Photos with this report (click to enlarge) | |||
 Chorister Robin-Chat |
 Knysna Turaco |
 Black Harrier |
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 Orange-breasted Sunbirds |
 Lesser Flamingo |
 Blue Cranes |
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Overview
This eleven-day tour was put together for Peter and Zanna to encompass the major habitats and birding sites of the Western Cape Province of South Africa. We went from the vivid beauty of the Cape Peninsula, to the bird-rich shores of the west coast, into the hostile semi-desert of the Tankwa Karoo and finished in the lush forests of the Garden Route. Peter and Zanna were very keen (and talented, see pictures used in this report) photographers and so we mostly concentrated on seeing birds well, rather than trying to tick off every species possible, however we did still manage an impressive trip list of 257 species! Some of our birding highlights included Grey-winged Francolin, Fulvous Whistling Duck, South African Shelduck, Denham’s Bustard, Karoo and Southern Black Korhaans, Pink-backed Pelican, Buff-spotted Flufftail (seen), Chestnut-banded Plover, African Penguin, Cape Gannet, Cape, Crowned and Bank Cormorants, European Honey Buzzard, Cape Vulture, Verreaux’s Eagle, Forest Buzzard, Black Harrier, Knysna Woodpecker, Southern Tchagra, Cape Rockjumper, Fairy Flycatcher, Spike-heeled, Cape Long-billed, Agulhas Long-billed, Karoo, Cape Clapper and Large-billed Larks, Yellow-throated Woodland, Knysna, Namaqua, Rufous-eared and Cinnamon-breasted Warblers, Karoo Eremomela, Chorister Robin-Chat, Cape Sugarbird and so many other great birds.
Of course, we did not ignore the various mammals which we saw around the Cape with some of our highlights including Cape Grey Mongoose, (Cape) Mountain Zebra, Common Eland, Bushbuck, Grey Rhebok, Klipspringer and a large school of Dusky Dolphins.
Detailed Report
Day 1, 21st February 2022. Arrival in Cape Town
After an early afternoon flight arrival in Cape Town, we headed to our accommodation in the leafy suburb of Newlands. We then popped around the corner to the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden with Table Mountain serving as an impressive backdrop to the beautiful gardens. Not only are the views spectacular but the birding is normally impressive too. After a delicious lunch, we headed out into the gardens where we soon found Cape Spurfowl, Lemon Dove, Cape Bulbul, Sombre Greenbul, Cape White-eye, African Dusky Flycatcher, Amethyst and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, Swee Waxbill, Bronze Mannikin (a recent colonist of the Cape Town area) and the beautiful Forest Canary. Overhead we saw flocks of African Black Swift as well as White-necked Raven, and a European Honey Buzzard, a scarce bird in South Africa. We then headed out for our dinner and called it a night after a good first afternoon’s birding.
Day 2, 22nd February 2022. Cape Peninsula birding
After breakfast at the accommodation, we made our way south down the Cape Peninsula with our first stop being at Boulder’s Beach in Simon’s Town. Here we were soon acquainted with cute and comical African Penguins as they went about their morning’s business. We birded some of the gardens on the edge of the penguin colony where we found Bokmakierie, Cape Bulbul, Cape Sugarbird, Malachite Sunbird, Fiscal Flycatcher, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow and the full trio of mousebird species including Red-faced, White-backed and Speckled Mousebirds. Along the rocky shoreline we had good views of African Oystercatcher and Cape and Crowned Cormorants.
From here, we continued south and made it to the Cape of Good Hope National Park where we spent time driving through the pristine fynbos and eventually made it down to Cape Point itself. At the point we did a quick seawatch which had thousands of feeding seabirds with Sooty Shearwaters numbering into the thousands and close to 100 Manx Shearwaters seen too! We also found a few White-chinned Petrels and Cape Gannets during our seawatch.
Driving around the park produced the regular park species such as Common Ostrich, Alpine, White-rumped, Common (a somewhat rare species on the Cape Peninsula) and African Black Swifts, the ridiculously long-tailed Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Karoo Prinia and Cape Bunting. We then left the park and enjoyed some lunch in Simon’s Town before making our way to the world-famous (I exaggerate, locally famous amongst birders) Strandfontein Sewage Works for the rest of the afternoon.
