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17 Days in The Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal

Published by Chris Goodie (chrisg AT focusrite.com)

Participants: Chris Gooddie

Photos with this report

African Pygmy Kingfisher (SA race natalensis)

Ground Woodpecker

Namaqua Warbler

African Black Oystercatcher

Rudd’s Lark

Sentinel Rock Thrush

Blue Waxbill

TWO GO MAD IN SOUTH AFRICA
17 Days in The Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal.


Report compilation by Chris Gooddie, chrisg @ focusrite.com (all e-mail addresses in this report have gaps in to avoid auto-spam-generating web-crawlers; remove them when sending legitimate mail)

Work commitments took me to Johannesburg, and my other half and I had been talking about visiting South Africa for some time, so the stars seemed to be aligned…A chance meeting with one of South Africa’s top birders, Johnathan Rossouw led to us sketching a basic itinerary, and after a little more research and a few simple logistical arrangements we were on our way.

Trip/South Africa Background-General Info.

Itinerary:

We elected to divide our trip into two parts. The first 8 days were spent around Cape Town in the Western Cape, after which we flew to Durban and then travelled inland and latterly up the coast, spending 6 days in Kwa-Zulu Natal, before looping round North and West along the Swaziland border and down to Wakkerstroom. We spent a couple of days’ relaxed birding here, looking for the Highveld endemics, before finally driving back to/flying out of Jo’burg.

Fri 24 Sep: We rendezvoused as planned at Cape Town Airport 8am. Morning around Noordhoek, c20kms SW of Cape Town. pm at Boulders Penguin Reserve and the SW Cape. Night in Noordhoek.

25 Sep: Pelagic out of Simonstown early am until 3pm, then Jonkers Road. Night in Noordhoek.

26 Sep: Constantia Greenbelt sites first thing (Spilhaus Ave, De Hel) then spent the day at Cape Point, slowly driving back up the western side of the Cape. Night in Noordhoek.

27 Sep: Jonkers Road early am, then spent the day driving up the West coast North of Cape Town, visiting Tienie Versveld Wildflower Reserve, Yzerfontein, Langebaan Lagoon and West Coast National Park. Night in Noordhoek.

28 Sep: Birded the marsh opposite Afton Grove from dawn, then drove East to Sir Lowry’s Pass. pm drove further SE via the coastal loop, eventually turning North and driving over the pass to Franschhoek arriving at dusk. Night in Franschhoek.

29 Sep: A long drive North for the Karoo endemics in Tanqua Karoo NP etc, 6am-9pm. Night in Franschhoek.

30 Sep: Drove to Arniston on the South coast via the Overberg farmlands. Late pm at De Mond beach. Night in Arniston.

1st Oct: Early am at the Potberg Reserve, 40kms East of Bredasdorp. After late breakfast drove back slowly to Cape Town via the coast, whale-watching etc. Took the cable-car up Table Mountain to watch the sunset. Night in Cape Town.

2nd Oct: Strandfontein Sewage farm early am, early pm flight to Durban. Picked up the rental car and drove North to Hilton via the Howick Falls. Night in Hilton.

3rd Oct: Birded around Karkloof etc early am, browsed the Midlands Meander, lunching at Caversham Mill, then drove West and birded around Creighton, finally arriving in Underberg after dark. Night in Underberg.

4th Oct: All day 4x4 expedition up the Sani Pass and into Lesotho. Eve drive back to Hilton. Night in Hilton.

5th Oct: early am birded the East Karkloof forest. Then c5 hour drive to St Lucia via Mtunzini/Umlalazi, arriving early eve. Night in St Lucia.

6th Oct: Birded the Gwalagwala forest trail at first light, then drove up 30kms to Cape Vidal, returned early pm and headed up the coast to Mkhuze, stopping at Hluhluwe (False Bay Park campsite) en route. Arrived at the Ghost Mountain Inn after dark. Night in Mkhuze.

7th Oct: All day in Mhkuze Game Park, night in Mkhuze.

8th Oct: early am guided walk around the Fig Forest in Mkhuze GP. Then drove North almost to the Swazi border, West to Pongola and Piet Retief, and then South to Wakkerstroom arriving mid-pm. Late pm, birded the open country to the North of town. Night in Wakkerstroom.

9th Oct: Early am birding just North of Wakkerstroom, then drove to Groenvlei and beyond, eventually reaching Utrecht. Retraced our steps, spending the last hour of daylight birding the Wakkerstroom wetlands reserve. Night in Wakkerstroom.

10th Oct: early am birding NE of Wakkerstroom around Dirkiesdorp, Doornhoek, Derdehoek etc. Then drove the Luneburg Road both ways, before setting off to return to Joburg, c4 hours at a very leisurely pace; few scenic attractions. Eve flight back to London.

Reading:

SASOL Birds of Southern Africa, 3rd Edition: Sinclair, Hockey, Tarboten, Struik Publishing 2002. The essential field guide; accurate and indispensable. Includes almost all of the latest putative splits, (although Latin names for distinct subspecies would be useful.)

Essential Birding Western South Africa: Cohen, Spottiswoode, Struik Publishing 2000. The essential site-guide for the Western Cape; don’t leave home without it. Concise, accurate, easy to read/interpret and with good maps/directions.

South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland: Lonely Planet, 2002: Extremely useful as always for accommodation, local colour etc. Also includes basic animal ID plates, which are handy if you are as useless at mammal ID as we were.

There are a few basic trip reports on the Internet, try www.surfbirds.com and the usual suspects.

Maps: We used 3:
- for detail in Cape Town; the Globetrotter Travel Map, "Cape Town" (The Globe Pequot Press) 1:130,000.
- for Drakensberg/the Sani Pass; Map Studio Tourist, "Drakensberg" 3rd Ed 1:300,000
- for the country overview; International Travel Maps (Vancouver, Canada) "South Africa incl. Lesotho and Swaziland" 1:1,500,000

Audio:We used pre-recorded CD’s only. The following 6-CD set is comprehensive and extremely useful, although many open country species are easy to see without:

Southern African Bird Sounds Guy Gibbon, published by Southern African Birding sales @ sabirding.co.za Tel: 27-031-2665948.

As ever, use audio sensibly, especially at the more regularly watched sites around Cape Town e.g. Constantia Greenbelts.

Photography: Digiscoping is pretty easy in SA, and there are many opportunities for stunning scenery shots in almost every locale. It’s difficult or impossible to find memory cards or even batteries outside the major cities, so bring all supplies with you.

Other Equipment: Mosquito repellent is useful at the forest sites, although we encountered few, even up in the North East this early in the season. The only place insects were a problem were the terrible squadrons of small flying bugs at the Tienie Versveld Flower Reserve in the Western Cape. A sun hat and sun block are essential, especially this far South.

Getting There/Getting Around: We flew British airways from London Heathrow to Cape Town, a BA partner airline from CT to Durban, and BA back from Jo’burg to London, c£740 round trip.

Roads: Paved or good dirt roads throughout, a standard 2-wheel drive vehicle is fine, but watch for sharp stones in the Karoo; drive the dirt roads as if on ice as always. The honourable exception is the Sani Pass, which definitely requires a 4x4. We hired a guide /4x4 (see Robin Guy contact below) to take us up the pass for the day instead of hiring a 4x4 for our whole North East week. We rented both standard rental cars (1 for the Cape, 1 for KZN i.e. the North East) through Hertz booking in the UK before we left; a basic Group 'B' vehicle (Nissan Almera in our case) with air-con is all that’s required. We paid £301 for 9 days in the SW including unlimited kms, CDW & Theft insurance, Airport surcharges and Tax, and £326 for 9 days in the East picking up at Durban and dropping in Jo’burg. Petrol stations can be few and far between outside urban areas, so fill up when you can.

Ground Logistics: Very easy to do yourself for the most part, but expert local bird guides can save you lots of time looking for scarce specialities. See contacts section below.

Clothes/Weather: We were lucky with the weather overall; rain and cloud in the SW, but nothing that interrupted the birding. Cape Town is renowned for its ‘4-seasons-in-1-day’ potential, and elsewhere we went from 33º heat in Mkhuze to finding the car heavily iced up in the Highveld due to —2º overnight frost the following morning. Birding early morning here was bitter, like a cold Winter’s day in the UK. Layers are the key; the weather can change with unbelievable speed in much of SA.

Birding Hours: It was light enough to start birding at 5/530am each day in Kwa-Zulu Natal, and was dark by around 6pm, daylight from c6-15am-7pm on the Cape.

Visas: UK/US passport holders do not require a visa for stays of 90 days or less; passports should have at least 6 months left to run before expiry. Photocopy the picture page and keep it separately in case of loss. Same applies to Lesotho. Check Lonely Planet etc for detail of latest Lesotho border opening hours and other detail, they like to change procedures frequently it seems. (open 8am to 4pm when we visited.)

Insurance: Get some before travelling- the UK’s post office offers reasonable deals, or book through a travel specialist as we did, e.g. Columbus, www.columbusdirect.com c£45 for two weeks/two persons total. Take your insurance documents with you.

Language: Almost everyone you will encounter whilst birding speaks English- easy!

Water: Safe to drink straight from the tap in most of South Africa. We drank both tap and mineral water and suffered no problems. Don’t underestimate how much water you will need in the dry air of the Karoo and the heat in Mkhuze.

Money/Security: The currency is the Rand, (c11 = £1 in Oct '04) Food, accommodation etc are cheap compared to Western Europe if you shop around in towns/villages, except in Cape Town itself, which is becoming expensive. Most, but not all, establishments accept major credit cards.

You need to be very security conscious in Jo’Burg and cautious in Cape Town after dark; do not leave valuables in rental cars anywhere needless to say. Having said that, we felt very safe everywhere outside the big cities. In Jo’burg and Cape Town it is sensible to take local advice, do not walk around after dark, (taxis are pretty cheap.)

Look after your valuables, (carry your passport and tickets on your person not in a bag etc,) don’t flash money/cameras/flash watches around and all should be fine i.e. a little common sense goes a long way.

Do not get out of your vehicle in the game parks unless in a designated area; there’s a real danger of getting stomped on/eaten.

Health: The usual immunisations against Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis are recommended. Malaria is present in the NE of South Africa and precautions should be taken. We took Malarone (a relatively new prophylaxis; 1 tablet per day, no side effects, very effective but damn expensive.)

Altitude Sickness should not be a problem; even up in Lesotho/the Wakkerstroom Highveld you are only at c3200 metres absolute maximum.

There are a fair few dangerous snakes in Southern Africa, notably the sluggish, potentially aggressive and highly toxic Puff-Adder (be careful when walking the fynbos.) That said we didn’t see a single snake during our trip. Animal-wise there are a few dangerous beasts including Elephant, Leopard, Rhino etc in the Game Parks.

Food: Extremely good; you can live like a king even on a relatively modest budget, with fabulous seafood, fresh fish, great steak etc available in most towns, resorts etc. South African wine is also great- especially Pinotage, Sauvignon and Semillon- and very inexpensive. Plenty of local beers although we didn’t find anything stellar (no pun intended.)

Recent Splits: Confusion abounds; there has been plenty of splitting activity with regard to larks etc in recent years, with more likely to follow. See Essential Birding Western South Africa pp12-13 for a useful summary, or check the African Bird Taxonomy website at www.birdingafrica.com

Site Details: I haven’t included site directions/maps for The Cape since these are all covered admirably in ‘Essential Birding Western South Africa’.

With regard to Kwa-Zulu Natal etc, the following may help:

Mkhuze: Mkhuze (aka Mkuzi, Mkuze) is a quiet game reserve just East of the main Highway 2, which runs North from Durban to the Swaziland border. Access is signposted along good dirt roads South and then East from the village of Mkhuze, which is c340kms/3.5 to 4 hours drive North of Durban on very good roads. The park gates open at 6am, and the HQ is c30mins drive further East into the park. The Fig Forest at the Southern extremity of the park is then a further 45 minutes drive. Birding here is easy to do under your own steam, but limited to birding from the car except for certain restricted areas and the waterhole hides, many of which are excellent for birds as well as animals. Habitats include rolling acacia savannah, and various types of arid woodland and riverine forest. It had been very dry for two or three years before we visited, so e.g. African Finfoot and Pel’s Fishing Owl had not been seen in the Northern, (public) sector of the reserve for some time. There is basic self-catering accommodation inside the park, and the HQ has a basic shop.

Sani Pass: Access is on the A14, North-West from Underberg/Himeville, twin towns 5 mins. apart, which both lie c1.25 hours/100kms drive West of the N3, (leave the N3 on the R617 at the first exit North of the town of Hilton,) WSW of Pietermaritzburg. The pass climbs up the South Eastern escarpment of the Drakensberg Mountains, cutting through impressive scenery, (including the famous Twelve Apostles rock formation.) It’s only c40kms from Underberg to the top of the pass, but it takes a couple of hours at least (without stops) to ascend due to the state of the road.

Wakkerstroom: Wakkerstroom is a small town c3 hours’ drive South-East of Jo’burg, and is approx. half-way to the East coast game reserves etc. The Highveld endemic specialities are accessible from the dirt roads to the North and East of town.

St Lucia: I birded the very accessible/easy Gwalagwala forest walk in the SW corner of St Lucia, which winds through reasonable forest and contains most of the local specialities. Tape is very useful here. It’s a short walk/very short drive from most St Lucia accomm. access from the South end of McKenzie Street. The circular walk is just over 1km and most of the local specialities can be dug out in a 3 hr morning session. Beware of Crocs and Hippos if you wander around the open areas at the South edge by the estuary bank; there’s a memorial plaque to someone who didn’t…

Special thanks to: John Rousssow, Chris Spengler and the team at Afton Grove, Dave Winter and Eve at Birding Africa, Robin Guy, Norman Mncube and The Osbornes in Wakkerstroom, the crew of The Zest for a great pelagic, Duncan Pritchard for useful advice, and everyone else who helped us out in a myriad of small ways.

