the miracle of the earth
With all the wonder of a child.” ~ Unknown

Mid-winter in the southern Hemisphere is an unusual time because the flood waters are at their peak which alters the character of the river. The river bank changes dramatically forcing much of the wildlife to adapt to the higher water levels. Most of the migratory birds have gone to warmer climes but not all. I have found the Chobe river to have been one of the most productive wildlife destinations in southern Africa. I will be back!

“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it, we go nowhere.” ~Carl Sagan.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

This post shows a gallery of images which portray the remarkable diversity of life along the Chobe river during June which is mid-winter in southern Africa. The abundance of life, sunshine, colour, and activity is astounding.

“We cannot navigate and place ourselves only with maps that make the landscape dream-proof, impervious to the imagination. Such maps – and the road-map is first among them – encourage the elimination of wonder from our relationship with the world. And once wonder has been chased from our thinking about the land, then we are lost.” ~ Robert Macfarlane

A pride of lions on the bank of the Chobe river just upstream of Pygmy goose bend at around 6h30 in the morning.

Last light on the river as we are mooring the photographic boat – another productive photographic day!

A typical scene of a herd of elephants which have chosen to enjoy a salad of water grass and water lily stems rather than walk miles inland looking for food to eat.

A sunset with the iconic three Jackalberry trees standing monumental and silhouetted on a spit of land on Sedudu island.

A breeding herd of elephants drinking together with the little ones in the middle for protection.

The soft pastel colour of dawn travelling quietly on the photographic boat into Jacana alley hoping to see Jacana chicks, crakes, herons, coucals, weavers and bee-eaters.

A sun warmed mudbank in the Chobe river on a winter morning where crocodiles and hippos share nature’s warm peacefully.

Elephant valley around mid morning. This is a gathering point for wildlife to drink and eat the mineral rich white chalk on the river bank.

A breeding herd of elephants drinking and enjoying the mineral rich chalk down at Elephant valley.

The end of another fascinating and inspiring day’s wanderings along the Chobe river.

“There’s a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they’re absolutely free. Don’t miss so many of them.” ~ Jo Walton

A group of female kudu on the river bank just down river from Chobe Game Lodge. The kudu were eating the mineral rich soil on the river bank.

The three Jackalberry trees standing at the northern most part of Sedudu island at sunset. These trees are home to Fish Eagles and Lilac Breasted Rollers alike.

The abundance of life is everywhere. A bull elephant ahead of the other two bulls disturbed a flock of White-faced Whistling Ducks and Comb Ducks while the Grey Heron looked on impassively.

Travelling back to our mooring at Chobe Safari Lodge. The winter sunsets can produce a dramatic light show due to the dust in the atmosphere.

Expect the unexpected. A pair of mating Water Monitor Lizards on the river bank close to the water’s edge.

Painted skies provide the last light just as we are returning before last light.

A flock of Blue Waxbills next to the water’s edge just down river from Puku flats. These beautiful pastel Blue Waxbills were drinking in relays from this bush.

A pair of intrepid fishermen standing and polling from their makoro fully aware of the massive crocodiles which live in the Chobe’s waters.

“Water is the most perfect traveler because when it travels it becomes the path itself!” — Unknown

A family herd of kudu drinking from the river at elephant’s valley. They are very nervous drinking directly from the river because of the risk of a crocodile attack.

A flock of Collared Pratincoles disturbed by some passing buffalo on the bank of the south channel of Sedudu island.

A splash of hippos were disturbed and rushed for the water where they feel safest.

A Trumpeter Hornbill flying from a fruit tree next to the water’s edge at Chobe safari lodge. An image taken during our breakfast.

A lone Curlew Sandpiper foraging for edibles along the edge of Sedudu island.

A small herd of buffalo making their way west from sandbank to sandbank along the northern channel past Sedudu island.

A scene just upriver from the rapids in the Chobe river. Shortly thereafter the Chobe meets the mighty Zambesi river before the swollen body of water pours over the Victoria falls.

After photographing birds in the trees at the rapids we were traveling back to the lodge at sunset while flocks of waders were returning to their roosting trees in the rapids.

A serene scene with two pairs of Pygmy Geese quietly feeding at the edge of Jacana alley.

When I am travelling on the Chobe river I am constantly amazed at the abundance of wildlife it attracts. Not one morning or afternoon boat trip is the same. Nature is in a constant state of flux. What you see in one place in the morning you may never see it again the same place.

