The weather in Mossel Bay, our new home town, is nothing if not variable, typical of coastal towns along the southern Cape coast.
This past week the mist has rolled in from the sea every day, sometimes dissipating by mid morning but often remaining for most of the day. Without the usual sea breezes the days have been warm and humid, so the cooling mist has been welcome.
Let’s start with a mood-setting video taken at The Point in Mossel Bay yesterday afternoon – listen for the mournful sound of the foghorn in the background and the whistling calls of the Oystercatchers flying past – it was completely fortuitous that they flew by just as I took the video
When not flying about and whistling, African Black Oystercatchers can usually be found on rocky shorelines at low tide, looking for mussels which they prise open with their bills.
African Black Oystercatcher
We were not put off our customary coffee time visits to the Point this past week, it just meant the sea view where we usually park was somewhat limited. However the mist did recede enough while we were there for us to be able to make out a couple of pelagic species such as Parasitic Jaegers and Cory’s Shearwaters in addition to the usual complement of Swift Terns, Kelp Gulls, Cormorants and the occasional Cape Gannet
I ventured onto the rocks below the parking area to take a few shots of the scenery, softened by the mist and with that slightly mysterious aura that such conditions impart.
The Point, Mossel BayThe natural swimming pool at The Point – known as Die PoortThe Point, Mossel BayThe Point, Mossel Bay
Meanwhile back at the ranch – well actually the golf estate that is our home nowadays, the mist was creating scenes like this when I went for a late afternoon walk
Moving home from Pretoria to Mossel Bay during the year took a lot of our energy and meant we travelled less than usual – so much so that we didn’t even manage to fit in a trip to one of our national parks, the first time this has happened in many years!
Nevertheless my photo library increased by some 1500 images, and for this retrospective I have selected 50 images which appeal to me for various reasons.
An unexpected mid-year trip to Scotland for a week was a wonderful opportunity to boost my photo library and try out my new mirrorless camera to its full extent – my verdict is it met all my expectations once I had mastered the myriad settings available.
The brief comments tell a bit of the story of each image. So to start with ….
The Places
Starting at home – one of the pleasures of living on a golf estate is having the golf course to yourself after the last golfers have left – it’s ideal for long walks and an added bonus is the small herd of Springboks that also enjoy the peace and quiet without golf balls flying about
Mossel Bay Golf Estate
Hoekwil Forest near Wilderness, also known as Big Tree Forest, is one of my favourite spots for forest walks and birding, presenting scenes like this along the trail
Hoekwil Forest
A trip to Fransmanshoek (“Frenchman’s Corner”) just a half hour’s drive from Mossel Bay is always worth it – the rugged coastline and big waves make for spectacular coastal scenery on a windy day
Fransmanshoek
Back in March, Gerda’s relative Anlia sent us this photo taken early morning on their farm near Vryheid in Kwazulu Natal – I was immediately blown away by the colours and texture of the scene – almost akin to a Monet Impressionist painting, don’t you think?
