I recently returned from primarily a game viewing trip to Mala Mala in the Sabi Sand, adjacent Kruger NP in South Africa, followed by visits to Mombo in the Okavango Delta and Kings Pool on the Linyanti river.
In addition to Lions, Leopard, Elephants et al, we had some excellent birding. I added a considerable number of species for the year, going some way past my year target of 500 birds, and even though I have been to these particular spots many times, I was able to add a very small number of life birds.
Mala Mala
Habitat is typical lowveld bushveld, with a riparian corridor. There are permanent pools of water and some dry grassland, giving opportunity for some interesting birds.
Arrowmarked Babbler
Blakcollared Barbet
Crested Barbet
Little Bee-Eater
Blackeyed Bulbul
Goldenbreasted Bunting
Rock Bunting
Yelloweyed Canary
Fantailed Cisticola
Rattling Cisticola
Redfaced Cisticola
Neddicky
Reed Cormorant
Black crake
Burchell's Coucal
Water Dikkop
Cape Turtle Dove
Laughing Dove
Greenspotted Dove
Green Pigeon
Forktailed Drongo
Egyptian Goose
Tawny Eagle
Wahlbergs Eagle
African Hawk Eagle
Martial Eagle
African Fish Eagle
Brown Snake Eagle
Bateleur
Melba Finch
Redbilled Firefinch
Jamesons Firefinch
Blue Waxbill
Common Waxbill
Bluegrey Flycatcher
Black Flycatcher
Pallid Flycatcher
Chinspot Batis
Paradise Flycatcher
Crested Francolin
Natal Francolin
Swainson's Francolin
Helmeted Guineafowl
Eastern Redfooted Kestrel
Hamerkop
Grey heron
Whitebacked Night Heron
Greenbacked Heron
Greater Honeyguide
Hoopoe
Redbilled Woodhoopoe
Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe
Grey Hornbill
Redbilled Hornbill
Yellowbilled Hornbill
Hadeda Ibis
Pied Kingfisher
Giant Kingfisher
Brownhooded Kingfisher
Yellowbilled Kite
Redcrested Korhaan
Sabota Lark
Purplecrested Lourie
Grey Lourie
Yellowthroated Longclaw
Speckled Mousebird
Blackheaded Oriole
Giant Eagle Owl
Redbilled Oxpecker
Brownheaded Parrot
Crowned Plover
Blacksmith Plover
Tawnyflanked Prinia
Heuglin's Robin
Whitebrowed Robin
Whitethroated Robin
Bearded Robin
Lilacbreasted Roller
Purple Roller
Longtailed Shrike
Southern Boubou
Puffback Shrike
Brubru
Threestreaked Tchagra
Orangebreasted Bush Shrike
Greyheaded Bush Shrike
White Helmetshrike
Whitecrowned Shrike
Gabar Goshawk
Greyheaded Sparrow
Wattled Starling
Burchell's Starling
Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling
Woolynecked Stork
Saddlebill Stork
Whitebellied Sunbird
European Swallow
Redbreasted Swallow
Lesserstriped Swallow
Wiretailed Swallow
Whiterumped Swift
Little Swift
Groundscraper Thrush
Kurrichane Thrush
Southern Black Tit
Whitebacked Vulture
Common Sandpiper
African Pied Wagtail
Yellowbreasted Apalis
Longbilled Crombec
Greenbacked Bleating Warbler
Redbilled Buffaloweaver
Spectacled Weaver
Whitewinged Widow
Bennett's Woodpecker
Goldentailed Woodpecker
Cardinal Woodpecker
Bearded Woodpecker
No new birds at Mala Mala for me, though we did miss a Pied Crow eating Elephant afterbirth, that would have been a new MM bird, though not a lifer. We thought we saw a Long Crested Eagle, but no one had a good enough look to confirm it.
Next up was Mombo camp in the Okavango Delta. Here our timing was great for the flood receding and the drying channels stranding lots of fish, giving amazing sightings of Egrets, Herons, Spoonbills, Pelicans, Darters etc going crazy. But while awaiting our flight at Maun airport a Rock Kestrel (L) flew over us.
New birds for the trip were
African Darter
Goliath Heron
Little Egret
Yellow-billed Egret
Black Egret
Slaty Egret
Cattle Egret
Great Egret
Squacco Heron
Hamerkop
Openbilled Stork
Marabou Stork
Yellow-billed Stork
Sacred Ibis
Glossy Ibis
Hadeda Ibis
Spoonbill
Pink-backed Pelican
White-faced Duck
Yellow-billed Duck
Red-billed Teal
Pygmy Goose
Knob-billed Duck
Spur-winged Goose
Hooded Vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
White-headed Vulture
Pale Chanting Goshawk
African Marsh Harrier
Gymnogene
Red-Necked Falcon
Dickinsons Kestrel
Red-billed Francolin
Wattled Crane
Common Moorhen
African Jacana
Lesser Jacana
Long-toed Lapwing
Wood Sandpiper
Marsh Sandpiper (L)
Greenshank
Ruff
Black-winged Stilt
Collared Pratincole (L)
Whiskered Tern
Double-banded Sandgrouse
Red-eyed Dove
Meyers Parrot
Coppery-tailed Coucal
White-browed Coucal
Palm Swift
Malachite Kingfisher
Carmine Bee-Eater
Swallow-tailed Bee-Eater
Rufous-naped Lark
Pearl-breasted Swallow
Grey-rumped Swallow
Banded Martin
Hartlaubs Babbler
Pied Babbler
Yellow-bellied Greenbul (L)
Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler
Yellow-bellied Eremomela
Burnt-necked Eremomela
Grey-backed Camaroptera
Marico Flycatcher
Buffy Pipit
Swamp Boubou
Crimson-breasted Shrike
Black-crowned Tchagra
Wattled Starling
Long-tailed Starling
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Marico Sunbird
Collared Sunbird
White-browed Sparrow-weaver
Masked Weaver
Lesser Masked Weaver
Golden Weaver
Brown Firefinch
Violet-eared Waxbill
Black-faced Waxbill
Scaly feathered Finch