It was a good turnout of birders for the Cape Bird Club outing to De Hel, part of the Alphen Greenbelt, on Constantia Main Road, close to Constantia Nek. There were over 20 people.
Unfortunately we didn’t see many birds. There were raptors flying above the trees that we kept glimpsing as they crossed the open spaces that were visible to us, we decided we’d seen Forest Buzzard and Jackal Buzzard.
We saw African Dusky Flycatcher, both Swee and Common Waxbill, Sombre Greenbul, Cape Batis, and both Malachite and Southern Double-Collared Sunbird. Our total was 16 bird species seen and we heard a Cape Robin-Chat, which didn’t make an appearance and a Bar-Throated Apalis which may have made a very fleeting appearance and was certainly calling loudly.
There is quite a steep ascent back up to the path, which we took slowly and then we wandered back to our cars.
Linda Hibbin.
