South African nature enthusiast with a passion for Birding, Photography and Travelling to interesting places to discover more about Southern Africa and the World
Another species that fits the description of birds with striking eyes is the diminutive Cape Batis
Cape Batis (Kaapse bosbontrokkie) Batis capensis
Where to find them
The Cape Batis occurs mainly, but not exclusively, in forest habitat – I have come across them in bushy areas not 200m from our Mossel Bay home and in various other locations outside ‘proper’ forests.
Distribution is confined to southern Africa as shown on the map below – courtesy of Birds of the World.
What to Look for
Batises can be confusingly similar in appearance, but the Cape Batis is the only one with orange flanks and wing bar, while the male is told by the broad black band across its chest.
Cape Batis Batis capensis Kaapse bosbontrokkie (male), Friemersheim area
The Firefinch app refers to this species as the “standard” forest bird – common, bold, noisy and striking. It is an active bird, flitting between bushes with a ‘fripping’ sound caused by rapid beating of its tiny wings and can often be found at the centre of bird parties.
Cape Batis Batis capensis Kaapse bosbontrokkie (male), Friemersheim area
Getting the Photo
The images above were taken while atlasing in the Friemersheim area not far from George – I stopped to scan a forested patch next to the road when I noticed movement among the branches not far from where I was standing, and pointed the camera in the general direction just as a Cape Batis popped into view, posing in sunlight just long enough to get a few shots.
As a follow up to the previous posts on the subject of birds with striking eyes – here’s a look at another species, familiar to South African birders, with eyes that beg your attention –
Burchell’s Coucal (Vleiloerie)
Centropus burchellii
This is a species best known for its bubbling call from the depths of dense bush or trees – a call which Roberts VII describes as “like water being poured from a bottle”.
And that may be the only clue you get to its existence until, one day, you actually get a glimpse of the bird as it flies heavily from one bush then crashes clumsily into the next one and disappears again. This is a bird that does not crave attention as it goes about its daily routine of searching on the ground and in bushes for just about anything it can lay its claws on – rodents, reptiles, other birds, nestlings, frogs, snails, insects … etc
Distribution
Birds of the World (see footnote) – lumps two species together with a combined distribution across Africa and a narrow stretch of Arabia as per the map below.
Southern African birdlists separate the two species into :
Burchell’s Coucal — Centropus burchelli – with distribution from south-east Tanzania through Mozambique to the Western Cape in South Africa and including south-east Botswana
White-browed Coucal – Centropus superciliosus – with distribution from Yemen, south-west Arabia, Ethiopia south to Zambia, Angola and southern Africa
Getting the Photo
As mentioned above, this is a fairly secretive species so when the opportunity arises one has to be quick off the mark to get a decent photo
I was fortunate enough to have such an opportunity recently while atlasing in the area east of Friemersheim in the southern Cape. I was driving slowly along a dirt road and had just passed a small stream when I spotted movement in the long grass at the roadside and stopped to look further.
I soon saw what had attracted my attention – a Burchell’s Coucal making its way through the lush grass and close enough to the road for a reasonably close-up photo. That sighting had me grabbing my camera and reversing at the same time to get into a position where I could aim the camera through the passenger side window, which I was busy opening while doing all of the above (this just shows men CAN multi-task – provided the motivation is there of course).
Suffice to say I believe my efforts paid off and I was very pleased with the results!
The Firefinch app produced by the incomparable Faansie Peacock always has interesting facts about birds and in this case it mentions that Coucals have stiff, spiky breast feathers – which can be seen in the above photo.
Also that they are known as ‘rainbirds’ because they sing just before, during and after rain
Footnote : The website Birds of the World published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides a wealth of information on birds worldwide and the good news is that access to the website is free for Southern African residents – all that is required is to create an account which can be done at : https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home
As a follow up to the previous post on the subject of birds with striking eyes – which showcased Southern African Cormorants – here’s a look at another species that fits that description to the full
Black-winged Kite (Blouvalk)
Elanus caeruleus
This well-known, small raptor is without doubt the most common raptor to be found across all of Southern Africa – and beyond as you will see from the global distribution map reproduced below courtesy of Birds of the World
Global distribution of Black-winged Kite
It is also the raptor you are most likely to see on any road trip through southern Africa, as their preferred hunting ground is along the road verges and adjoining fields.
