Tag Archives: Birding South Africa

Addo Trip – March 2024 : Part 2

March 26, 2024 Don Reid 8 Comments

The Routine

We had four full days to make the most of our breakaway to this delightful park and we soon settled into a routine which we followed more or less on each of those days. Let’s just say we were out to relax as much as possible, while not missing out on what Addo has to offer.

The mornings were the most relaxed part of the day, getting up late-ish, having coffee while enjoying the birdsong and spending the rest of the morning out on the deck, then venturing out for a drive along one of the routes, usually with a light picnic lunch packed.

This took us to mid-afternoon when we would return to camp, just in time for a rest (I told you we were out to relax!). More deck sitting, followed by getting the braai fire going for the evening meal to round out the day.

Day 1 and 2 Highlights

Stoepsitting

Stoepsitting (relaxing on the deck) is especially rewarding in Addo’s Main Camp where the chalets are surrounded by trees and shrubs which are a magnet for a number of birds.

It almost seems as if the birds that visit the surrounding bushes and trees are prompted by a stage director to appear ‘on stage’, play their part and leave again

Some of the regular “performers” :

Southern Boubou, looking like he is in charge, giving a raucous call just in case you don’t notice him the first time

Southern Boubou Laniarius ferrugineus Suidelike waterfiskaal (female, race natalensis), Addo Elephant NP

Greater Double-collared Sunbird, resplendent in green cloak and bright red waistcoat and showing off its colours at every opportunity

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

Bar-throated Apalis, perky and loud, flitting about the bushes, allowing very brief glimpses as it moves through the foliage – so brief I didn’t manage to get a photo this visit so have included this one from a previous trip

Bar-throated Apalis, Bontebok NP (not impressed by my playing his call)

Cape Robin-Chat, haughty and superior – but who wouldn’t be if you could sing as well as it can

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

Streaky-headed Seedeater, looking a little miffed about no longer being known as a Canary (except in Afrikaans) but singing like one nevertheless

Streaky-headed Seedeater Crithagra gularis Streepkopkanarie (race humilis), Addo Elephant NP

Karoo Prinia, another busy bird not sitting still for long and with an almost desperate look in the eye – perhaps it’s thinking about a thorny issue of some kind …

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

The Drives

Our drive on day one was limited to a late afternoon exploration of the roads nearest to the camp. At the first waterhole we found a small group of elephants quenching their thirst, while a Warthog approached carefully to see if he could get a look in.

On day two we felt like a longer drive and set off late morning, taking the road southwards to Jack’s Picnic spot where we had a light lunch of fruit salad and yoghurt and the tea that we had prepared before leaving. Jack’s is unique in that it has a number of individual picnic tables each set in an alcove shielded by bush almost all the way around, creating a cosy, private space to enjoy your picnic.

On the way we had encountered several groups of elephant – some at the waterhole, others nearby.

While watching the wild life activity at Hapoor waterhole near the picnic spot, we witnessed a mixed herd of elephants approaching at a pace, tails literally flying in the air – clearly they had one thing in mind – to quench their thirst on a hot day

An older elephant lagged behind – the pace just too fast for it (I can relate to that)

A few Zebras in the bushy areas added some variety to the drive

Ever on the lookout for birds, here are those that caught my camera’s eye

Pied Crow – often abundant but seldom offering opportunities to photograph it at close quarters

A pair of African Pipits were enjoying the wet open veld where it had just rained, pretending to be waders for a few moments

African Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus Gewone koester (race rufuloides), Addo Elephant NP

Joining the Pipits was a bird that at first had me wondering due to its wet and bedraggled plumage but a study of the photos I took convinced me it was a Karoo Chat – probably a juvenile

Karoo Chat Cercomela schlegelii Karoospekvreter (race pollux), Addo Elephant NP

Gerda is always on the lookout for wild flowers – there was not much to see but we did come across a single Spekboom that had flowers, while thousands of its like had none

Soon after we saw a bright splash of red and yellow in an otherwise drab patch of veld, which turned out to be an unusual lily with several common names, one of which is Paintbrush Lily

By coincidence the same evening, while scanning through some wild flower posts on facebook, I came across an interesting post which went into some detail about this unique flower, in Afrikaans

We still had two days of relaxation ahead in this lovely national park, which tends to grow on you

Bird in the Lens, Birding South Africa

The Eyes Have it! (Part 5)

February 11, 2024 Don Reid 6 Comments

A while back I showcased a few species with striking eyes – continuing that theme, here’s a look at another species that has formidable eyes -although this is not immediately obvious but does become more so once you get up close and personal with it

Black-headed Heron (Swartkopreier) Ardea melanocephala

Where in the world?

