Brenton-on-Sea

Leaving the room at first light, one of the first birds to be seen was a Spotted Eagle-owl which had been seen for the first time the previous evening, perched in its supposed roosting spot almost within touching distance of the back door. The road in front of the Beach House overlooks part of Brenton and the Indian Ocean, and had shown promise on a quick sortie the previous evening, but initially only offered Laughing Dove and Cape Robin-chat, both of which were calling from the telegraph wires. However, the small fynbos nature reserve just down from the accommodation was quickly located, and it was here that the fun began. The entire reserve seems to cover a length of no more than 100m, with a width of half that, but this was obviously ideal for the Bushbuck staring at me from its centre. The Greater Double-collared Sunbirds found around the Beach House were replaced here by Southern Double-collareds, and also a pair of Amethyst Sunbirds on the wires. Streaky-headed Seedeaters were either building nests or in the throes of courtship, with occasional Yellow Bishops not so obliging. A Spotted Thick-knee appeared from the bush on to the road in ahead of me, gradually making its way further away until it disappeared again in the gardens. Coucals were heard but not seen, but much better luck was had with a Didrik Cuckoo, calling from the top of a small bear bush. The briefly seen Bar-throated Apalis of yesterday was seen again, within the same stand of bushes, but for a lot longer this time. Mouse birds here were White-backed and possible Red-faced, but they kept to the interior of the vegetation and didn’t show particularly well. Another surprise was a lone Cape Sugarbird, which turned out to the only one seen on the entire trip.