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African Penguin
Tour
Often considered to be one of the most scenic stretches of landscape
in the world, the Cape Peninsula is among Africa's premier tourism
destinations. A narrow, 75-km long strip land rises abruptly from
the ocean, separating the nutrient-rich Benguela current of the
cold Atlantic ocean from the warmer waters of False Bay. The botanically-rich
Peninsula landscape is dominated by a rugged mountain chain, culminating
at its northern end in the famously geometrical massif of Table
Mountain.
For birders, the Cape Peninsula provides easy access to a good selection
of coastal and fynbos specials, with most day-trips recording upward
of 90 species. Highlights of this day-tour usually include Cape
Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, African
Penguin and Bank Cormorant. There is also
the opportunity to see localized, endemic forest birds such as
Knysna Warbler.
We start early at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, widely
recognized as one of the world’s finest botanical gardens.
The well-maintained gardens and adjacent fynbos and indigenous forest
support an attractive diversity of bird species. Here, it is possible
to approach a number of fynbos endemics at close quarters, including
such desirable species as Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted
Sunbird and Cape Francolin. The sheltered
forested gorges host several forest species, including Cape
Batis, Forest Canary and the skulking,
enigmatic and highly localised Knysna Warbler which
we may look for in a nearby forest patch.
From here, we work southwards along the peninsula, visiting a number
of coastal localities, in search of Benguela Current endemics, all
of which, except for Damara Tern, are distinct
possibilities. Cape and Hartlaub's Gull
are widespread around the Cape Peninsula, and may be seen en route
to our first stop, Kommetjie. Here, a full sweep of marine cormorants
can usually be seen, including Cape, Bank
and Crowned Cormorant. Cape Gannet
hunts off-shore, while African Black Oystercatcher
forage on the shoreline. We make our way southwards to Cape Point,
crossing over to Simonstown, famous for being the most accessible
site for African Penguin. Approximately 1100 pairs
breed here. We wrap up with a visit to Strandfontein Sewage Works,
with a vast array of waterbirds. Highlights may include Black-necked
Grebe, Maccoa Duck, Southern Pochard,
Cape Teal, Cape Shoveller, South
African Shelduck, Levaillant’s Cisticola,
White Pelican, Greater Flamingo
and Cape Bulbul.
If time allows we can include a visit to the scenic Cape of Good
Hope. Here, coastal thicket adjacent to the parking area supports
Fiscal Flycatcher, Cape Bulbul,
Southern Boubou and Speckled Mousebird.
Ostrich, and Bontebok (Damaliscus
dorcas dorcas) - a once critically endangered antelope endemic to
the Cape - graze in the open near the parking area. Flowering patches
here and elsewhere in the reserve attract large numbers of nectarivorous
species, such as Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted
Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird and Southern
Double-collared Sunbird. Rocky places in the reserve are
worth searching for the likes of Ground Woodpecker,
Jackal Buzzard, Cape Rock Thrush,
Cape Siskin and Familiar Chat.
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See Cape Sugarbird on a Cape Peninsula
Tour © Callan Cohen
See Knysna
Warbler on the Cape Peninsula © Mike Buckham
African Penguin
on the Cape Peninsula © Deirdre Vrancken
African Penguin
on the Cape Peninsula © Deirdre Vrancken
African Penguin
on the Cape Peninsula © Deirdre Vrancken
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