Gauteng Guides Association

Well, here go the mad birders again!!!
Last Thursday we received news about a bird that has NEVER been recorded in South Africa - Little Crake. Needless to say that once we received confirmation on that Friday morning that the bird was still in the area, I literally dropped everything and caught the first flight out of Jo'burg making my way to CTIA.

We had less than an hour to race to ORT and get checked in. We managed this by the skin of our teeth, only to be told that the flight had been delayed by 30 minutes!!! The anxiety starts to build up at this point...
We eventually board and the race continues as soon as we land in Cape Town. We run into Avis only to 'hurry up and wait'!!! We stood there for over an hour. Then our vehicle is ready, however we have to wait for it to be driven to the car park.... I am chewing bricks at this point - another 15 minutes pass before we get the keys handed to us, only to find that the car was parked in the FURTHEST bay that you could find... Blood pressure rising to dangerous levels now, even heart pulpitations are felt.

We 'chuck' all the luggage, cameras and equipment included into the boot and we set off at the speed of clappers heading towards Fish Hoek. Now, you know how the roads in Cape Town wind and wind and descend and ascend but with further winding - at this point my fingers are tightly gripped to the dash board and my stomach is playing cat and mouse with my intestines which is creating high levels of saliva in my mouth which makes it difficult for my quivering lips to remain tightly sealed...

Having driven like this for a good distance we eventually get to Clovelly where this dreaded bird is. On arrival we are met with a crowd of birders and thankfully we managed to see this foreigner beaautifully!!!

Thank yuo Little Crake you have 'upped' my lists to the following (not that I am competitive by any means :) ):
Southern African list 811
South African list: 716
Photographic list 762

I am thrilled beyond anything imaginable! I dont know when we will ever be able to see this bird ever again. It is said that this bird is very tricky to see even in its natural location - we had a show!! everyday we had a show!!

PS: a good movie that describes the birding madness accurately is 'The Big Year' - currently on circuit.