Participants:Bernd
De Bruijn, Susan Walker, Paul Walker. Guide:Michael Mills
I was scarcely past Koeberg’s two
cooling towers and a blue-and-white bullet shot low over the road. “Pearl-breasted
Swallow!” I exclaimed, as I brought the bakkie to a rapid halt on
the shoulder of the R27. It was 7am, and this is how our birding day started.
After enjoying great views of two dainty swallows perched on a roadside
fence, we were soon on our way again. A couple of kilometres on and black-and-white
stealth-bomber cruised low over the road. “Black Harrier!”
I exclaimed, as I again the brought the bakkie to another rapid halt,
this time perhaps even more liberal with the breaks. After admiring our
first of seven! Black Harriers for the day, quartering gracefully along
the road verge, we again continued on our way.
The next time I applied the breaks I was
considerably gentler, as we turned onto one of the Darling area back roads.
Karoo Scrub-Robin sat atop a bush, flicking its tail teasingly. Ahead
of us the unmusical squawk of a Southern Black Korhaan soon had us moving
on to where a striking male was basking in the morning sun. A short distance
further, a trio of Grey-winged Francolin were having an argument with
their neighbours. Next were Southern Red Bishop, Spur-winged Goose, Capped
Wheatear, White-throated Swallow, Banded Martin, Pied Starling, White-backed
Mousebird, and a single, but exquisite Blue Crane, before turning back
to the main drag. En route to our stakeout for Cloud Cisticola, we notched
up Jackal Buzzard and Black-shouldered Kite. As I drew the car to a (gentle)
halt, I could hear the squeak and click of a cisticola displaying high
overhead. We strained our eyes to spot the squeaking speck, but soon lost
interest as a Large-billed Lark was being more cooperative. Fortunately
not all Cloud Cisticola were living up to their name, as we spotted two
perched on low bushes, admiring their streaky breasts through the scope.
Before moving on we notched up a mewing Cape Longclaw, more Blue Cranes
and Levaillant’s Cisticola.
Outside the West Coast National Park entrance
a mixed foraging flock contained Grassbird, Chestnut-vented Titbabbler,
Long-billed Crombec, Bokmakierie, Cape Bunting, Bar-throated Apalis and
Grey-backed Cisticola. En route to Abrahamskraal a Karoo Lark butterfly-fluttered
in display, eventually alighting on a bush for proper study. At Abrahamskraal,
large numbers of Yellow Canary, Namaqua Dove and Cape Bulbul were about.
Black Crake scurried through and Lesser Swamp Warbler skulked in the reeds,
but both came into view unlike their cousins, African Rail and Little
Rush Warbler. Yellow Bishop joined Southern Red Bishop in display over
the reedbeds and flock of African Spoonbill busily preened themselves.
En route to Langebaan we found a Spotted Eagle Owl on its day roost and
a flock of tiny Cape Penduline Tit at the roadside, spotted several African
Black Oystercatchers feeding on the extensive mudflats and caught up with
Crowned and Cape Cormorant. Next was Velddrif where the Berg River mudflats
and nearby saltpans were full of waterbirds: South African Shelduck, Black-necked
Grebe, Glossy Ibis, Purple Heron, Caspian Tern, Kittlitz’s and Common
Ringed Plover, and many others were in attendance.
From here we swung westwards towards Vredenberg,
notching up Sickle-winged Chat, Grey Tit, Grey-backed Sparrowlark and
the very long-billed Cape Long-billed Lark in the surrounding agricultural
fields. A short stop-off at a nearby quarry rewarded with perched and
low-flying views of a pair of majestic Verreaux’s Eagle, and an
Acacia Pied Barbet, before we returned to Cape Town. A short pause at
Rietvlei added several waterfowl, including Red-billed Teal and Cape Shoveller,
bringing our list to an impressive 125 species (plus 5 heard) for the
day!
