SANParks counts 281 bird species inside the park, and the lagoon it surrounds is a Ramsar wetland of global significance for wetland birds. Most of the waders are Palearctic migrants, which makes the birding calendar here unusually specific. September is when they arrive worn out from the flight south, and March is when they gather to feed heavily before going back. The Geelbek hide is where to stand, and the trick is to arrive from low tide and let the incoming water push the birds towards you. Out at the mouth of the lagoon the coastal islands are breeding grounds for Cape Gannets, African Penguins and both Kelp and Hartlaub Gulls. The park sits just inland from Saldanha Bay, about an hour and a half from the middle of Cape Town.
Highlights
- 281 bird species recorded in the park
- Langebaan Lagoon, a Ramsar wetland of global significance
- The Geelbek hide, best worked from low tide as the water comes in
- Palearctic migrant waders, at their strongest in September and March
- Breeding Cape Gannets and African Penguins on the coastal islands
- Wildflowers through the spring season