Australia 2025 : Gold Coast

May 26, 2025 Don Reid 2 Comments

Australia 3.1

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

**Pied Currawong**
*Strepera graculina*, Burleigh Heads Queensland

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.

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!

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

**Grey Butcherbird**
*Cracticus torquatus*, Burleigh Heads Queensland

The Gold Coast had proved to be memorable for many reasons – all that remained of our road trip was the short stretch to Brisbane.

Birding Australia, Holiday Trips

Australia 2025 : Nambucca Heads

May 13, 2025 Don Reid 2 Comments

Australia 3.1

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 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

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

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

On the way to the river mouth we spotted a flock of Little Corellas

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 nature

Lichen 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.

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 Wales

**Swift (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

Tomorrow we head to the Gold Coast in Queensland

Birding Australia, Holiday Trips

Australia 2025 : Caves Beach

May 6, 2025 Don Reid 7 Comments

Australia 3.1

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.

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.

Minute crab – no more than 1cm long, 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.

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 Wales

**Dusky Moorhen**
*Gallinula tenebrosa*, Caves Beach New South Wales

**Maned 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.

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 Wales

**Australasian Grebe**
*Tachybaptus novaehollandiae*, Caves Beach New South Wales

**Chestnut Teal**
*Anas castanea*, Caves Beach New South Wales

**Little 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

Holiday Trips, International Birding

Australia 2025 : A Glimpse of Sydney

April 28, 2025 Don Reid 3 Comments

Australia 3.1

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.

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.

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.

Also on our route were some handsome historic buildings with beautiful architecture including St Andrew’s Cathedral, the Town Hall and Queen Victoria building.

The restaurant was Grounds of the City which had décor to match the vintage of the surrounding buildings and tasty food.

The walk back took us past The Galeries Mall, another architectural gem both inside and out

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

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

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, Sydney Harbour Cruise

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

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 Cruise

First 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

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

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in a small flock

Tomorrow, we start our road trip up the east coast of Australia to Brisbane

Birding South Africa, The World around Us

Puff-adders Welcome …. Or not

April 14, 2025 Don Reid 5 Comments

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.

Holiday Trips, Stoepsitter Birding, The World around Us

A Cape Winter Break – Part 3 : The Baths, Citrusdal

March 31, 2025 Don Reid 4 Comments

The Plan

This was a trip with a difference – we had no part in planning it whatsoever! Our daughter Geraldine had suggested earlier in the year that we join them on a winter trip in June/July 2024, which would include –

A one night stopover in Matjiesfontein at the historic Lord Milner Hotel
A couple of nights on a farm in Sutherland, the star-gazing capital of South Africa
A week at The Baths resort near Citrusdal

Always up for some mild adventure, and to experience places we have not seen before – which included two of the three above – we agreed to join them and made the necessary bookings to match those that they had already made – the trip was on!

After our stays in Matjiesfontein and Sutherland, all that remained was to get ourselves to Citrusdal for a week at The Baths …

Sutherland to Citrusdal

Friday 28^th June

A long day’s drive from the farm near Sutherland to Citrusdal started with getting everything back into their various cases, crates and bags and packed in the car while we got ourselves ready. All went more or less according to schedule and we left the farm, only to find the warning light coming on for a faulty or under-inflated tire, so I stopped at the first garage to have it checked – fortunately no puncture was found.

The route we followed was the longer, less direct one, avoiding the notorious tire-shredding gravel roads that head west out of Sutherland. That meant we had to return to Matjiesfontein, where we joined up with the N1 and headed west to Touws River, where a roadside cafe enticed us to stop for a roosterkoek (large bun baked over coals with various tasty fillings) lunch.

The route (in dark blue) from Sutherland to Citrusdal

Shortly after Touws River we turned northwards onto the R46 to Ceres, then via Tulbagh, Gouda and Porterville to the N7 which took us through the Piekenierskloof Pass – mostly behind slow-moving trucks – and Citrusdal came into sight as we descended into the valley.

The Baths

Just after turning off the N7, the signpost pointing the way to The Baths appeared and a short drive of 16kms along the narrow tar road took us to the main gate. From there we were directed along a 500m bumpy dirt road (made even bumpier with rough ‘speed humps’ at regular intervals) past camping sites to the reception where we obtained our keys for Apartment 31, our ‘home’ for the next week.

