Return to trip reports.For most people South Africa's Northern Cape Province, if they know anything about it at all, consists of the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. Perhaps they may have heard of Namaqualand and its wildflowers. Maybe they have heard of the region's exciting 4-wheel drive routes.
For birders there is another reason to visit this area of semi-desert sands, hard gravel plains and rocky mountains. If you're a raptor freak then few places in southern Africa can compare with the Kalahari. As impressive as these raptors may be, they do not constitute the main appeal of the area to me, however. I am in love with southern Africa's larks. At least twenty species of these cryptically coloured little birds are to be found in the starkly beautiful area south of the Orange River.
Birding was tailing off in Wakkerstroom after a fabulous summer, so Elize and I set off to explore the area between Kimberley and the Atlantic Ocean during the first two weeks in March this year. We were accompanied by my non-birding sister-in-law and her friend so the birding was less intense than it could have been.
Our holiday began in earnest when we came across our first "dry west special" - a Pale Chanting Goshawk -in the Free State west of Kimberley.
The accommodation at Langberg Guest Farm 25 km south of Kimberley proved to be a very fortunate choice. The owners of this historic farm (it was the scene of a battle between the Boers and the Poms during the Anglo-Boer War) have converted an old "Cape Dutch" barn into a beautiful guest house containing many artefacts from a bygone era. Here we picked up our next four special birds - Dusky Sunbird, Karoo Robin, Black-faced Waxbill and Short-toed Rock-Thrush.
Reluctantly we had to leave Langberg after only one night. We will certainly return for a longer stay sometime in the future. We came across our first Sociable Weavers on the road west to Griquatown. They were just across the fence in the southern portion of the Vaalbos National Park - yet another area we want to explore sometime.
Our next stopover was a three-night stay at Witsand. Formerly privately owned, this wonderful place of startling white sand dunes is now one Northern Cape Conservation Services newest reserves. We stayed in their newly opened luxury cottages, and at R 95,00 per person per night these have to be one of South Africa's best bargains. Each cottage sleeps six people (with only one set of ablution facilities four is probably a better number) in three bedrooms, and there is a beautifully appointed lounge/dining room/kitchen. All rooms are air-conditioned - almost essential in this harsh climate. The braai (barbecue) area is under a cluster of shady Camel Thorns Acacia erioloba, and there is a communal swimming area for those who want to socialise with guests from the other cottages. There is also a lovely camping and caravan area with sites under huge, spreading Camel Thorns interspersed with the much smaller, but equally attractive Grey Camel Thorn Acacia haematoxylon.
For me the birds of the area were unquestionably the abundant Fawn-coloured Larks and a single Swallow-tailed Bee-eater. Other endemic species that we saw included Northern Black Korhaan and Southern Red-crested Korhaan. "Dry west specials" included Pririt Batis, "Large-billed" Sabota Lark (also known as Bradfield's Lark and arguably a separate species from the "Slender-billed" Sabota Lark further east) and Kalahari Robin. Kori Bustards were also plentiful. All in all we recorded more than 50 species of which nearly half were South or southern African endemics. A serious twitcher (lister) would have got far more than this.
Mammals included many Springbok, Common Duiker and many charming Cape Ground Squirrels. For those interested only in "charismatic megafauna" Witsand is not the place to go. If you enjoy peace and tranquillity, being able to walk where you please in unusual surroundings and enjoy the finer things in life Witsand is certainly the place for you. Eventually other mammals are to be re-established in the reserve, but for the moment the veld is being allowed to recover from earlier mismanagement and abuse. There is also an active programme in place to remove the interminable alien species that the human race seems bent on introducing into places of great natural beauty.
Our next stop was Augrabies Falls National Park. The Gariep River was very low (a consequence of the large new dams being built upstream in Lesotho?), and the falls were not as spectacular as I've seen them. Air temperatures reached a blistering 42°C. This heated the rock strata underfoot to nearly 80°C! All in all a wonderful reason for having an afternoon nap in the air-conditioned comfort of our hut.