Onverwacht farm, Vryheid
It’s impossible to go through a year without taking photos at The Point in Mossel Bay on a day of high seas, capturing (hopefully) the drama of the sand, sea and sky that such days produce
Mossel Bay Point
A short breakaway trip to Plettenberg Bay (Plett for short) was an opportunity to explore another part of the beautiful Garden Route and stop at scenes like this
Keurbooms River Plett
While in Pretoria for our final packing I went out atlasing with friend Koos (the lone figure in the photo) – this was taken as the sun rose on a cold winter morning over the grassland east of Pretoria
Near Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng
And then came the Scotland trip where I was spoilt for choice when it came to striking scenery – here is a selection of the places I visited or simply stopped to admire
River Tay, DunkeldGenl Wade’s Military Road, DalwhinnieRiver Feshie, FeshiebridgeFindhorn River ValleyRiver Avon, Highland Tourist RouteEdinburgh Castle
The Birds
I spend a lot of my photographic energies on capturing images of birds, often with mixed results. These are some of the better ones
Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus Gevlekte muisvoël, Mossel Bay Golf EstateYellow Canary Crithagra flaviventris Geelkanarie (race flaviventris), GouritzmondAfrican Stonechat Saxicola torquatus Gewone bontrokkie (race torquatus), Great Brak InlandLevaillant’s Cisticola Cisticola tinniens Vleitinktinkie (race brookei), Great Brak InlandCommon Tern Sterna hirundo Gewone sterretjie, Hartenbos River mouthCommon Greenshank Tringa nebularia Groenpootruiter, Hartenbos River mouthRed-necked Spurfowl Pternistis afer Rooikeelfisant (race castaneiventer) (Juvenile), Robinson PassMalachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata Kuifkopvisvanger, Great Brak inlandSpotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Europese vlieëvanger, Friemersheim areaAgulhas Long-billed Lark Certhilauda brevirostris Overberglangbeklewerik, Vleesbaai areaCape Teal Anas capensis Teeleend, Great BrakKittlitz’s Plover Charadrius pecuarius Geelborsstrandkiewiet, Voelvlei near Vleesbaai
Have a closer look at what this Little Egret has caught
Little Egret Egretta garzetta Kleinwitreier, Voelvlei near Vleesbaai
On one of my last atlasing outings for the year I came across this delightful pair of protective Blue Cranes looking after junior
Blue Cranes Anthropoides paradiseus Bloukraanvoël, North of Herbertsdale
My trip to Scotland was a great opportunity for some birding in a different environment and I grabbed the chance with both hands
Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Loch of the Lowes
This is a sight we don’t get to see in southern Africa – a juvenile Osprey at the nest, waiting to be fed
Osprey (Juvenile) Pandion haliaetus Loch of the Lowes
This cheeky Robin hopped onto the table at a roadside service centre where I stopped for coffee
European Robin Erithacus rubecula coffee stop on A9Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula AvielochanLittle Egret Egretta gazetta River Eden EstuaryEurasian Curlew Numenius arquata River Eden Estuary
It was a special treat to see Common Redshanks by the hundred at River Eden Estuary – this is a bird rarely seen in southern Africa
Common Redshank Tringa totanus River Eden Estuary
The Mossel Bay area attracted a few rare vagrants during the year and I was happy to be able to see them and get some reasonable photos
Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus Mongoolse strandkiewiet, Klein Brak vleiBuff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Taanborsstrandloper, Voelvlei near Vleesbaai
Birds in Flight
Birds in flight – or BIF as it’s known – is the most challenging aspect of bird photography, with a success rate of about 1 usable image for every 30 taken, based on my experience. In the same way as golfers seek the perfect shot and surfers the perfect wave, so are bird photographers always on the look out for a better photo.
Here are some of the year’s BIF images that worked
Hartlaub’s Gull Chroicocephalus hartlaubii Hartlaubse meeu, Hartenbos River mouthEurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus River Eden EstuaryCommon Redshank Tringa totanus River Eden EstuaryBlack-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus River Eden EstuaryPied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis Bontvisvanger, Gouritzmond
A different view of a Sacred Ibis – it was soaring like an eagle
As I mentioned we did not get to visit a single national park during the year so I had to be content with some not-so-wildlife ….
Red Sqirrel Sciurus vulgaris Loch of the Lowes, ScotlandBush buck, Mossel Bay Golf Estate
The Other Stuff
South Africa’s infamous load shedding (electricity cuts) got worse this past year – I took this photo in our local supermarket just after the main lights went off, before the generators kicked in
Spar Pretoria
This unusual image was taken in a local nature reserve after a heavy rainstorm, which swept a variety of debris down the stream that runs through the reserve ….
Faerie Glen NR
And finally, a quirky decorative topping to the post box in a Scottish village
Upper Largo
I can’t imagine a life without photography .. or birding of course
I have taken a bit of a sabbatical from blogging so far this year, so to get things going again I thought I should take a belated look back at 2022 …..
During 2022 my photo library increased by some 2000 images and for this retrospective (Yes! I’ve always wanted to use that word) I have limited my Photo Pick to the 40 images which appeal to me the most, often for different reasons – some are technically good (well, I think so anyway) others are reminders of a particular moment or place or special sighting – the very brief comments tell a bit of the story of each image. So to start with ….
