We drove south from Pretoria on 23rd November overnighting at the small village of Hanover, where a few Lesser Kestrels greeted us. Then we pressed on the next day, arriving home at Pearly Beach late afternoon. Then it was all about unpacking, cleaning the house etc. That evening I conducted a short sea-watch & was surprised to see 40 Arctic Skuas roosting in a compact flock on the sea. This was to become a feature of the next few weeks.
The next day did some local birding around Pearly, without seeing anything too exciting.
Later had a run into Gansbaii & called in at the water treatment plant. It is always worth a quick look: 14 Cape Teal; 3 Cape Shoveler & 3 Water Thick-knee were the highlight.
Nothing much doing bird-wise over the next few days. The only species of note being an African Goshawk.
On 28th November I was woken up by a Klaas's Cuckoo calling in the garden. This spurred me on to do a birdwatch around the village, discovering another Klaas's Cuckoo, close to the resort. Pearly breasted Swallows are also breeding in the village. Always a nice thing to see.
The evening sea-watch produced 17 Arctic Skuas; a nice adult Northern Giant Petrel close in & 2 further Giant Petrel sp.
Sea-watching early on 29th produced a nice Shy Albatross gliding by, reasonably close inshore. Two Cape Gannets & 2 Giant Petrel sp. were also seen. The evening sea-watch produced 116 Arctic Skuas & the same Northern Giant Petrel was noted. The last evening sea-watch of the month on 30th, produced 80 Arctic Skuas on the sea.
1st December saw me sea-watching & the adult Northern Giant Petrel flew by. This is the same individual which I have noted before.
The 2nd December saw me birding intensively around the village, noting a creditable 60 species for the day. Highlights included Jackal Buzzard; Black Saw-wing & Streaky-headed Seedeater. The evening sea-watch was poor, with just 9 Arctic Skuas & a Giant petrel sp.
The 3rd produced a fine Black Harrier floating by & a pair of Spotted Thick-knee with a small chick very close to the house. The evening sea-watch was productive with a very fine adult Pomarine Skua complete with tail spoons (at this time of year)! 137 Arctic Skuas rested on the sea.
On 4th December Delana dropped me off to bird the Uilenkraal Estuary & it was very worthwhile. The Greater Sand Plover was showing well, presumably the same bird as was present last summer. A pair of Blue Cranes look as if they might be breeding as they were very noisy! All the normal waders were noted including 66 Curlew Sandpiper & 96 Little Stint. A mixed flock of both Alpine & African Black Swifts were overhead.
I met a couple of local birders & they told me about the sighting of a Greater Painted Snipe close to Pearly! We went & after some effort flushed the bird. We all obtained good flight views. Great local record this one!
A storm came in late afternoon, with strong ESE winds. The Arctic Skua roost reached a staggering 382 birds! Try as I might, I couldn't find anything more unusual in the flock. There must be a Long-tailed Skua in there somewhere? Two African Penguins were in the surf.
Spent quite a bit of time birding the village on 6th December. Two Klaas's Cuckoo calling in different areas. A Steppe Buzzard was close to the rubbish dump; 11 Pearl-breasted Swallow; a Black Saw-wing & 8 Brimstone Canaries were the highlights.
A quick trip to the small wetland just outside Pearly produced a brilliant Half-collared Kingfisher! My first for this location. Sea-watching in the evening produced a nice Little Tern & 48 Arctic Skuas roosting on the sea. The Little Tern was my first record for Pearly. It was in winter plumage & the white rump clearly seen. Damara Tern is a rare visitor here & at this time of year is in summer plumage.
Was birding all day away from Pearly on 7th December but conducted a sea-watch in the late afternoon. 71 Arctic Skuas came in to roost & a very close Sooty Shearwater flew by. My first for this trip. However just after dark a Spotted Eagle Owl came into the garden, really close to us, but no camera available I am afraid!
The only notable birds on 8th were a Giant Petrel sp & 30 Common Terns which flew east in the morning. This latter species has been very scarce so far this year.
The next notable birds were on 12th December when a Giant Petrel sp. flew by & 78 Arctic Skuas came in to roost on the sea.
A short visit to the Uilenkraal Estuary on 13th was worthwhile: 2 Blue Cranes look as if they might be breeding here. 77 Spur-winged Geese were bathing & the Greater Sand Plover was still present.
I paid another visit to the estuary the next day, with counts of: 43 Grey Plover; 145 Common Ringed Plover; 35 White-fronted Plover; 73 Whimbrel; 105 Curlew Sandpiper; 145 Little Stint; 15 Sanderling; 13 Common Greenshank & a Marsh Sandpiper.
A big storm came in from the south in mid-afternoon on 15th December. A full blown gale developed & brought with it some really heavy rain. Despite the difficult conditions, sea watching proved to be excellent: 212 Arctic Skuas; an adult Shy Albatross; 4 Northern Giant Petrel; 17 Giant Petrel sp.; 2 White chinned Petrel & 13 Sooty Shearwaters were noted. There could have been a lot more out there but conditions on the veranda were challenging to say the least!
It was with much anticipation that I was up at dawn on 16th looking over a very heavy sea. It didn't quite live up to expectations & the following were noted: 2 Arctic Skua; 9 Giant Petrel sp.; 74 Sooty Shearwater & 2 Cape Gannet. The evening sea watch only produced 58 Arctic Skua coming to roost on the sea.
A walk around the village on 19th December produced a bit of a local rarity in the form of a female/immature Eurasian Golden Oriole. It was very flighty & I only managed two poor quality photographs on the bird. It caused a little bit of excitement among Cape birders. An evening sea-watch produced 48 Arctic Skua & a Sooty Shearwater.
A quick trip to the village of Baardskeerderbos on 20th December produced an obliging pair of Cape Grassbirds on the hillside above the village. The wind was very strong but I managed to get some shots. The evening sea-watch from home produced 35 Arctic Skuas.
A walk along the coast & around the village with Delana on 21st saw us watching two immature Roseate Terns sat on the rocks close to the house. This is a reportable species & even though they breed on Dyer Island which is close by they are rarely seen.
I paid an afternoon visit to Uilenkraal Estuary. Conditions were excellent as I waited for the incoming tide to bring the birds within photographic range. But four women on horseback put paid to that by riding right down the middle of the estuary flushing everything. Best were: 2 Blue crane; a Common Quail flushed from the saltmarsh; 225 Common Ringed Plover; the Greater Sand Plover still present & 109 Whimbrel. The evening sea-watch produced 91 Arctic Skuas.
The evening sea-watch from the house on 22nd December produced an astonishing 317 Arctic Skuas coming in to roost. It was a beautiful evening & flat calm sea. Birds came in from a great height before suddenly dropping on to the sea.
The only notable bird on 23rd was an overflying Horus Swift, which is my first record for this area.
Christmas Day, 25th December produced a huge feeding flock estimated to be around 15,000 Cape Cormorants quite close in to shore. It was quite a sight. The evening sea-watch produced 170 Arctic Skuas roosting on the sea.
An evening sea-watch on 28th December produced 2 Giant Petrel sp. & 6 Arctic Skuas.
The last day of the year saw me birding around the village without seeing much of note. However it was a nice walk!
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