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Summer
Trips:
From October to April, North Atlantic seabirds migrate south
to claim their share of the Benguela’s bounty. Although
seabird numbers are generally smaller during this period than
in winter, summer trips are spectacular nonetheless and do provide
an opportunity to see several additional species.
The
three most common albatrosses, the two giant petrels, and
White-chinned Petrel and Sooty Shearwater are,
as always, present. They are joined in summer by Cory’s
(mainly diomedea subspecies, also known as Scopoli’s
Shearwater) and Great Shearwaters, along with smaller
numbers of Soft-plumaged Petrel (early summer)
and the occasional Spectacled
Petrel, and Manx and Flesh-footed Shearwaters.
The majority of Great-winged Petrels make their appearance
only at this time, having spent the harsh Antarctic winter
at their breeding grounds further south. Good numbers of European
Storm Petrel join the ever-present Wilson’s Storm
Petrel, while the rare Leach’s
Storm Petrel (p.40*) is mainly seen beyond the continental
shelf. Black-bellied Storm Petrel is present only in
small numbers, as a passage migrant, in late September/October
and again in April.
The
common Arctic, uncommon Pomarine and
Subantarctic and very scarce Long-tailed Skuas
patrol the skies closer inshore. Arctic Tern is a passage
migrant, although it is seen in smaller numbers throughout
the summer, along with Sabine’s Gull. Lucky observers
may see small flocks of Grey Phalarope.
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© Birding Africa 1997-2009 info@capebirdingroute.org
4 Crassula Way, Pinelands, 7405, Cape Town, South Africa
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27/09/09: Dalton
Gibbs reports back from Gough
Island! Read the blog!
26/09/09: New Cape
Town Pelagics trip report from trips of 12 and 19 September
2009.
30/08/09: British
Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water proved very successful,
with sunny weather and over 20,000 visitors. Callan's "Birding
Namibia and the Okavango" was the most highly-attended
lecture on the Saturday, with over 240 people. Congratulations
to the winners of the Birding Africa competition and the
African Bird Club raffle that we helped sponsor!
12/08/09: New Cape
Town Pelagics trip reports from August and July 2009.
Highlights: Little
Shearwater and more!
07/08/09: The
sub-adult Black Sarrowhawk visits our garden again! Read
on about Raptor Research in the Western Cape.
27/07/09: Cape
Town's Verreauxs' Eagle Chick has grown! And its sibling
never had a chance to hatch. See the pictures of the chick,
its nest and the breeding pair. Find out more about the Western
Cape Raptor Research Programme.
27/07/09: To follow modern nomenclature and systematics, we've
adopted the IOC
World Bird List, Version 2.1.
13/07/09: The 8th
African Bird ID Challenge has launched! Win a 50% discount
on a Cape Town Pelagics
trip, a copy of Southern
African Birdfinder, or African
Bird Club membership for 1 year.
6 July 09: Cape
White-eye research in our garden.
2 July 09: Cape
Town's Verreauxs' Eagle Chick has hatched! See the pictures
of the chick, its nest and the breeding pair. Find out more
about the Western Cape Raptor Research Programme.
2 July 09: Campbell
Fleming, a Cape Town scholar, avid birder and photographer,
joined Birding Africa last month as an intern. Click here,
to see what he got up to.
2 July 09: New pelagic
trip reports from the Cape Town Pelagics trips in June
2009. Highlights: Slenderbilled
Prion and Leach's Storm Petrel
30 july 09: Our latest Cape Fynbos and Karoo trip
reports feature Hottentot
Buttonquail, Cinnamon-breasted
Warbler and other fynbos and Karoo endemics...
26 June 09: Tungsten
mining threatens RAMSAR site, South Africa's Verlorenvlei.
Read the Media Release.
22 June 09: Claire
Spottiswoode, one of the Cape Birding Route founders,
was part of the exploratory team at Mount Mabu. The mountain
is part of the newly discovered largest
rainforest in Southern Africa.
11 June 09: A colour-ringed
Black Sparrowhawk visits the Birding Africa office garden.
Read why it's a 10 months old male!
14 June 09:
Wildlife
at the office of The Cape Birding Route, Birding Africa
and Cape Town Pelagics.
31 May 09:
Michel Watelet wins the 7th African Bird Club & Birding Africa
ID Challenge. Test your African birding skills and WIN
a Birding
Africa Cape town day trip or a copy of the Birdfinder!
30 May 09:
A tragedy unfolds at Kommetjie south of Cape town as 44 beached
False
Killer Whales were shot. Click here for more details and
pictures.
14 March 09: Raptor
Watch in Cape Town on 14 March 09
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