Budget Western II 24th June to 5th July 2016 (12 days)

Male Southern Black Korhaan by Gareth Robbins

Trip report by compiled by tour leader Gareth Robbins Tour photos by Gareth Robbins, Stefan Johansson and Chuck Holliday. RBT Trip Report - Budget Western South Africa II 2016 2

Today was the first day of the tour and we all met at our lodge in Noordhoek before heading to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Despite the cloudy conditions, we spent a decent amount of time walking amongst the Proteas, Cycads and Yellowwoods and saw a good variety of birds. Southern Double-collared Sunbirds were abundant and were attached to every Erica available. We also had regular sightings of Red-winged Starlings, Cape White-eyes and Cape Bulbuls. We walked on the open lawns and saw a small family of Cape Spurfowls as well as Southern Boubou, Bar- throated Apalis and pair of Prinias. We then walked onto the Boomslang Canopy Walkway and

Male Cape Batis by Gareth Robbins saw a pair of Cape Batises, African Olive Pigeon and a few Forest Canaries. As we made our way through the succulent garden, we came across a couple of the trees that were fruiting, these attracted good numbers of Olive Thrushes and after a long search, we eventually saw a Sombre Greenbul. We then came across another open lawn and saw an African Dusky Flycatcher happily hunting in the open. We had another look at Forest Canary when, suddenly, the Egyptian Geese and Hadada Ibises got upset as a Black Sparrowhawk landed in the same tree they were in. We met a small group of very relaxed Helmeted Guineafowl before leaving the gardens. We opted to take the scenic Chapman’s Peak drive back, where we had great views overlooking Hout Bay and the sentinels - at the same time admiring some of the more decent South African roads.

Today the group split in half. Some went on the pelagic trip while the rest visited the Strandfontein Sewage Works and the Cape of Good Hope. Those of us that did not do the pelagic decided to take a relaxed drive to the sewage works via Muizenberg, where we stopped at an area called Zandvlei, seeing Little Egret, Caspian Tern, Reed Cormorant, Hartlaub’s, Kelp and Grey-headed Gulls, White-breasted Cormorant, Yellow-billed Duck and a few Sacred Ibises here. We continued along the coastal road and saw large numbers of Kelp Gulls flying over the road, as this was the area where the Cape Town rubbish dump was located. When finally arrived at the Strandfontein sewage, immediately seeing large numbers of flamingos in the distance. We saw Black-headed Heron, which was Southern Double-collared Sunbird by Stefan Johansson

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stalking something in the Hottentot Figs before striking suddenly and catching a Four-striped Field Mouse. Once we arrived at the sewage work’s pans, we were greeted by a small group of Greater Flamingos, Cape Teal, Red-knobbed Coots, Little Grebes, Cape Shoveler and an African Marsh Harrier. As we moved along, we saw Southern Pochard, Black-winged Stilt, Red-billed Teals, Blacksmith Lapwing, Glossy Ibis, Cape Wagtail and three Water Thick-knees. Our drive between a few more pans yielded Levaillant’s Cisticola, Lesser Swamp and Little Rush Warblers, Cape Canaries, Southern Red Bishops, Grey Heron, Greater Flamingo and Maccoa Duck. We were also very fortunate to see a very relaxed male Grysbok.

Cape Siskin by Gareth Robbins We then headed to the bird hide/blind where we saw a small group of Lesser Flamingos. We left the Sewage Works, getting a brief glimpse of an African Fish Eagle before making our way to the Cape of Good Hope. Along the way, we saw a Southern Fiscal and a Cape Sugarbird. We saw one Bontebok inside the reserve as we neared the entrance gate. We took the main road through the park, stopping at the information centre, successfully managing to see Orange-breasted Sunbird and Cape Siskins. Once we arrived at the information centre, we saw a few more Orange-breasted Sunbirds, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, Rock Kestrel, Cape Bunting and a Cape Sugarbird.

After getting some superb photos of the sunbirds, we headed to Simons Town where we met up with the guys who were on the pelagic trip. We took a relaxed drive past the small suburb of Kommetjie, managing to get more sightings of Cape Sugarbird, Cape Siskins, Karoo Prinia, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Greater Crested Terns and an African Oystercatcher. On the pelagic trip, the group managed to see Cape Gannets, Sooty Shearwater, Southern Giant Petrel, Antarctic Prion, Greater-crested Terns and White-chinned Petrel. Three Albatross species were seen, namely the Shy, Indian Yellow-nosed and Black- browed Albatross. Some of the other pelagic birds seen were the Cape Petrel, Wilson’s Storm Petrel and Brown Skua. Humpbacked Whales and Africa Fur Seals were also a treat to see on the pelagic. Orange-breasted Sunbird by Gareth Robbins

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Our plan for the day was to search for the endemic Cape Rockjumper. We left our guest house and made our way over Ou Kaapse Weg down to Baden Powell Road (otherwise known as the Coastal Road). There was a thick mist and as we neared the Khayelitsha Informal settlement (Xhosa for New Home), the mist lifted, giving us a brief sighting of an immature Jackal Buzzard. We made our way through Somerset West and Gordon’s Bay before eventually arriving in Rooiels. By this time the sun had finally come out. Unfortunately, the wind had picked up which made things a little tricky. Nevertheless, we persevered and as we walked along the