The distribution of this species is extensive across Sub-Saharan Africa, missing only from a few arid areas such as the Kalahari in southern Africa. It is the commonest of the large herons throughout Africa.

What to Look for

This is not a bird that is likely to be confused with any other, with the possible exception of the Grey Heron which is of similar size and, at a distance, of similar appearance. Non-birders (no disrespect, but you are missing out seriously) do mistake this species for the iconic Blue Crane, something I can vouch for from personal experience.

It’s a tall bird, up to 96 cm in height and weighing between 700 and 1650 g

Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala Swartkopreier, Great Brak River

In flight it’s easier to confirm the identification due to the bi-coloured wings – black flight feathers, white underwing coverts

Eyes are yellow, but turn orange, then red during breeding

Black-headed Heron is a terrestial species, not necessarily found near wetlands as with other herons, and is one of the few birds that benefit from human alteration to the environment such as irrigated areas, which suit their preference for damp pastureland

They will often be found striding through grass, hunting for prey

Black-headed Heron, Mossel Bay-Herbertsdale

They eat a variety of rodents,insects, snakes, frogs, crabs, fish – in fact just about anything that crosses their path including small birds. This individual I came across early one morning in the Rayton area near Pretoria had caught a large rodent, possibly a vlei rat, and proceeded to swallow it whole, taking a few minutes to manoeuvre it into position for swallowing. I could see the progress of the prey moving down the bird’s long neck, which bulged as it gradually slipped down.

Black-headed Heron swallowing prey, Rayton-Culinan area

They often nest in or near towns – Great Brak River, just down the road from Mossel Bay, has a busy roost in a tall tree on the main road. The next photo was taken in a more rural area near Pretoria, where numbers of Black-headed Herons occupied a large tree next to a farm dam.

They make themselves known with their harsh squawking calls at all times of the day.

References: Roberts VII Birds of Southern Africa; Firefinch Birding App; Birds of the World – Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Birding South Africa, Special Birds, Special Sightings

300 Up! And a special bird to celebrate

November 1, 2023 Don Reid 9 Comments

My 300th post is a short one with just one photo of one bird – but I have reason to celebrate both…

The bird in question is a Common Quail – so what’s the big deal I hear you think. Well if I tell you that I’ve heard this bird calling a few hundred times during my birding and atlasing travels over 35 years or so, but have seen it just once before, so briefly that there was no chance to get a photo, then you may appreciate my excitement about my experience last week.

I was out atlasing in the early morning not far from our new home in Mossel Bay and heard the familiar call of Common Quail almost every time I stopped. There were numbers of Larks and other birds in the gravel road and along the verges, then I noticed something different up ahead and raised my binos once more – it was a Common Quail, in fact a pair that were walking along the edge of the gravel amongst grass tufts.

With my heart pumping I grabbed my camera, checked settings and fired away even though the Quails were not ideally positioned and not close enough to achieve sharpness, but I was ecstatic that I had at last seen this bird clearly and at least had a reasonable record photo.

Bird in the Lens, Birding South Africa

The Eyes Have it! (Part 4)

August 17, 2023 Don Reid 1 Comment

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.

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.

Bird in the Lens, Birding South Africa

The Eyes Have it! (Part 3)

August 5, 2023 Don Reid 6 Comments

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!

Burchell’s Coucal Centropus burchellii Gewone vleiloerie, Friemersheim area

What does Faansie say?

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

Bird in the Lens, Birding South Africa

The Eyes Have it! (Part 2)

June 24, 2023 Don Reid 3 Comments

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

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

Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Blouvalk (Juvenile), Gouritzmond

Footnote:

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

https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home

Bird in the Lens, Birding South Africa

The Eyes Have it! (Part 1)

May 16, 2023 Don Reid 8 Comments

Cormorants

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.

White-breasted Cormorant above, Reed Cormorant below

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

Reed Cormorant (Rietduiker) (E-bird : Long-tailed Cormorant)

Microcarbo africanus

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!