Strandfontein Sewage Works probably offers the greatest bird diversity in the Cape Town area and is also a rarity magnet with many mega rare birds having pitched up here over the years. There were no megas around today, however we did still have some great birding. Some of our waterbird highlights included the likes of Blue-billed, Red-billed and Cape Teals, Southern Pochard, Maccoa Duck, Cape Shoveler, Fulvous Whistling Duck (a local rarity), Red-knobbed Coot, Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Great White Pelican, Pink-backed Pelican (another local rarity, this one part of a long-staying pair which represent only the second record ever for the province), Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Whiskered Tern, Purple Heron and Glossy Ibis. Other notable birds seen around the works included African Marsh Harrier, Black-winged Kite, White Stork and Cape Canary. We ended the day with a pretty sunset and another great dinner.
Day 3, 23rd February 2022. Mountain fynbos birding around Betty’s Bay
This morning we had an early start and made our way east out of Cape Town towards the eastern shores of False Bay.
Our first stop was at the small coastal town of Rooi Els where Cape Rockjumper would be our number one priority. As we started walking along the road along the edge of a rocky slope we found the likes of Rock Kestrel, Cape Grassbird, Grey-backed Cisticola, Neddicky, Karoo Prinia, Cape Sugarbird, Fiscal Flycatcher, Cape Rock Thrush, Cape Weaver, Cape Bunting and Orange-breasted Sunbird. After about an hour of searching we heard the distinctive chattering call of the rockjumper and then began scanning the slopes. It took a while but eventually we laid eyes on a small group of Cape Rockjumpers and managed good scope views too.
After ticking our most important bird of the day, we moved around the corner to Betty’s Bay and the Harold Porter Botanical Garden where we enjoyed our lunch, being mindful of the cheeky Chacma Baboons. After lunch we had a good wander around the garden and found Cape Batis, Cape Bulbul, Black Saw-wing, Cape White-eye, Olive Thrush, African Paradise Flycatcher, Familiar Chat, Malachite Sunbird, Yellow Bishop, Pin-tailed Whydah, Brimstone Canary and a single African Black Duck which was quietly feeding in the stream. As we were about to leave the garden, we had a pair of striking Verreaux’s Eagles fly overhead, a bird we had been on the lookout for the whole day.
From the garden, we went to the nearby Stony Point penguin colony. The African Penguins were immediately spotted on our arrival and we enjoyed further looks of this comical species. The main target here was Bank Cormorant which we saw in good numbers alongside Cape, Crowned and White-breasted Cormorants. After a long and successful day’s birding we made our way back to Cape Town where we enjoyed a lovely dinner.
Day 4, 24th February 2022. West Coast birding and transfer to Langebaan
After breakfast at our accommodation, we loaded the car and made our way north out of Cape Town. We made our first birding stop on the Darling Hills Road where we got our first taste of strandveld birding, as well as working the farmlands. Here we found Grey-winged Francolin, Southern Black Korhaan, Jackal Buzzard, White-backed Mousebird, Pearl-breasted Swallow and brief views of a Black Harrier, always a major target on a Cape tour. We then birded the dry wheat fields which gave us views of Blue Crane, Capped Wheatear, Pied Starling, Lanner Falcon, Common Buzzard, Cape Longclaw, African Pipit and Yellow Canary.
We would end up spending much of the rest of the afternoon at West Coast National Park, as we birded the various hides and open strandveld habitat. First stop was Geelbek Hide which we had timed well to coincide with the dropping tide, so that the various shorebirds/waders would soon appear. As the tide dropped, we started picking out longer-legged shorebirds such as Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, Common Greenshank, Eurasian Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit and Grey Plover while once the tide had fully receded, we worked our way through the flocks of Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint to pick out Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone and Common Ringed, Kittlitz’s and White-fronted Plovers. Other good waterbirds in the area included South African Shelduck, Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Hartlaub’s Gull and Greater Crested and Sandwich Terns.