Accommodation: For all the local Cape Town birding we stayed in Noordhoek (c20kms SW of Cape Town on the peninsular) at the birder-friendly Afton Grove Country Retreat. It’s c30-45 mins. drive from Cape Town International Airport: Take the (M3) South to the Tee junction at the end of the freeway (approx. 15.7km) At this T-junction, turn right onto the M42 for a further 1.25km and then bear left on to the (M64) in the direction of Simonstown. Follow this road over the mountains, eventually taking the 2nd right (M6/Chapman’s Peak Drive) towards Chapman’s Peak/Hout Bay. Afton Grove is less than 1km on your right hand side opposite a small marsh. Tel: +27 21 7852992 Fax: +27 21 7853456 info @ afton.co.za

In Franschhoek we stayed at the luxurious La Couronne on Robertsvlei Road, a short walk from the town centre, with stunning service and an equally fantastic view over the town www.lacouronnehotel.co.za Tel: 27 21 876 — 2770 Fax: 27 21 876 —3788 e-mail: reservations @ lacouronnehotel.co.za

In Arniston Bay we stayed at the lovely Southwinds B and B, see Lonely Planet for details. It’s c200m off to the left (signposted) as you enter the outskirts of Arniston Bay. southwinds @ kingsley.co.za The only places to eat in town are the hotel on the seafront or the friendly local restaurant Die Waenhuis which is behind Bob’s general store in the centre of the village.

In Capetown we spent a night at the swanky Winchester Mansions, (Sea Point, CT) http://www.winchester.co.za 00-27-21-434-2351. You can sit outside the bar and watch the world go by as you work your way through the cocktail menu.

We spent two nights in Hilton, either side of our Sani Pass excursion. Hilton is just South of Howick and North of Pietermaritzburg, and gives good access to the mist-belt birding around Karkloof etc. We stayed at the friendly Hilton Hotel, c500m West off the main N3. tel: 27-33-343-3311 hilton.hotel @ futurenet.co.za

In Underberg we stayed in B and B at the home of Robin Guy and his wife, (rguysani @ hotmail.com) receiving a lovely friendly welcome, a recurring theme in South Africa.

Arriving in St Lucia one is spoilt for choice for accomm. The St Lucia Tourism office is on the left c5kms before you reach the bridge over to St Lucia proper. They have an excellent BirdLife regional brochure, "Zululand Birding Route", which lists key sites/specialities at each site + useful maps. And it’s free!) The SLTO also has details of pretty much every B and B, hotel, hostel etc in St Lucia and can phone ahead to book for you; pay at the Tourism office as we did, or the B and B when you arrive.

We took local advice and stayed in the immaculate African Ambience, one of 50 or so small B and B’s in town.

Mkhuze: We stayed at the Ghost Mountain Inn (PO Box 18, Mkhuze, 3965, KwaZulu-Natal, SA Tel: +27-35-573-1025/6/7 Fax: +27-35-573-1025 E-mail: gmi @ ghostmountaininn.co.za. Mkhuze is 450km east of Johannesburg and 330km north of Durban on the N2, en route to Swaziland, Mpumalanga and Mozambique.) The GMI is a large, friendly Country Inn with a bar, restaurant, swimming pool etc. It’s a 20-30 min. drive from here to the Mkhuze reserve entrance gate, (and a further c30mins drive from the gate to the first hide.) You can stay in the park but it’s self-catering only- bring everything with you if you self-cater as the shop in the reserve doesn’t have much. Mkhuze trips can be organized at reception, but it’s easy to self-guide with a rental car throughout the reserve. The only downer is that the Fig Forest (best bet for African Broadbill) is now only accessible with an armed KZN Wildlife Ranger, and the earliest truck in when I was there left the reserve HQ at 7am; hence you don’t get into the Forest until 8am earliest. Also you may well be in a party of up to 10 people, (depends who has booked that day) who may well not be birders. The guides know their stuff, but it’s less than ideal. It is probably possible to book individual guided access here/in Southern Mkhuze with a Birdlife Africa trained local guide; see contacts below.

Wakkerstroom: Toad Hall. A charming B and B in Wakkerstroom run by Mr and Mrs Osborne, with dinner also available. Tel: +27 (0)17 730-0427 Fax: +27 (0)17 730-0668 E-mail: josborne @ global.co.za

Guide Contacts: Callan Cohen et al at Birding Africa can help with customised tours, http://www.birdingafrica.com For general info. contact Eve Holloway - Operations Manager eve @ birdingafrica.com tel: +27 21 785 7680 mobile: +27 82 455 4432 fax: +27 21 785 7680, or for birding advice, contact: Callan; email: callan @ birdingafrica.com tel: +27 21 683 1898 mobile: +27 83 256 0491 fax: +27 21 671 2990. Birding Africa’s website also links to http://www.capetownpelagics.com for booking pelagics off the Cape. We self-guided for the most part, but all the logistics for the pelagic and the guided day in the Karoo that Birding Africa took care of for me were flawlessly taken care of. Dave Winter of Birding Africa guided me expertly in the Karoo for a day; cell: +27-82 545 8000. e-mail: david @ birdingafrica.com

Alternatively the excellent John Rossouw, Adam Riley et al, run Rockjumper Birding Tours, PO Box 13972, Cascades, 3202, SA +27-33-342-8346 Mobile: +27-83-661-4258 info @ rockjumper.co.za www.rockjumper.co.za

For the Sani Pass get in touch with Robin Guy Safaris, Rob Guy, P.O. Box 161, Underberg 3257, South Africa. tel/fax +27-33-7011020. rguysani @ hotmail.com or check the webpage at www.robguysani.co.za

Alternatively for the Sani Pass contact Malcolm Gemmel at Button Birding, tel: 039-8331129 buttonbirding @ futurenet.co.za

Norman Mncube is a great local guide for the Wakkerstroom area. Wakkerstroom is mid-way between Jo’burg and the East coast reserves and makes an ideal stop off between the two. It has an excellent Wetland reserve, and the environs around the town are home to the Highveld endemics such as Rudd’s Lark, African Bald Ibis, Yellow-breasted Pipit, Barrow’s Korhaan etc. Norman is based in Wakkerstroom; he’s BirdLife South Africa trained and really knows his stuff. In particular he knows where the difficult local endemics are, many of which move around from year to year. The Osbornes at Toad Hall can book him for you if you have any trouble reaching him at PO Box 185, Wakkerstroom, 2480 Cellphone: 082-584-1542.

The Zululand Birding Route web site: www.zbr.co.za is really useful for the North East; they can book BirdLife SA-trained local guides etc. Contact Duncan Pritchard at the Zululand Birding Route: richardsbay @ birdlife.org.za for more information. Duncan was most helpful even though we birded Mkhuze on our own, which as he advised was easy to do.

Birding South Africa www.sabirding.co.za also has lots of good site information.

Pelagics run regularly and most are full-day excursions. The best time of year is Winter/Spring, especially Sept/Oct. It’s necessary to leave a two-day window as bad weather often means the date has to be moved back a day; call the afternoon (2pm-5pm) before the day of the trip to confirm. Trips depart early morning e.g. 645am from Simonstown Harbour on the SE side of the Cape, c45 mins. drive from Cape Town, returning 3-4pm. The first couple of hours are pretty slow until you get out beyond the Cape itself, but thereafter the birding can be spectacular, especially if the crew can locate a trawler. Pelagics are also available out of Durban, (best May-Sept) but the numbers and species variety are lower than off the Cape. Conditions beyond The Cape can be very rough, so be prepared, holding on with both hands is frequently necessary. When scanning with bins, gripping the benches with your knees works pretty well! Our trip was rough but not terrifying, although 3 or 4 participants on our trip did spend most of the trip leaning over the stern inspecting the plankton.

Daily Birding Diary

Fri 24th September Day 1: I met my other half at Cape Town airport off flight BA59 at 0700 (11 hour flight from LHR, but the 1 hour time difference means no jet-lag; woohoo.) We picked up our trusty rental car (red Nissan Almera) from the Hertz desk, which is ooh, at least 15 metres from International Arrivals, worked out which way up the map should be, and cruised down the motorway towards Cape Town. Before reaching the city centre we veered erratically off South (in time-honoured birder-driver fashion) onto the M3, followed it to the end and then did a quick right and left to climb up over the hill to Noordhoek. Seduced by my first sight of fynbos habitat at the top of the hill, I made some lame ‘nice photographic vista’ excuse to my long-suffering spouse and retrieved the bins from the back of the car. A 10-minute scan produced our first endemics; Orange-breasted Sunbird and Cape Robin-Chat. I was delighted with the latter, just as I was to be delighted by the next few hundred we saw. (Is there any habitat they can’t tolerate I think we may have seen one surf by on the pelagic) After Max had gripped me with a car-park flyover Cape Sugarbird (‘are you looking for something with a really long tail’) we said our goodbyes to the stunning Malachite Sunbirds and rolled down the hill towards Noordhoek and a hospitable welcome at Afton Grove, just in time for a cooked breakfast.

Suitably fortified, and armed with local info., we headed out to take our first look at the Western Cape, driving up to Hout Bay and on round the Chapman’s Peak road. The birding was sedate, but we easily found Cape Francolin, Cape Bulbul, Cape (Orange-throated-) Longclaw, African Black Oystercatcher, White-fronted Plover, Hartlaub’s Gull etc. After a scenic tour of the coast and the town of Hout’s Bay, we crossed the Cape, pausing in Simonstown, a quintessentially English outpost, for a cup of tea and a disturbingly large and sumptuous piece of carrot cake. I phoned the pelagic organisers to make sure that tomorrow’s pelagic was running, before driving a few kms to park next to the Boulders Beach penguin reserve just to the South. Here you can join the swathes of other tourists, safe in the knowledge that at least one endemic will be added to your trip list. The boardwalk takes you past hundreds of African Penguins (formerly known as Jackass Penguin until the Penguins’ Union objected on the grounds of indignity.) We returned via the Cape’s Western loop road, seeing Cape Grassbird, and Brimstone (Bully) Canary en route. On the recommendation of our Afton Grove hosts we ate at Mnandi’s restaurant, wedged in the middle of a mini game park just South of Noordhoek on the road to Kommetjie. The food was expensive by SA standards (which is to say the price of a London gastropub meal) but truly fabulous-the first of many amazing culinary experiences in the Cape.

Sat 25th Day 2: I arrived in good time for our 7am pelagic departure from Simonstown quay, which is accessible down a small side road off the main road (St George’s Street) in the middle of the town, (park at the quay.) The boat would have held c20 souls, but there were only c14 takers for a windy Spring morning’s expedition into the wild waters beyond the notorious Cape of Good Hope. The skipper gave us a brief safety talk ("hold on at all times with both hands, don’t worry about using your bins…") before we chugged out of Simonstown Harbour and along the coast towards the Cape. Early birding was slow, except for the odd Swift Tern and African Penguin, but anticipation grew as we rounded the Cape and headed out SW into the ever-increasing swell. A heavy rain shower soaked everyone above deck, but it was short-lived, and we were soon able to divert our full attention to holding on for dear life whilst trying to scan for any passing seabirds. Luckily I’ve inherited a robust seafarer’s constitution, but a few less fortunate others were already firmly ensconced at the back of the boat, making sustained eye contact only with the odd fish and a few billion plankton.

As we moved out beyond the worst of the swell and grew accustomed to the boat’s movement we started to pick up a few more seabirds; the first were Sooty Shearwaters, soon accompanied by ever-increasing numbers of White-chinned Petrels. 90 minutes in I caught a glimpse above a distant wave trough of a profile I had long dreamed of seeing, and I called ‘Soft-plumaged Petrel’. Sadly the bird disappeared with indecent haste, allowing only a couple of birders to get on it, but 5 minutes later a 2nd Softie swung by the boat at 30m range and everyone celebrated, luxuriating in stellar views. The skipper told us they had only seen one Pterodroma on the previous week’s voyage, but we needn’t have worried; the recent SE winds had obviously brought number into the area, and we saw at least 45 birds during the day.

A couple of Artic Skuas swept across the horizon, and as we ploughed on through the peaks and troughs, we started to get into a wider range of species; Black-browed- and Shy Albatrosses started to appear, and after an hour or so we caught sight of a distant trawler; just what we needed…We made a bee-line for it and as we got close the sheer number of seabirds threatened to overwhelm us. Suddenly Wilson’s-, Pintado- and White-chinned Petrels were everywhere, and it was difficult to know where to look. This dilemma was rapidly resolved when one of the pelagic team called out ‘Northern Royal Albatross’ as a bird took off from close to the boat and headed directly away from us. No sooner had we recovered than another shout went up, but this time the tone was even more urgent; ‘Wanderer, it’s a Wanderer, 2 o’ clock.’ Sure enough, there was an imm. Wandering Albatross, no more than 40 metres from us. ‘Flying’ someone shouted, but my bird was still on the water. ‘There’s two, no, three!’ Not content with finding the season’s first Wanderer we had stumbled across three birds; exhilarating stuff. The excitement continued with 2 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross and a single Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross in quick succession, and we bobbed about happily for an hour or so, surrounded by seabirds so close you could almost touch them. At one point the gent next to me called Spectacled Petrel. I got on the bird, but it immediately turned away from the boat and headed resolutely for the far horizon, precluding views that would separate it from an aberrant White-chinned; the one that got away…Back on terra firme we celebrated a fabulous pelagic haul with a cozy meal a deux, (complete with real fire and hospitality cat) at The Red Herring, hidden away off the beach road (off the crescent road which itself circles East off the Chapman’s Peak road.)