The access road runs through dense bush in places

It turned out to be on the first floor of one of several small buildings with a comfortable living room, balcony in front and a private sitting area at the back, complete with braai and jacuzzi.

The family helped us to get our cases and crates up the steep stairs and we were soon settled in – only for a short while as the family were in a chalet on the extreme edge of the resort, so we had to drive back down the bumpy road to join them for dinner before heading back and calling it a day.

Saturday

We surfaced around 8–ish and made the first round of tea/coffee, which we enjoyed outside on the balcony, surrounded by trees and birdsong as well as the comings and goings of fellow visitors off to swim or just out for a walk.

That was pretty much the pattern for the day up to lunchtime and beyond and just what we needed after the busy drive yesterday. In fact this became our pattern for the rest of the week

It also meant I could get a pentad (3240_1900) list going with a few of the commoner birds of the spot as well as a couple of scarcer species, including –

Cape White-eyes feeding in the trees

Cape White-eye *Zosterops capensis* Kaapse glasogie, (race capensis), The Baths Citrusdal

House Sparrows joining us on the balcony, hoping for dropped crumbs
Familiar Chat being – er – familiar with its wing flicks after every flight or even hop

Familiar Chat *Cercomela familiaris* Gewone spekvreter, The Baths Citrusdal

Sunbirds joining the White-eyes in the erythria tree – both Southern Double-collared and Malachite Sunbirds
Olive Woodpecker paying a brief visit to the surrounding trees

Lunch was toast (home-made bread from the Lord Milner Hotel, organized by Gerda, persuasive as ever) with smoked chicken slices and tomato – restaurant quality food!

We took a short walk after lunch to scout around the nearby facilities, visiting the rock pools and hot and cold swimming pools which provide most of the enjoyment in the resort.

One of the older buildings – still used for accommodation

After a short rest we drove to the chalet where the family were relaxing, for coffee and later a braai – Woolies sosaties accompanied by potato bake, salad and copper penny carrot salad to end off the day on a high culinary note. Just a pity our national T20 cricket team fell short of their target but oh so close with the margin between a potentially match-winning six and batsman caught being less than a metre of flight of the ball.

Sunday

An unhurried start to the day once again – it’s hard to do it any other way in this super-relaxed place – we took it easy on the balcony and I added to my steadily growing pentad list with a few more species that came and went –

African Olive Pigeon made a brief appearance in the trees

African Olive-Pigeon *Columba arquatrix* Geelbekbosduif, The Baths Citrusdal

A bold Fiscal Flycatcher flew in and perched on a branch metres away from the balcony

Fiscal Flycatcher *Sigelus silens* Fiskaalvlieëvanger, The Baths Citrusdal

Streaky-headed Seedeater visited the flame tree nearby

Mid-morning I pottered down the road to the nearby swimming pool, fed by the natural hot spring, where I found to my surprise that I had it to myself for a wonderfully relaxing swim. Actually, it was more like a float around as the warm water is not conducive to high activity.

As luck would have it, while floating on my back in the pool, I spotted a raptor soaring high above near the ridge of the mountain – even without binos I could see it was a Verraux’s Eagle!

Later the family tried out the small pools near the source of the waters, set among the rocks up a steep set of steps – they ended up spending most of the afternoon there

Monday

After breakfast on the balcony, I went to the warm pool but was put off by the number of people already in so left it for later. When I tried again the maintenance was being done, so I went back to the apartment and filled the jacuzzi with water also piped from the hot spring – rather nice and relaxing with a water massage thrown in.

Feeling energetic, we joined the family on an outing to the De Tol Farm Deli on top of the Piekenierskloof Pass on the N7 for a bit of Carmien tea tasting (as one does)

This was something different, with a wide variety of flavoured rooibos teas brewed in cute glass teapots and kept warm with small burners – the interesting combinations kept us busy for a while, with the “Strawberries and Cream” flavoured tea proving to be a favourite.

The deli shop had some interesting items including bags of braaipap which had me chuckling….

On sale in the Farm Deli – translation : left bag – Coarse maize meal, right bag – bloody coarse maize meal!

