Hi from Southern Most point of Africa

This point is were the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. I cannot get more Southern... Only south pole ahead!

This board gives some idea on where we are.

Behind me is a lighthouse..here is some more info.

The sea off Cape Agulhas is notorious for winter storms and mammoth rogue waves, which can range up to 30 metres (100 ft) high and can sink even large ships. These conditions are caused by a number of factors. The naturally strong winds of the roaring forties, which blow from west to east, and the cold Antarctic Circumpolar Current flowing in the same direction, come up against the warmer Agulhas Current in the region of the cape. These conflicting currents of water of different densities, and the west winds blowing against the Agulhas Current, can create extremely hazardous wave conditions; these are further exacerbated by the shallow waters of the Agulhas Bank, a broad, shallow part of the continental shelf which juts 250 kilometres (155 mi) south from the cape, after which it falls steeply away to the abyssal plain.

These hazards have combined to make the cape notorious among sailors. The coast here is littered with wrecks: Arniston (1815), Cooranga (1964), Elise (1879), European (1877), Federal Lakes (1975), Geortyrder (1849), Gouritz (1981), and Gwendola (1968) are just a few of the vessels lost in the proximity of the "Cape of Needles." Owing to the hazards and following the loss of several vessels, notably the Arniston, a lighthouse was built in 1848, this being only the second one to be built in the country.
South of Cape Agulhas the warm Agulhas Current that flows south along the east coast of Africa retroflects back into the Indian Ocean. While retroflecting, it pinches off large ocean eddies (Agulhas rings) that drift into the South Atlantic Ocean and take enormous amounts of heat and salt into the neighboring ocean. This mechanism constitutes one of the key elements in the global conveyor belt circulation of heat and salt.

Unlike its better-known relative, the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Agulhas is relatively unspectacular, consisting of a gradually curving coastline with a rocky beach. A survey marker indicates the location of the cape, which would otherwise be difficult to identify. The waters of the Agulhas Bank off the coast are quite shallow and are renowned as one of the best fishing grounds in South Africa.

The rocks that form Cape Agulhas belong to the Table Mountain Group, often loosely termed the Table Mountain sandstone. They are closely linked to the geological formations that are exposed in the spectacular cliffs of Table Mountain, Cape Point, and the Cape of Good Hope.

Taken from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Agulhas

The town of Agulhas, lighthouse and the first pic was taken in a direct line behind lighthouse towards the sea from here. You are looking at the atlantic and indian oceans. Note all the "fynbos" on the hill. This area are known for its fynbos (Protea, leucadendrons, etc)

The whole area is known as the Overberg with rolling hills as wheat-type production.

Grey Heron....Southern Most Heron ....hehehehe!

Cape Gull

Female Cape weaver....interesting thing for me is the fact that is after nectar in aloe flowers....

I think this is a Southern double-collared Sunbird female....the interesting thing is how the blend into the "fynbos". I actually snapped the bush in hope to capture the bird...hehehe.

Cape francolin

Another pic...love the patterns

Fantastic photos Little Things! I cannot imagine waves as high as 100ft. Love the birds, especially the Cape Weaver. What an amazing trip for you. I'll bet the Protea in bloom is spectacular on the hills.

It all seems so lush and so beautiful. I like the Cape Weaver and the Cape Francolin's patterns.

I will add some more, but as it is near 12pm ... ZZzzzzzz!

Really nice Little! I love the Grey Heron, Cape Gull and Cape Francolin. Looking forward to seeing more, thanks for posting these.

Rian, thanks for a great thread and for the information about the meeting of the the two oceans. Lovely birds. The pattern on the Francolin is so beautiful.

Little_things
great to hear from South Africa. I shall be visiting Cape Town towards the end of August and am looking forward to great bird-watching and all the wildflowers as well.

You have shown us pictures of a number of birds many of which are not yet represented in our BirdFiles: http://davesgarden.com/guides/birdfiles/

It would be great if you could add the species that you have photographed to BirdFiles and add your images as well,

Kennedy

Great series and lots of neat information! Amazing how that Sunbird blends in so well!

Thanks for the info on your lovely area. Great photos!

Great introduction to start your thread Little_things!! Nice shots! Looking forward to more!

Thanks Pele, duck, burd & Nanny, Margaret that was the closest I could get to Aus..lol!

Kenedy, I've been meaning to add some pics and will at some stage. As for your visit, You must try and go up the Garden Route and the Best birding would be up North. Every area has got their own specials as most...in the Cape its birds like sugerbirds, grassbird, etc. Because the area is mainly "fynbos", which is one biomes with the most species, the specials are adapted for this. I will add a few now.

Ok, this photo is of the Strand and Hottentots-Holland mountains with Valsbay. I grew up here. It is about 200km W - NW from Agulhas and 60km from Table Mountain.

This is Helderberg and the whole area is a reserve, mainly for Flora (Fynbos).

Another protea in flower. Note the size of the flowers...

Some other fynbos...I love these!

Cape sugerbird - protea special. (my guess is that this is a female)

This is a bad pic, but I had to add it as the male has such a nice long tail.

Quick chance to get the grassbird

Another pic of the Cape Francolin, they are all over the place in thickets of the Cape.

Common Moorhen - just a beauti.

Another shot.

First shot I got of the Red-faced Mousebird. I have shown pics of the White-backed Mousebird before.

Cape Bulbul, cape special. I've shown pics of the red-eye bulbul before.

Southern double-collared Sunbird Male, I've shown female earlier....just managed to pic the male.

Orange-breasted Sunbird .. a first and very much a special in the Cape taken on a protea.

Another pic...they are so small and I struggle to get good pics of the small stuff. But he is a beauti.

Finally, these birds are reasons to make sure we look after nature and have flora reserves, because they specialize here, and will also dissappear or become population stressed once these are not there.

Hope you enjoy them!

Rian

Nearly forget....a Common Fiscal having a bad hair day.....cold wintery day...

Wonderful shots Rian! The area is gorgeous along with the birds. Love the tail on the male Sugarbird and the Red-faced Mousebird is beautiful! All the Sunbirds are striking .

Wow, such a wonderful variety of birds-they're all so beautiful. I really enjoy seeing all your photos!

Thanks guys...I am not sure that we compare to the wonderfull variety I see everyday from your pics, but as I said, even if my pics are not always up there, I am trying to keep my "neck of the woods" in focus....hmmm, in focus may be wrong term..LOL.

Little_things
thanks for the birding tips. We have a 4 day birding trip to the Kruger NP organised before we travel to Cape Town. A bird-watching friend in the Cape Town area has our birding (and botanising) planned, mainly in the fynbos.

All this follows a 10 day tour of Mdagascar. We are greatly looking forward to exploring so many birds, animals and flowers that will all be new to us.

Thanks for all your additional pictures,

Kennedy