Sun 26th Day 3: I pointed the Nissan North and drove up to Spilhaus Avenue, a recommended site amongst the Constantia Greenbelts, and parked up in a convenient lay-by. Following the narrow trail down from the road, I cautiously played snippets of Knysna Warbler to try to elicit a response, but with no response. I circled back to the road, then walked the first part of the trail again and crossed the river, following further down the opposite bank, but not a peep. I walked for c15 mins down this same opposite bank (furthest from the road,) eventually hearing the distinctive (and surprisingly loud) song of my quarry. I hid behind a convenient tree and speculatively played a snippet of song. Immediately I caught a glimpse of a dull-coloured passerine sneaking in under the thick cover, and followed it into a dead area of scrub, where it finally revealed itself to be a Knysna Warbler. It sang briefly before heading back out the same way it had arrived, but one more snatch of tape and it stopped, reversed, and stood out on an exposed log where it proceeded to sing for the next minute or so fully exposed in the open, puffing up its back feathers slightly. Not bad for what I had been warned was a real skulker!

Flushed with success I wandered back to the car, bumping in to an African Goshawk, African Dusky Flycatchers, 4 Cape Batis and a pair of African Paradise-Flycatchers en route. stopped off at the nearby De Hel site, where a 2nd Knysna Warbler was audible from the car parking spot, although the heavy cover here would make views far more difficult. I settled for finding 3 Sombre Greenbul and a Red-chested Cuckoo before returning to Afton Grove for breakfast.

We spent the day visiting Cape Point, (worth seeing but covered in tourists) adding a few missing fynbos species, our first Yellow Canary and more Cape Sugarbirds etc, before heading back to Afton Grove. We ate at the pub in the small thatched shopping village estate North of Noordhoek before crashing out early.

Mon 27th Day 4: The usual dawn start saw me stumbling up the sandy track at the Jonkers Road site, only c4kms SE from Afton Grove along the M6; park on the small gravel area at the trail-head on the brow of the hill (on your right hand side as you head towards Simonstown.) Then walk South between the small hills. Bird activity was poor, subdued by a light drizzle, with only a fly-through Black Sparrowhawk to improve my mood.

Having ticked off one of the Afton Grove resident Chaffinches after breakfast, we drove North thru Cape Town’s Eastern suburbs, missed our intended turn onto the R27, and instead followed the N7 to Malmesbury before turning West and travelling through Darling to the Tienie Versveld Wildflower Reserve. The massed swarms of tiny insects here were terrible, (repellent a must,) although they didn’t bite too severely, and the wildflower show was still impressive, even though it had peaked a couple of weeks earlier. We found our first Blue Cranes and 2 singing Cloud Cisticolas of the streak-breasted Southern Cape subspecies, and the small pool at the back of the flower field held 3 South African Shelduck and a pair of Cape Shoveler. We drove on to Yzerfontein, stopping off at the Gypsum mine en route back to the main road, but the heat haze was too bad to confirm the Chestnut-banded Plovers on the distant salt-pan edge. (I think it is possible to walk out onto the pan here with permission from the mine manager)

A cracking fly-by Black Harrier was ample compensation, before we drove on for lunch at a small café in Langebaan overlooking the lagoon. We looped back South through the West Coast National Park, picking up a displaying Southern Black Korhaan in the North of the park, plus 2 Karoo Scrub-Robin, a few Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler, White-throated Canary and a pair of African Hoopoe, the latter at the Cape Dutch style Geelbek Manor House. We stopped off at Silwerstroomstrand en route back finding a Long-billed Crombec, and a 2nd Southern Black Korhaan standing on the road just East of the intersection with the main R27, but still no sign of any Cape Penduline Tit.

28th Day 5: I birded the small marsh directly opposite Afton Grove from dawn, (access on foot along the paved road directly opposite AG,) picking up a male Little Bittern, Little Rush- and Lesser Swamp Warblers, and a Levaillant’s Cisticola, with an African Marsh (Reed) Warbler heard singing from the middle of the marsh. After an early breakfast we checked out and drove East to Sir Lowry’s Pass, which was windswept to say the least. We took our lives in our hands crossing the busy main road and steeled ourselves as we stomped into the teeth of the gale. After 3 hours we had seen very little, (except the rusty remains of the antique signal cannons in the Gantouw Pass, amongst the rocks along a narrow footpath c50m South of the main track,) despite thorough searching for Cape Rock-jumpers, which had presumably been blown back to Cape Town and beyond. We abandoned the higher crags, (and thus our hopes of finding the Rock-jumpers,) returning along the more sheltered lower footpath next to the railway line. The sole highlight was an eyeball to eyeball encounter with a singing Victorin’s Warbler, which resolutely refused to move, necessitating a stealthy passage into the bush from whose depths the bird had chosen to sing. After crippling views of this difficult endemic, we returned to the car, spurning the advances of the tribal mask-, ornamental wooden bowl- and straw giraffe sales people, and headed for lunch in Rooi Els, further East along the coast road.

Following a satisfying toastie and very small beer (very small on account of it being blown from the table when only half-drunk…) we took the small dirt road from the café to the South-East of the main road, which runs between the sea and the escarpment, parking at the barrier after 1km or so. I walked East, seeing little, and decided that if Rock-jumpers were here they would surely be taking cover from the ferocious winds right up high at the base of the escarpment. I scrambled breathlessly up the steep rocky base of the cliffs, lugging my scope up on one shoulder, and whilst pausing for breath near the top, saw a movement ahead. Setting up the scope I finally enjoyed great views of a number of Cape Rock Thrushes which had eluded me so far, and walking a little further West along the escarpment, I at last unearthed a small party of Cape Rock-Jumpers bouncing around amongst the boulders. After celebratory views of the elusive little devils, I scrabbled my way back down the slope, delighted that my strenuous exertions had finally paid off. Needless to say, I met a second group of Rock-jumpers not 20m above the road, and returned to the car to find my other half enquiring as to why a female Cape Rock Thrush was so interested in perching on the wing-mirror…We drove on, turning North through the pass, finally arriving at the unbelievably fabulous La Couronne hotel overlooking the charming vista of the vineyards at Franschhoek. Dinner at Le Quartier Français was memorable, involving many tiny items of culinary perfection. Tragically the front of house staff were a little disorganised, so we received an extra course bound for someone else before any of us had realised the mix-up; My kind of poor service…The fabulous belly of pork (complete with pasta hat) was also served twice in a row, and we struggled with our conscience before alerting the errant waiter. We retired early, after chilling in the hotel drinking single malt scotch and generally living the high life.

29th Day 6: I had booked a one-day Karoo endemic blitz through Ceres to Karoopoort and on to Katbakkies and the Tanqua Karoo with Dave Winter of Birding Africa, and Dave turned up at reception bang on time at 6am. (See ‘Essential Birding’ for directions, maps etc.) We drove North, heading towards the Tanqua Karoo NP, in the SW corner of the Succulent Karoo, stopping at various spots on the way to pick up the Karoo specialities. Once we got into suitable habitat we started sweeping up the endemics, scoring at an impressive rate. 2 Namaqua Warblers perched up shamelessly to get us started, followed in quick succession by 3+ Black-headed Canary, a single Karoo Eremomela, a stunning Rufous-eared Warbler which posed for photographs, a number of Karoo- and Tractrac Chats, a single Pririt Batis, 4 Fairy Flycatchers, an equal number of Layard’s Tit-Babblers, an Acacia Pied Barbet and best of all, a Cinnamon-breasted Warbler which skulked in amongst the boulders up the ravine above the picnic site at Skitterykloof (aka ‘Katbakkies’.) A pair of Pale-winged Starlings was a nice find, as were an obliging male and female Ground Woodpecker and a couple of Southern Grey Tit. We drove on, passing through mile after mile of arid Karoo semi-desert. As the heat of the day started to engulf us, bird-life dropped off, enlivened only by a solitary pair of Karoo Korhaans strolling away from the roadside as we approached. Having cleaned up on so many of the Karoo endemics early on, we decided to make a concerted effort to find the nomadic and elusive Burchell’s Courser. The bare, parched ground looked ideal, but the species is very thin on the ground this far South, and after hours of thankless searching we finally admitted defeat. Our search was not wholly fruitless however, and after 5 hours Dave somehow picked up a motionless pair of Namaqua Sandgrouse, lurking in the shade under a tiny bush. I crept out of the car and managed to fire off a couple of photographs from behind the Nissan’s rear wheel before the birds scuttled out of range. We drove back, picking up a Lanner and what was probably the same pair of Karoo Korhaans, eventually making it back to Franschhoek dusty but unbowed. Another fabulous meal, this time at La Couronne itself, rounded off a great day.

30th Day 7: We slept late, and for once breakfasted at a civilised pace, checking out at 10am and reluctantly waved goodbye to Franschhoek, although not before we had hoovered out the inside of our rental car to make it fit for female habitation. We turned South in search of scenery, (and, it must be said, the odd Agulhas endemic,) heading for Arniston Bay, meandering through the Overberg Farmlands on the way. Stately Blue Cranes dotted many of the less disturbed fields, and we taped in two Agulhas Long-billed Larks which co-operated obligingly, showing off their, erm, brown finery in their low, arcing song-flight. At length we arrived at Arniston Bay, (formerly a very sleepy fishing village, but now a trendy if laid back beach haunt,) and enjoyed an alfresco lunch (huge prawns and cold beer) at the only hotel watching a keenly-fought game of croquet in progress on the front lawn. The hotel was booked out for a private function, so we toured the back streets until we found the South Winds B and B. Having checked in, we took a dirt road West from a few kms North of the village, heading for De Mond Beach. De Mond is home to one of the few colonies of Damara Tern on the Western Cape, but a quick scan of suitable nesting areas confirmed that the birds were not yet in residence. We opted for a walk along the deserted, stunning, white sand beach, pausing at intervals to scope passing Southern Giant Petrels and Cape Gannets. A few hundred yards East of the car park I picked up a small tern in the distance heading towards us, and was delighted to discover that it was a lone breeding plumage Damara Tern. It called as it flew over our heads, heading West, presumably to fish just offshore. 15 minutes later it flew the other way carrying a small fish, an exercise that was repeated once more before we left- could it be feeding young already so early in the season We returned to Arniston Bay to celebrate our good fortune with another great local fish dinner, this time at the only restaurant in town, Die Waenhuis, just behind Dan’s General Store. We stumbled back to the B and B through the darkness, and were asleep by 10pm.

Oct 1st Day 8: I left the less keen one slumbering and worked my way East well before dawn, arriving at Potberg, c40kms of Bredasdorp just after first light. A quick burst of tape elicited an immediate response from 3-5 Agulhas Clapper Lark, but they proved difficult to see on the ground, dropping into dense cover after displaying. Eventually a couple of birds proved more accommodating, and I left them in peace to visit the Potberg Reserve near De Hoop. Knsyna Woodpecker eluded me, but I managed to find 2 Southern Boubou, a Denham’s (Stanley) Bustard, 3 Fiscal Flycatchers, more Agulhas Long-billed Larks and a Gymnogene before my time ran out. Another Black Harrier drifted over the road as I returned, and I screeched to a halt back at South Winds just in time to deal with my sharpened appetite. The world’s finest home-made Bran Muffins were the highlight of a wonderful home-cooked breakfast, with new age music and candles ensuring we were truly chilled out before embarking on our next expedition. We followed the coast back towards Cape Town, finding c15 Southern Right Whales just offshore in Walker Bay, a few kms East of Hermanus. We drove through the latter tourist trap later in the day, and perhaps did not see the best of it, but if you want to watch your whales in peace and quiet I’d recommend anywhere but Hermanus to do it; ecotourism has arrived here in no uncertain terms, and it’s not for the faint-hearted. Walker Bay, by way of contrast had a couple of cafés and perhaps 8 whale-watchers, and proved to be the perfect location for a little cetacean-contemplation.

We pushed on, arriving back in Cape Town in time to nip up to the cable-car station and ascend Table Mountain the easy way. For once Cape Town’s most famous landmark was not shrouded in cloud, and we enjoyed the stunning panoramic views, (complete with a pair of Verreaux’s Eagle seen from above!) to the full. We dined in a stylish Vietnamese restaurant after cocktails on the seafront at Sea Point, exploiting the UK Pound to Rand exchange rate in a fit of decadence.

Oct 2nd Day 9 Clambering once more into the Nissan I drove down first thing to Strandfontein Sewage Farm, SE of the centre of Cape Town. The smell was not too horrific, and waterbirds were everywhere. I managed to find a small group of Hottentot Teal in a quiet corner of one of the pans, ticked off a hundred or so Southern Pochard and almost as many Maccoa Duck, studied 3 w.p. White-winged Black Tern, and finally managed to pick up an African Marsh Harrier before returning to check out and head to the airport. We dropped off the rental car, now with 2600kms more on the clock than when we had collected it, and boarded our short flight to Durban. Picking up what appeared to be exactly the same red Nissan Almera from Hertz (how did they get it there ahead of us) we drove an hour or so up to Karkloof in the Natal Midlands, stopping off at Howick Falls en route. The falls are pretty spectacular, and we added Giant Kingfisher to our ever-growing list, (although it didn’t appear particularly giant, way below us at the base of the falls.) A candlelit dinner at The Hilton Hotel was a little like stepping back in time to a 1970’s UK Berni Inn experience, (only with better wine,) but tasty nonetheless. Ever-polite, we fought to keep a straight face every time our waitress hove into view, her crooked fringe surely the work of an over-zealous relative.

