Blue Eyed Birder

Thursday, 12 November 2026

The Western Cape for Oriole Birding - Day 4: 31st October 2026

We packed up and headed out of Cape Town after breakfast and stopped to check for White-backed Duck on the roadside pools but had no joy as there was very little emergent vegetation. The now expected range of dabblers were seen along with Great Crested and Little Grebes, Reed Cormorants, Flamingos and Great White Pelicans. An African Marsh Harrier quartered and Rock Kestrel, Yellow-billed and Black-winged Kite were also seen.

Levaillant’s Cisticolas and Karoo Prinias sung and White Rumped Swifts rocketed in and out of the road bridge where they were nesting. On again and onto the coast N27 where a haa was creeping in from the coast to our left. A couple of tracks were tried and the murk lifted at just the right time to prompt the birds into song and we quickly found Bokmakierie and Grey-backed Cisticola replaced the Levaillant’s in this dry habitat. Karoo Scrub Robins were seen by the whole group this time as they bounded along the road verge and this stop proved productive with Chestnut-vented Warblers showing incredibly well along with Yellow Canary, Malachite Sunbirds and breeding Pearl-breasted Swallows.

Pearl-breasted Swallow

We searched the landscape for Black Harriers but only found Black-winged Kites and a beady eyed Crowned Lapwing and pointy tailed Namaqua Doves were found on the verges.

Crowned Lapwing

Angulate Tortoise - the first of several road rescues

On and into the expansive West Coast NP where we spent most of the rest of the day. We began at the Geelbek mud flats where our timing was pretty good to see the huge number of waders strewn across the mud. There was a good selection of northern hemisphere species to be seen with Avocet, Whimbrel, Curlew, Greenshank, Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stints, Ring Plover, Grey Plover , Sanderling and Turnstone but try as I might I could not conjure up a Marsh or Broad-billed Sandpiper.

Whimbrel

Greater Flamingo

Perfectly identifiable waders and a mingo

Hartlaub’s Gulls were dotted amongst them and over the outgoing tide there were Sandwich and Caspian Terns and two adult African Fish Eagles were patrolling the area but keeping very low to the water while two Ospreys were higher up in their hunting efforts. The saltmarsh on the walk back was home to pairs of Kittlitz’s Plovers, Black-winged Stilts and Blacksmith Lapwings and I was pleased to find a small party of Orange-throated Longclaws that unfortunately flew over the reedbed after just a minute.

Hartlaub’s Gulls

Kittlitz’s Plover

African Marsh Harriers and Yellow-billed Kites were noted and the Black-headed and Grey Heron colony was noisy in the eucalypts. There were various hirundines being blown around with Large Rock and Brown-throated Martins, White-throated, Pearl-breasted and Greater Striped Swallows and just like last year there was a small group of Banded Martins too which make some very peculiar noises.

The farm buildings at the end were checked for Pied Starlings but they rapidly left but we did find a Lesser Honeyguide and both the Weavers while a couple of male Ostrich strode along the skyline.

Common Ostrich

Onwards with ears open for Black Bustard and it did not take long for the guys to hear one seemingly close to the bus. We crept out but could not pin point it until I realised that it was actually on to crest of the hill in the scrub where I could see his black and white head and red bill poking out. He eventually walked out into the open and continued to throw his voice.

Black Bustard

The Shark Bay Shack was our lunch time destination. They have one thing on the menu – a toasted bacon, egg and cheese sandwich and it was magnificent especially combined with the amazing view over the silver sand and blue water tidal flats where Common, Sandwich, Caspian, Great Crested and even an Arctic Tern dipped and dove whilst the humans tore up and down on kite surfboards and others paddled in the shallow sea.

Lunch here was about the quietest the crew was all tour. Magic spot.

Large Rock Martins and even a Banded Martin flicked around us and the first Cape Bunting sang from the scrubby bits. A male Yellow Canary sat up briefly.

Yellow Canary

Back into the park proper to be greeted by three humungous Ostriches close to the road only to be eclipsed by a male Black Bustard flying past the window and dropping in along us for a proper ‘look at me’ session. They are a properly smart bird and we were lucky to see one so close.

Common Ostriches

Black Bustard

The track up to the Seeberg gave us more views of the first Black Bustard and as predicted a covey of eight Grey-winged Francolins fed in the open rocky area with one plump male keeping watch from the rear. Up on the top it had suddenly become almost as windy as last year and resulted inevitably with everyone behaving like kids…

Rock Kestrels demonstrated their aerial prowess despite the wind and scanning around have us five beautiful Bontebok and more Ostriches. There were many flowers to check out too and I have made another stab at identifications. If you know any better please do message me with corrections.

