Having lived 15 years in Zambia, I am keen to visit the corners of the country that have so far escaped me. One such corner is the NW province which borders the DR Congo to the north and Angola to the west. There is also a pedicle of land which pushes north reaching into the Guineo-congolian biome, and therefore holing species which are otherwise only found in DR Congo, Uganda and central/west Africa. It’s an exciting area and one which is not well explored, and certainly not in recent years since the warming climate has caused shifts in species’ ranges.

I joined a trip with Frank Willems from Birding Zambia who knows the area well. As well as being a very sharp and knowledgeable birder, Frank is also a keen ecologist with interests in herpetology and conservation management. We had a great trip exploring along the northern edge of the province, sometimes moving along the road which forms the boundary with the Congo.

The trip had mostly a birding focus, but we hoped to see duiker and a number of snakes and other reptiles too. It was also exciting for me to be in a new area where the chance of finding something new (not just for me, but for Zambia) was always present. On the day that I chose not to take my camera (as we were walking a long distance) we found Zambia’s first confirmed Jameson’s mamba, a long green and highly venomous snake whose range only just touches Zambia in this area. But for me, the major highlight of the trip was outstanding views of a Vermiculated Fishing Owl, a species only known to Zambia since 2017 and confirmed in 2020. We camped near a known site, and were rewarded with amazing time with 3 pairs, just a few meters from our tents!

It was also a thrill to be a participant in a guided safari, rather than the leader. I enjoyed the experience and learned from being a customer instead of provider. Thanks to Frank and Inge for a great trip and I’d highly recommend Birding Zambia for a holistic wildlife safari experience in Zambia.