They are most often seen perched on roadside powerlines, which provide the ideal vantage point for their hunt for the next small rodent.
However, it’s just as easy to overlook this species, which is similar in size to the many doves which also like to perch on powerlines. The good news is that the flatter pose and habit of slowly wagging its tail up and down will confirm that it’s a Black-winged Kite, even from a good distance, and once it takes to the air there is no doubt about the ID as it hovers, then ‘parachutes’ down to grab its prey.
The images that follow were taken during a recent atlasing trip north of George, on the way to Oudtshoorn – once I had spotted the bird up ahead I approached very slowly, using roadside bush to conceal my approach until I was close enough to quickly take a few photos through the open passenger window.
Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Blouvalk, George-Oudtshoorn Area
And just look at that eye colour! Beyond striking and ready to take you on in a staring competition
Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Blouvalk, George-Oudtshoorn Area
On another atlasing trip earlier this year in the Gouritsmond area just south-west of Mossel Bay, I came across another Black-winged Kite, this time a juvenile without the black ‘shoulder’ and with yellow eyes – still fierce looking, mind you, but not yet up to adult standard
I would like to mention a birding website that has helped me to broaden my birding info horizons and opened up a world of new knowledge (literally) to add to and enhance that which I have gathered during many years of birding.
The website is Birds of the World published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the good news is that access to the website is free for Southern African residents – all that is required is to create an account which can be done at
Cormorants are not generally regarded as birds that are high on the list of desirable birds to see – unless it’s a potential lifer of course. When you’ve been ‘into’ birding for a while the most that a cormorant is likely to elicit is a slightly off-hand “Oh, there’s another Reed Cormorant” or “Hey, have a look at that Little Grebe just to the right of that White-breasted Cormorant”.
But there’s more to cormorants than meets the eye – or eyes in this case …..
During one recent day trip, I found an opportunity to visit the area which we know as “The Vlei’s”, to the east of the small town of Wilderness, and spent a pleasant hour or so in the bird hide at Langvlei.
Boardwalk to the hide at Langvlei Wilderness
There were numerous waterbirds on the vlei, mostly Coots but also significant numbers of Grebes, more than I can recall seeing in any location before and including all three southern African species – Little Grebes, Great Crested Grebes and a few Black-necked Grebes. However, they were too distant for photography.
Also distant was a long line of dark birds on the water, as the image below shows, and once I had the scope in position, I could see that it consisted of a few hundred Reed Cormorants, again more than I can recall seeing in one location before. As I watched the line, a few of the foremost swimmers flew up out of the water and circled back to the rear of the “queue” where they settled down in line again. I can only assume they were performing some kind of feeding strategy.
Close to the hide a dead tree stump has been strategically placed and perched on it were two cormorants – the larger White-breasted Cormorant and the somewhat smaller Reed Cormorant.
The light was favourable, so I took a few shots then zoomed in on their heads and took a few more. And that’s where the magic came in! In contrast to their rather dull appearance and less than comely shape, the cormorants have some of the most stunning eye colours of the bird world.
White-breasted Cormorant (Witborsduiker) (E-bird : Great Cormorant)
Phalacrocorax lucidus
Starting with the brilliant green eyes of the largest cormorant in our region, commonly found in saltwater and freshwater habitats across southern Africa
Now this species is somewhat ungainly on land, but once in the water it will outswim Michael Phelps by a long way – that’s if you can get it to swim in a straight line and stay within its lane. And all it uses are its feet which have four toes connected by webbing, which it uses to propel itself most effectively through the water when chasing prey
It uses that hooked bill to secure small fish, which are eaten underwater, while bigger fish are brought to the surface to juggle into a head-first swallowing position.
Worldwide this species is often referred to as Great Cormorant and occurs across 6 continents – I have seen Great Cormorants in Australia, Canada, UK and Europe during our travels abroad
The Reed Cormorant is substantially smaller than the previous species and has a similar distribution across our region, but unlike the White-breasted (Great) Cormorant it is restricted to the African continent, occurring in most of sub-Saharan Africa
And the eyes? Red instead of green, but just as striking!
