South Africa – the Kalahari to the Cape 2006
“Summer came early to the Cape this year and we enjoyed superb sunny weather for all of our time in Cape Town, apart from the last day. None more so than on the pelagic when the journey out and back was bathed in sunshine and the sea was the calmest I have ever seen it. These were perfect conditions to enjoy the Shy and Black-browed Albatrosses, White-chinned and Pintado Petrels, Sooty and Great Shearwaters, hordes of Cape Gannets, and Northern Giant Petrel attending a trawler.
The Cape Rockjumpers performed amazingly well, competing for
our attention with a group of Ground Woodpeckers and a Cape Rock Thrush while
the African Penguins on nearby Stony Point were as endearing as ever. The good winter rains had Kirstenbosch
Botanical gardens looking fantastic with swathes of Pin-cushion Proteas
attended by Cape Sugarbirds, Orange-breasted and Lesser-double Collared
Sunbirds. A Klaas’s Cuckoo out in an
appearance and the resident Spotted Eagle Owl was in its usual tree. Elsewhere we found a large flock of Sabine
Gulls off Moullie Point, watched Southern Right Whales splashing around close
inshore, saw the most southerly Ostriches in the world at Cape Point, and found
Cape Siskins close to our accommodation and Spotted Thick-knees at Kommetjie.
We began our journey among the red dunes of the Kalahari Desert where we found Namaqua and Burchell’s Sandgrouse coming into to drink, several Kori Bustards, dozing Verreaux’s Eagle Owls, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Crimson-breasted Shrike, a rare Bennett’s Woodpecker, Gabar Goshawks, and a variety of mammals from stately Gemsbok to alert Meerkats. Augrabies had African Pied Wagtails and lots of water and Pofadder’s Red Larks performed on cue, along with other highlights around the back roads of Bushmanland including Karoo Long-billed and Fawn-coloured Larks, Black-headed Canary, Rufous-eared Warbler, Pale-winged Starlings, and Ashy Tit to name a few.
In Goegap Reserve we watched Ludwig’s Bustards, Mountain and
Capped Wheatears, iridescent Malachite Sunbirds, tiny Karoo Eremomelas, and
Damara Canaries before heading off into the hills around Kamieskroon where we
found some superb sheets of wild flowers.
Lambert’s Bay Cape Gannet colony had been suffering from attacks by some
of the local Cape Fur Seals and had been deserted a few months before we
arrived. Luckily the situation is now
under control and although not back to full strength, there were still plenty
of birds present, all busy displaying.
This was also a great place to get good views of Swift Terns as some
large flocks were gathered on the rocks around the harbour, along with plenty
of Hartlaub’s and a few Grey-headed Gulls.
The open air seafood meal on the beach later that night was a perfect
end to the day and much appreciated, not least for those delicious huge
crayfish.
Heading south we found the often-difficult Protea Canary in
a narrow ‘kloof’ and scanned the Berg river estuary for a variety of wildfowl
and waders. We called in at Saldana to
get close views of our first African Black Oystercatchers and Bank Cormorants
before arriving at our ever so welcoming guesthouse at Langabaan. We had a pleasant morning in the West Coast
Nature reserve with an obliging Southern Black Korhaan, Cape Grassbird and
great views of both African Marsh and Black Harriers and we managed to find a
Chestnut-banded Plover at the very last-chance site. We found time to call in at one of the many wild flower reserves
where we were treated to a fine display of flowers and the tiny aerial dots of
a displaying Cloud Cisticolas before moving inland and up into the Cederburg
Mountains, ending the day at a wonderfully remote guesthouse. From here we explored the karoo, and found
Cinnamon-breasted Warblers showing well in their famous rocky gorge while Horus
Swifts zoomed overhead, Fairy Flycatchers on the way into Ceres and Cape
Clapper Larks right by our guest house.
