19-20 Apr 2019: Another One Bites the Dust

Tim and Laurel Osborne made me feel very welcome at the Tandala Ridge Lodge and Campsite, in the Kamanjab district. On my way up the ridge to the lodge I ticked the Double-banded Sandgrouse, a scarce to locally common near-endemic. I had now seen and photographed all four the Southern African sandgrouse.

Hartlaub's Spurfowl, Tandala Ridge

Tandala Ridge must be the easiest place in the world to find the Hartlaub’s Spurfowl. Tim calls them his chickens because they tend to peck amongst the chalets at the lodge. Comparing all the effort I have expanded to finally see the Haurtlaub’s, this was an arm-chair twitch. While standing on the deck of a chalet I was able to take some photos of a female Hartlaub’s. She was doing guard duty while the others roamed about in the bush. Later, on my way to where I parked Daai Dêng, I chased up more Hartlaub’s who then escaped into the bush by jumping off the veranda of a chalet.

Tim & Laurel Osborne, Tandala

That evening, while watching the sunset and sharing a few Tafels and some of Scotland’s best with Tim and Laurel, I had the privilege to hand-feed a wild porcupine that stays in the nearby bush. Yes, I know it is repetitive, but it was another great day in Africa!

Porcupine, Tandala Ridge