Lambert's Bay &
West Coast NP

26th March

Up and out into the field (actually, along the roadside) in search of larks. Sadly, we didn’t see any, but there was quite a bit of song to listen to in the distance… But we did score with Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler, White-throated Canary, Fairy Flycatcher, Long-billed Crombec and a few other assorted bits and pieces!

Soon it was time to take our boat trip out into Lambert’s Bay, and an hour’s gentle chug round the still waters produced the required result – half a dozen excellent Haviside’s Dolphins, including a young calf. Nice! After that, the two halves of the group swapped, and while Group B went to see the dolphins, Group A took in the enormous Cape Gannet colony, along with White-fronted Plover, and a good selection of gulls, terns and cormorants.

Pre-lunch, we took a trip to the local salt pans down by the railway – lots of good wading bird list-padders railway, summer-plumage Curlew Sandpipers, Capped Wheatear, Three-banded and Kittlitz’s Plovers and so on. We had lunch back at the sea front, and for the afternoon session took a trip up to Krantzvleipoort Valley, about an hour inland. The dusty hills here produced a few nice species – Layard’s Tit-babbler, Mountain Wheatear and most sought-after of them all, Protea Canary.

Rainer had a special treat for us for dinner tonight – a seafood BBQ at Muisbosskerm, a famous beach restaurant just south of Lambert’s Bay. Delicious and extremely atmospheric – plus local Afrikaans folk music....more enjoyed by all was James’ guided tour of the southern hemisphere night sky, including Saturn, the Magellanic Clouds and the Coal Sack. Look ‘em up! 

27th March

It was an early but sadly foggy start – so we abandoned our attempt to see larks along the coast road! We drove straight south towards West Coast NP – but made a couple of emergency stops, for Black Harrier (Simon’s top target species), Lanner Falcon, and what turned out to be a good lark field – Karoo, Red-capped, Cape Long-billed and Large-billed. But the top bird of the journey for most was a Southern Black Korhaan (female) at the service station!

We arrived at Langebaan mid-morning – it’s a sadly overdeveloped seaside resort. Into the National Park – too many snakeskins for comfort, two more Black Harriers and brief views of Grey-winged Francolin in flight. We took lunch at a really nice old Dutch colonial house by the lagoon – a stunning Cape Longspur, African Hoopoe, Spotted Flycatcher, Cape Weaver etc. Most of us (lightweights excluded) took a walk out to a hide at the end of a boardwalk – while we only heard African Rail, we saw Levaillant’s Cisticola, African Fish Eagle, and lots of waders (Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Whimbrel and just a single Chestnut-banded Plover).

Post lunch, a couple of short walks in the strandveld produced more of the same plus Cape Penduline-tit – and better views of Grey-winged Francolin (8) plus Bar-breasted Apalis and a superb male Korhaan in flight.

We made a final stop at a second hide by the lagoon – more great waders, including five Terek Sandpipers, several summer plumage Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit and more besides, including Little Tern.

Finally, we drove to a Windstone backpacker hostel for an overnight – and a meal at a pretty ghastly Wild West themed restaurant in town....we got home late and very tired. Double log tonight....and rather brief diary style....

28th March

Up at 0515, a quick breakfast in the communal dining room, and away into the fog – and it was pretty thick! Almost everyone slept most of the way to Cape Town, and so few of us got to say goodbye to the city, except for the airport! We checked in for our Mango Airways 0940 flight, and relaxed…

Flight on time, and an easy two hours to Johannesburg. We partook of a delicious lunch at a local restaurant serving traditional South African fayre – it was called (interestingly) “Subway”. And then onto the road for the long (very long!) drive east to Kruger. Our bus was excellent, as was our driver, John, and we cracked on for just over five hours (!) – highlights en route included Long-crested Eagle, Palm Swift, and Calum playing Pokemon in his sleep.

We missed the 1800 curfew for the park gate, but not to worry – Rainer rustled up an escort to get us to Skukuza by about 1930, and we settled in to our very roomy, AC cabins. Happy days indeed!

Full blow-by-blow
trip report (PDF)