Robben
Island and Sea Point:
As the place where Nelson Mandela spent many of his prison years,
Robben Island is burdened with a notoriety disproportionate
to its small size and unprepossessing appearance. However, for
birders, it is renowned not only for its sinister political
history: the island supports significant seabird breeding colonies,
including a substantial population of the endemic African
Penguin (p.32*), and is of additional local interest
in that it plays host to two introduced species found nowhere
else in South Africa. The prison, including Nelson Mandela’s
cell, are visited as part of the 3-hour organized tour, including
ferry transport, that is currently the only way to visit the
island. Ferries depart from the Waterfront hourly from 09h00
to 12h00, and at 14h00.
In
1964, customs officials in Cape Town used the island as a
conveniently isolated depot for half a dozen captive-bred
Chukar Partridges, which are native to Europe and Asia.
The birds have since flourished, and small coveys are usually
seen on the prescribed bus tour as they scurry through the
alien thicket and low scrub that covers much of the terrain.
Found
lurking in the denser thicket is the other introduced species
that gives the island its birding reputation — Common
Peafowl. Though many small feral populations of this familiar
species exist in South Africa, only the Robben Island birds
have been officially recognized as genuinely wild-breeding,
thus legitimately worthy of listing.
Of
rather higher significance in a global context are the substantial
breeding colonies of African
Penguin, Bank Cormorant (breeding on the harbour
breakwater; see box, p.21), Crowned Cormorant, African
Black Oystercatcher (p.32*), Hartlaub’s Gull
and Swift Tern. These are all easily seen along
the island’s coastline. A boardwalk offers access to
the penguin colony. There can also be interesting seabirding
en route to and from the island, and Sabine’s Gulls
may be seen lifting off the waves on tri-coloured wings as
the ferry ploughs its way across Table Bay in summer. Arctic
and Pomarine Skuas can also been seen in summer, while
in winter Subantarctic Skuas mercilessly harry the
other seabirds for their hard-won meals.
For
those with limited time, or less of a stomach for the choppy
ride across the bay, there is plenty to see along the city’s
western seaboard. The alternately rocky and sandy shoreline
from the Waterfront westward to the suburbs of Mouille Point
and Sea Point supports small numbers of roosting African
Black Oystercatchers, Cape and Crowned Cormorants,
as well as Swift and Common Terns. South of
Sea Point, the coastal road passes through the haunts of Cape
Town’s wealthiest and trendiest, the suburbs of Camps
Bay, Clifton and Bantry Bay. At Bakoven, good numbers of the
globally threatened Bank Cormorant
breed on the elephant-like boulders that lie just offshore,
and are best observed by telescope.
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