Lookout Beach

16 December 2024 - Lookout Beach, Plett; Day 4

After a chilled day yesterday, I was up early for a walk on Lookout Beach. It is downhill all the way from our apartment, past the old Anglican Church, cut through some coastal forest and into the Lookout Deck Restaurant parking where House Sparrow's forage

Male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Lookout Beach is a breeding area for a number of species which you can encounter walking along the beach or the edge of the lagoon to Keurbooms River mouth. This morning I chose the lagoon route to the mouth and returned back along the beach.

African Black Oystercatcher's breed in the low coastal dunes along with the many, many Kelp Gull's. There were a good number of pairs that provided good photo opportunities in the early morning light. I found one pair with some young birds who mostly stayed hidden in the dune habitat. They were also quite defensive with their young, often engaging with and chasing the Kelp Gulls away

African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini)

Harassing the Kelp Gull

With a young bird before it disappeared into the small bush

There were a few Common Ringed Plovers feeding on the edge of the lagoon

Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

Of course, Kelp Gulls were the most numerous and despite being used to people walking along the lagoon or beach, still dive-bomb you on a few occasions

Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) head-on

I was thrilled to find an Eurasian Curlew, not as common as the Whimbrel which is more often seen

Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata)

Water Thick-knee also enjoy the dune habitat and probably also breed here

Water Thick-knee (Burhinus vermiculatus)

I managed to find some of the diminutive White-fronted Plovers closer to the estuary mouth

White-fronted Plover (Anarhynchus marginatus)

On the way back to the apartment, I detoured on one of the paths past The Plettenberg Hotel, finding a male Southern Double-collared Sunbird in transitional plumage

Southern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus)

We enjoyed a family breakfast and then spent the day exploring.

Later in the afternoon, we had a another walk on Lookout Beach to the estuary, finding more Oystercatcher's. I observed that they mostly fed on Mussel's, so Black Mussel Catcher's might be a more appropriate name.

African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini)

Mussel morsel for the youngster's

At the Estuary, amongst the White-fronted Plovers, many of which lowered themselves into small footprint depressions to get out of the on-shore breeze

White-fronted Plover (Anarhynchus marginatus)

I found a single Greater Sand Plover which I was really happy to see relatively close-up. In previous years, I had found them on Keurbooms itself, but always some distance away

Greater Sand Plover (Anarhynchus leschenaultii)

I love these few images of the Tern colony against a dark backdrop on the opposite of the Keurboom's estuary. I never did get a chance to get across to see the make-up of the flock

Tern colony

Walking back, I scrutinised the returning Tern's hoping to try and get the seldom seen Elegant Tern that has been reported from Plett - but that literally is like trying to find the proverbial needle in the haystack. But I did record Common Tern

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

amongst the many Greater Crested Terns

Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)

I also had White-breasted Cormorant

White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax lucidus) 

And a little further on, a Cape Cormorant

Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis)

I was distracted by a pod of Bottlenose Dolphin's in the surf, but didnt quite get the opportunity to get the shot I envisaged. Close, but no cigar!

Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus)

There were a couple of Cape Gannet's beyond the breakers diving like Kamikaze pilots for their dinner

Cape Gannet (Morus capensis)

Once back at Lookout Deck, we walked up to Whale Rock viewpoint and watched Cattle Egrets returning to their roost in late afternoon light.

Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

An enjoyable and perfect day weather wise, as we headed back to the apartment for customary sundowner's overlooking Lookout Beach from above.