Finally!

23 December 2024 - Around Plett; Day 11

Round 2 for the Woodpecker!

I left the apartment and did a short drive on the R340 to check on the Blue Cranes - they were there, but no antics this morning from the male

Blue Crane (Grus paradiseus)

There was quite a large flock of Ringed Plover's on the mud flats

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

Driving back toward the coast, an adult Jackal Buzzard surveying his terrain from the overhead wires

Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus)

Next stop was back to Kwendalo, the weather was improved and I had a good feeling. I went straight back to the area Mike had suggested and sure enough, a Woodpecker was perched quietly and unobtrusively on an exposed branch. This is the first time in all my years visiting Plett, that I have finally tracked it down..I was pretty chuffed - thanks Mike B

Knysna Woodpecker (Campethera notata)

Walking back to the car, a small flock of Cape White-eye's caught my attention

Cape White-eye (Zosterops virens)

Before heading back to the apartment, I made a stop a Lookout Beach to try and track down the Warbler's new patch. These Bar-throated Apalis always seem to have a quizzical or angry look about them

Bar-throated Apalis (Apalis 

Then I heard the distinctive call of the Warbler and with some sphishing, enticed it to show itself behind a curtain of thick branches - but, I now knew where to look on subsequent sorties, to also improve on this crappy pic. 

Also pretty chuffed to have now recorded all or the only 3 bird species with Knysna preceding their names, in Plett!

Knysna Warbler (Bradypterus sylvaticus)

Some big surf on Lookout Beach

Lookout Beach

The view of the old and well preserved Anglican Church from our lofty apartment

Anglican Church