Cape Grassbird by Gareth Robbins path, we could hear the Rockjumpers calling - but we could not see any birds. We did, however, see an antelope that is called a Klipspringer (the English translation being - Rockjumper). A Klipspringer possesses a rounded hoof to adapt to the rocky terrain it lives in. Suddenly, two Cape Rockjumpers were seen a fair distance up the hillside and we all had good views through the spotting scopes. Other birds we saw were Orange-breasted Sunbird, Fiscal Flycatcher, Cape Rock Thrush, Cape Grassbird and Yellow Bishop. In fear of having a spotting scope being blown over by the wind, we made our way back to the car and drove to the Stony Point Penguin Colony. This area was originally a whaling station between 1917 and 1930 but has become a safe haven for more than 2000 breeding pairs of African Penguins. At the colony, we saw a good number of African Penguins as well as a healthy number of chicks. We were also fortunate to get great views of Crowned, White-breasted, Bank and Cape Cormorants. We then stopped for a coffee and a late breakfast and observed a pair of Familiar Chats that had made this area their feeding ground. We then visited Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, named after Harold Nixon Porter who acquired the land in 1940 and turned it onto a Nature Reserve in 1955. As we entered the botanical gardens, we immediately saw a small group of Swee Waxbills. We then ventured up the garden and saw Southern Double-collared and Orange-breasted Sunbirds, Cape Bulbs and Cape White-eyes. On our way back down, we got excellent views of Cape Siskins and we saw another pair of Familiar Chats. We then made our way back to the car and drove to Gordon’s Bay for a light lunch and re-visited the Strandfontein Sewage Works. Cape Sugarbird by Gareth Robbins

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As we arrived we saw a Black-winged Kite, Great White Pelicans and an African Marsh Harrier. We made our way around the ponds, managing to see Yellow-billed Ducks, Black- winged Stilts, Grey-headed, Kelp and Hartlaub’s Gulls and a few Cape Teals. An interesting sighting we had was of an African Jacana - which is very uncommon in this part of South Africa. Greater Flamingos, Red-knobbed Coots, Brown-throated Martins, Lesser Swamp Warblers, Cape Shovelers, Pied Avocets, Grey and Black-headed Herons, Spur-winged Goose and Maccoa Ducks were also seen at the sewage works. We then exited the sewage works and headed back to our lodge in Noordhoek before heading out for a great dinner.

During the night, we experienced a large storm. Karoo Prinia by Gareth Robbins With the weather having turned for the worst, we drove straight to the Paarl Nature Reserve. We marvelled at the huge granite batholith called Paarl Rock and had good views of Cape Weaver, Southern Fiscal and Fiscal Flycatcher. We then drove up the muddy road to the Wildflower Reserve near the top of the mountain. Even though there was still a slight drizzle, we still successfully spotted Malachite Sunbird, Cape Sugarbird, African Olive Pigeon and Brimstone Canary before the heavy rain set in on us. We took a slow drive down and had better looks at another Brimstone Canary. We left Paarl and went through the Huguenot Tunnel, turning towards Ceres just before the town of Worcester. We visited a small hotel, unfortunately, the restaurant was closed but we still birded in the garden and found an Olive Woodpecker. We then stopped for lunch at the Déjà brew Coffee Shop before heading up the Gydo Pass. On the pass, we had very poor weather conditions so we took a farm road at the back of Ceres where we saw Karoo Scrub Robin, African Shelduck, Blue Crane, Cape Spurfowl, Helmeted Guineafowl and Grey-winged Francolins.

After a very wet day the day before, we woke to clear skies and made our way into the Tankwa Karoo. Our first stop produced good views of Layard’s Warbler, Cape Bunting and Karoo Scrub-Robins. Our next stop was just beyond Karoopoort where we successfully located Namaqua Warbler, Blue Crane by Gareth Robbins

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White-backed Mousebird, Cape Penduline Tit, Layard’s Warbler and Southern Double- collared Sunbird. We were finally in the Tankwa Karoo - sightings of Pale Chanting Goshawk, Rufous- eared Warbler, Karoo Lark, Karoo Chat and Karoo Eremomela only confirmed this. We visited the Skitterykloof and had long distance views of a Cinnamon-breasted Warbler and good views of a Mountain Wheatear and Fairy Flycatcher. We then stopped in at the Tankwa Padstal for some snacks and had good views of a Large-billed Lark and White-throated Canary. We then made our way to on the longest dirt road in South Africa between two towns. Along the way, we managed to see Pririt Batis, Capped Wheatear, and Ludwig’s Cape Penduline Tit by Gareth Robbins Bustards and had a great close view of a Greater Kestrel. We came across a large dam created from the recent heavy rain and saw Black- winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Three-banded Plover and Kittlitz’s Plovers. A stop at a bridge yielded Namaqua Warbler, White-backed and Red-faced Mousebirds, Chestnut-vented Warbler and long distance views of an Acacia Pied Barbet. We were also very fortunate to see three Bat-eared Foxes as the sun started to go down. After close to four hours of driving, we finally made it to Calvinia – a regional town of the .