Birds seen here include Namaqua Sandgrouse, Pale-winged Starling, Karoo Long-billed Lark (recently separated from Long-billed Lark which has been split into five species), Karoo Korhaan, Layard's Titbabbler and White-throated Canary. Our search for Cinnamon-breasted Warbler and Rosy-faced Lovebirds turned out to be in vain, however.
While the staff at the Park were most friendly and helpful, the accommodation was very mediocre At R 135,00 per person per night prices were almost 50% more expensive than Witsand. The advertised trip to look for Black Rhinos on the northern bank of the river had been discontinued, so our visit was restricted to the southern bank. In line with other National Parks, visitors are not allowed to leave their cars other than at a few designated areas. This restricts birding to staring through frustratingly dense bushes or over "dead" ground from the window of an intolerably hot motor car. There did not seem to be any valid reason for this. All in all I will not be easily persuaded to revisit this National Park.
From the searing heat of Augrabies we drove across Bushmanland and Namaqualand to Port Nolloth on the rather chilly Atlantic Coast for yet another three-night stay. Our destination was McDougall's Bay six or seven kilometres south of Port Nolloth. Our accommodation was in a wonderful chalet right on the beach at the municipal campground and caravan park. The view from the front porch (when you could see it through the mist coming off the cold Benguella current) was straight over to Bird Island and a very busy cormorant colony. Bank, Cape and Crowned Cormorants as well as African Black Oystercatcher were all in evidence. White-fronted Plovers, Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones and Red Knots were running around busily in front of our bedroom window. For us landlubbers from Wakkerstroom it was a wonderful experience indeed.
The next day Elize and I went in search of the main reason for us undertaking the trip - the newly split Barlow's Lark which is endemic to an area between Port Nolloth and Aus in Namibia. Around three hours later, but less than 20 km out of Port Nolloth along the road to Alexander Bay we found a magnificent individual! The bird was so confiding and unconcerned that it almost climbed into the microbus. The heavy streaking on the breast stopped abruptly before reaching the belly and flanks. It was so close that there was no chance of it being a Karoo Lark in faded plumage. On a scale of one to five it was definitely a class five sighting! The sad part of the whole episode was that my camera had stayed behind in Wakkerstroom. The following day we found another individual in almost exactly the same spot.
We carried on to Alexander Bay and the Gariep River estuary which is now registered as a Wetland of International Importance under the United Nations' "Ramsar Convention" - an international environmental treaty to protect the world's major wetlands and their waterfowl drawn up in Ramsar, Iran in 1972. The road down to the river mouth is raised above the level of the surrounding mud-flats. This must give a wonderful view of the estuary and its bird life during an incoming tide. Unfortunately the tide was out during our brief visit. We will definitely return to the estuary. Hopefully we will be able to time our next visit better. The most interesting birds here were five far out of range Fulvous Ducks, six Great White Pelicans and two Caspian Terns.
Our last three-night stopover was at Pofadder, back in Bushmanland. Instead of following the tarred road back to Steinkopf and Springbok we took the gravel road south towards Kleinsee. Casual tourists are not allowed to visit Kleinsee, but we were able to go as far south as Grootmis where we had to turn inland towards Spektakelberg and Springbok. I would recommend this route to anyone not fazed by gravel roads. The road was in excellent condition and highly scenic, especially around the Spektakelberg Pass. It apparently also follows the route used by Simon van der Stel way back in the late 17th century. In addition to all of this we found Karoo Lark in the succulent karoo on the road's edge. With our sighting of Barlow's Lark still fresh in our minds we were able to compare the differences in the plumage patterns of these two closely related species. The major difference is that the streaking on the breast of the Karoo Lark extends onto the belly and flanks.
Pofadder was wonderful. Oom (Uncle) Koos Louw, our host in the town, not only provided us with cheap accommodation (the Pofadder Hotel provides wonderful accommodation for those with more money to spend than we had), but was a mine of information as well. He regaled us with stories from the area ranging from natural history to human history and politics (he is a former member of the Provincial Council).
