Page 20 - IFV Issue 1 2023
P. 20
Travel
BIRDING IN MOZAMBIQUE
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ANTHONY CAVANAGH
At San Sebastian estuary
A number of birds in delay at the Ressano Garcia north of Inharrime, we stopped at the
border post obtaining visas
the Southern African A or the non-SADC members of Inhambane estuary where, amongst
a number of Whimbrels, Etienne
f
region are found only in our party resulted in our arriving late at identified a single Steppe Whimbrel.
Mozambique, and it was our first overnight stop at the Pousada This is the rarest of the five sub-species
with great anticipation Jolly Roger Lodge in Inharrime, some of Whimbrel, which was thought to
therefore that Sue and 380km north of Maputo. be extinct before being rediscovered
in 1997. The Steppe Whimbrel can be
Next morning at first light our three
I together with seven vehicles departed and headed for the identified by its white underwings and
other members of the wetlands to the west of Inharrime. axillaries.
Morrungulo Lodge is situated on a
Wits Bird Club set off Etienne had us walking abreast in a palm-fringed beach which gives it a
long line through the wetland and in so
with our guide, Etienne doing we flushed the Great Bittern, one tropical ambiance. Mosquito nets over
Marais, to see as many of our target birds, which we all saw. the beds added to the exotic atmosphere
of these special birds as We then drove on to the woodlands in and were essential to keep the many
possible. the Panda area where Etienne pointed mosquitos at bay. The next morning,
again at first light, we set off for the
out other specials such as Olive-headed
Weaver, Mashona Hyliota, Pale Batis, woodlands west of Unguane. Our target
and Racquet-tailed Roller. bird was the Green Tinkerbird, which is
En route to our next stop at extremely rare and found in only a few
Morrungulo Lodge, some 170km small patches of coastal scrub-thicket.
18 • Issue 1 2023 • The Villager
