Peter Ginn Birding Safaris

Although there is only about 70km (45 miles) of the Zambezi River above Victoria Falls inside Zimbabwe, this section of the river is most interesting. This is particularly true of the area above the rapids just down stream from the beautiful Imbabala Lodge. We are very keen on this area because not only can one see all the usual river birds found in Zimbabwe, but the area is also home to all the Okavango specials. Furthermore, many of the Zambian woodland waterside birds reach their southern limit here. In addition guests at Imbabala have the opportunity of watching big game from the safety of a pontoon boat on the river.

Leaving Victoria Falls we drive north-west through areas of Baikaia woodland before entering an area of Mopane woodland. Just before we reach the Botswana border we turn off the main road and drop down onto the river's floodplain. This are is the only place in the world where 4 different countries meet at a single point – a point out in the river where the Chobe and Zambezi join. Between the two rivers lies Namibia, south of the Chobe lies Botswana, south of the Zambezi lies Zimbabwe and Zambia lies north of the Zambezi.

Currently there is a pontoon which ferries cars and other vehicles across the Zambezi just below the junction of the Chobe & the Zambezi.

It is interesting that when the Zambezi is in flood it pushes the Chobe back – making it appear to flow in reverse for a while!

One of the joys of this lodge is the fact that we can get out both on a flat-floored pontoon craft & on open vehicles in search of game & birds. The pontoon is brilliant in that we can move around as the boat moves slowly along the river and it is possible to set up a tripod with even a large lens so as to take really good photographs of the game and birds. Drifting in safety down the river while hundreds of elephant come down to drink & bathe in the river has to be one of the most amazing of experiences in Zimbabwe. The photographic opportunities here have to be seen to be believed.

Along the banks one can see the otherwise elusive Chobe River Bushbuck. Groups of Chacma Baboons will be seen drinking as will Greater Kudu and Waterbuck

White-crowned Plover

The flood plain is home to an interesting variety of birds including a large number of waders and plovers (Lapwings). It is one of only 2 places where I have seen 5 resident species of large plover at the same time: Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus on the dry ground; Blacksmith V. armatus , Wattled V. senegallus , Long-toed (White-winged) V. crassirostris & White-crowned V. albiceps Lapwings along the water's edge. All these birds nest here, but many of their nests are predated by troops of baboons which feed on the flood plain. Depending on the time of the year we may find the Red-winged Pratincoles nesting on the dry ground which has recently emerged from the flood waters. Many egrets and herons feed in the shallows and along the edge of the river. Both the Black Egretta ardesiaca & Slaty E. vinaceigula Egrets are common and the Rufous-bellied Heron Butorides rufiventris is seen regularly.

White-fronted Bee-eater

White-fronted Bee-eaters Merops bullockoides are resident and nest in small colonies along the river. In spring & summer the Carmine Bee-eaters . M. nubicoides can be seen. As far as I know there is no breeding colony nearby so large numbers are unlikely to be seen. There is a colony in a bank some kms. upriver from the junction. Little Bee-eaters M. pusillus are common, usually seen sitting on a reed or branch over the water as one drifts by. In the early morning one may find groups of three to nine sitting huddled together along a horizontal reed where they have roosted the previous night.

Carmine Bee-eater

Another bird which may be seen sitting on vegetation hanging over the water is the Half-collared Kingfisher Alcedo semitorquata . From its perch its dives into the water below to catch a small fish or frog. The smaller Malachite Kingfisher is common along the rivers edge.

However, the birds which draw the bird watcher to Imbabala are the group of birds which are normally only found in the Okavango system. A number of these are confined to the beds of Giant Papyrus – the Greater Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus rufescens which will react to a tape of the birds call. Other species are found along the river such as the largest of all the coucals, the Coppery-tailed Coucal Centropus cupreicaudatus which is often seen sitting on the top of a stick or other vegetation in the early morning.

Half-collared Kingfisher

This area is interesting as it has a good population of a small firefinch, the Brown Firefinch Lagonosticta nitidula and the parasitic Indigo Bird has also been identified because it includes the Brown Firefinch's call in its song. The noisy White-rumped Babblers Turdoides hartlaubii reach their eastern most extension at Imbabala as does the Chirping Cisticola Cisticola pipiens . At night one may hear the Swamp Nightjar Caprimulgus natalensis and during spring & and early summer they can be seen on certain parts of the floodplain on night drives. Another unusual bird seen on night drives is the White-backed Night Heron Gorsachius leuconotus .