Red Milkweed Locust - Phymateus morbillosus
This monster is as big as it looks.

Common Fiddleneck - Amsinckia menziesii

Dwarf Felicia - Felicia dubia

Edging Lobelia - Lobelia erinus

Granite Trumpet - Babiana tubulosa

Mini Beetledaisy - Gorteria personata

Moon Silverpod - Argyrolobium lunare

Nestlera biennis

Crystalline Ice Plant - Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

Black Harrier was probably the most desired bird on this leg of the trip and as if by magic a male appeared with three Kites over the road and we leapt out to get better views before it was blown over the ridge. Just a minute later it came back and started hunting the other side of the road affording everyone breathtaking views. It was close but the haze make the images look like it was a long way off. It was the closest one I have seen.

Black Harrier

Yellow-billed Kite

Given the vast landscape in which we are searching I find it amazing that we get to see these (and other birds) so close to the roads. He could have been a hazy pinprick a few pixels across in a scope quartering a distant hillside and not 30m away where you could see the glint in his eye. A rather incongruous juvenile Wattled Starling was found in the verge just as we got back on the bus!

Wattled Starling

A final West Coast NP stop and a walk down towards the beach hide in the hope of finding Cape Penduline Tit. While Brian and Wilfred were looking I scanned the sandbar for terns and waders and picked up our first and only Little Terns with the throng and among the hefty African Black Oystercatchers I found the snoozing Eurasian Oik too in what I think is his third year way down south.

A Cape Bunting sat up and sung and a nesting pair of Black-winged Kites were seeing off the local Pied Crows while back towards the van there were Bokmakierie and Karoo Scrub Robins to be seen. I picked up the song of the Cape Penduline Tit and the group reconvened for excellent views of this tricky to see species.

It was time to go so we rejoined the road back north passing the male Black Harrier again on the way before leaving the park and dropping down towards Langebaan and then onwards into the countryside for a late afternoon check of the famous Lark Alley by the imposing façade of the Saldanha Iron Works.

It was a shrewd move as the larks were active at the end of the day and we quickly had good views of Karoo, Large-billed and Red-capped Larks and a brief sighting of Cape Long-billed Lark too. There were African Stonechats and many Karoo Scrub Robins along with showy Bokmakierie and White-throated Canaries and it was a fine ending to our day exploring this part of the Cape coast. We retired to the Albatross guesthouse back in Langebaan before heading out swiftly for dinner in town.

Karoo Lark

New Birds:

3: Chestnut-vented Warbler

4: Orange-throated Longclaw

Wednesday, 11 November 2026

The Western Cape for Oriole Birding - Day 3: 30th October 2026

Pre-breakfast gave everyone the chance to get accustomed with the regular Cape garden birds although being able to watch African Spoonbills and Caspian Terns overhead is not quite normal garden birding!

Speckled Pigeons - Sue Westoby

Our pelagic had been cancelled due to high offshore winds so Brian had arranged for us to go up Table Mountain and after winding our way through town we joined the queue to get the revolving gondola to the top. The view on the way up was spectacular with the city, harbour, docks, rugby stadium spread out below us. At the top we found ourselves in highly eroded sandstone country with bizarrely not a whiff of breeze to ruffle our hair! It was quite easy to escape from the tourist throng and amble the paths to various points overlooking the vista. The plant life was wonderful and varied and I was particularly pleased to find a Sundew and funny little Orchid.

Erica imbricata

Geissorhiza ovata

Hooded-leaf Pelargonium - Pelargonium cucullatum

Krantz Aloe - Aloe arborescens

Noughts & Crosses - Penaea mucronata

Peninsula Cliff Ruschia - Ruschia promontorii

Peninsula Conebush - Leucadendron strobilinum

Red Heath - Erica abietina

Small Sundew - Drosera trinervia

South African Weed Orchid - Disa bracteata

Cape Everlasting - Edmondia pinifolia

There were few birds with inquisitive Red-winged Starlings following people around and the odd Dove but two male Orange-breasted Sunbirds rockets by but did not stop. Looking off the top gave us Pied Crow and a White-necked Raven and a pale Booted Eagle circled above with Black and Alpine Swifts. There were lizards everywhere and I think I have identified three different species.

