Birdwatching in Botswana

On a group tour to the World Orchid Conference, who knew that so many of our fellow travelers were avid birdwatchers? Plenty of "ooohs" and "aaahs" whenever our guide pointed out birds, and the serious telephoto lenses came out to take bird photos!

An African starling looks very different from our local starlings who have dull black feathers.

Remember Zazu from The Lion King?

This is what a red-billed hornbill looks like in real life! They are quite spectacular in flight when their long tail feathers fan out.

African guides watch vultures to learn where there might have been a recent kill.

 

The lilac-breasted roller is a small bird with very long and thin tail feathers.

This roller is getting ready for takeoff--such gorgeous plumage! There are a couple of very thin black feathers that extend beyond the blue tail feathers.

 

This kingfisher was resting near the river one hot sunny afternoon.

 

A yellow-billed stork

 

A marabou stork

 

We saw plenty of fish eagles near the river.

 

We even saw a golden-backed eagle with a fresh kill.

 

There were plenty of other birds at Chobe too--cormorants, egrets, plovers, guinea hens, and many different kinds of ducks and geese. Africa is just teeming with life! I think Mark has a calling as a wildlife photographer...most of the photos I have been posting are ones he took with his Canon and supertelephoto lens.