Next stop was Abrahamskraal Hide which is the only permanent freshwater in the park, and as such is normally very birdy. True to form, it was very birdy today and we managed to find Cape Shoveler, Yellow-billed Duck, African Spoonbill, African Swamphen, Common Moorhen and Red-knobbed Coot, while the highlight of the waterbirds was an African Rail which showed really well for us. While sitting in the hide we also saw Namaqua Dove, White-throated Swallow and Cape Bulbul.
Our final stop in the park was at Seeberg Hide which was a little quiet, however did yield African Oystercatcher, Lesser and Greater Flamingos and Little Egret. Other good birds seen while moving around the park included Common Ostrich, Cape Spurfowl, Southern Black Korhaan, Bokmakierie and Karoo Scrub Robin. We then left the park and made it to Langebaan where we were based for the night.
Day 5, 25th February 2022. West Coast birding and transfer to Tankwa Karoo
We left for some early morning, pre-breakfast birding at the Langebaan Country Estate which was not terribly productive, as some low cloud and cold weather had rolled in, however we did find Bokmakierie, Pied Starling, Large-billed Lark, Cape Longclaw, White-throated Canary and some antelope in the form of Bontebok and Steenbok.
After a delicious breakfast back at our accommodation we headed north of Langebaan to bird the Vredenburg Farmlands which offer a few species which are tricky elsewhere on the itinerary. We slowly drove the roads through the farmlands and soon picked up some great species such as Grey Tit, Cape Penduline Tit, Sickle-winged and Ant-eating Chats and our main target, Cape Long-billed Lark.
We then carried onto the salt pans at Velddrif which normally have good numbers of shorebirds/waders around. Today was no different and we soon had large numbers of Chestnut-banded Plovers as well as Common Ringed, Kittlitz’s and Three-banded Plovers. We also had our first looks at Black-necked Grebes here.
After birding the salt works, we hit the long road inland to the Tankwa Karoo which was fairly uneventful, although we did add Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark while en route and Karoo Chat as we entered the semi-desert plains of the Tankwa Karoo.
Day 6, 26th February 2022. Tankwa Karoo birding
Today we had the full day to explore the dry plains and rocky gorges of the Tankwa Karoo as we targeted a number of endemics and near-endemics. We started off by birding the open plains where we soon started ticking off our targets such as Rufous-eared Warbler, Karoo and Spike-heeled Larks, Karoo Eremomela, Karoo Korhaan, Karoo Scrub Robin and Tractrac Chat. We then headed back to our accommodation for a late-morning breakfast which as usual, was incredibly tasty.
After breakfast we headed back out into the plains and started making our way north to the Tankwa Karoo National Park. Unfortunately, soon after hitting the road we had a flat tyre and rather than risk driving further away from civilization on our last remaining tyre, we decided to work the plains and gorges closer to home. Good birds seen on our drive included Namaqua Sandgrouse and Pale Chanting Goshawk out in the plains and then a whole host of new ticks in an acacia patch that included Pririt Batis, Fairy Flycatcher, Namaqua and Chestnut-vented Warblers and Yellow-bellied Eremomela.
To finish off the afternoon we headed to Skitterykloof where we had the most amazing views of Cinnamon-breasted Warbler (see Peter’s front cover photograph) and also managed Mountain Wheatear and brief views of Layard’s Warbler. We did a night drive later that evening which did not produce much besides Scrub Hare.
Day 7, 27th February 2022. Tankwa Karoo to Agulhas Plains
We were up early again and this time headed back to Skitterykloof to see if we could improve our views of Layard’s Warbler which was thankfully more obliging this morning. We also had further good views of the normally secretive Cinnamon-breasted Warbler.
Before breakfast we also managed further views of Pale Chanting Goshawk and a new bird in the form of a Booted Eagle.
Around our accommodation we found a showy Nicholson’s Pipit. After breakfast we made our way back south through the Tankwa Karoo and had a brief stop at Karoopoort where we found Acacia Pied Barbet and White-backed Mousebird.
Our next stop was on the coast in the Agulhas Plains, close to Infanta which meant a longish drive through the Cape Fold Mountains. The drive was relatively quiet but once we got into the Agulhas Plains, we had beautiful looks at a juvenile Black Harrier as well as a Lanner Falcon. We ended the day with a walk around our accommodation which gave us brief views of Southern Tchagra, a few Streaky-headed Seedeaters and a very showy pair of Bokmakieries.
