Red- nobbed Coot

I am here in Cape Town after our arrival at lunchtime yesterday. We endured a Virgin Atlantic flight which lasted for 12 hours.  My  seat partner  was a rotund lady from Switzerland who couldn't fit all of her massive self in her own seat and consequently "spilled over" to mine.  It was the worse flight of my life by far and I have done a few over the years, even the stewards were unhelpful and by preferance I would never ever, ever fly Virgin Atlantic again.

It was all well worth it though because Cape Town is fabulous, what an astounding place. The air is clear, clean and bright.  The sky is cloudless and blue and the temperature is warm and dry.   The common birds here, just yards from our beautiful apartment in the Green Point area are just amazing.  So many superlatives already, but very deserved.  I have already seen and photographed two Cape endemics, (that's birds are found only here in the Cape). These were Cape White Eye and Namaque Warbler though the latter is open to debate because it was in an area and habitat that is not usual for the species. This morning from the verandah of the appartment which over looks the bay with a distand view of Robin Island, I saw yet another Cape White Eye, obviously common here and amazingly, a Great Grey Shrike, this was perched on the corner of the house opposite.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it. 

Green Point Park is just a walk from our accommodation.  This green oasis nestled next to the Cape Town football stadium built for the recent Worl Cup, includes lakes and biodiversity habitat displays and is alive with birds of all shapes, sizes and species.  I am sure that what I have seen in the last 18 hours is just the minute tipe of a gigantic birding iceberg so this is going to be some kind of special trip. Here are a few photos from the first day.

Cape White-Eye,  a Cape endemic.

Namaque Warbler (but could be a Prinia)

Blacksmith Lapwing

Cape Sparrow – Passer melanurus (male)

Cape Sparrow –  Passer melanurus (female)

Hartlaub's Gull – Chroicephalus hartlaubii

My list day one.

Cape Sparrow

Harlaub's Gull

Helmeted Guinea Fowl

Red-winged Starling

Kelp Gull

Great Grey Shrike

Cape Dove

Hadeda Ibis

Glossy Ibis

African Sacred Ibis

Yellow Billed Duck

Blacksmith Lapwing (plover)

Namaque Warbler

Red- knobbed Coots

All of the above Life time firsts.

and…

Egyptian Goose

Moorhen