Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.
This park, 40 km from Cape Town, occupies the southernmost tip of the Cape Peninsular and includes Cape Point. The habitat is a rocky – and in a few places, sandy – coastline and mountain fynbos. Perched high above the ocean, sea watching can be spectacular, particularly during or just after a gale has passed through. Albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels and prions can all be observed from the cliffs during the right ‘gale’ conditions, as the birds get blown in close to land. In the fynbos, look for Grey-backed Cisticola, Grassbird, Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird and Yellow-rumped Widow. Malachite and Lesser Double-collared Sunbirds are common around Olifantbos, particularly between November and April. Cape Bunting are plentiful near the restaurant and Cape Siskin can normally be found around the viewing spots overlooking Cape Point. A Peregrine Falcon can normally be sighted hunting around the cliffs below the car park. Nearly 250 bird species have been recorded in the reserve. There are two ways to get to the reserve from Cape Town. Either via Chapmans Peak or Simonstown. If going via Chapman’s Peak, take the M6 out of CapeTown and then the M65 from Kommetjie. To go via Simonstown, take the M4 to Muizenberg and then follow the coastal road. At Simonstown, pull off at Boulder Beach. The African Penguin colony here has about 2500 birds, and you won’t get any better views than you will from here.
Cape Town area
There are some fine birding sites, either in or very close to Capetown:
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, world-renowned botanical gardens in the city of Cape Town, nestle below a backdrop of Table Mountain. Besides the extensive well-maintained gardens of native plants, there is adjacent fynbos and indigenous forest. Kirstenbosch is an excellent birding venue and one of the easiest places to see Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird and Lesser Double-collared Sunbird, which are all abundant in the Protea and Erica gardens. Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk are fairly common and the skulking Knysna Warbler is present at a number of spots. Cape Francolin are fairly easily seen as are Cinnamon Dove and Rameron Pigeons. Take the Skeleton Gorge route and this will bring you to the Nursery Stream and a forested area. Cape Batis, Paradise Flycatcher and Forest Canary can all be found here. Facilities in the gardens are excellent. Maps of the gardens are available and the shop and restaurant are a high standard. To get to Kirstenbosch, take the M3 from Cape Town and travel about 10 km to the Newlands Avenue/Rhodes Drive intersection. Turn right into Rhodes drive and travel a further 1.5 kms to the main garden entrance. The gates open at 8am.
Rondevlei Nature Reserve, an attractive reserve, is less than 20 minutes from downtown Cape Town, is a series of shallow ponds with islands and reed beds, surrounded by Acacia thickets. In the summer months when the sandy shores to the ponds are exposed, good numbers of waders are present. Black Crake and Little Bittern are resident, Painted Snipe are seen fairly often and Purple Gallinules are common. The surrounding bush has a good variety of passerines with Pied Barbet, Burchell’s Coucal, Southern Boubou, Cape Bulbul, Karoo Prinia, Cape Batis and White-backed Mousebird all present. The reserve has over 220 species recorded. There are 6 hides and 2 observation towers, with good paths that are wheelchair friendly. To access the reserve from Cape Town, take the M5 and travel about 11,5 km from the N2/M5 intersection in the direction of Muizenberg. Go left into Victoria Road, Grassy Park. Cross the major 5th Avenue intersection and turn right at Fisherman’s Walk. The Reserve is well signed a few hundred meters down the road.
De Hoop Nature Reserve.
Three hours east of Cape Town near Bredasdorp, this reserve is registered as a Ramsar site of international importance for waterbirds. South African Shelduck, all three species of grebe, Cape Shoveller, Yellow-billed Duck, African Fish Eagle and many others are present. In the thickets, Southern Tchagra, Knysna Woodpecker, Southern Boubou, Bar-throated Apalis and Cape Bulbul can all be seen. The coastal fynbos supports Southern Black Korhaan, Cape and Grey-wing Francolin, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Stanley's Bustard, Wattled Starling, Long-billed, Southern Thick-billed and Clapper Lark and Grey-backed Cisticola. Damara Tern and African Black Oystercatcher can both be found on the coast. Black Sparrowhawks are present, and in the agricultural lands surrounding the reserve look for Blue Crane. Over 260 bird species have been recorded here. The De Hoop area encompasses the breeding grounds of the southern right whale. It is estimated that about 120 individual whales return to the waters here every year to calve and mate. To get to the reserve from the N2, go south 7km west of Swellendam, signed to Ouplaas and Wydgelee. Turn right at the town and after 2kms go left to the reserve.
Karoo National Park.
This park 7km south of Beaufort West on the N1 offers varied habitat, with flat karooveld, riverine bushes, cliffs and mountainous areas. If driving from Johannesburg to Cape Town, then this is a great place to overnight and do some birding. Typical Karoo species that can be found here include Namaqua Sandgrouse, Karoo and Ludwig’s Bustard, Sickle-wing, Karoo and Tractrac Chat, Karoo, Sclater’s and Karoo Long-billed Larks, Cinammon-breasted and Namaqua Warbler and Black-headed Canary. There is a bird hide at the dam near the main camp where Cape Reed Warbler and Fairy Flycatcher are present. Verreaux’s Eagle are relatively common and Martial Eagle seen occasionally. The accommodation here is excellent, as is the a la carte restaurant. Bookings can be made by telephoning (27) 23 4152 828.
Knysna.
This coastal town on the renowned “Garden Route”, 500km east of Cape Town, is situated on the shores of one of South Africa's largest estuaries. Close by is the country's largest temperate evergreen forest. A few places to bird here include Woodbourne Pan where one can expect to see Marsh, Curlew and Common Sandpipers, Kittlitz’s Plover, Ethiopian Snipe, Black Crake and African Rail. The Knysna Warbler is present at the “Heads”. Try the walk from the restaurant through indigenous coastal bush toward the sea. It is essential to know the call. Pledge Nature Reserve, one block behind the main street in the town center, has a habitat of fynbos, a wetland area and local forest trees. Birds found here include Knysna Lourie, Knysna and Olive Woodpecker, Emerald Cuckoo, Blue-mantled Flycatcher and Swee Waxbill.
West Coast National Park.
This park, 50 minutes north west of Cape Town, surrounds the Langebaan Lagoon, a world Ramsar site (site’s deemed to be of global significance to wetland bird species). The salt marshes are home to vast concentrations of migrant waders from the northern hemisphere, so summer is the best time to visit the lagoon, particularly in September and March when they congregate in large numbers. Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, Ruff, Marsh, Terek and Curlew Sandpiper, Turnstone, Ringed and Grey Plover, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit are present on most occasions. The best time to observe the lagoon waders is to visit the Geelbek hide from low tide as the tide is coming in. Another isolated hide west of the Geelbek Educational Centre overlooks a salt pan that is an excellent place to see Chestnut banded Plover. The reserve’s fynbos surrounding the lagoon hosts Black Korhaan, Cape and Grey-winged Francolin, Southern Grey and Cape Penduline Tit, Ant-eating Chat, White-throated and Yellow Canary, Karoo Lark, Titbabbler, Bokmakierie and Cape Bunting which are all easily seen. African Marsh and Black Harrier can often be seen quartering the ground. Over 250 bird species have been recorded here. To get there take the R27 north and turn off left at the first sign to the park.