Day 8, 28th February 2022. Agulhas Plains birding
Today we had the full day to bird the Agulhas Plains and to track down any of our missing target species. The morning was spent wandering around our accommodation where more Bokmakierie, Streaky-headed Seedeater, Cape Weaver, Cape Robin-Chat and Crowned Lapwing were seen. After our breakfast we hit the road and made our way west to De Hoop Nature Reserve, where we would spend most of the day. Along the drive we found good numbers of regal Blue Cranes which are incredibly abundant in the farmlands of the Agulhas Plains. We stopped near to the Potberg section of the nature reserve and soon had a few Cape Vultures flying overhead, on their way to or from the nearby colony. Other good birds seen in the farmlands included White Stork, Large-billed Lark, African Spoonbill, Jackal Buzzard and many Cape Crows.
Once in the reserve we birded the fynbos where we managed to find a Cape Clapper Lark, although Agulhas Long-billed Lark would not show for us. We then moved onto the campsite area, where we enjoyed our lunch while being entertained by a family of Cape Spurfowl. After lunch we spent some time birding the small forest patches and scoping birds in the nearby wetland. Some of our better finds here included Great Crested Grebe, Water Thick-knee, Speckled Mousebird, Southern Boubou, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Pearl-breasted Swallow, Bar-throated Apalis and improved views of Southern Tchagra.
We heard our target bird, Knysna Woodpecker here, but unfortunately could not find it. Around the reserve we also found good numbers of (Cape) Mountain Zebra, Bontebok and Common Eland.
We then left the reserve and made our way back to our accommodation. The birding was however not done yet and we managed great views of Agulhas Long-billed Lark, Lanner Falcon, Blue Crane, Spotted Eagle-Owl (at their day roost) and a couple of Denham’s Bustards.
Day 9, 1st March 2022. Agulhas Plains to Wilderness
Today was mostly a travel day and so after a late morning breakfast we packed the vehicle and started making our way towards Wilderness on the Garden Route. The drive was fairly uneventful, although we did find our first Giant Kingfisher of the trip, just outside of Wilderness.
After settling into our accommodation in Wilderness we headed out for a couple of hours birding in the beautiful lush forest in the area. The weather had closed in a bit which meant the birding was very slow, however after some work we did eventually get great views of Knysna Turaco and also managed brief glimpses of Knysna Warbler which was not giving its full song but rather just the ‘chuck’ contact call. We also had a Tambourine Dove shoot across the path with a pair of African Black Ducks flying over as the light was fading.
Back at our accommodation we saw a couple of Fiery-necked Nightjars just before our dinner and enjoyed listening to their characteristic calls as we slept that night.
Day 10, 2nd March 2022. Wilderness birding
We woke up before dawn today with the exciting prospect of a full day’s birding around the Wilderness area. We immediately made our way to a nearby forest patch which although started very slowly, once the weather lifted a bit, the birding was incredible, with many new birds seen. We perched ourselves above the forest patch and enjoyed the dawn chorus for a while before the light became decent enough to see species and we managed to start adding the likes of Greater Double-collared Sunbird, White-starred Robin, Knysna Turaco, African Emerald Cuckoo (heard only), African Olive Pigeon, African Goshawk, Long-crested Eagle, Olive Woodpecker, Cape Batis, Black-backed Puffback, Grey Cuckooshrike, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher (which took a lot of effort), Terrestrial Brownbul, Green-backed Camaroptera, Black-bellied Starling, Chorister Robin-Chat, Swee Waxbill and Forest Canary. We even managed brief glimpses of the supreme-skulking Buff-spotted Flufftail however the other skulker, Victorin’s Warbler would not show itself in some nearby fynbos.
After a late breakfast (while we enjoyed a flyby Western Osprey) we decided to take some downtime before we headed back out for some late morning forest and farmland birding. On this outing we did not add many new birds but did manage good looks at the tricky Forest Buzzard, as well as a number of Plain-backed Pipits and a pair of African Fish Eagles.
