Close encounters with a mongoose

  Etosha National Park, Namibia
Sunday, April 30, 2006

Banded Mongoose in Namutoni rest camp, Etosha

Banded Mongoose in Namutoni rest camp, Etosha 2

Banded mongoose were all around the camp, as I lay on my front to take a photo, one inquisitive the little blighters came face to face with my lens!

Dark clouds in Etosha from the big gree nmonster

Gemsbok also known as Oryx in Etosha

Gemsbok in Etosha

Gemsbok stood by termite mound

Ground Squirrel in Etosha

Lilac Breasted Roller

The wildlife was much the same as the previous day. Lots of Gemsbok - these must be one of the most elegant antelopes I've seen. Plenty of lilac breasted rollers, another colourful bird with a green head, white around the eyes, a lilac beast and a turquoise underbelly. Secretary birds were an interesting ground bird. The have these weird dangle things hanging off their head that wobble all over the place as they strut around the plains.

Moses had told us the names of two birds of prey we saw but none of us could quite understand what he was saying as the names were sort of similar and we weren't sure which words belonged to which bird. I think they were Duck Hunting Bushawk and chanting goshawk, although I'm now back at home and in front of goggle I can't find any bushhawks.

Zebra butting heads in Etosha

Zebra line up for water in Etosha

Zebra showing his mohawk

Life at an Etosha watering hole

Life at an Etosha watering hole 2

By the watering hole in Etosha

Watering holes, as I mentioned earlier one of the great things about this park. We spent a great 45 minutes by one today just watching all the comings and goings of the zebra, giraffe, wildebeest and warthogs.

Lunch was at a rest camp called Halili, before we got back on the road again that afternoon. The afternoon was devoid of wildlife, as we drove over miles and miles of vast savanna. A few things we did see were black male ostrich together with their gray female counterparts. We also saw some blue cranes and a Kori Bustard, the world's largest flying bird.

The annoying thing about the green monster was the difficulty communication with the cab. We had to bang on the truck and shout, by which time it was too late or what we had spotted had seen us and hightailed into the distance. Luckily Patrick and Moses spotted most things.

Sprinkbok checking us out in Etosha

Etosha plains filled with Springbok

Later in the afternoon we got to a place on the plains were there were just thousands of springboks. Very funny to watch as they bounce a few feet in the air, almost like kangaroos as they run. Also got to see a few jackals coming to camp. For a wild animal they always look so presentable.

Our campsite that evening was Okaukuejo