Page 30 - Silver Lakes February Issue 2023

TRAVEL

BIRDING IN MOZAMBIQUE

Text and photos by Anthony Cavanagh

A number of birds in the Southern African region are found only in Mozambique,
so the writer and his wife, Sue, joined seven of their fellow members of the Wits Bird Club
and set off with guide Etienne Marais to see as many of these species as possible.

delay at the Ressano Garcia border Inharrime, we stopped at the Inhambane Tinkerbird eluded us on this occasion.
post (we were trying to obtain visas estuary where, amongst a number of Nevertheless, we sighted Livingstone’s
for
A the non-SADC members of our Whimbrels, Etienne identified a single Flycatcher, Neergard’s Sunbird and the
party) resulted in our arriving late at our Steppe Whimbrel. This is the rarest Blue-throated Sunbird. Baobab trees are
first overnight stop at the Pousada Jolly of the five sub-species of Whimbrel, common in this part of Mozambique and
Roger Lodge in Inharrime, some 380km which was thought to be extinct before around the baobabs Etienne identified
north of Maputo. being rediscovered in 1997. The Steppe both Bohm’s Spinetail and the Mottled
Whimbrel can be identified by its white Spinetail and he highlighted the differences
Next morning at first light, our three underwings and axillaries. between the two species.
vehicles departed and we headed for the
wetlands to the west of Inharrime. Etienne Morrungulo Lodge is situated on a palm- The Sanctuary on the San Sebastian
had us walking abreast in a long line fringed beach, which gives it a tropical Peninsula is the southernmost part of the
through the wetland and in so doing, we ambiance. Mosquito nets over the beds Bazaruto archipelago and stretches over
flushed the Great Bittern, one of our target added to the exotic atmosphere and were some 30 000 hectares of conserved land
birds, which we all saw. We then drove on essential to keep the many mosquitos and ocean. It is a birding hotspot, as the
to the woodlands in the Panda area, where at bay. The next morning, again at first huge estuary incorporates many sandbars
Etienne pointed out other special birds such light, we set off for the woodlands west that attract numerous rare migratory
as Olive-headed Weaver, Mashona Hyliota, of Unguane. Our target bird was the seabirds and waders. To reach the Sanctuary
Pale Batis, and Racquet-tailed Roller. Green Tinkerbird, which is extremely rare area, one drives along a 90km sand road
and found in only a few small patches from the EN1 main road. Proof of booked
En route to our next stop at Morrungulo of coastal scrub-thicket. Although we accommodation at Jacana Camp is essential
Beach Lodge, some 170km north of searched for a few hours, the Green in order to be admitted to the reserve.

At San Sebastian estuary

28 | INTRAMUROS FEBRUARY 2023