Oct 3rd Day 10 I birded the mist-belt grasslands around the West Karkloof area, c20kms NE of Hilton; lots of open country birds, including my first exposure to large flocks of confusing Euplectes spp. Highlights were an imm. Reed Cormorant and a pair of Amethyst (African Black) Sunbird, but no sign of any cranes. We spent the morning driving around ‘The Midlands Meander’ checking out craft shops etc, and had a great patio lunch (that’s where we sat, not what we ate…) at Caversham Mill on the Lyons River. The restaurant overlooks the river, so our salad was interrupted by views of Drakensberg Prinia, Malachite and Brown-hooded Kingfisher and our first African (Blue-billed) Firefinch. A Spotted Flycatcher in the car park was the only one we saw all trip.

After lunch we headed West and birded just North East of Creighton in the Natal Midlands, picking up a pair of African Black Duck on the river, a nice male Cardinal Woodpecker and a Burchell’s Coucal. We then got thoroughly lost, eventually retracing our steps along a precarious mud road, and pulling up at Rob Guy’s house in Underberg after dark. Robin had kindly made a reservation for us at a manor house restaurant in the neighbouring town of Himeville, and we arrived there in a rather dishevelled state after our dusty drive, feeling distinctly underdressed for haute cuisine in grand surroundings.

Oct 4th Day 11: After a quick breakfast with Rob and his lady wife, we all climbed into Rob’s 4x4 and headed out for a full day’s expedition up the Sani Pass and into Lesotho, to try to dig out the full complement of Drakensberg specialities. We paused briefly to admire a group of White-backed Duck at a small lake on the way, before reaching the lower slopes that skirt the Sani Pass. The road then sinuously winds its way up the narrow gorge into Lesotho, the unpaved surface in terrible condition in a number of places. (Don’t even think of trying to get up the pass in a standard 2-wheel drive; even if you make it as far as the border post the border guards will turn you back if you are not 4x4 equipped.)

The Pass’s deepest valleys were originally partly wooded, and remnants remain, although the lower mountain slopes have been denuded by overgrazing, with only small shrubs etc now extant. The higher altitudes are comprised of grassland/cliffs, with high altitude representatives of Karoo semi-desert heath plants. The region’s specialities are found along the road which runs through altitudes of 1600m to c3250m between Underberg and the point at which we stopped in Lesotho, about one third of the way towards the town of Mokhotlong. We stopped periodically on both sides of the South African border checkpoint to look for our target species, quickly finding Red-throated Wryneck, and more importantly African (Dark-capped-) Yellow Warbler. Buff-streaked Chats soon started to make an appearance, Ground Woodpeckers showed up at regular intervals, and a Gurney’s Sugarbird appeared right on cue in the candelabra arms of a large protea. A Barratt’s Warbler c2kms beyond the South African border post gave us the run around for a couple of minutes, before giving breathtaking views, and having achieved most of our lower-altitude aims we thrashed the 4x4 into action to gain some height, bouncing up the increasingly challenging rocky road with barren slopes and bluffs on either side. We stopped off at the Chalet Top Hotel at the top of the pass, (here at 2860m,) to admire the view, but more importantly to admire a female Drakensberg Siskin and a female Orange-breasted (Drakensberg) Rock-Jumper. We cleared Lesotho customs, (a simple affair, especially as Robin graciously left his newspaper with the border guards as usual to curry future favour,) and drove on across the dry Lesotho plateau. Sickle-winged Chats started to make their presence felt, and a lone male Sentinel Rock Thrush soon gave itself up. Lunch was suspended due to the sudden arrival of a Lammergeier at its nest-site high on a rocky crag to the East of the road, and we took photos of the White-necked Raven which sailed in cheekily to relieve us of pieces of our picnic. We played tape for African Rock Pipit and heard two but could not pick them out on their distant cliff-edge perches, and despite Herculean efforts I also failed to flush any Mountain Pipits, although Robin flushed one when we had spit up to cover more ground, a bird which steadfastly refused to show again. This species apparently becomes much easier to find later in the season; we were just a few days too early it seemed. As we descended a Cape Vulture glided past in stately fashion, riding the thermals at the top of the Pass, and after watching it drift into the distance we hurried down to be sure of getting back through the lower border post before they closed for the day at 4pm. A final stop at the derelict buildings, huddled together at the point where the road passes close to the river below the lower checkpoint gave us one last chance for Bush Blackcap, and a bird responded just as we were giving up, showing well at last after eluding us for so long. We trundled back towards Underberg, diverting to find a few South African Cliff-Swallows and a pair of Denham’s Bustard en route, but a last try for Wattled Crane at a former breeding site once again turned up only Grey Crowned Cranes. After a reviving cup of tea on the front lawn of Robin’s house, we said our goodbyes, and wearily drove the hour or so back to Hilton, falling again for the faded charms of The Hilton Hotel. We enjoyed another triumph of content over style from their kitchen and followed up with a quick snifter in the bar, although in our experience it’s probably best to avoid the aged desiccated cigars behind the oak-panelled bar unless you are into bonfires in a big way.

Oct 5th Day 12: I reached the East Karkloof forest at dawn, and walked the dirt road with the whole place to myself. The morning’s avian stars were 3 Olive Bush-Shrike, a White-starred Robin, a Knysna Lourie, 2 Chorister Robin-Chats (duck as you play tape…) and a small covey of forest-edge Natal Francolin. I spent the best part of an hour trying to lure out an Orange Ground-Thrush, hearing a bird but unable to score any views.

Back at the ranch we checked out and tipped our increasingly crumpled belongings into the rental car before hitting the road. We had originally planned to drive straight (c6hrs) to Mkhuze, but having checked the distances (everywhere is a long way in South Africa) we had decided to stop off and spend a night in the resort of St Lucia en route, checking Mtunzini for Palm-nut Vulture etc on the way. The Umlalazi Reserve at Mtunzini was vulture-less, (plenty of Palms though) but we did catch up with Woolly-necked Stork, Crowned- and Trumpeter Hornbills, and a couple of Collared Pratincoles. c5kms short of St Lucia we turned left and into the compound of the St Lucia Tourism office; they run a good service and have acres of information on accommodation etc. We paid them to book ahead for us, and followed our directions to a new B and B, African Ambience, run by a friendly couple who had just finished building their new home. We relaxed at the bar in their living room, talking birds and sharks, (the owner is an ex shark fishing boat captain,) before taking their advice and retiring to the water-ski club bar nearby to watch the Hippos and Crocs. frolicking at sunset, a small group of Grey-rumped Swallows being the avian highlight. The village itself is tiny, so it took us all of 5 minutes to drive to St Lucia’s main drag for dinner, where we selected ‘The Quarterdeck’ as the most likely source of quality seafood. It did not disappoint, although the infinite number of possible combinations of assembled crustacea was truly mind-boggling, and took the waitress a good ten minutes to explain with the aid of a blackboard and any number of diagrams.

Oct 6h Day 13: I was in the small corner of forest through which the Gwalagwala Forest Walk runs at dawn, and three hours of excellent coastal birding followed. I had figured out, (with the aid of the excellent free BirdLife Africa ‘Zululand Birding Route’ brochure we had found in the Tourist Office,) which local specialities could be teased out of the vegetation here, and within an hour or so had found Square-tailed Drongo, Eastern Nicator, Natal Robin-Chat, Green-backed Camaroptera and Brown Scrub-Robin. A single Livingstone’s Lourie at the edge of the forest near the entrance to the open area adjacent to the river was a nice find, and a trawl with the CD player eventually brought in 2 male and 1 female Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher. I learned to my cost that the Natal Robin-Chats can do a mean imitation of a Woodward’s Batis, but just before I had to leave I chanced upon a small mixed species flock which contained a single kosher female Woodward’s Batis, 3 Rudd’s Apalis, a Dark-backed Weaver, a female Thick-billed Weaver in the undergrowth, and at the last, a single Grey Waxbill.

Returning at 930am we discovered that our hosts had to leave in a hurry due to a guest’s medical emergency during the night, so we helped ourselves to the delicious breakfast buffet and left a note expressing our thanks for their hospitality. We explored St Lucia, picking up Mangrove Kingfisher in the process, before driving out c30kms to the beach at Cape Vidal, intending to chill out for an hour or so on the sands. The beach was well populated when we arrived, but it soon became apparent that all was not well offshore. A jet-ski was launched, which eventually returned to the shore with a distinctly grey and prone body of an unfortunate swimmer who had presumably been swept out to sea and drowned before he could be rescued. All attempts to resuscitate failed, and as we left a helicopter was being called to return the body to St Lucia. Our views of Zebra and Reedbuck as we drove slowly back did little to lift the mood, and even a small flock of c20 Red-backed Mannikin c5kms West of St Lucia failed to rekindle a holiday atmosphere.

We drove onward towards Mkhuze, stopping at a windy Hluhluwe Campsite at False Bay 50kms to the South. (Hluhluwe is pronounced "Shoo-shoo-way" and is home to large-scale production of the indigenous Queen Pineapples, (‘more than just a fruit’ as the billboards proudly boast.) Our best efforts to tape-lure African Broadbill here came to naught in high winds, but we did find a pair of Southern Black Tit, a 2nd Mangrove Kingfisher, a Purple-crested Lourie, and best of all, a pair of Pink-throated Twinspot which showed well at the roadside. After a short misguided dirt road detour to the Mkhuze reserve gates, we eventually found the welcoming lights of the Ghost Mountain Inn, and checked in, before severely depleting the barbecue buffet.

Oct 7h Day 14: For once my slug-a-bed other half was persuaded to make an early start, and thus we were able to reach the Mkhuze Reserve shortly after they opened the gates at 6am. We stopped off at the first (Kwamalibali) hide and watched open-country birds coming in to drink- lots of gorgeous Blue Waxbill, a few Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, small numbers of Golden-breasted Bunting, a single male Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, a pair of Green-winged Pytilia and a female Gabar Goshawk, which was shortly dwarfed by a fly-over Bateleur. A picnic breakfast at the Nsumo Observation Platform turned up African Openbill, Pink-backed Pelican, Lesser Flamingo, Goliath Heron, Water Thick-Knee, plus a pair of Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, a Rudd’s Apalis, and 3 secretive Spectacled Weaver.

At midday we hid from the heat in the Kumasinga Hide, joined in the hide by a panting African Pygmy Kingfisher. The hide brings you up close and personal to a whole host of wildlife, including Warthog, White Rhino, Giraffe, Zebra, Nyala, Springbok, Wildebeest and Vervet Monkeys, plus a range of birds coming to cool off including Purple-crested Louries, Little Sparrowhawks, Crested Guineafowl etc. Back at the HQ we found a pair of Green Twinspot at the adjacent mini-hide, whilst the Loop Road held Lilac-breasted Roller, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Lesser Honeyguide and a lone Mouse-coloured Flycatcher in unusually dry habitat. As we drove back via the airstrip an hour or so before dusk we came upon a Kurrichane Thrush on the road, the only one we saw anywhere in South Africa. After a quick dip in the leaf-strewn hotel pool, another quiet dinner at the Ghost Mountain Inn was a great way to round off a day’s safari; sun-kissed and satiated, we finally felt like we had sampled a little of the stereotypical ‘African experience.’

Oct 8th Day 15: I returned pre-dawn to Mkhuze, having organised a guided walk in the Fig Forest the previous day. We left the HQ at the scandalously late hour of 7am, and shivered our way through the park in the depressingly strong wind. I talked to the armed guides on the way down, sussing out the potential for African Broadbill. "We have a chance’ they told me, "but the weather is bad." Then one of the guides added thoughtfully, "it’s a shame you didn’t come on the guided bird walk with us on the River Walk yesterday afternoon; we saw two…" We arrived with our animated party of eco-tourists at 8am, a bunch of nutty Americans who were in SA to train local people in the ways of 'Energy Medicine.' Every time we passed an animal the woman next to me would hold her hand up as if interacting with the beast's force-field. I must confess that the chattier members of the group were in danger of interracting with my own force field as they nattered their way through the forest whilst I was straining to hear a Broadbill above the tempest. We set off on the Fig Forest loop, but the wind blew ever more strongly, and it quickly became apparent that seeing anything small and elusive was going to be near impossible under these conditions. We played tape at suitable spots, but nothing responded. Highlights were an (African) Broad-billed Roller, c10 Black-bellied Starlings, 1 Narina Trogon and c30 Trumpeter Hornbill. Returning empty-handed to the GM Inn, we packed up and drove North and West, via Pongola and Piet Retief, before looping back South into the Highveld, arriving at Wakkerstroom in the late afternoon. Having driven almost every side-road in Wakkerstroom (it’s not that big…) we eventually located the Toad Hall B and B, and settled in. A dank drizzle had set in, and a quick recce to the North of town revealed only healthy numbers of Southern Anteating Chats, a few Grey-winged Francolin, and a dark form Mountain Chat. We returned to Toad Hall for a warming glass of wine in front of the fire, followed by an excellent repast in the Osborne’s dining room- a fine example of home-cooking and olde-worlde hospitality.

