16-17 May 2019: Kissama National Park

Kissama National Park, some 10 000 km² in extent, is situated about 70 km south of Luanda. Mostly covered in arid grasslands, gnarly baobab trees and Euphorbia thickets; it hosts a wide variety of birdlife. After the conclusion of the Angolan Civil War a wildlife reintroduction program added elephants, giraffes and zebras to the park.

I stayed at the indifferently maintained Kawa Camp amongst a troop of Gentle Monkeys who required constant vigilance against thieving forays into Daai Dêng. The days were very hot, with high humidity, and my always dirty, sweaty hair started to bug me. Consequently, I cut it all off with a clipper I brought along, and I am sure I would now pass inspection as an inmate of Pretoria Central Prison.

Lilac-breasted Roller, Kissama

Most of the birds I encountered in the park had already been ticked elsewhere. The only new ticks for the year list were the Palm-nut Vulture and Rüppell’s Parrot, which was disappointing. I did, however, get some good photos of a melanistic Gabar Goshawk, Great Spotted Cuckoo and Red-necked Spurfowl (subspecies afer).

Gabar Goshawk, Kissama