If you're a bird photographer then a southern African safari has much to give you, not just in the prime summertime, but additionally in winter months months!
Here we discuss our birding experiences in four of southern Africa's most famous game reserves to assist you choose your destination.
Kruger National Park
The Kruger Park's diverse range of habitats is responsible for a bird listing of over 550 bird species, whilst the 3 axis gimbal stabilizer review option of food in these habitats ensures that many species occur in abundance.
The Park is especially best for large raptors which are rare sightings outside of large conservation areas, while a great many other scarce and migrant species are interested in the Kruger's unspoilt wilderness.
Birding is good through the Kruger nevertheless the far north is often probably the most productive bird photography area. Among the best-known birding hotspots in the north is the Pafuri picnic site where you could find a whole lot of'specials'that aren't found in the remaining park.
Commonly seen Pafuri specials include Lemon-breasted Canary, Wattle-eyed flycatcher, Yellow White-eye, Greyheaded Parrot, Mottled Spinetail, Crested Guinea-fowl and African Finfoot. Less common but occasionally seen, are Dickinson's Kestrel, Thickbilled Cuckoo, Pel's Fishing Owl, Goldenbacked Pytilia, Rackettailed Roller, Whitebacked Night Heron, Narina Trogon and Yellowspotted Nicator.
These specials should be looked for many over the Luvuvhu river and not just at the picnic site. This Pafuri area has such good bird specials because it is close to the Mozambique coast and the Limpopo River, which acts as a migration corridor for birds which are normally found further to the north and east.
The bridge on the Luvuvhu River and Crook's Corner may be particularly rewarding with sightings of the rare Pel's Fishing Owl.
One other sixteen Picnic sites are also worth travelling because the birds are accustomed to humans and enable you to get close to them.
You will find eleven bird hides located through the park that we have discovered Lake Panic hide near Skukuza camp and Sweni hide near Satara camp to provide the very best bird photography opportunities.
All the main camps and bushveld camps are excellent for birding - some cottages have bird baths facing them, which attracts numerous birds while during the night you must try to find the resident owls and nightjars!
Whether you are driving over the roads or sitting at your bungalow, you'll have the opportunity to see and photograph countless different birds, some of the more common ones being Rollers, Drongos, Storks, Starlings, Doves, Guinea-fowl, Francolins, Hornbills, Bee-eaters, Kingfishers, Swallows, Vultures, Eagles and Owls.
Pilanesberg Game Reserve
The Pilanesberg is good for birding with over 350 species being recorded. Once we first started visiting the Pilanesberg we used to see raptors but over the past couple of years eagle and vulture sightings have now been very scarce. The park is, however, superb for the water birds.
There are always a few bird hides which were constructed on the edges of waterholes and dams that provide excellent game and bird photography opportunities.
Lake Mankwe, as an example, is a perfect spot where you are able to photograph Kingfishers (Malachite, Giant, Pied), Cormorants, Spoonbills, Herons, Fish Eagles, Osprey and a number of other water bird species. The lake is large so you are able to photograph birds in flight while they fly from the shore to land on the dead trees facing the hide.
Birding can also be very good in the camps where you stand a much better potential for seeing some birds, including the Crimson-breasted Shrike.
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Even though the Kgalagadi supplies a wide variety of birds (over 280 bird species have now been recorded) it is most well-known for the birds of prey.
You will find three main birding environments in the park; the dune roads, the Nossob and Auob riverbeds, and the three main camps. Most bird species are found through the park however many tend to be more common in one of these brilliant three environments.
Check the trees in the three main camps for owls and other bush-veld species. Nearly all of our raptor sightings have now been at the waterholes over the Auob and Nossob river roads.
Even although you are staying at one of the wilderness camps you should also be rewarded with good bird sightings, depending which camp you're at. We have seen Secretary Birds, Martial Eagles, Lanner Falcons, Goshawks, Sand-grouse and Owls from our dune cabins at the wilderness camps.
Etosha National Park
Bird photography in Etosha may be good in winter but is better in summer time months from when the rains start, normally October, until April. Over 412 bird species have now been recorded in Etosha.
Namutoni - The waterhole isn't ideal for mammals but it may produce good quality bird sightings including Caspian Plover, Red-billed Queleas and Greater Painted-snipe.
In camp keep a look-out for the Palm Swift, Sunbirds, Starlings, Barn Owls and Red-faced Mouse-birds. Fisher's pan, which can be just behind the camp, can produce some nice summer migrants such as for instance Black-necked Grebe, Lesser and Greater Flamingos, Yellow-billed Stork, African Openbill, and Saddle-billed Stork.
Halali - This camp is the most popular for birds. you might see Bare-cheeked Babblers, Violet Wood-hoopoes, Carp's Tit, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbills and Southern White-faced Scops Owls - all in camp.
At the Moringa waterhole we have seen Doves, Pygmy Falcons, Fork-tailed Drongos and at sunset huge flocks of Namaqua Sandgrouse with Owls later in the night.
Okaukuejo - In camp there's a Sociable Weaver nest in a tree right at the waterhole wall and the Weavers will stop you entertained for hours. You will see many birds either at the waterhole or in the camp.
By day keep a lookout for Namaqua Sandgrouse, Red-billed Queleas, Lanner Falcons, Gabar Goshawks, Red-billed Teals, Southern Pied Babblers, Crimson-breasted Shrikes, Violet-eared Waxbills, African Hoopoe, Groundscraper Thrush, Dusky Sunbirds, Acacia Pied Barbets, Golden-tailed Woodpeckers, and large flocks of Double-banded Sandgrouse.
At night watch for Pearl-spotted Owlets, Verreaux's Eagle-owls, Barn owls, and Rufous-cheeked Nightjars
Bird Photography Gear
Photographic equipment for bird photography is virtually the same as what's necessary for wildlife photography - long lenses, good support in terms of tripods, bean bags, and gimbal heads, plus good long-lens technique to make sure sharp photographs of birds in flight. We utilize the Nikon 80-400mm VR contact as well as the Nikon 600mm f4 (non-VR) lens for the bird photography. You might also work with a 300mm f2.8 or 300mm f4 along with a tele-converter to get good results.