South African nature enthusiast with a passion for Birding, Photography and Travelling to interesting places to discover more about Southern Africa and the World
My birding / atlasing trips that I undertake once a week, unless other activities or weather conditions get in the way, take me to various parts of the greater Mossel Bay area and beyond.
The scenes I come across in this varied and beautiful part of our country are often striking, especially in the early morning at and just after sunrise during the “golden hour”, but also later on.
Here are a few images taken over the last month or so
The first was on the road beyond Herbertsdale, looking back over the small town which was all but shrouded in early morning mist
A trip ‘over the mountain’ north of Herbertsdale took me to the Gouritz River where I walked along the river bank for a few hundred metres, with not another soul in sight
Another trip took me to the same river but this time some 60 kms south of where the above images were taken, not far from the river mouth and the town that bears the name Gouritsmond (you guessed it – Afrikaans for Gouritz mouth)
On that same trip this lovely flowering Aloe at the roadside caught my eye
Heading further afield, a short trip to Knysna was an opportunity to see a bit of this famous Garden Route town. Our B&B had a view of a part of the estuary that is such an important feature of the town
Looking back from the wooden jetty towards the B&B (double-storey house on the left)
Every July / August the Canola fields are in bloom and provide stunning vistas in many parts of the southern Cape. I was fortunate to capture this scene as the sun peeped over the horizon, lighting up the yellow blossoms of the canola
These tales record some of the more memorable experiences while atlasing – in this case during March 2023 while we were at our ‘other’ home in Mossel Bay (where we now reside permanently)
And in case you’ve forgotten or have not heard of Atlasing, here’s a brief synopsis –
Atlasing is the regular mapping of bird species in a specific area called a “pentad”. Each pentad has a unique number, based on its geographical position according to a 5 minute x 5 minute grid of co-ordinates of latitude and longitude, which translates into a square of our planet roughly 8 x 8 kms in extent.
As a registered observer / Citizen scientist under the SABAP2 program (SA Bird Atlas Project 2), I record all of the species I see or hear in a particular pentad over a period which can be anything between 2 hours and 5 days, for submission to the project database at the ADU (Animal Demography Unit) based in Cape Town.
George – Country roads west of town
Gerda’s last treatment, taking up most of the day at the clinic in George, meant I had a chance to do some atlasing in the area once again. I didn’t want to travel too far from George so chose a pentad directly west of the town.
Pentad 3355_2215
I headed west out of George, taking Charles street which winds through country farmland and hills before descending into Great Brak. Just after the start of the pentad the road – which is gravel most of the way – descends to the single lane bridge over the Maalgate River
Bridge over Maalgate River
There I spent some time on both sides of the river, recording Fork-tailed Drongo, Black Saw-wing, Common Quail, Little Rush Warbler and several Swallows and Swifts.
Add to that a number of waterfowl at a large dam further along the same road and I had recorded a quick 25 species in as many minutes, including a lone Purple Heron at the dam.
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Rooireier
One of the ‘hazards’ of atlasing the country roads is encountering the occasional ‘road block’ – fortunately not of the policed kind, rather one that adds to the experience as gentle farm animals pass by the car.
Great Brak inland
After crossing the river again, a Long-crested Eagle flew over to fill my heart with pleasure – later in the adjacent pentad another (or possibly the same one) soared high above with some sort of prey gripped in its beak – this time I had my camera handy for a quick photo as it passed over me
After that great start, the birding slowed somewhat as I followed the road through farmlands, then headed back in the direction of George along roads that took me through the adjacent pentad.
That led to an unusual encounter with a Malachite Kingfisher, which flew across the road in front of the car, then settled on a fence – unusual because there were no dams or rivers in the vicinity. It perched long enough to allow me to take a few photos in this out of character environment.
Looking to further ‘fill in’ my MBMA Project block of pentads for the year (MBMA is my acronym for Mossel Bay Municipal Area which covers 42 pentads over a wide swathe of the southern Cape from Gouritz River in the west to Glentana in the east and northwards up to the Klein Karoo), I decided to tackle the pentads covering the village of Friemersheim itself and to the west and east of it.
Pentad 3355_2210
I started in the pentad to the east of Friemersheim at 7am on the dot, travelling along Amy Searle Street northwards out of the town of Great Brak River, initially through farmland with a sprinkling of small dams on either side of the road.
First bird was a calling Burchell’s Coucal – their soft bubbling call often advertises their presence long before they show themselves – later I had a surprise close encounter with the species.
I spent some time at the first roadside dams, looking with some difficulty into the low morning sun – a Malachite Kingfisher was already active, perched on a convenient branch and plunging to catch small prey.
Several waterfowl were present, such as the ubiquitous Yellow-billed Duck, a few Red-billed Teals and a Little Grebe.
Carrying on, a field with shortish grass was the right habitat for Lapwings and produced the similar looking Black-winged Lapwings and Crowned Lapwings, the former a scarcer, sought after species, the latter far more common.
I turned off the tar road eastwards along a nondescript gravel side road, but one I had previously explored with some success. The first stretch travels through more farmland with shortish grass, which was good for Zitting Cisticola and Cape Longclaw, plus many Barn Swallows flying low and scooping flying insects out of the air.
