Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

Two visits were made here, one late morning, returning again for just over an hour in the evening. The gardens are located on the south-eastern base of Table Mountain, and are very ornamental and picturesque. They cover quite a large area, and form varied habitat for a range of birds. The lawned areas give way to hikes through the more natural slopes on the mountain. The most common bird initially was Cape Canary, feeding on flower heads just outside of the reception tea rooms. Progression through the gardens found even more regular Cape White-eyes and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds, interspersed by singing Olive Thrushes and Cape Robin-chats. One of the main target birds was Cape Sugarbird, but none could be found, even in the likely setting of the Protea Garden, suggesting that their presence could be seasonal. Also absent were Orange-breasted Sunbirds, seen in good numbers higher up on the plateau of Table Mountain, in this case possibly pointing to altitudanal migration for breeding. However, they were replaced by a stunning Malachite Sunbird feeding on the proteas, with a much more dowdy female close by. The protea garden was the most active area for birds, since this was the only location for other species such as Rameron Pigeon, Cape Francolin, Karoo Prinias, and a single Forest Canary. The afternoon visit was during the progression of the shadow of Table Mountain as the sun set on the opposite slopes, and bird activity noticeably decreased as the evening wore on.