After a late lunch we headed back out for the afternoon, mostly birding the wetlands in the area, although we also birded the edges of some forest patches. The various wetlands held Great Crested Grebe, Cape Shoveler, Grey-headed Gull, Goliath Heron and African Reed Warbler. The forest patches were a little quiet but we did eventually get views of Knysna Woodpecker and brief glimpses of Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher. We enjoyed a traditional South African braai (barbecue) for dinner before heading to bed for our final night of the tour.
Day 11, 3rd March 2022. Wilderness birding and departure
We were again up early for our final morning’s birding and made our way back to the same patch of forest as yesterday morning, with a few more birds to target. Some of our highlights from the forest birding included Green Wood Hoopoe, Olive Woodpecker, Chorister Robin-Chat, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler (seen at last) and Forest Canary. On our way back to our accommodation for breakfast we found Lesser Striped Swallow and African Palm Swifts and as we arrived back at our accommodation, we found a very obliging Knysna Woodpecker. After breakfast we packed our bags and headed to George Airport where the tour concluded after a fun and bird-filled eleven days around the Western Cape. Thank you to Peter and Zanne for making this tour such a success!
Common Name/Scientific Name
Ostriches (Struthionidae)
Common Ostrich/Struthio camelus
Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae)
Fulvous Whistling Duck/Dendrocygna bicolor
Spur-winged Goose/Plectropterus gambensis
Egyptian Goose/Alopochen aegyptiaca
South African Shelduck/Tadorna cana
Blue-billed Teal/Spatula hottentota
Cape Shoveler/Spatula smithii
African Black Duck/Anas sparsa
Yellow-billed Duck/Anas undulata
Cape Teal/Anas capensis
Red-billed Teal/Anas erythrorhyncha
Southern Pochard/Netta erythrophthalma
Maccoa Duck - VU/Oxyura maccoa
Guineafowl (Numididae)
Helmeted Guineafowl/Numida meleagris
Pheasants & Allies (Phasianidae)
Grey-winged Francolin/Scleroptila afra
Cape Spurfowl/Pternistis capensis
Red-necked Spurfowl (H)/Pternistis afer
Nightjars (Caprimulgidae)
Fiery-necked Nightjar/Caprimulgus pectoralis
Swifts (Apodidae)
African Palm Swift/Cypsiurus parvus
Alpine Swift/Tachymarptis melba
Common Swift/Apus apus
African Black Swift/Apus barbatus
Little Swift/Apus affinis
White-rumped Swift/Apus caffer
Turacos (Musophagidae)
Knysna Turaco/Tauraco corythaix
Bustards (Otididae)
Denham's Bustard/Neotis denhami
Karoo Korhaan/Eupodotis vigorsii
Southern Black Korhaan - VU/Afrotis afra
Cuckoos (Cuculidae)
African Emerald Cuckoo (H) Chrysococcyx cupreus
Sandgrouse (Pteroclidae)
Namaqua Sandgrouse/Pterocles namaqua
Pigeons, Doves (Columbidae)
Rock Dove/Columba livia
Speckled Pigeon/Columba guinea
African Olive Pigeon/Columba arquatrix
Lemon Dove/Columba larvata
Red-eyed Dove/Streptopelia semitorquata
Ring-necked Dove/Streptopelia capicola
Laughing Dove/Spilopelia senegalensis
Tambourine Dove/Turtur tympanistria
Namaqua Dove/Oena capensis
Flufftails (Sarothruridae)
Buff-spotted Flufftail/Sarothrura elegans
Rails, Crakes, Coots (Rallidae)
African Rail/Rallus caerulescens
Common Moorhen/Gallinula chloropus
Red-knobbed Coot/Fulica cristata
African Swamphen/Porphyrio madagascariensis
Black Crake/Zapornia flavirostra
Cranes (Gruidae)
Blue Crane - VU/Grus paradisea