The rains this winter had been some of the best in the karoo for ten years and parts of this normally sombre grey and brown landscape were covered in vibrant yellow flowers. Still, birds were typically scarce but we did manage to find Karoo Korhaan, some smart Black-eared Sparrowlarks, Red-capped and Spike-heeled Larks, noisy Namaqua Warblers and some amazing gatherings of White-necked Ravens, although it may have been the lunch at the Tanqua Karoo Guest house that really stood out. We popped into Ceres to find Black Duck and then it was on to Swellendam. Our visit to this beautiful town was memorable, not only for the superb accommodation and wonderful food, but also for the visit to the Bontebok Reserve where we found several Stanley’s Bustards, some in full display, Pearl-breasted Swallows, lots of Fiscal Flycatchers, an incredibly obliging Olive Bush-shrike, and of course lots of smart Bonteboks.
Driving south we found Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Algulhas Long-billed Larks, Blue Cranes in the wheat fields and Cape Vultures circling around Potberg and were treated to a wonderful first view of Cape Town as we crested Sir Lowry’s Pass. Our four days at the delightful Afton Grove passed all too quickly and will be remembered for the delicious meals and genial hosts as much as the birds.” Steve Rooke
BIRD LIST
This is a list of birds seen on the last four tours to South
Africa:
Column A =
Number of tours on which this species has been recorded.
Column B =
Number of days this species was seen on the last tour.
Column C =
Maximum daily count for this species on the last tour.
H = Heard only
(H) = Mostly
heard but some seen
N = Nesting evident
I =
Introduced
|
4 |
Ostrich |
11 |
100 |
|
Struthio camelus |
|
4 |
Jackass Penguin |
4 |
500 |
|
Spheniscus demersus |
|
4 |
Great Crested Grebe
|
2 |
10 |
|
Podiceps cristatus |
|
4 |
Black-necked Grebe
|
2 |
100 |
|
Podiceps nigricollis |
|
4 |
Little Grebe |
8 |
40 |
|
Tachybaptus ruficollis |
|
1 |
Southern Royal Albatross |
|
|
|
Diomedea epomophora |
|
4 |
Shy Albatross |
2 |
100 |
|
Thalassarche cauta |
|
4 |
Black-browed Albatross
|
1 |
30 |
|
Thalassarche melanophris |
|
2 |
Indian Ocean Yellow-nosed Albatross |
|
|
|
Thalassarche cateri |
|
1 |
Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross |
|
|
|
Thalassarche chlororhynchos |
|
2 |
Southern Giant-Petrel
|
|
|
|
Macronectes giganteus |
|
4 |
Northern Giant-Petrel
|
1 |
1 |
|
Macronectes halli |
|
2 |
Giant Petrel sp |
|
|
|
Macronectes sp |
|
1 |
Southern Fulmar |
|
|
|
Fulmarus glacialoides |
|
1 |
Slender-billed Prion |
|
|
|
Pachyptila belcheri |
|
4 |
White-chinned Petrel
|
3 |
300 |
|
Procellaria aequinoctialis |
|
4 |
Sooty Shearwater |
1 |
200 |
|
Puffinus griseus |
|
4 |
Great Shearwater |
1 |
2 |
|
Puffinus gravis |
|
1 |
Soft-plumaged Petrel |
|
|
|
Pterodroma mollis |
|
4 |
Cape (Pintado) Petrel
|
1 |
6 |
|
Daption capense |
|
4 |
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
|
1 |
12 |
|
Oceanites oceanicus |
|
4 |
Cape Gannet |
4 |
4000 |
|
Morus capensis |
|
4 |
White-breasted Cormorant
|
8 |
50 |
|
