From the field: In Search of Wild Canaries in southern Africa

Abstract

Part 2

{Editor's Note: In part 1, Bucci met some friends in Johannesburg, South Africa, and began a trek through Botswana and Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls and the Zambesi River. Bucci is a traveler interested in all birds but specificlly looking jar the numerous wild canaries that inhabit Africa. This Part 2 starts at Victoria Falls and heads for Cbobe National Park then 011 to Kubu Island in the middle of a great salt desert. Various birds and animals abound. It is an interesting adventure story with a focus 011 birds.I

Botswana's Chobe National Park and Kubu Island

In the town of Victoria Falls, Pier and Lorence joined our group. They had just arrived from France. That day we made provisions for our next trek. I purchased a heavy hlanket which would be necessary as we headed further south where the nights got colder and colder. Before leaving, I made a phone call home and learned that my recently married daughter Lisa was expecting a baby, and all was well.

We left Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and headed for Botswana. After crossing the border and several miles into Botswana, we reached Chobe National Park. At the gate we paid a stiff fee to enter the park. The main road into the park runs next to the Chobe River. We were at the north end of Botswana where the Chobe River is the border. On the other side of the Chobe River was the country of Namibia.

We stopped many times to let groups of elephants cross the road. We also observed many hippopotamus frolicking in the river. This really looked like Africa. Next we encountered a herd of buffalo. We had to back up to make room for their leisured crossing of the road I was warned not to leave the land

 

cruiser to take pictures; the buffalo could he very aggressive. In the afternoon, we reached the Serondela campgrounds where I pitched my tent making sure I was not on a possible animal path. Here, elephants, lions, jackals, etc. might visit us. I removed my boots and socks and crawled into my very small tent to find my sandals. Coming out, I noticed that one of my socks was missing. Then I noticed that up in a tree, a baboon was sniffing my sock. It didn't take Jong before he threw the sock hack at me. I didn't blame him - I didn't like the way it smelled either!

The campgrounds were next to the river. With my binoculars, I went to look around the edge of the river. Many birds were up in the trees and I spotted a Pied Kingfisher and an African Fish Eagle. This impressive bird looks like our American Eagle. Down along the riverbank, I spotted a Gray Heron, a Reed Cormorant, a Wood Sandpiper, and a Black-winged stilt.

In the evening we had a good supper of peas and sausage. One thing I must admit, the French are good cooks. The night for me was long and cold, and also scary. I heard elephants yelling, and baboons were running and fighting. My little tent was just a "make believe" shelter but I was not about to come out to freeze and face a baboon or elephant and who knows what else.

I got up early to make a fire. After the water was hot, I would gently wake up the "kids." One morning I blew a whistle. I was told that they would shoot me if I did that again!

The day was breaking, and the birds began to tweeter. One bird was actually singing. and the song was very familiar to me so I rushed to get my binoculars. Looking toward where the

 

song came from, I spotted the bird, and to my surprise it was a Yelloweyed Canary Serinus mozambicus. He made my day'

There are many canary subspecies, and this is one of them. Its song is not the same as a domesticated canary, but similar. In the past I kept and bred Serinus mozambicus. Below is a list of the canary subspecies of Serinus serinus that are all indigenous to Africa:

Serinus alario • Serinus albogularis

• Serinus ankoberensis • Serinus atrogularis • Serinus bucbanani • Serinus burtoni • Serinus canicollis • Serinus capistratus • Serinus citri.nipec - tus • Serinus donaldsoni • Serinus dorsostriatus • Serinus flatngula • Serinus .flaviventris • Serinus gularis • Serinus koliensi.s • Serinus leucopterus • Serinus manelli • Serinus mennelli • Serinus nigriceps • Serinus scotops • Serinu.s striolatus • Serinus sulpburatus • Serinus symonsi • Serinus totta • Serinus tristriatus • Serinus xantolaema • Serinus mozambicus

 

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