Thereafter the road turns steeply downhill into a wooded valley with a strong river flowing at the lowest point. Halfway down I stopped for coffee and rusks and added 8 species in the 15 to 20 minutes spent listening and looking out for birds, including several forest species –
Collared Sunbird – my first record of the species for the Western Cape
Dusky Flycatcher
Fork-tailed Drongo
Olive Bushshrike
Emerging from the valley, I continued along the road through more farmlands and rolling hills, steadily adding species to the card, which included a few more special sightings –
Spotted Flycatcher perched on a fence, allowing me to take several photos (another first record for my Western Cape list)
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Europese vlieëvanger
Terrestrial Brownbul calling from dense bush – krrr – krrr – krrr is the best way I can describe this secretive species’ call
The close encounter with a Burchell’s Coucal mentioned above – I followed its progress through a tangle of long grass and bushes
The second pentad for the morning was far less productive, probably because it was close to midday when birds tend to be temporarily absent until the late afternoon ‘rush hour’ starts
My route was through Friemersheim (which has been the subject of several of my posts about the mural artwork that is a feature of this interesting village) then a circular route on the northern side of the village.
There were few highlights, but I found hundreds of Barn Swallows feeding over the fields. My last stop in the forested section produced several Cape Batises and a Butterfly gathering moisture from a puddle in the road
To repeat the intro to my previous posts on this subject …. Many of the migrant waders – or shorebirds as they are also known – display the most Jeckyll and Hyde characteristics of all birds, living two dramatically different lives and spending time in habitats which are far removed from each other.
Separating these two lives are amazing journeys that take these small yet hardy birds halfway across the world – and back again.
South African birders get to know migrant species during their stay in the southern hemisphere, typically during the months from October to April, so let’s find out a bit more about their ‘other’ lives by delving (again) into the typical annual life cycle of these waders.
This time it’s the –
Wood Sandpiper (Bosruiter) Tringa glareola
Affectionately called ‘Woodies’, this species is so named because they breed on swamps and peat bogs in the coniferous taiga forests of the Northern Hemisphere – who would have thought this is also a ‘Forest bird’ !
Identification and Distribution
Identification of the Wood Sandpiper is relatively easy – compared to some of the other LBW’s (Little brown waders) – and is often the first wader that novice birders will get to know as it is one of the most common freshwater waders
straight bill about the same length as the head, white brow extends behind eye
grey-brown above with eye-catching white ‘spotting’ , grey below
Wood Sandpiper, Devon
Distribution –
The orange area on the global distribution map (from Cornell Birds of the World) shows where breeding occurs in the Northern Hemisphere while the blue area, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, is where they go to ‘get away from it all’ and prepare themselves for the next round of raising a family.
Wood Sandpiper, Marievale
The southern African distribution map (from The Firefinch Birding app) shows the species presence across most of the region but absent from the Kalahari and arid west.
Life in the North
The preferred breeding habitat is the open swampy area and peat bogs in coniferous forests, scrubland between those forests and tundra
Their diet is mainly small aquatic insects, caught by pecking or probing while walking in shallow water
Wood Sandpiper, Marievale Bird Sanctuary
Breeding
The nest is usually a small scrape on the ground lined with moss, stems and leaves, in dense vegetation, but also frequently in trees in old nests of other species
Eggs (usually 4) are laid and incubated for about 3 weeks – from 7 to 10 days after hatching the male cares for the young on its own
Fledging some 3 to 4 weeks later, the fledglings are independent soon thereafter, facing the many dangers that young birds are subject to.
Wood Sandpiper, Kasane Botswana
Migration
The birds we see in Southern Africa are thought to originate from Russia, first adults leave early July, arriving in the south from late July / August with juveniles following mainly in September and October.
Migration is undertaken at night with birds capable of single flights of up to 4000km. Overland routes are followed by small flocks or singly, mainly via the Rift Valley
Wood Sandpiper, Kasane Botswana
Life in the South
Of the 3 million+ Woodies that head to Africa, some 50 – 100,000 end up in southern Africa, where they seek out suitable freshwater habitats. These can be anything from shallow sewage ponds to marshes, flood plains and muddy edges of streams and rivers, down to the size of a puddle.
Wood Sandpiper, Punda Maria
Sometime after arrival, adults start a post-breeding moult which continues for up to 4 months, during which time all feathers are replaced with new ones.
Generally, a solitary bird except where food is abundant when they may gather in loose groups
Wood Sandpiper with Little Stint, Leeuwfontein Pan near Belfast
They start departing from late February with the majority having left by end April, heading north to their breeding grounds where the cycle will start all over again…
Wood Sandpiper, Bredasdorp
References : Cornell Lab of Ornithology Birds of the World; Roberts VII Birds of Southern Africa; Firefinch app, Collins Bird Guide; Waders of Southern Africa
The most popular posts on my blog to date have been those I wrote about the quirky artwork that adorns the outside walls of random homes in the small village of Friemersheim in the Southern Cape.
For some reason readers have been attracted to these posts in far greater numbers than any of my other 300 plus posts – a tad ironic when you consider the title of my blog is “Mostly Birding”, as this is the one post that has no birds mentioned other than those depicted in the murals!
But I’m not complaining – It’s just the persuasion I need to post some more photos of the artwork that has appeared since those posts.
So let me remind you about Friemersheim with some of the details from the original post …..
Where is Friemersheim?
This small town, described by some as a hamlet, lies a short distance inland of Great Brak River, itself a small town on the coast of the southern Cape, not far from our home town Mossel Bay
The Artwork
Friemersheim was firmly placed on the tourist map during lockdown, when South African artist Fourie Ackermann, who moved to the area in 2015, decided to liven things up with murals painted on the walls of local houses. And did he make a good job of it!
It is an ongoing project it seems, as new murals ‘pop up’ on houses throughout the spread-out town on a regular basis.
During a recent bird atlasing trip to the area around the town I took some ‘time off’ from birding to drive through the town and view the murals that had appeared since my previous posts
Here’s what I found …..
Cottage with it All!