The Places
One of the first places we visited in 2022 was the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus – the evening light was magical
Hemel en Aarde valley
I love the moodiness that overcast skies bring to a scene and this one had the benefit of a sunlit foreground and overcast background
Botlierskop road
The classic view of Table Mountain from Milnerton beach, a stone’s throw from where I was born
Milnerton beach
This unusual view of the southern Cape coast was taken from my seat in a plane on its way to land at George
Coastal views from plane
A double rainbow over Mossel Bay just begged to be photographed
Mossel Bay Point
Our drive to Weltevrede farm near Prince Albert was an absolute delight with views like this around every bend
Road to Weltevrede Farm, near Prince Albert
Evening tranquility at the dam on the farm Prior Grange near Springfontein, Free State
Prior Grange near Springfontein Free State
Our stay in Victoria, Australia provided widely contrasting experiences
Farmlands, Wurruk, Sale VictoriaGreat Alpine Road, Mt Hotham
Atlasing in the southern Cape around Herbertsdale provided this beautiful early-morning scene along the winding road
Herbertsdale Area
Another moody scene, this time with fishermen providing the focal point
Mossel Bay Point
Paternoster beach was another excellent spot for sunset photography, with gulls adding that extra punch
Paternoster
The flowers in the Postberg section of the West Coast National Park were spectacular (a separate post on this still to come)
West Coast NP
Another view of the iconic mountain that I grew up with, this time from the waterfront at Cape Town
CT Waterfront
The Birds
I spend most of my photographic energies on capturing images of birds, not always successfully. These are some of the better ones
Namaqua Dove Oena capensis Namakwaduifie, (Juvenile) Kleinberg area
The photo of a Cape Longclaw shows why it was given that name
Cape Longclaw Macronyx capensis Oranjekeelkalkoentjie, Klein Brak
This is a photo by Estelle Smalberger who kindly allowed me to use her images. What a privilege it was for me to be the one to first find this species – never before recorded in southern Africa!
Cape Weavers treated us to a show while building their nests in front of our patio
Cape Weaver, Mossel Bay Golf EstateSpike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata Vlaktelewerik, (race alticola) Balmoral area
Some of the birds seen during our Australia visit
Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus, Sale VictoriaManed Duck Chenonetta jubata (Male), Bright VictoriaWhite-faced Heron Egretta novahollandiae, Sale Common NCRLaughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae, Raymond Island Victoria
My favourite bird photo of the year! Just seeing this scarce bird is a treat, capturing an image in flight from one bush to the next is a bonus
I don’t remember when I first heard the poem Sea Fever by John Masefield – it may have been at school, but more likely it was quoted by my mother, who was fond of reading and writing poetry and even had one of her own published in a book of poetry when she was in her 80’s
During our visits to Mossel Bay we often drive down to The Point, at the “sharp” end of the peninsula on which Mossel Bay is located, get a take away coffee at the little kiosk and just sit and watch the sea, the birds and other sea life. Depending on the season, there’s often a whale to be seen far out, usually just a plume, a tail or a part of its back visible, or a few seals in the surf just beyond the rocks, and the wonderful sight of a school of dolphins passing by. Oh, and the people too of course. It’s very therapeutic.
The poem Sea Fever came to mind after our latest visit to The Point – the sky and the sea were in a multitude of shades of white, grey and blue, set against the brown of the rocks and looked particularly moody, so I walked first along the lower pathway then onto the rocks to get a sea level perspective and used my Iphone to take a number of images
Sea Fever – John Masefield
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
Note : The image in the heading of this post was taken from the newish restaurant just below the St Baize Lighthouse with a unique view of The Point
With the new year barely out of the starting blocks, it’s once again time to select the photos which best represent our travels and nature experiences during 2021, plus a few others that appeal to me for various reasons. Despite the ongoing restrictions brought upon all of us by Covid 19, we still managed to travel fairly extensively, although it was limited to the borders of South Africa.
I’m hoping you will find some of my favourite images to your liking – if you do, please take a moment to mention them in the comments at the end of the post.
