Tim Cockcroft Birding
Birdwatching tours for Port Alfred and surrounding areas
Birding in Port Alfred and surrounding areas
Port Alfred and surrounding environs has some superb birding spots. There is a wide variety of habitats, nature reserves, hiking trails and private game farms where one can see some Eastern Cape specials. This coastal area has estuaries that provide feeding ground for waders, many of which visit our shores from the Northern hemisphere. Common Whimbrel, Curlew Sandpiper, Greenshank, Little Stint and Grey Plover mingle in with the resident Three-banded and Kittlitz’s Plovers, Blacksmith Lapwings and Black-winged Stilt. Occasionally, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greater Sandplover, Terek Sandpiper and Eurasian Curlew are seen, but not as often as the “regulars”. Ruddy Turnstones frequent the rocky outcrops along the seashore, as do African Black Oystercatcher, Sanderling, White-fronted Plover, Kelp Gull and various species of Tern. Low tide is the best time to look for birds here, as rocky outcrops are exposed, making feeding possible.
The Kowie River meanders up to and beyond the historic village of Bathurst, where there is an abundance of birdlife in the wooded valleys below. Crowned Eagle can be seen performing their undulating display overhead. The forest and valley bushveld along the river is home to Collared and Grey Sunbirds, Knysna and Olive Woodpeckers, Knysna Turaco, Brown Scrub-Robin, Dark-backed Weaver and Olive Bush Shrike. In summer, the hoarse, mournful hoot of the Narina Trogon can be heard – and with a bit of skilful watching, the bird can be seen. Lazy Cisticola flit about the thickets and rank growth at the edge of the forest, while Knysna and Barratt's Warblers skulk in the undergrowth.
The quieter pools and stretches of river are also suitable for birds such as Mountain Wagtail, Half-collared Kingfisher, and, if one is observant, with a little luck, African Finfoot. At some of these upstream spots, majestic cliffs tower above the rocky pools, providing nesting sites for raptors such as Lanner Falcon, Rock Kestrel and Booted Eagle, while Cape Rock Thrush and Mocking Cliff-chat are some of the other species to be seen here.
Up and out of the river valleys, habitats merge throughout the district – grassland, thornveld, dense scrub, farm dams and pans, riverine bush and cliffs abound. Birds to be seen in the more open areas scattered with Acacia trees include Rufous-naped and Red-capped Larks, Black-winged and Crowned Lapwing, Denham's Bustard, Chinspot Batis and Black-crowned Tchagra to name a few. Nearer the farm dams, African Stonechat is often seen, while Cape Longclaw and Long-tailed Widowbird display overhead in the breeding season. The reedbeds fringing pans, dams and rivers are where Black Crake, Lesser Swamp Warbler and other rather secretive birds skulk. Various species of Weaver breed here too, including Village, Cape, Yellow and Thick-billed Weavers. In the taller dense scrub, Fiscal Flycatcher keeps a watchful eye from the top of a bush, while Southern Tchagra dwells in the matted undergrowth and thicket. All in all, there is much to be seen here. One just has to know the right places to see the right birds.
by Tim Cockcroft
About Tim's tours
Tim is a FGASA accredited step-on guide* and is available for half day or full day birdwatching tours for Port Alfred and surrounding areas. A maximum of 8 people per group is recommended. You can choose whether you want your birding to include walking, a driven route or combination of both. During a typical tour, Tim covers as many habitats as possible. Some habitats, such as estuaries, are usually only visited in Spring and Summer, when the waders are around. Starting times for tours vary according to the time of the year as well.
* A step-on guide is a guide that accompanies the client in their transport.
Rates
1-2 people: R 600 half day; R 700 full day.
3-5 people: R 800 half day; R 900 full day.
6-8 people: R 1 000 half day; R 1 100 full day.
Gift and prize vouchers also available.
Tour Reports
If you would like to follow stories and reports on tours as they happen, please visit Tim's Facebook page:
Tim Cockcroft Birding - Guided Birding Tours.
https://www.facebook.com/Tim-Cockcroft-Birding-Guided-Birding-Tours-476032222489462/
Articles
You can read more articles about the birds in Port Alfred and surrounding areas at:
https://timcockcroftbirdingsite.wordpress.com/
Other Birding Activities
Mansfield Private Game Reserve, in conjuction with Tim Cockcroft Birding, now offers Bird and Brunch walks on the property. Enjoy early morning birding though valley bush, fairly open scrub, plains, riverine habitat and small pans, followed by a late breakfast, supplied by the reserve.
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