We came across this charmingly “artworked” cottage a couple of kilometres before the town itself- a perfect combination of reality and imagination and incorporating several of Fourie’s trademark features-
The side wall has a zebra in a doorway, a real door and an alcove with a tractor
The front wall has a friendly couple waving forever to passers-by, a real door, and…
a real window decorated with painted shutters, a few balloons, flowers and a black cat just visible through the lace curtain
Cheetah on a Rock with Two Cubs
This house on the main road through the village has just one painting of a cheetah and its cubs perched on a rock
Zooming in, the detail becomes clear…
Leopard in a Tree
Further on along the same road, this small shop serves as the canvas for another of the big cats – this time a Leopard in a tree
Leopard Watching
Still on the Leopard theme, this one has surely spotted prey, judging by the focused stare
Fish Eagle
One wall of another modest house is adorned with this image of an African Fish-Eagle with a fish clutched in its talons
Lion in a House
I particularly enjoy the quirky side of Fourie’s artistic murals, such as this lion glaring at you through a large ‘hole in the wall’ of the abode, with a sunbird perched on a thin stem for good luck
More Cheetahs
My first post on this unique town included the image below of cheetahs with a real dog (disturbingly chained) on the front lawn.
The dog is no longer there (thank goodness) but the adjoining wall has now been decorated with another cheetah scene
This town is a treat to see if you are ever in the area!
Our third trip to Australia in January and February this year was all about seeing son Stephan and his family for the first time since 2022, while using the opportunity to see more of Australia – a huge country we are getting to know in small instalments.
The ‘instalment’ this time around was based on a suggestion by Stephan that we meet the family in Sydney and do a slow road trip up the east coast to Brisbane, where we would catch a flight to Mackay in Queensland, their new home town. That appealed to us, as it meant spending quality time with the family while our grandkids had school holidays and Stephan was on leave, at the same time seeing a part of Australia that we had not visited before.
We had left Sydney behind and enjoyed two days each at Caves Beach, Nambucca Heads and Gold Coast, now it was time to conclude our road trip with a short visit to Brisbane
Wednesday – Some shopping and a slow trip to Brisbane
After checking out of the Meriton Suites in Gold Coast, we tagged along with the family to the nearby Pacific Fair shopping mall, with no particular goal in mind other than to see what it looked like and while away some time before undertaking the (supposedly) short trip to Brisbane, a mere 75 kms away.
Pacific Fair Mall, Gold Coast Queensland
What we found was a mall much like those in all big cities with the usual mix of shops, some with names we recognised, others not, and walkways full of people of all ages but predominantly young and fashionable.
First stop was at Le Bon Croix restaurant for tea/coffee and something delicious – the choice of croissants and tarts, the latter fresh and brightly coloured, was tempting
Pacific Fair Mall, Gold Coast Queensland
After some deliberation I chose this slightly more conservative one to accompany my coffee
Pacific Fair Mall, Gold Coast Queensland
Then the girls did a round of the shops with the boys in tow, before returning to the car and setting off to Brisbane.
Traffic was painfully slow all the way to the highway and for most of the way to Brisbane, which turned the short journey into a 3 hour affair.
Thank goodness for the technology that provides a map and directions on the console – it’s hard to imagine driving in a foreign country to a city you have never been to before without it.
Nevertheless, driving in constant traffic on roads you have never driven on before is not easy (dare I say especially at our age), so it was not surprising that I missed the turn into the Indigo Hotel Brisbane City and had to find my way around a series of one-way, busy city streets to get back to the hotel, adding to the already somewhat nervy state I was in. I was mightily relieved once we had offloaded our bags, got them to the room and I had taken the car to the off-site parking a block away.
The family had delayed their trip due to the traffic, so we went in search of a restaurant on our own, ‘following our noses’ along strange streets and ending up a few blocks down George Street at Lennons in the Hyatt Hotel – we enjoyed a good dinner and by the time we got back to the hotel the family had arrived.
Brisbane Queensland
Birds added: None!
Thursday – Brisbane – Gardens and the Museum
We slept a bit later and went for breakfast as late as allowed.
We had decided to visit the Botanical Gardens in the city, so we ubered there and took a slow walk from the drop off point, taking in the lush forest like gardens along the way.
Refreshments were accompanied by the presence of Noisy Miners and an Australian White Ibis / Bin Chicken as well as a Water Dragon that dashed between our legs causing a flutter or two.
Noisy Miner, Botanical Gardens, Brisbane QueenslandEastern Water Dragon, Botanical Gardens, Brisbane Queensland“Bin Chicken” cleaning up as soon as we stood up to leave
A nice surprise awaited when we carried on along the pathways, in the form of three Bush Stone-Curlews standing like statues among the trees.
Bush Stone-Curlew, Botanical Gardens, Brisbane Queensland
I had hoped to find this species, which is of the same genus as our Dikkops – Burhinus – so is akin to being a cousin, albeit on a different continent.
Further on we came to the ponds which held a number of Dusky Moorhens.
Brisbane Queensland
At one of the ponds I noticed two birds flying low over the water and snatching something from the surface. On closer inspection of the photos and after comparing my photos with the Birding app, my hopes for another lifer were confirmed – Blue-faced Honeyeater.
The kids were keen to visit the Queensland Museum and with closing time just an hour away we ubered there from the main gate of the gardens. It was a worthwhile trip with outstanding exhibits although we had to rush it a bit.
Brisbane Museum
The digital recreations of prehistoric scenes were particularly impressive
We all found something interesting to see, mine being the displays of Aussie birds and butterflies
Brisbane QueenslandBrisbane Queensland
On the way back we had a glimpse of the river and views of the city from the minibus cab that we called
Brisbane Queensland
No this is not the cab! Just a sleek Aston Martin outside our hotel
Brisbane Queensland
We rounded off the day with a last meal in the hotel restaurant, which was Japanese fusion and our ‘Wagyu Bagas’ were the best burgers we’ve had in a long while.
