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South Africa Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game 5Th to 18Th September 2017 (14 Days) Trip Report

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South Africa Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game 5Th to 18Th September 2017 (14 Days) Trip Report South Africa Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game 5th to 18th September 2017 (14 days) Trip Report Namaqualand daisies near Langebaan, Crimson-breasted Shrike in the Kalahari and Giraffe at Augrabies. Photos: J. Exelby Trip Report compiled by Jeremy Exelby Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to South Africa Trip Report – RBT South Africa - Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game II 2017 2 Participants Margaret and Richard Alcorn Elizabeth Gould and Peter Zika Catherine Scott Lori Seymour Rockjumper Guide Jeremy Exelby Day 1, 5th September: Cape Peninsula. The day dawned partly cloudy and there was time for a short walk from our accommodation in Noordhoek. Thereafter, we set out and arrived at Boulders Beach mid-morning to see the comical antics of African Penguin with their waddling gait and braying calls. Birds of various ages were present. Young, fluffy, greyish youngsters stood alongside their smarter parents who were dressed in formal black and white attire. There were also a few moulting birds on the beach, looking miserable whilst they suffered their three-week period of immobility and lack of food. After enjoying the penguins at such close quarters, we set off along the road to Cape Point. With the mountainside to the right and the sea to the left, it is certainly a most scenic drive. Extensive kelp beds stretch out from the shore into False Bay. Across the waters, we could see the mountains of the Kogelberg and Rooi Els, which we would visit the following day. Progress was interrupted for a while as we gave way to a troop of Chacma Baboon who “owned” the road in front of us. The youngsters and their antics never fail to raise a smile. Pagoda (Mimetes hirtus), Fynbos vegetation in Cape Point Nature Reserve and Olifantsbos Beach. Photos: J. Exelby Shortly after entering Cape Point Nature Reserve, we stopped at the Dias Memorial Cross for our first close-up look at fynbos vegetation. A great example of the Protea family, the Kreupelhout (Leucospermum conocarpodendron), with its showy yellow flowers, brought in the endemic Orange- Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to South Africa Trip Report – RBT South Africa - Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game II 2017 3 breasted Sunbird. We inspected our first fine-leaved bush (hence the term Fynbos), this turned out to be Erica plukenetii. Another fine-leaved shrub in showy flower was Stroopbossie (Struthiola ciliata). Proceeding on towards Cape Point itself, a lone Eland was seen grazing on a grassy lawn towards the rocky headland of the Cape of Good Hope. Walking up to the top lighthouse, our efforts were rewarded with good views through the scope of Cape Cormorant on their cliff-face nesting colony. At the top viewpoint surrounding the lighthouse, we were fortunate to glimpse Southern Right Whales as they moved past, thus adding a great deal of weight to our mammal checklist for the day! Visiting Oliphantsbos was most worthwhile from all perspectives. From a plant point of view, perhaps Medusa’s Head (Euphorbia caput-medusae) was the favourite, especially as the name seemed so appropriate. The grassland was good for Cape Grassbird, Yellow Bishop, and other species. The pebbly shore is always strewn with beached kelp, fed on by abundant insect life, which brings in large numbers of Sacred Ibis, and Kelp and Hartlaub’s Gulls. The scarcer African Oystercatcher was also present, and a flock of Greater Crested (Swift) Tern was roosting on a rocky point. As we drove out, a Bontebok was grazing on one of the grassy patches. Roadside stops were made to get to know the fynbos plants a bit better. Thus we observed the following members of the Protea family: yellow cone bushes (Leucadendron salignum and L. laureolum) that give the hillsides in this area such a distinctive golden colouring; two species of Pagoda (Mimetes hirtus and M. cucullatus) and Spiderheads (Serruria glomerata and S. villosa). Kolkol (Berzelia lanuginose), a member of the endemic Brunia family, was plentiful too. On return to our home for the night, we enjoyed tapas at a restaurant nearby. Day 2, 6th September 2017: Strandfontein, Betty’s Bay and Stony Point. Our first stop on the route along the coast of False Bay was a visit to the water treatment ponds at Strandfontein. This is a very birdy spot, enhanced in certain directions by backdrops of the Cape Peninsula mountain chain. Each pond had its own resident species, so we saw an abundance of Cape Teals, Cape Shoveller, both Lesser and Greater Flamingos, plus a few Great White Pelican. Brunia nodiflora, False Everlasting (Phaenacoma prolifera), The Cycad Garden at Kirstenbosch and leaves of a Silver Tree (Leucadendron argenteum) Photos: J. Exelby Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to South Africa Trip Report – RBT South Africa - Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game II 2017 4 Clarence Drive is the name of the section of road that continues around False Bay between Gordon’s Bay and Rooi Els, and it provided us with ever more spectacular mountain views and sea vistas. Our visit to the seaside village of Rooi Els did not produce Cape Rockjumper, so we proceeded on to Harold Porter Botanical Garden in Betty’s Bay for lunch. Thereafter, we had a most enjoyable walk, firstly through the gardens cultivated with indigenous plants, and then along a path contouring along the hillside covered with indigenous fynbos vegetation. The Pincushions (Leucospermum cordifolium) were in spectacular flower and suitably adorned with Cape Sugarbirds. Victorin’s Warbler was “kissed in” and by all accounts, virtually stomping on the toes of some in the party! Last visit of the day was a quick call in to the old whaling station of Stony Point, where today African Penguin find sanctuary. In addition, we were fortunate to see the all-black Bank Cormorant conveniently perched on the rocky shoreline. Back at home for the night, we enjoyed a classy evening meal at The Food Barn. Day 3, 7th September: Kirstenbosch and Darling. Kirstenbosch is a wonderful place to spend a few hours, even if the weather gods decide to break the drought. Starting in the dry conservatory, the weird shapes of South Africa’s unique succulent flora kept us enthralled, as did the antics of a Swee Waxbill finding shelter in the fleshy leaves of a tree aloe. Our waterproofs came in handy when we went on to the aerial walkway – the Boomslang (Tree Snake) – and it was here that we had our first sighting of African Olive Pigeon, perching on the treetops. The Cycad garden has a dinosauric atmosphere, and is an outstanding collection of these ancient plants. One of the largest specimens is that of Wood’s Cycad – there are only male specimens of this species remaining. How much longer until it is finally extinct, I wonder? Literally and figuratively, the high point of the visit was the Protea gardens. Double-banded Sunbirds were plentiful and a few of the Cape Sugarbirds had extravagantly long tails as befits handsome males of this species. The aptly named Silver Trees were doubly shiny, with their naturally glistening leaves enhanced by the sparkling drops of moisture. After lunch, we set out for Darling. Once we had turned off the main road and were amongst the farmlands of the Swartland, it was not long before we saw our first Blue Crane, South Africa’s national bird. Duckitts’ meadow was our first exposure to Renosterveld, the drab-looking vegetation type that is named after one of the dominant shrubs (Elytropappus rhinocerotis). It was a case of first appearances being deceptive, as we were treated to a fine show of Lachenalias – the Renosterveld is a rich repository of geophytes. The feathery leaves of Pelargonium triste were just as attractive as its flowers, and contrasted with the nearby broad, ground-hugging leaves of Arctopus echinatus. The purple flower of Babiana ambigua was our first sight of this genus, which we were to encounter a few more times on our tour. Birds were also around, and we saw Cape Spurfowl, Western Cattle Egret, Black-winged Kite, Karoo Prinia, Pied Starling and Capped Wheatear. Tienie Versveldt was our next port of call, and after a quick botanising and birding walk, we boarded our trusty minibus and headed for our home for the next two nights. On arrival, a tree full of noisy Cape Weavers presented us with a welcome greeting. Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to South Africa Trip Report – RBT South Africa - Cape Wildflowers, Birding & Big Game II 2017 5 Lachenalias at Duckitts meadow, caterpillar on an Ornithogalum, Arctopus echinatus and Pelargonium triste. Photos: J. Exelby Day 4, 8th September: West Coast National Park. Following a generous breakfast, whilst we were assembling at the vehicle and admiring a Cape Wagtail, a Yellow-billed Kite swooped in and took the wagtail for its own breakfast – quite a dramatic start to the day! Then it was on to the West Coast National Park (WCNP). The approach to Seeberg hide was very flowery, rendering some in our group almost speechless … well for a little while anyway. The rainfall here had been good for the plants and everything was green and lush with lots of species in flower. Most visible were the daisies, with the orange Arctotis hirsuta (Gousblom) and yellow Buttons (Cotula turbinata) most prominent here. The short walk towards the lagoon was our first exposure to Strandveld, a bushy vegetation growing on the sandy coastal soils in which the Yellow Milk Bush (Euphorbia mauritanica), Cape Box Thorn (Lycium ferocissimum) and Twinleaf (Zygophyllum or Roepera) are prominent. The bushes provide shelter or support for other plants, such as the wax creeper Bokhorinkles (Microloma sagittatum), the Slime Lily (Albuca or Ornithogalum flaccida) and the Satyr orchid, (Satyrium bicorne).
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