Oct 9th Day 16: On the advice of Mr and Mrs O at Toad Hall I had arranged for a local Zulu guide, Norman Mncube, to help me find the trickier local specialities. A number of the endemics move around the ample habitat, and it seemed sensible to seek out a little local knowledge, and thus it proved. Norman had been trained by BirdLife Africa a few years before and really knew his stuff. Having scraped a layer of ice of the car, I rendezvoused with Norman, and we wandered through the foggy fields North of town soon locating Yellow-breasted Pipit, African Bald Ibis and Rudd’s Lark, as well as my favourite bird of the morning, Blue Korhaan. Eastern Long-billed- and Spike-heeled Larks were also in evidence, and we finally had brief views of Ayre’s (Wing-snapping) Cisticola. After a cracking breakfast we drove to the uninspiring town of Utrecht via Groenvlei and back, adding a 2nd Sentinel Rock Thrush, 4 Red-winged Francolin, 2 Secretarybirds, and 28 more African Bald Ibis. A quick visit to the Wetlands Reserve on the NW edge of town in the last of the light revealed single pairs of Hottentot Teal and South African Shelduck.

Oct 10th Day 17: My last morning’s birding was again with Norman, who pulled out all the stops and miraculously picked out a distant fly-in pair of Barrow’s Korhaan near Dirkiesdorp. We shot round to the field we thought they had landed in, and mercifully the pair were still just visible above the crown of a hill. We then pointed the Nissan West and looped back through Doornhoek and Derdehoek, improving markedly on yesterday’s flight-only views of Quail Finch, and adding a female Cape Batis, an Olive Bush-Shrike, and a pair of photogenic Klaas’s Cuckoo, although a distant calling Crested Barbet was way too far off to develop an interest in our tape. I thanked Norman for his efforts and, reluctantly packing our bags for the final time, we clambered into the car and drove slowly back to Jo’burg. 4 hours later we had run out of potential scenic attractions, and admitted defeat, returning the car early at the airport and checking in for the long flight on BA56 home to London.

We arrived back in the UK 12 hours later to be greeted by a fine drizzle, a chill wind, and news of a juv. Western Sandpiper on Brownsea Island, just off the UK’s South coast. I figured that after over 5500kms of driving, another 600 wouldn’t make any difference, and successfully twitched the bird via car and ferry, despite the impending exhaustion; but that’s a story for another day…

Species Lists

Species listed in square brackets [ ] were heard only. Subspecific detail noted where known/of interest. Speciation follows SASOL 3rd edition.

‘E’ = Endemic to Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana, SA, Lesotho, Swaziland, S/C Mozambique South of the Zambezi) ‘NE’ = Near-endemic

Common Ostrich Struthio camelus

Introduced on The Cape and commonly seen.

E Grey-winged Francolin Scleroptila africanus

12 between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, 8/10.

Red-winged Francolin Scleroptila levaillantii

Heard on the lower slopes of the Sani Pass 4/10, 4 in the high country between Wakkerstroom and Groenvlei, 9/10.

E Cape Francolin Pternistes capensis

2 on the fynbos adjacent to the beach at Noordhoek, 2 atop rocky crags at the Gantouw Pass, Sir Lowry’s Pass, c10/day around Arniston Bay/Potberg,

NE Natal Francolin (-Spurfowl) Pternistes natalensis

3 at the lower edge of the upper Karkloof East Forest, 5/10.

NE Swainson's Spurfowl (-Francolin) Pternistes swainsonii

4 North of Wakkerstroom 8/10, 3 West of Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

Common Peacock Pavo cristatus

2+ at Afton Grove. Noisy!

Crested Guineafowl Guttera pucherani

2+ Kumasinga hide watering hole at Mkhuze, 7/10, 4 close to the road en route to the Fig Forest the next day.

Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris

Very common everywhere.

[Common Quail Coturnix coturnix africana

1 heard South of the entrance to Karkloof West, 3/10.]

White-faced Duck Dendrocygna viduata

2 on wetlands between Underberg and the approach to the Sani Pass, c20 estuary East of St Lucia.

White-backed Duck Thalassornis leuconotus

6 on wetlands between Underberg and the approach to the Sani Pass, 4/10.

Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa

80+ Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus

Common.

South African Shelduck Tadorna cana

3 Tienie Versveld Wildflower Reserve, 1 just North East of Creighton, (South East of Underberg,) 2 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands Reserve.

Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis

Fairly common in the South, max 10/day.

Cape Teal Anas capensis

3, Tienie Versveld Wildflower Reserve, 1000+ Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

African Black Duck Anas sparsa

A pair on the stream which runs by the main dirt road en route to Mokhotlong up on the plateau in Lesotho, and another pair just North East of Creighton, (South East of Underberg.) 

Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata

Common in suitable habitat on the Cape, max. 100 East of Hermanus, 1 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands, 8/10.

NE Cape Shoveler Anas smithii

A pair on a small pool at the Tienie Versveld Wildflower Reserve, common at Strandfontein, c30 on a lagoon between Stanford and Hermanus.

Red-billed Teal (Red-billed Duck) Anas erythrorhyncha

c150 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10, small numbers elsewhere on the Cape, 1 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands, 8/10.

Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota

5 on the South-Easternmost pan at Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10, 2 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands Reserve, 9/10.

Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma

c100 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

Scaly-throated Honeyguide Indicator variegatus

1 singing bird was taped in, Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10, and flew to a bare branch directly above my head!

Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor

2 in mature arid woodland along the loop road in the Western sector of Mkhuze, 7/10, and 1 c5kms South of the HQ the following day.

E Ground Woodpecker Geocolaptes olivaceus

A pair perched on rocks at the roadside above Katbakkies, 29/9, 12 total around the upper levels of the Sani Pass/in Lesotho, 1 between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, 10/10.

Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens

A male just North East of Creighton (SE of Underberg) 3/10, and another in remnant woodland between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

Red-throated Wryneck Jynx ruficollis

2 on the lower slopes of the Sani Pass, 4/10.

White-eared Barbet Stactolaema leucotis

1 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

[Crested Barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii

1 heard in woodland between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.]

Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird Pogoniulus bilineatus

6 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

NE Acacia Pied Barbet Tricholaema leucomelas

1 in the picnic area at Katbakkies.

Black-collared Barbet Lybius torquatus

1 between St Lucia and Cape Vidal, 6/10.

NE Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill Tockus leucomelas

12 at Mkhuze, 7/10, e.g. Kwamalibali hide.

Crowned Hornbill Tockus alboterminatus

1 Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini, near the palm monument.

Trumpeter Hornbill Bycanistes bucinator

2 Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini, c30 in the Fig Forest at Mkhuze, 8/10.

African Hoopoe Upupa Africana

2, Geelbek Manor House, West Coast NP, 1 Caversham Mill, on the Lion’s River in the Midlands Meander, 1 at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10.

Green (Red-billed-) Wood-Hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus

c15 at various dry forest spots in Mkhuze, 7/10, 3 South of Wakkerstroom, 9/10.

Narina Trogon Apaloderma narina

1 showed very well in the Fig Forest at Mhkuze 8/10.

Lilac-breasted Roller Coracias caudate

2 on the loop road in the Western sector of Mkhuze, 7/10.

Broad-billed Roller Eurystomus glaucurus

1 c300m South of the rope bridge in the Fig Forest at Mhkuze 8/10.

African Pygmy Kingfisher Ispidina picta natalensis

1 hiding from the midday heat in the Kumasinga hide at Mkhuze, 7/10

Malachite Kingfisher Alcedo cristata

1 at the Caversham Mill restaurant in the Midlands Meander, NW of Howick, 1 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands, 8/10.

Mangrove Kingfisher Halcyon senegaloides

1 at the start of the entrance road to the reservoir, St Lucia, 6/10, 1 at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10.

Brown-hooded Kingfisher Halcyon albiventris

1 at the Caversham Mill restaurant in the Midlands Meander, NW of Howick, 3 at Mkhuze, 7/10. 1 in the Fig Forest at Mhkuze 8/10.

Giant Kingfisher Megaceryle maxima

1 Howick Falls, 1 just North East of Creighton, (South East of Underberg,) 1 Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini.

Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis

1 on a lagoon between Stanford and Hermanus, 1 at Strandfontein Sewage farm, 1 just North East of Creighton, (South East of Underberg,) 2 Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini, 1 on a small pond North East of Mkhuze.

White-fronted Bee-eater Merops bullockoides

2 behind the Ghost Mountain Inn, Mhkuze village, 14/10.

European Bee-eater Merops apiaster

2 just East of Darling, 27/9. 4 South of Katbakkies, Karoo, 29/9.

NE White-backed Mousebird Colius colius

A few on the Cape, e.g. West Coast NP.

Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus

1 in scrub adjacent to De Mond Beach.

Red-faced Mousebird Urocolius indicus

3 in the Karoo, 10+ at Mkhuze, 7/10.

Red-chested Cuckoo Cuculus solitarius

1 at De Hel in the Constantia Greenbelts, 26/9.

Klaas's Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas

A pair posed for photographs in remnant woodland between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

Green Malkoha (Green Coucal, Yellowbill) Ceuthmochares aereus

1 seen briefly on the South side of the False Bay campsite, Hluhluwe, 6/10.

Burchell's Coucal Centropus burchelli

1 just North East of Creighton, (South East of Underberg).

African Palm-Swift Cypsiurus parvus

1 between St Lucia and Cape Vidal 6/10, 2 nr the Ghost Mountain Inn, Mkhuze 7/10.

Alpine Swift Apus melba

2 at Rooi Els, 4 Franschhoek Pass, 5 Table Mountain, 4 Howick Falls, 2 over the farmlands below Karkloof East Forest.

African Black Swift Apus barbatus

1 Cape Nature Reserve, 1 below the Karkloof East Forest. Many Common-/African Black Swift went unidentified, the two above being the only birds seen well enough to specifically ID.

Little Swift Apus affinis

Small groups seen most days in The Cape e.g. 6 West Coast NP, a few on the South Coast around Arniston Bay. We did not definitely ID Horus Swift, although one or two birds may have been this species, e.g. 2 seen briefly in the Overberg Farmlands.

White-rumped Swift Apus caffer

2 at Sir Lowry’s Pass, 2 at Rooi Els, 1 in mixed Swift flock below Karkloof East Forest.

Knysna Lourie (-Turaco) Tauraco corythaix

1 in Karkloof East forest, 5/10.

Livingstone's Lourie (-Turaco) Tauraco livingstonii

2 on the Gwalagwala Forest Walk in St Lucia, 6/10.

Purple-crested Turaco (-Lourie) Musophaga porphyreolopha

1 along the entrance road at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10, and a 2nd bird heard there, 2 drinking at the Kumasinga hide watering hole at Mkhuze, 12 noon 7/10, 1 en route to the Fig Forest the following day.

Grey Go-away-bird Corythaixoides concolor

5 seen between Jo’burg airport and the city.

Rock Dove Columba livia

A few on The Cape.

Speckled (Rock) Pigeon Columba guinea

Common in the South in mountainous/rocky areas and some suburbs.

African Olive-Pigeon (Rameron Pigeon) Columba arquatrix

10 Karkloof East Forest, 5/10.

Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis

Common around the cities etc.

Cape Turtle-Dove (Ring-necked Dove) Streptopelia capicola

Fairly common in the South, very common in Mhkuze.

Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata 

Fairly common in small numbers in a range of habitats.

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur chalcospilos

Very common at Mkhuze, 100+ per day.

Tambourine Dove Turtur tympanistria

1 Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini, a few at Mkhuze, max. 5/day, 1 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10. 2 Kumasinga hide at Mkhuze, 7/10.

Denham's Bustard (Stanley Bustard) Neotis denhami

1 North-West of the Potberg Reserve, c36kms North-East of Bredasdorp, 2 just North of Underberg on the way back from the Sani Pass.

E Southern Black Korhaan Eupodotis afra

1 displaying over the Seeberg lookout West Coast NP, 27/9, and one just East of the N27, at Silwerstroomstrand, 27/9.

E Karoo Korhaan Eupodotis vigorsii

Excellent views of a pair at the roadside as we headed North up the R356 in the Karoo, en route from Katbakkies to the Tanqua Karoo, morning of 29/9. What was presumably the same pair seen in a similar location on the way South c6 hours later.

E Barrow's (Southern White-bellied-) Korhaan Eupodotis [s.] barrowii

A pair c3kms North of Dirkiesdorp, East of Wakkerstroom, 10/10. A scarce endemic.

E Blue Korhaan Eupodotis caerulescens

5 seen North of Wakkerstroom , e.g. along the 1st minor dirt road after crossing the railway track (left off the main dirt road between Wakkerstroom to Amersfoort,) 8/10.

Grey (Southern) Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum

70 around wetlands between Underberg and the approach to the Sani Pass, 20 below the Karkloof East Forest, 2 between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, 4 between Groenvlei and Utrecht.

E Blue Crane Anthropoides paradisea 

4, Tienie Versveld Wildflower Reserve, 65 total crossing the Overberg Farmlands, 30/9, 3 between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, 8/10, 4 South East of Wakkerstroom on the road to Luneberg, 10/10.

African Rail Rallus caerulescens 

4 responded well to tape at dawn on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands Reserve, 10/10 to the left of the road as you head out of town

African Purple Swamphen Porphyrio [p.] madagascariensis

20+ Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10, 6 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands Reserve, 10/10.

Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus

2 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata

Fairly common, usually in small numbers on ponds, lakes etc in The Cape, max. 300 on a lagoon between Stanford and Hermanus.

NE Namaqua Sandgrouse Pterocles namaqua

A pair c6kms () into the Tanqua Karoo Reserve, East of the R355, just off the main East/West dirt road that leads into the SW corner of the reserve, 29/9. Excellent.

African Snipe (Ethiopian Snipe) Gallinago nigripennis

Common at the Wetlands Reserve in Wakkerstroom.

Common Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

1 Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini, 

Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis

2 on the beach just West of the estuary mouth, St Lucia, 10+ from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia

c20 West Coast NP 27/9, 1 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10, 1 Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini 5/10, 1 on the beach just West of the estuary mouth, St Lucia, 5/10, 1 on the lagoon edge at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10.

Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola

1 at the reservoir, St Lucia, 6/10, 2 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands Reserve, 10/10.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos

1 on the beach just West of the estuary mouth, St Lucia,

Sanderling Calidris alba

2, De Mond Beach, 30/9.

Little Stint Calidris minuta

1 on the lagoon at Hluhluwe Campsite False Bay NP 6/10, 5 from the Nsumo observation platform Mkhuze, 7/10.

Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea

5, West Coast NP, 30+ Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10, 30+ Nsumo observation platform Mkhuze, 7/10.

Ruff Philomachus pugnax

1 on the lagoon edge at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10, 8+ from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10, 5 at the Wakkerstroom Wetlands, 8/10.

Water Thick-knee (Water Dikkop) Burhinus vermiculatus

1 from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

E African Black Oystercatcher Haematopus moquini

Fairly common along rocky shores on The Cape; seen daily in habitat, max. 15/day.

Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus

30 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10, 4 at the reservoir, St Lucia, c20 Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10, 50+ at the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta

c40 on the lagoon edge at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10.

Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula

2, from the hide in the Northern sector of West Coast NP.

Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius

5, West Coast NP, 2 Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10.

Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris

1 on a small pool beside the the R317 en route to Arniston Bay, 4 from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus

4 on the beach at Noordhoek, 6 on De Mond Beach. 5 on the beach just West of the estuary mouth, St Lucia.

Blacksmith Lapwing (Plover) Vanellus armatus

Fairly common in the South.

African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegallus

3 North of Wakkerstroom 8/10, 2 there 9/10.

Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus

2 in Jo’burg. Heard North of Wakkerstroom en route to Amersfoort, 9/10. 2 between Wakkerstroom / Jo’burg, 10/10.

Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola

2 flew North, 2kms West of Mtunzini, just East of the N2, (marked as the 102 on our map) 5/10.

Subantarctic Skua (incl. Southern & Brown) Catharacta antarctica

6 on the pelagic.

Arctic Skua (Parasitic Jaeger) Stercorarius parasiticus

2 on the pelagic.

Cape Gull Larus [dominicanus] vetula

Common around The Cape.

Grey-headed Gull Larus cirrocephalus

A few in Jo’burg, c10 along the beach at Cape Vidal, North of St Lucia.

E Hartlaub's Gull Larus hartlaubii

Common on The Cape.

Sabine's Gull Larus sabini

2 seen on the pelagic, en route back to Simonstown, c2 miles beyond Cape Point.

Caspian Tern Sterna caspia

3, West Coast NP.

Swift Tern (Crested Tern) Sterna bergii

c40 on the pelagic, c30 Cape Nature Reserve, 2 Cape Vidal, North of St Lucia.

Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis

3, Cape Nature Reserve.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo

The majority of c30 ‘commics’ on the pelagic were thought to be this species, but all were distant.

NE Damara Tern Sterna balaenarum

1+ s.p. adult seen in flight along De Mond Beach on 3 occasions, 30/9, twice carrying fish whilst flying East from the car park area.

White-winged Tern Chlidonias leucopterus

3 winter plumaged adults in the SE corner of Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2 on the Nsumo pan at Mkhuze, 8/10.

Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus

Common, max 8/day.

Black Kite Milvus migrans

Appeared common, although we did not bother to separate many Black/Yellow-billed.

Yellow-billed Kite Milvus [m.] aegyptius

A few specifically ID’d, e.g. c50, West Coast NP.

African Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer

1 over Afton Grove, evening of 28/9.

Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus

1 flew in to a nest high on a cliff North of the road to Mokhotlong in Lesotho 4/10.

(African) White-backed Vulture Gyps africanus

1 between the airstrip and the HQ building at Mkhuze, 7/10, 1 between the main gate and the HQ the following day, with another at the entrance to the Fig Forest.

E Cape Vulture Gyps coprotheres

1 seen gliding majestically along the Twelve Apostles at the Sani Pass, 4/10.

Black-chested Snake-Eagle Circaetus pectoralis

1 between St Lucia and Cape Vidal, 6/10, 1 over the Loop Road at Mkhuze.

Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus

1 over the entrance road at Mkhuze, between the main gate and the HQ, 7/10.

African Marsh-Harrier Circus ranivorus

2 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10, 1 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands Reserve, 10/10.

E Black Harrier Circus maurus

3 on the West Coast North of Cape Town, a pair c2kms South of the Seeberg lookout, a male at the gypsum mine East of Yzerfontein, 4kms West and 1.8kms North of the junction of the R27/R315, 1 just West of Arniston Bay on the South coast, 1 just West of the Potberg reserve.

Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus

An adult male just East of Piet Retief, en route to Wakkerstroom from Mkhuze, 8/10.

African Harrier-Hawk (Gymnogene) Polyboroides typus

1 NW of the Potberg Reserve, c36kms North-East of Bredasdorp, 1 South East of Wakkerstroom on the road to Luneberg, 10/10.

NE Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax canorus

3 in the Karoo, 29/9.

Gabar Goshawk Melierax gabar

A female at the Kwamalibali hide at Mkhuze 7/10 cleared the waterhole of birds when it arrived, and then hid itself in the centre of a thorn-bush next to the hide, waiting for unwary passerines to return.

African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro

1 at Spilhaus Avenue in the Constantia Greenbelts, 26/9.

Little Sparrowhawk Accipiter minullus

2 male, 2 female hunting at close range around the Kumasinga hide at Mkhuze, 7/10.

Black Sparrowhawk (Black Goshawk) Accipiter melanoleucus

1 flew West over Jonkers Rd, 27/9, 1 just East of Underberg, 4/10.

E Jackal Buzzard Buteo rufofuscus

2 West Coast NP, 2 North of Arniston Bay, 1 Potberg, 4 Karkloof West, 2 nr Underberg, 1 South of Wakkerstroom.

Steppe Buzzard Buteo vulpinus

1 Cape Nature Reserve, 1 Tienie Versveld Wildflower Reserve.

Verreaux's Eagle (African Black Eagle) Aquila verreauxii

A pair seen from above, c200m East of the upper cable car station whilst engaged in tourist activities (us, not the eagles…) on Table Mountain, 1/10.

Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis

Fairly common in the Natal Midlands, c4/day.

Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius

2 between Groenvlei and Utrecht in the Highveld, 9/10. 2 South East of Wakkerstroom on the road to Luneberg, 10/10.

Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni

1 at Silvermine 24/9, 1 by the R317 North of Arniston Bay, 1/10.

Common Kestrel (Rock Kestrel) Falco tinnunculus

Fairly common on The Cape, max. 6/day.

Greater Kestrel (White-eyed Kestrel) Falco rupicoloides

1 in the Karoo, between Katbakkies and the turn to Tanqua Karoo NP.

Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus

1 between the Tanqua Karoo Reserve and Katbakkies in the late pm, 29/9, 2 juvs. Howick Falls 2/10.

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

1 near Misty Cliffs on The Cape’s Western loop road, 1 Cape Nature Reserve, 1 Jonkers Rd, 1 Franschhoek Pass, 1 from La Couronne Hotel, Franschhoek.

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

1 West Coast NP, 10+ Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10, 8 nr the main road to Karkloof, 3/10.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus

1 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

Black-necked Grebe (Eared Grebe) Podiceps nigricollis

100+ Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

NE Cape Gannet Morus capensis

Common and easily seen off the Cape coast.

African Darter Anhinga rufa

2 flew SE over the marsh opposite Afton Grove, Noordhoek.

Reed Cormorant (Long-tailed Cormorant) Phalacrocorax africanus

1 imm. South of Karkloof West, 3/10, 1 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands, 8/10, 1 near Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10, 1 en route from Wakkerstroom to Jo’burg 10/10.

E Crowned Cormorant Phalacrocorax coronatus

1 on the pelagic, on a large rock just offshore approx. half way between Simonstown and Cape Point.

E Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus

10+ at the Boulders reserve, 15 on the pelagic.

White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax [c.] lucidus

2 at the Boulders reserve.

NE Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis

Fairly common off the Cape.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta

3 Olifants Bay, Cape Nature Reserve, 3 West Coast NP.

Yellow-billed Egret (Intermediate Egret) Egretta intermedia

One or two seen in the South.

Great Egret (Great White Egret) Egretta alba

Small numbers scattered here and there.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

Scattered singles, pairs.

Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala

Common, seen daily in the South. max. 10/day.

Goliath Heron Ardea goliath

1 from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

200+ Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10. A few singles elsewhere.

Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

2 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands Reserve, 9/10.

Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus

1 male seen in flight, marsh opposite Afton Grove, Noordhoek, 28/9.

Hamerkop Scopus umbretta

1 just North East of Creighton, (South East of Underberg,) 1 at the Kumasinga hide, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber

50 West Coast NP, c150 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor

5 from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

c25, Olifants Bay, Cape Nature Reserve, c20 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia hagedash

Common in small numbers everywhere, max. 40/day.

E Southern (African) Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus

13 West of the dirt road between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, 28 in a field adjacent to a small lake, c5kms South of Groenvlei, 2 just North of Dirkiesdorp, 25 South East of Wakkerstroom on the road to Luneberg.

African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus

Fairly common in habitat throughout.



African Spoonbill Platalea alba

3 on a small lagoon just East of Underberg, 10 on the Wakkerstroom Wetlands, 8/10.

Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus

c100 on the lagoon at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10, 8 over the entrance to the Fig Forest 8/10.

Pink-backed Pelican Pelecanus rufescens

c25 from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis

2 on the estuary and 20 at the reservoir, St Lucia.

African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus

3 from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus

1 c10kms North of the Tugela River North of Durban, 2 Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini, 1 St Lucia, 1 Mkhuze.

African Penguin (Jackass Penguin) Spheniscus demersus

Very common and easy to see at the Boulders rookery. A few also seen offshore from the pelagic.

Southern Giant-Petrel Macronectes giganteus

2 on the pelagic, well beyond Cape Point near the trawler, 2 offshore of de Mond Beach, West of Arniston Bay.

Giant-Petrel sp. Macronectes sp.

c5 on the pelagic, 3 offshore of De Mond Beach.

Pintado Petrel (Cape Petrel) Daption capense

200+ on the pelagic.

Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis

c45 on the pelagic. My first Pterodroma and a truly magical species. Awesome flyers, they seem to sweep effortlessly over the oceans.

White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis

1000+ on the pelagic.

Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis

c20 on the pelagic, excellent views just off the boat.

Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus

c400 on the pelagic.

Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans

Incredibly we saw no less than three immature birds feeding together on the pelagic, the 1st birds that had been seen during the season’s trips. Like most species near the trawler, seen at incredibly close range, and photographed with a standard lens from the bobbing boat. Mind-blowing stuff.

Northern Royal Albatross Diomedea [e.] sanfordi

1 seen well but briefly on the pelagic, a local rarity. It took off from close by the boat as we neared the trawler and kept going.

Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris

20+ on the pelagic.

Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta

30+ on the pelagic.

Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri

2+ on the pelagic; excellent views at point-blank range.

Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos

1+ on the pelagic; excellent flight views at close range.

Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus

300+ and probably many more than this, constantly visible with the naked eye around the trawlers.

Common Fiscal (Fiscal Shrike) Lanius collaris

Very common everywhere, e.g. 100+West Coast NP. 2 young juveniles in Franshhoek.

Cape Crow (Black Crow) Corvus capensis

A few on The Cape.

Pied Crow Corvus albus

Very common everywhere.

White-necked Raven Corvus albicollis

Fairly common around cliffs etc on The Cape, and in Lesotho, max. 10/day.

Square-tailed Drongo Dicrurus ludwigii

1, Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis

2 in the tree-lined section of the R317 North of Arniston Bay, 1/10, 3 between Hilton and Karkloof.

E Fairy Flycatcher Stenostira scita

4 in the arid forest just above the picnic area at Katbakkies, 29/9, 4 Lesotho.

Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher Trochocercus cyanomelas

2 male, 1 female, Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10, A pair near the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

African Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis

A pair together at Spilhaus Avenue in the Constantia Greenbelts 26/9, a female at the Potberg Reserve North East of De Hoop 1/10, a pair near the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla

2 in the coniferous forest West of Karkloof West, 1 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegala

1 responded briefly to tape in a marshy clearing in the upper coniferous forest West of Karkloof West, 3 seen in remnant woodland between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

E Southern Boubou Laniarius ferrugineus

2 in the scrub between the car park and the eucalypt plantation at the Potberg Reserve North of De Hoop, 1 Sani Pass.

NE Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus

4, West Coast NP, 2 East of Utrecht etc.

NE Olive Bush-Shrike Telophorus olivaceus

3 Karkloof East Forest, 5/10. 1 in remnant woodland between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10 (a scarce bird in the Highveld.)

E Cape Batis Batis capensis

4 at Spilhaus Avenue in the Constantia Greenbelts, 26/9, A pair Karkloof East Forest, 5/10, a female in remnant woodland between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

Woodwards' Batis Batis fratrum

1 female, Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

Chinspot Batis Batis molitor

1 female at Mkhuze, 7/10.

NE Pririt Batis Batis pririt

1 at Katbakkies, 29/9, in the picnic area.

E Cape Rock-jumper Chaetops frenatus

5 amongst large boulders on the escarpment beyond the end of the dirt road South of the main R44 at Rooi Els, 28/9, (See Essential Birding P62.) We dipped at Sir Lowry’s Pass in high winds. A cracking endemic.

E Drakensberg (Orange-breasted-) Rock-jumper Chaetops aurantius

6 males, 1 female around the upper levels of the Sani Pass, 4/10, mostly just below the Sani Top Chalet. The female was seen feeding on the scree slope immediately beneath the Chalet’s balcony. An equally cracking endemic.

