Shambololo Farm is always a good birding destination as there is a variety of habitats with open grassland, woodland, reedbeds and a big dam. We walked for 5.6km in just over 3 hours and saw 61 bird species altogether. A very nice viewing of an African Goshawk and our common friend the Lizard Buzzard as well as a Thick-billed Weaver which is not so common in the Lusaka area. Thank you Inge Kopseiker, for the photographs. We also saw European Honey Buzzard a Gabar Goshawk and a Black Sparrowhawk. Among the waterbirds, there were 5 Egyptian Geese, an African Darter, a White-breasted Cormorant and an African Fish Eagle. We also saw some wildlife including Sable, Warthog and a huge Monitor lizard!
Shambololo Farm has a very scenic picnic and camping place overlooking the dam so at the end of the walk we sat around the picnic tables and checked the list while enjoying our snacks and drinks before leaving. Next time we go I think we should do an overnight camp as it would be lovely to hear the dawn chorus from such a perfect spot. Maybe my husband will come along as he can do some fishing while we do an early morning birdwalk!
If you are using eBird this is the birding spot – Chitimbula Dam. If you have a look at the website and check Explore and type in the above place it will show that 11 checklists have been submitted and 158 birds seen.
Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons). Photo credit - Inge Kopseiker
Lizard Buzzard (Kaupifalco monogrammicus). Photo credit - Inge Kopseiker