We woke to a fresh winter’s morning in our guest house in Calvinia and, after breakfast, we made our way towards Brandvlei. As we made our way through the Karoo, the temperature dropped below zero degrees centigrade. Despite the cold weather, we still saw Yellow and White-throated Canaries, Cape Crow, White- necked Rave, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Cape Bunting and Tractrac Chat. We made our first stop just before the town and had some good views of Red Lark and Karoo Long-billed Larks. In the town of Brandvlei, we saw White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Chat Flycatcher, Pied Starling and Cape Sparrows. Our next route took us in the direction of Van Wyksvlei. Our first stop was on a bridge where we saw Namaqua Warbler, Black- chested Prinia and Pririt Batis. As we continued along the dirt road, we saw plenty of White- throated Canaries, Karoo and Tractrac Chats, Karoo Long-billed and Large-billed Larks, Martial Eagle and a Lark-like Bunting. We finally reached a point where we turned back and, on the same Pririt Batis by Gareth Robbins

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road back, we were fortunate to see three Karoo Korhaans and two Double-banded Coursers. We then made our way back to Calvinia, getting long distance views of Karoo Korhaan and Ludwig’s Bustards, also seeing a flock of Black-headed Canaries close to the road.

After a delicious Karoo-cooked breakfast, we left Calvinia in the direction of Springbok. Due to our frequent use of dirt roads, we opted to take the tarred roads to Vanrhynsdorp. The farmlands en-route provided us with some good sightings of Capped Wheatear, Ludwig’s Bustard, African Pipit, Southern Red Bishop, Cape Crow and Greater Kestrel. We also saw two Grey Rhebok. We had a fantastic drive through the switchbacks of the Vanrhyns pass overlooking the Knersvlakte (meaning grinding plains). We took a short drive in the town and saw Malachite Sunbird and a Red-eyed Bulbul outside the local nursery. We then drove to the copper mining town of Springbok, viewing Verreaux’s Eagle, Grey- backed Cisticola, Ant-eating Chat, Rock Martin and

Greater Kestrel by Chuck Holliday Grey Tit along the way. Once we arrived in the largest town in Namaqualand, we visited the Goegap Nature Reserve. Here we saw Springbok, Gemsbok and a Bokmakierie. We arrived at the information centre not too long after entering the reserve. A short walk produced Malachite Sunbird, Acacia Pied Barbet, Orange-river White-eye, Mountain Wheatear and White-backed Mousebirds. We then took a drive through the town of Springbok and managed to get a better look at a Red- eyed Bulbul before heading back to our hotel.

Today we left Springbok before sunrise in the direction of the . We passed the town of Steinkopf (meaning stone head) and made our way down the Anenous Pass (Khoi meaning: the side of the mountain). This pass was built to ensure that copper could be transported to the port to get to the markets. As we neared Port Nolloth, the sun started to rise and we were able to see Cape Crows, Jackal Buzzards, Greater Kestrels and Pale Chanting Goshawks sitting on the telephone poles. We stopped at Port Nolloth (the domestic seaport of Namaqualand). We drove to the Northern side of the town where we could hear the Cape Long-billed Larks calling. After a short walk, we eventually spotted one bird walking near the dirt road and we all Bokmakierie by Gareth Robbins

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managed to get great views of the bird. We then continued to our next planned stop where we managed to see the Barlow’s Lark within a few minutes. We stopped for breakfast and saw two Common Waxbills before the rain set in for the day. We then headed back to Springbok and saw a group of Pale-winged Starlings on the Anenous Pass. We watched the birds fly down the side of the pass over the original pass that was constructed around the late 1800’s. We

Barlow’s Lark by Stefan Johansson finally arrived back in Springbok and experienced more rain so we decided to head further inland to avoid the rain. We drove to the mining town of and were successful in locating an active Sociable Weaver Nest with about forty birds flying in and out of the nest.

At first light, we were greeted by a strong, cold wind as we made our way to re-visit the Goegap Nature Reserve. We drove along the tourist trail and saw good numbers of Springbok, Gemsbok and Mountain Zebras. We then visited the gardens at the information centre and saw Acacia Pied Barbet, White-backed Mousebird, Pale-winged and Cape Starlings. The freezing wind got the better of us and we made our way to Lambert’s Bay. Our first stop was at Bitterfontein, which is well known for being the railhead of a line from Cape Town, from which the ore from the Copper Mine is transported. Our next stop was at Clanwilliam, which is nestled below the Cederberg Mountains and is famous for its Rooibos Tea plantations. We then visited an area called Paleisheuwel and saw a Cape Robin-Chat, Fiscal and Fairy Flycatchers, Cape Sugarbird, Common Waxbill and a Mountain Wheatear. We then made our way to the small fishing town of Lamberts Bay where we would spend the evening.

Today, we woke to clear skies and as we made our way to visit the Cape Gannet Colony - where four-six thousand birds breed annually. We had some great close views of these pretty birds and we also saw two White-fronted Plovers, Common and Greater-crested Terns, Cape Cormorants and a few Afro- Australian Fur Seals. After breakfast, we took a short drive around the town managing to see Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Cape Wagtail, Bokmakierie and a Pied Hartman’s Mountain Zebra by Gareth Robbins

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Kingfisher. Our next stop was at Paleisheuwel for the second time on the trip and our fourth attempt at finding a Protea Canary. We saw Cape Sugarbirds, Southern Double-collared Sunbirds and eventually one Protea Canary bird landed in a Pine Tree behind us and we all had some fantastic views of the bird. We passed the citrus growing town of Citrusdul and the town of Piketberg (Meaning outpost in Dutch). Between Piketberg and Veldrif, we saw five Namaqua Doves flying across the road to drink some water on the farms beside us. We arrived in Velddrif and had good views of Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Black-winged Stilt, Cape Teal, Cape Canary, Pied Kingfisher, Cape Shoveler, Common Greenshank, African Spoonbills and an African Darter. We travelled through a town called Vredenburg and made our way to the holiday town of Paternoster and had good sightings of Rock Kestrel, Jackal Buzzards and Large-billed Larks along the way. We made Protea Canary by Gareth Robbins our way through the town in the direction of Cape Columbine which is a Nature Reserve - it was also the last lighthouse to be manned in South Africa. As soon as we entered the reserve we spotted a group of terns roosting on the granite boulders close to the shore. We had excellent views of Antarctic Terns here! We then headed back to Vredenburg, stopping along a farm road and successfully finding African Pipit, Red- capped Larks and two Sickle-winged Chat. After a fantastic day of birding, we checked into our wonderful guest house in Langebaan and had a delicious meal at the local restaurant overlooking the lagoon.

