This trip report was provided by Steve Peck.
So, at the end of our stay at Augrabies Falls, Lee and I drove the 400km to the Kgalagadi National Frontier Park to start the second part of our adventure. This was the first time we had visited the park in the winter months and were intrigued to see the place in a different season.
Boy, was it cold! Temperatures dropped to freezing at night and Mata Mata even peaked at -6c one day. We had a dust storm one evening, which totally desecrated our braai, and we ended up cooking inside on the gas-stove. However, the days were warm and rain free and made up for the cold evenings and nights.
Driving slowly along the badly corrugated sand roads we started to pick up some great birds. Kori Bustard were seen in great numbers and we saw families of the parents and youngsters walking together. Ostrich also were aplenty, again with babies and juveniles in tow.
We picked up raptors in the sky and trees – Tawny and Booted Eagle, Rock and Greater Kestrel, Lanner, Peregrine and Pygmy Falcon. Black-winged Kites were everywhere, and we had a great sighting of a Red-necked Falcon.
We had never seen so many Secretary Birds. They seemed to pop up along every road we drove along. White-backed and Lappet-faced Vultures were spotted along with Pale-chanting Goshawk, Black Harrier, Gabar Goshawk, Bateleur and Martial Eagle. It all made up a fantastic tally of the predators.
However, we can’t forget the owls – Spotted Eagle, Barn, Pearl-spotted Owlet and Southern White-faced Owls were all ticked off as well.
The smaller guys were also seen, although they were hard to find and even harder to photograph. Pririt Batis, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Ant-eating Chat, Burchell’s Sandgrouse, Red-headed Finch, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Northern Black Korhaan, Fawn-coloured Lark, Green-winged Pytilia, Chestnut vented Warbler and Black-bellied Bustard made up the best of the 80+ species we recorded overall.
We also shouldn’t forget a great sighting of a small family of lions that we were privileged to find sunning themselves only 20m from the car!
So, winter in the Kgalagadi? It was great to be there, but maybe we will try a warmer time of year next time!