We arrived at Pearly Beach around 7 pm on 28th September, after a very long days drive. Pearly Beach is situated close to Gansbaai & the house itself is right on the beach, only separated from it by a minor road.
The view from the house.
Southern Right Whale
Cape Robin
The very reclusive Southern Tchagra
This species is an ultra skulker.
Southern Boubou
Bully Canary
Common in the strandveld vegetation
alongside the beach.
Spotted Prinia
Cape Sugarbird
On the veranda.
Cape White-eye
Male Southern Double collared Sunbird
Looking north from the house.
Beautiful sandy beaches just north of the house.
White fronted Plovers & a lone Sanderling.
Breeding along the sandy beaches here.
Sanderling
The beach house.
For approximately five months of the year (from July to early December) Southern Right Whales inhabit the coastal waters of the Cape region. It is thought they come to these shallow inshore waters to mate & calf their young. In this time, they don't seem to feed at all.
From Delana's house you can see between 10-12 whales at any time just loafing offshore & occasionally doing incredible jumps. It is an amazing experience just to sit on the veranda with a coffee watching these magnificent animals. We spent the first couple of days just watching them from the house.
Cape Francolin
alongside the beach.
There is a lovely coastal path
running parallel to the beach
Delana
There are huge kelp beds in the rocks just offshore
& storms regularly wash it ashore.
Hadeda Ibis
Little Egret
Grey headed Gull
Hartlaub's Gull
Caspian Tern
African Black Oystercatcher
Endangered, but doing very well
on this stretch of coastline.
& storms regularly wash it ashore.
on this stretch of coastline.
There is beautiful coastal fynbos vegetation here.
Sour fig (Carpobrotus edulis)
Cape Girdled Lizard (Cordylus cordylus)
Common along the rocks along the beach.
Common along the rocks along the beach.
Me next to one of the informative display boards.
This large jellyfish had been washed ashore.
The local authorities are doing what they can
to protect the fauna & flora here
to protect the fauna & flora here
Delana with a friend! This entire area
falls into a local conservancy.
Angulate Tortoise (Chersina angulata)
This species is very common in coastal fynbos.
African Grey Mongoose
African Giant Snail in the garden.
Uilenkraals estuary.
falls into a local conservancy.
This species is very common in coastal fynbos.
Common birds around Pearly Beach:
Cape Gannet; White breasted Cormorant; Cape Cormorant; Little Egret; Hadeda Ibis; Sacred Ibis; Egyptian Goose; Jackal Buzzard; Yellow billed Kite; Cape Francolin; African Black Oystercatcher; White fronted Plover; Whimbrel; Kelp Gull; Grey headed Gull; Hartlaub's Gull; Caspian Tern; Swift Tern; Speckled Rock Pigeon; Red eyed Dove; Laughing Dove; Little Swift; White rumped Swift; Speckled Mousebird; Greater striped Swallow; Rock Martin; Fork tailed Drongo; Cape Bulbul; Sombre Bulbul; Cape Robin; Bar throated Apalis; Neddicky; Spotted Prinia; Fiscal Flycatcher; Cape White-eye; Cape Wagtail; Southern Boubou; Southern Tchagra; Red winged Starling; Cape Sugarbird; Southern Double collared Sunbird; House Sparrow; Cape Sparrow; Cape Weaver; Yellow rumped Widow; Yellow Canary & Bully Canary.
Delana checking out the waders.
Birds:
White breasted Cormorant 3; Cape Cormorant 9; African Darter 1; Little Egret 3; Hadeda Ibis 1; Egyptian Goose 4; Black shouldered Kite 1; European Ringed Plover 55; Three banded Plover 1; Greater Sand Plover 1; Grey Plover 18; Curlew Sandpiper 9; Little Stint 90; Greenshank 9; Whimbrel 9; Kelp Gull 260; Hartaub's Gull 110; Grey headed Gull 25; Caspian Tern 4; Swift Tern 150; Sandwich Tern 2; Pied Kingfisher 1; Cape Bulbul 7; Cape Wagtail 5; & Cape White-Eye 15.
Agulhus National Park
Track to Wolwengat
King Protea (Protea cynaroides)
Edmondia pinifolia is common in the fynbos here.
Cape Bulbul
On the 4th October we had a run out to Wolwengat to visit friends of Delana's. They make their own sausages, bacon & pork pies to old traditional recipes. It was quite interesting talking to them. We took a dirt road through the Agulhus National Park, where the fynbos was in full bloom.
Wetland area between Bredasdorp & Elim.
African Spoonbill
Puff Adder
Die Kelders
Southern right Whale
Spying.
There appeared to be several females with calves.
Male?
There were at least seven whales in the bay.
Evening of the 4th October
Me all ready for the elements!
Afternoon of the 4th October saw us drive to Die Kelders (The Cellars) near Gansbaai. The scenery around this part of Walker Bay is spectacular & whales were close in giving excellent views.