Today, we left our guest house in Langebaan and visited the West Coast National Park. Some of the first birds that we saw en-route to the reserve were a large group of Helmeted Guineafowl. After entering the reserve, we made our way to the Seeberg hide where we saw White-fronted and Kittlitz's Plovers. We also saw good numbers of Greater and Lesser Flamingos. A visit to the Seeberg Lookout Point yielded views of a few White-backed Mousebirds sunning themselves. In the distance, we could hear the call of the Southern-black Korhaan and after a long search, we eventually managed to see two birds chasing one another. We also got some great close views of Cape Penduline- Tits. We also managed to get a lovely male Common Ostrich. We visited the Geelbek Hide and saw Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Whimbrel, Common Greenshank and White-fronted Plover by Gareth Robbins

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Great-white Pelicans. After leaving the hide, we birded at the parking lot where there was some activity in a row of blue gum trees and here we spotted a male Cardinal Woodpecker. Our next sighting was a long distance view of a Black Harrier, but we never managed to relocate the bird. We had lunch at Seeberg Lookout point and had a good view of Rock Hyrax and a Black Girdled Lizard. We then made our way out of the park managing to see a Grey-winged Francolin, Karoo Scrub-Robin, Cape Robin-chat and a Bokmakierie. We stopped at Table View to get some good panoramic photos of Table Mountain and Table Bay. Towards the end of the day, we visited the Newlands Forest managing to see an African Dusky Flycatcher before heading to our guest house in Noordhoek where the tour came to an end.

Total bird species recorded: 192

E = South African Endemic, RE = Regional Endemic to Southern Africa, RNE = Regional Near- Endemic, BE = Breeding Endemic

NP = National Park, GR = Game Reserve, BG = Botanical Garden, SW = Sewage Works, NR = Nature Reserve, PC = Penguin Colony.

Common Ostrich Struthionidae Common Ostrich Struthio camelus These huge birds were seen in the West Coast NP.

Swans, Geese & Ducks Anatidae Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis These geese were seen at the Strandfontein SW and on the West Coast. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca These common birds were seen on most days of the tour. South African Shelduck (RE) Tadorna cana These pretty birds were seen en route to Ceres, the Tankwa Karoo and en route to Langebaan. Cape Teal Anas capensis We saw many these birds at Strandfontein SW and along the West Cost. Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata This duck was commonly recorded at various wetlands during the tour. Cape Shoveler (RE) Anas smithii We had good sightings at the Strandfontein SW and along the West Coast. Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha We saw a couple of these teals at the Strandfontein SW and in the Tankwa Karoo. Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma Good sightings of male and female birds were had a the Strandfontein SW. Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa We viewed a few of these ducks at the Strandfontein SW.

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Guineafowl Numididae Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris We had close encounters with these birds in Kirstenbosch BG and on regular occasions during the tour.

Pheasants & Partridges Phasianidae Grey-winged Francolin Francolinus africanus We saw these francolins on a farm just outside Ceres and in the West Coast NP. Cape Spurfowl (RE) Pternistis capensis We had good looks at these birds in Kirstenbosch BG and on most days of the tour.

Penguins Spheniscidae African Penguin (RE) Spheniscus demersus These popular birds were seen well at Stony Point PC.

Austral Storm Petrels Hydrobatidae Wilson’s Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus This small pelagic bird was seen on the Pelagic.

Albatrosses Diomedeidae Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris This albatross was seen on the pelagic. Shy Albatross Thalassarche cauta This large albatross was seen on the pelagic. Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri This pretty albatross was seen on the pelagic.

Petrels & Shearwaters Procellariidae Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus We had a few sightings of this large petrel on the pelagic. Cape Petrel Daption capense The pretty birds were seen on the Pelagic. Antarctic Prion Pachyptila desolata A couple of these birds were seen on the pelagic. White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis We had many sightings of this bird throughout the pelagic. Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus We had a couple of sighting of these birds during the pelagic.

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Grebes Podicipedidae Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis We had several sightings at water bodies throughout the tour, especially in the Strandfontein SW.

Flamingos Phoenicopteridae Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus We saw these graceful birds in good numbers at the Strandfontein SW and Velddrif. Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor We saw a small group at the Strandfontein SW with better views at Velddrif.

Ibises & Spoonbills Threskiornithidae Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus This ibis was commonly encountered at wetlands bird during the tour. Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash We recorded this popular and noisy bird on every day of the tour. Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus A few individuals were seen at the Strandfontein SW and along the West Coast. African Spoonbill Platalea alba We had some good sightings in Velddrif and the West Coast NP.

