Itinerary: Rooi-Els,
Stoney Point, Harold Porter Botanical Gardens and Rooisand Nature
Reserve
Our first stop was the coastal town of Rooi-Els
where we met Susan, after having already met up with Logan (a keen
young birder from USA) in Cape Town. We were soon onto the usual
conspicuous suspects like Cape Sugarbird, Orange-Breasted
Sunbird, Cape Bunting and Familiar
Chat. We encountered a large mixed flock of swifts and
hirundines, including Alpine, African Black, Common
and White-Rumped Swifts as well as Rock
Martin and Greater Striped Swallow. A
single Cape Siskin showed briefly, and after much
searching we located another extremely tame individual right next
to the path, which posed beautifully for a few photos! Our main
target bird was Cape Rockjumper, so we continued
on down the gravel path towards the larger boulders, picking up
Cape Rock-Thrush, Rock Kestrel
and Grey-backed Cisticola before hearing and then
spotting a very distant male Rockjumper. Hurrying
along, we managed to obtain fairly good views as it sailed between
the boulders, before it suddenly took off and flew almost straight
towards us, landing just metres away behind a large bush! After
sneaking around the side of the bush, we were treated to stunning,
prolonged views of the male bird as it nonchalantly hopped about
mere metres away from us. After a while it seemed to get bored with
the constant rapid-fire clicking of camera shutters and moved off
to another boulder closer to the shore. Excited after such a great
experience, we decided to move on and see what the rest of the day
had in store for us.
After a quick refreshing drink it was onwards to the Stoney Point
African Penguin colony, and needless to say we found hundreds of
these ungainly birds lounging about on the rocks. All four species
of marine cormorants were in attendance, including CrownedCormorant (on the stone jetty as well as the old
lighthouse), Cape, White-Breasted
and BankCormorant (at least two
of these rare birds sitting on nests). A couple of Little
Egrets were also about, as were some lazily basking Cape
Girdled Lizards.
Next we headed to the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens where we broke
for lunch, and enjoyed great views of a beautiful male African
Paradise Flycatcher from our table. Later, moving up to
the wilder parts of the gardens we found Fiscal Flycatcher,
Cape Spurfowl, Brimstone Canary
and Black Saw-wing, while a Victorin’s
Warbler called from nearby. We managed to home in on the
latter’s location, but it seemed determined to remain concealed
as it belted out its beautiful song from less than a few metres
from the path. An attempt at another individual calling higher up
also proved fruitless, but turned up good views of Sombre
Greenbul, and another stunning male African Paradise
Flycatcher showing off its iridescent blue head feathers
in the sunlight.
A visit in the late afternoon to Rooisand at the Bot River mouth
allowed us to add a number of waterbirds to our day’s list,
including Cape Shoveler, Red-Billed Teal,
Kittlitz’s Plover and Three-Banded
Plover, Black-Winged Stilt and Marsh
Sandpiper, amongst others. However, the undoubted highlight
of the visit was a great sighting of an Osprey
soon after arriving. We watched as it flew above the water not far
from us, occasionally swooping down as if to dive for a fish but
never achieving any success. Another welcome addition to our meager
tally of raptors for the day was a distant African Marsh-Harrier
quartering low and attracting attention from the ever-aggressive
Blacksmith Lapwings. The drive home had us arriving
back in Cape Town shortly after nightfall, satisfied with a great
day’s birding!
For a full list of species from this trip, please contact
us.
Many of the birding sites on this trip are described in detail
in the Southern African
Birdfinder which is widely available in South African bookshops
and on the internet. (e.g., www.netbooks.co.za
or www.wildsounds.co.uk). However
you're always welcome to contact
us if you're interested in a guided trip in this area.
Practical
tour information: Cape Day Trips and Western Cape Tours
Please click this link for more
detailed information about our upcoming
Cape Tours.
Focus
Our Cape tours and day trips are aimed at keen birders and
nature enthusiasts. They have been designed to see as many endemic
birds as possible. While on the walks, we spend a lot of time
looking for other aspects of wildlife such as mammals, chameleons,
geckos, butterflies and interesting plants. We can also customise
any itinerary to suit to the keen birder, the wildlife enthusiast
or both.
Photography
Many participants on our tours and day trips are amateur wildlife
photographers. And when we get excellent views of a bird or
mammal, some time is usually spent watching and photographing
it. However, this is not a photographic tour and once the majority
of the people have felt that they have absorbed the animal or
bird to their satisfaction, then we move on in search of the
next encounter. Thus, while the photographic
opportunities are very good, the group will only occasionally
wait for somebody who wants to spend even longer getting better
photos.
Fitness
Only a low level of fitness is required.
Timing
Throughout the year.
Climate
Moderate; can be warm in summer and chilly in winter.
Comfort
A good standard of accommodation in guest houses, lodges and
small hotels.
About
Birding Africa Birding Africa is a specialist birding
tour company customising tours for both world listers and more relaxed
holiday birders. We combine interests in mammals, butterflies,
dragonflies, botany and other natural history aspects and will guide
you to Africa's and Madagascar's most diverse birding destinations.
Our guides' knowledge of African
birds and birding areas is our greatest strength and together we
have rediscovered species, shared exciting observations with the
birding community and had a fun time exploring our home continent.
We've even written two acclaimed guide
books on where to find Southern Africa's and Madagascar's best
birds. Birding is more than our passion, it's our lifestyle, and
we are dedicated to making professional, best value trips filled
with endemic species and unique wildlife experiences. Since 1997,
we've run bird watching tours
in South Africa and further into Africa for individual birders,
small birding groups and top international tour companies. We've
run Conservation Tours
in association with the African Bird Club and work with and consult
for a number of other top international tour companies and the BBC
Natural History Unit.