The trip back was a chance to see what other bird species I could find in the pentad, but the habitat consisting mainly of citrus orchards offered few birds and I added just a couple of species.

Back at the chalet we had coffee and a slice of chocolate cake bought at the farm deli while watching the first day’s play at Wimbledon, before preparing dinner of braai-ed marinated ribs and Gerda’s chicken fillets done in a pan, along with a salad – a winning combination!

In between all this strenuous activity I added to my pentad list with a few birds seen near the chalet –

White-throated Canary
Karoo Prinia
Olive Thrush

Olive Thrush *Turdus olivaceus* Olyflyster, The Baths Citrusdal

Tuesday

The weather had turned colder so our morning stoepsitting had to be curtailed – after breakfast I meandered down the hill along the road towards the camping sites, on the lookout for birds, which were plentiful in places but without adding any new species to my pentad list

After lunch we made our way slowly to Citrusdal for some provisions , followed by a drive around the side streets to get a feel for the town beyond the main street. We came away with a feeling that service delivery was lacking as all the roads were littered with potholes – much like too many of our small towns.

We came across the NG Kerk in another side street – 1960’s era church at a guess with a lovely stone church hall across the street dating from 1917 all set in neat grounds.

On the way back we took it very slow looking for birds and thanks to Gerda spotted a Black-winged Kite to take the pentad list to 38.

Back at the resort we went straight to the chalet for the evening which included more Wimbledon, braai hamburgers and a hilarious game of 30 Seconds.

Wednesday

A rainy day in the kloof!

It rained on and off for most of the day, at times coming down heavily, so we mostly stayed inside. The girls all went for spa treatments and I joined them later for a short swim in the warm pool.

The rain did not deter the birds and I added a few including –

Cape Batis
White-necked Raven

Thursday

More of the same – late lie in followed by a soothing after-breakfast swim, then chilling on the balcony until the family arrived mid afternoon for waffles in the restaurant. Talk about strenuous!

Later after doing some packing we trundled down the bumpy track once more to spend the last evening braai-ing and wimbledon-ing, the meal being lamb chops, crispy on the outside, wors and braaibroodjies with some salads

Friday

Time to head home!

We were packed and ready by 10am and proceeded along the route which took us back to Citrusdal then southwards and eastwards passing through 10 towns in all, which makes for an interesting trip broken up into ‘manageable’ chunks.

The road from Worcester was the busiest I have ever seen it with long streams of vehicles making it difficult to drive any faster than the slower vehicles on the road. Added to that we encountered three stop-go’s after Swellendam so only reached Mossel Bay around 6pm.

That brought our trip with the family to an end and a memory bank recharged with new experiences and moments.

On the atlasing side my list stood at 41 species in total – a modest total but pleasing for an area that I have never atlased before.

The Water

And finally, some interesting facts and statistics about the waters at The Baths (which only exists because of the natural hot springs of course) – how amazing that the water is forced under the Olifants River and up the other side!

Holiday Trips, On the Road

A Cape Winter Break – Part 2 : Sutherland

March 16, 2025 Don Reid 4 Comments

The Plan (Repeat from Part 1)

A one night stopover in Matjiesfontein at the historic Lord Milner Hotel
A couple of nights on a farm in Sutherland, the star-gazing capital of South Africa
A week at The Baths resort near Citrusdal

Heading to Sutherland

Wednesday

We left Matjiesfontein at 12.30pm and headed northwards on the R354 to Sutherland, some 111kms distant, crossing into the Northern Cape Province in the process.

The road was tarred and generally good, while the hilly countryside was a surprise for us as we were expecting much flatter terrain – without good reason, simply based on our experience of the Karoo elsewhere in South Africa.

Close to Sutherland we stopped at a Padkafee which looked promising but didn’t have much to offer, although a friendly and playful Sheepdog caught our attention and enthusiastically chased and retrieved thrown sticks until we eventually tired of the game.

Before we continued, our resident star-gazer Andre pointed out how clear the sky had become and how blue it was – a sure sign of clean, pollution free atmosphere.

Near Sutherland – now that’s a blue sky!

This is the principal reason why Sutherland has become the chosen location for a bevy of Observatories on a nearby hilltop, and a favoured spot among astronomers worldwide

Klipkraal Farm

Reaching Sutherland soon after, we stopped for coffee, then popped into the small grocery store for a few provisions before heading east to our accommodation on a farm called Klipkraal.