Grebes (Podicipedidae)
Little Grebe/Tachybaptus ruficollis
Great Crested Grebe/Podiceps cristatus
Black-necked Grebe/Podiceps nigricollis
Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae)
Greater Flamingo/Phoenicopterus roseus
Lesser Flamingo/Phoeniconaias minor
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees (Burhinidae)
Water Thick-knee/Burhinus vermiculatus
Spotted Thick-knee/Burhinus capensis
Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae)
African Oystercatcher/Haematopus moquini
Stilts, Avocets (Recurvirostridae)
Black-winged Stilt/Himantopus himantopus
Pied Avocet/Recurvirostra avosetta
Plovers (Charadriidae)
Blacksmith Lapwing/Vanellus armatus
Crowned Lapwing/Vanellus coronatus
Grey Plover/Pluvialis squatarola
Common Ringed Plover/Charadrius hiaticula
Kittlitz's Plover/Charadrius pecuarius
Three-banded Plover/Charadrius tricollaris
White-fronted Plover/Charadrius marginatus
Chestnut-banded Plover/Charadrius pallidus
Sandpipers, Snipes (Scolopacidae)
Eurasian Whimbrel/Numenius phaeopus
Eurasian Curlew/Numenius arquata
Bar-tailed Godwit/Limosa lapponica
Ruddy Turnstone/Arenaria interpres
Curlew Sandpiper/Calidris ferruginea
Sanderling/Calidris alba
Little Stint/Calidris minuta
African Snipe/Gallinago nigripennis
Common Greenshank/Tringa nebularia
Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae)
Grey-headed Gull/Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
Hartlaub's Gull/Chroicocephalus hartlaubii
Kelp Gull/Larus dominicanus
Caspian Tern/Hydroprogne caspia
Greater Crested Tern/Thalasseus bergii
Sandwich Tern/Thalasseus sandvicensis
Common Tern/Sterna hirundo
Whiskered Tern/Chlidonias hybrida
Penguins (Spheniscidae)
African Penguin - EN/Spheniscus demersus
Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels (Procellariidae)
White-chinned Petrel - VU/Procellaria aequinoctialis
Sooty Shearwater/Ardenna grisea
Manx Shearwater/Puffinus puffinus
Storks (Ciconiidae)
White Stork/Ciconia ciconia
Gannets, Boobies (Sulidae)
Cape Gannet - EN/Morus capensis
Anhingas, Darters (Anhingidae)
African Darter/Anhinga rufa
Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae)
Reed Cormorant/Microcarbo africanus
Crowned Cormorant/Microcarbo coronatus
Bank Cormorant - EN/Phalacrocorax neglectus
Cape Cormorant - EN/Phalacrocorax capensis
White-breasted Cormorant/Phalacrocorax lucidus
Ibises, Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae)
African Sacred Ibis/Threskiornis aethiopicus
Hadada Ibis/Bostrychia hagedash
Glossy Ibis/Plegadis falcinellus
African Spoonbill/Platalea alba
Herons, Bitterns (Ardeidae)
Black-crowned Night Heron/Nycticorax nycticorax
Western Cattle Egret/Bubulcus ibis
Grey Heron/Ardea cinerea
Black-headed Heron/Ardea melanocephala
Goliath Heron/Ardea goliath
Purple Heron/Ardea purpurea
Little Egret/Egretta garzetta
Hamerkop (Scopidae)
Hamerkop Scopus umbretta
Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
Great White Pelican/Pelecanus onocrotalus
Pink-backed Pelican/Pelecanus rufescens
Ospreys (Pandionidae)
Western Osprey/Pandion haliaetus
Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae)
Black-winged Kite/Elanus caeruleus
European Honey Buzzard/Pernis apivorus
Cape Vulture - EN/Gyps coprotheres
Martial Eagle - EN/Polemaetus bellicosus
Long-crested Eagle/Lophaetus occipitalis
Booted Eagle/Hieraaetus pennatus
Verreaux's Eagle/Aquila verreauxii
Pale Chanting Goshawk/Melierax canorus