Bitterns & Herons Ardeidae Western Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis We had regular sightings of these gregarious birds throughout the tour. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea They were recorded often in the . Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala We had a great sighting of this bird catching a Four-striped Field Mouse near the Strandfontein SW. We also saw this bird en route to Ceres, Tankwa Karoo and the West Coast NP. Purple Heron Ardea purpurea We saw this heron in the Strandfontein SW. Little Egret Egretta garzetta We had regular sightings throughout the trip.

Pelicans Pelecanidae Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus This huge bird was seen at the Strandfontein SW and along the West Coast.

Gannets Sulidae Cape Gannet (BE) Morus capensis These birds were seen in large numbers on the Pelagic and in Lamberts Bay.

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Cormorants & Shags Phalacrocoracidae Reed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus This common wetland bird was seen near Muizenberg and the Strandfontein SW. Crowned Cormorant (RE) Phalacrocorax coronatus We had good looks at this cormorant in at Stony Point PC, the Pelagic and at Lamberts Bay. Bank Cormorant (RE) Phalacrocorax neglectus This cormorant was seen near Simons Town on the Pelagic and Stony Point PC. White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax lucidus This large cormorant was seen well in both freshwater and marine habitats. Cape Cormorant (BE) Leucocarbo capensis This marine species was abundant off the Western Cape coastline.

Anhingas & Darters Anhingidae African Darter Anhinga rufa This bird was seen in the Strandfontein SW, Velddrif and along the West Coast.

Kites, Hawks & Eagles Accipitridae Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus This striking raptor was seen on many occasions from the roadside. Black-chested Snake Eagle Circaetus pectoralis This bird was seen on the drive through the Tankwa Karoo. Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus We had a great view of this large eagle flying overhead in Brandvlei and Lamberts Bay. Verreaux’s Eagle Aquila verreauxii We saw this large bird of prey en route to Springbok and en route to Lamberts Bay. African Harrier-Hawk Polyboroides typus We saw this bird hunting around in and amongst some Cape Weaver nest near Ceres. Pale Chanting Goshawk Melierax canorus We had some good views of this elegant bird in the Tankwa Karoo, Brandvlei, Springbok and Port Nolloth. Black Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus We had a fantastic look at this bird of prey in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. African Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus We had a good sighting of one individual at the Strandfontein SW and at Velddrif. Black Harrier Circus maurus We had a long distant sighting of this bird in the West Coast NP. African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer This handsome eagle was seen near the Strandfontein SW and near Kommetjie. Jackal Buzzard (RE) Buteo rufofuscus This bird of prey was regularly seen along the roadsides during the trip.

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Bustards Otididae Ludwig’s Bustard Neotis ludwigii We saw these birds in the Tankwa Karoo and these birds were common around and Vanrhynsdorp. Karoo Korhaan Eupodotis vigorsii We saw these shy birds at Brandvlei. Southern Black Korhaan (E) Afrotis afra We were lucky to see a couple of these bird in the West Coast NP.

Rails, Crakes & Coots Rallidae African Purple Swamphen Porphyrio madagascariensis This colourful bird was seen well at the Strandfontein SW. Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus These birds were seen at the Strandfontein SW. Red-knobbed Coot Fulica cristata These birds were seen in good numbers in the Strandfontein SW.

Cranes Gruidae Blue Crane (RE) Grus paradisea We had good sightings of South Africa’s national bird near Ceres.

Thick-knees Burhinidae Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus We saw three birds at the Strandfontein SW.

Oystercatchers Haematopididae African Oystercatcher (E) Haematopus moquini We saw one bird at Die Kom in Kommetjie and at Stony Point PC.

Stilts & Avocets Recurvirostridae Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus This tall wader was frequently seen at various water bodies during the tour. Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta We saw good numbers of these birds during the tour, even in the Tankwa Karoo.

Plovers & Lapwings Charadriidae Blacksmith Lapwing Vanellus armatus We had regular sightings of this lapwing throughout the tour. Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus We saw these lapwings near Vredenburg. Kittlitz’s Plover Charadrius pecuarius This plover was seen at a large water area in the Tankwa Karoo and in the West Coast NP.

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Three-banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris This pretty plover was seen well waterbodies in the Tankwa Karoo and in the West Coast NP. White-fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus We saw two birds in Lamberts Bay and in the Wrest Coast NP.

Jacanas Jacanidae African Jacana Actophilornis africanus We saw one bird at the Strandfontein SW.

Sandpipers & Allies Scolopacidae Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus We managed to see this bird in the West Coast NP. Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia We saw these birds in Velddrif and the West Coast NP. . Coursers & Pratincoles Glareolidae Double-banded Courser Rhinoptilus africanus We had a quick glance at two birds near Brandvlei.

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers Laridae Grey-headed Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus We had regular sightings in the Cape Peninsula and at Cape Columbine. Hartlaub’s Gull (RE) Chroicocephalus hartlaubii These gulls were plentiful along the Western Cape coastline. Kelp Gull (NE) Larus dominicanus Large numbers were seen around the Cape Peninsula and West Coast. Caspian Tern Sterna caspia We had fantastic views of this tern at Muizenberg, Greater Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii We saw a few of these terns on the Pelagic and at Die Kom, Kommetjie and Lamberts Bay. Common Tern Sterna hirundo This tern was seen at Lamberts Bay and Cape Columbine. Antarctic Tern Sterna vittata These pretty terns were seen at Cape Columbine.

Skuas Stercorariidae Brown Skua Stercorarius antarcticus We had some good views on the Pelagic.

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Pigeons & Doves Columbidae Rock Dove Columba livia This bird was commonly seen throughout human settlements during the tour in South Africa. Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea This handsome pigeon was seen on a number of occasions throughout the tour. African Olive Pigeon Columba arquatrix We saw this stunning bird in Kirstenbosch BG and in the Paarl Wildflower Reserve. Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata This large dove was seen at our guest house in Noordhoek. Ring-necked Dove Streptopelia capicola These vocal doves were seen along the West Coast. Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis This smaller dove was encountered on numerous days of the tour across the country. Namaqua Dove Oena capensis This small dove was seen between Piketberg and Velddrif

Swifts Apodidae African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus We saw one bird near Brandvlei. Little Swift Apus affinis We had regular sightings of these small swifts along the West Coast.

Mousebirds Coliidae Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus These mice like bird were seen well in the Cape Peninsula and Brandvlei. White-backed Mousebird (RNE) Colius colius We had some great sightings in the Tankwa Karoo and West Coast NP. Red-faced Mousebird Urocolius indicus We also had a few good sightings of this bird in Paarl and the West Coast NP.

Kingfishers Alcedinidae Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis cristatus This striking kingfisher was seen in briefly in the Cape Peninsula. Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis We had seen this kingfisher in Lamberts Bay and Velddrif.

Hoopoes Upupidae African Hoopoe Upupa africana We saw this bird en route to Lamberts Bay.

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Barbets Ramphastidae Acacia Pied Barbet Tricholaema leucomelas These vocal birds were seen en route to Calvinia and the Goegap NR.

Woodpeckers & Allies Picidae Cardinal Woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens This small woodpecker was seen in the West Coast NP. Olive Woodpecker Dendropicos griseocephalus We saw this woodpecker at a restaurant near Ceres.

Falcons & Caracaras Falconidae Rock Kestrel Falco rupicolus We saw this small bird of prey often on tour. Greater Kestrel Falco rupicoloides We had a fantastic view of one bird in the Tankwa Karoo, aswell as a couple of sighting in the Northern Cape. Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus We managed to see one individual perched on a rock near Springbok.

Wattle-eyes and Batises Platysteiridae Cape Batis (RE) Batis capensis We had great views of a pair in the Kirstenbosch BG. Pririt Batis Batis Pririt After a lot of searching, we eventually managed to see this pretty Karoo bird in some Sweet Thorns in the Tankwa Karoo and had another sighting in Brandvlei.

Bushshrikes & Allies Malaconotidae Bokmakierie (RNE) Telophorus zeylonus This pretty species was seen often on tour. Southern Boubou (RE) Laniarius ferrugineus We saw this vocal bird in Kirstenbosch BG and Kommetjie.

Shrikes Laniidae Southern Fiscal Lanius collaris This common bird was recorded on most days of the tour.

Crows & Jays Corvidae Cape Crow Corvus capensis We saw this crow around Calvinia and Nieuwoudtville. Pied Crow Corvus albus This crow was common and frequently encountered during the tour.

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White-necked Raven Corvus albicollis This large bird was seen often on tour.

Rockjumpers Chaetopidae Cape Rockjumper (E) Chaetops frenatus We had long distant views of a few individuals at Rooi Els.

Fairy Flycatchers Stenostiridae Fairy Flycatcher (RE) Stenostira scita We had great sightings in the Tankwa Karoo and in Paleisheuwel.

Tits Paridae Grey Tit Melaniparus afer We had a good of this vocal bird perched on a rock outside Vanrhynsdorp.

Penduline Tits Remizidae Cape Penduline Tit Anthoscopus minutus We saw this tiny bird in the Tankwa Karoo and in the West Coast NP.

Larks Alaudidae Spike-heeled Lark (RNE) Chersomanes albofasciata We had good views of these social larks in the Tankwa Karoo and Brandvlei. Karoo Long-billed Lark Certhilauda subcoronata This lark was seen in Brandvlei and near Aggenys. Cape Long-billed Lark Certhilauda curvirostris We had excellent views of this lark in Port Nolloth. Karoo Lark (E) Certhilauda albescens We saw this lark in the Tankwa Karoo and the West Coast NP. Red Lark Calendulauda burra This bird was seen well just outside Brandvlei. Barlow’s Lark Calendulauda barlowi We had fantastic looks this lark just outside Port Nolloth. Large-billed Lark (E) Galerida magnirostris We had good views of this lark in the Tankwa Karoo, Brandvlei and along the West Coast. Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea This pretty lark was common around Vredenburg.

Bulbuls Pycnonotidae Red-eyed Bulbul Pycnonotus nigricans The pretty bulbul was seen in Vanrhynsdorp and Springbok. Cape Bulbul (E) Pycnonotus capensis This bulbul was seen on most days of the tour.

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Sombre Greenbul Andropadus importunus We had good views of this vocal bird in Kirstenbosch BG.

Swallows & Martins Hirundinidae Brown-throated Martin Riparia paludicola These small martins were seen well near small dams during the tour. Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula This brown martin was seen regularly throughout the tour.

Crombecs & African Warblers Macrosphenidae Cape Grassbird (RE) Sphenoeacus afer This pretty bird was seen in Rooi Els. Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens This short-tailed bird was seen in the Tankwa Karoo.

Reed Warblers & Allies Acrocephalidae Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris We had good sightings in the Strandfontein SW and the West Coast NP.

Grassbirds and Allies Locustellidae Little Rush Warbler Bradypterus baboecala We had some good sightings in the Strandfontein SW.

Cisticolas & Allies Cisticolidae Grey-backed Cisticola (RNE) Cisticola subruficapilla This cisticola was seen well in the Tankwa Karroo and the West Coast NP. Levaillant’s Cisticola Cisticola tinniens We had a couple of good sightings of this vocal cisticola in the Strandfontein SW and in Karoopoort. Neddicky Cisticola fulvicapilla This bird was seen well in the Tankwa Karoo and the West Coast NP. Black-chested Prinia Prinia flavicans Some good sightings were had in Brandvlei. Karoo Prinia (RE) Prinia maculosa These lovely little birds were seen on most days of the tour. Namaqua Warbler Phragmacia substriata We had some great sighting at Karoopoort, Tankwa Karoo and Brandvlei. Bar-throated Apalis Apalis thoracica This pretty bird was seen well in the Kirstenbosch BG, Paarl NR and the West Coast NP. Rufous-eared Warbler Malcorus pectoralis We had many great views of this neat little bird in the Tankwa Karoo.

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Cinnamon-breasted Warbler Euryptila subcinnamomea We had a brief look at this bird in the Skitterykloof, Tankwa Karoo. Karoo Eremomela (RE) Eremomela gregalis We managed to see this lovely little bird in the Tankwa Karoo.

Sylviid Babblers Sylviidae Chestnut-vented Warbler (RNE) Sylvia subcaerulea We had some good views of this bird in the Tankwa Karoo and the West Coast NP. Layard’s Warbler] (RE) Sylvia layardi This warbler never showed well in the Tankwa Karoo and Paleisheuwel.

White-eyes Zosteropidae Cape White-eye (RE) Zosterops capensis These little birds were seen often on tour. Orange-river White-eye Zosterops palllidus We saw this species in Springbok.

Sugarbirds & Allies Promeropidae Cape Sugarbird (E) Promerops cafer This great Fynbos endemic was seen well in the Western Cape.

Starlings Sturnidae Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris This, also an alien, was seen in the Western and Northern Cape. Cape Starling (RNE) Lamprotornis nitens This colourful bird was seen near Aggeneys. Pied Starling (E) lamprotornis bicolor We had sightings of this bird on most days of the tour, especially along the roadsides. Red-winged Starling Onychognathus morio This starling was frequently encountered in the Western Cape and Springbok.

Thrushes Turdidae Olive Thrush (RE) Turdus olivaceus This thrush was seen in Kirstenbosh BG, En route to Ceres and in Paleisheuwel.

Chats & Old World Flycatchers Muscicapidae Karoo Scrub Robin (E) Cercotrichas coryphaeus We had good sightings in the Tankwa Karoo, Brandvlei and the West Coast NP. Chat Flycatcher Melaenornis infuscatus We saw this large flycatcher at Brandvlei and en route to Aggenys. Fiscal Flycatcher (RE) Sigelus silens We managed to see this flycatcher a couple of times in the Western Cape.

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Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata We saw this flycatcher in the Paarl NR, Tankwa Karoo, Brandvlei and en route to Lamberts Bay. African Dusky Flycatcher Muscicapa adusta This sweet flycatcher was seen a couple of times during the tour. Cape Robin-Chat Cossypha caffra This beautiful bird posed well on most days of the tour. Cape Rock Thrush (E) Monticola rupestris This pretty thrush was seen in Rooiels. African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus We saw this bird in open country around in the Tankwa Karoo, Calvina, Springbok and the West Coast. Sickle-winged Chat (RE) Cercomela sinuata We saw two birds near Vredenburg in the Western Cape. Karoo Chat (RNE) Cercomela schlegelii This chat was seen along the dirt road leading from Ceres to Calvinia, Brandvlei, Port Nolloth and Springbok. Tractrac Chat (RNE) Cercomela tractrac We had a few sightings in the Tankwa Karoo and near Springbok. Ant-eating Chat (RNE) Myrmecocichla formicivora This chat was recorded in Brandvlei, Springbok and the West Coast. Mountain Wheatear (RNE) Oenanthe monticola This bird was seen in the Tankwa Karoo and the Goegap NR. Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata We saw this bird en route to Calvinia, Nieuwoudtville, En route to Lamberts Bay, Vredenburg and the West Coast NP. Familiar Chat Cercomela familiaris This chat was seen at Stony Point PC, Tankwa Karoo and Springbok.

Sunbirds & Spiderhunters Nectariniidae Orange-breasted Sunbird (E) Anthobaphes violacea We had great views on the Red Hill near Simons Town and in the Cape of Good Hope. Malachite Sunbird Nectarinia famosa We saw this stunning bird on most days of the tour, with large numbers in Ceres. Southern Double-collared Sunbird (E) Cinnyris chalybeus These sunbirds were seen daily in the Western Cape.

Old World Sparrows Passeridae White-browed Sparrow-Weaver Plocepasser mahali This bird was seen in Brandvlei. Sociable Weaver Philetairus socius Around forty birds were seen in a large nest near Aggenys.

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House Sparrow Passer domesticus This species was seen in association with human habitation, across the country. Cape Sparrow (RNE) Passer melanurus This sparrow was seen regularly throughout the tour

Weavers & Allies Ploceidae Cape Weaver (E) Ploceus capensis We found this endemic in the Tankwa Karoo, Calvinia, Springbok and the West Coast. Southern Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus This weaver was seen at Brandvlei. Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix These birds (out of breeding plumage) were seen at the Strandfontein SW, Nieuwoudtville, and around Vredenburg. Yellow Bishop Euplectes capensis We saw one bird in Rooiels.