Mother nature perpetually throws up new interactions which generate new understandings and new appreciations which leave me with an overwhelming sense of the wonder, complexity and natural intelligence inherent in this river system.

“The fact is that no species has ever had such wholesale control over everything on earth, living or dead, as we now have. That lays upon us, whether we like it or not, an awesome responsibility. In our hands now lies not only our own future but that of all other living creatures with whom we share the earth.”~ Richard Attenborough

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

This post shows a selection of the images of birds seen along the Chobe river in June 2021, mid-winter in southern Africa. Almost all the images were taken while on a CNP Safari from CNP’s specialised photographic boat. The perspective from the boat is ideal and the wildlife allows you to get much closer on the water than on land. Winter is obviously a time when all the migrants have flown north for warmer climes where there is more food, especially insects.

“I think the most important quality in a birdwatcher is a willingness to stand quietly and see what comes. Our everyday lives obscure a truth about existence – that at the heart of everything there lies a stillness and a light.” ~ Lynn Thomson

As a change in format for this post I have decided to show more images with a brief description of the birds. For anyone interested in birds and bird photograph, the Chobe offers wonderful photographic opportunities and should be on the to-do list for all serious bird photographers

A female Comb duck in flight. The angle of the sun dictates whether we see the beautiful iridescence on the wings of not. In this image their was just a hint of the iridescence on the wings.

A pair of White-crowned lapwings noisily declaring their territory.

A Yellow-billed stork returning to its roosting area down near the rapids in the Chobe river below Mowana Lodge late in the afternoon.

A female Blacksmith lapwing sitting on her eggs in the morning on the banks along the Chobe river.

A few White-faced whistling ducks coming to land with a hippo in the background.

A Wire-tailed swallow with its shiny dark blue upperparts, black eye band, chestnut brown crown, white throat and no collar. This species is named for the very long filamentous outermost tail feathers, which trail behind like two wires.

A Water thick-knee bathing in the shallow water at the edge of the river.

An adult Fish eagle in flight scanning the water below for potential prey close to the river’s surface.

A Spurwing goose running to take off and in the process leaving a trail of water splashes.

A Spurwing goose in flight with the spur evident at the elbow joint.

Elegant and radiant in the early morning sun. This African darter was drying its wings while perched on a dead tree stump in the southern channel around the Sedudu island.

From the northern channel around Sedudu island looking east. A flock of White-faced whistling ducks take to flight disturbed by our lingering presence.

The annual floods start in March and peak around June in the winter months. This is a time when a myriad of newly spawned bait fish make their way back into the river, only to be ambushed by shoals of hungry Tiger fish and Catfish waiting for them. That is just what the Fish eagle’s are waiting for.

Two pairs of the diminutive Pygmy geese feeding in a secluded part of Jacana alley just off the northern channel of the Chobe river around Sedudu island.

The Pygmy geese seem to be around all year round. They are skittish with the female taking off before the male. We call them “pocket rockets” for a reason.

A Red-billed spurfowl had come down to drink at Elephant Valley with its dark brown plumage and distinctive red bill and yellow eye ring.

On the river bank near Puku flats we found a flock of Blue waxbills with members of the flock flying down in relays to drink at the river’s edge.

An Openbill stork finding plenty of snails to feed on in the shallow waters near Puku flats.

This Openbill stork skillfully cracked open the snail shell and swallowed the succulent, rich inner parts.

Winter time seems to be a time when we see more Comb or Knob-billed ducks along the Chobe river. The female does not grow a comb but does have the iridescent colours on its secondary wing feathers adding that little bit of pazazz.

It is cool in the winter mornings along the Chobe, so this Fish eagle was taking the opportunity to warm up and dry its wings in the morning sun high up on top of a tree overlooking the river.

An African skimmer hunting in the late afternoon rippled waters of the Chobe river. Perfectly adapted for scooping up small fish which have come to the surface to catch insects. The black feathers on crown, around the eye and neck are thought to reduce the glared from the water.

The African skimmer has a half wing beat as it flies just above the surface of the river with is lower mandible in the water ready to scoop up a small fish. There must be a reason for the bright red beak but I have still to find out what it is.

The high power to weight ratio and the precision flight make the hunting of the African skimmer spellbinding. They mostly rely on their sense of touch through their bills. If the prey is too big or the object too solid the skimmer’s head recoils downward underneath its body to release the beak from the object. Skimming usually takes pace in the early morning or late afternoon when the water is calm.