The farmstead has the charm of a typical Karoo farm – unpretentious, simple yet inviting with a few sheep grazing among the low bushes.

After settling in I took my customary walk along the entrance road (in the above photo) to see which birds were around and was able to eke out an initial list of 10 species, including –

Shelducks in the fields near the house, flying off when I approached

South African Shelduck *Tadorna cana* Kopereend (Male), Sutherland

Speckled Pigeons (Kransduiwe) true to their Afrikaans name, high up on the ridge of the hills overlooking the farm
A Mountain Wheatear in the tall trees

Dinner was a chicken veg soup (thick and meaty – more like a stew) in the kitchen with a fire going to ward off the cold – not extreme, but cold enough to remind you that Sutherland is the coldest place in SA.

Thursday

We slept snugly with the electric blankets keeping us warm all night – so much so that we only surfaced around 9am for a first coffee and tea to get us going.

Sutherland

After breakfast we joined the family for a trip to town where we meandered along the dusty quiet streets just taking in the atmosphere of this deep Karoo dorp that has become famous for being the centre of astronomy in SA – and for being the coldest place in the country!

SAAO Observatories

After a coffee at the Planetarium in town, we drove back to the farm and Andre and I were soon on our way to the SAAO observatories a little further along the same road for the afternoon tour of the facilities.

SAAO (South African Astronomical Observatory) owns and operates four major telescopes on a hilltop site 1800 metres above sea level, chosen for its year round clear skies, semi-arid setting and absence of light and other pollution.

The tour started with a video and a walk around the visitor centre to learn about the history of the facility and the basic principles of the different types of telescopes, followed by a short drive up the hill to where the observatories are located.

The four telescopes, all optical telescopes, run by SAAO are –

The 1.0m telescope
The 1.9m telescope
Lesedi telescope, and the big daddy of them all…
The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT)

Lesedi telescope (currently being commissioned) is housed in this building

Besides these four flagship telescopes, the facility houses a number of other telescopes, mostly operated by other organisations and international astronomy institutions

1.0m Telescope

We were taken firstly into the 1.0m observatory to view the telescope known as Elizabeth, funded by the queen and in use since 1964. It originally stood in the Observatory grounds in Cape Town and was upgraded and modernised to operate remotely when SAAO moved it to Sutherland in 1972.

SALT (Southern African Large Telescope)

Then it was time to enter the observatory housing the 11.0m SALT telescope – the building is imposing and there was a buzz of anticipation among the group of about twenty visitors on the tour.

Inside, we all climbed a couple of flights of stairs up to the level where a platform allowed a view of the whole interior, which elicited an excited babble from the group and rightly so – the mass of structural elements and the glint of the 11.0m primary mirror array were certainly impressive.

The heart of the telescope, the 11m wide hexagonal primary mirror array, is made up of 91 individual 1m hexagonal mirrors, housed in a complex movable structure weighing 80 tons.

The largest single optical telescope in the southern hemisphere, SALT can detect the equivalent of a candle flame at the distance of the moon!

SALT is funded by a consortium of international partners from SA, USA, Germany, Poland, India, UK and New Zealand

SALT, Sutherland showing the interior structure and part of the mirror array

SALT, Sutherland – a closer view of the mirror array, comprising 91 hexagonal mirrors

After hearing all the ins and outs of its operation and specs the tour came to an end and we returned to the farm, happy that we had seen the observatories and learnt a bit about their capabilities

The girls had not yet returned from their trip to town, which meant we could not get into the house as they had taken the key. However this turned out in our favour as we spotted a bird party moving through the garden.

In 15 minutes or so we saw –

Mountain Wheatears both boldly and drably coloured
Long-billed Crombec
Namaqua Warbler perching in the tree and singing beautifully

Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler pair
Cape Bunting

I then took a short drive before sunset adding just White-throated Canary to take my pentad list to 20.

The evening was spent around the fire in the kitchen and for a while outside, suitably wrapped up in our warmest clothes, doing some star gazing with Andre informing us about some of the features of the night sky.