Reed Cormorant, Langvlei Wilderness
A surprising fact (courtesy of Faansie Peacock’s wonderful birding app called Firefinch) is that the feathers of cormorants are less waterproof than those of other birds – the reason is that this makes them less buoyant and allows them to sink when hunting underwater. This also explains why they spend much of their time out of the water with wings spread to dry. It is also believed that they swallow stones for additional weight, much like scuba divers wearing lead weights on their belts.
Cape Cormorant (Trekduiker)
Phalacrocorax capensis
I wasn’t expecting to find a Cape Cormorant alongside the other two species at Langvlei, as they are generally known as an exclusively marine species, but this one clearly thought a day away from the rough seas would be to its liking
Mossel Bay’s Point is a wonderful place to watch seabirds and Cape Cormorants are regular passers-by (or more appropriately flyers-by) flying low and fast over the ocean, singly or in pairs or in long skeins of up to a couple of dozen at a time.
This is usually late afternoon when we like to get a take-away coffee and sit and watch the sea and its inhabitants, which can be anything from humans surfing and snorkelling to seals, dolphins or whales (in season), while yachts and boats of various types and sizes make their way to and from the small harbour nearby.
I haven’t been able to establish where these passing Cape Cormorants roost, but it is probably one of the quieter stretches of beach further east towards Great Brak River and beyond.
We relocated to Mossel Bay towards the end of last year – somewhat unexpectedly, although it was always part of our medium-term planning. So you can expect the emphasis of my blog to shift towards the Southern Cape and away from the northern parts of our country, where we have lived for some 50 years.
However the Southern Cape, and in particular Mossel Bay are very familiar to us, having spent ever-increasing periods in our house here over the last 12 years and is the perfect place to spend our retirement years.
Our home in Mossel Bay is situated in the Mossel Bay Golf Estate which has a variety of habitats and gardens which attract many species of birds and this brings me to the subject of this post – the Spotted Eagle-Owl, which “put its hand up” (figuratively) to become the focus of a post by popping up in a number of places around the Golf Estate over the past few weeks.
It also seemed like a good opportunity to get back to the essence of my blog, which after all is called “Mostly Birding” for a reason ……
Here are some images of Spotted Eagle-Owls taken over the last while around our home and on my walks in the estate and adjoining nature areas:
Spotted Eagle-Owl bubo africanus Gevlekte Ooruil
Neighbour Catherine, knowing my interest in all things birding, popped over in the middle of the day to say there was an Owl in her garden, so I went to have a look, taking my camera of course. There it was perched on the garden wall and I surmised it was a juvenile, based on the lack of the “ears” (not really ears but protuding tufts of feathers for camouflage, not for hearing) which are a feature of the adults
‘Goodness, but it’s tiring being awake all night – am I ever going to get used to this …’
‘Hmmm – suppose I should keep a watch out even though I’m still young’
Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus Gevlekte ooruil, Mossel Bay
A few days later I noticed another Owl, this time an adult, sitting on the window cill of the neighbour’s house in broad daylight. More than likely the parent of the above juvenile.
Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus Gevlekte ooruil, Mossel Bay Golf Estate
A week or so later again, neighbour Jan, phoned to say there was an owl in the trees in his back garden, between our two properties. I could not see it from our balcony which is a level higher than Jan’s house so I went downstairs to our garden and quickly spotted the owl on a branch partly concealed by foliage. I positioned myself as best I could without disturbing the owl and took a few shots against the strong backlight of the morning sun.
Spotted Eagle-Owl, Mossel Bay Golf Estate
My daily late afternoon walks take me all over the golf estate – my favourite walk being the one that takes in the nature area to the south and west of the estate as there is always something of interest.
One of my walks included an unusual encounter with an owl, which stood in the middle of the track as I approached and didn’t seem intent on flying away. I waited for a while to see what it would do, concerned that it was ill or injured, but after some 10-15 minutes I walked slowly past it as it moved to one side, eyeing me all the way but seemingly relaxed.
I kept a look out for this owl on my later walks as I was concerned about its health – I believe it was the same owl I spotted twice on the golf course itself, flying about without a problem so assumed it had recovered from any problem it may have had.