Not on the boat this time, but we sitting having breakfast at the Chobe Safari Lodge when we heard the unmistakable cries of the Trumpeter hornbill. A small family flock were feeding on the fruit of a tree in front of the lodge at the river’s edge.

The Trumpeter hornbill makes a loud wailing , nasal call which sounds like a baby crying. The large casque is a sign that it prefers dense woodland areas. They tend to flock outside breeding season.

This coucal was issuing, as Douglas Livingstone puts it “the rainbird’s liquid note” from the sand bank of Sedudu island around mid-morning. The call sounds like “sound of water bubbling from some cool spring hidden deep in the bush. This looks like a Senegal coucal as it lacks the fine barring on the rump but could be a Coppery-tailed coucal as I could not see the full extent of its tail. Both are common residents in this area. This was a solo act we did not hear the duet in this episode.

Reed cormorants are agile, highly successful fisherman in the fish rich waters of the Chobe river.

An active and successful Reed cormorant with a tasty morsel.

We found a small family herd of giraffe down near Chobe Game Lodge. They were eating soil rich in minerals in a what is called geophagia. In this case the soil looked to be rich in a form of chalk. While the giraffe were occupied it was a perfect time for the Red-billed oxpeckers to get to work grooming, cleaning and feeding from their host.

The Fish eagles were active. Some watched from a perch on a tree high above the river while others stood on the river bank. As the water gets colder the fish tend to swim deeper in the river. This dictates that the Fish eagles must become more opportunistic which mean mongoose, Jacana and White-faced whistling duck come onto the menu.

A male Stonechat was on the look out from a tassling reed.

A Collared pratincole disturbed by a herd of buffalo walking along the sand bank it was roosting on Sedudu island.

A Collared practincole seeking protection from the cool wind one morning on the north side of Sedudu island.

This was a first in Chobe for me, I had not seen a Curlew sandpiper along the Chobe before. It is a migrant but does winter in Africa and breeds in the tundra of Arctic Siberia.

I assume it was a Curlew sandpiper from the decurved shape of its beak, the cryptic colouration of its back and its white breast.

A lone Kittlitz plover on Sedudu island not far from the Curlew sandpiper.

I could not see the tail and rump but I assume this was a Senegal coucal as it looked slightly smaller than its coppery-tailed cousin. It also prefers a dense waterside habitat. Coucals are members of the cuckoo family.

Sunning spots are at a premium in winter. A Reed comorant objected to this grey-heading gull stealing the prime position.

That unique grey face, red eye ring, red beak and red legs are a give away, making this grey-headed gull easily identified.

There seems to be a pair of Fish eagles every couple of hundred metres upstream the Chobe river from the rapids below the Mowana Game Lodge up river to Serondela. We did not go much further past Serondela due to the distance from our base at the Chobe Safari Lodge.

An adult African spoonbill flying back to its roosting site in the trees in the Chobe river rapids just above Kazangula.

A turf disagreement between two African spoonbills late in the afternoon as all the larger wading birds were returning to their roosting trees for the night.

A young male Comb or Knob-billed duck in flight.

A female Comb duck coming in to land to join the rest of the flock which was feeding on a shallow sand bank in the main channel of the Chobe river.

This female Comb duck had to had to make last minute adjustments to its landing due to the crowded land area.

A White-faced whistling duck coming in to land on the same shallow sandbank in the Chobe river as the Comb ducks.

Bird photography on the Chobe river is a highly productive. This was mid-winter so all the migrants had left for warmer climes. The permanent water and rich fishing makes this an ideal residence for waders, storks, ducks, geese and raptors.

“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.” ~ Ansel Adams

The few images I have shown in this post is just a selection of the birds we saw along the Chobe river. I had already put out a post on egrets and herons and another on kingfishers. We had such good sightings of pratincoles that I will do a separate post of collared pratincoles.

“Taking an image, freezing a moment, reveals how rich reality truly is.” ~ Unknown

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

Along the Chobe river between the rapids below Kasane up river to Serondela is home to numerous pods of hippos. The river is flowing all year round which is ideal for them. The high water period is around May-June each year when the flood waters come down from Angola. Hippos do not swim but rather walk, prance, and even “fly” underwater. They can float or sink by controlling their breathing and body position. Parts of the hippo’s skeleton have very dense bones. This bone structure acts as a form of ballast to enable them achieve neutral buoyancy underwater. They are able to further regulate their buoyancy by controlling their breath. Breathing out creates negative buoyancy.

“Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance.” ~ The Lion King

Hippopotamuses get their common name from the ancient Greeks and which literally translates into English as river horse.