Tomorrow we head to Citrusdal and The Baths

Holiday Trips, On the Road

A Cape Winter Break – Part 1 : Matjiesfontein

March 9, 2025 Don Reid 4 Comments

The Plan

A one night stopover in Matjiesfontein at the historic Lord Milner Hotel
A couple of nights on a farm in Sutherland, the star-gazing capital of South Africa
A week at The Baths resort near Citrusdal

Always up for some mild adventure, and to experience places we have not visited before – which included two of the three above – we agreed to join them and made the necessary bookings to match those that they had already made – the trip was on!

The Trip to Matjiesfontein

Tuesday

The preparation and packing started the day before as usual but it still took us the whole morning to finalise everything and be ready for the trip, in particular the first leg which took us to Matjiesfontein, where we checked into the Lord Milner Hotel around 5.30pm, right on schedule to make it there before sunset.

The route from Mossel Bay was a familiar one as we followed the road through the Robinson Pass to Oudtshoorn, Meiringspoort, Prince Albert and Laingsburg – all places we have visited in the past and pleasing to see again.

Progress was slow initially with a couple of “stop and go’s” between Brandwag and the Robinson Pass, where we stopped in mist to have sandwiches and tea.

Meiringspoort showed signs of the heavy rains of a month or two ago, which must have turned the usually quiet river and the adjoining road into one large torrent of water judging by the sand drifts and debris of bushes and trees all the way along the 20kms of twisting road.

The picnic spots were all barriered off due to the floods, so there was no chance of stopping as we usually did – we were just happy the road was open after being closed entirely for a few weeks until mid-June

The road to Prince Albert was quiet and as attractive as ever with lovely vistas opening up as we descended into the Kareedouw valley. We passed through Prince Albert and soon reached the junction with the N1 National road where we turned west and travelled to Laingsburg and beyond to our overnight stop at Matjiesfontein.

Matjiesfontein

Checking in at the Lord Milner Hotel, I realised that our previous stay must have been in 1976 – not because we could remember that far back but what we did recall was that the milk we ordered for our then baby son was sour and he was born in 1976!

It all still looks much the same and we even got the same room – the Olive Schreiner cottage – as 48 years ago.

The main staircase is eye-catching and the central cast iron column in the dining room is said to be one of only two of its kind, the other being in Buckingham Palace.

Main staircase in Lord Milner Hotel, Matjiesfontein

Dinner was hotel fare in the classic old dining room and having had a light lunch we did all three courses – soup, main and dessert – then headed to the cottage for an early night.

Wednesday

With just a short distance to drive today we slept in and only got to breakfast after 9am, enjoying the time with the family and the extensive fare on offer before checking out.

Before leaving Matjiesfontein we explored the village on foot, strolling along the station platform then past the Red London bus (which is used to take visitors on short tours of the village) and viewing some of the other buildings on the street.

The signal room in the old station, Matjiesfontein – a gem of mechanical engineering from a forgotten age

The small Transport Museum looked intriguing so we popped in after paying a nominal fee. What we found was a motley collection of old cars, some of which are in need of repair and/or TLC, nevertheless interesting for a fan of old cars such as myself (not just a birder after all).

Also in the museum is an old loco with a few coaches

And the Birding?

Our visit to Matjiesfontein was short, so birding was not uppermost in my mind, yet I managed to record 15 species while walking about the village. Apart from the everyday Doves, Sparrows, Robins I did see White-backed Mousebird, Malachite Sunbird and Red-winged Starlings, while Pied Barbets provided a typical Karoo background sound with their familiar calls.

Next stop – Sutherland

Bird behaviour, Bird in the Lens, Bird Photography, Birding South Africa, Photo Pick, Special Sightings

My Photo Pick for 2024 – the Birds

February 7, 2025 Don Reid 5 Comments

This is the second part of my photo pick for 2024 – a selection of bird photos that appealed to me for various reasons, not just the quality of the photo but also for the memory it left with me. I hope you enjoy scrolling through them as much as I have enjoyed taking, editing and selecting them.

If you have already glanced at the ‘categories’ I have placed them under and are wondering how I arrived at these – well, I didn’t but I did ‘borrow’ them from Firefinch which is the excellent birding app produced by Faansie Peacock (his real name!) and his team.