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.

Never mind, just look at those turquoise eyes!

This marine species is distributed along the coastline of South Africa, Namibia and Angola

Bird behaviour, Birding South Africa, Special Sightings

Spotted Eagle-Owls Aplenty

April 12, 2023 Don Reid 9 Comments

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 …’

Spotted Eagle-Owl Bubo africanus Gevlekte ooruil, Mossel Bay

‘Hmmm – suppose I should keep a watch out even though I’m still young’

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 ….

Birding South Africa, Photo Pick, The World around Us

My Photo Pick for 2022

February 8, 2023 Don Reid 10 Comments

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

I love the moodiness that overcast skies bring to a scene and this one had the benefit of a sunlit foreground and overcast background

The classic view of Table Mountain from Milnerton beach, a stone’s throw from where I was born

This unusual view of the southern Cape coast was taken from my seat in a plane on its way to land at George

A double rainbow over Mossel Bay just begged to be photographed

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

Our stay in Victoria, Australia provided widely contrasting experiences

Atlasing in the southern Cape around Herbertsdale provided this beautiful early-morning scene along the winding road

Another moody scene, this time with fishermen providing the focal point

Paternoster beach was another excellent spot for sunset photography, with gulls adding that extra punch

The flowers in the Postberg section of the West Coast National Park were spectacular (a separate post on this still to come)

Another view of the iconic mountain that I grew up with, this time from the waterfront at Cape Town

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!

Such elegant birds….

Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta Bontelsie, Strandfontein WWTW

Cape Weavers treated us to a show while building their nests in front of our patio

Spike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata Vlaktelewerik, (race alticola) Balmoral area

Some of the birds seen during our Australia visit

Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus, Sale Victoria

Maned Duck Chenonetta jubata (Male), Bright Victoria

White-faced Heron Egretta novahollandiae, Sale Common NCR

Laughing 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

Protea Canary Crithagra leucoptera Witvlerkkanarie, Herbertsdale Area

Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata Geelbekeend, Rondevlei Cape Town

Bar-throated Apalis Apalis thoracica Bandkeelkleinjantjie 9race capensis), Herbertsdale south

Cormorants are not colourful birds, but those eyes….!

Reed Cormorant Microcarbo africanus Rietkormorant, Malachite hide Wilderness

Darter creating an arty pose

African Darter Anhinga rufa Slanghalsvoël, Malachite hide Wilderness

The Cape Batis likes to stay concealed so I was happy to capture this image as it flitted about in the depths of a bush

Cape Batis Batis capensis Kaapse bosbontrokkie (race capensis), Rondevlei Wilderness

Not as clear an image as I would have liked but the in flight action is just perfect

Rock Kestrel Falco rupicolus Kransvalk, Piekernierskloof Pass

Our favourite Cape Town destination is Kirstenbosch – always an opportunity for a few pleasing images

Cape White-eye Zosterops capensis Kaapse glasogie (race capensis), Kirstenbosch

The Other Stuff

We visited a butterfly sanctuary which was great for close ups of some of the beautiful specimens

Butterfly sanctuary, near Eight Bells Inn

Nice to watch the Zipline in operation at the Point in Mossel Bay – now if I was a tad younger…..

The little village of Friemersheim has been turned into a living Art Gallery (more in a future post)

That sign conjures up all kinds of thoughts, doesn’t it?

A view from the inside of the Singapore Airlines plane that took us to Australia via Singapore

A tranquil scene on one of my atlasing trips

Cow in the flowers….behind barbed wire

People in the flowers on a sunny day

I can’t imagine a life without photography .. or birding of course

Flowers, Holiday Trips, Land of Beauty

Spring Flowers Trip 2022 – Clanwilliam to Paternoster

December 13, 2022 Don Reid 8 Comments

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,

I would recommend clicking on the images where appropriate to view in larger scale and appreciate the beauty and perfection of the flowers.

Travelling to Paternoster

Today’s trip was less about flower viewing and more about getting from one place to another with the minimum of fuss, so we were not planning any specific stops – more of a ‘play it by ear’ approach was to be the order of the day. As it turned out, the day was interesting but probably doesn’t warrant a separate post, however I wanted to treat this series of posts as a daily report of the trip, so this one is just for completeness. (hey, I’m a QS – we are obsessive types)

After another full breakfast at Yellow Aloe Guest House, which took longer than usual as everyone came to breakfast at more or less the same time, we left Clanwilliam with many fond memories of our short stay.