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Female hippos are highly protective of their calves even against much bigger male hippos. We found many hippos out of the water but this was because we were on the Chobe in June which is mid-winter in the southern Africa. During the day when the sun is blazing, hippos spend most of their time in the water to keep cool and prevent them from sunburn. They do like to lie in mud baths next to the river which offers some protection from the sun. Hippos also produce a red fluid which is a deep red mucus-like secretion which helps to control their body temperature and acts as a potent sunscreen and antibiotic.

This looked to be a young male trying to mount a large female hippo with red-billed oxpeckers in attendance. Hippos tend to fight a lot and many have scratches and cuts on their thick hides which the oxpeckers clean up. This young male did not look like he was making the slightest impression on the dozing female. It was winter in southern Africa so the hippos spend more time than usual sunning themselves on dry land to warm up.

Hippos usually mate in the water. The female hippos are often forcibly submerged in the water by the male hippo for most of the mating process. She needs to come to the surface at times to breathe. In some cases, although very rarely, the hippos may choose to mate on land.

 A hippo can run at 30 kilometres per hour and will charge anything that gets in its way, especially if you are between it and its place of safety, which is the water. We had one incident along the Chobe river several years ago when we got between the water a dozing bull hippo. He was dosing about 40 metres from the water’s edge in the grass. We stopped next to the bank to photograph some waders. We were between the hippo and the water but checked to ensure the bull hippo was relaxed and dozing. It was not until Lou Coetzer, our CNP Safari guide, shouted to the boat driver to get out of the way as quick as possible when we turned to see the bull hippo in full charge toward the boat. We made it but a matter of metres. In our shaken state, we were reminded never to be complacent. When hippos run for the water it does provide photographers with opportunities to capture spectacular splash shots as they charge into the water.

“Hippos always have the right of way, except when an elephant crosses its path.” ~Mike Haworth

There were other times when we were slowly boating through the thick matt of water lilies and water grass when out of nowhere a hippo burst out of the water. The guide and boatman kept a very wary eye on the movement of hippos as we are travelling along the river. You would be surprised how quickly a hippo can move through the water. Furthermore, do not be fooled by deep water they can run and bounce of the river bed surprising fast and continue the chase for longer than you might expect.

The biggest threat to a male hippo is another male hippo. This young male was not being allowed back into the water by the dominant bull who was not about to shy away from a confrontation. Most hippo fights take place in the water. Hippos live in pods or groups ranging from – on average – 30 individuals to bloats numbering up to 200 in the Luangwa river. Pods comprise females, their young and a single dominant bull. This bull will aggressively protect his females and territory against other male hippos. He won and maintains his dominant position through continue combat and confrontation.

The open jawed “yawning” display is usually a threatening posture. When an unwanted male enters the dominant bull hippo’s territory, the two size each other up. They will probably stand nose to nose and bellow their discontent. In an attempt to threaten each other they open their jaws as wide as possible, which can be as much as 150 degrees wide, to display their size and power as well as their sharp teeth. If that does not work it can end up in a pitch jaw battle. The hippos teeth tend to sharpen naturally through constant use throughout their life, and can grow to be up to three feet long, strong enough to cut deep into the opposition’s thick hide or the hull of an aluminium boat.

A typical family scene along the Chobe river in winter. The larger females and males are lying in the mud in the sun. The youngsters and younger females, probably mothers, got up when we passed by. The females were probably just protective of their youngsters. The hippos do not seem to be fussed about the crocodiles or all the birdlife around them. In this case there were hundreds of Egyptian geese which made a racket but this did not disturb the slumbering mud bathers.

“Only let the moving waters calm down, and the sun and moon will be reflected on the surface of your being.” ~Deepak Chopra

After the mating period, the female hippo has a long gestation period of around eight months and the birth usually takes place in the wettest season of the year. When it is almost time to give birth, the female hippo isolates herself from the pod until she has given birth to her calf (female hippos usually give birth to one calf but occasionally produce twins). The baby hippo is born underwater with its hind legs appearing first.

Hippos and elephant don’t usually tangle. This bull elephant had crossed the southern channel around Sedudu island to feed on the island. Hippos are highly territorial but although huge they are way smaller than a bull elephant. Elephants are not usually aggressive animals unless there are young to protect or water or grazing that they need to protect. Interestingly, this bull hippo did not give much ground to the confronting bull despite its major size and weight disadvantage. Thankfully the confrontation was over quickly with no damage done.

