Archive for May, 2011
A visit to a Namibian Mesosaurus fossil site
May 11th, 2011 | 
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Posted in We normally camp in central or northern Namibia, mainly because the birdlife is more prolific and there’s more to see, but this Easter we decided to focus on the south, with a visit to Brukkaros and then the farm Spitzkoppe, about 39 kms from Keetmanshoop, where our main draw card was the mesosaurus fossil site.
The drive to the fossil site is very pretty as one passes the Quiver Tree Forest (declared a National Monument in 1955) and Giants Playground, two unique and interesting features of this area. The terrain around Keetmanshoop is particularly rocky, a condition that suits quiver trees and gives rise to unusual dolorite rock formations.
We were taken on a short tour by Giel Steenkamp, the owner of the farm – a funny and colourful character who struck it lucky when his young son, Hendrik, noticed an upturned rock containing a fossil during a road making operation on the farm. This life-changing discovery of the mesosaurus fossil was the first of a number of fossils found on the farm and the family have opened this interesting site up to the public ever since.
About 280 million years ago a huge inland lake, known as Lake Gai-As, lay in the middle of the great continent of Gondwana and it was on the shores of this lake that mesosaurus lived. When fossils of this crocodile-like reptile were found deep inland in both southern Africa and South America, it supported the theory that the two continents were once joined together.
In southern Africa mesosaurus is known as Mesosaurus tenuidens, whilst in Brazil the same fossil is known as Mesosaurus brasiliensis.
These water-going reptiles lived in a time called the Permian age and are thought to be the first reptiles to have returned to the water to live. They ranged in size from 40 cm to 1.5 meters.
Oom Giel jokingly referred to himself as a young fossil and it is evident that he thoroughly enjoys showing visitors the sights on his farm. Apart from the numerous fossils on display, one can also see a quiver tree forest of about 5000 trees, a dolorite park similar to Giants Playgrond and the war grave of a young German soldier killed in the native uprising at the beginning of the 20th century. As if that’s not enough, you will also get treated to a “rock concert” when Giel plays a basic rendition of the South African national anthem (Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika) using a small rock to pound a stacked rock formation.
After the tour he leaves visitors alone to wander around and take photographs. It’s a special place, well worth a visit. Accommodation in the form of chalets or campsites is available for guests who’d like to spend the night on the farm.
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Bird of the Week – Week 70 – Magpie shrike
Found in the more northerly parts of the southern African region, as well as further north into Kenya and Tanzania, the Magpie shrike is a distinctive bird that is quite hard to miss. It is the only long-tailed shrike in the region and this, together with its striking black and white plumage, makes it unlikely that it will be confused with any other bird. It is quite a large bird, with a length of around 43 cm, but over half of that is made up by its tail. The males and females are similar in size and plumage, although the female has white flanks that are lackng on the male. The bill is black; eyes brown and legs and feet are black.
Preferring open woodland with plenty of acacia trees, the Magpie shrike is a fairly gregarious bird and is most commonly found in small groups of up to a dozen birds. They will often perch in a conspicuous spot and call loudly. They tend to feed on the ground, mainly on insects, small reptiles and even on mice and small birds. They will also hunt from a perch and hawk insects from the air.
The call is a clear fluid “theeu-teewoo” and several birds may call at the same time. Quite often the males and females will call in duet, each contributing a part of the call.
Magpie shrikes are monogamous and make a cup nest which they usually place high up in an acacia tree. The female lays a clutch of two to six yellowish eggs that hatch after an incubation period of about twenty days.
The scientific name for the Magpie shrike is Corvinella melanoleuca; Corvinella from the Latin for “a small crow” and melanoleuca from the Greek for “black and white”. Thus we have a small crow that is black and white. Well, the black and white is accurate, but I wouldn’t have thought it looked remotely like a small crow.
Bird of the Week – Week 69 – Double-banded sandgrouse
We most often see the Double-banded sandgrouse while driving along the sandy roads and tracks of central and northern Namibia, as they seem to favour the edges of the road as areas along which to forage. If we are driving slowly they will often allow the car to approach quite close, before running off down the road and taking to flight with characteristically rapid wing beats. Like so many birds, they will typically take to flight very quickly if you get out of the car in order to photograph them!
They are very attractive birds, about 25 cm in length, the males and females being dimorphic in plumage. The males have a rufous-buff crown and neck streaked with black; with upperparts that are brown spotted with white. They have a distinctive white forehead divided by a black band and a double breast band of white over black. The bill is yellow; legs and feet yellowish-brown and eyes are dark brown surrounded by a patch of yellow skin. The females lack the distinctive bands on forehead and breast and as a result are not quite as striking in appearance as the males.
Commonly found in pairs or small groups, the Double-banded sandgrouse may gather in much larger groups at water sources, which they frequent most commonly in the early morning. Although not a noisy bird, there is often a conversational “weeu-weeu, chuck-chuck” carried on at this time. The birds are generally crepuscular (isn’t that a lovely word – crepuscular?) and after their morning activities may spend a large part of the day in a shady spot, feeding again in the evening and even at night.
The Double-banded sandgrouse is a near endemic to the southern African region, its range spilling out of the region into southern Angola and southern Zambia. It has a preference for mopane woodlands and also areas where there are plenty of acacias.
The Double-banded sandgrouse is monogamous and is a solitary nester, making a nest in a hollow scraped into the ground and lining it with plant material. The female lays a clutch of two or three pale pink eggs and the chicks hatch after an incubation period of about twenty-four days.
The scientific name for the Double-banded sandgrouse is Pterocles bicinctus; Pterocles from the Greek for “noted for its wings”, presumably referring to its long wings and rapid flight, and bicinctus from the Latin for “double girdled” referring to the double breast bands. Thus a double girdled bird noted for its flight (or wings), which fits this splendid bird quite well.