This species is well-known in the suburbs of our cities and towns and is often heard calling softly – wooo, hooo – and perched on roofs and streetlights from where it hunts insects, reptiles, rodents and the like.
Oh, and it’s good to have neighbours who keep you informed about birdlife in the garden ….
South Africa is many things – a “World in One Country” is one description that is often used. A recent trip to the small town of Friemersheim reminded us just how rewarding it can be for those prepared to go off the beaten track and explore some of the so-called backwaters of our amazing, sometimes frustrating, never boring, country.
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
A Bit of History
I had travelled through this small town on a couple of occasions in recent years while bird atlasing in the area, but there was never a reason to stop or explore the town other than to find a few birds to add to the atlas list that I was occupied with at the time.
Wikipedia has the following to say about the history of the settlement :
A small agricultural community about 15 km from Groot-Brakrivier, Friemersheim was founded by a German missionary in the early nineteenth century. In 1869, through the efforts of Reverend Johann Kretzen of the Berliner Missionary Society, a school and church were built on the farm Gonnakraal, which Kretzen had bought for his sister.
After his sister’s death in 1872, he bequeathed the farm to the Dutch Reformed Missionary Society, and later it was renamed Friemersheim, after Kretzen’s town of birth in Germany. It remained in the ownership of the Dutch Reformed Church until the 1960s, when it was sold to the state
Art Gallery?
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. Our drive through the village wasn’t done in a planned fashion – after driving most of the main street we turned off and meandered along some of the side streets, discovering murals along the way.
These are some that we found, but there are more hidden away in spots we didn’t get to, so there’s a reason to return ….
Parked Truck and a Rhino getting an apple from Young Girl
The murals are executed in some detail and many leave you momentarily wondering what is real and what is a result of the artist’s undoubtedly vivid imagination. Quirky comes to mind as you find one mural after another, all of which tend to raise a smile, even a loud chuckle – and that I’m sure is what Fourie Ackermann was aiming for.
At first glance of this one, the Rhino being fed an apple is obviously painted, but the GMC truck in the garage has you looking twice, then realising it’s also a mural. The two people in the garden are real by the way.
Friemersheim
You feel as if you can climb in and drive away – but it’s actually a blank wall…
FriemersheimFriemersheim
Bataleur and a Tannie (She’s real!)
The chatty, friendly owner of this house posed in front of the mural of a Bataleur Eagle at our request and told us a bit about the murals elsewhere in Friemersheim. Her mural was one of the first done by the artist and according to the Tannie (pronounced “tunnie” – the respectful Afrikaans term for Auntie) took the artist just two days to complete.
The addition of a balloon to many of the murals is just another quirky ‘signature’ by the artist
Murals, Friemersheim
Whales and a Boy in a boat
Some of the murals, such as this one, are completely unexpected after seeing mostly animals and birds depicted – this one depicts whales underwater reaching out to a boy in a boat
FriemersheimFriemersheimFriemersheim
Girl at a Window, Shark….!
As with the previous images, this old home stands alone on a hill and would hardly be noticed if it wasn’t for the murals
Murals, FriemersheimFriemersheim
The same home, showing the side view with its depiction of a shark ‘popping out’ of the wall. Just look at how the wall is drawn back like a curtain to reveal the fearsome shark
Murals, FriemersheimMurals, Friemersheim
Friendly Man waving, Goat in Window
Yet another small home on a hill with the door painted to look like a larger than life man waving to you. Oh, and he’s wearing a Springbok rugby jersey!
FriemersheimFriemersheim
Beyond quirky is this depiction of a goat standing on a window ledge with curtains billowing and outsize butterflies fluttering
Friemersheim
Cape Sugarbird on Protea
Friemersheim
Another Friendly Man waving
FriemersheimFriemersheim
Horse and Donkey with Cat, Pretty Window
Here again you need to look carefully – the garden and flowers are real and blend in wonderfully with the rather odd menagerie and the window that looks so real but is painted on a blank wall. And there’s one of those balloons again
FriemersheimFriemersheimFriemersheim
Cheetahs and a (Real) Dog
When we stopped to view these cheetahs, we were wary of the fierce looking dog which leaped aggressively towards us – but was restrained by the chain to which it was tethered. We felt some pity towards the unfortunate dog in this situation, although this breed does not enjoy a good reputation.