E Cape Rock-Thrush Monticola rupestris

6 at the base of the escarpment beyond the end of the dirt road South of the main R44 at Rooi Els, and a pair on the upper levels of the Sani Pass.

E Sentinel Rock-Thrush Monticola exploratory

A cracking male close to the road in Lesotho, and a 2nd male in the high country between Wakkerstroom and Groenvlei, 9/10.

Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyanus

1 on the road just West of the airstrip at Mkhuze, 7/10 was the only individual seen.

NE Mouse-coloured Flycatcher Melaeornis pallidus

1 studied in parched woodland on the loop road in the Western sector of Mkhuze, 7/10 was thought at first possibly to be an out-of-range Chat Flycatcher Bradornis infuscatus but seems far likelier (per Callen Cohen) to have been this species.

[Orange (Ground-) Thrush Zoothera gurneyi

1 heard responding twice to tape refused to show, Karkloof East Forest, 5/10, on the small trail leading to the canopy trapeze, (access from a pull-off on a sharp left hand bend near the top of the forest.]

Olive Thrush Turdus olivaceus

The common thrush on The Cape. Also 1 Karkloof East Forest, 1 in plantation edge c15 kms North East of Creighton. (See e.g. Pepler and Martin, http://www.monteco-nature-reserve.com/promero5.htm "Two races occur in the South Western Cape. The nominate race T. o. olivaceus and the much less brightly coloured race T. o. smithi. Generally speaking the nominate race is found in the higher rainfall areas and is replaced in the more arid regions by smithi.")

E Fiscal Flycatcher Sigelus silens

3 along the edge of the eucalypt plantation in the Potberg Reserve, 1/10. 1 in remnant woodland between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata

1 in the car park at the Caversham Mill restaurant in the Midlands Meander, NW of Howick was the only individual seen.

African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta

3 at Spilhaus Avenue in the Constantia Greenbelts, 26/9, in the mature trees bordering the large gardens after crossing the river. 2 in remnant woodland between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10. Call; a hard ‘tseeyou’ or an upslurred ‘tss-rr-rs-st.’

Ashy Flycatcher (Blue-grey Flycatcher) Muscicapa caerulescens

1 at the reservoir, St Lucia, 2 in the Fig Forest at Mhkuze 8/10.

White-starred Robin Pogonocichla stellata

1 responded vigorously to tape, Karkloof East Forest, 5/10.

Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra

Common almost everywhere, max 20/day.

Red-capped Robin-Chat (Natal Robin-Chat) Cossypha natalensis

5 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10. 2 at the Southernmost picnic area, Mkhuze, 7/10. Talented mimics.

E Chorister Robin-Chat Cossypha dichroa

2 in Karkloof East Forest responded strongly to tape, 5/10.

Brown Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas signata

2 showed very well in a clearing in the Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

White-browed Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas leucophrys

1 at Mkhuze, 7/10.

E Karoo Scrub-Robin Cercotrichas coryphaeus

2, North end of West Coast NP, 27/9, 8+ in the Karoo, 3 in scrub adjacent to De Mond Beach.

(African) Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

5+, West Cape NP, 1 at Rooi Els, c10 West of Karkloof West. (Sibley and Monroe split the Cape form as African Stonechat, S. axillaris.)

Buff-streaked Chat Oenanthe bifasciata

3 males, mid-levels of the Sani Pass, 2 between Groenvlei and Utrecht, (South of Wakkerstroom,) 1 West of Doornhoek (East of Wakkerstroom.)

NE Mountain Chat (-Wheatear) Oenanthe monticola

1 in the rocky ravine at the start of the road to Katbakkies, just East of the R356 29/9, 1 dark form individual between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, 8/10, 2 in the same area 9/10.

Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata

c10 West Coast NP, 27/9, 4 in farmlands South of the Franschhoek Pass.

E Sickle-winged Chat Cercomela sinuate

c30 in the upper reaches of the Sani Pass/ in Lesotho.

NE Karoo Chat Cercomela schlegelii

4 in the Karoo on the road to Katbakkies etc.

NE Tractrac Chat Cercomela tractrac

10+ in the Karoo mostly North of Katbakkies.

Familiar Chat Cercomela familiaris

Fairly common in small numbers in fynbos on The Cape, max. 4/day, 1 on the lower slopes of the Sani Pass.

E (Southern) Anteating Chat Myrmecocichla formicivora

10+ on high ground between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, 8/10.

NE Pale-winged Starling Onychognathus nabouroup

2 in the larger trees at the picnic site at Katbakkies, 29/9.

Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio

Very common everywhere.

Black-bellied Starling Lamprotornis corruscus

c20 in the Fig Forest at Mkhuze, 8/10.

NE Cape Glossy Starling Lamprotornis nitens

1 at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10, 30+ at Mkhuze, 7/10. a few in the Highveld.

E (African) Pied Starling Spreo bicolor

20 West Coast NP, 100+ around Potberg West of Bredasdorp, c50 between Groenvlei and Utrecht South of Wakkerstroom etc.

Wattled Starling Creatophora cinerea

3 between Bredasdorp and Arniston Bay. 80+ Mkhuze, 7/10.

Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Fairly common in cities etc.

Common Myna Acridotheres tristis

Common in cities etc.

Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus

c6 at Mkhuze, 7/10.

Southern Black Tit Parus niger

A pair on the Southern side of Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10, 2 Kumasinga hide at Mkhuze, 7/10.

E (Southern) Grey Tit Parus afer

2 on the road just beyond the Katbakkies picnic site in the Karoo, 1 in the Kotisephola Pass in Losotho.

Brown-throated Martin (Plain Martin) Riparia paludicola

3 at the Boulders reserve, 5 at the Caversham Mill restaurant in the Midlands Meander, NW of Howick.

Banded Martin Riparia cincta

1 West of Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

Grey-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga

8 off the water-ski club, St Lucia, dusk 5/10. 3 between St Lucia and Cape Vidal, 6/10.

Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

2 at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10.

White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis

Common.

NE Greater Striped Swallow Hirundo cucullata

Common in The Cape, seen daily, max 25/day.

Lesser Striped Swallow Hirundo abyssinica

20+ at Mkhuze, e.g. around the Kwamalibali hide.

NE South African Cliff-Swallow Hirundo spilodera

3 under a small bridge at wetlands just East of Underberg, 4/10, 5 West of Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

(African) Rock Martin Hirundo fuligula

2 Cape Point, 2 along the R356 in the Karoo, 4 at c3000m in Lesotho.

Common House-Martin Delichon urbica

3 over a small lagoon just East of Wakkerstroom, 8/10.

Black Saw-wing Psalidoprocne holomelaena

3 at De Hel in the Constantia Greenbelts, 26/9, 1 on the approach road to Karkloof West, 3/10, 1 between St Lucia and Cape Vidal, 6/10.

Dark-capped Bulbul (Black-eyed Bulbul) Pycnonotus tricolor

2 South of Karkloof West.

E Cape Bulbul Pycnonotus capensis

Fairly common around The Cape, mostly in fynbos, max 20/day.

E (African) Yellow-bellied Greenbul (Bulbul) Chlorocichla flaviventris

4, Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

Sombre Greenbul Andropadus importunus

3 at De Hel in the Constantia Greenbelts, 26/9, 6 Karkloof East Forest, 1 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

[Terrestrial Brownbul Phyllastrephus terrestris

2 heard in the Fig Forest, Mhkuze, 8/10.]

Eastern Nicator Nicator gularis

1 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

Rattling Cisticola Cisticola chinianus

1 at Mhkuze, 7/10.

NE Grey-backed Cisticola Cisticola subruficapillus

1 on the trail at Jonkers Road on The Cape, 1 Cape Nature Reserve near Olifants Bay, 1 Silwerstroomstrand.

Wailing Cisticola Cisticola lais

1 on the high rocky ground immediately above Karkloof East Forest, 1 in Lesotho.

Levaillant's Cisticola Cisticola tinniens

1, marsh opposite Afton Grove, Noordhoek, 28/9, 3+ Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

Neddicky Cisticola fulvicapillus

Fairly common in fynbos; distinctive for a Cisticloa, and fairly confiding. 1st seen st Silvermine, also at Jonker’s Rd, Sir Lowry’s Pass etc. Also 2 near the Ghost Mountain Inn, Mkhuze.

NE Cloud Cisticola Cisticola textrix

3+, of the nominate streak-breasted Southern Cape subspecies C. t. tetrix at the Tienie Versveld Wildflower Reserve, 27/9. 

Wing-snapping Cisticola (Ayre's Cloud Cisticola.) Cisticola ayresii

1 North of Wakkerstroom (West of the main Wakkerstroom-Amersfoort dirt road) 9/10, 1 between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

E Karoo Prinia Prinia maculosa

Common and noisy in fynbos on The Cape, 4 Sani Pass.

E Drakensberg Prinia Prinia [m.] hypoxantha

3 by the Lyons River from the Caversham Mill restaurant in the Midlands Meander, 3/10.

E Namaqua Warbler Phragmacia substriata

2 seen in the small reed-bed by the R356 nr Karoopoort South of Katbakkies.

E Rufous-eared Warbler Malcorus pectoralis

1 posed ridiculously well for photographs c500m South of the Eierkop in the Karoo, early morning, 29/9.

Bar-throated Apalis Apalis thoracica

2 in scrub at the Potberg Reserve, North-East of De Hoop, 2 in scrub North of Gansbaai whilst whale-watching at the South East corner of Walker Bay.

E Rudd's Apalis Apalis ruddi

3, Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10, 1 near the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10. 2 in the Fig Forest at Mhkuze 8/10.

Green-backed Camaroptera (-Bleating Warbler) Camaroptera brachyura

3 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia 6/10, 2 in the Fig Forest at Mhkuze 8/10.

E Cinnamon-breasted Warbler Euryptila subcinnamomea

1 grubbing about in between boulders c300m up the dry river bed at Katbakkies. Suddenly just showed up, having apparently completely ignored our tape. The site is well-known and is just less than 40kms north of Karoopoort; look for a dirt road off to the left (west) signposted Op-die-Berg. After a few kms the Katbakkies picnic area is on the left.

E Cape White-eye Zosterops pallidus capensis/virens

Very common almost everywhere; this was the 1st species I saw in the Cape, nr CT Airport. (3+ distinctive forms occur in SA, which Sibley & Monroe name as ‘Cape White-eye’ ( Z. p. capensis; Cape Province S. of the Orange River. Greenish above, greyish below,) ‘Pale White-eye’ ( Z. p. pallidus; Orange River valley W. to Port Nolloth, and N. through Namibia, Yellow underparts, pinkish flanks,) and ‘Green White-eye’ ( Z. p. virens - eastern South Africa. Greenish overall.) We saw ‘Cape’ in the South and ‘Green’ in KZN etc.)

Little Rush-Warbler (African Sedge Warbler) Bradypterus baboecala

2+ seen in the marsh opposite Afton Grove, Noordhoek, 28/9, and many others heard, 1 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

E Knysna Warbler Bradypterus sylvaticus sylvaticus

1 at Spilhaus Avenue in the Constantia Greenbelts, 26/9; amazing views of a bird singing in the open on a fallen log. A much-sought after endemic, and curiously wonderful for such a drab beast. Also 1 heard at De Hel.

E Victorin's Warbler Bradypterus victorini

1 singing male watched at point blank range at Sir Lowry’s Pass, 28/9. Seeing the bird necessitated stealthily climbing inside the bush in which it was skulking, but once located it gave stunning views. The area of scrub the bird occupied was c20m to the North of the lower path, (right hand fork as you head out from the car park, fork just after you cross the main road,) which runs parallel to the railway line, perhaps 600m along from the road.

E Barratt's Warbler Bradypterus barratti

1 showed very well, c2kms above the lower (SA) border post at the Sani Pass, in the arid sparse shrubs which dot the steep hillsides 4/10, c100m before a pull off on a sharp left-hand bend. The third and last of our trio of skulking endemic Bradypterus warblers successfully prised out.

E Cape Grassbird Sphenoeacus afer

1 just West of Scarborough on The Cape, 5 at Jonkers Rd over two visits, 3 in scrub adjacent to De Mond Beach.

African Reed-Warbler (Af. Marsh-Warbler) Acrocephalus baeticatus

1 heard in the marsh opposite Afton Grove, Noordhoek, 28/9. 1 seen in the small reed-bed by the R356 nr Karoopoort.

Lesser Swamp-Warbler (Cape Reed Warbler) Acrocephalus gracilirostris

2 in the marsh opp. Afton Grove Noordhoek, 28/9, 1 Strandfontein Sewage Farm, 2/10.

Dark-capped (African) Yellow Warbler Chloropeta natalensis

3 below the lower border post at the Sani Pass, 4/10 responded very well to tape.

E Karoo Eremomela Eremomela gregalis

1 responded very well to tape c500m South of the Eierkop in the Karoo, even perching briefly on telegraph wires, early morning, 29/9.

Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens

1 Silwerstroomstrand, 1 at the dried up river crossing South of Katbakkies in the Karoo.

Bush Blackcap Lioptilus nigricapillus

We played tape in a few likely locations on the way up the Sani Pass but not a squeak. We were finally saved at the 11th hour on the way back down, when one showed well on the far side of the river near derelict buildings, (where the road passes close to the river,) just below the lower checkpoint.

E Layard's Tit-Babbler Parisoma layardi

4 around the picnic area at Katbakkies, 2 Sani Pass.

E Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler Parisoma subcaeruleum

2, Silwerstroomstrand, South of West Coast NP, 27/9.

