More from Liwonde

Take a look at this stunning sago star shrub that I photographed beside Mvuu ("hippo") Camp in Liwonde National Park while in Malawi last week. Not a bird, granted, but gorgeous nonetheless!















Some of the notable birds that I caught sight of while there in Liwonde:

* Western banded snake eagle
* Giant kingfisher
* Boehm's bee-eater
* Little bee-eater
* Fork-tailed drongo
* Grey loerie (turaco)
* Trumpeter hornbill
* Long-toed plover (lapwing)
* African skimmer
* White-faced duck
* Blue-grey flycatcher
* Egyptian goose
* African Jacana
* Grey-headed gull
* Black crake
* Natal (red-capped) robin-chat
* Red-billed ox-pecker
* Collared morning thrush
* Emeral-spotted wood dove
* Bateleur
* African fish eagle
* Gymnogene (harrier hawk)
* Long-tailed starling
* Wattled plover (lapwing)
* White-browed sparrow weaver
* Lillian's lovebird
* Red-faced mousebird

You can see the ox-peckers perched on the hippos' bodies:

Seen on the Shire

On a recent trip to Malawi I had the opportunity to visit Liwonde National Park, which contains a considerable length of the Shire River, the principal outlet of Lake Malawi. We spent one hour of our time there on a boat safari -- saw large numbers of hippo and crocodile up close, as well as elephant, warthog, baboons and numerous bird species. White-faced ducks (Dendrocygna viduata) were abundant, and we had magnificent views of several pairs and singles of African fish eagles (Haliaeetus vocifer), whose signature wild, ringing calls up and down the river reminded us that we were indeed still in Africa.















White-faced ducks line the shore of the river, with an openbill stork (Anastomus lamelligerus), wings half spread















A fish eagle keeps solitary vigil near the water