SOUTH AFRICA 30TH OCTOBER - 10TH NOVEMBER 2008

Our recent ten day exploration of South Africa’s Western Cape was a tremendous success, with the group recording a total of 258 species including many of the areas endemics and speciailities. Our arrival in Cape Town on 31st October was followed immediately by an afternoon at the Strandfontein sewage works where we connected with a variety of herons, egrets, waders, ducks, gulls and terns including the rare Hottentot Teal, huge flocks of breeding plumaged Black-necked Grebes and many of the endemic Cormorants. Our first full day was spent at sea on a pelagic to the trawling grounds approximately 25 miles off the cape, and as well as numerous sightings of Southern Right and Bryde’s Whales we recorded thousands of seabirds. Four species of Albatross, Pintado, Soft-plumaged, White-chinned, Wilson’s and Northern Giant Petrels, flocks of Sabine’s Gulls and hundreds of Great Shearwaters being the highlights. Our second day on the peninsula saw us visit Kirsetnbosch botanical gardens for many of the endemic canaries, Orange-breasted, Malachite and Double-collared Sunbirds, Cape Sugarbird and nesting Spotted Eagle Owls. In the Hottnetots Holland range, such specialities as Cape Rock Thrush and Cape Rockjumper were added amid spectacular scenery followed by some excellent dining on the Cape Town waterfront in the evenings. Heading north into the Strandveld a whole new host of species became available and soon we were ticking off Secretary Bird, Black Harrier and the national bird, Blue Crane. Our spacious hotel on the banks of the Berg River was right by the estuary where Chestnut-banded Plover and Lesser Flamingo could be found, and surrounding plains held endemic Cape Long-billed Lark. In the West Coast national park, throngs of wintering shorebirds were seen at close quarters and the endemic Southern Black Korhaan seen by the roadside – perhaps the African Fish Eagle mobbed by a passing Osprey stole the show here, however! Our fourth base at the entrance to the Tanqua Karoo was in the town of Ceres, and a drinking pool in the nearby hills here added Streaky-headed and Protea Canaries to our burgeoning list with Horus Swift over the hotel. In the Tanqua, such sought-after birds as Fairy Flycatcher, Karoo Eremomela and Rufous-eared Warbler were seen and raptors included the superb Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk and subtle Greater Kestrel. Continuing our giant loop we headed south-east to the Grootvadersbosch forest, and on our early morning venture into the woodland struck gold with elusive Narina Trogon and Knysna Warbler, Blue-mantled and Paradise Flycatchers and both Knysna and Olive Woodpeckers. African Wood Owl were seen by our accommodation after dusk and the spectacular sunset and great South African cooking added to the experience. Our final stop on the Agulhas plains allowed us to add the localised Agulhas Long-billed and Clapper Larks, and along the coast here Cape Vulture, Martial Eagle, Karoo Korhaan, Denham’s Bustard and the diminutive Damara Tern rounded off our stay in this beautiful and bird-rich country. We returned to Cape Town on 9th November with a full notebook, and some outstanding and memorable birding experiences from this stunning region.We return from 31st October - 11th November 2009.