"A whole inch" of rain had fallen a few days before we arrived Oom Koos told us excitedly. The effect of this was startling. Plants, notably the Wild Ghaap Hoodia gordonii, were flowering, birds were displaying, and roads were washed away in places. We drove out from Pofadder to the Koa River valley south of Aggenys. Here the road passes through an extensive area of red sand dunes.
Almost 18 months earlier a Swedish birding group had told me that they had found Red Larks at this site. There were a number of Wild Green-hair Trees Pakinsonia africana on the crest of the dunes. The dunes themselves were dotted with grass clumps with plumed awns. Everything fitted the Red Lark habitat described in the Atlas of Southern African Birds. A quick check of Guy Gibbon's tape-recorded calls confirmed that the rather pretty bird calls we could hear were indeed emanating from Red Larks. Once it dawned on me that they were not calling from the ground we found at least four Red Larks singing from the tops of low bushes or engaged in aerial display - another Class five sighting!
The Roman Catholic Mission Station at Pella was founded in 1814 as a London Missionary Society station, abandoned by them in 1872 and taken over by Roman Catholic missionaries in 1878. A "cathedral" was built by the early missionaries with only a encyclopaedia to guide and instruct them. The cathedral is surrounded by large date plantations in a walled garden. Surrounded as it is by bare rocky hillsides rich in minerals but virtually devoid of vegetation the whole settlement looks for all the world like an archetype desert oasis. Visitors to this area should not miss the drive from Pella through the hills to Pelladrift on the Gariep. Pelladrift is also a starting point for the 600 km long Namaqua 4x4 route down the Gariep to the coast.
Other special birds that we tracked down in the fascinating area around Pofadder include Grey-backed and Black-eared Sparrow-Larks, Ludwig's Bustard, Karoo Korhaan, Sickle-winged Chat, Rufous-eared Warbler and Lark-like Bunting. We missed out on Stark's Lark, Sclater's Lark, Namaqua Warbler, Cinnamon-breasted Warbler and Rosy-faced Lovebird. This was disappointing but gave us a very good reason to return.
Mark Anderson of Northern Cape Conservation Services had told me that Sclater's Larks had been congregating south of Kenhardt a few weeks before. On the off chance that these nomadic larks were still around we decided to cut across country on our homeward journey. We didn't find the larks, but we did get Rosy-faced Lovebirds south of Kenhardt right at the southernmost extremity of their range.
Sadly our holiday had ended, and we continued on our long journey back to Wakkerstroom. We had missed out on a few birds but they presented a challenge for the future. Our main aim had been achieved - to find reasonably reliable sites that we could return to for Barlow's and Red Larks - birds that were lifers for both Elize and I.
Common Ostrich .................... Struthio camelus Dabchick (Little Grebe) ........... Tachybaptus ruficollis Great White Pelican ............... Pelecanus onocrotalus Great (Whitebreasted) Cormorant ... Phalacrocorax lucidus Cape Cormorant .................... Phalacrocorax capensis Bank Cormorant .................... Phalacrocorax neglectus Reed Cormorant .................... Phalacrocorax africanus Crowned Cormorant ................. Phalacrocorax coronatus African Darter .................... Anhinga rufa Grey Heron ........................ Ardea cinerea Black-headed Heron ................ Ardea melanocephala Little Egret ...................... Egretta garzetta Cattle Egret ...................... Bubulcus ibis Hamerkop .......................... Scopus umbretta White Stork ....................... Ciconia ciconia Sacred Ibis ....................... Threskiornis aethiopicus Glossy Ibis ....................... Plegadis falcinellus Hadeda Ibis ....................... Bostrychia hagedash Greater Flamingo .................. Phoenicopterus ruber Lesser Flamingo ................... Phoenicopterus minor Fulvous Duck ...................... Dendrocygna bicolor Egyptian Goose .................... Alopochen aegyptiacus South African Shelduck ............ Tadorna cana Yellow-billed Duck ................ Anas undulata African Black Duck ................ Anas sparsa Cape Teal ......................... Anas capensis Cape Shoveller .................... Anas smithii Southern Pochard .................. Netta erythrophthalma Spur-winged Goose ................. Plectropterus gambensis Maccoa Duck ....................... Oxyura maccoa Secretarybird ..................... Sagittarius serpentarius Black-shouldered Kite ............. Elanus caeruleus Verreaux's Eagle .................. Aquila verreauxii Martial Eagle ..................... Polemaetus bellicosus Black-breasted Snake-Eagle ........ Circaetus pectoralis African Fish Eagle ................ Haliaeetus vocifer Common Buzzard .................... Buteo buteo Jackal Buzzard .................... Buteo rufofuscus Gabar Goshawk ......................Micronisus gabar Pale Chanting Goshawk ............. Melierax canorus African Gymnogene ................. Polyboroides typus Lanner Falcon ..................... Falco biarmicus Rock Kestrel ...................... Falco tinnunculus Greater Kestrel .................. Falco rupicoloides Pygmy Falcon ...................... Polihierax semitorquatus Helmeted Guineafowl ............... Numida meleagris Common Moorhen .................... Gallinula chloropus Red-knobbed Coot .................. Fulica cristata Kori Bustard ...................... Ardeotis kori Ludwig's Bustard .................. Neotis ludwigii Karoo Korhaan ..................... Eupodotis vigorsii Red-crested Korhaan ............... Eupodotis ruficrista Northern Black Korhaan ............ Eupodotis afraoides African Black Oystercatcher ....... Haematopus moquini Common Ringed Plover .............. Charadrius hiaticula White-fronted Plover .............. Charadrius marginatus Three-banded Plover ............... Charadrius tricollaris Blacksmith Lapwing ................ Vanellus armatus Ruddy Turnstone ................... Arenaria interpres Common Sandpiper .................. Tringa hypoleucos Wood Sandpiper .................... Tringa glareola Common Greenshank ................. Tringa nebularia Red Knot........................... Calidris canutus Curlew Sandpiper .................. Calidris ferruginea Little Stint ...................... Calidris minuta Sanderling ........................ Calidris alba Ruff .............................. Philomachus pugnax Pied Avocet ....................... Recurvirostra avosetta Black-winged Stilt ................ Himantopus himantopus Spotted Thick-Knee ................ Burhinus capensis Kelp Gull ......................... Larus dominicanus Grey-headed Gull .................. Larus cirrocephalus Hartlaub's Gull ................... Larus hartlaubii Caspian Tern ...................... Sterna caspia Swift Tern ........................ Sterna bergii Common Tern ....................... Sterna hirundo Arctic Tern ....................... Sterna paradisaea Namaqua Sandgrouse ................ Pterocles namaqua Double-banded Sandgrouse .......... Pterocles bicinctus Speckled Pigeon ................... Columba guinea Red-eyed Dove ..................... Streptopelia semitorquata Ring-necked Dove .................. Streptopelia capicola Laughing Dove ..................... Streptopelia senegalensis Namaqua Dove ...................... Oena capensis Rosy-faced Lovebird ............... Agapornis roseicollis Pearl-spotted Owlet ............... Glaucidium perlatum Spotted Eagle-Owl ................. Bubo africanus Bradfield's Swift ................. Apus bradfieldi White-rumped Swift ................ Apus caffer Little Swift ...................... Apus affinis Alpine Swift ...................... Tachymarptis melba African Palm Swift ................ Cypsiurus parvus White-backed Mousebird ............ Colius colius Red-faced Mousebird ............... Urocolius indicus Pied Kingfisher ................... Ceryle rudis Malachite Kingfisher .............. Alcedo cristata European Bee-eater ................ Merops apiaster Swallow-tailed Bee-eater .......... Merops hirundineus Common Scimitarbill ............... Rhinopomastus cyanomelas Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill ... Tockus leucomelas Pied Barbet........................ Tricholaema leucomelas Crested Barbet..................... Trachyphonus vaillantii Clapper Lark ...................... Mirafra apiata Fawn-coloured Lark ................ Mirafra africanoides Sabota Lark ....................... Mirafra sabota bradfieldi Cape Long-billed Lark ............. Certhilauda curvirostris Karoo Long-billed Lark ............ Certhilauda subcoronata Karoo Lark ........................ Mirafra albescens Barlow's Lark ..................... Certhilauda barlowi Red Lark .......................... Mirafra burra Spike-heeled Lark ................. Chersomanes albofasciata Red-capped Lark ................... Calandrella cinerea Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark .......... Eremopterix verticalis Black-eared Sparrow-Lark .......... Eremopterix australis Barn Swallow ...................... Hirundo rustica White-throated Swallow ............ Hirundo albigularis Redbreasted Swallow ............... Hirundo semirufa Greater Striped Swallow ........... Hirundo cucullata Rock Martin ....................... Hirundo fuligula Plain Martin ...................... Riparia paludicola Fork-tailed Drongo ................ Dicrurus adsimilis Cape Crow ......................... Corvus capensis Pied Crow ......................... Corvus albus Cape Penduline Tit ................ Anthoscopus minutus African Red-eyed Bulbul ........... Pycnonotus nigricans Olive Thrush ...................... Turdus olivaceus Short-toed Rock-Thrush ............ Monticola brevipes Mountain Wheatear ................. Oenanthe monticola Capped Wheatear ................... Oenanthe pileata Familiar Chat ..................... Cercomela familiaris Tractrac Chat ..................... Cercomela tractrac Sickle-winged Chat ................ Cercomela sinuata Karoo Chat ........................ Cercomela schlegelii Southern Anteating Chat ........... Myrmecocichla formicivora Common Stonechat .................. Saxicola torquata Cape Robinchat .................... Cossypha caffra Karoo Scrubrobin .................. Cercotrichas coryphaeus Kalahari Scrubrobin ............... Cercotrichas paena Chestnut-vented Titbabbler ........ Parisoma subcaeruleum Layard's Titbabbler ............... Parisoma layardi Lesser Swamp-Warbler .............. Acrocephalus gracilirostris Long-billed Crombec................ Sylvietta rufescens Yellow-bellied Eremomela .......... Eremomela icteropygialis Black-chested Prinia .............. Prinia flavicans Rufous-eared Warbler .............. Malcorus pectoralis Spotted Flycatcher ................ Muscicapa striata Chat Flycatcher ................... Bradornis infuscatus Fiscal Flycatcher ................. Sigelus silens Pririt Batis ...................... Batis pririt African Pied Wagtail .............. Motacilla aguimp Cape Wagtail ...................... Motacilla capensis African Pipit ..................... Anthus cinnamomeus Lesser Grey Shrike ................ Lanius minor Common Fiscal ..................... Lanius collaris Red-backed Shrike ................. Lanius collurio Brubru ............................ Nilaus afer Brown-crowned Tchagra ............. Tchagra australis Bokmakierie ....................... Telophorus zeylonus European Starling ................. Sturnus vulgaris Cape Glossy-Starling .............. Lamprotornis nitens Pale-winged Starling .............. Onychognathus nabouroup Dusky Sunbird ..................... Nectarinia fusca Cape White-eye .................... Zosterops pallidus White-browed Sparrow-Weaver ....... Plocepasser mahali Sociable Weaver ................... Philetairus socius House Sparrow ..................... Passer domesticus Cape Sparrow ...................... Passer melanurus Southern Grey-headed Sparrow ...... Passer diffusus Scaly-feathered Finch ............. Sporopipes squamifrons Southern Masked-Weaver ............ Ploceus velatus Red-billed Quelea ................. Quelea quelea Southern Red Bishop ............... Euplectes orix Orange-winged Pytilia ............. Pytilia afra Violet-eared Waxbill .............. Uraeginthus granatinus Common Waxbill .................... Estrilda astrild Black-faced Waxbill ............... Estrilda erythronotos Black-throated Canary.............. Serinus atrogularis Yellow Canary...................... Serinus flaviventris White-throated Canary.............. Serinus albogularis Golden-breasted Bunting ........... Emberiza flaviventris Cape Bunting ...................... Emberiza capensis Lark-like Bunting ................. Emberiza impetuani