Thick-knee or Dikkop, the night we arrived in Joberg. Morning in the hotel parking lot Mary brought in a Hadeda Ibis feeding on the grounds and whole flocks of Gray-headed Gulls and Sacred Ibis flying overhead in the city.

Next, on to the Namibian desert's stark Skeleton Coast. Here Oryx and Larks rule these vast horizons. Dune and desert, sea and sand, and seals by the thousands; scuttling ghost crabs, and kelp gulls flying along the strand. Later, a spectacular drive through the canyon and the spectacular painted snipe, (known to some as the ^%$*#@* bird) a cosmic bird if there ever was. Two black storks rising along the cliff walls completed that scene.

Kulala-red desert dunes and thousands and thousands of finch larks, the desert plants and birds responding to the best rain in seventeen years. The dunes turned green, the lowlands gold as the annual grasses seeded. Still plants were blooming, a rare treat for us, and the desert life Aardwolf and Ostrich alike producing bigger litters and broods, so said our guides.

The Finch Lark and Korans certainly were well represented. Solstice at Kulala - uphill here, downhill back north – so the world turns, as dip we inland to the vast waterworld of the Okavango Delta. Xigera Camp's water certainly upped the bird list, beginning with the rare and wonderful Pels Fishing Owl. Add water + land, add more thorn veldt, more forest, all in flux. The bird of the trip for this waterfowl aficionado was the Pygmy Goose, and we saw them by the hundreds on our trip to Chief's Island. One very good look at a swimming pair was had by all. Many, many Jacanas, Storks and Herons, flushed as we neared the hippo pool…tiny Malachite Kingfishers shining like jewels in the reeds…a Fish-eagle, soaring by milling flocks of whistling ducks…water brings life indeed! The sunset game drive yields bull elephants at arms length, a close encounter with an elephant is humbling, lets you know your place in the scheme of things.

Chitabe – what more can I say – predators rule, be they cheetahs or rollers. Amazing, upon our arrival, greeted by the spotted sphinx, the two cheetah brothers hunting Tsessebes, and a lone Wildebeest. Darkness brought a leopard cub – two spotted cats in a few hours. Next morning revealed the king, two male lions patrolling for females, walking side by side reflections as they pause to drink at a drying pool. Then a Serval, another African wild cat!

It's tough being prey, whether Impala or Mouse, which brings me to the most outstanding natural history predatory event. The Lilac-breasted Roller mouse mash-up, as someone said, "the roller, he's not just a pretty face." What a sight, not only catching a mouse, but choking it down with scope/eye popping views. Meanwhile, elephants roamed, baboons crossed the stream to sleep, Marshall's Eagles swooped and missed dinner, while a Crowned and Wattled Crane foraged together, what more could ya want?! That's Africa of song and story and the stories are many – hope you have some to tell.

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