On second day in Katavi I decided to widen my eyes and thoughts detesting from Ngorongoro–Serengeti menace and took time to enjoy some true peace with me on the banks of the Katuma River in Katavi National Park. No engines noise just witnessing big numbers of varieties of birds and wild animals. Upon arrival I was welcomed by the sight of a male Ovambo Sparrow hawk on a tree eating a bird it has just caught. Meanwhile a rare bird of prey the Peregrine Falcon was targeting a rock pigeon – It is always fun when a rare bird comes along.
From the tall tree it began to move out, the wings spring open and quickly swoops down from the sky like a missile shaping its wings to travel in the direction of a pigeon with its talons killing it instantly in the air upon impact, a minute away it was on the ground feeding. Following few minutes we saw movement in the bush on top of the steep. It was a leopard stalking a gazelle. We watched for an hour for it to be spoiled by a Fork-tailed Drongo alarm call. Drongos are red eyed all black upright bird, often found in the vicinity of wild and domestic large animals harvesting insects that they flush up.
Peregrine Falcon.
And again, back to the river a Monitor Lizard was patrolling on the sand bank, flipping its distinctive forked tongues that it use to detect scent molecules from the air leading it to a crocodile’s eggs nest. The mother crocodile that was lounging by the water stealthy and stillness emerge bursting to the sight like a lightning and chased the hungry lizard. Crocodiles are known to guard their nests. Meanwhile at a nearby swamp I keep an eye on a Dragonfly with its impressive eyes which cover almost their entire head and have nearly 360 degree vision as well. I enjoyed watching these mosquito eaters – a single dragonfly can eat hundreds of mosquitoes in a single day catching them in mid air.
On the wildlife front cheetah is the fastest land animal capable of reaching 112km/h but Peregrine falcon is the fastest bird but also the world fastest animal reaching the speed of over 300km per hour especially while diving to catch prey. The bird color is a bluish gray above with black bars on the white to yellowish, barred white under parts and black head. Famous for its fast flying – no wonder why the best fighter plane is modeled after it.
Late evening found a Marsh Mongoose sprinting across some tidal mud flats searching for fishes ending up cornered by two cheetahs that tried to kill it. However it gave them all hell attacking them then retreating into its nearby burrow for a few seconds, then re-emerged snarling and fearlessly attacked them even biting a cheetah on a nose. Eventually the cheetahs gave in and left. I wonder which is more aggressive. Katuma River has been the main focus for my game viewing within the park, just as an elephant never forgets, I will treasure memories of Peregrine Falcon hunt.
