Hots > xcounty > coast...

Leaving the upland areas of the Hottentots Holland we proceeded to travel through the farmlands enroute to the coastal region of Bettys Bay and surrounds. The birding continued with good fortune throughout the journey... an unplanned stop to check out some white-rumped swift resulted in a spotted flycatcher (!) ~ uncommon in the region.

Large-billed lark

No luck with black eagle, but rather nice compensation in the form of a...

Black sparrowhawk - a family of blue crane fed in the distant fields

 A small wooded valley produced roadside cape batis, sombre greenbul and a pair of African black duck.

Cape batis

Sombre greenbul

 Reaching the coast a roadside jackal buzzard remained in position as I grabbed a couple of shots from the car -

Jackal buzzard

A little bit further on and the action got better...

Kirstenbosch Capers

More images from Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens - all "cape" birds. From the top: cape batis, cape francolin, cape bulbul and cape white-eye.

I had expected the photography to be much easier than it actually was at KBC, and did not have any luck with sunbirds nor sugarbird.

The cape batis shot was literally a grab shot as this bird flicked past and the cape white-eye and bulbul were record shots as they tended to keep high up (bulbul) or feed actively and too close! (white-eye). The cape francolin was much more obliging, stopping off for a dust bath inbetween feeding with its' family.