The Places
It was a revelation to look back over the year’s images and realise that, in fact, we did manage to travel to many places across South Africa. Our longest road trips were those between the two places we call home – Pretoria and Mossel Bay – and the pendulum seems to have swung in favour of the latter town, where we spent slightly more time than in Pretoria for the first time. My bird atlasing activities were somewhat handicapped this past year by other factors – nevertheless I did get out on atlasing trips on a fairly regular basis, mostly in the vicinity of one of the two home bases
Farmlands, Vleesbaai Area near Mossel BayHillside Farm Trompsburg, Free State – where we spent a night on the trip to Mossel BayOne of the dams in The Glades Estate, (where our Pretoria home is)View of Simon’s Town from Penguin Palace B&BKirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens in Cape Town – we never visit Cape Town without a visit to these superb gardensBoulders beach, Simon’s Town, site of the famous African Penguin colonyThe Point from the hill, Mossel BaySunday’s River Mouth, Eastern CapeAddo Elephant National Park, Eastern CapeMountain Zebra National Park, Eastern CapeCroft 3, Verlorenkloof, MpumulangaThe view from Robinson Pass, between Mossel Bay and OudtshoornAbbotsbury Guest Farm, near Graaff-Reinet, Eastern CapeAbandoned cottage, Franschhoek, Western CapeCanola fields, Near Wellington, Western CapeHistoric Kerkstraat in Tulbagh, Western CapeKlein Welmoed Guest Farm, Stellenbosch, Western CapeWest Coast National Park (Postberg section)
The Wildlife
2021 stands out for me as the year we did not visit Kruger National Park – I can’t remember when this last happened! Visits to a couple of the smaller Parks partially made up for this but I’m afraid my selection of wildlife photos is poor by comparison to previous years
Reptiles are interesting creatures and I love it when the opportunity to photograph them at reasonably close quarters arises – here are a few examples – unfortunately I have not got around to positively identifying the first two yet
Probable Plated Lizard of some kind, Gouritzmond AreaProbable Sand Lizard, Mountain Zebra NPPuff adder Bitis arietans (Pofadder), Mountain Zebra NP
The Other Stuff
And the rest – photos that don’t fall into a category but have a certain character that appeals to me
Windmill, Hillside Farm TrompsburgGarden Acraea Butterfly, KirstenboschBeach footprints, Nature’s Valley – where the birds go, I am bound to be not far behindDoorknob selfie, Abbotsbury, Graaff-ReinetWaiting our turn to get the vaccine, Mossel BaySaartjie, our daughter’s Border Terrier, enjoying a mid-winter (gas) fire , Mossel BaySurfer, Mossel Bay PointFlowers in Robinson PassKaroo Lambs, Abbotsbury Guest FarmDragon hooter (horn) on 1911 Lorraine-Dietrich Convertible, Franschhoek Motor MuseumSpring flowers, Cape Columbine Nature Reserve (Tietiesbaai)
On one of our recent outings to The Point, just 10 minutes away from our Mossel Bay home, we spotted a rainbow forming over the sea in the distance.
I snapped a shot while driving (very slowly) and hastened to find a spot to capture the rainbow before it disappeared. It did not have the full bow of a ‘proper’ rainbow but formed an almost vertical column disappearing into the low clouds hanging over the sea – quite unusual.
Once satisfied with the images I noticed a number of surfers in the sea – not unusual as this is a favourite surf spot, but the light was so perfect for photography that I could not resist trying my hand at some “surf’s up” images.
Further on we found a parking spot to enjoy our tea and watch the passing birds – the Cape Cormorants are regulars at the Point and once again the light was still good enough to capture a couple in flight, on their way to their roost somewhere further up the coast.
Mossel Bay, like most coastal towns, has many weather moods, from sunny and bright to overcast and stormy
These photos were taken during one of our regular visits to The Point at the western end of the bay, our favourite place for a take-away coffee which we enjoy while sitting in the car and soaking up the calm that the scene brings to us. It also happens to be a great spot for seabird watching, which is dependent on the prevailing winds, ocean currents and tides as to what may pass by, but that is a subject for another day…
These photos are straight from my iphone without any cropping or editing
Mostly Birding 