Nevertheless, the Cheetahs were fascinating, especially the one climbing through the ‘hole in the wall’.
FriemersheimFriemersheimFriemersheim
This town is a treat to see if you are ever in the area!
This is the last of my series of posts on the Spring flowers trip we undertook in 2022
The Background
With wonderful memories of our Spring Flowers trip through parts of the Western Cape in September 2021 still fresh in our minds, we decided to do a similar, but different, trip in September 2022. Our planned route was to take us to Tulbagh for one night, then three nights each in Clanwilliam and Paternoster. To round off the trip we treated ourselves to a three-night stay in Cape Town’s Vineyard Hotel, in celebration of our birthdays which “book-ended” the trip,
Decision Time
Our trip had met all of our expectations and we felt more than satisfied with what we had seen and done during our trip so far. Day 7 of our trip was to take us from Paternoster to Cape Town and we debated whether or not to visit the West Coast National Park on the way there or to skip it this year, having ‘done’ it just a year ago.
Fortunately, as it turned out, we decided to head to the Langebaan gate of the Park after our last breakfast at Paternoster Dunes Guest House, and ‘play it by ear’ as to how much of the Park we would have time to explore, bearing in mind the distances involved in getting to the Postberg section of the park, which is only open during the flower season months, and the numbers of other flower viewers we were likely to encounter.
On the way to Langebaan a roadside Jackal Buzzard on a utility pole had me braking for a quick photo
After finding our way through the residential areas of Langebaan, we arrived at the gate into the Park where 12 cars were waiting to enter. The queue moved quickly and we were soon in the Park and making good progress to the T-junction where we turned right towards Postberg
West Coast NP
We like to stop at every interesting bush to have a closer look at its flowers – the following two images are an example of a bush appearing fairly nondescript, but once you get up close and personal the flowers are quite striking
West Coast NPWest Coast NP
And so our journey went, all the way to Postberg section, stopping frequently, hopping in and out of the car to get a closer look and a photo from the right angle.
A few others seemed to be doing the same, but the majority passed by with hardly a glance, eager to get to Postberg for the massed displays of flowers – to each his own, but we prefer to take in everything we see
Now if only I knew the names of some of these beauties – it took me a few years to build up a reasonable knowledge of birds, now it seems to be taking even longer to learn more about the flowers and I still feel like a raw beginner
Once into the Postberg section of the Park, we joined the many vehicles driving the gravel roads and admiring the incredible displays of multi-coloured flowers – irresistible for more photos!
West Coast NPWest Coast NPCape Spurfowl among flowers, West Coast NPWest Coast NP
At one point on the return journey to the gate, the sky was filled with Gulls, wheeling above the flower-bedecked flats – quite a sight to see!
West Coast NPWest Coast NP
Edible Flowers too!
And on a lighter note – did you know that some of the flowers in the park are edible? Well, I can confirm this is so, as you will see from the following photos of a cookieata sweetieae that we came across as we drove to Postberg – it is well known in the Biedouw Valley
Cookieata sweetieae, West Coast NPMmmmm, rather nice
And that, dear readers, is how the cookie crumbles
I have taken a bit of a sabbatical from blogging so far this year, so to get things going again I thought I should take a belated look back at 2022 …..
During 2022 my photo library increased by some 2000 images and for this retrospective (Yes! I’ve always wanted to use that word) I have limited my Photo Pick to the 40 images which appeal to me the most, often for different reasons – some are technically good (well, I think so anyway) others are reminders of a particular moment or place or special sighting – the very brief comments tell a bit of the story of each image. So to start with ….