Nothing looks more relaxed and content than a hippo submerged in its salad. This hippo was neck deep in the river amongst water lilies and water grass. The late afternoon light was soft and warm and this hippo seemed to enjoy being adorned with water lily pads.

Hippos spend most of their time deep in water to cool and graze on the water grass in the river. They require about 45 kilograms of food a day to maintain that massive weight. Hippos are herbivores but their diet depends on what is available. Hippos generally do most of the grazing at night on land but along the Chobe the overgrazing by elephants has dictated that hippos have adapted to take advantage of the water lilies and water grass. Hippos are ruminants but have only three chambers to their stomach, not four as in other ruminants. Hippos do not chew the cud, a ball like mass of partly digested plant matter. The hippo also has a small and large intestine. The small intestine is where all the fats, proteins and fat are digested (or emulsified) by enzymes and absorbed. The large intestine has the function of absorbing the water that goes through it and excretes whatever bodily material is left over as defecation.

Like elephants, hippos are the gardeners of Africa’s river systems. Hippos keep channels open through the reeds and papyrus which improves the flow of the river. Hippos defecate a lot but this provides vital for food for the fish. In turn the fish feed the Catfish and Tigerfish and many waterbirds. The Catfish and Tigerfish in turn feed the Fish eagles and crocodiles. There is a trophic cascade.

“Few can sojourn long within the unspoilt wilderness of a game sanctuary, surrounded on all sides by its confiding animals, without absorbing its atmosphere; the Spirit of the Wild is quick to assert supremacy, and no man of any sensibility can resist her.” ~James Stevenson-Hamilton

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

“What is it that awakens in my soul when I catch the scent of rain, when I see the sun and moon rise and set on all the colours of the earth, when I approach the heart of wilderness? For indeed something does move and enliven me in my spirit, something that defines my very being in the world, I realise my humanity in proportion as I perceive my reflection in the landscape that enfolds me. It has always been so.” ~ N. Scott

Along the Chobe river upstream of Kasane to Serondela there are several troops of baboons. Two primates are found along the Chobe river, the Chacma baboon and the Vervet monkey. Baboons are Old World monkeys. There are five extant species of baboon – olive, yellow, Chacma, Guinea and Sacred or Hamadryas – and all are found in Africa and there is a population of Hamadryas baboons found in Saudi Arabia.

The word “chacma” is derived from the Hottentot (Khoikhoi) name for baboon, namely chocchamma or chow kamma.

Chacma baboons are found throughout southern Africa and along the Chobe river. They are the largest and most terrestrial monkeys found in southern Africa. These baboons are highly social and can live in troops as large as 100 individuals. The troops I have seen along the Chobe river probably number up to 40 to 50 individuals. The next images is of a mother with her two youngsters sitting down on the sandy beach at Pygmy Geese bend on the Chobe river. It was early morning and the sun had just risen. The whole troop had come down from the trees where they sleep at night to avoid most nocturnal predators- except leopard. Grooming is an important social activity that strengthens relationships among a troop. Male to female grooming is used during courtships and nursing. Females partner with certain males for protection, especially for their infants.

On our second morning out on the photographic boat we heard a great commotion. A whole baboon troop was in a large Natal Mahogany near the river’s edge upstream from Pygmy Geese bend. This large tree was probably their sleeping quarters the previous night. Chacma baboons are diurnal meaning they only move around and feed during the day. There was a great deal of barking from many of the baboons. The reason for their alarm calls was that there was a pride of lions near the river’s edge not far from the Natal Mahogany in which they were seeking refuge.

Chacma baboons do not have prehensile tails but they do help with balance and can be great play things for young baboons. Chacmas have wonderful balance, a skill won with age and practice.

Chacma baboons have incredible balance and immense strength. They appear to have great strength in their feet, hands, arms and legs. Although they are not heavily built, except the large adult males, they must have exceptionally strong tendons.

Baboons are dimorphic meaning the males and females are quite different in size. The males are significantly larger and heavier than the females and can weigh between 30 and 40 kilograms, almost double that of most females. The males have long (around 5 cm), razor sharp canine teeth and a dark mane on their neck and shoulders. A large male baboon will give a leopardess a hard time and in a fight those large canines can inflict real damage.

