Steve Rooke on his just-completed tour, South Africa: The Kalahari to the Cape

Starting in the Kalahari Desert, the ‘sandgrouse show’ was as good as ever with large numbers of Burchell’s Sandgrouse joining the Namaqua Sandgrouse –  a constant nervous coming and going, especially when a lone Lanner Falcon buzzed the place then sat in a nearby tree preening. We had some superb close encounters with Secretary Birds, which appear to be thriving in this Park, and a few Kori Bustards were also seen.

Burchell's and Namaqua Sandgrouse

Birding on the Orange River gave us African Fish Eagle, nesting South African Cliff Swallows, Pale-winged Starlings, Orange River White-eyes, and some Red-faced Mousebirds. The open countryside surrounding the remote town of Pofadder was where we got to grips with some of the region's larks.  The sought-after Sclater’s Lark performed beautifully with a pair performing some courtship display. Along with more Fawn-coloured and Sabota Larks we also found Spike-heeled, Karoo Long-billed, and Large-billed Larks, before spending some time with the fabled Red Lark which eventually showed really well. Several Karoo Korhaan’s were some distraction from all the larks!

Red Lark

The coastal fynbos at Lambert's Bay gave us displaying Cape Clapper Larks, along with many other typical fynbos birds such as Cape Francolin, Bokmakarie, Karoo Scrub Robin, Grey-backed Cisticola, Karoo Prinia, and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, to be followed by the spectacle of Bird Island and the nesting Cape Gannets. Heading south from here we found a variety of birds from the mighty Goliath Heron to Black Harrier, Chestnut-banded Plovers, and Maccoa Ducks.

Out in the vast open space of the Karoo we were treated to fantastic views of Cinnamon-breasted Warbler with a pair feeding well-grown young, and other birds here included a majestic Verreaux's Eagle, Karoo Eremomela, Namaqa Warbler, Fairy Flycatcher, Pririt Batis, Rufous-eared Warbler, Red-capped and Karoo Larks, and Tractrac Chats. A wander around Bontebok National Park gave us some good views of the eponymous antelope, as well as several Stanley's Bustards (including one in full display just after leaving the reserve), Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Pearl-breasted Swallow, Cape Longclaw, Cape Grassbird, Cape Batis, African Stonechat, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, lots of Fiscal Flycatchers, and Southern Boubou.

Bontebok

Displaying Stanley's Bustard

The drive south from there took us through acres of large open fields, some of which were favored by flocks of Blue Cranes and we had totalled an incredible 159 by the end of the day...and the spring flowers while average for the region were eye-popping for anyone not previously exposed.

Blue Cranes

Spring flowers

We ended with four days in and around Cape Town. Our pelagic took us some 30 miles past Cape Point in search of seabirds - and we were not to be disappointed as we joined literally thousands of seabirds behind a trawler as it pulled in its nets.  Shy and Black-browed Albatrosses were there in profusion, and we had good views of up to 3 Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses. These were in amongst thousands of White-chinned Petrels, and Cape Gannets, with lesser numbers of Pintado Petrels, Subantartic Skuas, Great and Sooty Shearwaters, and a lone Wilson's Storm Petrel joining the throng. There were also lots of Cape Fur Seals and one pod of up to 100 Common Dolphins. 

Shy Albatross and White-chinned Petrel

We then spent a few days exploring the Cape. We watched Water Thick-knees and Cape Rock Thrush at Klienmond, African Penguins and Bank Cormorants at Stony Point, Cape Rockjumpers jumping around the rocks at Roiels, and Cape Siskins feeding on the ground at Harold Porter Gardens.  We braved the rain to tour Strandfontein Sewage Farm and were treated to hundreds of bright pink Greater Flamingos, flocks of Southern Pochard, Cape Teal, Cape Shovelers, and a pair of Hottentot Teal.

Greater Flamingos

Our final morning was spent amidst the splendor of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where, as well as a profusion of flowers, we had wonderfully close views of Cape Sugarbirds, Orange-breasted Sunbirds, Forest Canary, Cape Batis, and Sombre Greenbul. Overhead there was Forest Buzzard and Black Sparrowhawk and the weather improved to make this last morning a fitting end to the tour.

Cape Sugarbird