African Goshawk/Accipiter tachiro
Black Sparrowhawk/Accipiter melanoleucus
African Marsh Harrier/Circus ranivorus
Black Harrier - EN/Circus maurus
Yellow-billed Kite/Milvus aegyptius
African Fish Eagle/Haliaeetus vocifer
Common Buzzard/Buteo buteo
Forest Buzzard/Buteo trizonatus
Jackal Buzzard/Buteo rufofuscus
Barn Owls (Tytonidae)
Western Barn Owl (H)/Tyto alba
Owls (Strigidae)
Spotted Eagle-Owl/Bubo africanus
Mousebirds (Coliidae)
Speckled Mousebird/Colius striatus
White-backed Mousebird/Colius colius
Red-faced Mousebird/Urocolius indicus
Hoopoes (Upupidae)
African Hoopoe/Upupa africana
Wood Hoopoes (Phoeniculidae)
Green Wood Hoopoe/Phoeniculus purpureus
Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
Malachite Kingfisher/Corythornis cristatus
Giant Kingfisher/Megaceryle maxima
Pied Kingfisher/Ceryle rudis
African Barbets (Lybiidae)
Acacia Pied Barbet/Tricholaema leucomelas
Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Knysna Woodpecker/Campethera notata
Olive Woodpecker/Dendropicos griseocephalus
Caracaras, Falcons (Falconidae)
Rock Kestrel/Falco rupicolus
Lanner Falcon/Falco biarmicus
Wattle-eyes, Batises (Platysteiridae)
Cape Batis/Batis capensis
Pririt Batis/Batis pririt
Bushshrikes (Malaconotidae)
Olive Bushshrike (H)/Chlorophoneus olivaceus
Bokmakierie/Telophorus zeylonus
Southern Tchagra/Tchagra tchagra
Black-backed Puffback/Dryoscopus cubla
Southern Boubou/Laniarius ferrugineus
Cuckooshrikes (Campephagidae)
Grey Cuckooshrike/Ceblepyris caesius
Shrikes (Laniidae)
Southern Fiscal/Lanius collaris
Figbirds, Orioles, Turnagra (Oriolidae)
Black-headed Oriole (H)/Oriolus larvatus
Eurasian Golden Oriole/Oriolus oriolus
Drongos (Dicruridae)
Fork-tailed Drongo/Dicrurus adsimilis
Monarchs (Monarchidae)
Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher/Trochocercus cyanomelas
African Paradise Flycatcher/Terpsiphone viridis
Crows, Jays (Corvidae)
Cape Crow/Corvus capensis
Pied Crow/Corvus albus
White-necked Raven/Corvus albicollis
Rockjumpers (Chaetopidae)
Cape Rockjumper/Chaetops frenatus
Fairy Flycatchers (Stenostiridae)
Fairy Flycatcher/Stenostira scita
Tits, Chickadees (Paridae)
Grey Tit/Melaniparus afer
Penduline Tits (Remizidae)
Cape Penduline Tit/Anthoscopus minutus
Larks (Alaudidae)
Spike-heeled Lark/Chersomanes albofasciata
Cape Long-billed Lark/Certhilauda curvirostris
Agulhas Long-billed Lark/Certhilauda brevirostris
Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark/Eremopterix verticalis
Karoo Lark/Calendulauda albescens
Cape Clapper Lark/Mirafra apiata
Large-billed Lark/Galerida magnirostris
Red-capped Lark/Calandrella cinerea
Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae)
Sombre Greenbul/Andropadus importunus
Terrestrial Brownbul/Phyllastrephus terrestris
Cape Bulbul/Pycnonotus capensis
Swallows, Martins (Hirundinidae)
Black Saw-wing/Psalidoprocne pristoptera
Brown-throated Martin/Riparia paludicola
Rock Martin/Ptyonoprogne fuligula
Pearl-breasted Swallow/Hirundo dimidiata
White-throated Swallow/Hirundo albigularis
Barn Swallow/Hirundo rustica
Lesser Striped Swallow/Cecropis abyssinica
Greater Striped Swallow/Cecropis cucullata
Crombecs, African Warblers (Macrosphenidae)
Cape Grassbird Sphenoeacus afer
Long-billed Crombec Sylvietta rufescens
Victorin's Warbler (H) Cryptillas victorini
Leaf Warblers & Allies (Phylloscopidae)
Willow Warbler (H) Phylloscopus trochilus
Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler Phylloscopus ruficapilla