Current research into baboon behaviour has some important things to tell us about how we got so far in the smarts business. After closely observing baboons in the Okavango Delta for many years, behavioural scientists Dorothy Cheney and Robert Seyfarth discovered that they (the baboons) spent much of their time gossiping and eavesdropping on others of their troop. While they had only 14 types of vocalising or “words”, their responses to these words and the movement of the troop indicated that they held in their minds many more concepts for which they had no words. Studies on baboons and other apes, including chimps, show that they all have considerable ability to form ideas and discern and remember sounds, but no ability to represent them. A language of mind has structure and requires that the thinker has a sense of self and of their separation from others and the world. Baboons have this, which makes them such fun to watch, but they live in the present tense. They lack the insight to imagine a different world. Or to change it. (Source: Daily Maverick)

Chacma’s have fascinating social structure and able to communicate via facial expressions, gestures and vocalisations. A baboon troop can and will operate cooperatively against a predator during the day especially a leopard. They develop friendships and misbehaving is swiftly and noisily dealt with.

A fundamental part of their development is their play in and on fallen trees and in bushes. This must be were they develop those strong tendons and learn to balance.

“It is not about achieving your dreams but living your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you.” ~ Randy Pausch

Gestation period of around 180 days and the females are very protective of the new borns.

Young Chacma’s are very playful. Often they can be very rough with each other but I guess this is part of what toughens them up.

Females carry their very young offspring under their belly. This can be tricky for the youngster especially when the mother is wading through water or drinking. The youngster tends to get dunked frequently.

The belly carrying technique is useful as the mother has her hands free and the youngster can breast feed when ever it likes.

Chacma baboons make wonderful photographic wildlife subjects because they are very active and have so many expressions and poses which we humans can identify with and more often than not find very funny.

“It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.” ~ Oriah Mountain Dreamer

“There was an ape in the days that were earlier,
Centuries passed and his hair became curlier;
Centuries more gave a thumb to his wrist—
Then he was a man and a Positivist.” ~ Mortimer Collins

Around mid-morning we found a troop that had come down to drink from the Chobe river. The baboons seem to enjoy the Elephant Valley’s little beachfront, where they can slate their thirst and rummage through the elephant dung for undigested berries, seeds and other edibles. Elephants digest their food with less than 50% efficiency. Elephants are non-ruminant herbivores so do not chew the cud, ruminate or belch like ruminant animals.

Baboons can often be found foraging or drinking with antelope such as impala and kudu. Both species benefit from more eyes, especially as drinking from the Chobe river delivers threats from predators on land and in the water. The Chobe river is infested with crocodiles some of which are many years old and massive and wily hunters.

This was one of the older adult females who had come down to drink at the river’s edge. You can see that they watch the water very carefully for any sign of an incoming crocodile. The baboons prefer to drink from small pools of water near the river’s edge because of the reduced threat of a crocodile attacks but if there are no pools they have to drink from the river.

An example of a very young baby getting wet while its mother was taking a drink from the river.

Once the youngsters are strong enough they can ride on their mother’s back. They seem to really enjoy the ride and climb on and off with gay abandon.

“There is still so much in the world worth fighting for. So much that is beautiful. So many wonderful people working to reverse the harm, to help alleviate the suffering. There are so many people dedicated to making this a better world. All conspiring to inspire us and give us hope that it is not too late to turn things around, if we all do our part.” ~ Dr. Jane Goodall

A partial backlit shot of a female Chacma picking up edibles from the water. This is an extremely dangerous place to be feeding, especially as she was already in the shallow water. An opportunity for a crocodile. We never saw a croc attacking a baboon while it was drinking, but it does happen.

Baboons will eat many things varying from the new shoots on trees and bushes to flowers, fruit, seeds and berries to water lily shoots. They will all eat birds eggs and even spiders and scorpions when they can find them. They often stuff there cheeks full of food to eat later when they feel safer.

This young Chacma was gorging itself on water lily shoots but obviously keeping a wary eye out for crocodiles.

Chacma baboons exhibit many vocal signals, which can be combined with visual signals. They use a well known double bark called “bokkum” as an alarm or aggressive signal; it’s given by only high-ranking males when there is aggression either between troops or within their troop. It is also used for a predator signal or for when a male communicates his presence or arousal. Lower-ranking males use a shrill single bark. This is expressed when there is a sudden disturbance or when one part of the troop rejoins another. Grunts are used for contentment, desire, or mild aggression. (Source: New England Primate Conservancy).

As photographer we can spend hours watching a troop of Chacmas moving along the river’s edge, there is always something happening whether it is youngsters playing, a teenager getting disciplined or the dominant male asserting his authority over the troop.

“The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself…” ~ Chief Seattle

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike