|
Ostrich
|
The massed
flocks enclosed in the Ostrich farms along the Garden Route, with a peak in
numbers within properties around Oudtshoorn (“the Ostrich capital of the
world”) give the impression of an abundant bird within the region. However,
only one or two birds along the journey look to have even a remotely wild
credential, and it is possible that the nearest to truly wild birds were those
seen at Cape of Good Hope Reserve. Here, one pair had two fairly well grown young,
and a male was seen at Cape Point
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|
Jackass
Penguin
|
For the
last 20 years or so, this species has decided to forego its island status to
some degree, and 3 colonies have been established on the mainland of South
Africa. Boulders Beach is the best known and most commercialised, with the
colony undergoing practical work to fence it in from the nearby human dwellings
(not a total success), yet leaving it in its wild state. The penguins are truly
up close and personal here, with ~3000 birds present. We arrived during the
moulting season, leaving most of them swimless, although small numbers were
also seen swimming from both the Robben Island and Whale Watch boat trips
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|
Cape
Gannet
|
A total
of ~6 birds were passing the boats on the Robben Island and Whale Watch boat
journeys
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|
Great
Cormorant
|
This is
probably one of the least common of the cormorants seen on the trip, with the
largest number being at Storms River (8) and Brenton-on-Sea (20). A single bird
stood out amongst the Cape Cormorants at Boulders Beach
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|
Cape
Cormorant
|
Common
in colonies along the coast, with a small group of ~12 on the rocks at
Hermanus, and much more populous colonies at Boulders Beach and Cape Point
(again on rocks just offshore)
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|
Bank
Cormorant
|
The best
site for these is the harbour of Robben Island, where a large colony greets
those on the island tour
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|
Long-tailed
Cormorant
|
As is
the case for this bird, all sightings were inland, with all the birds I saw
along the Garden Route, with up to 6 around Oudtshoorn, and another over
Buffalo Hills
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|
Crowned
Cormorant
|
At least
2 birds were in the harbour of Robben Island, with one on the dock as we were
leaving, and 3+ in the harbour of the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
|
|
Grey
Heron
|
The only
birds seen were 2 on the journey from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn
|
|
Black-headed
Heron
|
Much
more common than Grey Heron, these were seen regularly in the first week: Cape
Town to Oudtshoorn (2); Buffalo Hills (1)
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|
Little
Egret
|
Oudtshoorn
(1); journey from Knysna to Cape Town (1)
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|
Cattle
Egret
|
Journey
from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn (~100); Cango Wildlife Ranch (3); Robben Island
(~30)
|
|
Black-crowned
Night-Heron
|
A pair
of active birds were present at the reedbed in front of The Yot Club on both
evenings
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|
Sacred
Ibis
|
Common
along the Garden Route: journey from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn (~50); Buffalo
Hills (~40); Brenton-on-Sea (22); journey from Knysna to Cape Town (1); Robben
Island
|
|
Hadada
Ibis
|
These
birds are both common and noisy, being more or less ever present in small
numbers while out of the city: Oudtshoorn (6, 2); Buffelsdrift (2); Buffalo
Hills (1); Brenton (1); Knysna to Cape Town (8); Kirstenbosch (1)
|
|
Egyptian
Goose
|
Very
common. Seen on every day, although less commonly seen when spending time in
Cape Town
|
|
South
African Shelduck
|
Only one
seen, on the estuary just East of Plettenberg Bay when leaving Buffalo Hills
|
|
Red-billed
Duck
|
The only
bird seen was on a small pond next to the airport
|
|
Black-shouldered
Kite
|
A single
bird was on telegraph wires on the outskirts of Oudtshoorn
|
|
Black
Kite
|
Only 2
seen, both while travelling between the Garden Route and Cape Town
|
|
African
Fish-Eagle
|
A single
bird was seen briefly over the inland part of the lagoon at Knysna
|
|
Pale
Chanting-Goshawk
|
5 were
on wires during the journey from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn; 2 at Buffelsdrift; 1
at Oudtshoorn
|
|
Eurasian
Buzzard
|
Another
raptor seen exclusively while travelling: ~8 from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn; 1
from Storms River to Knysna; 2 around Knysna lagoon; 4 from Knysna to Cape Town
|
|
Jackal
Buzzard
|
What was
probably the same bird seen twice was circling Buffalo Hills
|
|
Eurasian
Kestrel
|
A single
male was seen while travelling from Oudtshoorn to Buffalo Hills
|
|
Peregrine
Falcon
|
The bird
seen at Signal Hill was playfully (?) stooping on a toy kite
|
|
Cape
Francolin
|
Surprisingly,
only a few of these were seen: Signal Hill (2); Robben Island (1); Kirstenbosch
(3)
|
|
Helmeted
Guineafowl
|
This is
probably one of the most common and widespread species seen, occurring in
almost every type of habitat
|
|
Blue
Crane
|
This is
almost a South African endemic, and listed as being threatened with a declining
population. I was therefore surprised to see so many on the journey between
Cape Town and the Garden Route, with ~25 on the outward journey, and 11 on the
return. They usually occurred in open fields, quite often by the roadside, and
were usually in pairs or small groups
|
|
Common
Moorhen
|
2 at the
pool adjacent to the airport, and 1 at Oudtshoorn
|
|
Red-knobbed
Coot
|
1 on the
lake at Buffelsdrift, and 25+ on the lagoon at Knysna
|
|
Black
Bustard
|
A male
was calling for some time from a sandbank while waiting for the Meerkats to
appear early morning near Oudtshoorn
|
|
African
Oystercatcher
|
This is
a near threatened species which occurs along the Namibian and Western Cape
coasts. Numbers were low, but it was found at three separate sites: Storms
River (2); beach at Brenton (4); Boulders Beach (4)
|
|
Black-winged
Stilt
|
2 were
in the estuary just East of Plettenberg Bay
|
|
Spotted
Thick-knee
|
Two birds
were seen – 1 was next to the exit track when leaving Buffelsdrift Game
Reserve, the other appeared on the road from the fynbos nature reserve at
Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Blacksmith
Plover
|
Pool
next to airport (4); Buffelsdrift (~40); Robben Island (5)
|
|
Crowned
Lapwing
|
A pair
were on the open Karoo while following the Meerkats, and a single bird was at
Buffalo Bay (along the beach from Brenton-on-Sea)
|
|
White-fronted
Plover
|
2 were
on the beach at Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Kelp
Gull
|
Quite
common, with small numbers seen on most days when near or at the coast
|
|
Hartlaub's
Gull
|
Very
common around Cape Town and the False Bay area
|
|
Great
Crested Tern
|
Storms
River (~200); Buffalo Bay (near Brenton-on-Sea 10); Cape Point (~50)
|
|
Sandwich
Tern
|
Cape
Town harbour (~10)
|
|
Speckled
Pigeon
|
A common
bird throughout, even being seen feeding from scraps in the harbours
|
|
Rameron
Pigeon
|
~20 just
outside of Brenton-on-Sea; 4 at Kirstenbosch
|
|
Red-eyed
Dove
|
Common
|
|
Ring-necked
Dove
|
Common
|
|
Laughing
Dove
|
Common.
A pair had made its nest and was incubating in one of the trees next to our
entrance door at J&C’s Beach House in Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Dideric
Cuckoo
|
Apparently,
the owner at J&C’s Beach House had been looking for this bird for the last
three months at the fynbos reserve at Brenton-on-Sea, so I was pleased to find
it calling from an open bush on the last morning there
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|
Spotted
Eagle-Owl
|
Another
surprise at Brenton – a pair were using two of the trees which were next to our
entrance door as their roost site, and were calling to each other from above our
room on the second evening. We also came across one of the birds setting off on
an evening hunt just after dusk as we were driving to find our own restaurant!
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|
Alpine
Swift
|
6 over
Table Mountain; small numbers at Cape Point
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|
African
Swift
|
2 over
Signal Hill
|
|
Little
Swift
|
These
were common around Oudtshoorn
|
|
Horus
Swift
|
~6 were
picked out amongst the Little Swifts at Oudtshoorn, and small numbers were over
Buffalo Bay, Knysna
|
|
White-rumped
Swift
|
Up to 10
were with the Little Swifts at Oudtshoorn, and small numbers were with the
Horus Swifts at Buffalo Bay, Knysna
|
|
Speckled
Mousebird
|
Mousebirds
were very common around Oudtshoorn, and this was the most common species
identified amongst them. In addition, 5 were at Boulders Beach, and 3 at Cape
Point
|
|
White-backed
Mousebird
|
4 were
identified at Oudtshoorn, with another at Buffalo Hills, and 1 at
Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Red-faced
Mousebird
|
4 were
at Buffelsdrift, and another 3 at Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Brown-hooded
Kingfisher
|
2 were
seen – 1 perched on the wire over the river ford at Oudtshoorn, just outside of
the Yot Club, and another next to the road leading into Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Giant
Kingfisher
|
One bird
was seen twice flying over the lake at Buffelsdrift; 1 flew along the rocks at
Storms River; 1 perched over the lagoon at Knysna
|
|
Pied
Kingfisher
|
1 on the
journey from Cape Town to Oudtshoorn; 1 on the estuary East of Plettenberg Bay
|
|
Eurasian
Hoopoe
|
1
singing in front of the Yot Club at Oudtshoorn; 1 flying at Buffelsdrift; 1 at
Buffalo Hills
|
|
Karoo
Lark
|
Good
numbers of larks were seen but not identified on the Klein Karoo while watching
the Meerkats, but of those seen well, this was the predominant species (~8)
|
|
Spike-heeled
Lark
|
There
were hints of the presence of these with the distinctive shape of occasional
larks seen briefly, but only one was seen well enough to identify
|
|
Black
Sawwing
|
1 over
Brenton-on-Sea, and ~6 over Cape Point
|
|
Plain
Martin
|
1 over
Cape Point
|
|
Banded
Martin
|
Strangely,
these were only seen over the harbour at Knysna, where they were easily the
most common hirundine
|
|
White-throated
Swallow
|
An
initial individual was seen perched on a fence during a coffee break just
outside of Heidelberg, with 4 regularly landing on the dining area at
Buffelsdrift, and 2 in front of the Yot Club at Oudtshoorn
|
|
Pearl-breasted
Swallow
|
Only
seen passing over the Klein Karoo while sitting waiting for the Meerkats to
appear, with at least 4 birds
|
|
Greater
Striped-Swallow
|
Regularly
seen in mixed hirundine and swift flocks: Oudtshoorn (4, 10, 2 over Yot Club);
Buffalo Hills (1); Brenton-on-Sea (1)
|
|
Cape
Wagtail
|
Very
common throughout, when it was seen on every day and in almost every habitat. A
very young bird with a very short tail was on the weir of the river in front of
the Yot Club
|
|
Black
Cuckoo-shrike
|
Only one
seen very briefly, in one of the few large trees just outside of the perimeter
electric fence of the lodge at Buffalo Hills. It showed both yellow wing patch
and gape
|
|
Cape
Bulbul
|
Brenton-on-Sea
(quite common); Boulders Beach (1); Cape Point (2); Cape Town (2)
|
|
Sombre
Greenbul
|
The rich
song of this bird belies its plain looks, and it is often the song that is
first noticed: Brenton-on-Sea (2, 2); Kirstenbosch (1)
|
|
Olive
Thrush
|
Oudtshoorn
(3, 1); Cango Wildlife Ranch (1); Buffalo Hills (2); Storms River (1);
Kirstenbosch (~8)
|
|
Red-headed
Cisticola
|
3 were
showing off song flights in the rough scrub just outside of the reception
building of Buffelsdrift Wildlife Reserve
|
|
Karoo
Prinia
|
One of
those small and understated birds with a powerful call: Buffelsdrift (3 just
outside of the reception building); Brenton-on-Sea (~8); Boulders Beach (2);
Signal Hill (1); Kirstenbosch (3)
|
|
Bar-throated
Apalis
|
What was
probably the same bird was seen in the same general area next to the road on
both visits to the fynbos reserve at Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
African
Reed-Warbler
|
Up to 10
birds were in the reeds, with some singing, in front of the Yot Club
|
|
Lesser
Swamp-Warbler
|
Noticeably
larger and with a much cleaner appearance than the African Reed Warbler, the
much more melodic song of this skulking bird was picked out of the reeds at the
Yot Club in Oudtshoorn, with good views eventually obtained
|
|
Fiscal
Flycatcher
|
A pair
were within the enclosed lodge area of Buffalo Hills, with at last 4 even more
approachable birds in the fynbos reserve at Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Cape
Robin-Chat
|
A fairly
common bird seen on most days: Oudtshoorn (1); Cango Wildlife Ranch (2);
Buffalo Hills (2); Knysna (1); Brenton-on-Sea (4, 3); Signal Hill (1); Cape
Point (1); Kirstenbosch (4)
|
|
Karoo Scrub-Robin
|
A pair
were building a nest in the manicured area in front of the reception building
at Buffelsdrift, and another were seen on the Klein Karoo at the end of the
Meerkat outing
|
|
African
Stonechat
|
A single
bird landed in the reeds for a short time at the Yot Club
|
|
Familiar
Chat
|
2 birds
at Buffelsdrift, with one preening and showing off for some time on the fence
surrounding the dining area
|
|
African
Paradise-Flycatcher
|
One
briefly in the car park as we were about to leave Cango Wildife Ranch
|
|
Orange-breasted
Sunbird
|
After
one was seen at Buffelsdrift, the only other location where they were seen was
on the top of Table Mountain, with at least 5 males were singing, and a female
was on the ground next to one of the popular tracks
|
|
Amethyst
Sunbird
|
A