Reed Warblers & Allies (Acrocephalidae)
Lesser Swamp Warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris
African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus
Grassbirds & Allies (Locustellidae)
Knysna Warbler - VU/Bradypterus sylvaticus
Little Rush Warbler/Bradypterus baboecala
Cisticolas & Allies (Cisticolidae)
Grey-backed Cisticola/Cisticola subruficapilla
Levaillant's Cisticola/Cisticola tinniens
Neddicky/Cisticola fulvicapilla
Zitting Cisticola/Cisticola juncidis
Karoo Prinia/Prinia maculosa
Namaqua Warbler/Phragmacia substriata
Bar-throated Apalis/Apalis thoracica
Rufous-eared Warbler/Malcorus pectoralis
Green-backed Camaroptera/Camaroptera brachyura
Cinnamon-breasted Warbler/Euryptila subcinnamomea
Yellow-bellied Eremomela/Eremomela icteropygialis
Karoo Eremomela/Eremomela gregalis
Sylviid Babblers (Sylviidae)
Layard's Warbler/Curruca layardi
Chestnut-vented Warbler/Curruca subcoerulea
White-eyes (Zosteropidae)
Cape White-eye/Zosterops virens
Sugarbirds (Promeropidae)
Cape Sugarbird/Promerops cafer
Starlings, Rhabdornis (Sturnidae)
Common Starling/Sturnus vulgaris
Black-bellied Starling/Notopholia corusca
Pied Starling/Lamprotornis bicolor
Red-winged Starling/Onychognathus morio
Thrushes (Turdidae)
Olive Thrush/Turdus olivaceus
Chats, Old World Flycatchers (Muscicapidae)
Karoo Scrub Robin/Cercotrichas coryphoeus
Fiscal Flycatcher/Melaenornis silens
Spotted Flycatcher/Muscicapa striata
African Dusky Flycatcher/Muscicapa adusta
Cape Robin-Chat/Cossypha caffra
Chorister Robin-Chat/Cossypha dichroa
White-starred Robin/Pogonocichla stellata
Cape Rock Thrush/Monticola rupestris
African Stonechat/Saxicola torquatus
Sickle-winged Chat/Emarginata sinuata
Karoo Chat/Emarginata schlegelii
Tractrac Chat/Emarginata tractrac
Ant-eating Chat/Myrmecocichla formicivora
Mountain Wheatear/Myrmecocichla monticola
Capped Wheatear/Oenanthe pileata
Familiar Chat/Oenanthe familiaris
Sunbirds (Nectariniidae)
Collared Sunbird (H)/Hedydipna collaris
Orange-breasted Sunbird/Anthobaphes violacea
Amethyst Sunbird/Chalcomitra amethystina
Malachite Sunbird/Nectarinia famosa
Southern Double-collared Sunbird/Cinnyris chalybeus
Greater Double-collared Sunbird/Cinnyris afer
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches (Passeridae)
Cape Sparrow/Passer melanurus
Southern Grey-headed Sparrow/Passer diffusus
House Sparrow/Passer domesticus
Weavers, Widowbirds (Ploceidae)
Cape Weaver/Ploceus capensis
Southern Masked Weaver/Ploceus velatus
Red-billed Quelea/Quelea quelea
Southern Red Bishop/Euplectes orix
Yellow Bishop/Euplectes capensis
Waxbills, Munias & Allies (Estrildidae)
Bronze Mannikin/Spermestes cucullata
Swee Waxbill/Coccopygia melanotis
Common Waxbill/Estrilda astrild
Indigobirds, Whydahs (Viduidae)
Pin-tailed Whydah/Vidua macroura
Wagtails, Pipits (Motacillidae)
Cape Wagtail/Motacilla capensis
Cape Longclaw/Macronyx capensis
African Pipit/Anthus cinnamomeus
Nicholson's Pipit/Anthus nicholsoni
Plain-backed Pipit/Anthus leucophrys
Finches, Euphonias (Fringillidae)
Forest Canary/Crithagra scotops
Cape Siskin (H)/Crithagra totta
Yellow Canary/Crithagra flaviventris
Brimstone Canary/Crithagra sulphurata
Streaky-headed Seedeater/Crithagra gularis
White-throated Canary/Crithagra albogularis
Cape Canary/Serinus canicollis
Buntings (Emberizidae)
Cape Bunting/Emberiza capensis
Total seen 248
Total heard only 9
Total recorded 257