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On route to the West Coast Park from Stellenbosch we spotted some brightly coloured birds behaving in an undoubtably bee-eater type fashion around the Darling area. Brightly coloured underneath (turquoise perhaps) we only got three decent looks at them in flight - but they certainly appeared to be European Bee-eaters. Bird books said this was likely - and show distribution throughout Western Cape in Summer - but I have never seen them out our way (Stell/Som West) or down in the Southern Supburbs where I lived previously. Are these summer migrants common in the Swartland and surrounds - or have I totally miss id'ed?

West Coast was lovely - though we messed our timing with the tides and so only had very long range views from the lagoon hides. Gorgeous Pearl Breated Swallow nesting inside the Hide at the fresh water Admanskraal pond was probably the quirky highlight on a windy day. A lone Eurasian Curlew in a crowd of whimbrels was also a long billed standout.
Lastly - a hat tip to the gate keeper at the R27 entrance. So friendly, welcoming and helpful at 7:19 am - it really set the day up beautifully.

Hi ruthers and Welcome!

Yes, European bee eaters are very common in the Darling area, I've seen them often along Darling Hills Road and in WCNP. Glad you enjoyed the park, where it is almost always windy . Hope you made it to Tsaarsbank, my personal favourite WCNP spot.

Thanks for the info Arks.

We did not get around to Tsaarsbank! Is that open all year around - it looks on the map to be nearly in the Postberg section?

If so that is a great reason to go back - perhaps I can squeeze in another day before the end of the summer. Might there still be any lazy waders around in early March?

I have just 3.5 weeks till we head up to Punda Maria - I'm just about gnawing through the strap of my Bushnell's I'm so excited!

ruthers.

Tsaarsbank is outside of the Postberg section, so yes, open all year round. Be sure to take the track at the north end of the main area, which leads to a second carpark and another long beach. I've never been there in March, but I was there in April 2006 and saw many interesting birds, including a turnstone. And I always see oystercatchers there.

One of my favourite birds in Kruger, this one looked stunning with the morning light showing off the colours.

Larger view

KNP: March 2010, a first sighting for me (that I realised what I was taking a pic of )

Wonderful, DB! A new tick then

Yes ... my bird list is growing - slowly, but still growing

Darling Hills Road, October 2010.

A European Bee-eater in the Kruger National Park. Not the best of photos, but I got the tick ...