BIRDING
The area (within 20 km) has 5 distinctly different habitats each
with its own set of birds. Ducks, Grebes, Moorhen, Coot, Crake,
Rail, Heron, Cormorant and Fish Eagle can be found on the lakes.
The farmland, which is mainly pasture has Larks, Pipit, Cisticola,
Lapwing, Bustard, Bishops, Weavers, and Thicknee.
The temperate forest contain Narina Trogon, Robin, Green and
Brownbul, Cameroptera, Woodhoepoe, Flycatcher, Oriole, Wood Owl,
Cuckoo Hawk, Crowned Eagle and Cuckoo .
In the Fynbos that occurs on the mountain slopes you will find the
Fynbos specials like Victorins Warbler and Orange-breasted Sunbird
which are highly prized sightings.
The Dunes are home to species such as Drongo, Bulbul, Apalis,Prinia,
Woodpecker, Puffback, Turaco, Dove and Mousebird.
The area mentioned has a species list of 262. A short half hour trip
north over the Outeniqua mountains takes you into the Little Karoo,
and the much drier climate here means there are another 40 different
species to be seen. This trip can be arranged and the cost would be
based on travelling expenses plus the aforementioned outing fee.
One of the compelling reasons for visiting the Southern Cape to bird
is the high number of endemic species encountered here. Of the 311
species in the area 71 are endemic. Six of these are the Southern
Cape endemics: Cape Rockjumper , Cape Sugarbird , Orange–breasted
Sunbird, Victorins Warbler,Hottentot Buttonquail and Protea
Seed-eater. This makes it a highly attractive birding destination. |
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