Tomorrow we travel ‘home’ to Mackay on the last leg of a memorable trip.
Triplist –Birds added
Bush Stone-Curlew at the Botanical Gardens
Blue-faced Honeyeater at the Botanical Gardens
Australian Brushturkey on the lawns where we waited for our Uber
Friday – Brisbane to Mackay
The last morning in Brisbane required some careful planning – we had to return the rental car to a site near the airport by the designated time of 10.30am and fit in breakfast, final packing, fetching the car from the parking garage off-site and getting the baggage loaded.
Before returning the car we also had to find a filling station and fill the tank (myself – no attendants here) Fortunately it all worked out nicely and we were dropped off at the terminal by the rental company’s shuttle bus with plenty of time to spare.
We had almost four hours to wait for the flight, which went surprisingly quickly, and the flight was just an hour and a half.
We were at the house by 6pm and immediately had a swim in the pool to shake off the hot and humid conditions – just a taste of the “Durban on steroids” weather we would experience for the next three weeks.
We are looking forward to our stay in Mackay which a first impression suggests is a pleasant town without pretension.
Footnote on modern travel
Just when you think you can deal with everything modern travel throws at you, something new crosses your path! Checking in online is old hat but I have always relied on an actual person at a check-in desk to drop off our bags. That wasn’t an option when checking in at Brisbane Airport, so I just had to figure out how to do the label printing and baggage drop without the aid of another human being for the first time – very intimidating!
Travel nowadays is all but entirely reliant on technology, and it is a constant learning curve and a mind challenge for the older generation – you really have to keep your wits about you, even when doing something ‘ordinary’ such as riding in a lift….
The lift at the apartment suite we rented in Gold Coast had no buttons in the car – you choose your destination when calling for a lift in the lobby and the smart technology does the rest. Still rather unnerving to get into a lift car that has no controls other than door opening and closing buttons.
Our third trip to Australia in January and February this year was all about seeing son Stephan and his family for the first time since 2022, while using the opportunity to see more of Australia – a huge country we are getting to know in small instalments.
The ‘instalment’ this time around was based on a suggestion by Stephan that we meet the family in Sydney and do a slow road trip up the east coast to Brisbane, where we would catch a flight to Mackay in Queensland, their new home town. That appealed to us, as it meant spending quality time with the family while our grandkids had school holidays and Stephan was on leave, at the same time seeing a part of Australia that we had not visited before.
We had left Sydney behind and enjoyed two days each at Caves Beach and Nambucca Heads – next stop Gold Coast
Sunday – Nambucca Heads to Gold Coast
Time to head further north today, but not before enjoying a breakfast at Wharf Café which overlooks the estuary. The rain had almost subsided and allowed us to load the cars and leave by checkout time.
Breakfast done, we started on the route to Gold Coast and were soon back on the Pacific highway, this time in sunny conditions which made the drive a lot more comfortable. As in other parts of Australia that we have driven, we passed through long stretches lined with tall trees on both sides, which is always pleasing to the eye.
On the road
We stuck to the highway all the way to Byron Bay where we diverted to drive through the town and stop for refreshments and a look at the beach. Byron Bay is known for its beautiful coastal scenery, its famous surf breaks and for being a spot favoured by celebrities – it struck us as being similar in character to our Garden Route towns such as Plettenberg Bay and Knysna.
Byron Bay Beach NSW
Back on the highway, a notable feature are the ‘bridges to nowhere’ that the road passes under at fairly regular intervals – bridges that seem to end either side of the highway with no visible approach road crossing over.
We saw similar bridges in Canada so I guessed that their purpose was the same ie to provide a safe crossing point for wildlife of all kinds, without having to set foot on the road at all.
The principle behind these structures is the provision of ecological connectivity between the areas occupied by various wildlife on either side of the highway. They are used by everything from marsupials and reptiles to frogs and birds, saving countless wildlife from becoming roadkill.
Passing under one of several “Wildlife crossings” on the Pacific Highway
Approaching our destination of Gold Coast, the proliferation of tall modern buildings made it clear that we were entering a large city with spread-out residential areas.
Gold Coast Queensland
Our home for the three nights was set on a hill in Burleigh Heads, overlooking Burleigh Beach and set among tall trees and bush – the house appeared quite modest at first glance but was furnished and equipped in modern fashion with a large kitchen and living area as well as a spacious deck. Downstairs were more bedrooms and a living room which the kids immediately took a liking to.
Burleigh Heads Queensland
Being in in a new time zone in Queensland (which does not observe daylight saving in summer), we had lost an hour so had about an hour of daylight left to relax on the deck. Naturally I spent most of that hour scanning the surrounding trees for birdlife and gazing into the sky where a number of what looked like swallows were making the most of the time before sunset.
View from the deck at Burleigh Heads Queensland
Triplist–
Birds added:
Good old House Sparrow at one of the stops
Swamp Harrier flying over the road in an area with wetlands bordering the highway
Swamp Harrier (image from Birds of the World)
Pied Currawong in the large trees around the house
White-breasted Woodswallow high up above the house
White-breasted Woodswallow (image from Birds of the World)
Monday – Gold Coast : Sea World
Stephan had booked tickets for a visit to Sea World and we set off along a busy route lined with tall apartment buildings and hotels which told a story of a popular place for holidays and plenty of wealth. Our hearts sank when we saw the exceptionally large, full parking area – expected I suppose but still… I dropped Gerda off near the entrance, parked far away and walked back to join the queue at the entrance.