Phalacrocorax lucidus |
|
4 |
Bank Cormorant |
3 |
20 |
|
Phalacrocorax neglectus |
|
4 |
Cape Cormorant |
5 |
00s |
|
Phalacrocorax capensis |
|
4 |
Long-tailed (Reed) Cormorant |
8 |
10 |
|
Phalacrocorax africanus |
|
4 |
Crowned Cormorant
|
1 |
12 |
|
Phalacrocorax coronatus |
|
4 |
African Darter |
3 |
4 |
|
Anhinga rufa |
|
4 |
Eastern White Pelican
|
3 |
30 |
|
Pelecanus onocrotalus |
|
2 |
Purple Heron |
2 |
1 |
|
Ardea purpurea |
|
2 |
Goliath Heron |
1 |
1 |
|
Ardea goliath |
|
4 |
Grey Heron |
9 |
6 |
|
Ardea cinerea |
|
4 |
Black-headed Heron
|
12 |
10 |
|
Ardea melanocephala |
|
4 |
Little Egret |
6 |
6 |
|
Egretta garzetta |
|
4 |
Cattle Egret |
9 |
200 |
|
Bubulcus ibis |
|
4 |
Black-crowned Night Heron |
1 |
1 |
|
Nycticorax nycticorax |
|
1 |
Black Stork |
|
|
|
Ciconia nigra |
|
4 |
Greater Flamingo |
3 |
200 |
|
Phoenicopterus ruber |
|
4 |
Lesser Flamingo |
1 |
1 |
|
Phoenicopterus minor |
|
4 |
African Spoonbill
|
3 |
6 |
|
Platalea alba |
|
2 |
Hamerkop |
|
|
|
Scopus umbretta |
|
4 |
Hadada Ibis |
9 |
12 |
|
Bostrychia hagedash |
|
3 |
Glossy Ibis |
2 |
100 |
|
Plegadis falcinellus |
|
4 |
Sacred Ibis |
9 |
200 |
|
Threskiornis aethiopicus |
|
4 |
Spur-winged Goose
|
7 |
6 |
|
Plectropterus gambensis |
|
4 |
Egyptian Goose |
12 |
100 |
|
Alopochen aegyptiacus |
|
4 |
South African Shelduck
|
9 |
20 |
|
Tadorna cana |
|
3 |
Southern Pochard |
2 |
20 |
|
Netta erythrophthalma |
|
4 |
Maccoa Duck |
1 |
50 |
|
Oxyura maccoa |
|
4 |
Yellow-billed Duck
|
7 |
30 |
|
Anas undulata |
|
3 |
Mallard |
1 |
4 |
|
Anas platyrhynchos
|
|
4 |
African Black Duck
|
1 |
1 |
|
Anas sparsa |
|
4 |
Cape Shoveler |
7 |
20 |
|
Anas smithii |
|
4 |
Cape Teal |
3 |
30 |
|
Anas capensis |
|
3 |
Red-billed Teal |
5 |
30 |
|
Anas erythrorhyncha |
|
4 |
Cape Vulture |
1 |
8 |
|
Gyps coprotheres |
|
4 |
African White-backed Vulture |
2 |
10 |
|
Gyps africanus |
|
2 |
Lappet-faced Vulture |
1 |
1 |
|
Torgos tracheliotus |
|
3 |
African Fish Eagle
|
2 |
1 |
|
Haliaeetus vocifer |
|
3 |
Bateleur |
1 |
10 |
|
Terathopius ecaudatus |
|
4 |
Black-chested Snake Eagle |
1 |
1 |
|
Circaetus pectoralis |
|
4 |
Tawny Eagle |
1 |
6 |
|
Aquila rapax |
|
4 |
Verreaux's Eagle |
2 |
1 |
|
Aquila verreauxii |
|
4 |
Martial Eagle |
1 |
1 |
|
Polemaetus bellicosus |
|
4 |
Booted Eagle |
6 |
2 |
|
Hieraaetus pennatus |
|
4 |
Jackal Buzzard |
7 |
3 |
|
Buteo rufofuscus |
|
2 |
Forest Buzzard |
1 |
1 |
|
Buteo trizonatus |
|
3 |
African Harrier-Hawk
|
2 |
2 |
|
Polyboroides typus |
|
4 |
African Marsh Harrier
|
2 |
2 |
|
Circus ranivorus |
|
4 |
Black Harrier |
4 |
2 |
|
Circus maurus |
|
4 |
Gabar Goshawk |
2 |
6 |
|
Melierax gabar |
|
4 |
Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk |
7 |
30 |
|
Melierax canorus |
|
4 |
Yellow-billed Kite
|
7 |
10 |
|
Milvus aegyptius |
|
4 |
Black-shouldered Kite
|
8 |
6 |
|
Elanus caeruleus |
|
4 |
Pygmy Falcon |
4 |
30 |
|
Polihierax semitorquatus |
|
2 |
Black Sparrowhawk |
|
|
|
Accipiter melanoleucus |
|
1 |
Red-chested Sparrowhawk |
|
|
|
Accipiter rufiventris |
|
4 |
African Goshawk |
1 |
2 |
|
Accipiter tachiro |
|
4 |
Lanner Falcon |
2 |