Red-winged Starling - Sue Westoby

Red-winged Starling

Southern Rock Agama - Agama atra

Black Girdled Lizard - Cordylus niger

Cape Crag Lizard - Pseudocordylus microlepidotus

We had agreed to not spend too long up there and so looped back towards the visitors centre where a glance south west was suddenly filled with a pair of Verreaux’s Eagles in all their pied majesty. I managed to get everyone back out of the shop in time to see them as they cruised below us.

Verreaux’s Eagles

Slangkop Lighthouse

I picked up a mass of agitated white water and thought I had found a bait ball until I realised that it was just a bit too far away to be fish. Bins up and the puff of whale blows filled my view. We watched them for 15 minutes during which time we estimated the best part of 40 were loafing near the surface and when they started fin and tail slapping and full on flying behemoth breaching we knew that we had found the Humpbacks. Distance was of no consequence. It was a spectacle to behold. I looked around and saw an oriental chap with bins and with the joy of the internet I was able to point a subsequently very happy couple in the right direction. No one else up there was even taking in the view, let alone the Humpbacks with selfies being the priority. Oh well…

Humpback Whales!

Oude Schip Peninsula - the Whales were to right of the breaking waves!

We descended with huffing and puffing whales in our heads.

Onwards and unfortunately into traffic but the bird eyes never stop and I found a pair of Spotted Thick-knees sheltering under a small tree in a roadside paddock. Tick and, well, not run, more of a crawl.

Lunch was taken at the café by the Paarl Mountain Reserve with the towering Afrikaanse Taalmonument looming above us. Southern Boubou and Fiscal Flycatchers were in the car park while we ate and pairs of Booted Eagle and Jackal Buzzard were pestered by the Pied Crows.

Afrikaanse Taalmonument

Booted Eagle

Jackal Buzzard

Fiscal Flycatcher - Sue Westoby

We spent the next few hours walking the roads and wonderful tracks through the indigenous flora. There were plenty of birds to be found and this time Protea Canary gave itself up, albeit briefly, but Brimstone, Streaky-headed and Cape Canaries were also seen along with Karoo Prinias and inquisitive Bar-throated Apalis. Some Swee Waxbills were feeding in the grasses but did not linger for us to get out of the van.

Streaky-headed Seedeater - no idea why this is not called a Canary

Bar-throated Apalis

Malachite and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds zipped around and in the trees we found Cape Batis, Cape Robin-Chats, Bulbuls and White-eyes. An African Goshawk was found perched up but once noticed it was on the move and a short while later we saw it with prey as it skimmed over the bushes.

Malachite Sunbird - Sue Westoby - looks at that tongue!

Malachite Sunbird

African Daisy - Arctotis acaulis

African Iris - Dietes grandiflora

Cape Bugle-lily - Watsonia borbonica

Cape Heath - Erica vestita

Cape sumach - Osyris compressa

Common Sugarbush - Protea repens

Coulter bush - Athanasia trifurcata

Devil's Tresses - Cassytha ciliolata - a close relative of Dodder

Giant Bell - Roella ciliata

Golden Satyr Orchid - Satyrium coriifolium

Golden Satyr Orchid - Satyrium coriifolium

Grey-leaved Fountain Pincushion - Leucospermum grandiflorum

Horseshoe Geranium - Pelargonium zonale
I love seeing familiar plants growing where they should be

Jade Plant - Crassula ovata
and yes it is closely related to the familiar Moneyplant that you have at home

King Protea - Protea cynaroides

Lady's Hand - Cyanella hyacinthoides

Mickey Mouse Plant - Ochna serrulata

Mitre Aloe - Aloe perfoliata

Night-scented Pelargonium - Pelargonium triste

Painted Lady - Gladiolus carneus

Polygala myrtifolia

Purple Broom - Polygala virgata

Ribbon pincushion - Leucospermum tottum

Striped Tamarak - Albuca suaveolens

Swaying Kalossie - Ixia flexuosa

Variagated Heath - Erica versicolor

Watsonia meriana

Our loop took us down towards the bus and some Black Saw-wings perched up for us while an African Olive Pigeon lingered long enough to see the yellow bill and legs. A pond held more amazing flora including the Blue Water Lilies and a Cape White-eye was watched at close range collecting small caterpillars while a Short-legged Seps was lounging with a Southern Rock Agama just in front of me.