The Selinda Reserve is an oasis for birding – a birders dream.

Our mix of bushveld and water birds is a real treat! We’ve been seeing a lot of specials over the past months with frequent sightings of Purple Swamp-hen, Slatey Egret, Wattled Crane, Southern Ground Hornbill, Rosy-throated Long-Claw, African Skimmer and others to name but a few. These are the delights of our summer months when we have migrant bird visitors.

Last night I was wandering around with a camera just before sunset and managed to spot this female Little Bittern. This pose is a typical tactic at trying to blend into its surroundings in an effort to be undetected. They are classified as residents to Northern Botswana but are very uncommon, so this was a special treat. We have had fleeting sightings of this female as well as male, and all of this directly in the reeds 10 metres from the edge of our star deck!

What will reveal itself next, keep checking back with us for more updates!

Photograph and text by John Hilton.