October 19 - Palmwag Game Drive

Palmwag View

The Palmwag concession ……

We had one day to explore a small part of the land and had to go on a safari provided by the Palmwag Lodge. And it was excellent from start to finish.

The vehicles were nine seater Land Cruisers, open in the back, no seatbelts – exactly as we like them.

The morning was cool, particularly so in the back of an open vehicle as we drove towards the reserve at 7am. The company however provided ponchos and some of our party eagerly took advantage of them. I, of course was stoic and remained cold.

A amusing flock of Guinea Fowl, of the helmeted variety, crossed the road prompting the obvious joke. Soon after a small herd of Desert giraffe [G.c. angolensis] were seen.

The country is huge, vast and inhospitable; the obvious adjective is ‘rocky’ but the word somehow understates the reality.  Only creatures with the descriptor ‘Desert’ can live there.

So we looked for desert things.

BIRD OF THE DAY - Benguela Long billed Lark

BIRD OF THE DAY!

First desert birds – Rupell’s Korhan, Benguela Long billed Lark [the Bird of the Day], Grey backed Sparrow-Lark, Sabota Lark, Carp’s Tit, etc etc

Oryx

Oryx calves aka potential Leopard food

But really the focus was on mammals. We saw the regulars; Springbok and Gemsbok. Actually we stopped at a small herd of Gemsbok because they had a couple of calves with them. Not long after stopping we realized that we were not the only other mammal interested in their calves. Alan and Gary both saw a movement and the movement was well spotted. A leopard! It quickly moved into cover but the jig was up; the Gemsbok stopping their grazing and staring in the direction of the cat before a voiceless call to flee. As the Gemsbok departed we moved closer and the leopard decided it was time for it to depart as well. Most got good views of the animal as it galloped away. What a great way to start a day!

Leopard going...

going

gone

Next stop? Desert Elephants.

Four ladies heading, as you do in a desert, to the waterhole

Ears wide in warning

Korhaan

Our vehicles on safari

Elephants enroute

Elephant

Elephant

Lark like Bunting

Our guide spotted them first and then began predicting their next few moves. He was on the money and was able to put us and our vehicle ‘in their way’ as they moved towards their waterhole and feeding area. A small herd of four females gave great views. Now this was real Africa!

Leopards and Elephants and Giraffe and Springbok and Gemsbok and a fair number of bird specieshad been provided for our main course.

Next stop? Desert Lions. Well that was the plan but they remained unseen despite us finding fresh tracks.

We stopped for lunch at a waterhole with birds, Springbok and Gemsbok in attendance and, as far as we could tell, no cats. A table was set, chairs set out, lunch was spread and an esky with soft drink and beers  was opened. This was a decent lunch.

Lunch stop

As we left 7 giraffe turned up for their measured move towards the waterhole.

Desert Giraffes

Desert Giraffes

From there we drove pretty much straight back to the lodge stopping at a tree with a zebra’s leg stuck in branches. If you’re thinking, ‘clumsy Zebra’ then you have forgotten our leopard already…

Zebra leg in tree - must have been quite a clumsy zebra...

The rest of the day at the lodge was spent relaxing, swimming in the pool washing away desert dust.