Faansie has a way of making birding interesting and fun and the way he categorises bird species in his app is a good example of his practical approach.

Raptors

Seeing a raptor at the roadside is always exciting and a reason to stop and have a better look – most will fly off the moment you stop, so it requires a bit of stealth to keep the car moving slowly while approaching the target and to have the camera at the ready for the moment you come to a standstill

Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis Langkuifarend, Kleinberg area

African Cuckoo Hawk *Aviceda cuculoides* Koekoekvalk (Juvenile), Friemersheim area

Black-winged Kites are widespread in SA but finding this one about to feed on its prey was a first for me

Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Blouvalk, Vleesbaai inland

This is not a particularly good photo of an Amur Falcon that I came across but I include it only because it is a scarce sighting in the Southern Cape

Amur Falcon Falco amurensis Oostelike rooipootvalk (male), Kleinberg area

Rock Kestrel is a regular species in the estate where we live. This one chose the 15th tee, just 100m from our house, as a convenient spot for some hunting one morning

Rock Kestrel Falco rupicolus Kransvalk, Mossel Bay Golf Estate

Perchers

This category covers a variety of birds normally seen perched on a tree or bush or other suitable spot

Bokmakieries are often one of the first species to be encountered when atlasing in the Southern Cape, as they greet the new day with vigourous calls. Getting them to pose is not always easy but this one eyed me from a wire fence, inviting me to take its photo

Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus Bokmakierie, Brandwag south

Cape Batis is a common forest bird – parts of the Bonniedale road heading west from the R328 are heavily forested and that’s where I found this one

Cape Batis Batis capensis Kaapse bosbontrokkie (male), Bonniedale road

I had stopped in the mountains beyond Herbertsdale to check for birds when this Grassbird – or perhaps it’s better to call it a Fencebird in this case – drew my attention with its familiar trilling call

Cape Grassbird Sphenoeacus afer Grasvoël, Herbertsdale north

Karoo Prinia is common in suitable habitat across its distribution range. I saw one while stoepsitting in the Addo NP and stalked it until it settled in a thorny bush for long enough to get this image

Karoo Prinia Prinia maculosa Karoolangstertjie (race exultans), Addo Elephant NP

The familiar Speckled Mousebird is fond of disappearing into foliage but will usually pop up to check out the surroundings, which is what this one did

Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus Gevlekte muisvoël, Wilderness

Another very familiar bird, the Cape White-eye, visited us frequently during our stay at The Baths near Citrusdal

One of my favourite photos of the year, I came across this Long-billed-Crombec while atlasing and was thrilled to see it drop down and take up position in the mouth of the nest low in the tree, which I had not noticed

Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens Bosveldstompstert (race diverga), Herbertsdale north east

Suckers

The curve-billed nectar-suckers

The photos illustrate the colourful male and the rather drab female of the species that I often come across while atlasing, and at home

Greater Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris afer Groot-rooibandsuikerbekkie, Addo Elephant NP

Greater Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris afer Groot-rooibandsuikerbekkie (female), Friemersheim area

Seed-eaters

All have short, strong triangular bills suited to their main diet of seeds.

The Bishops were both photographed in winter non-breeding plumage.

Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis Kaapse flap (non-breeding male), Klein Brak area

Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix Rooivink (non-breeding), Bland’s Drift

White-throated Canary Crithagra albogularis Witkeelkanarie, Herbertsdale area

Cape Canaries always seem to be on the go, not waiting for an anxious bird photographer to get his act together, so I was happy that this one hung around a bit.

Cape Canary Serinus canicollis Kaapse kanarie (race canicollis), Herbertsdale north

Cape Bunting Emberiza capensis Rooivlerkstreepkoppie (race capensis), Herbertsdale north

Favourites

A random mix of familiar birds, often colourful and with well-known calls

White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides Rooikeelbyvreter, Verlorenkloof

The Blue-cheeked Bee-eater is a Palearctic migrant, regarded as a rarity in the Western Cape, which is why I have included it in my pick. However they have been seen during summer near Gouritzmond for a few years now.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus Blouwangbyvreter (Juvenile), Gouritzmond road

African Hoopoe Upupa africana Hoephoep, Brandwag area

Brown-hooded Kingfisher Halcyon albiventris Bruinkopvisvanger (race vociferans), Verlorenkloof

Pied Kingfishers are known for their habit of hover-hunting – this one did so at The Point in Mossel Bay while we were parked there enjoying our customary coffee one late afternoon just before sunset, with perfect lighting to enhance the beauty of the bird.

Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Bontvisvanger (female), Mossel Bay Point

Flyers

Swifts and swallows – the aerial feeders – also the most challenging to photograph unless they are resting between sorties

Greater Striped Swallow Cecropis cucullata Grootstreepswael, Kleinberg area

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Europese swael, Kleinberg area

Common Swift Apus apus Europese windswael (race pekinensis), Kleinberg area

White-rumped Swift Apus caffer Witkruiswindswael, Kleinberg area

Brown-throated Martin Riparia paludicola Afrikaanse oewerswael, at nest burrow, Maalgate area

Plungers

Mainly seabirds that forage over water – and under water

At irregular times during the year terns roost in numbers at The Point in Mossel Bay, providing good photo opportunities as the rocks are relatively close to the viewing area

Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis Grootsterretjie, Mossel Bay Point

The Point is also a great spot for seabird watching when the winds are strong and in the right direction. One such day I was fortunate to be there when the seabirds were closer than usual and I was able to capture this image of a magnificent Shy Albatross – one of more than a dozen that passed by while we were there.

Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta Bloubekalbatros, Mossel Bay Point

Another Tern that visited The Point was this rare hybrid – not a separately countable species but interesting nevertheless

Hybrid Elegant / Sandwich Tern, Mossel Bay Point

I was pleased when keen birder Estelle called me from Klein Brak to inform me about a Black-headed Gull that was present. I couldn’t resist heading out and was lucky enough to capture some images of this rarity, which I have seen in Europe and elsewhere but never in Southern Africa

Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Swartkopmeeu (Breeding plumage), Klein Brak estuary

Runners

Small to medium-sized birds that forage on the ground

Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra Gewone janfrederik, Addo Elephant NP

Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea Lelspreeu (non-breeding), Herbertsdale area

Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata Hoëveldskaapwagter, Voelvlei

Cape Longclaw Macronyx capensis Oranjekeelkalkoentjie, Jakkalsvlei area

Cape Longclaw Macronyx capensis Oranjekeelkalkoentjie, Herbertsdale north east

Swimmers

Birds with webbed or lobed toes for swimming

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Kleindobbertjie, Voelvlei

Reed Cormorant Microcarbo africanus Rietkormorant, Sedgefield

Cape Teal Anas capensis Teeleend, Strandfontein sewage works

I was particularly pleased to photograph this Black-necked Grebe at reasonably close quarters during a visit to Strandfontein sewage works as my previous photos were all too far off to achieve any sort of detail of this striking swimmer

Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis Swartnekdobbertjie, Strandfontein sewage works

Waders

Those attractive waterbirds that don’t dive or swim but forage by wading in suitable shallow water

Also challenging to photograph at the best of times – often moving constantly, hiding behind vegetation, dipping into the mud and generally frustrating attempts to get a clear shot

Sanderling Calidris alba Drietoonstrandloper, Hartenbos River Estuary

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Kleinwulp, Gouritsmond

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Rooipootelsie, Hartenbos vleis

Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia Groenpootruiter, Voelvlei

One of the rarities that visited Voëlvlei near Vleesbaai during the summer of 2023/24 was this Greater Sand Plover.

Greater Sand Plover Charadrius leschenaultii Grootstrandkiewiet, Voelvlei

Walkers

And to end off – the largest bird in the world with its offspring made for a lovely sight in Addo Elephant National Park

Common Ostrich Struthio camelus Volstruis (female with juveniles), Addo Elephant NP

Land of Beauty, Photo Pick, The World around Us

My Photo Pick for 2024 – The Places

January 29, 2025 Don Reid 4 Comments

Yes, I know it’s the end of January and my last post was early December – what can I say …. life keeps getting in the way. Anyway, here I am in Australia and it’s bucketing down outside so time to get back to my blog.

I started out trying to select a total of 50 images that represent the places we have visited, the birds seen and wildlife encountered over the last 12 months but ended up with a much longer ‘shortlist’ so this time around I thought it best to split my annual Photo Pick into more than one post.