Heading back to the entrance
Inside, the foyer was buzzing with activity and people – after a tea and a snack we walked along paths filled with more people and flanking expansive outdoor pools which we bypassed for the time being – the dolphin show was scheduled to start soon and we didn’t want to miss it.
We made it in good time after a longish walk with throngs of people and found a good spot to sit and enjoy the show – which was very well done and a highlight of the day.
Heading back, we found a table at the main area for a burger lunch, after which we slowly made our way back to the exit, leaving the family to do the rides, while we took in the Shark tank and Manta ray pools on the way back.
At the house we flopped onto the bed for a recovery snooze followed by some outside time on the deck before the rest of the family returned, exhilarated after doing several of the spectacular rides on offer.
Tuesday – Gold Coast : Surprise Low and a Spectacular High
The Low
Well it had to happen sometime – no proper road trip ever runs smoothly all of the way….
We were having a relaxed morning after yesterday’s activities when a knock on the door changed things – it was a plumber informing us that the sewer from the property was overflowing and running into the neighbour’s yard below, apparently into their swimming pool! He suggested we would not be able to flush toilets or open taps until the problem was sorted out, which could only happen with the owner’s cooperation. That was not forthcoming so we would have to vacate the house a day early!
We set about finding alternative accommodation while we packed, which we eventually found in an apartment complex not too far away. Meriton Apartments turned out to be quite smart, upmarket in fact and apart from the cost it was a good move, albeit just for one night. Gerda and I checked in while the rest were having a beach swim, and I popped down to the pool for a refreshing swim.
The High
Soon it was time to set off for the Outback Spectacular evening show at a venue on the way to Brisbane, which was true to its name and made up for the drama and disappointment of the day so far.
Australian Outback Spectacular show, Gold Coast Queensland
The show had it all …… and more as the images hopefully show –
The show started and while the story was being told, a meal was served at our seats, which had a continuous table in front. We watched in awe as a team of young waiters served up about 2000 meals in a short space of time and we tucked into the delicious food accompanied by a glass of wine – this is the way to do it!
Australian Outback Spectacular show, Gold Coast Queensland
We all enjoyed the show thoroughly, with horses, cattle, a dog and various vehicles adding to the spectacle, all synced with an outstanding projection of images on the back wall and on the floor of the arena and woven around a story of the outback
There didn’t seem to be any way of topping what had been done so far – until a helicopter entered the arena! I mumbled something about ‘Good grief it’s a flipping helicopter!’ or words to that effect, as the helicopter, a real one tethered to a steel beam running below the roof, did a circuit of the arena and helped ‘rustle’ the cattle back to their pens – truly spectacular!
And as if that wasn’t enough, a cloudburst with real water fell across the arena (not the seating area) and was followed by a digitally created waterfall and river flowing through the sandy floor of the arena. We left with embedded memories …… and a complimentary straw hat!
Triplist –
Birds added (before we vacated the house)
Pacific Swift amongst swallows and swifts soaring above the house
Pacific Swift (Image from Birds of the World)
A curious Grey Butcherbird appearing on the deck and popping out into the open to give us the once over
Our third trip to Australia in January and February this year was all about seeing son Stephan and his family for the first time since 2022, while using the opportunity to see more of Australia – a huge country we are getting to know in small instalments.
The ‘instalment’ this time around was based on a suggestion by Stephan that we meet the family in Sydney and do a slow road trip up the east coast to Brisbane, where we would catch a flight to Mackay in Queensland, their new home town. That appealed to us, as it meant spending quality time with the family while our grandkids had school holidays and Stephan was on leave, at the same time seeing a part of Australia that we had not visited before.
We had left Sydney behind and enjoyed two days at Caves Beach – the exotic sounding Nambucca Heads lay enticingly in wait for our next stop
Friday – Caves Beach to Nambucca Heads (In the rain)
Rain accompanied us almost the entire distance of just under 400kms and along with slow roads for the first two hours turned a 4 hour trip into 6, with the added challenge of poor visibility for most of the way. Lunch was burgers at Taree Service stop which was very busy but quick.
We were glad to reach the Cubana Resort at Nambucca Heads safe and sound and were soon settled into our two rooms with ours overlooking lush gardens and a lake.
Cubana Resort, Nambucca Heads New South WalesCubana Resort, Nambucca Heads New South Wales
When the rain subsided enough to venture outside, I stood scanning the garden in front of our room for signs of any bird or other life and noticed a bird darting out into the open, picking up something then darting back.
I rushed to get my camera suspecting something special, and when it ventured into the open again, I was able to get a few shots as it scurried between tufts of grass, which were good enough to ID the bird – it was my first Rail photographed! Buff-banded Rail to be exact.
Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis, Nambucca Heads New South Wales
Later we drove to the nearby supermarket for provisions which included a selection of prepared meals for the evening – the fridge and microwave in the room proved to be invaluable and we enjoyed our supper in the room.
Triplist–
Birds added:
The weather conditions with regular showers and poor light meant opportunities for bird photography were severely limited – something we were to experience throughout our trip.
Where I did not manage to get a fresh photo, I have ‘borrowed’ some of my images from our previous trips to Australia to illustrate the birds added to the triplist
Our quick lunch stop at Taree Service Stop produced a Magpie-Lark
Magpie-lark
The Buff-banded Rail was a Lifer for me, the first of the trip and made a few appearances on the grass in front of our room, but I had to grab my camera rapidly and be as stealthy as I could as it dashed into the cover of the bushes at the slightest movement
Buff-banded Rail Gallirallus philippensis, Nambucca Heads New South Wales
Strangely we had not seen the well-known “Bin Chicken” or Australian White Ibis until we reached Nambucca, where they were plentiful
Australian White Ibis Theskiornis molucca
Rainbow Lorikeets are for me one of the most iconic birds of Australia so I was happy to see a few high up in the tall Eucalyptus trees that line one boundary of the resort
Rainbow Lorikeet
On the way to the river mouth we spotted a flock of Little Corellas
Little Corella Cacatua sanguinea
Other stuff –
On my walk around the lake I came across several Eastern Water Dragons near the water’s edge, sitting dead still on a handy rock, then scurrying off when I got too close for its comfort
Eastern Water Dragon Intellagama leseurii, Nambucca Heads New South Wales – semi-aquatic agamid species
Saturday – Nambucca Heads (Mostly in the rain!)