Waxbills & Allies Estrildidae Swee Waxbill (E) Estrilda melanotis These pretty birds were seen at Harold Porter BG. Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild We saw these birds en route to Lambert’s Bay.

Wagtails & Pipits Motacillidae Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis This bird was seen almost every day on tour. African Pipit Anthus cinnamomeus We saw this bird outside of Ceres, near Nieuwoudtville and at Vredenburg.

Finches & Allies Fringillidae Common Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs We had a couple of good sightings in Kirstenbosch BG. Forest Canary (E) Crithagra scotops We were lucky to get some great views of these canaries in Kirstenbosch BG. Cape Siskin (E) Crithagra totta We had seen these lovely little birds in the Cape of Good Hope, Scarborough, Tankwa Karoo and in Paleisheuwel. Yellow Canary (RNE) Crithagra flaviventris Seen in the Tankwa Karoo, Calvinia, Brandvlei and near Vredenburg. Brimstone Canary Crithagra sulphurata We managed to see this large canary in the Paarl Wildflower Reserve.

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White-throated Canary (RNE) Crithagra albogularis We found this near-endemic in the Tankwa Karoo, Brandvlei, Springbok and the West Coast NP. Protea Canary (E) Crithagra leucoptera We had an excellent view of this endemic in Paleisheuwel. Cape Canary Serinus canicollis This canary was seen in the Cape Peninsula, Nieuwoudtville, en route to Lambert’s Bay and the West Coast NP. Black-headed Canary Serinus alario We were very lucky to see a few birds near Springbok as we made our way back from Brandvlei.

Buntings Emberizidae Lark-like Bunting Emberzia impetuani We saw this inquisitive bird in Brandvlei. Cape Bunting (RNE) Emberiza capensis This bunting was seen regularly throughout the tour.

Annotated List of Mammal Species recorded

Nomenclature and taxonomy follows The Field Guide to the Mammals of Southern Africa by Chris & Tilde Stuart (2007).

Total species recorded: 19

Jackals Canidae

Bat-eared Fox Otocyon megalotis We saw these shy animals in the Tankwa Karoo and on a farm near Lambert’s Bay.

Mongooses Herpestridae Yellow Mongoose Cynictis penicillata We had a brief view of one of the animals en route to Lambert’s Bay. Cape Grey Mongoose Herpestes pulverulentus We saw this shy creature crossing the road and disappearing a couple of times during tour.

Fur Seals Otariidae Afro-Australian Fur Seal Arctocephalus pusillus We saw these animals in good numbers along the Western Cape coastline and at Lambert’s Bay.

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Rorquals Balaenopteridae Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae This huge sea mammal was seen on the pelagic.

Cattle, Antelopes, Sheep, Goats Bovidae Hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus We saw a couple of these antelope on our way back from Brandvlei. Springbok Antidorcas marsupialis The National of South African was seen in the Goegap NR. Klipspringer Oreotragus oreotragus These Klipspringers (English meaning rock jumpers) were seen at the Cape Rockjumper site in Rooi Els and between Springbok and Lambert’s Bay. Gemsbok Oryx Gazella These beautiful animals were seen in the Goegap NR Grey Rhebok (E) Pelea capreolus We saw a few of these antelopes near Ceres and near Calvinia. Steenbok Raphicerus campestris We saw this little antelope in the Tankwa Karoo, Brandvlei area, along the West Coast and in the West Coast NP. Cape Grysbok Raphicerus melanotis We were very fortunate to see this uncommonly seen antelope in the Strandfontein SW. Common Eland Tragelaphus oryx We saw good numbers in the West Coast NP.

Hyraxes Procavidae Rock Hyrax (Dassie) Procavia capensis These animals were seen regularly on tour.

Hares & Rabbits Leporidae Scrub Hare Lepus saxatilis We had a few sightings on our night drive in the Kruger NP.

Zebras Equidae Mountain Zebra Equus zebra This beautiful zebra was seen in the Goegap NR.

Baboons & Monkeys Cercopithecidae Chacma Baboon Papio ursinus We saw these comical creatures at Rooi Els, Ceres and in the Tankwa Karoo.

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Rats & Mice Cricetidae & Muridea Four-striped Grass Mouse Rhabdomy’s pumilio We saw this unfortunate animal being eaten by a Black-headed Heron near the Strandfontein SW as well as one in Brandvlei. Squirrels Sciuridae

Eastern Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis We saw this introduced species in the Kirstenbosch BG.

Annotated List of Reptiles

Total species recorded: 3

Crocodiles and Relatives Crocodylidae Southern Rock Agama Agama atra We saw this agama in Paleisheuwel.

Spinytail Lizards Cordylidae Black Girdled Lizard Cordylus niger We saw this lizard in the West Coast NP. Tortoises Testudinidae

Angulated Tortoise Chersina angulata We had some good views of these tortoises in the West Coast NP.

Rockjumper Birding Tours Worldwide Birding Adventures PO Box 13972, Cascades, 3202, South Africa Tel: +27 33 394 0225 Fax: +27 88 033 394 0225 Email: [email protected] Alternative email: [email protected] Website: www.rockjumperbirding.com