E Agulhas Clapper Lark Mirafra (apiata) marjoriae

3-5, in 3ft high dense scrub c300m West of the junction of the North/South dirt road that runs South from Buffeljagsrivier, (7kms East of Swellendam) and the South-West/North-East dirt road that runs East to join the main R319 just SE of Bredasdorp. This junction is just South of the village of Malgas and v. approx. 40kms North-East of Bredasdorp. See ‘Essential Birding’ P64. Birds responded very well to tape at dawn but were very difficult to see on the ground. Persistence was eventually rewarded with brief views of birds perched atop the scrubby vegetation. (The race or species M. a. marjoriae or M. marjoriae is split in SASOL III. If a separate species it becomes a highly range-restricted endemic.)

Rudd's Lark Heteromirafra ruddi

1 showed very well in a field North of Wakkerstroom, on the right hand side/c2km down the 1st minor dirt road on the left after crossing the railway track (left off the main dirt road between Wakkerstroom to Amersfoort,) 8/10.

E Agulhas Long-billed Lark Certhilauda brevirostris 

2+ briefly in song-flight North of Arniston Bay on the R317 whilst crossing the Overberg Farmlands, 2 just North-West of the Potberg Reserve, 1/10.

E Eastern Long-billed Lark Certhilauda semitorquata

1 seen in a field on the right hand side/c2.5km down the 1st minor dirt road after crossing the railway track (left off the main dirt road between Wakkerstroom to Amersfoort,) 8/10. 

E Karoo Lark Certhilauda albescens

2 beside the R356 North of Katbakkies, 29/9.

NE Spike-heeled Lark Chersomanes albofasciata

5 in the Karoo. 5 between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort.

Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea

2 West Coast NP, 5 in the Karoo, 2 North of Arniston Bay. The commonest lark at Wakkerstroom.

Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana

1 seen at Mkhuze 8/10, 1 heard North West of Dirkiesdorp en route to Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 7/10.

E Large-billed (Thick-billed-) Lark Galerida magnirostris

3 in the Karoo, all North of Katbakkies, 2 North of Arniston Bay, 3 North-West of the Potberg Reserve.

NE Gurney's Sugarbird Promerops gurneyi

3 on the giant proteas, mid-level of the Sani Pass, 4/10.

E Cape Sugarbird Promerops cafer

Fairly common in fynbos on The Cape, max. 5/day. Seen at Silvermine, Cape Nature Reserve, Jonkers Road, and the Potberg Reserve North-East of Bredasdorp.

E Orange-breasted Sunbird Anthobaphes violacea

Common in fynbos on The Cape, even on top of Table Mountain.

Amethyst Sunbird (African Black Sunbird) Chalcomitra amethystina

A pair on the approach road to Karkloof West, a male Karkloof East Forest.

Scarlet-chested Sunbird Chalcomitra senegalensis

1 behind the Ghost Mountain Inn, Mkhuze village, 7/10.

Eastern Olive Sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea

3 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10, plus many heard.

Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia famosa

One of the commonest species in fynbos habitat on The Cape.

Collared Sunbird Hedydipna collaris

A male in East Karkloof Forest on both visits, 1 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, a pair near the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

E Southern (Lesser-) Double-collared Sunbird Cinnyris chalybea

Fairly common in fynbos on The Cape. Also seen at Spilhaus Avenue in the Constantia Greenbelts, and in the Karkloof area.

Marico Sunbird Cinnyris mariquensis

2 male, 2 female at Mkhuze, 7/10.

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

Scattered small groups here and there e.g. Boulders, Cape Nature Reserve, Wakkerstroom etc.

NE Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus

Locally common e.g.West Coast NP.

NE Southern Grey-headed Sparrow Passer diffusus

2 in the car park at the Caversham Mill restaurant in the Midlands Meander, NW of Howick, 2 on the loop road, Mkhuze, 7/10.

African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp

1 from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis

Common, seen in Jo’burg, The Cape and the NE.

Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus

1 on mangrove edge, Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini, 5/10, 1 at Mkhuze, 7/10.

E Orange-throated Longclaw (Cape Longclaw) Macronyx capensis

1 near the beach car park at Noordhoek, 1 West Coast NP, 3 in the grasslands South of Karkloof West. 15 between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort.

E Yellow-breasted Pipit Anthus chloris

1-2 in a grassy field West of the dirt road that runs North towards Amersfoort from Wakkerstroom. The field has a set of football goalposts in, and is on the left hand side v. approx. c2kms along the 1st road off to the left (West) after crossing the railway line. A scarce and range-limited Highveld endemic.

E [African Rock Pipit Anthus crenatus

2 heard responding to tape nr the Kotisephola Pass, Lesotho, 4/10 could not be coaxed into view.]

African Pipit (Grassveld Pipit) Anthus cinnamomeus

1 West Coast NP, common on the South coast, very common in the Highveld.

Plain-backed Pipit Anthus leucophrys

1 on the high rocky ground immediately above Karkloof East Forest.

(African) Yellow-throated Petronia Petronia superciliaris

A few at Mkhuze.

Spectacled Weaver Ploceus ocularis

1 male, Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10. 3 from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

E Cape Weaver Ploceus capensis

c50 West Cape NP, 27/9.

Southern Masked-Weaver Ploceus v. velatus

2, marsh opposite Afton Grove, Noordhoek, 2 in the small reed-bed nr Karoopoort, 2 near Utrecht in the Highveld. (Clements suggested the following change, July ’04: "Change English name of Ploceus velatus to Southern Masked-Weaver, with following races: P. v. velatus: Western Cape, Northern Cape and Free State P. v. nigrifrons:E Cape, n and w Natal and w Swaziland P. v. tahatali: Zimbabwe, se Botswana, sw Mozambique, e Swaziland, ne Natal and Northern Province".)



Village Weaver (Spotted-backed Weaver) Ploceus cucullatus

A colony of c30 South of Karkloof West.

Dark-backed (Forest) Weaver Ploceus bicolour

A male, Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10, 1 at Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10, 2 near the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Red-billed Quelea Quelea quelea

A few around Karkloof, and Underberg.

Yellow-crowned Bishop (Golden Bishop) Euplectes afer

A few in the South e.g. a pair, West Coast NP, 27/9.

Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix

A male, West Coast NP, 27/9, 2 4 in farmlands South of the Franschhoek Pass, c50 between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort.

White-winged Widowbird Euplectes albonotatus

c15 at the roadside c6kms South of Mkhuze village, 8/10.

Red-collared Widowbird Euplectes ardens

1 breeding male between Durban and Hilton, 3 breeding males and c100 non-breeding types in the grasslands South of Karkloof West, 50 just North of Dirkiesdorp.

Long-tailed Widowbird Euplectes progne

At least 1 breeding male and c20 non-br. male/female/imm. en route to Karkloof West, 1 North East of Wakkerstroom, 1 between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, 8/10.

Thick-billed Weaver (Grosbeak Weaver) Amblyospiza albifrons

1 female, Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

Green-winged Pytilia (Melba Finch) Pytilia melba

A pair on the approach road to the Kwamalibali hide, Mkhuze, 7/10.

Green Twinspot Mandingoa nitidula

A pair showed very well at the bird hide next to the HQ building at Mkhuze, 7/10.

Pink-throated Twinspot Hypargos margaritatus

A pair posed well at the side of the road on the way in to Hluhluwe Campsite, False Bay NP, 6/10, v. approx. 0.5kms past the entrance gate.

African Firefinch (Blue-billed Firefinch) Lagonosticta rubricata

1 coming to drink at the river’s edge nr the Caversham Mill restaurant in the Midlands Meander, NW of Howick, 3 Karkloof East Forest, 1 between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, 10/10.

Blue Waxbill (Blue-breasted Cordonbleu) Uraeginthus angolensis

40+ at Mkhuze, 7/10. Gorgeous.

Grey Waxbill (Black-tailed Waxbill) Estrilda perreini

1 Gwalagwala Forest Walk, St Lucia, 6/10.

Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild

6, marsh opposite Afton Grove, Noordhoek, c130 between Hilton and Karkloof, common at Mhuze etc.

African Quailfinch Ortygospiza atricollis

Brief roadside flight views of 6+, West of the main dirt road between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort 9/10, better views on the ground just North of Dirkiesdorp, 10/10.

Bronze Mannikin Lonchura cucullata

3 in the garden of the Hilton Hotel 2/10, 3 at the bird hide next to the HQ building at Mhuze, 7/10.

Red-backed Mannikin Lonchura [b.] nigriceps

c20 flew across the road and perched in a plantation fence, c5kms West of St Lucia, 6/10.

Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura

2 breeding males in the grasslands South of Karkloof West, 1 below the Sani Pass, 10 St Lucia, 2 East of Utrecht in the Highveld.

Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

1 in the garden at Afton Grove, Noordhoek; a real crippler.

Cape Canary Serinus canicollis

Common on The Cape, max. 30/day. 1 male in the gardens of The Hilton Hotel North-West of Pietermaritzburg, c20 Karkloof West, 100+ between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, 8/10.

Yellow-fronted Canary (Yellow-eyed Canary) S erinus mozambicus

3 at the reservoir on St Lucia.

NE Yellow Canary Serinus flaviventris

1 female Cape Nature Reserve, 3 West Coast NP, 1 in the Karoo.

Brimstone Canary (Bully Canary) Serinus sulphuratus

1 just West of Scarborough on The Cape, 1 at Jonkers Rd, 2 Karkloof West.

NE White-throated Canary Serinus albogularis

5, West Coast NP, 1 by the R356 in The Karoo.

Streaky-headed Seedeater Serinus gularis

1 mid-level of the Sani Pass, 2 in remnant woodland between Dirkiesdorp and Doornhoek, (East of Wakkerstroom) 10/10.

E Black-headed Canary Alario alario

3 on rocky outcrops opposite the reed-bed nr Karoopoort on the R356 South of Katbakkies, 29/9.

E Cape Siskin Pseudochloroptila totta

Tough to see on the ground. A pair seen poorly flying through the drizzle along the Jonkers Road trail on The Cape, a single there on the 2nd visit, and a pair seen well at Cape Point.

E Drakensberg Siskin Pseudochloroptila symonsi

At least 30 in the c10kms from the Sani Top Chalet, (at the top of the Sani Pass funnily enough,) onward.

Cinnamon-breasted (Rock-) Bunting Emberiza tahapisi

1 at the Kwamalibali hide, Mhuze 7/10.

NE Cape Bunting Emberiza capensis

Fairly common in rocky fynbos on The Cape, max 6/day, 6 Sani Pass/Lesotho.

Golden-breasted Bunting Emberiza flaviventris

6 at Mhuze e.g. Kwamalibali hide, 7/10.

Total: 357 species seen, + 5 heard-only.

MAMMALS

Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis

2 on the pelagic, and c10 North of Gansbaai in the South-Eastern corner of Walker Bay.

Cape Fur Seal (South African Fur Seal) Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus

20 on the pelagic.

Southern White Rhino Ceratotherium simum simum

Great views at Mhuze, from the Kumasinga hide 7/1, and 3 encountered at close range on the road between there and the Fig Forest the following day!

Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis

4 seen at a game park just East of the main road en route to the West Coast NP were probably recently introduced, c15 at Mkhuze, great views of individuals drinking at the Kumasinga hide.

Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius

8 at dusk off the water-ski club St Lucia, 5/10.

Blue Wildebeest (Brindled Gnu) Connochaetes taurinus

c20 at Mkhuze.

Warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus africanus

4 in total at Mkhuze, including great views of 1 at the Kumasinga watering hole at noon 7/10.

Greater Kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros

One female at Mkhuze.

Bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus

1, Karkloof East Forest, early morning 5/10.

Common Reedbuck Redunca arundinum

4 between St Lucia and Cape Vidal, 6/10.

Zebra Equus zebra

A few at the Umlalazi Reserve, Mtunzini. Fairly common at Mkhuze, 4 North of Wakkerstroom.

Nyala Tragelaphus angasii

20+, Mkhuze, 7 and 8/10.

Springbok Antidorcas marsupialis

200+ at Mkhuze.

Steenbok Raphicerus campestris

3 in the Karoo.

Bontebok Damaliscus dorcas dorcas

4, Cape Nature Reserve.

Blesbok Damaliscus dorcas philippsi

3 along the dirt road between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort, 9/10, 20 South East of Wakkerstroom on the road to Luneberg, 10/10.

Grey Duiker Sylvicapra grimmia

1 on the lower slopes of the Sani Pass 4/10.

Chacma Baboon Papio ursinus

Fairly common at Mkhuze.

Vervet Monkey Cercopithecus aethiops

10+ at Umlalazi, Mtunzini, 30+ at Mkhuze.

Yellow Mongoose Cynictis penicillata

Fairly common in arid farmland around Wakkerstroom, max 6/day.

Banded Mongoose Mungos mungo

A group of c15 on the South Western edge of St Lucia town, 5/10.

Sloggett’s Rat Otomys sloggetti

4+ on the plateau in Lesotho. A glamorous, high-altitude rat!

Meerkat Suricata suricatta

c5 North of Wakkerstroom, 8/10.

Rock Dassie Procavia capensis

Small numbers in The Cape, max 4/day.

REPTILES

Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus

1 on the mud at Umlalazi NP, Mtunzini, and 1 from the Nsumo observation platform, Mkhuze.

Cape Angulate Tortoise Chersina angulata

Common in the West Coast NP, 1 between Bredasdorp and Arniston Bay.

Cape Girdled Lizard Cordylus cordylus

1 small bright yellow individual seen and photographed on the rocks North of Gansbaai, in the SE corner of Walker Bay, SE of Hermanus.