Page 23 - IFV Issue 1 2023

then 60km/h. Vendors selling cashew
nuts, clay pots, fruit and home-made
pickles line the road at each settlement.
Every half hour or so we drove through
a police checkpoint, but mostly all three
vehicles were waved through. Radio
communication between all the vehicles
helped to keep us all together.
Palm fringed beaches
On our last day driving back to South
Africa, we stopped outside Xai-Xai,
where Etienne pointed out African
The next morning, we decided to try south again for some six hours to our Hobby atop a radio tower. As the African
one more time for the Green Tinkerbird. next overnight stop at the very splendid Hobby is rarely seen in the Southern
After about an hour, we finally spotted Zona Braza Beach Resort. We dined at the Africa region, this was a major sighting.
this most elusive of Mozambique restaurant, sampled some Portuguese Etienne’s bird knowledge is
specials, as it posed at the top of a bush, wines and celebrated the great bird phenomenal, as is his knowledge of the
for all of us to see. Furthermore, another sightings seen over the past eight days. particular location of the birds we hoped
elusive bird, the Eastern Nicator, was The EN1 main road is a single to see and his ability to find them. His
unusually sighted in the open, offering carriageway and as there are many small planning of the trip was excellent, and
a fine opportunity for photos. Another settlements and schools along the road, this contributed to a very successful
highlight was the sighting of a Red- the maximum speed limit of 100km/h is and memorable birding experience in
throated Twinspot. We then travelled very frequently reduced to 80km/h, and southern Mozambique.

Saunders’ Tern Red-necked Spurfowl Steppe Whimbrel

The Villager • Issue 1 2023 • 21