The weather forecast showed another day of rain, light at times, heavy at other times and that is how it panned out. That meant staying indoors then venturing outside when rain held up for a while, for short spells of walking about and birding.
After the continental style breakfast, we chilled for most of the morning with Stephan and the kids enjoying ‘boat races’ with leaves and sticks in the fast-flowing water channels next to the road in between rain squalls. Some simple pleasures never age – as kids growing up in Cape Town it was a particular delight to go out in the rain and ‘race’ our matchsticks in the kerb channel to the nearest stormwater gulley.
I managed a couple of short walks around the lush gardens before the rainy conditions chased me back to the shelter of the verandah of our room.
The flowers in the garden of the resort were tropical in natureLichen cover tree – looks similar to what we would call ‘Old man’s beard’Scarlet Percher Dragonfly (I think), Nambucca Heads New South Wales
After lunch we drove to the river mouth and parked where we could view the beach and stormy seas, whipped up by high winds.
Beach, Nambucca Heads New South Wales
The rain let up long enough for me to get some images of the beach and the unusual painted “Art rocks” lining the pathway.
Art rocks, Nambucca Heads New South Wales
I also tried a few in flight photos of passing terns with some success, before another squall chased me back to the shelter of the car.
Later we returned to the estuary for a pizza dinner at a busy Mathildas Restaurant – we could only get seating outside so were glad that the rain held off
Triplist –
Birds added
Another iconic Aussie bird, the Laughing Kookaburra, attracted my attention with its calling in the tall eucalyptus trees
Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae, Nambucca Heads New South Wales
On the way to the main beach I spotted a Pied Oystercatcher on a grassy sandbank in the estuary – another Lifer!
Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris, Nambucca Heads New South Wales
Greater Crested/ Swift Tern and Common Tern hunting and diving at the estuary – distant birds in flight + poor light = somewhat fuzzy images – what birders like to call a “Record Shot”.
Both of these Terns are seen regularly in Mossel Bay, but the Common Tern was a new addition to my Australia list
Common Tern Sterna hirundo, Nambucca Heads New South WalesSwift (Greater Crested) Tern Thalasseus bergii, Nambucca Heads New South Wales
I spotted the second species of Oystercatcher for the day – Sooty Oystercatcher – at the estuary
Sooty Oystercatcher Haematopus fuliginosus
A few Australian Pelicans were hanging out on a distant sandbar – identifiable but too distant for a photo of any description
Australian Pelican Pelecanus conspicillatus
Expanding my walk beyond the boundary of the resort, I spotted a Sacred kingfisher among the trees bordering the walking track – my second lifer of the trip – just a pity it it flew off as I lifted my camera, not to be seen again. I have no previous photos of this handsome bird so include this illustration from The Complete Guide to Australian Birds by George Adams
Our third trip to Australia in January and February this year was all about seeing son Stephan and his family for the first time since 2022, while using the opportunity to see more of Australia – a huge country we are getting to know in small instalments.
The ‘instalment’ this time around was based on a suggestion by Stephan that we meet the family in Sydney and do a slow road trip up the east coast to Brisbane, where we would catch a flight to Mackay in Queensland, their new home town. That appealed to us, as it meant spending quality time with the family while our grandkids had school holidays and Stephan was on leave, at the same time seeing a part of Australia that we had not visited before.
With Sydney ‘done and dusted’ the road trip could begin…
Wednesday – Sydney to Caves Beach
The first leg of the road trip was a short one – about 140km – so we stretched our stay at the Sydney Park Royal right up to checkout time of 11am. That gave us time for another substantial breakfast of fruit with yoghurt, egg and bacon with trimmings and an apple danish with coffee – back home it’s corn flakes or porridge so hotel breakfasts are a treat, and we like to make the most of them to see us through the day.
After packing up we checked out, retrieved our rental car from the valet parking service and with the destination address loaded onto google maps we set off through Sydney following the map’s “blue line” until we reached the Pacific Highway which wound through suburbia (looking uncannily like parts of Joburg) onto the Pacific Motorway. From there it was an easy drive to the turnoff to Swansea and Caves Beach.
We were too early for checkin at 3pm so looked for a coffee shop – the first one we found was closing at 2.30pm and as it was 45 minutes to go, we thought that would give us plenty of time for a coffee and slice of something nice. But that’s not how the young lady at the door saw it and insisted that we would have to do take aways if we wanted coffee and cake as they were closing! We have experienced this before, but it is still a mystery why businesses in Aussieland are often so inflexible and bound by strange rules.
Somewhat aggravated, we googled and found a bakery a few minutes away – it turned out to be a place that did not invite a sit down, but the takeaway quiches and other goodies proved to be excellent.
Next stop was the house Stephan had rented at Clipper Close, Caves Beach – we had the lower floor of a large double storey home and settled in quickly.
After chilling for a good while we set off for a walk, heading through the garden gate and down to the beach, which stretched for kms to the north and south.
Caves Beach New South Wales
In the distance we could see a rocky headland and what appeared to be the caves after which the town is named, so set out southwards in that direction.
There were interesting things for the kids and us to explore along the beach – rock pools with small fish, tiny crabs, bluebottles and gulls aplenty.