Rather than heading down the N7 National Road, we took the coastal route, which would take us along quieter regional roads past a number of small towns – including Lamberts Bay, Leipoldtville, Elands Bay and Velddrif.

Along the way there were small patches of flowers here and there and I slowed down as we passed, but did not stop as we had seen many glorious flowers the previous day in the Biedouw Valley

On the way to Elands Bay we noticed patches of red in the gravelly margin bordering the tar road and stopped to have a closer look as it did not look like anything we knew. Closer inspection didn’t enlighten us, but I took a few photos of this rather strange ‘growth’ in an environment which hardly looked as if it could support anything but weeds.

We took a quick detour to Elands Bay just to see what it looks like – the town centre left us less than impressed but the beach provided a sweeping view of the wide sands, wind-whipped sea and distant headland which demanded a photo. Easier said than done, as the wind was so strong, I had to brace myself, legs spread wide and shielding my eyes from the sand, in order to get a couple of moody shots with my iphone.

Feeling peckish we popped into Rooidak padstal just outside town and got a pie for lunch – which I couldn’t finish as it was rather stodgy, then carried on along mostly straight, very flat roads to Velddrif.

Just after we turned off towards Paternoster, the road passed some of the salt pans that Velddrif is known for and I slowed, then stopped at the roadside to do a quick scan – several interesting birds were making the most of this very specific habitat and I spent about twenty minutes getting a few shots from a distance.

Pied Avocet *Recurvirostra avosetta* Bontelsie, Velddrif

Kittlitz’s Plover and Little Stint, Velddrif

Lesser Flamingo *Phoeniconaias minor* Kleinflamink, Velddrif

Lesser Flamingo and Pied Avocet, Velddrif

Lesser Flamingoes taking off, watched by Caspian Terns, Velddrif

Paternoster

The last stretch to Paternoster was in light rain and we reached our booked accommodation – Paternoster Dunes Guest House – around 3 pm where we were welcomed and soon settled in. They serve coffee/tea and cake every afternoon at 4 pm so we climbed the single flight of stairs up to the dining area and lounge which has magnificent views across the beach and beyond.

During our previous stay we had not managed to fit the afternoon tea session into our busy days so it was a particular pleasure to do so this time around, while the rain came pelting down and the strong wind tested the beach-facing windows to the extreme.

Neither of us felt like going out for dinner so we cancelled the booking that we had and ‘ate in’ on what could best be described as ‘dehydrated steak and chips’ – actually beef biltong and crisps with provita and cheese on the side – surprisingly satisfying when washed down with a glass of decent wine.

The rain subsided a bit later, so I took a walk along the beach with a light drizzle in the air and the wind still gusting quite strongly – that helped to blow all the day’s driving-induced cobwebs clear away.

The combination of a low sun, cloudy skies and wheeling gulls made the scene especially photogenic, and I snapped happily away with my iphone before heading back to our cosy room to relax and plan the next day’s activities. Tietiesbaai, here we come, ready or not!

The Routine

Day 1 and 2 Highlights

Stoepsitting

The Drives

Black-headed Heron (Swartkopreier) Ardea melanocephala

Where in the world?

What to Look for

Cape Batis (Kaapse bosbontrokkie) Batis capensis

Where to find them

What to Look for

Getting the Photo

Burchell’s Coucal (Vleiloerie)

Centropus burchellii

Distribution

Getting the Photo

What does Faansie say?

Black-winged Kite (Blouvalk)

Elanus caeruleus

Footnote:

Cormorants

White-breasted Cormorant (Witborsduiker) (E-bird : Great Cormorant)

Phalacrocorax lucidus

Reed Cormorant (Rietduiker) (E-bird : Long-tailed Cormorant)

Microcarbo africanus

Cape Cormorant (Trekduiker)

Phalacrocorax capensis

Spotted Eagle-Owl bubo africanus Gevlekte Ooruil

The Places

The Birds

The Other Stuff

The Background

Travelling to Paternoster

Paternoster

Adventurous Birding, Atlasing and Travel