Simon Thomsett

Category: Raptor Expedition | Date: Apr 20 2009 | By: Laila Bahaa-el-din

We set off from Maun for just a couple of days in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. There is something magical about the name Kalahari and we had been advised to go there by a fellow raptor-enthusiast so we had high expectations. But it managed to exceed those expectations ten-fold. The first 40km consisted of mainly scrub which meant poor visibility. We didn’t see much in the way of wildlife. Then we got to Deception Valley and immediately were surrounded by Gemsboks and Springboks. We started to see Pale Chanting Goshawks perched at regular intervals on low trees. We went in search of a water source, knowing this would be our best bet of seeing wildlife. I’ll admit that I was very keen to find Wild Dogs, as I have yet to see any and Botswana is apparently the best place to see them. We drove around dry pans but had no luck finding water. We had arrived in the park quite late and before long had to go and set up camp.

Secretary Bird and the Kalahari’s full moon

In the morning, we renewed our search for water. We drove for a few hours until Simon spotted a Red-necked Falcon. A little further and I noticed a Gabar Goshawk dive-bombing a Lanner Falcon. From behind them a group of Sand Grouse flew up into the sky and Simon said “that’s a good sign for water.” And sure enough, there it was, the waterhole we had been looking for. It was surrounded on all sides by bushes so we found a gap that we could look through. Before long, the Lanner Falcon was diving down to the water, trying to catch doves. A young Gabar Goshawk flew in after some smaller birds, then another Gabar, and another. We counted eight at one point. A Red-necked Falcon came in and impressed us with the speed and determination with which it pursued birds around the waterhole. A pair of jackals came in to drink. Then our first kill of the day: a Gabar had caught something. Within seconds, a Lanner came down at such speed that we didn’t even see it until we saw it fly into the sky with a bird in its talons. So sooner had it gone than the Red-necked Falcon returned and this time was successful in catching something.

Jackal Drinking at waterhole

Gabar Goshawk

We had found our most productive raptor spot of the whole expedition and we had no intention of moving. We sat there and watched incessant raptor activity for the whole day. Secretary Birds came to drink, as did a White-backed Vulture. A Shikra flew in and made a fast kill. A couple of Pale Chanting Goshawks also made an appearance, though it was the many Gabar Goshawks that kept us entertained, constantly flying across the water from bush to bush, often catching something on the way, then chasing each other around trying to pirate the food from the successful hunter. We were very disappointed that we had to leave the next day but determined that we would return for a couple of hours in the morning before exiting the park. The following morning was just as exciting and we made our way back to Maun feeling very satisfied with our trip to the Kalahari.

Gabar Goshawk coming down to bathe

Tags: gabar goshawks hunting, kalahari safari