11-12 Mar 2019: Langebaan

The West Coast National Park near Langebaan is birder’s paradise. It hosts a wide range of habitats ranging from mudflats, strandveld, granite inselbergs, saltmarsh and seashore. The numerous bird hides make for pleasant and productive birding.

Southern Black Korhaan, West Coast National Park

I did not spend much time in the hides, as I have already ticked most of the resident waders. While scanning the lagoon I found a strange, multicoloured swan with a red beak that gave me an initial adrenaline rush – but it must have been an exotic escapee. On one of the granite inselbergs I had to answer nature’s call, and, low and behold, I whistled up a bevy of Grey-winged Francolins that complained loudly about my exhibitionism. I did however find a Southern Black Korhaan and a Black Harrier without any whistling.

Grey-winged Francolin, West Coast National Park

The next morning I headed further south to the Darling Hills Road, a well-known sight for the Cape Clapper Lark. Extensive searching in the area produced a wide array of West Coast birds, but the Cape Clappers did not clap for a Sharks supporter.