First up is –

The Places

It doesn’t feel as if we did much travelling during the year, perhaps because for the first time in many years we did not leave South Africa. However we made up for that with a number of local SA trips, some to places we visited for the first time, in the process finding out more about our fascinating country, which hardly ever disappoints…

The brief comments tell a bit of the story of each image.

Mossel Bay

Starting at home – as I’ve mentioned before, one of the pleasures of living on a golf estate with adjoining conservation areas is the daily walks I enjoy, along quiet trails that I regularly have to myself or along the bush-lined perimeter of the fairways once the golfers have left.

The varying climate and seasonal changes in the dominant fynbos present different aspects every day – here’s just one view of the sea taken from the nature trail

Paarl, Western Cape

A brief visit to Paarl was an opportunity to explore the surrounding areas and visit some of the lesser known wine estates. This view was taken on the well named Sonstraal (Sunbeam) road

Eastern Cape

Our visit to the Eastern Cape, described in one of my earlier posts, had several highlights…

Southern Cape

My weekly atlasing efforts during the year took me to many beautiful areas of the Southern Cape in the vicinity of Mossel Bay

Gouritz River at Die Poort, north west of Herbertsdale

Waterfall after good rains in the Robinson pass

Friemersheim

This village in the southern Cape has been the subject of a few posts in the past and our latest visit had more surprises which I will include in a future post. This charming cottage, decorated with murals in the style of the other buildings in the village, is a foretaste.

Verlorenkloof, Mpumulanga

We combined a visit to Pretoria with a few days spent at Verlorenkloof courtesy of our good friends the Pauws

Sutherland and Citrusdal

The historical town of Matjiesfontein in the Karoo was our first stop on the way to spending a mid-winter week at a hotsprings resort near Citrusdal – we stayed in one of the cottages run by the hotel and dined in the main dining room. It brought back memories of our previous stay here – some 40 years ago!

Our next stop was to spend two nights in the Karoo town of Sutherland, famous for recording the coldest winter temperatures in South Africa and for being the site of the South African Large Telescope or SALT for short, which we made a point of visiting

The week spent at The Baths near Citrusdal was a delight and one of the most relaxing weeks of the whole year

Prince Albert

My earlier post describes our long weekend in Prince Albert – this delightful Karoo dorp remains a favourite of ours

Hartenbos

I joined Andre and Geraldine a couple of times on their regular Sunday walks along the beach at Hartenbos

Cape Visit

In November we spent a memorable week and a half in the Cape as part of a long-planned family reunion with my siblings and some of their children from all over the world.

A patch of colour at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town

View of Table Mountain from the rooftop of Silo Hotel at the Waterfront

Back home in Mossel Bay the Cruise season had started – we love seeing these impressive ships in the bay

Now if this rain keeps up I may be able to put together the rest of my photo picks for 2024

Australia 3.1

Sunday – Nambucca Heads to Gold Coast

Monday – Gold Coast : Sea World

Tuesday – Gold Coast : Surprise Low and a Spectacular High

The Low

The High

Australia 3.1

Friday – Caves Beach to Nambucca Heads (In the rain)

Saturday – Nambucca Heads (Mostly in the rain!)

Australia 3.1

Wednesday – Sydney to Caves Beach

Thursday – Caves Beach – a Rainy day

Australia 3.1

Getting there

Monday – First Taste of Sydney

Tuesday – Sydney Harbour by Boat

The Plan

Sutherland to Citrusdal

The Baths

The Water

The Plan (Repeat from Part 1)

Heading to Sutherland

Klipkraal Farm

Sutherland

SAAO Observatories

1.0m Telescope

SALT (Southern African Large Telescope)

The Plan

The Trip to Matjiesfontein

Matjiesfontein

And the Birding?

Raptors

Perchers

Suckers

Seed-eaters

Favourites

Flyers

Plungers

Runners

Swimmers

Waders

Walkers

The Places

Mossel Bay

Paarl, Western Cape

Eastern Cape

Southern Cape

Friemersheim

Verlorenkloof, Mpumulanga

Sutherland and Citrusdal

Prince Albert

Hartenbos

Cape Visit

Adventurous Birding, Atlasing and Travel