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June 29, 2023

Birding with Pompie: Three wise men from the west

Did they bring any presents? Yes, they did. Are they wise? Indeed they are. Are they windgat? No. Are they your typical bird watchers/guides? Not at all. Do they know everything about birds? No, they know everything about nature, be it birds, bees, flowers, trees, butterflies, reptiles. They do not know that much about rugby, but that makes it so much easier to explain the finer points of the Blue Bulls, not to be corrected by wise-guy Stormer supporters. These are probably all the reasonable nice things I can say about these fellows.
June 21, 2023

The land of sand and freedom: Birds of a feather

We feel tremendously privileged to know some nature specialists who are founts of knowledge. Luckily, they are also amazing human beings who share their wisdom and their knowledge. Birds of a feather flock together. As this story is about our birding experiences over the years, that seemed like an apt segue.
March 7, 2023

About solitude, vultures and looking towards Rostock Mountain

Discover the beauty and conservation efforts for vultures in Namibia's Khomas Region. Learn about the challenges faced by Cape Vultures and the efforts to re-establish their population. Join the journey to create a safe haven for these majestic birds and appreciate their symbolic significance in Buddhism.
March 7, 2023

Checklist: Namib-Naukluft National Park

Wildlife Delight: Your Comprehensive Checklist for Namib-Naukluft National Park's Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, Insects, and Scorpions. Uncover the park's rich biodiversity, must-see species, and best viewing areas. Prepare for an extraordinary safari experience amidst stunning desert landscapes.
September 1, 2022

The value and virtue of vultures

I was hoping I would spot a Pygmy Falcon on my last trip to the Namib-Naukluft Park, Namibia’s largest conservation area. Small, spirited and snow-white, the bird appeared as misplaced as an Edelweiss flower in the desert. The Pygmy Falcon soared like a white star, in stark contrast to the dry riverbeds, gravel and grassy plains.
September 1, 2022

Birding with Pompie: Quelea quelea

Visiting Etosha National Park in early May this year we encountered what might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience: watching a flock, or rather flocks, of Red-billed Queleas at Goas waterhole one morning coming in for their daily drink. Apparently this usually happens twice a day, but my fellow waterhole visitors in the car got a bit fed up with the once-in-a-lifetime experience after a few hours and I had to leave the birds on their own for the rest of the day, to my utter dismay.
June 1, 2022

Birding in Lüderitz

I wonder if any of those pioneers in the early 1900s ever saw Barlow’s Lark (Calendulauda barlowi) at Pomona, or the Dune Lark (C. erythrochlamys) in the dunes near Lüderitz? Looking at the barren ‘killing fields’ those diamond hunters left behind as memories for later generations, I doubt it very much. I suppose the diamond’s blinding effect on your eyes has the same effect on your mind. In the end, it’s the larks that are still around, and not those diamond hunters.
March 20, 2022

Birding with Pompie: Lapwings and Plovers

Corgis are highly alert dogs, they react to any sound by barking. They are fearless, aggressive and excellent watch dogs, reacting by sounding the alarm for almost everything. Unfortunately it barks at almost anything, which can get annoying. They also become destructive, chew on furniture or other forbidden things. Separation anxiety can occur when not saying goodbye, and barking all day, getting on everybody's nerves, is a well known trait. Not unlike the Lapwing...
March 4, 2022

FOUR RIVERS – Go slow and experience the depth, wealth and wonder of the northeast

Rièth van Schalkwyk followed the whim of a family member to break the tradition of Christmas at the seaside, packed the camper for two weeks of slow travel and camped on the banks of the Kavango, Zambezi, Chobe and Kwando to discover the magic of looking closer and staying longer.
December 1, 2021

Birding with Pompie: What’s in a name

I think the only bird which has been named and featured in a movie is Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Bird on a wire by Leonard Cohen is the song most covered by other artists – about 400 different artists, I think. If this is because it is such a beautiful song or if it is about the bird I do not know. What is important is that I do not know what bird it was, but I think it has been sitting on the same wire for the last 50 years.
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