Drawn by the promise of rare sightings, birders flock to this unassuming spot. Here at Scurpis Bird hide, also known as the Strandfontein Sewage Works, prepare to be amazed.
Strandfontein is not your typical tourist destination. It is a vital habitat for a stunning array of bird species. This 306-hectare site is a Ramsar site. It is part of the False Bay Nature Reserve. Locals often refer to it as the Cape Flats Waste Water Treatment Works. Whatever you call it, it is a birding paradise.
Just a short drive from Cape Town, Scurpis Bird hide offers an escape into nature. It boasts a bird list of well over 200 species. Even a short visit can yield sightings of over 50 species. The settling pans attract large numbers of water birds. Migrant waders boost their numbers during the summer months.
The adjacent bush, coastal dunes, and grassy habitats also teem with life. The network of dirt tracks provides easy access. Exercise caution along the southern edge. The sand can be quite thick.
Look out for Greater Flamingos. In recent years, Lesser Flamingos have also appeared in good numbers. Keep your eyes peeled for Red-knobbed Coot. Common Moorhen and African Swamphen are fairly common here too. Black-winged Stilt and Pied Avocet also make regular appearances. Scan the road edges for Spotted and Water Thick-knees.
Scurpis Bird hide also attracts raptors. African Marsh Harrier and Black-shouldered Kite are frequently seen. African Fish Eagle is now more common than before. Peregrine Falcons breed within the works. Jackal Buzzard also visits from time to time.
Recent water level management has enhanced the wader habitat. Pans like P1 and P2 have attracted staggering numbers of rare birds. In the past few summers, birders have flocked to see Temminck’s Stint. Red-necked Phalarope, American Golden Plover, and Pectoral Sandpiper have also been spotted. African Jacana and various crakes add to the excitement.
Summer tern roosts are another highlight. Swift, Sandwich, and Common Terns gather here. Rarities like Elegant and Lesser Crested Terns are also possible sightings. Whiskered Terns in breeding plumage are a beautiful sight in early summer. Grey-headed Gulls have become more frequent among the Kelp and Hartlaub’s Gulls.
Mixed flocks of swallows and swifts feed over the pans in summer. Cape Longclaw, Cape Bulbul and African Pipit are also common. Listen for Lesser Swamp and Little Rush Warblers in the reed beds. Some outer habitats hold endangered Cape Flats Dune Strandveld. Here you might spot Karoo Scrub-Robin and Cape Grassbird.
Scurpis Bird hide constantly draws South Africa’s top birders. The species list continues to grow. A visit here is a must for any keen birder. Just remember that many of the secondary pans are currently affected by Water Hyacinth. The City of Cape Town is working to eradicate this invasive species.