The Blue Crane

The Blue Crane (actually greyish in colour) is South Africa’s national bird. Its scientific name is Anthropoides paradisea, which can be translated as human-like bird of paradise.

The Blue Crane is listed as Endangered in the South African Red Data Book. (A Red Data Book lists the relative abundance and conservation status of species. From common to rare to vulnerable to endangered to critically endangered to extinct to extinct in the wild.) The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red Data book lists the species as Critically Endangered because apart from a very small population in Etosha, the Blue Crane is found only within the political borders of South Africa (ie Endemic to SA).

Photo by Grea Wessels

In some parts of its range, namely the eastern part of the country, the Blue Crane has suffered a 90% population drop. This is almost entirely caused by the wholesale modification of grasslands in the high rainfall areas of the country for the growing of food and timber crops, as well as dams, housing estates and tourism developments.

bird hides along the SA west coast

A bird hide or shelter, often camouflaged is  used to observe wildlife, especially birds, at close quarters. They are commonly found in parks and wetlands for the use of bird watchers, ornithologists and other observers who do not want to disturb wildlife as it is being observed. There are several of these at strategic places along the SA west coast.

Leaving Cape Town: Waterbirds and Rietvlei

The R27, the main arterial road running up most of the western shoreline begins in the coastal suburb of Milnerton, as Otto Du Plessis Drive. Begin your trip by scanning the lagoon that lies between the R27 and the conspicuous Woodbridge Island lighthouse on your left.

A number of widespread waterbird species are often found here, most notably Little Egret, Grey-headed Gull (uncommon), Caspian and Swift Terns, and Pied Kingfisher.

Small numbers of African Penguin (p.32*) can also be seen here, and all four marine cormorants breed on the island. A host of gulls and terns, including Swift Tern, are also present. Cape Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus) may also be seen in the vicinity.

West Coast National Park:

The still, aquamarine waters of the sheltered, 16-km long Langebaan Lagoon, the jewel of the West Coast, provide excellent birding. Granite inselbergs rise sharply from its northern shores, while South Africa’s largest saltmarsh lies at its southern end. The West Coast National Park has become a legendary birding site, best known for the large numbers of migrant waders that crowd the mudflats during summer. These can easily be observed from the well-positioned bird hides, offering local birders an excellent chance of finding rarities. The top-class strandveld birding, spring flowers and proximity to Cape Town (taking the direct route along the R27, it is less than an hour from the city) all make the West Coast National Park a most productive, pleasant, and accessible birding destination.

Clanwilliam (Paleisheuwel road)

Kransvlei Poort, located close to the national road just over 200 km north of Cape Town, is one of the most reliable places to see Protea Seedeater. Exactly 10 km south of Clanwilliam on the N7, take a gravel road to the left marked "Paleisheuwel".

Continue for just over 2 km until the road enters the rocky poort. The elusive Protea Seedeater is best seen in the taller vegetation fringing the roadside and the lower areas of the cliffs, and is best picked up by its call. Streaky-headed Seedeater, White-throated Canary, Brimstone Canary and Cape Canary also occur.

Kransvlei Poort:

Tucked away close to the N7 national road, just over 200 km north of Cape Town, Kransvlei Poort is a highly accessible and reliable site to see the often-elusive Protea Canary (see opposite).

From the N7, exactly 10 km south of Clanwilliam, turn left onto the gravel road marked ‘Paleisheuwel’. Just over 2 km further on, the road enters the ‘poort’ (see box, p.8). Here the road follows a reed-lined stream through a steep valley lined with low cliffs.

Search for Protea Canary in the taller vegetation fringing the roadside and the lower cliffs, especially near the prominent bend in the road towards the end of the poort. The protea stands that line the route as it rises out of the poort are, oddly, not the best place to look for this bird.

Species List for South Africa, Wim Veraghtert
http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/s_africa/tour2/list2001.htm

This list follows the taxonomy, sequence and scientific nomenclature of Ian Sinclair and Phil Hockey, The larger illustrated guide to Birds of Southern Africa (SASOL), Cape Town, 1996.

Lamberts to Elandsbaai

Between the Olifants and Berg River Estuaries on the West Coast, lies an interesting stretch of coastline with a number of excellent waterbird localities. A full day would be adequate to cover the area fairly thoroughly.

Specials
Great White Pelican, Lesser Flamingo, Jackal Buzzard, Chestnut-banded Plover, Fairy Flycatcher, Yellow Canary and White-throated Canary and the possibility of various vagrant waders.

Habitats
A large saline pan is present at Wadrif, and an extensive area of vlei, reedbeds, marsh, and seasonally flooded grassland at Verlorenvlei. The area is predominantly West Coast strandvlei, which also occurs on the rocky hillsides and various types of low scrubby vegetation. Sandy beaches line the coast, except at Baboon Point just south of Elandsbaai where there are small rocky sections.

Berg River Estuary

Situated relatively close to Cape Town, the Berg River Estuary provides a wide diversity of wetland habitats, which are not only very accessible but also close together.

Migrant waders are the greatest attraction, and the mudflats at Velddrif support some of the highest densities along the eastern shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The town of Velddrif is situated on the north bank of the estuary.

Specials
Large numbers of Palaearctic migrant waders and terns are the main attraction, and include Eurasian Curlew, Marsh Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit and Little Tern. Chestnut-banded Plover is resident. The area is well known for its rarities, and the more famous ones include Little Blue Heron, Hudsonian Godwit and Lesser Yellowlegs.

Vredenburg to Paternoster
and St Helena Bay:

The granite outcrops, agricultural lands and scrubby vegetation of the Columbine Peninsula provide access to a suite of species not easily available elsewhere in this region. Vredenburg, the administrative centre of the region, can be conveniently reached from the R27, or from Langebaan.

Take the Paternoster road west of Vredenburg, and scan along the fence posts for Sickle-winged Chat (remarkably common), Anteating Chat and Yellow Canary. Regularly seen roadside raptors include Jackal Buzzard and Lanner Falcon.

Entering the Strandveld: Silwerstroomstrand

Uniform thickets of tall vegetation line the road as you head north along the R27, beyond the ever-expanding borders of Cape Town. These alien trees, introduced from Australia in the 19th century to stabilize the dunes, continue to spread and smother the indigenous plants. Resisting most attempts to root them from the landscape, they currently pose one of the greatest threats to the natural vegetation.

Darling Farmlands and Wildflowers

Returning from Silwerstroomstrand to the R27, continue for a further 9.3 km before turning right onto a gravel road marked ‘Darling Hills Road’ (opposite the conspicuous ‘Grotto Bay’ sign; look for the yellow flags, 1 on site map, above). Clapper Lark (p.116*) and Southern Black Korhaan (p.57*) occur in the patch of vegetation at the junction of these two roads, and are most conspicuous when they are vocal in spring.

Continue along the Darling Hills gravel road for 0.6 km until you reach a small pond (dry in late summer) on the left, where Avocet and Three-banded Plover can often be seen. Pied Starlings have burrowed their breeding tunnels into a sandy bank here, and a male Pin-tailed Whydah often displays overhead.

Langebaan Quarry

The greatest attraction here is the resident pair of Black Eagles, which usually breed between May and November, although they may be seen in the general vicinity throughout the year. At the northern edge of Langebaan village, turn left towards Club Mykonos. After a few kilometres along this road, turn sharply to the right opposite the horseshoe-shaped ‘Long Acres’ sign. Follow the main track for about half a kilometre, veering right wherever it splits.

This will take you to the section of quarry where the well-known eagles’ nest is situated (it is just right of centre on the main cliff face, but remarkably inconspicuous despite its size). Rock Kestrel and African Black Swift also breed on the cliff faces. The alien thicket at the quarry edges is a reliable site for Southern Grey Tit and Acacia Pied Barbet.

Yzerfontein:

This is a scenically attractive coastal village that holds a number of quality species. However, it is probably only worth visiting if you are not going any further north. To find Chestnut-banded Plover, take the R315 towards Yzerfontein for 4 km from its junction with the R27.

Turn right here (signposted ‘Gypsum Mine’) and continue for a further 1.8 km (the first 1 km of this track is good for strandveld birding) until you get to the mine on the edge of the vast Yzerfontein salt pan. Ask permission at the office before checking the edges of the pan for the plovers.

Although water levels fluctuate greatly throughout the year, there are almost always some Chestnut-banded Plovers here.

Returning to the R315 (keep a look out for European Bee-eater here in spring and summer), continue along the main road into Yzerfontein village itself, and search the rocks along the shore for Crowned Cormorant and African Black Oystercatcher . The rocky island beyond the harbour is home to breeding Bank Cormorant . The nests on the top right of the island belong to this species, and should preferably be viewed through a telescope. Heavyside’s Dolphin  can often be seen offshore.

birding in the West Coast National Park
- http://www.sabirding.co.za

The West Coast National Park is a 27 600 ha reserve situated about 100km north of Cape Town. With a list of over 250 bird species recorded, the park holds two main attractions for both local and visiting birders. The first is of the promise of finding, with relative ease, at least 45 of southern Africa’s endemic or near-endemic species within its boundaries. The second is of huge numbers of migratory waders, sometimes numbering in excess of 50 000 individuals, arriving at the southernmost point of their journey and spending the austral summer on the lagoon.