The Places
One of the first places we visited in 2022 was the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus – the evening light was magical
Hemel en Aarde valley
I love the moodiness that overcast skies bring to a scene and this one had the benefit of a sunlit foreground and overcast background
Botlierskop road
The classic view of Table Mountain from Milnerton beach, a stone’s throw from where I was born
Milnerton beach
This unusual view of the southern Cape coast was taken from my seat in a plane on its way to land at George
Coastal views from plane
A double rainbow over Mossel Bay just begged to be photographed
Mossel Bay Point
Our drive to Weltevrede farm near Prince Albert was an absolute delight with views like this around every bend
Road to Weltevrede Farm, near Prince Albert
Evening tranquility at the dam on the farm Prior Grange near Springfontein, Free State
Prior Grange near Springfontein Free State
Our stay in Victoria, Australia provided widely contrasting experiences
Farmlands, Wurruk, Sale VictoriaGreat Alpine Road, Mt Hotham
Atlasing in the southern Cape around Herbertsdale provided this beautiful early-morning scene along the winding road
Herbertsdale Area
Another moody scene, this time with fishermen providing the focal point
Mossel Bay Point
Paternoster beach was another excellent spot for sunset photography, with gulls adding that extra punch
Paternoster
The flowers in the Postberg section of the West Coast National Park were spectacular (a separate post on this still to come)
West Coast NP
Another view of the iconic mountain that I grew up with, this time from the waterfront at Cape Town
CT Waterfront
The Birds
I spend most of my photographic energies on capturing images of birds, not always successfully. These are some of the better ones
Namaqua Dove Oena capensis Namakwaduifie, (Juvenile) Kleinberg area
The photo of a Cape Longclaw shows why it was given that name
Cape Longclaw Macronyx capensis Oranjekeelkalkoentjie, Klein Brak
This is a photo by Estelle Smalberger who kindly allowed me to use her images. What a privilege it was for me to be the one to first find this species – never before recorded in southern Africa!
Cape Weavers treated us to a show while building their nests in front of our patio
Cape Weaver, Mossel Bay Golf EstateSpike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata Vlaktelewerik, (race alticola) Balmoral area
Some of the birds seen during our Australia visit
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus, Sale VictoriaManed Duck Chenonetta jubata (Male), Bright VictoriaWhite-faced Heron Egretta novahollandiae, Sale Common NCRLaughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae, Raymond Island Victoria
My favourite bird photo of the year! Just seeing this scarce bird is a treat, capturing an image in flight from one bush to the next is a bonus
It’s strange how things cross your path when least expected – I was out for my last late-afternoon walk of the year, enjoying the fresh, mind-clearing wind and keeping a look out for birds in the conservation area close to our home in Mossel Bay.
I was heading back up the hill along the narrow track that leads through a sea of fynbos, most of which lacks any sort of flowers at this time of year, when a flash of bright red caught my eye – I lifted my binos and saw to my delight that it was a lone flower, poking out above the sea of green like a beacon…. of hope, I decided right there
This comes with my wish to everyone for a blooming good 2023!
With wonderful memories of our Spring Flowers trip through parts of the Western Cape in September 2021 still fresh in our minds, we decided to do a similar, but different, trip in September 2022. Our planned route was to take us to Tulbagh for one night, then three nights each in Clanwilliam and Paternoster. To round off the trip we treated ourselves to a three-night stay in Cape Town’s Vineyard Hotel, in celebration of our birthdays which “book-ended” the trip,
Not just Flowers
My previous post described the rugged beauty of Tietiesbaai, particularly during the ‘flower season’ when rafts of colourful flowers add to the already spectacular views of sea and rocky shorelines.
What we found during our previous visit, and again this September, is that Tietiesbaai can also lay claim to being a birding spot that is the equal of some of the better known and more recognised birding destinations in this part of the country
From the moment we entered the main gate into the reserve the birding was interesting and took our attention away from the flowers many times.
A Familiar Raptor
We came across several raptors during this trip, none more so than the Rock Kestrel, which we encountered many times. Before reaching the reserve proper, we found one on a utility pole, surveying the landscape, probably hoping to find a field mouse or small lizard to swoop down on. Raptors generally get edgy when you slow down and stop and will often fly off, only to settle on the pole a bit further away. This one was no exception, so I made sure my camera was ready before stopping, leapt out and tracked the kestrel with my camera as it took off – fortunately capturing an image in flight, albeit from behind.
Rock Kestrel, Cape Columbine NR – Tietiesbaai
Birds among the Fynbos and the Flowers
Once we were through the gate there was abundant bird life with the typical birds of the fynbos prominent – Grey-backed Cisticola, Yellow Canary, Karoo Scrub-Robin, Karoo Prinia and Cape Bunting.
