Chobe Game Lodge Newsletter, October 2006

General

October is normally the hottest time of the year and we recorded day temperatures in excess of 40°C. Towards mid October there were reports of rain elsewhere in the region, but in the Kasane area only 2,5mm was recorded for the month after a quick shower of rain on the 9th. This was unfortunately not enough to make any significant difference in the parched Chobe landscape.

River levels dropped even further making some drinking spots quite risky for animals. At some spots there is a wide strip of mud between the dry land and the water where animals get trapped in the mud itself and become easy targets for crocodiles and other predators when they try to cross the mud to get to the water. On other places steep banks are exposed where it is especially easy for hoofed animals to loose their footing and fall into the crocodile infested waters when they try to have a drink.

Vegetation

There were very little plants still in blossom by the end of October as we went through the transition between spring and early summer. Most woody plants had already started to grow their new leaves for the season, bringing welcome relief to all browsing herbivores. The new foliage not only provided a renewed food source for browsers, but also shelter against the scorching October sun as well. During midday everything from guinea fowl to elephants could be seen taking shelter under especially the bigger tree species like camel thorn acacias, knob thorn trees and along the river Natal mahogany trees.

Birdlife

An estimated 460 species of birds inhabit the Chobe National Park and many of these species migrate during our winter. These birds are starting to return now in the late spring and early summer period so the species richness of the Chobe area was still on the increase during October.

The well watered gardens of the Lodge attracted hosts of birds from the surrounding bush and only a short stroll around the Lodge gardens would have produced quite a number of species. The elusive grey headed bush shrikes inhabit the thick foliage of the brown ivory trees on the river side of the Lodge. Their equally elusive cousins the orange breasted bush shrikes were often heard calling from the upper levels of the trees as well.

One of our more spectacular summer resident species have also been spotted around the Lodge grounds again. A pair of broad billed rollers normally breeds in a hollow in a dead tree in front of the Lodge in summertime. These colourful bird have cinnamon coloured upperparts and purple chest and belly with a contrasting bright yellow bill. They spend our southern hemisphere winter in the more temperate areas closer to the equator in Africa and then move south to breed in summer time.