Walvis Bay, Namibia: Lagoons, Salt Pans and Dunes, 5th April 2025

Walvis Bay

The Namibian authorities had introduced a new tourist visa scheme on the 1st April which had caused  some late-day admin for the group but an early morning onboard visit from the immigration services team soon had our documents stamped and we were on our way for a day guided by JP of Red Dune Safaris through some very off-road tracks, dunes and coast around Walvis Bay enabled the group to see not only great wildlife but spectacular Namib landscape and habitats where the sea meets the sand and desert, sometimes cheek by jowl and almost blended seamlessly given blue Atlantic mist.

The birding highlights in and around Walvis Bay Lagoon and the saltworks included diversity and high numbers of migrant waders particularly Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint and almost piebald summer plumaged Grey Plover, all either busy fattening or resting ahead of their soon to begin long journey north to Siberia or beyond. More local species including Three-banded, White-fronted and Kittlitz’s Plover. Large numbers of terns were dominated by Common but there were also Caspian and Damara Tern diving for sprats in amongst Greater Flamingo. A more colourful than expected Dune Lark stopped and started energetically in open dune habitat where shellfish middens from long gone peoples were still evident amongst the sand and dune scrub. Wildfowl were represented by Maccoa Duck, Blue-billed Teal but for “award of the day” it would be hard to beat Namib Web-footed Gecko.

White-fronted Plover; Kittlitz's Plover; Blue-billed Teal; Maccoa Duck; Wood Sandpiper; Black-winged Stilt; Kelp Gull and Dune Lark.

Namibian Desert Gecko