Champagne glass holders - a brilliant new invention!
That evening Delana had an idea to go to the beach for sun-downers. However it was a little chilly!
Fernkloof Nature Reserve
Map of the trails
Delana on the Klipspringer Trail
View of Hermanus from the mountains!
How intricate is this?
We were up early on 6th October & drove to Fernskloof Nature Reserve in Hermanus. This is a scenic spot with well maintained trails up into the mountains.
Delana at the waterfall
We walked the Klipspringer Trail to the waterfall & back down the green trail. It took us about 2 hours & it was an excellent walk in fantastic surroundings.
White breasted, Cape & Crowned Cormorants
White breasted Cormorant.
Cape Cormorant
Nice & close!
Spectacular jumping!
We spent the afternoon in Hermanus having lunch & a walk around this very scenic spot. Whales were as usual for this time of year, close inshore.
Sunset from the veranda.
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw.
The most southern tip of Africa:
where the Indian & Atlantic Oceans meet.
Cape Agulas Lighthouse
Beautiful coastal fynbos.
White necked Raven
Angulate Tortoise
Cape Francolin
Olive Thrush
This is the Cape race, which is slightly different
from what I am used to.
Cape Sugarbird
Photo bombed by a
Southern Double collared Sunbird!
Quite common around the entrance road.
Feeding on Proteas.
Male Southern Double collared Sunbird
Female
Male Orange breasted Sunbird
Singing
Quite a beauty!
Cape Batis on a nest.
Cape Canary
Bientang's Cave Restaurant
We enjoyed a drink here, while watching whales
really close!
We were not the only ones!
Kelp Gull
Caspian Tern
African Black Oystercatcher
Ruddy Turnstone
We went for a short walk along the beach on afternoon of 7th October. It was a bright but blustery day, but the sea looked superb.
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw
Whale watching!
Hi!
Walker Bay Nature Reserve
Rock Kestrel
Karoo Robin
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw.
Spent the afternoon of the 9th October at Walker Bay Nature Reserve. It is a lovely unspoiled stretch of coast ,with lovely coastal fynbos behind. Plenty of whales just offshore doing their stuff. A few birds photographed as well. A very nice afternoon.
Male Common Reedbuck
Seen a few kilometers outside Pearly Beach
Quite a few Blue Cranes were seen along the way.
where the Indian & Atlantic Oceans meet.
Kittlitz's Plover
Bully Canary
Cape Girdled Lizard (Cordylus cordylus)
On 10th October we drove to Africa's most southerly point: Cape Agulhas. I must admit to being somewhat underwhelmed! A bit of a let down, ordinary scenery & quite touristy. We cut the day short & went back to Pearly Beach for an evening on the veranda.
Kalk Bay fun!
We spent three nights in Kalk Bay from 12th to 14th October. We didn't do very much apart from explore the very small town & eat & drink. But it was a lovely few days of doing nothing! Got back to Pearly Beach late afternoon in a raging gale. Had a quick look over the sea & within an hour spotted Southern Giant Petrel 1; White chinned Petrel 6; & 2 Sooty Shearwaters. But then the passage quickly tailed off.
Me hanging on!
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw
Puff Adder: not too far from the above sign!
Spotted Dikkop
This individual was very tame!
Cape Cormorants passing offshore.
Mainly Swift Terns, but some Sandwich
& Common Terns as well.
Swift Tern
South African Black Oystercatchers
Grey backed Cisticola,
common in the coastal scrub.
The next day we had a run to Danger Point Lighthouse. The views from the top were spectacular. We then enjoyed a short walk around the point itself & a brief stop in Kleinsbaai before lunch in The Great White House.
Wonderful scenery close to the house.
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw.
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw.
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw
I didn't see any penguins from here but the local
authorities are going all they can to protect them.
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw.
Our last day at Pearly Beach was on 16th October. We walked down the coast for a few kilometers & didn't see another person! Plenty of whales offshore & a few shorebirds on the rocks.
Afternoon packing & sat on the veranda. 4 Arctic Skuas; 2 Sooty Shearwaters & a White chinned Petrel were noted well offshore. As dusk approached a Cape Eagle Owl flew in & perched on top of the neighbour's roof! What an ending to a great stay here.
Gordon's Bay
In The Thirsty Oyster!
Lighthouse at Danger Point
It is a still a working lighthouse.
The view from the top!
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw
Wonderful coastal fynbos vegetation.
We had a walk along the headland
At Danger Point
& Common Terns as well.
common in the coastal scrub.
Southern right Whale skeleton.
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw.
Southern right Whale
White breasted Cormorant
Hartlaub's Gull
Whimbrel
A common migrant here
African Black Oystercatcher
Common Sandpiper
White fronted Plover
authorities are going all they can to protect them.
Photo courtesy of Delana Louw.
A wonderful sunset to end what was
a fantastic stay here.
No comments:
Post a Comment