Robberg

29 December 2021 - Plettenberg Bay; Day 7

Jaden and I were at the Parks Board Office before 8am to pay our entrance fees for the 11km round-trip hike to the point of Robberg. Luckily it was an overcast day and we were ahead of most of the hikers. It is a really scenic hike and on clear days you can often see sharks and whales from some of the higher view points.

The outward leg of the hike is on the northern slope and proceeds through the gap to just under the halfway point, where you can cut down to the beach and island. We continued on to the point. Not many birds on route, but we did have a few obliging Bar-throated Apalis

Bar-throated Apalis (Apalis thoracica)

and later a pair of Cape Grassbird's

Cape Grassbird (Sphenoeacus afer)

Cape Grassbird (Sphenoeacus afer) Portrait

Near the Seal colony, a few people passed by below in sea kayak's

Sea Kayak and Cape Fur Seal's

We then headed to the point, where we stopped for a bite and to enjoy the vista. There was a large Tern colony on the rocks made up predominantly by Swift Terns as well as Sandwich Terns

Swift Tern (Thalasseus bergii)

Swift (Thalasseus bergii) and Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)

This is also a good spot to see Cape Cormorants as they pass by

Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis) and Cape Fur Seals

We then started the walk back on the southern slope which was a little more technical. When we got to the beach, we stopped to photograph an Oystercatcher against the ocean

African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini)

As well as a single White-fronted Plover, although Im sure the other half of the pair was sitting on eggs somewhere

White-fronted Plover (Charadrius marginatus)

On the last push to the Parks Board Office, a Neddicky calling from the top of a shrub. This is the darker sub-species from the Cape

Neddicky (Cisticola fulvicapilla)

It was a most enjoyable 4-hour hike at a leisurely pace, but for sure my legs are going to feel it tomorrow. Another view of the Church from our apartment, this time in full colour

1870 Church