Pearly Beach

Driving south!

We left Pretoria on 26th July for the long drive south to Pearly Beach. We had picked up the cats once again & they behaved perfectly on the two day drive. We arrived at our house late on 28th. It is always great to be back here. I had never been here at this time of year before, so was looking forward to potential great sea watching & of course Whale sightings. The only downside is that it is cold!

The view of the sea from the house, 

with a storm approaching.

On the 29th July I was up early looking over the sea in anticipation. Sea conditions were rough & there were a few birds about: 707 Sooty Shearwater; 1Southern Giant Petrel; 1 Northern Giant Petrel; 2 Giant Petrel sp.; 7 African Penguin. 

The wind increased in the afternoon & so did the birds: 24 White capped Albatross; 1 White chinned Petrel; 3 Southern Giant Petrel; 1 Northern Giant Petrel; 216 Sooty Shearwater; 3 Brown Skua & 4 Antarctic Tern.

Early morning on 2nd August saw 3 adult summer plumage Roseate Terns flew by. These are winter breeders on Dyer Island, but no-one seems to know much about the population these days. Still regarded as a rare bird, but it is regular here. Two more birds were seen in the afternoon. 21 White capped Albatross were also noted.

The sea was very rough on 4th August & the sea watching was excellent: 86 White capped Albatross; 382 Sooty Shearwater; 9 Brown Skua; 2 Roseate Tern. Seeing this many Albatross from land is truly outstanding.

Notice I am well wrapped up! Cold!

Delana caught this Whimbrel, which was tangled 

in discarded fishing line.

We released it unharmed.

Safely on its way!

This tree had been washed on the beach!

Little Egret

Black-headed Heron

Aberrant Hadeda Ibis, which has been around 

for over a year now.

Cape (Kelp) Gull

Hartlaub's Gull

This bird showing a distinctive hood!

More normal looking individual.

Whimbrel

White-fronted Plover

Water Thick-knee

A quick walk along the coast in the afternoon produced 12 Water Thick-knee on the rocks close to the house. I don't know how unusual this is.

The wind again picked up on 6th August & there was an immediate response in the number of sea birds noted. 4,186 Sooty Shearwater swept into the bay along with 45 White capped Albatross & my first Black browed Albatross of this winter.  74 Cape Gannet were also noteworthy. 

7th August was exceptional for Terns. Highlight was an outstanding 24 Roseate Terns flying east. 14 Antarctic Terns were also noteworthy.

Uilenskraal Estuary

A quick look at the estuary on 8th August produced nothing of note at all. The migrant waders are not back yet. It was a nice day out though.

One of the regular Whale watching boats

in the bay opposite the house.

Getting very close to the Whale!

Southern Right Whale, notice the slightly 

forward angle to the blow.

Hartlaub's Gull

Whimbrel

African Oystercatcher

This species is doing well along this coast.

White-fronted Plover

Cape Francolin dust bathing.

Pied Kingfisher

Klaas's Cuckoo

Cape Robin-Chat

Karoo Prinia

A common species of the coastal fynbos vegetation.

Southern Double-collared Sunbird

Yellow Canary

Yellow Bishop

Streaky-headed Seedeater

11th produced 10 White capped Albatross & a Roseate Tern in the early morning sea watch. A nice walk around the village produced an unseasonal Klaas's Cuckoo & a huge winter flock of 60 Red-winged Starling.

A sea watch on 12th August produced an astonishing 18 Roseate & 5 Antarctic Terns. Sea watching the next day produced 43 White capped Albatross & good numbers of Sooty Shearwaters.

The 14th August was a good sea watching day: 44 White capped Albatross; 4 White chinned Petrel; 7,600 Sooty Shearwater & 9 Giant Petrel sp.

Northern Giant Petrel being pursued by

 Cape Gulls.

The next good sea watching day was 19th August with 14 White capped Albatross; both Southern & Northern Giant Petrels & 1,850 Sooty Shearwater.

Just in front of the house.

Look at the sea in the background!

Foam washed up along the beach!

African Grey Mongoose

A common species along the coastal vegetation.

African Hoopoe

Southern Boubou

Cape Weaver

Yellow Bishop

Mountainous sea on 20th produced 45 White capped Albatross; 2 Southern Giant Petrel; 2 White chinned Petrel & 84 Sooty Shearwater. Delana & I enjoyed a bracing walk along the beach.

African Rock Martin

On 23rd August there were 24 Rock Martins roosting on the side of the house, trying to avoid the strong winds. A cycle around the village produced: African Fish Eagle; 2 African Marsh Harriers (new for me in the village); Little Grebe; 6 Red-billed Duck & 4 Yellow-billed Duck. 2 Black Saw-wing were also noteworthy & Klaas's Cuckoos were calling. 

A mid-afternoon sea-watch on 26th August was quite interesting & produced: 1 Sub-Antarctic Skua; 75 White-capped Albatross; 6 Giant Petrel sp.; 13 Sooty Shearwater & 82 Common/Antarctic Terns. These birds were too distant for specific identification, but I suspect most were Antarctic Terns.

The sea was still interesting the next morning & produced a lone Manx Shearwater west, which is a bit of a rarity here & also unseasonal. Other species included: 34 White-capped Albatross; 1 Southern & 1 Northern Giant Petrel; 2 Giant Petrel sp.; 1 White chinned Petrel; 45 Sooty Shearwater; 2 Antarctic Tern.

On 28th August 2 Roseate Tern flew west towards Dyer Island. Both were adults in full summer plumage. 38 White-capped Albatross were noted on the afternoon sea-watch on 29th August & increased to 50 the next day. These are impressive numbers of Albatrosses seen from land, but so far there is little variety.

