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Birding the Cape: the west coast
May 29, 2008

For my second trip to South Africa in just three weeks, this time to Cape Town (the first was to Johannesburg), I decided to hire a professional guide for the two (actually, one-and-a-half) days I would be there. Normally I’m happy just to hire a car and wander [...]

Capped Wheatear Oenanthe pileata
Gauteng and Cape Province, South Africa.
 
One of 17 species of wheatear found in Africa, the Capped Wheatear is a large, striking species found from southern Kenya to the Cape. Typically found on barren, sandy, or stony areas in flat country throughout South Africa, Capped Wheatears are characterful birds often seen scanning their [...]

Agulhas Clapper Lark Mirafra majoriae
South Africa, April 2007

The Agulhas Plains near Malgas (south of Swellendam), Western Cape

 
The Agulhas (pronounced Uh - gull - ous) Plains (or Overberg) is a fynbos region of incredible floral endemism right at the bottom of Africa that also lays claim to two species of endemic lark: the Agulhas Clapper Lark [...]

Agulhas Long-billed Larks Certhilauda brevirostris
South Africa, April 2007

The Agulhas Plains near Malgas (south of Swellendam), Western Cape

 
The Agulhas Plains (or Overberg) is a fynbos region of incredible floral endemism right at the bottom of Africa that also lays claim to two species of endemic lark: the Agulhas Long-billed Lark and the Agulhas Clapper Lark. Much [...]