Phil Lessner
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South Africa
Male Cape Rockjumper at Rooi-Els
A female Cape Rockjumper was seen closely following the male
Blue Cranes are the national bird of South Africa
Cape Mountain Zebras are the smallest of all zebra subspecies
Bontebok at De Hoop Nature Reserve
The Eland is the largest antelope we saw at De Hoop Nature Reserve.
A juvenile African Penguin follows an adult along the rocky coast at Stony Point Reserve
Sue and Phil on the boardwalk at Stony Point Nature Reserve
A Rock Hyrax, known locally as a "dassie", lounges on the rocks at Stony Point
Immature African Penguins aren't quite ready for their tuxedos yet!
Portrait of a Reed Cormorant at Strandfontein WTP
One of our special sightings at Rooi-els was a pair of Ground Woodpeckers
An adult Hartlaub's Gull in its non-breeding plumage
Portrait of a Cape Cormorant at Stony Point Reserve
Cape Cormorant Tug-O-War?
Panoramic view of Hout Bay as seen from Chapman's Peak
Sue on the mountaintop at the Chapman's Peak overlook of Haut Bay
Seals
Cape Teal were common at the Strandfontein Water Treatment Plant
This Three-banded Plover shows just a hint of the breast bands
A Common Moorhen forages among the reeds at Strandfontein WTP
Yellow-billed Duck is a common South African resident
The Red-knobbed Coot is named for the distinctive feature at the top of its beak
Fulvous Whistling Duck
Greater Flamingos were abundant at Strandfontein WTP
An African Sacred Ibis forages at Strandfontein
Helmeted Guineafowl
Blacksmith Lapwings are common throughout Southern Africa
Third-year Kelp Gull
Pied Avocet
Southern Rock Agamas at Rooi-els
The male Southern Rock Agama displays a blue head during the breeding season
Cape Grysbok
Greater Double-collared Sunbird at Bloomestate
Olive Thrush at Bloomestate
Male Southern Red Bishop at Agulhas Plains
Hadada Ibis, the alarm clock of the African countryside
The Cape of Good Hope flora is unique, with many endemic species
We were amazed to see Calla lilies growing everywhere
The Cape Canary is near-endemic to South Africa
Levaillant's Cisticola
The Orange-breasted Sunbird is a beautiful South African endemic
A female Fiscal Flycatcher surveys her domain at Rooi-els
African Pied Starling on the Agulhas Plains
Orange-throated Longclaw shows where it got its name
Female Southern Red Bishop
Yellow Bishops were also fairly common on the Agulhas Plains
Female Cape Sugarbird
Male Cape Sugarbird in a characteristic pose atop a flowering Protea
Ostrich Mating!
Gray Rhebok doe in the De Hoop Nature Reserve
Common Waxbills were common among the reeds
Large-billed Lark
Red-capped Lark was one of the easier South African larks to identify
Black-headed Heron at Strandfontein WTP
A Capped Wheatear shows off his namesake white rump
Pearl-breasted Swallow at De Hoop Nature Reserve
Bloomestate has its own citrus orchard
African Pipit on the Agulhas Plains
Black Harrier on the Agulhas Plains
A Karoo Scrub-robin poses on a fence post with its dinner
Cape Spurfowl, a large gamebird endemic to Southern Africa
Hartlaub’s Gull