Caves Beach New South WalesCaves Beach New South WalesCaves Beach New South WalesMinute crab – no more than 1cm long, Caves Beach New South WalesBluebottle, Caves Beach New South Wales
Approaching the main swimming beach we could now see the caves formed in the rocky headland and spent some time exploring them.
Caves Beach New South WalesInside a cave, looking outExploring a cave
The wind was blowing strongly as we walked back, peppering our lower legs with beach sand and by the time we got back to the house our faces and arms felt sticky from the fine sea spray in the air.
Triplist–
My triplist was gaining momentum with numbers of birds seen on the way to the beach – on a small pond and in the bushy fringes. Mostly birds that I have seen on previous trips but good to make their acquaintance once again.
Australasian Swamphen Porphyrio melanotus, Caves Beach New South WalesDusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa, Caves Beach New South WalesManed Duck Chenonetta jubata, Caves Beach New South Wales (taken with Iphone)Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa, Caves Beach New South Wales
Common everywhere, the Magpie is nevertheless a fascinating bird that makes you wonder ‘who is looking at whom?’
Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen, Caves Beach New South Wales
And you can’t help loving the Willie Wagtail with its side-to-side waggle of the tail announcing its identity from afar
Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys, Caves Beach New South Wales
Birds I did not manage to photograph but new to the triplist :
Great Cormorant over the beach
A pair of Australian Ravens on the beach
Common Myna (urgh)
Thursday – Caves Beach – a Rainy day
Awake at 7am to overcast weather (getting later each morning as our body clock adjusts), we spent the first hour or two sipping coffee/tea and enjoying the freshness of the morning after a few hot muggy days.
Later the rain came down and the wind increased – no one wanted to do anything energetic, so the day passed with plenty of chilling through teatime and lunchtime with an extended snooze in the afternoon. By late afternoon, the rain had subsided, and I ventured out to explore the area between the house and the beach, in the process discovering a small lake concealed by a ring of trees.
Caves Beach New South Wales
A small pathway between the trees led to the water’s edge where several Black Ducks, Moorhens and Coots were paddling about serenely. In the trees a pair of Willie Wagtails were hopping about while Cormorants, Herons and Egrets flew overhead.
Little Black Cormorant Phalacrocorax sulcirostris, Caves Beach New South Wales
I had left my camera at the house, so headed back to fetch itand persuade Stephan to join me to investigate further. We did a full circuit of the lake and added a few more species to the list.
Triplist –
Around the house – no photos taken due to the rain
Nankeen Kestrel flying past
Australian King Parrot – ditto
New Holland Honeyeater
Crested Pigeon
Masked Lapwing
At the lake –
Eurasian Coot Fulica atra, Caves Beach New South WalesAustralasian Grebe Tachybaptus novaehollandiae, Caves Beach New South WalesChestnut Teal Anas castanea, Caves Beach New South WalesLittle Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos, Caves Beach New South Wales
Other stuff:
We found a few Brown Rabbits near the house – a species introduced from Europe in the 1800’s
Brown Rabbit, Caves Beach New South Wales
Tomorrow, we continue our road trip up the east coast to Nambucca Heads
Our third trip to Australia in January and February this year was all about seeing son Stephan and his family of wife Liesl and kids Jocelyn, Christopher and Eleanor (our youngest grandchild at 4 years) for the first time since 2022.
A year ago, they moved from Sale, Victoria to Mackay, a coastal town in north Queensland which, apart from being in a different state, is far removed from Victoria in distance and climate.
It was a far harder decision than before to make a third trip to Australia – advancing years do cause one to consider such a trip carefully as the chances of health issues increase. As it turned out we got through the 5 weeks of our visit without any significant issues, for which we are very thankful.
Getting there
Getting to the first destination is often the hardest part of long-distance travel, and this trip was no different. Total travel time from our home in Mossel Bay to the hotel near the airport in Sydney, where we spent the first night, was around 24 hours which, along with a 9 hour ahead time change left us quite petered out.
The trip itself had the usual queues to endure – at George for check-in, security, boarding and repeated on a much greater scale at Joburg with passport control in addition.
Fortunately, we had a good couple of hours to relax in the lounge before heading to the boarding gate, where there seemed to be more people than could fit on any plane, but this was just a reminder of how many can be squeezed into an Airbus A380 double decker plane.
As we taxi-ed out towards the main runway at OR Tambo, I was fascinated to see a Long-tailed Widowbird doing its low, slow display flight just above the long grass between the runways – or was this an elaborate bon voyage on its part to send us on our way ? Either way it showed that birds are able to carry on their lives despite human endeavours to deter them.
Long-tailed Widow, Mabusa Nature Reserve
The 11-hour flight went smoothly and surprisingly quickly with some short bouts of sleep in between dinner and breakfast (at 3am in our time!) – Premium Economy certainly helps to make it all more comfortable.
We landed in Sydney just after 2pm local time and faced more queues for passport control and customs before finding the shuttle bus to the nearby Holiday Inn Express, which was an excellent choice with its comfortable room, all the basic amenities (in working order) and a reasonable price for it all. After a catch-up snooze we had a light supper in the hotel restaurant and retired to the room for an early night.
Monday – First Taste of Sydney
We had booked a rental car which had to be picked up from a site some distance from the hotel so, after a full breakfast in the busy restaurant, we packed up and got to the pickup area on ground level. I was about to call an Uber when a taxi drew up and offered to take us at the same price as quoted by Uber – the friendly Asian driver was quite persuasive and so we took him up on the offer and were soon at the rentals office, and not long after we were heading to the CBD in our rented Toyota RAV, our transport for the next 11 days.
