Following on from my previous post. After breakfast and taking the advice we had received at the golf course which had been confirmed by our host, Glen at the Quiver Tree B&B, we headed for the West Coast National Park which can be entered just south of the village of Langebaan. This National Park (along with it seemed at least 90% of Langebaan village/town) had not existed when we had last been here in the 1980s so was a whole new experience. There are 2 bird hides at the southern end of the lagoon at Geelbek and this is where we headed for first. The tides were not ideal and the northern of the 2 hides had little to show with only some distant flamingoes so we headed on to the southern hide which gave us some opportunities on Swift Terns, a juvenile Caspian Tern, a few flamingoes that were just in range, a Sacred Ibis and Little Egret.  I have chosen the Swift tern for this post as it’s yellow bill just seems appropriate for Geelbek!

Heading back up toward Langebaan we detoured to see the lookout at Seeberg which gave a lovely view over the aqua water of the lagoon. A sea breeze blowing up the smooth rock was providing lovely dynamic lift and was being used by a model aircraft enthusiast to fly his slope soaring glider. We soon found two rock kestrels that were enjoying the same lift and this offered some great opportunities for flight shots.

We had started the day hoping for flight shots of Flamingoes and ended up with some lovely flight shot of Rock Kestrels which I could have never have hoped for. Sometimes what you get is even better than what you had wished for!