Cute little Owlet :-)

Pearl-Spotted Owlet
This little owl was easily seen bird in the late afternoon near the banks of the Chobe River.

The pearl-spotted owlet (Glaucidium perlatum), which breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, is small (19 cm) and stocky, with a longish tail.   The upper-parts are rich brown, heavily spotted with white. The underparts are white, streaked with brown.

They often hunt by day, and can be often spotted as the small birds mob it while it is perched in a tree.  It hunts a variety of small prey, including birds.

African Darter

African Darter enjoying the early morning on the Chobe River.

African Darter or Snakebird (Anhinga rufa), Chobe River,
Chobe National Park, Botswana, Africa

Been back home for a bit ... starting to sort through photos :-)

Fish Eagle in Flight

Fish Eagle with lunch, Chobe River, Botswana.

Enjoy

Cheers Jen

Lunch for a Monitor Lizard

Monitor Lizard enjoying  a quick snack on the banks of the Chobe River, Botswana

Enjoy

Cheers Jen

Follow the leader ...

Love this cute baby elephant - following mum towards the Chobe River, Botswana, for a swim.

Follow the leader :-)

For Hannah & Emma

African Delight ... Impala of Botswana

I do love Impala  ...

Even though they are one of the more common antelope of the African savannah, and known as "the Macdonalds of the bush" they have a serene and quiet beauty.   I love their eyes, eyelashes ears and their colour.        Impala [Aepyceros melampus]

Whilst with Pangolin Safaris we ventured into the Chobe National Park in the Unimog.   We are able to photograph from either side of the vehicle at any particular sighting.   We each had a seat with camera bean bag and an additional bean bag to use on the opposite side of the vehicle which we could move across to.

Colours of the Rainbow - Botswana's National Bird

Love these rainbow coloured birds ...   I had hoped to capture the Lilac Breasted Roller in flight or devouring its dinner.  Instead this Roller was happy to pose patiently for my photos.

National bird of Botswana  - What a stunner!!  

The Lilac Breasted Roller is a very colourful, heavy-billed bird with brilliant blue wing-feathers
and harsh, croaking voices.

Rollers spend much of the day hunting from a convenient perch in a tall tree, 

flying down to seize large insects, reptiles and other small prey on the ground.

The Roller is usually found singly or in pairs, sitting on an exposed perch.
The name “roller” is derived from its’ aerial displays which it performs year round. 

Lilac breasted rollers breed in natural tree cavities in trees and have active display flights
which involve aerial manoeuvres with much harsh calling. 
Their food consists of a variety of locusts, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, butterflies and lizards.

The national bird of Botswana is the stunning multi-coloured Lilac Breasted Roller that gets its name from the aerial acrobatics some of these birds perform during courtship or territorial flights.  All rollers, including the lilac breasted rollers, are highly territorial. They are also thought to be monogamous.

Lilac Breasted Roller - Coracias caudata

Bye for now

Cheers Jen