Yellow Canary Crithagra flaviventris Geelkanarie, (male race flaviventris) Cape Columbine NR – TietiesbaaiKaroo Scrub Robin Erythropygia coryphaeus Slangverklikker (race cinerea), Cape Columbine NR – Tietiesbaai
Even more prominent were the Karoo Larks (SA Endemic) which we came across a few times, some of which were foraging on the ground, while others were calling and displaying avidly, no doubt hoping to attract the ‘right sort’ as it were
A particular thrill was finding a covey of Grey-winged Francolins among the flowers – always difficult to photograph as they tend to dash off into the bushes as you approach, so I was happy to be able to snatch a few images before they disappeared
Grey-winged Francolin Scleroptila africana Bergpatrys, Cape Columbine NR – Tietiesbaai
Birds among the Rocks
Our stop for tea was in the same spot as a year ago – along a short, narrow, bumpy track between the rocks near the “Sea Shacks” (basic accommodation for visitors).
Nearby many Cape Cormorants were resting on the rocks and as we drove along the track we came across Ruddy Turnstones – no less than 30 of them according to my quick count! Now, Turnstones are fairly common summer migrants to our country from the arctic tundra region, but seldom have I seen more than a couple at a time, so this was a sight to behold!
Even from a few metres they can be surprisingly hard to spot as the next photo illustrates – their colouration blends in with the rocks, stones and kelp littering the shoreline
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Steenloper, Cape Columbine NR – TietiesbaaiRuddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Steenloper, Cape Columbine NR – Tietiesbaai
Another summer migrant to SA – from the Palearctic region – Curlew Sandpipers, were also around in numbers but nowhere near those of the Turnstones – the two species seemed happy to share each other’s space
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea Krombekstrandloper, Cape Columbine NR – TietiesbaaiRuddy Turnstone and Curlew Sandpiper, Cape Columbine NR – Tietiesbaai
A (Turn) stone’s throw away was a single White-fronted Plover, a common coastal resident most often seen on open beaches – if you can spot them – they are masters of “hiding in full sight”
Heading back to the main track after enjoying our tea among the rocks, we spotted a pair of Kittlitz’s Plovers – looking rather anxious it seemed to us. The reason was obvious when we saw two juveniles in the short grass nearby – looking oh so cute – two balls of fluff with long legs and huge feet
Kittlitz’s Plover Charadrius pecuarius Geelborsstrandkiewiet, Cape Columbine NR – TietiesbaaiKittlitz’s Plover juvenile, Cape Columbine NR – Tietiesbaai
As we spotted them, one of the chicks scurried across the shale to its parent and literally disappeared before our eyes. The following sequence of photos shows how it “buries” itself in the belly feathers of the parent until just the legs are left dangling out
Kittlitz’s Plover chick hiding
Meanwhile the second chick, much braver, walked about in the track, then rather hesitantly across the rocks, before heading to the adult as well.
Kittlitz’s Plover, (Very young juvenile) Cape Columbine NR – Tietiesbaai
We had gradually edged the car past this scene to avoid disturbing them any further when the other adult set about trying to lead our “metal monster” away by doing its “mortally wounded act” right in front of our vehicle
Kittlitz’s Plover acting wounded to distract us
Eventually I was able to edge past this adult as well and we continued on our way
Discovering a Nest
Further along I spotted a small bird in the distance flying towards a shrub with yellow flowers, then promptly disappearing from view – into the middle of the shrub it seemed. I watched carefully as we got closer to see where it had got to, only to see it emerge from the shrub and fly off low and rapidly.
It was all too quick to ID the bird which was small and brownish, but my curiosity got the better of me and I stopped alongside the shrub, got out and walked around the car to have a closer look as I had a hunch there was a reason for the bird’s behaviour.
Sure enough, when I carefully parted the branches a nest with three eggs was revealed and I set about finding the parent’s ID by going through some of the possible suspects on my Roberts app. My second guess was correct – Cape Bunting
Cape Columbine NR – TietiesbaaiCape Bunting nest, Cape Columbine NR – Tietiesbaai
So, our flower-viewing day at Tietiesbaai had turned into a birding bonanza as well, much to our delight!
Mostly Birding 