Adult Roseate Tern

Possibly the first record for this location!

On 31st August Delana & I  had to go to the bank in Hermanus, so we did a little sea-watching from the new harbor. Conditions were not ideal, but the best records were of 2 Roseate Tern & 4 Antarctic Terns. 

An afternoon sea-watch on 1st September produced: 6 White-capped Albatross; 2 Southern Giant Petrel; 1 Northern Giant Petrel; 6 White chinned Petrel; 6 Antarctic Tern.

The wind had increased the next morning & sea-watching produced an interesting range of species & some significant numbers of birds:

9 White-capped Albatross; 9 White chinned Petrel; 5 Southern Giant Petrel; 1 Giant Petrel sp.; 117 Sooty Shearwater; 323 Great crested Tern; 1 Antarctic Tern; 3 Sandwich Tern; 202 Common/Antarctic Tern.

Cape Cormorants & Cape (Kelp) Gull.

Just a small part of this flock.

Later in the morning around 3,200 Cape Cormorants came & sat on the rocks opposite the house.

Caspian Tern

On the beach at Blue Bay.

 Around mid-day I had a walk to Blue Bay on the western edge of Pearly Beach. There were a few Terns sat on the rocks which proved interesting!

The evening sea-watch produced some great Tern records: 216 Great crested Tern; 21 Antarctic Tern & 4 Roseate Tern, all flying west.

The early morning sea-watch on 3rd September produced 5 African Penguin; 15 White-capped Albatross; 4 Southern Giant Petrel; 2 Giant Petrel sp.; 4 White chinned Petrel; 131 Cape Gannet; 19 Sooty Shearwater; 363 Great crested Tern; 3 Sandwich Tern; 26 Antarctic Tern; 2 Common Tern; 183 Common/Antarctic Tern.

Southern Right Whale, quite close inshore.

Water Thick-knee

The leusistic bird.

How they should be!

It really is a striking individual.

Acacia Pied Barbet

A walk along the coast on 4th September produced 6 Water Thick-knee on the wave lashed rocks, including a leusistic bird. The first time I have seen this in this species. It also produced the first returning Common Sandpiper.

Two adult Roseate Terns flew west on the afternoon of 5th September.

The early morning sea-watch on 6th September was surprisingly productive. It was a beautiful sunny calm morning! Highlights: 35 White-capped Albatross; 3 White chinned Petrel; 1 Southern Giant Petrel; 6 Giant petrel sp.; 313 Sooty Shearwater; 10 Antarctic Tern; 19 Common/Antarctic Tern; 5 Sandwich Tern; 23 Great crested Tern.

Sea-watching on 8th September produced 10 White-capped Albatross; 3 White-chinned Petrel & 78 Sooty Shearwater.

My early morning alarm call!

Fiscal Flycatcher

Cape Wagtail

Cape White-eye

Southern Double-collared Sunbird

A recently returned Greater Striped Swallow

Yellow Bishop singing.

Yellow Canary

A walk around the village the next day revealed that some summer migrants had returned: Yellow-billed Kite; Klaas's Cuckoo; White-rumped Swift; Greater Striped & Pearl-breasted Swallows were all in evidence. 

A brief look at the Uilenkraal Estuary on 10th September revealed 35 returning Whimbrel & 2 Grey Plover. No small waders are back yet.

Southern Right Whale

They have been in short supply so far this winter.

The early morning sea-watch on 11th September was quite exciting: 5 White-capped Albatross; 1 Northern Giant Petrel;11 Giant Petrel sp; a massive 59 White-chinned Petrel; 389 Sooty Shearwater & 43 Cape Gannet.

Mainly Antarctic Terns

A couple of adults, with some first winter birds

Note the pale silvery underwing & grayish wash

 to the underparts.

Adults not quite in full summer plumage

Nice to observe these birds close up. 

Most of my sightings are at long distance

 through a scope!

A trip to Buffelsjagt on 12th September saw 14 Antarctic Terns roosting on the rocks. As we enter springtime this species is getting easier to identify as they come into summer plumage.

Crowned Cormorant

African Black Oystercatcher

White-fronted Plover nesting.

Whimbrel

Many have recently returned,

The 14th September saw me driving around the coast along the Birkenhead 4x4 trail. It was a very scenic drive but without seeing anything too special. I was looking for Terns roosting but didn't see any!

Southern Right Whale

They have just arrived in good numbers

 in the last few days.

Spotted Thick-knee

Three-banded Plover

Wattled Starling

My first record for the village.

A walk around the village on 15th September was quite productive: 3 Spotted Dikkop; Three-banded Plover; 1 Common Sandpiper & a host of nice swallows: White-throated; Pearl-breasted & Black Saw-wings being the best.

A look over the Uilenkraal Estuary on 16th revealed more waders returning: 45 Whimbrel; 12 Grey Plover & a Bar-tailed Godwit, which is quite rare here.

Antarctic Terns

Many were in first winter plumage

Others with more adult features.

This individual is showing a dusky grey wash 

on the underparts.

Great to see so many!

This bird has already attained tail streamers.

Adult, coming in to summer plumage.

I had to travel to Hermanus later in the day, so I made a visit to the new harbor & saw a good passage of Terns: a massive 215 Antarctic; 36 Sandwich & 31 Great crested Terns. 

Sea-watching early morning on 17th September produced 4 African Penguin; 2 White-capped Albatross; 1 Northern Giant Petrel; 1 White-chinned Petrel; 12 Sooty Shearwater & 7 Antarctic Terns.

Packing now for our next little adventure: a three month trek around Raja Ampat; PNG, Solomon Islands; Vanuatu: Fiji & Samoa! It should be a blast!