South Africa Birding Begins in Cape Town
They called it “early retirement.” I call it an unexpected detour. Either way, my calendar’s wide open now. That’s why Steve and I spent nearly a month in South Africa—not just because there’s so much to explore, but because the flight is long and I finally had the luxury of lingering. When I was working, that kind of stretch was always a roadblock.
And now South Africa is in my Top 5 Favorite Places for birding. The map below shows our whole trip. We spent most of the time with a birding group organized through Tropical Birding. Rather than try to dump everything we did and all that we saw into this one post, I’ll split it up. (So stay tuned for more posts to come!)
Cape Town
We kicked off our adventure in Cape Town—easily one of the most breathtaking cities on the planet. Steve and I landed four days ahead of our group departure, partly to soak in the culture and scenery, and partly to recover from the marathon flight .
Cape Town delivered on every front: vibrant neighborhoods, jaw-dropping views, and food so good it felt criminal how affordable it was. It felt like we were living large on lunch money.
One day we wandered through the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, a lively mix of shops, restaurants, and harbor views. You might think that’s a typo or that I got it wrong. Many think it’s Victoria & Albert. It’s not. The waterfront is named after Queen Victoria and her son Alfred, who initiated the harbor’s construction in the 1800s.
Another day we escaped to wine country, where the landscapes were as intoxicating as the vintages. Of course, no trip to Cape Town would be complete without visiting Table Mountain—that postcard-perfect slab of rock towering over the city like a stone crown. The views were unreal and it looked as though the city spilled out into the Atlantic ocean.
West Coast National Park
On our first day of the tour, we explored West Coast National Park and the shimmering Langebaan Lagoon, a coastal mix of fynbos, beaches, and mudflats. The landscape felt wild and textured—windswept greens meeting tidal blues. On the way there, we spotted a Blue Crane, South Africa’s national bird, standing tall in a field. It was on my target list, so I was pretty thrilled—until I realized he wasn’t a solo act. About ten more dotted the grass nearby, like a feathered welcoming committee. Not a bad kickoff for day one.
The Langebaan Lagoon area was a birding dream. A couple of well-placed hides along the shoreline offered fantastic views of shorebirds and close-up encounters with Cape Weavers, busily constructing their intricate nests like little architects. These brilliant yellow birds are endemic to South Africa, making their presence feel all the more special. The reed beds were alive with motion, and a Marsh Harrier, likely nesting nearby, treated us to a graceful flyover. We also spotted a Cape Spurfowl and a Cape Shoveler, both local specialties, along with a Black Bustard—another South African endemic—strutting through the grass. Southern Crag Martins darted overhead, and Greater and Lesser Flamingos painted the lagoon with hints of pink. Not a bad haul for one salty, windswept morning.
We rounded out the day with a sighting that nudged my binoculars in a whole new direction: my first antelope of the trip—a Common Eland. I’d come to South Africa with birds on the brain, checklist in hand, ready to scan treetops and reed beds. But there he was, standing in the open .
The Common Eland is no small introduction to antelope. Towering at over five feet at the shoulder and weighing up to a ton, his spiral horns caught the light. It is the largest antelope in the world.
I hadn’t planned to track antelope, but that moment cracked the door open. South Africa is home to more than 30 antelope species, and suddenly I was curious about all of them. The eland had shifted my lens—literally and figuratively.
From that point on, I wasn’t just birding. I was listing antelope.
Check out The Accidental Birder Memoir
Curious where this birding adventure began? Don’t miss The Accidental Birder—my illustrated memoir on Substack. It’s packed with award-winning stories I’ve written over the years not seen in this blog (some of them published), chronicling my winding, often unexpected journey into the world of birding. I introduce a new chapter every 2 weeks. The writing’s real, the feathers are fine, and yes—the watercolors are mine.
You can start from the beginning here. I’d love for you to subscribe to it. It’s FREE and even free subscriptions still support me as a writer.