Google maps directed us efficiently through Sydney’s busy streets to our next destination, the Park Royal Darling Harbour hotel where the friendly valet parking gent met us – it was well before our check in time, so our baggage was stored, and we went off to find a coffee shop nearby.
Hotel, Sydney
The friendly folk at hotel reception (you may notice a recurring theme here – Aussies are such a friendly lot – except when playing cricket against SA) suggested Brew Bros which was a short walk away and we enjoyed a cappuccino and an almond croissant while getting a feel for the busy city passing by.
First coffee, Sydney
Shortly after returning to the hotel, we were able to check in and find our room with a view of the surrounding cityscape. There was time for a rest while waiting for Stephan and family to arrive for our rendezvous, which was around 4pm and, after much greeting and swopping of presents, we all took a slow walk to find a suitable restaurant for a celebratory meal.
The walk took us past attractive buildings, some modern, some older and restored to their former glory.
Impressive architecture, SydneyStreet scene, SydneyStreet scene, Sydney
Also on our route were some handsome historic buildings with beautiful architecture including St Andrew’s Cathedral, the Town Hall and Queen Victoria building.
Town Hall, SydneySt Andrews Cathedral, SydneyTown Hall, Sydney
The restaurant was Grounds of the City which had décor to match the vintage of the surrounding buildings and tasty food.
Restaurant, Sydney
The walk back took us past The Galeries Mall, another architectural gem both inside and out
The Galeries Mall, SydneyThe Galeries Mall, SydneyThe Galeries Mall, Sydney
Birds added to my Triplist
No trip is complete without a list of birds seen – being in the centre of the city meant bird species were limited, nevertheless a couple of surprising ones
Noisy Miner, the most common bird we would see during the whole road trip from Sydney to Brisbane
Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
Silver Gull, probably the second most common bird we would see – quite surprising to see them flourishing in the middle of a city such as Sydney and using the skyscraper-lined roads as flyways to and from the harbour area
Silver Gull
Rock Dove – like every city, Sydney has its share of this well-known city-dweller
Tuesday – Sydney Harbour by Boat
The day started with a sumptuous breakfast in the hotel restaurant – that set us up for a day of sightseeing around Sydney. We had bought tickets for the Hop-on Hop-off boat tour around Sydney harbour, which proved to be the best way to see a lot in the one full day we had available.
The nearest boarding spot was King Street Wharf at Darling Harbour, which we got to by Uber from the hotel to Lime Street.
King Street Wharf Darling HarbourKing Street Wharf, Sydney Harbour CruiseKing Street Wharf Darling Harbour
From there we walked a short distance along the promenade to the quay to wait for the next boat which arrived shortly afterwards. A trickle of passengers boarded with us and the boat made its way out into the harbour
Sydney Harbour FerrySydney Harbour Cruise
The first stop on the route around the harbour was Circular Quay, which was also our first hop off after enjoying stunning views of the famous landmarks – the Harbour Bridge, which we saw as the ferry rounded the bend and went beneath the bridge, and the Opera House on the opposite side of the harbour.
First view of Harbour Bridge, Sydney Harbour CruiseFirst view of the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Cruise
It’s always a “pinch yourself” moment when you see iconic structures such as the Bridge and Opera House in real life for the first time – they seem so familiar from the hundreds of times they have appeared in print, TV and film that you have to remind yourself that this is the real McCoy!
Once off the ferry we walked along the restaurant lined quay to a vantage point for different views of the bridge and Opera House
Sydney Harbour CruiseOpera House, Sydney Harbour Cruise
We stopped for drinks at one of the dozens of cafes – milkshakes and coffees were ordered and we watched the passing show for a while.
Returning to the boat we rode to its furthest stop at Manly beach, pausing at Taronga Zoo, Shark Island and Watsons Bay.
Manly was hot and humid so we quickly sought a shady spot under trees, then an airconditioned restaurant for a light lunch before heading back to the quay for the 3.30pm boat back to Darling Harbour and an Uber ride to the hotel.
Birds added to my Triplist
More Silver Gulls everywhere including on the canvas canopy where we enjoyed drinks at the waterfront – Ellie pointed out the strange leaf shapes moving about above us, which we realised was the underside of the gull’s feet on the translucent canopy.
Little Pied Cormorant at Manly
Little Pied Cormorant Microcarbo melanoleucos
Welcome Swallows over the beach
Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in a small flock
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Tomorrow, we start our road trip up the east coast of Australia to Brisbane
I have mentioned previously the pleasure of living in an estate which adjoins a nature area, which I can access by walking a couple of hundred metres from our front door and which has an abundance of fynbos and other flora, plus enough birdlife to keep me going back several times a week.
Until last Friday I could not think of a downside to having a nature area on our doorstep, but just as we can visit the nature area with ease, so can inhabitants of the nature area just as easily visit us by heading in the opposite direction, if they are in the mood for a bit of adventure.
That last fact was brought home loud and clear by a Puff-adder that decided to come to our front door during the afternoon. Fortuitously, our son is visiting us and was in the guest bedroom close to the front entrance – he noticed that the estate’s security personnel were standing in the street looking at our house. Then he realised why – a 1m long Puff-adder was slithering across our driveway towards the front entrance!
It turns out the security people had been keeping track of the snake after it was spotted in a garden three houses down and had called the Mossel Bay Fire Brigade who have a small team that deal with such events.
We joined the security people on the driveway – via our back door of course – and watched and waited for the snake catchers to arrive. We couldn’t help thinking what might have happened if we did not get the warning and went out by our front door!
They were there within 15 minutes (Mossel Bay is fortunate to have a very well run municipality) and had the Puff-adder in a container within minutes, ready for relocation to a spot away from suburbia.
Mostly Birding 