stunning male was lit in the evening light just opposite J&C’s Beach House
at Brenton-on-Sea on the second evening, with a pair on wires at the fynbos
reserve the next morning
|
|
Malachite
Sunbird
|
Another
of those species which I have been looking forward to since childhood, they
didn’t disappoint. After a non-breeding male was seen briefly on successive
days next to the flowerbeds of the Yot Club, a pair was seen on both visits to
the Protea Garden of Kirstenbosch
|
|
Southern
Double-collared Sunbird
|
The only
site where both this species and its Greater cousin were seen together was at
Brenton-on-Sea, where sightings included a nest in the conifer adjoining our
room (1, 3). Further single males were at Cape Point and Kirstenbosch
|
|
Greater
Double-collared Sunbird
|
This
species seems to have a more easterly distribution in the Western Cape than
Southern Double-collared Sunbird: Buffalo Hills (a pair inside the lodge area,
and a separate extra male outside); Brenton-on-Sea (~6, 2)
|
|
Cape
White-eye
|
Quite
common around the fynbos reserve at Brenton-on-Sea, and ~20 in Kirstenbosch
Gardens
|
|
Cape
Sugarbird
|
I was
surprised that these birds were absent from the Protea Gardens at Kirstenbosch,
where they are likely to be seasonal, so had to make do with the single female
which landed in the fynbos reserve at Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Common
Fiscal
|
Very
common throughout
|
|
Southern
Boubou
|
The rich
song of this bird is quite often the only sign of its presence, since it is
very much a skulker. It was heard at one or two localities, including from the
balcony of J&C’s Beach House, but a pair were seen well at the lodge area
of Buffalo Hills
|
|
Bokmakierie
|
It was
relatively disappointing that the only view of this stunning bird was the olive
back and yellow tail tips which flew past our jeep and into the scrub during
the game drive at Buffelsdrift
|
|
Fork-tailed
Drongo
|
Buffelsdrift
(4, 4); Brenton-on-Sea (3)
|
|
Cape
Crow
|
Seen in
small numbers sporadically, they were reasonably common while journeying
between the Garden Route and Cape Town, with an additional 4 at Buffelsdrift,
and a few at Buffalo Hills
|
|
Pied
Crow
|
4 were
seen while travelling, with an additional 6 at Brenton-on-sea, and 4 at Cape of
Good Hope Reserve
|
|
White-necked
Raven
|
1 each
was seen on both journeys to and from the Garden Route to Cape Town, with 1
over Kirstenbosch
|
|
Wattled
Starling
|
Only
birds were ~15 in a flock of Pied Starlings at Buffelsdrift
|
|
Cape
Glossy-Starling
|
1 at
Buffalo Hills
|
|
African
Pied Starling
|
Apart
from up to 6 seen on each journey between Cape Town and the Garden Route, and
also between Buffalo Hills and Knysna, the only others were 30+ around
Buffelsdrfit, including a mixed flock with Wattled Starlings
|
|
Red-winged
Starling
|
This
species seems to be fulfilling a similar role to the Eurasian Starlings of
other continents, since it is common within human habitation, such as the
dining areas of Table Mountain, Cape Point, and the V&A Waterfront of Cape
Town
|
|
House
Sparrow
|
Small
numbers at Oudtshoorn, Cango Wildlife Ranch, and Robben Island
|
|
Cape
Sparrow
|
Thankfully,
this more native sparrow seems to outnumber the House Sparrow, where it is
quite common in the Oudtshoorn area, and also on Robben Island
|
|
Cape
Weaver
|
The most
common weaver, with regular numbers at Oudtshoorn (breeding within the Yot Club
grounds), Buffalo Hills (again breeding in a colony in the lodge area), and
Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Southern
Masked-Weaver
|
After a
single bird at the coffee stop near Heidelberg, only seen at Oudtshoorn, where a small colony
was breeding in the reeds in front of the Yot Club
|
|
Red
Bishop
|
3 were
the first birds seen at the coffee stop just outside of Heidelberg, but they
were much more common and up close with a breeding colony within the reedbed of
the Yot Club at Oudtshoorn
|
|
Yellow
Bishop
|
A single
bird was in the fynbos reserve at Brenton-on-Sea
|
|
Common
Waxbill
|
Brenton-on-Sea
(1)
|
|
Pin-tailed
Whydah
|
Single
male from the car between Cape Town and Oudtshoorn
|
|
Cape
Canary
|
A male
was singing one evening from the wires in front of J&C’s Beach House at
Brenton-on-Sea, with a small flock or two feeding amongst the flowerbeds at
Kirstenbosch
|
|
Forest
Canary
|
A single
bird landed briefly in the Protea Garden at Kirstenbosch
|
|
Streaky-headed
Seedeater
|
At least
2 pairs in the fynbos reserve at Brenton-on-sea, with one pair gathering
nesting material, and the other with a singing male
|
|
Cape
Bunting
|
2 at Cape Point dining area, including one
singing male
|